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Topic: Newbee Advice Please

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janus

07/10/2012 at 11:40pm
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 Mondeo titanium 140tdc

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That would not be an issue, have a look at the link I posted earlier it is a copy of the driver and licencing Statutary instrument as it went through parliament. It specifies that the Maximum Authorised mass is the sum of the MGw and the MTPLM. And it also specifies that the Maximum Authorised mass must not be greater than 3500kg.

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Bill

For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013

Mondeo Titanium 140 tdci

Grampian91

08/10/2012 at 5:06pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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OK so for pre 1997 licence holders the Car and Caravans gross weight are the figures to use. No matter how lightly one or ther other is loaded.

This is the way i read the terms anyway. The only issue i couldnt find was what if the cars GTW was over 3.5tons.
So this is not an issue providing the car & vans less than that.

Now another question that crops up every so often.

But what about us old ones?

Car weighs 1500kg. Max tow 1300kg.

Can you tow a van with a 1500kg gross laden weight.
Providing the running weight when you tow is 1300kg or less?

Or will this depend on the cars GTW?

Car 1500kg GTW 3000kg = OK ?

Car 1500kg BTW 2800kg = NO ?

Personally again i think the gross weight applies no matter how lightly you load it.

1300kg = 1300kg max not anything i like as long as i only load it to 1300kg.

iscacamper

08/10/2012 at 8:03pm
Location: Devon
Outfit: Cabanon Malawi 2.0

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The Autotrader website is a good source of info on the gross weights of various cars. Assuming your caravan MTPLM is 1300kg, then as others have said you're looking for a car with a gross weight of 2200kg or less to stay within your licence limits. Obviously you'll need to check the exact MTPLM of your caravan.

As an alternative to the 4x4s already mentioned, you could take a look at some of the larger estate cars such as the VW Passat Estate, for example, which weighs in at about 2100kg.

janus

08/10/2012 at 11:32pm
Location: Rochdale
Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 Mondeo titanium 140tdc

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You would be wrong, the only offence that can be committed simply by virtue of the plated weights is the licencing offence for omeone with a b licence only, in all other cases it is the actual weights that matter.

The maximum train weight is the sum of the actual weights, so it does not matter what the maximum weights of the two parts of the combination are as long as you do not exceed either maximum or the max train weight you are fine. The definitions are in the Constructions and use regulations.
So car max gross weight 2400kg max train weight 4000kg actual weight 2000kg towing caravan MTPLM of 1800kg actual weight 1700kg is fine even though the 2400 plus the 18000 is greater than 4000kg simply because its actual train weight 3700kg.
This information is correct for us old ones with licences dated before 1997 but would not be correct for a later licence.

-------------
Bill

For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013

Mondeo Titanium 140 tdci

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