Finding a trailer for my Mini..

[jarihabib]

I have an old austin mini which has, let's say, seen better days, parked on my mum's driveway up North. With patience now running a little low, I need to go and remove it, but I can't seem to find anywhere locally to rent a car transporter/trailer (I live in Beckenham, SE London/Kent).. And it certainly isn't going to be driven down here

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on where I could rent a trailer from in SE London/Kent, or even better had one that I could borrow!? I will of course reimburse you for your troubles..

Many thanks in advance, and I may be posting on here again before long asking if anyone knows how to fix a mini!

[R0G]

You will probably need B+E on your licence to trailer it

[BoRED S2upid]

A mini will fit in the back of a removals van.

[jarihabib]

Hi R0G, thanks for your reply.

I've had a look into the weights, and as the little mini is so light I should be fine (i.e. trailer + mini + my car will be less than 3500kg)

thanks for the heads up though!

[jarihabib]

BoRED S2upid said:

A mini will fit in the back of a removals van.

haha! it probably would.. pushing it up some ramps into the van would be tricky though..

[R0G]

jarihabib said:

Hi R0G, thanks for your reply.

I've had a look into the weights, and as the little mini is so light I should be fine (i.e. trailer + mini + my car will be less than 3500kg)

thanks for the heads up though!

It is not the actual weight being under 3500 that I was concerned about but the law which needs it to be under 3500 total MAM/GVW

Example -
If the towcar has a GVW of 2200 and the trailer has a plated MAM of 2000 then that would be 4200 so 700 over the legal limit for B licence towing

ALSO - the trailer plated MAM must not be more than the kerbweight of the towing vehicle

[jarihabib]

Hi R0G, thanks for the reply the reply and details - really appreciate it.

I was planning on towing it with a Saab 9-3 (weight 1500kg) - the mini weighs about 650kg, and hopefully the trailer will be about 5-600kg.. so should be alright..

Ah, the benefits of a tiny mini

[R0G]

jarihabib said:

Hi R0G, thanks for the reply the reply and details - really appreciate it.

I was planning on towing it with a Saab 9-3 (weight 1500kg) - the mini weighs about 650kg, and hopefully the trailer will be about 5-600kg.. so should be alright..

Ah, the benefits of a tiny mini

If this is to be done on a B only licence then you have the wrong weights

You are using ACTUAL weights but the LAW requires PLATED weights

The only useful weight in that lot is the 650 for the load/mini

[R0G]

Assuming these are the correct weights for your SAAB
Kerb Weight = 1590 Kg
Gross Weight = 1970 Kg
Towing Limit = 1400 Kg
Then the maximum plated trailer MAM for B licence towing is 1530kgs
If the trailer is plated above 1530 in the above example then the driver on a B licence will be illegal

If the trailer being used for a 650 kg mini is 600 unladen and 1500 kgs plated MAM then it would be legal because the trailer + load/mini = 1250 which is below the 1400 recommended toowing capacity and the 1500+1970= 3470 which is not more than the 3500 max - also the 1500 is not more than the 1590 kerbweight

[jarihabib]

R0G said:

Assuming these are the correct weights for your SAAB
Kerb Weight = 1590 Kg
Gross Weight = 1970 Kg
Towing Limit = 1400 Kg
Then the maximum plated trailer MAM for B licence towing is 1530kgs
If the trailer is plated above 1530 in the above example then the driver on a B licence will be illegal

If the trailer being used for a 650 kg mini is 600 unladen and 1500 kgs plated MAM then it would be legal because the trailer + load/mini = 1250 which is below the 1400 recommended toowing capacity and the 1500+1970= 3470 which is not more than the 3500 max - also the 1500 is not more than the 1590 kerbweight

ah right, I see what you mean.. and thanks for the explanation - that's very helpful indeed! so I guess it means I now need a pretty specific trailer - one that weights under 750kg unladen with a max MAM of 1530..

onwards with the hunt..

thanks so much again!

[jarihabib]

jarihabib said:

Hi R0G, thanks for the reply the reply and details - really appreciate it.

I was planning on towing it with a Saab 9-3 (weight 1500kg) - the mini weighs about 650kg, and hopefully the trailer will be about 5-600kg.. so should be alright..

Ah, the benefits of a tiny mini

or a B+E licence, which I doubt I'll be able to get by this weekend..

it seems if I'd passed my test after 19th Jan this year, it wouldn't be a problem as they just consider normal weights rather than MAM.. According to gov.uk: "trailers weighing more than 750kg, where the combined weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg" grrr

[R0G]

jarihabib said:

or a B+E licence, which I doubt I'll be able to get by this weekend..

it seems if I'd passed my test after 19th Jan this year, it wouldn't be a problem as they just consider normal weights rather than MAM.. According to gov.uk: "trailers weighing more than 750kg, where the combined weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg" grrr

That is incorrect but I cannot blame you as the DVLA missed the word MAM from that release

The law for B licence towing has not changed at all

[curlie467]

Try a company called shiply.

Lots of couriers etc frequent on there offering there vans, trailers etc.

Say what you are after from where to where and what it is and people will jump in with quotes on moving it for you, you then just sit and wait for it to turn up.

Alternatively, post in the `retro rides express` section on retrorides and someone on there may be able to help too.

[R11ysf]

Op as above use SHIPLY.COM

I had the golf moved 100 miles for about £50. It's like a reverse auction where couriers bid lowest price to get the work. If you are relaxed on time frame and let it fit in with their schedules you will get a lower price.

[Krikkit]

If you can't find a courier a trailer shouldn't be too hard - a single-axle trailer should fit nicely. Worst case borrow one and plate it down yourself!

[jarihabib]

Thanks both for the suggestion re Shiply - I just posted an ad on there and have already received a quote! (it was actually more than what i paid for the car, but hopefully I'll get some lower ones..)

[R0G]

Krikkit said:

Worst case borrow one and plate it down yourself!

Not legally recognised

The downplating of a trailer under 3500 kgs can only be done by the manufacturer

[Krikkit]

R0G said:

Krikkit said:

Worst case borrow one and plate it down yourself!

Not legally recognised

The downplating of a trailer under 3500 kgs can only be done by the manufacturer

Really? Apologies.