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10/6/2024 at 1:31pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Swift Challenger 524
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So, got to change car shortly, and having a bit of a dilema, here goes:-
Caravan = 1410 Kgs loaded
Possible new car KB = 1642Kgs (1.5 Petrol mild hybrid 170 hp )
= 85% ish of ratio van to car.
However weight car can tow is 1500Kgs, so not much in allowance/leeway.
Have checked power to weight ratio and torque, all good and similar to what we have currently.
So is it better to have a higher towing weight much above the van weight, or does it not really matter, ie. says 2000 Kgs towing at 12%.
Obviously wont go below weight of caravan.
Its driving me crazy trying to work ot all out.
Any comments most welcome.
rgds
chris.
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10/6/2024 at 1:39pm
Location: Near Alton Towers
Outfit: Bailey Burgundy S7 H
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If you are a menber of the Caravamn & Motorhome Club there is a free Outfit Matching service on their web site where you can input the relevant make, model and variant of both or either caravan/towing vehicle. It will do all the maths for you and give you the answer. There is another here
Dave.
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Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day,
Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for a whole weekend.
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13/6/2024 at 1:00pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Swift Challenger 524
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Hi thanks for that have tried these and not much help as too many variants.
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13/6/2024 at 1:49pm
Location: London
Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
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Quote: Originally posted by TrigGLX on 13/6/2024
Hi thanks for that have tried these and not much help as too many variants.
If by that you mean there is great variation on any particular make/model, as to what it may tow, then you are correct.
When it comes to tow cars, the Devil truly is in the detail of make/model/year/engine/gearbox/trim level/hybridisation etc.etc!
For example a (fictitious) Fordhall Europy, could go from a base model that was not approved for towing at all, to the biggest engined high spec trim version that could tow perhaps 1.8 tonne, with every variation in between depending on model spec! Often what you would think would be a great tow car because it's say a mild hybrid with greater power than a vanilla petrol/diesel variant, is not because the extra weight compromises it's towing capabilities!
Unless looking at sledge hammers to crack nuts, like a Range Rover to tow a Folding Camper, then you really do have to work quite hard at the mix and match thing, especially when the match gets marginal on which models in a range can tow an existing van!
It's almost much easier to do it the other way round, acquiring a trailer to match the KNOWN limitations of an existing tow car.
Sorry, but, as far as I'm aware, no particularly quick fixes. Set budget, set car spec needs, then just start ploughing through the assorted car data until you find a limited number of matches, then finesse your choice to pick a car. Of course, that's just a numbers match, you've actually got to like the car in the flesh/on a test drive as well!
Online car-caravan matching web sites are not quite as good as they may appear, some use continental car spec figures which are largely irrelevant to UK spec cars, so dangerously mislead. Often getting a car brochure/spec sheet more easily identifies what in the range has potential.
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17/6/2024 at 1:12pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Swift Challenger 524
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So update.
We have test drove the following vehicles.
1. Hyundai Tuscon, good solo dive, but not much in the way of extra towing capacity, but otherwise a nice car.
2. Kia Sportage, good solo drive, with possibly adequate towing capacity depending on model, Mild hybrid 1650 Kgs, Self charge hybrid 1500 Kgs
3. Mazda CX-5 Not much to say about this only has good towing capacity, if as like saleman said if youb drive like Miss Daisy then all good, but if you like a bit of get and go then dont bother, it was awful, noisy and lack lutre.
4. Min Countryman (New 2024) good solo drive and bigger than i though and being based on the BMW x1 platform has good towing capacity 1700 Kgs. Down side is the the boot space with seats up only about 460 Ltr, comparded to > 520Lts for all others.
5. Nissan X-trail got the test drive on saturday and on paper all loks good but would need the 4x4 version with teh upper twoing capacity, so lets seem its plenty bigh enough.
Will finally have a look at vthe new Ford Kuga, when i get around to it, might again do it htis saturday.
and on we go.
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17/6/2024 at 7:13pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: 2019 VW Arteon + 2002 Avondale Dart
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Just to clarify 2 entirely separate factors. The 85%-ish towing weight ratio is crude advice given to inexperienced caravanners, with the aim not so much of helping to ensure that the caravan remains stable, but rather that if it does become unstable, it's less likely to take the car with it before the driver is able to react. But it doesn't consider performance in any way.
The towing capacity of a vehicle is based on the weight of a trailer (not a high-sided caravan) that it can physically start and stop on a 12% incline. In other words, it's (mostly) performance-based and a car with a towing capacity of 2000kg should tow more comfortably than one with a capacity of 1500kg.
I appreciate that petrol hybrid SUVs may suit your personal and non-towing needs. However, purely for towing - especially long distances - diesel is still the best option both for performance and economy, and an SUV offers no advantages over a large estate car.
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18/6/2024 at 12:33pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Swift Challenger 524
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Hi i entirely agree with your points raised, however a trailer on a 12% incline is still 1500 kgs whether its a trailer or high sided caravan, it is not going any where in this test apart form up or down from a stand still.
it become more an issue with towing on roads and motorways ways etc.
i would very much like a diesel, but personnal circumstances make this difficult.
I like SUV's soley because of there higher driving position.
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Topic: Car and Caravan
via mobile 17/6/2024 at 1:24pm
