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You should be looking for a car with a kerb weight of 2117Kg. That would give you an 85% match which is the recommended weight ratio van to car by just about all of the professional advisory organisations.

All car specs will give you the maximum towing weight for the car and that is based on a number of factors relating to the physical capacity of the car to tow rather than focussing on safe towing. It is also based on the cars' ability to hill start on a one in eight hill. However, caravans don't always respond like many items you could tow so a lighter van than the max towing weight is always recommended for safety reasons. High winds can cause havoc and a lighter van can be better controlled. Many a time you take your van up a hill greater in gradient than  1 in 8.  Try doing a hill start up a one in six at traffic lights with the maximum towing weight behind you!!!!

Have fun looking for a tow car. Try to get a deisel. Check that its max towing weight is not less than 1800. It should be but worth asking.

Phil

kerbweight is the weight of the car as it leaves the factory with a 90% full fuel tank. Maximum towing weight is the weight that the car is able/designed to cope with. This can vary even on variants of the same model so you need to be certain what your car is capable of as towing an excessive weight could invalidate your insurance or your cars warranty. The 85% rule is a guideline not a legal requirement, in theory you can tow 100% of the cars weight as long as you do not exceed the maximum towing weight or maximum trainweight.(combined car and trailer weights).

If you were towing a triple axle trailer full of bricks with a low centre of gravity this wouldn't be a problem but a caravan is like a giant sail on the back of your car and it gets buffeted around by wind an turbulence from trucks so it could get a bit hairy if your van weighs as much as your car.

I guess that at 1800kg you have a twin axle? If so check the noseweight that your car can cope with as well. That is the downforce that the caravan or trailer pushes down on your towball. Most large cars have a max limit of around 80kg with large 4x4's like discoveries or landcruisers being around 150kg. Although they say you should aim to load for a noseweight on your caravan of around 7% of its MTPLM this would be 126kg for your 1800kg van and most modern twin axle caravan tow hitches are rated at around 100kg max

Unless you plump for a 4x4 you will need something with a good noseweight limit like an audi allroad or big E class estate, and even then you will have to be very carefull to check your noseweight and not overload your van.

GOOD LUCK

Quote: Originally posted by vwalan on 31/8/2010

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well i can put a cat amongst the pigeons .some can pull much more than there own weight and do. but if you are a bit nervous or not used to towing keep with in the 85percent guide. i pull over 3times my tow units weight. some pull 5 times there weight. but keep with in the limts. but always find out what the max trailer weight the manufacturers say you can pull. some can hardly pull anything so can be ilegal very easily. cheers . hard hat on waitng for fly past. hee hee.

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Quote: Originally posted by vwalan on 31/8/2010

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well i can put a cat amongst the pigeons .some can pull much more than there own weight and do. but if you are a bit nervous or not used to towing keep with in the 85percent guide. i pull over 3times my tow units weight. some pull 5 times there weight. but keep with in the limts. but always find out what the max trailer weight the manufacturers say you can pull. some can hardly pull anything so can be ilegal very easily. cheers . hard hat on waitng for fly past. hee hee.

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Hard hat still on ? Problem with this comment is that the OP has expressed confusion over the advice out there and seeks clarity. These comments may leave people to believe that it is ok to tow more than your cars own limit. Now that's a criminal offence. If you happen to get caught then the Police can make you unhitch your van and leave it in a layby whilst you find the right venicle to pull it.

One other point omitted is that if the OP passed his test after 1997 and has not taken any further towing tests then he can't tow the caravan anyway as the whole rig will exceed the legal limit.

Incidentally, very good post jel2006.

Phil

Sounds to me like you need one of the larger 4 x 4s for this caravan. Of course, as Phil says, if you passed your test after 1997, you can't tow that caravan at all.

Jim

Just to clarify, vwalen, what I said was that it is illegal to tow more than your cars own limit, not more than your cars weight. So if the car has a maximum towing weight of, say 1800Kg and you pull 2000Kg that's illegal.

Phil 

i am sorry i read it wrong ,i do apolagise.

i always think start with the max you can tow and work down. lots cars etc cant even pull a third of their unladen weight. so thats why i say get the manufacturers weight then at least yiou should not get pulled and fined. sorry to interpret you post wrong. good job we can still be friends . hee hee, cheers alan.

No worries Alan., if we meet on a narrow lane you can reverse...lets see just how you can manage what sounds like a centurian tank!!!

Phil

You lost me there kid!!!! Keep it simples for me

Phil