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Evening all

We started looking for a caravan weeks ago, we've spent every weekend at caravan dealers (a truly fab way to spend a day I might add) and I've been scouring the internet and caravan mags to make sure we get things right..

I'm totally flummoxed...we have an 08 vauxhall Zafira Exclusiv (manual) and we are a family of 5 (mum, dad and 3 kids) I thought we'd racked it with an Adria Altea 542 but I think that's about 110 kgs overweight.

We have about £5-£6k to spend on a caravan and can't really afford to change cars so my question is...what can we tow (safely, legally, practically) with the car we have?

I know it's the $64000 question and the seasoned among you will be cursing me but we can't afford to get it wrong and the information out there is incredibly varied and confusing. If any of you can recommend a van or give me an idea of the makes and models I should be looking at I'd be very grateful

Thank you

Kelly xxx

have a look here

www.whattowcar.com

have a look in your hand book you need the kerb weight for your car it is in there some where the rule is (but not the law) 85% of your kerb weight should be weight of van

you can go slightly over this be better if you had towed before to do so and i would strongly advise going no where near thye 100% if you intend to stop in a rush some time!!!!

 i know i am about to be shouted at for saying you can go over the 85% rule but it is not law and im sure a 40 foot artic trailer loaded is not 85% of the weight of the unit pulling it yes differenty i know but just an observation i have made!!!!

Quote: Originally posted by simon23 on 05/7/2009

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have a look in your hand book you need the kerb weight for your car it is in there some where the rule is (but not the law) 85% of your kerb weight should be weight of van

you can go slightly over this be better if you had towed before to do so and i would strongly advise going no where near thye 100% if you intend to stop in a rush some time!!!!

 i know i am about to be shouted at for saying you can go over the 85% rule but it is not law and im sure a 40 foot artic trailer loaded is not 85% of the weight of the unit pulling it yes differenty i know but just an observation i have made!!!!

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Comparing an artic and a caravan is nonsense. First an artic trailer has the wheels at the back not the middle which has a great impact on stability, as does the coupling over the rear wheels of the tractor unit. Second an artic trailer uses air brakes on all it 4/6/8 wheels which are vastly more effective than drum brakes. Thirdly the artic tractor unit is built and designed to handle the full weight of the loaded trailer.

Check your manual or take the vehicle to a weigh bridge so that you can establish your kerbweight.  Online sources seem to indicate the following but for some cars we have been finding these sites inaccurate so don't rely on them.

So your kerbweight is 1400 kgs, 85% of that is 1190 kg, the noseweight is 75kg and the max tow as dictated by the manufacturer is 1200 kg.  If these figures match those in your hand book then you do not want to buy a van that, when fully laden with your equipment and belongings, weighs more than 1200 kg.

Ali

Have look on the plate under the bonnet with all the weights on it ,your handbook should tell you how to read it.

It looks like you have a 1200kg tow weight limit.

Andy

Quote: Originally posted by bill + kay w on 06/7/2009

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Phone Vauxhalls help line, we had a zafira and were told by the car dealers that we couyld safely tow 1200kg but what he failed to mention was that vauxhall have put a restiction of 1000kg on zafiras so unless they have changed it in the last year I would be very carefull, Its worth the price of a phone call to find out direct from the horses mouth so to say. when we found out we changed car and  then up graded our caravan as well. take care. Bill

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I have a 2003 vectra which has a kerbside weight of 1350 ad I pull a 1200kg caravan.

towing does seem a little sluggish but actual habdling seems fine. I'm sure a Zafira 1.8 would be heavier than mine.

My Zafira Vin plate says

2095kg

3470kg

so i totted up and subtracted one from the other and ended up with 1375kg towing weight the funny thing here is on my V5 it states max braked towing weight is 1300kg

my car is a 1.8 56plate petrol easytronic

currently waiting a call back from Vauxhall tech.