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Topic: Is caravan a Match

Wright16

via mobile 26/2/2019 at 10:14am
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Hi I'm looking for help. I want to buy my first caravan, the advert says it has a unloaded weight of 1060kg and my cars kerb weight is 1444kg is this a suitable match for the car?

Rob and Tina

26/2/2019 at 10:24am
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Swift Major 4SB

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You need to know the max weight of the caravan (MTPLM) and compare it to the kerbweight of the car. As a beginner to this strange hobby of ours the recommendation is that you should stick to a caravan MTPLM of 85% of the car's kerbweight, this is only a guide and you still need to load and drive properly to get a safe tow.

You also need to check the max tow weight of your car and this must not be exceeeded. Also check the max noseweight for the car, some cars have very low noseweight limits which are too low to use a caravan safely.

Rob

PS Welcome to the forum. If you need to know anything just ask, we were all beginners once.

Acornis

26/2/2019 at 6:26pm
Location: North Norfolk
Outfit: Bailey Olympus

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Try this

https://towcar.info/GB/index.php

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Octavia4x4

26/2/2019 at 6:45pm
Location: Harrogate Yorkshire.
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Have a read of the info on the link, including matching your car:

https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/helpandadvice/gettingstarted/newtocaravans/

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Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0TDi 4x4 (2012) towing a Compass Omega 482 (2014)

Rob and Tina

26/2/2019 at 6:56pm
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Swift Major 4SB

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Towcar.info does not use the correct weights, it uses a random weight for a part loaded car rather than the kerbweight so the percentage figures are calculated incorrectly. The website may also use foreign spec cars that are different to cars available in the UK.

It is better to use the weights on the car, in the handbook and V5 to calculate the suitability of your particular car.

Rob

Acornis

26/2/2019 at 9:39pm
Location: North Norfolk
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At the end of the report you can check the figures that the calc was based on and adjust the to the figure on the V5 or customise then re-calc if required.

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SamandRose

27/2/2019 at 9:05pm
Location: Midlands
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Hi Wright16 and welcome to caravanning

Rob and Tina have given you some good advice but just to reiterate:

The 1060kg "unloaded weight" is the weight of the caravan when empty - when loaded for a holiday it will be heavier. Check the 'maximum technically permissible laden mass (MTPLM) which you'll inevitably get close to. For most modern caravans this is between about 150 and 200kg more than the unloaded weight.

Another fundamental point to check is the car's maximum towing limit, which depending on its engine and suspension may be substantially more or less than the weight of the car itself. But it's illegal to tow more than that.

The recommendation that novice towers should limit the weight of their caravan to 85% of the car's kerb weight is just that - a recommendation. It has no legal basis whatsoever, the research behind it is limited and is now decades old and whilst the principle behind the recommendation is sensible, it does need to be treated with the crudity it deserves.

If we assume for now that your caravan has an MTPLM of 1250kg, that would equate to 86.5% of the car's kerb weight which should be absolutely fine provided that the maximum towing limit permits it and the engine is man enough to cope with the extra weight. Tell us what car it is and what engine it has and we should be able to reassure or otherwise.

A final point on outfit matching sites - most are notoriously prone to errors and Towcar.info - which is Dutch and does not list UK-spec cars - is among the worst of the lot. You really don't need these when you can do your own calculations.

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"Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect."

Wright16

via mobile 27/2/2019 at 9:13pm
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Car is a seat altea xl 1.9td I think max braked towing weight is 1400kg.

Rob and Tina

27/2/2019 at 9:32pm
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Swift Major 4SB

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You need to double check the max towing weight of the car, it should be on the V5, in the handbook and on the weight plate on the car. You also need to know the max noseweight of the car.

We still need to know the MTPLM of the caravan but Sam and Rose have worked out what the figures may be which would give an 86.5% match which would be fine.

Rob

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