Towing a 911 on a trailer to the South of France

[Mulsanne-Speed]

I did consider Ferrari Billy_whizzz, but decided reliability and larger dealer network would be better with Porsche.

You make good points Dammit and iguana, all things to consider and I'm glad you raised it, the last thing I want is a bill like that.

As we're buying a house in France, we'll be on a VLS-TS (Long Stay Visa / Residents Permit), this allows us to stay in the country for up to 12 months, I suspect the same would apply to the cars, but a valid point and one I'll certainly check in to.

Edited by Mulsanne-Speed on Sunday 29th May 11:27

[DMZ]

I think I would rent a 911 in France. Google “Porsche Drive” if you’re not familiar with it. Everything else sounds like a pain.

[Billy_Whizzzz]

Apologies if this had been suggested but why not just but a LHD French registered one and keep it there? I often leave my cars on battery tenders and they’re generally always fine. Even the old stuff I leave at our holiday place and use sporadically. The advantage of having something there all the time is you can look at the weather forecast and jump on a plane with little ore planning. As I just did… (not quite a turbo S but better for the roads here… when I come off the ferry in something fast and low I can’t use it and also in the series I don’t worry about sand and sun cream).

[RDMcG]

I have done maybe 75,000km towing trailers with cars on them.
I cannot provide useful information about the regulations from the UK to France, but here are a couple of things to consider.


I think a practical issue to to install a proper trailer controller in the tow vehicle so you can set the brake bias on the trailer. We have a routine: make sure the car is balanced on the trailer so the tongue weight on the towbar is right. Check lights; drive for a km, stop and recheck that tiedowns are good. Text braking to make sure bias is right. ( I once had a situation in Utah, was passing an 18 wheeler when a car made an fast illegal run across the median and stopped in my lane. I could not turn into the other lane as the truck was there so full on emergency braking, felt as if it would not stop, but brakes were properly set so no jack knifing).

A couple of my cars below:

[findtomdotcom]

Billy_Whizzzz said:

I’ve towed our trailer (boat not 911) behind a Defender all the way to Greece via France, Switzerland and Italy so same principle.

Edited by Billy_Whizzzz on Tuesday 24th May 07:44

Hey Billy, I would be very interested in knowing about driving to Greece. I am about to move out there and plan to move my Turbo and R8 out there back at least once a year. Might tow them or ship them?

I note the route you gave wasn’t the shortest and others has said travel via Italy. Is that because of safety?

Many thanks,

Tom

[Mulsanne-Speed]

Thanks for sharing RDMcg - To be honest, I think I've scrapped the idea of towing the trailer after all. Sounds like you've got a good procedure in place for safe towing, but as I'm not really a practical person, it just goes further to reinforce that it's probably not going to work for me.

Billy_Whizzzz, an older vehicle is still very much on the cards, and a strong possibility. Last Sunday we returned from a return trip to Tuscany with the dogs in our 15 year old Range Rover, which is still going strong. I'm not bothered what I drive as long as it gives me some kind of pleasure.

I'm going to proceed with my 911 order, upgrading it to a Turbo S, but whether or not that will be the car that's right for the house in France, remains to be seen. This post has been really useful though, and given me a lot to think about.

To be honest, as long as the roof comes off and I can drive 10 minutes each way to the nearest village for some pastries in the morning, then that's really all I need.

[Mulsanne-Speed]

findtomdotcom said:

Hey Billy, I would be very interested in knowing about driving to Greece. I am about to move out there and plan to move my Turbo and R8 out there back at least once a year. Might tow them or ship them?

I note the route you gave wasn’t the shortest and others has said travel via Italy. Is that because of safety?

Many thanks,

Tom

Safety and driving in Italy are two words that don't go together Tom, I returned last Sunday and it's absolutely mental!!

You'll get through it alright, but it's not what I'd call relaxing. I too, like Billy drove from England to Corfu a few years ago. You can get the ferry from Bari (or Brindisi I think), although I think Billy said he was getting a boat from further up now. I'm sure he'll come back to advise.

[Billy_Whizzzz]

Mulsanne-Speed said:

findtomdotcom said:

Hey Billy, I would be very interested in knowing about driving to Greece. I am about to move out there and plan to move my Turbo and R8 out there back at least once a year. Might tow them or ship them?

I note the route you gave wasn’t the shortest and others has said travel via Italy. Is that because of safety?

Many thanks,

Tom

Safety and driving in Italy are two words that don't go together Tom, I returned last Sunday and it's absolutely mental!!

You'll get through it alright, but it's not what I'd call relaxing. I too, like Billy drove from England to Corfu a few years ago. You can get the ferry from Bari (or Brindisi I think), although I think Billy said he was getting a boat from further up now. I'm sure he'll come back to advise.

Sorry yes only just seen this. We have a place in Corfu so quickest way is via Italy. I love the drive and generally do it for 6 weeks in the summer and fly the other times. A good car is useless there, so keep the old Landy there, but when I drive generally go in something nicer! The ferry to Corfu goes on to Igoumenitsa on mainland Greece. Italy is mental but fun. I used to do ferry drom
Bari but now Ancona as cuts out the last boring leg to Bari. But the overnight stays in Italy are wonderful (and Switzerland).

I have had quotes to ship cars - not massively expensive but never have - my mechanic has driven a couple of them out for me and my neighbour bright my wife’s car back once. I like the drive - actually look forward to it!

Edited by Billy_Whizzzz on Sunday 29th May 21:28

[iguana]

Have done Athens a couple of times for work, via Ancona ferry, absolutely not interested in driving overland with an expensive car on board.

[phib]

Not wising to hijack the thread and this is not a criticism but with the 911 on the trailer should it not be the other way around i.e. engine on or ahead of the trailer wheels if that makes sense ? I have followed your posts for years and you clearly know what your doing towing.

I ask as I hate putting mine on backwards onto a tilt trailer !!

Phib

A couple of my cars below:

[Guyr]

The engine of the car on the trailer should definitely be nearest the towing vehicle, as that reduces the effect of the mass on any pendulum movements.

For normal cars that's drive on forwards, for 911s it's reverse it on. It makes a real difference to stability.

[rosino]

If you can afford to keep a car permanently in France that’s probably the best idea. And I would opt for a LHD car that you can MOT once a year in Britain.

Don’t forget visibility on mountain and sweeping roads is much better when you sitting on the “right” side of the car.

As for transport. There’s plenty of companies that do it. I tend to always use Menabue/Menabetz these days to and from Italy. All the others seem to be massively more expensive. They are top notch. And cheaper (but not cheap).

Sometimes others can do deals to south of France when filling a truck but rare.

I really did consider the trailer myself. And have not ruled it out completely. It would be amortised in one round trip. How bad can it be, take it easy, steady does it. Dutch people trailer their monstrosities across Europe every single summer..

If you have space to park the trailer when idle and have the right vehicle to tow I think you should not get discouraged.

If you ready to pay, call Menabue and book a transfer.

[RDMcG]

phib said:

Not wising to hijack the thread and this is not a criticism but with the 911 on the trailer should it not be the other way around i.e. engine on or ahead of the trailer wheels if that makes sense ? I have followed your posts for years and you clearly know what your doing towing.

I ask as I hate putting mine on backwards onto a tilt trailer !!

Phib

A couple of my cars below:

We have ,measurement on the trailer for various cars and we balance them at a commercial weighbridge so that we has see the tongue weight which should be neutral. The 011s are usually a bar forward to balance the trailer and are not that heavy anyway. Might be different in Europe but over here they are inevitably facing forward. Easier to load and unload too.

[Carbon Sasquatch]

RDMcG said:

We have ,measurement on the trailer for various cars and we balance them at a commercial weighbridge so that we has see the tongue weight which should be neutral. The 011s are usually a bar forward to balance the trailer and are not that heavy anyway. Might be different in Europe but over here they are inevitably facing forward. Easier to load and unload too.

What do you mean by 'neutral' ?

I'd have thought you'd want as much tongue / nose weight as possible ? Things can get out of hand very quickly with too little & at zero, I'd expect a very laggy tail......

[LemonTart]

I don’t know if it’s been offered before but me and/ or my son would happily drop it down for you at the start of the season and bring it back at the end for petrol and tolls.

[pete.g]

Mulsanne-Speed said:

To be honest, as long as the roof comes off and I can drive 10 minutes each way to the nearest village for some pastries in the morning, then that's really all I need.

That gives you quite a lot of scope - anything from a resto-mod MG, a Citroen DS Decapotable, a Mercedes SL (R109), Jaguar E Type, XK to a simple MX5.

LHD Boxster would be the default, but I’d love to see two PMD’s on the back seat of the Citroen as you wafted along, preferably wearing a Panama hat. Le Francais adorent la DS.

[Andyoz]

pete.g said:

Mulsanne-Speed said:

To be honest, as long as the roof comes off and I can drive 10 minutes each way to the nearest village for some pastries in the morning, then that's really all I need.

That gives you quite a lot of scope - anything from a resto-mod MG, a Citroen DS Decapotable, a Mercedes SL (R109), Jaguar E Type, XK to a simple MX5.

LHD Boxster would be the default, but I’d love to see two PMD’s on the back seat of the Citroen as you wafted along, preferably wearing a Panama hat. Le Francais adorent la DS.

I was going to suggest a well sorted Mk1 MX5 too

[RDMcG]

Carbon Sasquatch said:

What do you mean by 'neutral' ?

I'd have thought you'd want as much tongue / nose weight as possible ? Things can get out of hand very quickly with too little & at zero, I'd expect a very laggy tail......

I should have been clear, 5-600 lbs is fine typically, but you need to know the tongue weight capacity of the tow vehicle. Typically a loaded trailer for me is about 5500lbs, Cayenne V8 tow capacity is 7700lbs so this is comfortable. I measure the tow vehicle and loaded trailer on the commercial weighbrige so I can see the load in each axle..

[David W.]

For anyone that hasn’t towed a trailer this is interesting. https://youtu.be/6mW_gzdh6to

[PushedDover]

pete.g said:

Mulsanne-Speed said:

To be honest, as long as the roof comes off and I can drive 10 minutes each way to the nearest village for some pastries in the morning, then that's really all I need.

That gives you quite a lot of scope - anything from a resto-mod MG, a Citroen DS Decapotable, a Mercedes SL (R109), Jaguar E Type, XK to a simple MX5.

LHD Boxster would be the default, but I’d love to see two PMD’s on the back seat of the Citroen as you wafted along, preferably wearing a Panama hat. Le Francais adorent la DS.

Indeed. A Citroen DS Decapotable would be wonderful and / or a electric conversion of something like a 2CV like Blibs Fiat 500.... Fab !
just look at it ! https://www.carscoops.com/2020/07/is-there-anythin...

far more graceful for the boulangerie run than a new Pork Turbo