Hi I have recently purchased a fleetwood sonata concerto van. The van was listed on the net as 1300kg but after we viewed and fell I. Love with it and agreed to buy it I checked the vin plate and it was 1190kg Uk 1500kg mtlpm😂😂. The wife wanted it so I’m booked in for the B+E test. Im looking at 2006 galaxy 1.9 130 as it’s got a high kerb weight. It has a max tow of 2000kg but I have read that the MAM is 2510kg and Gross train weight it 4000kg. That would leave 1490kg for a caravan 10kg to heavy for me. I will never put 310kg in the caravan lol. Do Vosa and insurance companies just use the vin plates to assess weights if something happens or do they weigh everything. Also are the weights I stated correct for a 2006 1.9 130 galaxy ? Cheers.
Maximum plated weights are relevant only for driving licence entitlements. For everything else, the legal requirements are based on the actual weights.
Note that you won't need to take the B+E test if you have a pre-1997 licence.
The weights you have been given sound plausible but it's impossible for anyone to verify on this forum whether they are correct (unless someone happens to own an identical car). The only reliable places to find this information are the car's VIN plate or V5 document.
Bear in mind though that the car's towing limit is based on tests carried out using brand new models. The car you are buying is now 13 years old and will invariably have lost some performance from its engine and probably the brakes over the years. This doesn't in the least mean that you shouldn't tow with it, only that towing right up to the limits would be unwise.
------------- "Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect."
Thanks for reply. I eventually got to check the vin plate and it was as above.
My insurance is void on my caravan if the gross train weight of the car is exceeded.
I don’t know how they would weigh it if the worst happened touch wood.
I passed in 98 so I have to get B+E.
I assumed VOSA would just look at the plates and do the math then weigh it if it looked to heavy.
My van will only probs weigh 1360kg tops when I have it loaded as most of the stuff is my car.
I currently drive a Passat estate 140bhp and it pulls my current van no bother and will probably weigh 1800kg with us and gear in so may be heavy enough but I like to worry lol so I am probs going to opt for the newer galaxy as it has an extra 200kg on the gtw.
To be honest Daz, unless you're looking to change the car anyway for reasons other than towing, I'd hang on to the Passat for now - at least until you've tried towing your new van with it.
As you have said, the actual weight of your car will be well in excess of that of the caravan when loaded up for a holiday. The fact that it has more power and weighs less than the Galaxy should mean that it offers better performance when towing because the engine has less overall weight to drag along.
You'll still need B+E though!
------------- "Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect."