Citroen C2 and towbar - possible?

ChefBungle

Hello All,

Not really a moneysaving question (although it could be if I end up doing it and wreck my car!)......

I have a Citroen C2 1.1l petrol car just now, and I'm considering getting a boat next year. The boat I'm thinking about is a 14ft Dory - essentially an open speedboat with an engine on the back - quite light in weight. The total weight of the trailer and boat is expected to be around 400kg.

My question is - if I put a towbar on my C2 and use it to pull the boat, would the car be able to handle it? Obviously I would need to make good use of the gears and I wouldn't be travelling long distances, but I don't want to end up doing it if I burn the clutch out of overload the engine!

Any comments/feedback welcome!

Thanks,
Chef

djheath

You just need to look in the manual and see what the specs are for the maximum towing weight is.

LandyAndy

Your Citroen dealer will tell you straight away.

My gut feeling is that the car is not big enough.

2 minutes with Dr Google tells me the limits are 450kg unbraked / 520kg braked. http://www.citroen.co.uk/Assets/pdf/new-cars/c2/brochure.pdf

Inactive

I would fit the tow bar to the front of a Citroen, it makes recovery easier.;)

Hintza

Short distances probably OK. Gearbox oil cooler required?

casper_g

Towing the boat along the road, you might get away with it. Towing it out of the water up a slipway, you might struggle. Get a friend to video you first time you try it, and at least you can send it off to You've Been Framed or post it on Youtube....

vaio

I've only ever driven a C2 once and it struggles to drag its own weight down the road let alone a trailer.

rev_henry

We used to tow a mirror dinghy (similar size) with a mk3 1.1 fiesta, often quite long distances when we went on holiday (i.e. Manchester to Brighton), and pull it in and out the water, and it was absolutely fine. Simply wouldn't overtake a lorry on the motorway but aside from that. We sometimes had a bike rack on the back as well!
So you'll be fine as long as you're careful - go for it! Are you going to be putting the outboard in the back of the car or leaving it on the boat? I'd suggest putting it in the car if you've room...

ChefBungle

Hi All,

Thanks for all the useful replies. I'll have a closer look on Google and see what I can find.

The engine will prob stay on the boat, as it will be at least 40hp so will be difficult to remove at will.

The launching and recovery does concern me slightly, as the slipway I'm intending to use at Loch Lomond is quite steep. Might just have to investigate alternatives though.

Cheers!

catflea

rev_henry wrote: »

We used to tow a mirror dinghy (similar size) with a mk3 1.1 fiesta,

That'll be the HCS engine then. A suprisingly torquey little lump. Having test driven a 1.1 C2 I would far and away take the fester for towing purposes.....

Kilty_2

:rotfl: I agree with the "youtube it" post.

Get a cheap big diesel...