first cars - with towbar

[john_hamilton]

im pretty sure anything will tow a cherub, so the car doesnt matter, but im having real trouble finding a car that is cheap to ensure, i.e small engine, that has a towbar fitted, and from what iv seen, have a towbar fitted will cost more than most of the cars im looking at! does anyone havce any tips, or better still, know anyone selling a car with towbar for very little cash?

[Phil Alderson]

It is quite straight forward to fit a towbar yourself, and the kits normally have OK instructions. they normally slide into the chaise rails, and bolt through. You will most likely have to drill some holes in the car, cut slots or holes in the bumper, and you may have to remove some sections of metalwork covering the ends of the rails. It can be done on your own in a weekend easily.

The wiring is also quite easy, they come with crimp on wire splices so you can add the new wires to the run of the existing wires. The most difficult part is identifying the wires as they tend not to be well colour coded.

To cut costs you could try by offering to strip out the interior trim of the boot to save the garage time

[Tim Noyce]

John, it's not too difficult to fit a tow bar if you buy one and then fit it yourself. I normally do the mechanical bit of actually fitting the bar and then get a mate to do the electrics as I really don't like wiring! Don't forget that the cost of having a tow bar professionally fitted to 'the right car' is probably cheaper in the long run than limiting your options to cars that already have them, either due to paying an excessive amount for insurance or buying a complete dog of a car!

If you get a car and pass your test, I will help you fit the towbar if it doesn't come with one :-)

When you go on Autotrader don't rely on the towbar being in the description, make sure you look at the photos to check. It seems that a lot of people don't advertise the fact the car has a tow bar as the buyer will assume that the car has had a tough life towing round a caravan or something and so there are potentially more cars with them than you first think. You don't really notice the Cherub is there when towing it in most cars as it really only adds the weight of a big mate and some luggage. My Dad towed 2 Solos to Holland in an 850cc Mini so you can get away with something nice and frugal!

[roland_trim]

Am happy to fit a bar on a car with you. Usually can do it within a hour. You will get a car that is not knackered by towing too much if you buy a car without a bar :-)

[Will_Lee]

1.1 litre Fiesta. Really cheap parts and v few things to go wrong.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1992-FORD-FIESTA-BONUS-1-1-/110777545875?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item19cadb3493#ht_1212wt_932

(Not this one - it has every car sales lie in the book and has implausibly low mileage)

"One lady owner" and then tells you about its second owner.
"she didn't like the colour"

Clearly a lemon, run away!

Oh dear....

[Hayley_Trim]

My Dad towed 2 Solos to Holland in an 850cc Mini so you can get away with something nice and frugal!

Although I'm not sure the Polo was ever the same after double stacking the Trifle and Strawberry and carrying all 4 of us (Stu, Stu, Roland and me) and kit to Carnac and back.

Definitely agree you should fit your own towbar. That leaves one less thing to worry about when trying to find a car that fits your budget/insurance bracket/spec requirements.

[Neil C.]

My first towcar was an old Fiat Panda 999cc. Bought a towbar for 12 quid and it bolted to the car with 4 big bolts and no cutting or drilling required. Then towed a Cherub from Dundee to Rock SC in Cornwall and back no problem - 602 miles each way (we measured it!).

[Ratface]

Just my 2pence,

I've spent a good half my 'driving career' towing different size/types of trailers.

Put it this way ive towed with a varied engine size from 1.2 to 2.5 litre engines, and to be frank the 1.2 mirca i had towed just as well as my current works vechile does! So its not really down to power but more to do with the max kerb weight the car can take and max mass that it is rated to tow! And how often you think you will be towing will also dictate it a bit as to the car you get,

Diesel Vs Petrol, Don't know othere peoples opinions but i find that the disel engine copes only ever so slightly better but does give a much better MPG than a petrol while towing compared to when not towing.

Biggest thing however for yourself is finding a car that you can afford to insure!  And dont forget to tell the insurance company it has a towbar as it is classed as a modifcation by most companies these days.

[dave_ching]

you will need to go for a petrol as diesel need larger engines that seem to put the insurance up.
Towing with a small car is fine your not towing a lead lugger.
As for cars, I have always bought cheep and in my experience you have an equation to ponder.
By a ford or vauxhall cheep parts but it will go wrong at some point.
Buy vw or other known brands and they have less chances of going wrong but cost more when they do.
Do not buy an old renault unless they have changed since i was buying scrapyard dodgers in petrol they will go wrong and are expensive to fix.
When looking, tips;
never buy a car that has a warm engine when you get there.
Put in gear handbrake on and foot brake release clutch hopefully it will stall with no slips. (do not do this near a wall.)
oil cap, look inside this is one of the few times in life when cream is not a good thing.
There are many more but these are my top three and to be honest when cars are that old it is luck.
If it feels wrong it is. and test drive. I nearly bought a car that the owner didnt feel the need to tell me it had no brakes until we approached the first corner.
Luckily it wasn't an automatic.

[Banshee Ambulance]

I bought a 1.0 Polo and fitted the tow bar myself. For reference the kit does not require any bumper cutting which is handy.  It does struggle towing up the hills around bath but tows just fine on the motorway. Also has cheap insurance and good fuel economy.

[Andrew Whapshott]

I also hope to pass my test and buy a car sometime; Insurance price isn't really enthusing me with the idea at the moment though.

Dad used to have a Citroen ZX..  It did >275,000 miles and towed a 2 ton yacht for about 700..  (Well, at times the yacht was towing the car really..!  :-) )  It was a great little car. 

[john_hamilton]

iv just spent 2 hours looking at insurance quotes, niot looking good on the fiesta will, cheapest i 3900 so far, and the cheapest insurance iv found is 2600 :/

[Will_Lee]

Third party only? That's all you need, and all we've ever had on a car.

[Banshee Ambulance]

I went through the insurance issues a year ago. A limited mileage policy will help. Also, add one of your parents/girlfriend/someone with a few years on their licence as a second driver. The insurance companies see it as sharing the risk.

[roland_trim]

Worth checking the Fully comp, for us it is cheaper than 3rd party and if it's a 10er difference the glass cover on a beater is something you may need.