[Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

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Sub_Culture
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[Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Sub_Culture »

Bought a car that is a non runner (as you do!) and is 100 miles from me.

Whats the best way of getting it home? How much would a breakdown recovery van charge me? Will phone around for quotes in the morning, but if anyone has any experience, I would be interested to hear!

Not a member of AA or anything. Did consider joining then calling them out, but as the car is not taxed or mot'ed etc, I thought they would probably smell a rat.

Any advice from anyone?

Andy
Lewis Jay
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Lewis Jay »

Hire a car trailor, they only cost about £50 all you need is a car with a towbar fitted. :thumleft:
Martin F
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Martin F »

asda are doing an offer just now...£6.49 a month through the rac which includes taking the car home to any destination in the uk if it breaks down...push the car into the street and hope they dont get it started...the AA are doing the same for £9.99 a month with a 24 hour activation period.
it`s a bit dishonest but ive paid them over £500 in the last 4 years and had about £70 use out of them so dont feel guilty, feel even :thumleft:
Lewis Jay
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Lewis Jay »

He has no tax/mot I dont think they will do it. #-o

Plus if he gets caught by the coppers with a car on the road that has no tax/mot or insurance he will be shafted like there is no tomoz.

"Oh sorry officer I was waiting for the AA".

"Hmmmmm really sir, come wth me"
Martin F
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Martin F »

Lewis Jay wrote:He has no tax/mot I dont think they will do it. #-o

Plus if he gets caught by the coppers with a car on the road that has no tax/mot or insurance he will be shafted like there is no tomoz.

"Oh sorry officer I was waiting for the AA".

"Hmmmmm really sir, come wth me"


but if the car is pushed into the street but not running then he cant be done for driving without insurance...the AA dont check to see if your car is mot`d and ive never seen them even checking the tax disc...its not there concern, they are getting paid to get the car going or transfer it to the destination...

it would help to know why its a non-runner...clutch gone would be a good one etc...
Lewis Jay
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Lewis Jay »

It does not matter if he is driving or not.

A car that has no tax CANNOT be on the road broken or not.

They plod are quite within there rights to scrap the car for even being parked on the road.

Cant say I know what the AA will say about it, never had a car recovered.
Martin F
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Martin F »

Lewis Jay wrote:It does not matter if he is driving or not.

A car that has no tax CANNOT be on the road broken or not.

They plod are quite within there rights to scrap the car for even being parked on the road.

Cant say I know what the AA will say about it, never had a car recovered.



ooops, i forgot about that...only because ive always got tax so dont really think about it....youve got to admit that it would be very bad luck if he got busted for that ....still possible though....can the car not break down in a driveway... :-k


plan B...anyone :wink: ...already there...the trailer :clap: :clap:
nikaiyo
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by nikaiyo »

Could always book it in for an MOT near where you live, then it can be on the road, and driven with neither tax or MOT 8) and not a lot the old bill could do. Not saying its a good idea, but....
gerbil1028
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by gerbil1028 »

was quoted about 300 for a 100mile flatbed journey, i just brought a broke one 2 miles away in the end lol
placebo786
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by placebo786 »

I'll apologise in advance but this is whats wrong with these threads sometimes.
The guy wants to know whats the cheapest possible way of getting the car to him.
All he gets back is people giving him advice on how to get round the law in case he gets caught without mot or tax. Oh yeah and how to fleece the AA (not that I care about the AA).
Why not just tell him guys to buy the car insure it get it burnt and with the payout buy one that is fully running he wouldn't require recovery.(I cant find a smiley to represent sarcasm i mean theres ome for a cyclops but no sarcasm wtf)
By the way guys its just my opinion dont be offended but I'm sure I'm in for it oh well never could make friends that easily.
Guess all that psychiatry to make me a people person was a waste lol.
gerbil1028
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by gerbil1028 »

placebo i.......ts a fair comment to be honest not very helpful some of the comments

i answered sensibly at least :thumleft:

:roll: i considered this to look sarcastic
Si_Crewe
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Si_Crewe »

A trailer might seem cheap at first but the hire companies can be "economical with the truth" about hire rates. They'll advertise car trailers "from £49 a day" but, upon closer inspection, the one you get for £49 is just about big enough for a quad-bike and a double-axle braked trailer might be double the cost.

Seriously, consider doing something like talking to a local mechanic (who owns a tow-truck, obviously) and offer him £100 to pick the car up in the evening for you. Tell him you'll be taking the car to him for work at some point too.

Alternatively, if you know anybody who works on a farm, ask them to ask around for you. Farmers ALWAYS have trailers or know somebody who has. You might be able to borrow one for the price of a crate of beer or a bottle of scotch.

If you have to hire a trailer make sure you've also got access to a suitable vehicle. A mate of mine once bought a kit-car and hired a trailer to go to the factory to pick it up. At the last minute he decided to also hire a van to tow the trailer cos he was worried there'd be no room in the car for all the extra bits.
Even though the trailer was a reasonable price, by the time he'd hired the van as well and put petrol in it, the day ended up costing him over £400! :o

Regarding the whole "Get the AA to recover it" thing...
Bear in mind that the AA can do vehicle checks. If they find that the car isn't registered to you they aren't going to tow it 100 miles for you.
If you *do* attempt this, buy the car, get the logbook sent away and returned in your name BEFORE moving the car.
Course, that assumes the seller will allow you to leave the car on his property for a month while the logbook is processed.
Sub_Culture
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Sub_Culture »

Thanks for the 'advice' guys!

Ive had a quick call around this morning, and £240 is the best I can get a proper company to do it for.

A friend of mine is waiting for a new trailer for his drift car (is everyone else as tired of everybody trying to 'drift'???), but that might not be here for another week or so, and I need the car out of the guy's way by the end of the weekend really.

The car is on a private drive at the moment, and is destined to go in my private garage. Both ends have a good enough driveway to get a tow truck on, but does the car stipulate it must be on the road, or is a driveway pick up applicable too?

Worst case, I will have to bite the £310 bullet. Id rather not, though!...

Excellent idea about local garage/farmers etc. Will try that one out! I do only have a Golf Cab at the moment though, so I wouldnt be convinced about it's towing abilities (or severe lack of them!).

If anyone else can help or has any ideas, PLEASE keep me posted!?

Andy
Last edited by Sub_Culture on Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
simmo490
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by simmo490 »

andy if u aint picked it up yet i will do it for £150 all in? sound ok
Lewis Jay
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by Lewis Jay »

Si_Crewe wrote:A trailer might seem cheap at first but the hire companies can be "economical with the truth" about hire rates. They'll advertise car trailers "from £49 a day" but, upon closer inspection, the one you get for £49 is just about big enough for a quad-bike and a double-axle braked trailer might be double the cost.

Seriously, consider doing something like talking to a local mechanic (who owns a tow-truck, obviously) and offer him £100 to pick the car up in the evening for you. Tell him you'll be taking the car to him for work at some point too.

Alternatively, if you know anybody who works on a farm, ask them to ask around for you. Farmers ALWAYS have trailers or know somebody who has. You might be able to borrow one for the price of a crate of beer or a bottle of scotch.

If you have to hire a trailer make sure you've also got access to a suitable vehicle. A mate of mine once bought a kit-car and hired a trailer to go to the factory to pick it up. At the last minute he decided to also hire a van to tow the trailer cos he was worried there'd be no room in the car for all the extra bits.
Even though the trailer was a reasonable price, by the time he'd hired the van as well and put petrol in it, the day ended up costing him over £400! :o


C1 beaver tail bottom of page can be had for £50 for a WEEKEND hire.

http://www.trailertek.com/pricelist/Hir ... bPages.pdf

Plenty big enough for a MR2 I have used this twice before. :thumleft:
dai21t
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Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Tow'ing an MR2 advice???

Post by dai21t »

where I get my trailer from charge £30+vat per day for a twin axle car trailer, They've never tried to charge more, and that is the going rate around here. It easily carries an mr2, i used it to tow my brothers car to avon park last year. I have got a galaxy tdi so don't need to worry about finding a suitable tow car for it.
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