18 year old car rental

[Mr Classic]

Due to a lack of people with towbars, I'm thinking of renting a car for a day, towing the trailer+car back to my house and then driving back to the rental place.
So are there any company's that rent cars with tow bars, and crucially, to 18 year olds?

[samdale]

If I've read that right you want to tow a trailer with a car on it? Highly unlikely you'll be allowed with your licence due to weight/towing restrictions.

[andy-xr]

I've never used these people but they might be OK with insuring you for an additional premium, and it'd save you having to get a trailer/towbar

http://www.transporterhire.co.uk/

[Super Slo Mo]

Chances of finding a rental car with a tow bar are very slim, as are the chances of finding a company that will rent to you. Might be worth trawling around the independents though, I would suggest none of the big chains will be able to accommodate you.

[Toaster Pilot]

Pretty much zero chance of finding a company that will accommodate this - find a local recovery company.

[Cyberprog]

The only people I know of that hire vehicles like that would be van hire places, and people like SHB who hire out 4x4's. But that said, I doubt they'll hire to an 18yo, and also I doubt your license will cover you for what you are planning on doing. You will probably need B+E, and at present you will just have B, which only covers you for 750kg

[Mr Classic]

On a B license I can tow 750kg, or more than 750kg if the MAM is less that three tons. Its a classic mini in bits so the engine will go in the car with only around 400kg on the trailer. Renting a vehicle would be cheapest as it is a 200mile round trip to pick up the car.

[stoneb09]

I'm sure there is some law relating to the trailer being used is limited to being a single axle unit? Then I think you have to take a different test to be able to tow anything with more.

[surveyor]

Mr Classic said:

On a B license I can tow 750kg, or more than 750kg if the MAM is less that three tons. Its a classic mini in bits so the engine will go in the car with only around 400kg on the trailer. Renting a vehicle would be cheapest as it is a 200mile round trip to pick up the car.

Your not going to be able to tell them that though are you.... It's ok it will be legal as I'm putting the engine in your car

OP where about are you? Perhaps one of the older guard with b&E will do you a favour?

[mikeveal]

Mr Classic said:

On a B license I can tow 750kg, or more than 750kg if the MAM is less that three tons. Its a classic mini in bits so the engine will go in the car with only around 400kg on the trailer. Renting a vehicle would be cheapest as it is a 200mile round trip to pick up the car.

I don't think it works like that.
Towcar has to be able to tow the gross laden weight of the trailer, even if the trailer is un-laden.
Similarly, the license limits are laden weights. It makes no odds of the trailer is unladen.

I had to hire a Transit as it was the only thing heavy enough to tow the very flat bed trailer that was the only thing I could hire that would accomodate my 300Kg three wheeler.

[Rickyy]

Chances are likely slim to none. A van hire place will probably have a Transit Tipper with a towbar in stock, but most won't hire out to under 21s.

[Monty Python]

Haven't you got a mate who's over 21 to do the driving?

[crosseyedlion]

mikeveal said:

Mr Classic said:

On a B license I can tow 750kg, or more than 750kg if the MAM is less that three tons. Its a classic mini in bits so the engine will go in the car with only around 400kg on the trailer. Renting a vehicle would be cheapest as it is a 200mile round trip to pick up the car.

I don't think it works like that.
Towcar has to be able to tow the gross laden weight of the trailer, even if the trailer is un-laden.
Similarly, the license limits are laden weights. It makes no odds of the trailer is unladen.

I had to hire a Transit as it was the only thing heavy enough to tow the very flat bed trailer that was the only thing I could hire that would accomodate my 300Kg three wheeler.

My understanding was that it was allowed up to 3.5t provided that the tow car is heavier (unladen) than the trailer mam - the optimum for car towing being a 1750kg vehicle towing a trailer of about 500kg (they're about that) with a 1250kg vehicle on it - replated to exactly 1750kg (or the unladen weight of the vehicle)

Its important to remember (iirc) its not illegal to replate a trailer to a lower rating (ie. 1750kg total weight) - but i'd make sure you are within these limits should they take you to a weigh bridge.

[The Moose]

It doesn't matter what the actual weight of the items on the trailer are (remember to add the weight of the trailer also). You have to take into account the Max Authorised Mass (MAM).

[Super Slo Mo]

The Moose said:

It doesn't matter what the actual weight of the items on the trailer are (remember to add the weight of the trailer also). You have to take into account the Max Authorised Mass (MAM).

It only matters for driver licencing purposes, which is the point of this discussion. As far as vehicle limits are concerned, it's actuals that matter.

[TinyCappo]

Luton with a tail lift?

If i can fit a Mk1 MR2 and a spare engine in the back of one with nothing more than a couple of scaffold boards. then you can fit in a classic mini.

[Super Slo Mo]

TinyCappo said:

Luton with a tail lift?

If i can fit a Mk1 MR2 and a spare engine in the back of one with nothing more than a couple of scaffold boards. then you can fit in a classic mini.

Good idea except for one small problem. The OP is 18. No one, but no one will rent him a van. He's going to struggle to get a car rented to him, a van is completely out of the question.

I am, as ever, happy to be proved wrong, but I will be very surprised.

[TinyCappo]

Ah. Need some older friends then.

[hairykrishna]

Just get a quote to move it off Shiply. The cost will come in at less than a car rental plus fuel.

[The Moose]

Super Slo Mo said:

The Moose said:

It doesn't matter what the actual weight of the items on the trailer are (remember to add the weight of the trailer also). You have to take into account the Max Authorised Mass (MAM).

It only matters for driver licencing purposes, which is the point of this discussion. As far as vehicle limits are concerned, it's actuals that matter.

Of course. But we're not talking about vehicle limits at this point...hence why I said what I said.