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Topic: Total Disapointment
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25/11/2007 at 7:50am
Location: Brigg North Lincolnshire Outfit: Outwell Montana 6P
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DON'T PANIC!!! Barrons are wrong! Don't blame them though, as many dealers are unaware of this issue with Renault.
I came across a similar problem when we bought our van - a Bailey Ranger 470/4. We have a Grand Scenic 1.9dCi.
There are two legal issues with weights here - first is that it is illegal to exceed the manufacturer's stated maximum tow limit, and the second is that it is illegal to exceed the "gross train weight" (this is the total weight of car + caravan + all contents).
Have a look at your car's "gross train weight". This will be the heaviest figure on the car's plate (and also in the manual) - mine is 3050Kg. Now look at the kerbweight of the car (the weight of an empty car) - mine is 1530Kg. Now look at the weight of your empty caravan (MRO - mine is 967 Kg). Add together the kerbweight and MRO (967+1530 = 2497Kg). Subtract this total from the "gross train weight" and you are left with the amount of free weight allowance for all the equipment in your caravan and car (and passengers) - which in my case is 533Kg, which is fine. So on the first issue (being within the legal gross train weight, we are fine).
Now, Renault have a curious way of quoting the "maximum towing limit". For the Grand Scenic, this is quoted at 1300Kg "driver only" and then a much lower figure (my manual says 800Kg I think from memory) for "all other situations". So this would mean that as soon as you carry a passenger, your allowed towing limit goes down to 800Kg. Clearly this is ridiculous! I expect this is why you were told that the car is not suitable. But, there is a simple answer. If you contact Renault Customer Services Dept, they have a standard letter which they will send you, which confirms that the car is suitable to tow up to 1300Kg as long as you keep within the gross train weight. Effectively, it is saying that you can ignore the lower max tow figure.
I was in exactly the same position as you this time last year. We'd decided to buy a van, had a 1 year old car, and thought we'd have to ditch it all.
Do post again if you need further any further help, and good luck.
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25/11/2007 at 7:56am
Location: Wiltshire Outfit: Kalahari 10
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Hi Fozzer,
Sorry to hear about your dissapointment, but as you say at least the dealers were good, I have heard some horror stories from people where the dealers said there car was O.K. only to discover later that it was an illegal match.
I think there have been dissusions previously on the forum re Renaults, in particular re their Kerb / Train weight - this is set by Renault and as you said my understanding is that the cars that have the fold down seats which fold into the floor tend to have lighter towing limits because the floorplan is effectively weakend by having the cutouts for the seats. I'm sure someone will correct me if I got that wrong.
We bought a new (to us) 7 seater earlier this year and I was quite surprised that we had to rule out some of the scenics because of this.
Good luck in your hunt, what about an older van I believe some of those are lighter? What is the max tow weight for your car? Someone may know of a van that you could tow.
Joty
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25/11/2007 at 4:58pm
Location: dumfries Outfit: Elddis autoquest 130 motorhome
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Hi Fozzer
Just a thought why dont you load the car up with all the family and bits and bobs that you would take on holiday and go and weigh it at local weighbridge this will give you a rough idea what car and passengers will weigh then you can work out caravan and see if it is close to your 3000kg.
If your close to limit you'll just have to starve kids and wife for a week before holidays.
If you do deciede to go ahead i would do as some mentioned and get higher spec model for the sake of a few pounds, also once you get price from Barrons give Dumfries Caravan Centre a call if you dont have trade in he normally gives good price and theres always people from all over in picking up new vans.
Gerry
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