i wouldnt think when she passed her test will be relevant here jondogs, she will be able to tow up to 3500kg combined total weight as long as the caravan is lighter than the car and within its towing limit, if she can find a caravan the mini will tow it will be well within 3500kg train weight.
With such a small car and limited power to spare whilst towing she may find that shes ok going along on the flatter roads but motorway towing with a head wind on, or towing in more hilly terrain may see her dropping down to 2nd or 3rd gear to reach a max. speed of 30mph.
With my first caravan ever, I made this dreadful mistake of taking what the caravan salesman and the car handbook said as gospel, and ended up towing a 11.3cwt Monza with a fairly large bodied 89bhp 1.3ltr engined car. It was no fun, as we took twice the normal time to reach our destinations, and often that entailed scenarios such as the one discribed above, and some scaey moments when we could smell our clutch burning when on the motorways and trying to negociate an incline.
Maybe the mini would tow a very small caravan such as the Freedom Microlite, but loading would have to be with the minimum of bare essentials only, packed correctly, and only towed during favourable weather conditions wind wise and by choosing the routes to be taken and sites to be visited very carefully. sites such as Conwy tourist park with its long steep curving roads down to the pitches and back up again would be out of the question for such an outfit to travel safely.
Personally, I agree with Phil, it may be better to change the car first for one with a better towing capacity, then look for a caravan to match it.
Good Luck anyway,
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
The Mini One with 1.4 petrol engine has 94bhp so plenty of power to tow a caravan within it's specified weight limit. I used to tow a caravan with a 70bhp Berlingo, just make the b***ers wait.
In the circumstances, a different car is not an option, and she passed her test quite a while ago. As for amenities in the van, the lady is quite happy with minimum as long as she has cooker and washing up facilities and somewhere to sleep and size isn't an issue either, as long as she can stand up. The teardrop type vans are small and light but no real standing room.
The Freedom range are a lightweight option that may suit. Some of the older pop top ones would be within the 650 limit but the modern ones are all 750Kgs MTPLM (they can be re-plated up to 850Kgs, mine is 780.)
I'd have thought the Mini One 1.4 would be easily able to tow that amount, I used to tow a Freedom Microlite (850) with a Honda Jazz 1.4 petrol - the limit was 1,000Kgs on that.
I tow the Sunseeker I have now with a Seat Ibiza 1.4 Tdi.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
Quote: Originally posted by bordercaz on 16/1/2012
I'd have thought the Mini One 1.4 would be easily able to tow that amount, I used to tow a Freedom Microlite (850) with a Honda Jazz 1.4 petrol - the limit was 1,000Kgs on that.
Unfortunately it doesn't matter what we think, if the manufacturer sets a low limit then that is what has to be abided by. Going over could lead to expensive fines, and the possible loss of both car and trailer.
You misunderstand my post, sorry I didn't make it clearer.
I didn't say we should disregard the manufacturer's limit.
I simply said that the Mini One 1.4 would be easily able to tow that amount (750Kgs) - implying that therefore there would be no problem towing a van with the lower limit of 650Kgs (if indeed that is correct as there seems to be some element of doubt).
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
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Topic: What can she tow?
