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Topic: Can my car tow a caravan safely?

sjs44

08/5/2019 at 7:33pm
Location: West Midlands
Outfit: Eurohike Hampton 6 Tent

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I've not long bought a newer car (2014 Ford Focus Estate Titanium Navigator Powershift 1.6 petrol with an Auto box) & i tow at present a trailer with all my camping kit in it.... albeit not yet this year.
A friend we go away with has said that i could tow a small caravan with my focus but as its just a 1.6 petrol, would it be any good

From Parkers online it states that my car has a max of 1000 kgs for a braked trailer but i can't find a kerbside or gross weight for my car.....even in the handbook ???

'IF' i can tow a small caravan, we do like the look of the Avondale Dart 380/2..........from a 2002 model up to about a 2005 is our price range. Its Running Order states 842kgs & MTPLM of 1000kgs
Has anyone had one?

Can anyone give me any further guidance please?

navver

08/5/2019 at 7:51pm
Location: West country
Outfit: Mondeo

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Hi sjs, it's best to try and find your own weight figures based on your actual car especially with an automatic.

Is there a weight plate, probably on drivers door pillar with 4 weights on it. If so can you post it. The top 2 figures are gross train weight and the maximum fully loaded weight of the car. The difference is the limit of what the car can tow. If that's 1000kg then well done Parkers Online.

Use the MTPLM of the caravan and make sure this does not exceed that 1000kg.

You might find a Mass in Service weight in the hand book or on your DVLA V5 (log book)

sjs44

08/5/2019 at 8:07pm
Location: West Midlands
Outfit: Eurohike Hampton 6 Tent

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Hi Navver, thanks for your speedy response

Mass in Service 1396kgs - V5

In door, top line says 1825kgs, 2nd says 2825kgs

Many thanks for this.....

sjs44

08/5/2019 at 8:27pm
Location: West Midlands
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Do you think my 1.6 petrol auto will be sufficient to pull 1000 kgs?

tango55

08/5/2019 at 9:28pm
Location: Lichfield
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No, it won't be up to the job. I had a 1.8 petrol Vauxhall Zafira with a manual gearbox towing a 1000 kgs. caravan and it struggled even on the slightest incline and standing starts were a nightmare to say the least. I was glad to ditch it in the end but changed it for a 1.6 Ford Focus diesel specially for towing which was a much better towcar than the 1.8 petrol engine.

richard0805

08/5/2019 at 10:08pm
Location: Cardiff
Outfit: Swift Challenger

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Plug the details in here and make you own mind up https://towcar.info/GB/outfitmatch.php

Colin21

08/5/2019 at 10:34pm
Location: East Herts
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There is no doubt in my mind that diesel is much better for towing, but having said that, years ago I used to tow a caravan with a 1966 Mk2 Cortina which had a 1.5 litre petrol engine and an auto gearbox. We went all over with that outfit. It did have a torque-converter gearbox though, which in my opinion is much better as the torque converter doubles the torque on pull-away.

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Best Regards,
Colin

SamandRose

09/5/2019 at 1:25pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: 2019 VW Arteon + 2002 Avondale Dart

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The 'mass in service' is the weight of the car as it left the factory. The kerb weight normally includes an allowance of 75kg for the driver (yeah, right) on top of this.

The figure of 1825kg is the maximum permissible weight of the car, and 2825kg is the maximum gross train weight of the car and a trailer combined. On this basis it's correct that the maximum towing limit is 1000kg.

This is normally determined based on the weight that the car can physically move from a standstill on repeated hill starts. Attempt to tow a caravan of that weight for long distances and it will probably struggle. However, a more powerful version of the same or a similarly-sized car should be absolutely fine.

We have a 4 berth Avondale Dart from 2002 and it's served us well over the 4 years since we bought it as complete novices. A lot will depend on its condition and how well it has been looked after.

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

sjs44

via mobile 09/5/2019 at 1:49pm
Location: West Midlands
Outfit: Eurohike Hampton 6 Tent

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Many thanks for all your advice.
Thanks Richard for the link........hmmm interesting

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