Towing a Mini Cooper

[RWDMLD18]

I checked Roadmaster for adapters for a 2008 Mini. There is one. Is there any difficulty in towing a Mini standard shift?

[tbutler]

There is a link on the home page for Towing Articles. The towing guide for 2008 doesn't list the Mini Cooper, neither can I find a reference in the 2009 or 2010. This suggests that it may not be easily towable. The other possibility is that it just isn't considered in making up the guide. Check your owners manual and/or the manufacturer for further information.

I would say the Mini is a good candidate for a trailer rather than towing it behind the motor home. If you can deal with a small trailer, the car will definitely fare better inside a trailer.

[Podschweit]

I currently tow my 2002 Mini behind my Monaco Knight I use a Blue Ox car mount and my Mini is also a standard 6 speed trans I just put the car in "N"(if trans were an automatic you could not tow with all wheels on the ground) and leave the key in the ignition that keeps the steering unlocked, I also mounted separate lights in the back of my Mini and ran the wires up to the front of the Mini & then plug into my coach, the only problem I had was when I tried using the Evenbrake system I had to purchase a relay and add it to the brake light switch of the Mini and also the clamp that goes onto the brake pedal is not the best fit but it does work.

[fmcwave]

I understand that Steve Bennet who has californiacoachcompany.com has towed a Mini for several years. He has written about it on the POG forum.

Wave

[phespe]

Mini Coopers tow quite well, but only the standard transmission (6 speed).

I'm on my second one - first one was a 2005 CooperS, had it for a few years but needed to upgrade to a Mini CooperS Clubman.

It too tows easily. I use Roadmaster tow bar and base plates.

PHESPE

[guenter/jeanne]

We Tow a 2010 Mini 6 Speed with no Problems Roadmaster towbar and Brakets

[gmoreno]

We tow a 2002 Mini cooper behind our Damon Daybreak. However, our mini is an automatic CVT transmission and therefore, we tow with a dolly, front wheels up.

[Daleshanson]

We tow a 2008 mini clubman , s, 6 spd., flat, Using a blue ox system, and have had no problems. Dale s.

[Rvpainter1]

We just traded in our 07 Mini Cooper as Mini Cooper states it is not towalbe with all 4 down and also states if it is that the warranty will be voided. Additionally service centers are too spotty across the USA & Canada so we opted for a 2012 Honda Fit which Honda states can be towed on all 4's

[jmsherman]

I have a 2008 Clubman S which I have towed on tow dolly. How much expense is there to set up vehicle, get tow bar and brake system?

[sgt770]

We have traded in our Class A diesel pusher for a Class B, i.e. fuel prices. We towed four down for years, but we now own a 2012 Mini CVT (Automatic). We will now have to use a tow dolly, which researching all the web sites, it does not seem like a big deal, except which one brand to choose.

The dilemma we have is our Mini has a Aero Kit, which makes the body lower to the ground. Our question is does anyone know if we will encounter the ramps hitting the Aero Kit or any other problems. The Mini we purchased was not my choice, but my wife loved it and who can say "NO" to the boss.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[Koliver]

You may need to raise the ends of the ramps with a 2x4 so the lowest part of the front air dam clears it.

[hermanmullins]

K, I understand the front air dam but how about the rear? It looks to me that if you get the Mini on the dolly the front end can be as much as 8 to 10 inches up which would lower the rear end. Bumps and dips could damage the rear farings as well.

What do you think. :huh:

Herman

[desertdeals69]

The rear wheels are so close to the rear of the car that I don't think anything would drag no matter how high the front was.

[Koliver]

Easy to measure the angle of the rear wheel to rear bumper, to see what clearance will be left when on the dolly. Chance are there is no problem. Others put a Mini on a dolly without any problem.

[sgt770]

Thank you for the input. According to Demco, our Mini should fit on their dolly according to the measurements I sent them. No guarantees if a dip is excessive. My question is our steering wheel does not lock. I have read on numerous statements to tow on a dolly, you have to have a locked steering wheel.

Again any help will be appreciated.

Our new 2013 LTV sleeping in it's storage waiting to see who it's toad will be.

[desertdeals69]

The front tires are strapped in place and when I have towed on a dolly before the vehicle may or may not have had a lock.

[gmoreno]

Been towing our '02 CVT mini front wheels up for three years. No issues. Using an ACME tow dolly. No locking the steering on the cooper. Load, strap and go. Don't have an aero kit on our cooper, so can't say of you'll damage your cooper while trying to load onto the dolly. What I do have is an 8 inch drop hitch on the back of the MH where the tow dolly attaches to minimize mini cooper back bumper scrapes. Only scrapes I have encountered comes from the hitch - because it sits so low - and not the back end of the mini, thank goodness.

I like the ACME because of the surge brake system an it is light (400#s) to manuever by hand, once you arrive to your destination.

[sgt770]

Thank you for your help.

We found our answer by attempting to load our Mini Cooper on a Demco Kaddy SS. It would NOT go up the ramp without scraping badly. Also, once loaded, the ramp was to close to the aero package behind the front wheels. One dip and it would have been toast.

Therefore, we have a NEW 2012 Mini Cooper FOR SALE, which cannot be flat towed or dollied, but can be trailered. We do not want the trouble of a trailer, therefore we are getting the 2013 Fiat Abarth (standard shift) which can be flat towed per the FMCA Toad Edition.

Thanks again, see you down the road.

[carolc]

We are looking for the right car to flat tow behind our RV and I am in love with the Mini Cooper S, manual transmission.

One dealer told me that the Mini Cooper (manual & automatic both) should not be towed because they're built with some aluminum parts in the front end that will not hold up in towing.

Can anyone confirm this to be true?

[desertdeals69]

I believe if it were that flimsy it woudn't hold together just driving down the road. There are lots of them being towed.

[lbenson]

Hi

Don't sell your Mini. I have the same setup, trailer and Mini with the areo kit. A simple fix is to take the factory ramps off. I then had aluminium ramps made with a longer ramp that fit in between the side flange of the old ramps. They lock in at the top of the flat part where the tire rest when loaded. The ramps are stored on the front of the trailer inside a vinyl zip case that act as a car shield. The car tows great. Also, when loading I do not unlock the tilt.

Hope this helps

[sgt770]

Do you have photos of your set up?

[RSchleder]

We have towed our 2007 Mini Cooper S(manual tranny) both 4 wheels down AND on the Demco SS dolly. After 1 trip with the dolly, I sold the Demco and went to towing 4 wheels down simply to do away with the "hassle" of loading/unloading the Mini. I made blocks out of 2X6 wood, about a foot long with 1 end tapered so I could place them UNDER the factory ramp ends, drive up the tapered end onto the factory ramps. This block of wood elevated the ramps ends high enough so the Mini drove up and off the dolly just fine, no scrapping what so ever. One thing we liked about the dolly was it has brakes and I didn't have to mess with installing a Brake Buddy type system each time we take off. Never had any scraping of our Mini either against the dolly OR the pavement.

We have since towed the Mini 4 wheels down for several thousands of miles without any issues to the car. Many auto companies ( like the Honda CR-V, for example) have decided they do not want the liability of placing their products in a towed position. For years the CR-V was a popular toad choice ( we towed one for many years) but today, they are not recommended by Honda as a 4 wheels down toad.

[spicetraders]

Well I have heard a lot of things but selling off or trading my mini or my wifes mini just because of a few trailing issues would never occur.

My mini must be trailered or dollied as it is a JCW version and so no kit to put a roadmaster hook up on it is available.

My wifes previous was a 2003 cooper and we just bought a kit (but she traded up for a 2008 clubman with steptronic automatic.

There is no issue with manual transmission and towing in neutral four wheel down. In neutral the output shaft is disconnected. And the cv joints are natural lubed in rotation (no pumped lubicant.

Now a automatic is a whole nother ballpark. You must run a external pump to tow a automatic in neutral four wheel down.

Yes they make a kit but much easier to dolly or trailer.

Dolly issues: ramps must be removable for clearance on area behind wheels (underpan). Tilt load and longer ramps allow for more gradual run up for air dam.

Dolly must be low hung (axle bar droped not straight across) for front airdam.

There are several dollies made for low profile cars.

As the rear tires on a mini are so far back the front can rise quite a bit but again low profile is much better.

I haver an exiss trailer and had a alumalite both low profile and very nice for mini cooper

with the minis light weight a small lighter weight alumalite can be used.

Also there are a couple of trailer type that are open center with just low slung channels that are very light weight and do all four wheels off ground.

But I prefer the dolly as once in a park I can roll the dolly tight up to back of coach (had a small roller wheel on tongue push it up under if coach is not air to far down).

And is much faster to dirve mini off and on for use then full trailer. But the tow bar is nicest if you mini support.

Oh I do have a brand new roadmater tow set kit for mini 02-07 setting unused ( will not fit my 2013 cooper work or wife 2008 clubman).

Am looking to buy the nice low slung dolly.