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We are still debating whether to get a caravan or not,  we have seen a caravan we like and it is the Bailey Ranger 550/5.  Now I know there can be issues with towing weights so I have been on WhatTowCar to weigh it all up.

So here it is, our car IS heavier weight than the caravan loaded however it comes in at 90%.  The site said the caravan and our car are a good match, we can expect a good performance and on motorway inclines we won't have any problems infact we could be first to the top.  Most results for performance etc got 4 out of 5 stars apart from motorway performance on slopes which got 5 out of 5.

So despite being 90% kebweight etc we had an excellent write up, so is this deemed ok or not, it's only 5% off.

Thanks

Look in the car handbook or go on line to see what the car's max towing is. I would say quite alot of people have 90% I know I have a few times! Ideally it is 85% though i think.

It is advisable to try to adhere to this guideline, however the modern tow car is more than capable then handling 90-95%

imho this only applies to the point where you need the extra power to get you out of trouble,that is why i stick to 85%.when the tail is wagging the dog the extra weight will be useful.

85% is only a guideline and is a very useful starting point. having said that the organisations that publish these giuidelines call it a safe towing guide and suggest that 85% is a good starting point for someone who has never towed before but that up to 100% is perfectly acceptable with experience and a car that is adequately powered to be able to cope. My first outfit was a 70% match and was the most unstable of the outfits I have had, my latest one is 94% and is the most stable. If the site suggested that the car was a good match and that it was adequately powered then I would believe it. But I would then on my first trip be extremely conservative with what I put into the van to keep the weight down and I would drive like I had a crate of eggs perched on the roof. make sure the nose weight is within the cars limit, actually relatively close to the cars limit is usually a good guide but not more than the caravans limit, keep the load inside the caravan low down and near the axle, and keep your speed down to 50 or so on the motorway and even less on a single carriageway. That way you are getting a good experience of towing to start with. Once you have done it a few times then is the time to load a little more, drive a little quicker ( but not much quicker ) and that way you can expect a safe and pleasant journey.

Thanks everyone.

The site definitley said our car was a good match for the caravan and gave good reviews but was at 90%.  Upgrading the car is not possible and to be honest I wouldn't want to, it is a heavy family roomy hatchback.

I have therefore decided that we will go for it and when we decide to buy a caravan for definite it will be the Bailey Ranger 550/5.  We will obviously try to limit the weight until we are used to it but my OH said there won't be any problems.  

We have been looking at a caravan cause we are a family of 4 and are used to going camping with a roof box and boot full of kit.  We are getting a puppy in two weeks and we won't have the room for all the camping stuff.  My in-laws have been camping for over 20 yrs and they love it, it was just the thought of the expense that has been holding us back.

Thank you to everyone who posted and I will let you know when we actually buy the caravan, which hopefully won't be toooo long.

Quote: Originally posted by Ianwrexham on 23/2/2009

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What car do you drive? I am towing at about 84% and it is perfect for stability but the 1.8 engine either struggles or I am not changing down quick enough?

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Quote: Originally posted by Grampian91 on 24/2/2009

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From the figures i found your getting very close to a 100% match.

Caravan 1300kg? Car 1360kg?

Not a lot left, Legal though.

Watch them windy and downhill stretches.

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