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Changing Tow Car - New Car is Fiat Idea 1.4

Our outfit is a Pennine Sterling 525 Folding Camper - 2006.

Have checked the towing weight of the Fiat Idea and its 1000 kg.

Have checked the weight of the Pennine Sterling 252 and its 900kg.

Does anybody know if my Fiat Idea looks like it can pull a Sterling ?

Thanks

Or use this

http://www.cuddles.abelgratis.net/fiat.htm#idea05

It shows the kerb weight as 1155kg and the 85% figure as 982kg. As you say your maximum towing weight with the idea is 1000kg so it is possible with careful loading.  I have towed near to capacity before, you just have to be fully aware of your outfit.

Mike           

Mike

Thanks for your input - I have checked that site, very useful, i must say.

We don't usually add anything more that is normally inside the Sterling anyway, so do you mean that the towing car should have a limit of contents ?

Our current car is a Citroen Xsara Picasso 1.6 (petrol) 2002 and its maximum towing weight is 900kg.  So this was at capacity and struggling - saying that we have been to England twice in it and the first time, we had a roof box plus a full boot including dog and the car managed it.   Sadly we are having to retire this car as its costing us too much to maintain, its done over 180,000 miles in its 8 years of service.

Now we are changing things around a bit, hopefully using my car as the main family runaround with tow bar attached for camping.

Thanks

Hamishmacbeth

You can load your camper with 82kg of equipment and be on the 85% figure or 100kg of equipment to be on the towing limit for your vehicle, either figure is legal. The 85% is a recommended figure for safe towing and not mandatory but personally I would try to stick to it. You can then load your vehicle to the equivalent weight of  two/three passengers and light luggage, say + 260kg. This potentially gives you a total payload of around 340kg. Don't forget to increase your tyre pressures to the full load pressure.

Mike