Quote: Originally posted by Pontylad on 05/8/2009
Getting more interesting by the minute
I'm no mech expert but surely a car's max towing weight allows for the car when fully loaded. If the car was not loaded or had part of its load reduced it would have less weight to pull
The car's max towing weight is the weight the car can tow, it has nothing to do with what is or isn't in the car itself. The gross vehicle weight however must also not be exceeded and includes everything, ie the car, the caravan/trailer and everything in them both.
Maximum authorised mass
The term maximum authorised mass (MAM), used in the context of driving licences, is the maximum weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely while used on the road. This is also known as gross vehicle weight (GVW) or permissible maximum weight. It will be listed in the owner’s manual and is normally shown on a plate or sticker fitted to the vehicle. The plate or sticker may also show a gross train weight (GTW).
Ali