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Subject Topic: Weight in CAR - or - Weight in CARAVAN ?
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27/3/2015 at 10:29pm
 Location: Yorkshire UK
 Outfit: Outwell Vermont XL + Mackenzie 6
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I
Billy x ,
OK thanks , your answers are logical and I like that.

Thanks to all ... nuff said

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Camping to the ex.tent that I like awnings as a bit on the side.


28/3/2015 at 12:06pm
 Location: Teesside
 Outfit:  Mitsubishi ASX4
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Quote: Originally posted by intenter on 27/3/2015
This time I had a Rav 4 and haad bought it after looking at reviews for tow cars. To be honest , after just 4 days of use I hated it . Probably the worse car I have ever driven or owned.
Having said that it does tow nice and is very grippy abnd feels safe.
Anyway , back to the last October .... It was very windy , so bnot having towed with the Rav 4 I didnt fancy the 40mph side winds so we calklked the holiday off and didnt go ... Now we are due again this Sinday and the forcast isnt good ... high winds westerly forcast through Yorkshire .


After losing one caravan, I can see your caution.

I winced when you said the Rav was bumpy, shaky and had to be driven. How does the car itself handle in windy conditions? My Mitsu is equivalent to your Rav, and even in strong winds it does not affect handling at all. You barely notice the wind. Its the same when I tow. I've towed mine in some pretty awful winds, and even with a side wind, I can steer the car with just one finger yet it still feels very positive. It managed a 1 in 8 hill at a steady 50 without any problems too.


29/3/2015 at 5:09pm
 Location: West Midlands
 Outfit: Coachman Amara 570 6 + Shogun SG4
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It makes sense to me that the more you put in the car and the less you put in the van the better. Also the correct nose weight makes a massive difference. I need to load the rear of my ranger with all sorts of stuff. Aquaroll, spare gas bottle, waste master. Folding chairs, folding table etc...to get the nose weight down to what it should be.

However I always carry the awning that weighs about 60kg and all food and drink, and my sons bikes In the car. This makes a massive difference to the handling of the outfit.

I think side winds to present a risk. Before I bought a caravan I followed a shogun towing in a side wind and he was struggling. I had my heart in my mouth, don't know about the guy towing. Said to myself "don't fancy that!" Anyway I changed my mind, went for it and bought a caravan.

I find though that, particularly when I don't have the awning in the car. Things get a bit hairy when there are side winds or ruts in the inside lane, Avon mouth viaduct, down hill for example.
It's high, open, has ruts in it. Always makes me "clench up" when I drive down it towards Bristol.

My outfit match last year was less than 80% it's even less now because I bought an even heavier car. I wouldn't fancy towing above 85%


29/3/2015 at 10:10pm
 Location: Yorkshire UK
 Outfit: Outwell Vermont XL + Mackenzie 6
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I am on site now Bridlington after a very easy confident 3 hour steady drive. The Rav 4 feels super positive and very little effect by side wind or gusts . No roll on bends .It really was a pleasant easy drive.
I checked everything ,
Before set off.Nose weight 60kg . Tyres caravan and car spot on. I aways do this anyway. Caravan was more or less as-is other than 2 6kg full gas bottles and a few light contents. Awning , poles , pegs , groundsheets , carpets , aquaroll , waste n other stuff in car ( inc commanding officer " she being fast asleep n snoring " ) were in the car.   

However , It lacks the power of the picnic ( same size Petrol 2 ltr injection engine ) . . It lacks the smoothness of the Picnic .It lacks the awsome off the mark grunt and the up-hill stay in 5th easy . Also no front to back nodding on the picnic even over bumps and ruts.
Of the 4 Picnics I had ,, 2 are stil in the family after being passed on. I would swap my Rav 4 for my Picnic ( my daughter has it now ) to get it back again . Unbfortunatly they stopped making them in 2002 Y reg and I do need to move on to younger cars Hence the Rav 4 .
As nice as it is at towing and so very confident I still cannot wait to get rid. Today I drove into Brid for Fish n Chips 3 miles down a country lane and was bone shaken all the way , aye it goes round bends at whatever speed you like and it stops like nothing I have ever known.It goes gooid too without a caravan on the back ! Incidently - MPG 34 normal running about - 27 mpg towing = very good. Picnic 30 mpg normal running about 24 mpg towing . Speaks for itself ,its different gearing . The Picnic has much smaller wheels and a longer wheel base ( as its a seven seater ) and is meant to carry those extra 2 persons right at the back of the car ( where your towed nose weight is ) .

Why cant I have what I want , a Picnic with 4x4 and a later reg ?
Its so unfare !     It,s horrible being bald fat n grumpy .

By the way - Site is nice but the fish n chips I had were not the best , I am going to have to sample some more from sonewhere else soon .


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Camping to the ex.tent that I like awnings as a bit on the side.


30/3/2015 at 8:23pm
 Location: Mid Wales
 Outfit: Coachman Vip 520
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Hi, just reading your thread. Glad you got to your destination safely! Enjoy your stay!

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Enjoy life while you can, none of us know what's round the corner!


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31/3/2015 at 5:02am
 Location: Yorkshire UK
 Outfit: Outwell Vermont XL + Mackenzie 6
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Ferretlady:- " Hi, just reading your thread. Glad you got to your destination safely! Enjoy your stay! "

Thanks Carole .

Well its 4:53 am and I am in the awning with 50 mph gusts . It,s horrendous but its hiolding up. Impossible to sleep , the whole caravan is bumping .The Roaring noise of it is scary too . Reminds me of those lumy bumpy moments in a plane through rough air. Someone I know , is asleep . Errrrrr eh !

Thanks for your kind wishes ,

Post last edited on 31/03/2015 07:48:17

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Camping to the ex.tent that I like awnings as a bit on the side.


31/3/2015 at 11:33am
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Swift charisma Skoda Scout 4x4
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See if the rav can be chipped to give it the extra power


31/3/2015 at 12:13pm
 Location: Yorkshire UK
 Outfit: Outwell Vermont XL + Mackenzie 6
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Scoda Bob " See if the rav can be chipped to give it the extra power "

No, I hate the bloody thing . Its gotta go .
So bad design . Ledges in doors hurt legs . Switches n stuff in wrong places. Back door only opens to about 70 degrees without the caravn on. Can only open it 10" when caravan on. Google tow ball height for Rav 4 , so many people have issues with it too low. It,s incredibly bumpy , worse car Ihave ever driven , I jave owner many many cars and driven many more than I have owned . Its the roughest I have ever been in and someone I know says his is same as mine ( he says I will get used to it ) , Never !
Its got lumps all over the footwells , Its got droopy sun visors ( known issue , expensive ) , Second hand ones the same . Very expensive NEW . Rear seats remove but Too heavy for a lady to do . Cannot see dash lights through steering wheel. Gearbox Clicky/ clunky . Others report same issue , nothing wrong ,its the wayy they are. Cannot see door window controls on drivers door they too low and are below my knee , have to feel around. Radio reception Rubbish becuase factory fitted aerial is inefficient ( I know about these things I am a radio ham ). Silly silly spare wheel on back door ( google sees many owners having the cover stolen as it cannot be locked ) Stupid ! £125 to replace if you buy used . Besides that I hate the look of that spare , like it was an afterthought - design or to make it Jeep-like . Theres more n more things not right .... its gotta go .

Good points - lights are good , heater is good , its grippy , It tows nice , other than its bumpy. Everything works . People want em , its a Toyota they hold theyre price reasobaly well.   I have owned , also been in and driven many Toyotas , I like them all , I will try and stay with Toyota but its the last Rav 4 I will ever own. Hopefully the last one I will have the discomfort of even being in.

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Camping to the ex.tent that I like awnings as a bit on the side.


31/3/2015 at 6:38pm
 Location: south shields
 Outfit: freedom
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should have bought a diesel, love my rav best all round car I've owned, last car was a volvo estate and for my money the rav tows better, better allround vision,easy to get in and out, you must have bought a scrapper.


31/3/2015 at 10:10pm
 Location: Yorkshire UK
 Outfit: Outwell Vermont XL + Mackenzie 6
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Geowen , read all the thread . Theres nothing mechanicaly wrong. The cars mint . It tows brilliant . Its got power .I just don,t like Rav 4,s . no matter what engine you put in it.

You see , I like Toyota Picnics and I have thrown my teddy out of the cot because they stopped making them years ago.


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Camping to the ex.tent that I like awnings as a bit on the side.


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01/4/2015 at 10:10am
 Location: flint north wales
 Outfit: swift challenger 480se 2002
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thinking how have you survived the winds of the last few days ,i certainly would not have liked to be in a van during them ?? and knowing how windy brid gets as well doesn't help


01/4/2015 at 10:29am
 Location: Yorkshire UK
 Outfit: Outwell Vermont XL + Mackenzie 6
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The black fox

Quote - " thinking how have you survived the winds of the last few days ,i certainly would not have liked to be in a van during them ?? and knowing how windy brid gets as well doesn't help "

Oh, its been lovely calm as anything . Someone told me on the phone it was windy , eh ?
So hot and sunny too, and we went in the sea and played on the sand.
Not needed our coats or anything other than shorts n T shirts. Apparently , theres been a run on Ice-Cream and all the shops have sold out . Tonight theres gonna be a BBQ but not while later when it cools off a bit. Pheeew c u later , need to sort the cooling fan out .


NOT

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Camping to the ex.tent that I like awnings as a bit on the side.



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