.. everything is possible.. some are just not recommended :-)

It all depends what you want to do .. a 5 mile pull with no hills, no traffic, no junctions and a steady 35 mph could be done with a 2CV.. however .. a middle of rush hour dash up some hilly city with lots of junctions would test anything.. especially a car with limited cooling capacity.

So if your cooling is good (would have thought 1.8s has not had enough time to go wrong..) and you are sensible .. yes .. but if it is for someone you would rather not risk your transport for ..then don't .. the towbar kits use the tow hooks .. and they are strong.. just be gentle on pickup and keep the tow rope tight at all times.. and keep an eye on your water temp. gauge. (11/99)

There seems to be continuing debate on this subject. Notwithstanding the comment that "they are there simply as a point for "tie down" during shipping" and the comment "the manual clearly shows the car being pulled by them", my manual (1990 MX-5) clearly notes that they are definitely intended as towing hooks but for emergency use only.

The exact words are: "The towing hook should be used only in an emergency situation, (for example to pull the vehicle out of a ditch, a snow bank, or mud). When the towing hook is used, always pull the cable or chain in a straight direction with respect to the hook. Do not apply force to a hook from any side direction. To prevent damage do not take up slack in the cable or chain too quickly."

On the previous page the manual gives clear direction re towing the car over a distance and makes no reference to the towing hooks in this context - proper towing equipment is necessary.

I've left them on my car since they're reasonably unobtrusive and could come in useful in an emergency. I've not fitted a grille screen though am considering it after hitting a bird last weekend and ending up with a feather covered radiator (though no visible damage luckily) - however since the towing hooks are at the ends of the aperture, I would have thought it a relatively simple exercise to design a grille to fit whilst leaving the towing hooks in place. (1/00)

PLEASE!!!

They are towing hooks! .. considerable damage will occur if you use them incorrectly but if used correctly I suspect you could lift several cars with them let alone tow one .. but IF used correctly...

People remove them for the looks and the weight but then make the car unrecoverable and untowable .. but this may not be a problem if you still have hooks at the back and you always plan on going front first into the hedge. So remove but be aware. (1/00)

I'm in the shipping business, and when cars are tied down (if at all - dedicated car carriers have active stabilisers so roll is minimal, unlike cross-channel ferries), this is invariably done with webbing strops around the wheels. If they are tied down, the load, at it's worst, would still be light - so why are the hooks built and attached like a brick ****house? Finally, the way the hooks are attached seems all wrong - Yes, they do have a slight bend, but this is to keep them unobtrusive in the mouth. But they are attached to a horizontal surface - If the load is downwards they should be attached to a vertical surface, otherwise a very large bending moment is applied to the hooks, which would damage the bolts. I'm not saying that they cannot be used to "tying down" (they are, after all, built like a brick ****house), but they were certainly not designed by a competent engineer with that purpose in mind!

Finally, although I have not had the nose off for a closer examination, they seem to be attached to a very solid point on the car, so, when towing, unless the tow line/rod gets to an angle where it makes contact with the nose cone, and so long as the tow is not started with a jerk (i.e. by a jerk - interpret as you wish!!), I don't see how the car can come to any harm. Has anyone actually experienced damage with a professional tow on these hooks? (1/01)

Sorry to reopen this, but I think my recent experience adds a little to the list discussion we had a couple of weeks ago. For anyone who doesn't know by now, I was towed by the Silverstone circuit recovery vehicle from the track at Luffield corner to our paddock, then by Allan Legg in his white van from there to a lay-by t'other side of Silverstone village, and from there on an AA recovery vehicle to home.

Before Trax, I replaced one tow hook (tie down hook) complete with a little yellow arrow pointing to it. Thank goodness! I got the feeling that I would have been unceremoniously towed off the circuit by anything handy, suitable or not. I put it on as a bit of a joke, never expecting that I would need it.

Having done so........if you're one of those people who carry the tow hooks in your boot, planning to bolt them on while you're stuck in a circuit gravel trap (or even parked on the grass) or in the ditch up to your a*** in nettles - dream on.

Only put one on. A bridle is dangerous (to the car) and impractical (see AA winch below). The offside (on rhd cars) is easiest to access the bolts. Richard (F) has the nearside one only, but told me that he has only two bolts because the third is a b****. I can tell you - this is a bad idea.

The 5 may be relatively easy to push, but the jerk forces if you let the rope go slack are huge. (It's inevitable, however hard you try to keep it taut - the brakes and steering are very dead and heavy with no engine) We broke the rope at one point. So I reckon you need all three bolts. Make an access hole in the undertray if necessary.

When the car is being towed up the very steep ramp of an AA recovery vehicle by a hook on the end of a steel cable, the tow hook which once looked nice and chunky in your hand suddenly looks woefully inadequate. It moves - I was watching closely until the AA man removed me from the scene - said he'd seen the video of what happens when the cable breaks...

Also the front of the car ends up very close to the winch which is mounted on the bed of the truck at the front, so forget towing by the engine, etc. I suppose you could get towed on backwards by the rear hooks if you have them. (Or at least by one of them) Clive suggested to me that it would be possible to tow by the engine lift bracket.

Sounds feasible - but forget it. -
a) They're not substantial enough -
b) you'd need the bonnet partly open -
c) you risk damage to the nose, headlights and engine/ancillaries (on corners the rope goes way out to the side)

There's nothing like experience in this area! (9/01)

I realise that the idea of towing with an MX-5 may seem almost blasphemous to some but there are practical issues involved. One of my other passions is radio-controlled model aircraft and helicopters so I'd like to be able to tow a small (5' x 3') 2 wheel trailer occasionally to get to the airfield when I can't borrow the wife's MPV.

One towbar fitter told me that they have the necessary ironwork for a '98 car but not for a '99. If anyone has any specific information I'd appreciate hearing it. (5/00)

I got mine from a company near Belfast, in Northern Ireland. It cost something like 80 quid at the time (without wiring and actual tow-ball, as I just wanted the bar itself for my bike rack) - if you're interested, ask them if they'll send it via mail. I like it, and it is fairly unobtrusive. Of course, you can buy other ones that are *completely* hidden, but they are hard to find.

As far as I can see, they all bolt onto the same boltholes used by the tie-down hooks. Have a look at the following pics of mine: http://www.crosswinds.net/dublin/~franksm/mx5/13.jpg (towbar with bike-rack attachment) http://www.crosswinds.net/dublin/~franksm/mx5/20.jpg (bike fitted)

There are other relevant pics in that MX5 directory.

Contact details for the manufacturer:
David Murphy Ltd,
182 Belfast Road,
Carryduff,
Northern Ireland.

Tel. (01232) 812439 (5/00)

Remember that there are now new regulations for towbars, and you can only use one which is specifically designed for your vehicle and approved. Imported ones won't be.

It only applies to vehicles first registered after sometime last year (1/1/99?).

I don't know if it applies to bike racks mounted on a towbar. I guess the MX5 list isn't the best place to find out about towing regulations - most of us not being caravanners ;-) - the full info must be somewhere though! (5/00)

I found the following on the Central Office of Information site http://213.38.88.195/coi/coipress.nsf

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

PRESS NOTICE: 424/TRANSPORT 2 June 1998

PROPOSALS INTRODUCED FOR TOWING BRACKETS ON CARS TO COMPLY WITH EC LEGISLATION

Proposed regulations making it mandatory for towing brackets to comply with EC Directive 94/20 by 1 August 1998 were laid in Parliament today.

The introduction of this legislation is essential for the UK to meet its obligations under the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval. This became compulsory for M1 category vehicles (passenger vehicles with up to eight seats plus the driver) on 1 January 1998.

The implementation date for the Mechanical Couplings Directive was decided following a wide consultation of the towing bracket manufacturing industry.

Any mechanical coupling fitted to a motor vehicle, subject to European Whole Vehicle Type Approval, which is first used on or after 1 August 1998 must be type approved and marked as such, in accordance with the terms of Directive 94/20/EC.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The system of harmonised requirements for passenger cars throughout the European Community is referred to as European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (EWVTA) for which there is a framework Directive 70/156/EEC, amended by 92/53/EEC. Under EWVTA, there are 48 separate Directives covering most vehicle systems and components. EC/94/20 is the Directive containing the technical measures for towing attachments.

2. The technical standards EC/94 /20 will apply both to towing brackets fitted as original equipment and to those fitted subsequently. The choice of the implementation date of 1 August 1998 coincides with the introduction of the "S" registration plate for new vehicles, aiding recognition of towing brackets that must comply with the new standards.

It still doesn't answer yor SVA question, but there is lots of information and contact details for SVA at http://www.roads.detr.gov.uk/vehicle/sva/sva2/ (5/00)

OK, I'm now an MX-5 towbar expert.

The only company I've found that do a type approved bar for MkII's is Brink. They do a removable one which is nice, but at a price! Around £240. See http://www.brink-towbars.co.uk/New%20Pages/brinkmatic.pg.html

Watling Engineering of St.Albans will fit one for £360 complete. T T Towing of Letchworth, Herts will do it for £290. (5/00)