Recommended Flat Towing Equipment For A 2013 Mini Cooper

Question:

Need tow bar set up for 2013 Mini. Not sure what all I need in the way of a bracket, tow bar and magnetic base lights. Will be towing with a Class C motorhome rated for 5000#.

asked by: David E

Expert Reply:

Your 2013 Mini Cooper will need to be a hardtop base model with a manual transmission in order to be flat towed. There are some notes in the owner's manual that will also need to be followed as well to ensure your vehicle is ready to go. To flat tow you'll need a tow bar, baseplate, tow bar wiring kit, braking system and safety cables. I have the following recommendations for these components:

Baseplate: Roadmaster Crossbar-Style Base Plate Kit # 521880-1.

Tow Bar: etrailer SD Non-Binding Tow Bar for Roadmaster Crossbar-Style Base Plates # e44ZR. This tow bar comes with safety cables you won't have to purchase them separately.

Tow Bar Wiring Kit: For a magnetic light kit you can use the Heavy Duty Magnetic Tow Lights - 20' Wiring Harness with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector # TL21RK.

Braking System: Brake Buddy Select 3 Portable Supplemental Braking System # HM39524. This system comes with a remote that allows you to see when the brakes are being activated in your Mini and adjust the brake settings from your motorhome. it also includes a charge line kit to keep the battery charged while you tow. If the clevis does not fit your brake pedal you can reach out to Brake Buddy and get a different clevis that was designed for specifically for Mini's that have an extra small pedal.

Finally, you'll need a high/low adapter. This requires some measuring so I've attached our help article to help you determine the correct adapter for your application.