Saab in trailer operation - Practical experience

Preliminary remark: Like my last story "Saab in alcohol mode - Practical experience ", so this story is fictitious. Please, dont't try that.
That was the official part. Now it's time to read!

Recently, my 9-5 has a trailer hitch. Perfect for pulling a boat trailer. However, the test should be different.

Four weeks ago I met my new girlfriend. She is a rider. So I sat in the restaurant of the riding hall, watched her training. Fortunately separated by a slice of the climate of the riding hall. As a sailor you are more used to fresh air. Finally, you came in and we ate together. A club mate and friend told her about a horse show next week where she reported. Unfortunately, her car was dead, so she could not participate. First she had the clutch of her one year old, according to dealer allegedly indestructible Golf TSI 4motion burned, although only one horse was in the trailer. Last week then a major engine failure, as usual, the timing chain.

Spontaneously my girlfriend suggested to drive to the tournament together, as she also wanted to participate. "How hard is such a horse?" I asked. "Well, so about 600 kg, 2 piece with trailer together about 1700 kg, that's ok, right?" Was her spontaneous answer. Somehow remotely controlled, I nodded, and the three of us arranged to meet for next Saturday, eight o'clock.

As we drove to the horse farm in the morning, her friend was already in the process of luring her stubborn horse into the trailer. When at half past ten both horses finally got in, I thought about how easily a sailboat could be loaded onto a trailer with the help of a crane, and how fast!
But now go, the two women are already excited, because it is always later.

The two saddles, food and water in the storage compartment of the trailer, travel bags and boots in the trunk on the stuff on it, what every sailor drives there. Coupling, plugging in, done.

We have four hours for 330 km, that's enough. The double axle with almost two tons is hardly noticeable on the highway behind the Saab, the girls praise the low noise level, I drive with cruise control.

Half an hour to the finish, the Saab runs like a clockwork.

Suddenly - Check Engine - the engine is without warning, I roll in the plane on the hard shoulder, which is fortunately twice as wide because of a bridge construction here.

The women are complaining about the missed tournament, I think with a futile attempt to start after and determine by ODBII adapter with my phone, it is the ignition. Then I remember, in the depths of the trunk is probably also a detonator. Now it has to be fast. I'm just hanging off the trailer to have more space, clear out the entire trunk, find the ignition and call, while I'm already on the way forward: "Clear everything again, if we're lucky, it goes on straight away . "

After a few minutes it is done, despite the heat on the engine. Now comes the exciting moment: I make a start attempt, the engine starts without problems, so it was actually the ignition cartridge defective, lucky. Hoods and doors shut, and get rid of them, we can still make it to the tournament!

Half an hour later, I'm just leaving the motorway, I hear a traffic message: "Attention drivers, on the A 2 near Hannover are horses on the highway. Please drive slowly…."

The blow hits me almost as I look in the rearview mirror: no follower!

Once taken a deep breath and quickly driven back. He is already waiting for me: Two peaceful horses in their trailer, two less peaceful policemen in their car, some want hay, the others also, but by payment card. On the onward journey with trailer, the mood is a bit depressed, the first start at the tournament unfortunately missed.

On Sunday after a good breakfast, things are going better, the girls are riding, I'm watching the grounds of the riding club last night despite the heavy rain. Strikingly many coaches with four-wheel drive, mostly SUVs and a few real off-road vehicles, but also a few large cars with rear-wheel drive.

After the awards ceremony everyone wants to leave quickly, the confusion is great and almost all park with trailer on a gently sloping meadow, which has "generously provided" by a neighboring farmer. Not a good idea in wet conditions.

The real off-road vehicles with matching tires and most SUVs manage to do it on their own, some others pull the helpful farmer against tidy tip up with his tractor until the Agraraxi itself sinks to the rear axle, with S-class in tow.

What now? Up to the saving gravel road, it is estimated that 80 meters can overcome muddy, slight inclines. I think of the 80 meter long anchor line in my trunk. So I stay on the dirt road, rich the puzzled farmer one end of the leash with a short chain lead and shackles, hang the other spliced ​​eye casually on my trailer hitch.

The length is just enough. After promising to donate half of his "revenue" to the riding club, I roll on, the leash is getting stiff. A stout gas shock in the Saab on the gravel road, the line stretches two to three meters, then jumps the old Porsche diesel hops from the self-dug Kuhle and comes free. An applause from the many onlookers from a safe distance can be heard.

A highlight is then the chic GLK, the driver adds sheepishly, not to have four-wheel drive. He also gets the leash, but looks a bit unsure, before he, dressed in white trousers, white shirt and Italian slippers, down the heavy passage to his blender. The reader already suspects it, the man slips out. That's what he looks like.

After all are freed, I stow the loamy leash in the rejoined trailer and we drive home in the dark. After a short refueling stop, the women are already sleeping, followed by a traffic jam. Just as it continues, I hear on the radio: "Attention, here is a travel call: Mr xxxx xxxx, on the way with a Saab, please come back to the rest area xxxx." I am meant. I look confused in the rear-view mirror, to my relief, although the trailer, but also an empty back seat. So back to the gas station, collect the girlfriends. While I tanked and paid, they went to the bathroom "just".

That's why it was so quiet in the last hour.

Thanks to Jörg for his Saab Summertime Story! Do you also have something to tell about Saab?

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