Towing a car with a motorhome can be an attractive proposition. After all, not everyone wants the hassle of parking a large vehicle on holiday, and having a tow car can be a useful way of exploring without worry. There are several methods of transporting a car safely, but which will work for you depends on your available storage space, the type of vehicle you want to tow and your driving licence.
There are pros and cons to all of the different methods of towing a car, so it’s worth going through these in detail to see which will be best for you.
If you don’t like the thought of any method of motorhome towing, you could always drive a car to your destination, or better still, simply hire one there. Really, there are no rules! You could also consider taking a motorbike on a motorhome – just check your payload first.
But let’s assume you do want to take your own vehicle on holiday with you – what do you need to know about towing a car behind a motorhome? In this guide, I’ll fill you in.
Don’t forget to make sure you’re aware of the relevant motorhome weights too – they’re a crucial part of staying safe on the road.
Towing a car with a motorhome
What are you eligible to tow?
Towbar types
Trailer types
A-frames
A-frame and trailer brakes
Insurance cover
The points to consider before towing a car with a motorhome
What are you eligible to tow?
Step one is to visit the government website, gov.uk/view-driving-licence, to check your licence and see what you’re entitled to drive – you’ll need your driving licence and NI numbers, and your postcode, to do this.
Further information about the categories and codes can be found at gov.uk/driving-licence-categories and gov.uk/driving-licence-codes.
Since late 2021, all drivers have automatically been entitled to tow trailers up to a maximum authorised mass of 3500kg – BE on your licence.
This might not be stamped on your driving licence, so if you are planning any foreign travel, it is wise to renew your licence so that it will display the new codes. In addition, check the codes in the adjacent box for any weight limit restrictions.
The B category covers motorhomes of up to 3500kg in weight, such as the Elnagh Baron 560 and Benimar Primero 202, while a vehicle heavier than this will require you to have a C1 plus E category, which allows you to drive motorhomes of up to 7500kg together with a trailer of up to 4500kg, subject to weight restriction codes (for example, ‘107’ limits total train weight to 8250kg).
If you don’t have C1E on your driving licence, you will either have to pass the C1 test or, when you’re buying a motorhome, stick to ‘vans weighing under 3500kg.
Towbar types
The best motorhomes tend to make great tow vehicles, because their weight and size means that there is little danger of the trailer affecting the ’van’s stability.
Small cars towing large trailers are far more prone to problems with the ‘tail wagging the dog’ in crosswinds and over bumpy roads. So a motorhome will be well suited to towing a car.
If your ’van was first registered after 1 August 1998 (probably the majority now), the towbar will need to be type-approved for your vehicle.
That shouldn’t be an issue and any motorhome towbar specialist will be able to sort this out for you.
It’s best to go to a specialist leisure vehicle towbar firm for coachbuilt and A-class motorhomes, because they will have experience of the particular design of towbar that’s most suitable.
Vehicles with larger rear overhangs are not always suitable for towbars – the reinforced steel framing they need can be heavy and the cantilever effect can overload the rear axle. There are ways around this, but they generally involve the expense of uprating the vehicle and having the C1E category on your driving licence – see: “what licence do I need to drive a motorhome?” for more on licences.
Motorhome towbar specialists will also often combine the towbar with a steel rear bumper and these are great at protecting the plastic rear panel fitted to many coachbuilt and A-class leisure vehicles.
If you own one of the best campervans, towbar types for van conversions are usually offered with fixed swan-neck, two-bolt or detachable towballs. Two-bolt units are the most common and have the widest adaptability with aftermarket accessories.
Swan-necks only tend to be used where there are clearance issues with the vehicle’s bodywork.
Detachable units help you to avoid bashing your shins on the towball when it’s not in use, but they cost more and can be fiddly to remove.
On every vehicle I’ve had with one, I’ve tended to keep them permanently in place anyway, and I have also experienced problems with them seizing in place – so overall, in my opinion, I’d suggest saving your money and sticking with a fixed one.
Trailer types
Car trailers tend to be fitted with more durable wheels as standard and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, to suit the vehicle that you’re carrying.
The key thing to look for is that the trailer has a load rating suitable for the vehicle you’re carrying and is sized to suit it and no larger than you need.
Bear in mind that the higher the weight limit of a trailer, the heavier and more cumbersome it will be.
Twin-axle trailers are generally preferably for towing a medium-sized car because they’re far more stable than single-axle trailers, but for smaller cars, a single-axle is fine.
Never unhitch a car trailer with the vehicle on it – you won’t be able to move it. With unloaded twin-axle models, it’s best to wind the jockey wheel fully down until the leading axle’s wheels come off the ground, to make it easier to move and turn it around by hand.
All car trailers are heavy and need two people to move them about when unladen. A 3500kg-rated car trailer is not easy to move around and you might want to consider adding motor movers to make life easier.
The other thing to look out for – especially with car trailers – is how easy the vehicle is to load onto it.
You’ll be unloading and reloading it every time you want to use the vehicle and a fiddly-to-load trailer will very quickly drive you mad.
Some car trailers use long, heavy ramps to load vehicles and these can be heavy to handle and require a lot of dexterity and strength.
Tilt-bed trailers, or those fitted with a fold-down loading ramp, are easier to load and save having to lug heavy ramps about. Always test any potential purchase before you buy – some cars have minimal ground clearance and don’t fit on some trailers.
Equally, the securing straps make a big difference to the ease of use. Straps for securing cars all tend to fit around the tyres and are best used on all four wheels. Look for straps that have no metal D-rings around the wheels – these can flap around and damage the paintwork on alloys. Soft strapping is preferable.
Some trailers – such as those from Brian James – have straps built into the trailer, which can make loading faster.
With all trailers, make sure you carry a suitably sized socket set to remove the wheelnuts, and that your vehicle jack fits the trailer – most trailers are not supplied with a wheel-changing kit. Check tyres and their pressures before any trip and replace them every five years or so, especially if they’re being stored outside.
Care needs to be taken when loading any car trailer, to ensure the weight on them is as equally distributed as possible and avoid the risk of wagging on the motorway. Ideally, you want the heaviest part of the car – usually the engine weight – between the trailer axle and hitch. So rear-engine cars are best loaded backwards; front-engine vehicles can be driven on forwards.
All trailers need somewhere to be stored and will take up room on your campsite pitch. You could hire one as and when needed, but not all hire firms will have a small trailer available and you might not always get your first choice. But it would be cheaper and easier than storing one yourself.
A-frames
An A-frame is essentially the nose section of a trailer, which can be attached temporarily to the front of a car to allow it to be towed by a motorhome.
The car will often need additional brackets drilled into its crash structure to add a mounting point.
The advantage here is that you don’t have the weight of a trailer to tow, and A-frames take up less storage space (many fold up and can be stored in the car’s boot) and are easier to attach.
Endless articles have been dedicated to A-frames and their legality, but the Government is pretty clear on this.
According to the gov.uk website: “When an A-frame is attached to a vehicle (eg a motor car) we consider the A-frame and car temporarily become a single unit. When towed by another motor vehicle (eg motorhome) we believe that this single unit is, for the purposes of its construction, treated in GB legislation as a trailer.”
This means that the combination of car and A-frame must meet UK trailer law in terms of construction and use (that is, the brakes have to work and it must have rear lighting, an illuminated numberplate and reflective triangles).
The key thing to note here is ‘UK’ – so that covers you when you’re heading to one of the best motorhome sites in the UK.
Elsewhere in Europe – especially after Brexit – A-frames are subject to local laws and not legal in some countries.
As our Government states: “We would not recommend the use of an A-frame outside the UK without some investigation of the rules that apply in the relevant country.” It goes on to add: “Users should satisfy themselves that they comply with all other aspects of road traffic law that may apply whether the towed vehicle is viewed as a trailer or as a motor vehicle.”
This is quite a complicated process for each European country.
Most A-frame makers will supply paperwork showing the CE compliance of A-frames in various languages, and these might work with police forces in European countries, or might not.
It is not uncommon for them simply to fine you on the spot and leave you with the headache of chasing a refund when you return home. For European use, I believe a trailer is a safer option.
Although A-frames will be more convenient to use than trailers, they are not without drawbacks – first, the car has to be modified with extra brackets in the bumper and additional systems to allow the brakes to work.
Equally, not all vehicles are going to be suitable for flat towing (for example, electric cars and main automatic/semi-automatic vehicles).
The other two issues with A-frames are that they’re harder to reverse than a regular trailer and, more importantly, they do not reduce the wear and tear on the towed car.
If your motorhome does 5000 miles a year towing, so does the car being towed. This causes wear on all of its rotating parts, such as the gearbox bearings, differential, wheel bearings and, of course, tyres.
Potholes can also damage the towed car’s wheels and suspension. Trailer tyres, wheels and suspension are far cheaper to replace than those of a car. If you have a cheap, older tow car, this might not be a concern, but for a sports car or other expensive model, it will be something to be aware of.
A-frame and trailer brakes
There are numerous motorhome myths that do the rounds. One internet myth still in circulation is that if you tow a car on an A-frame under 750kg (that is, a lightweight kit car such as a Caterham), it won’t need an active hitch braking system.
This is incorrect. The law is clear: if your trailer (or car/A-frame combo) has brakes fitted, they must work actively when the tow vehicle brakes. So even if you have a box trailer only weighing 300kg, if it has brakes, they must work when the tow vehicle brakes.
It’s the same for all cars or any trailer or dolly fitted with brakes. The weight limit ceases to be relevant if the trailer/ A-frame/car has brakes fitted.
All cars have brakes, so all cars must be braked when they are connected to an A-frame. If not, they will not comply with the UK’s Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations.
Adding a secondary braking system to a car can be a challenge – there are electronic systems to push the brake pedal (for example, Brake Buddy), and cable-operated systems, but they all need plenty of fabrication to work.
You will also have to inform your insurance company that your car has been modified to accept an A-frame.
Insurance cover
Always check with your insurance provider that you are covered for towing a car. Equally, check your car insurance is valid when the car is on a trailer.
It’s also wise to insure the trailer itself if you’re driving in the UK, but this is sometimes covered in your car policy, so check your policy details. In Europe, it is now mandatory to have trailer insurance.
If you want to tow in Europe, you’ll also need a green card for both the tow vehicle and the trailer/tow car – your car insurer should be able to provide both. This will come in the form of documentation, not a physical card.
You will need to insure your trailer and carry physical proof of this cover (electronic copies won’t be accepted) when driving in the EU. It’s always recommended that you carry your V5C logbook, too, for all vehicles.
See what Motorhome Matt had to say about why cheapest may not be best for insuring your motorhome.
The verdict on towing a car with a motorhome
A-frames are best if they’re limited to the UK and if you don’t have enough storage space for a trailer.
The best way to tow a car is on an insured trailer, especially if you are going to Europe, where A-frames and towing dollies are often only allowed for vehicle recovery firms.
Just make sure you check your licence for the maximum tow limits and that your motorhome is suitable for the task of towing.
Don’t miss what I had to say about getting the correct motorhome tyre pressure too.
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