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Topic: Caravan to heavy?

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elbizor

07/8/2014 at 5:01pm
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We have been looking for a caravan and a family friend has offered us theirs at a really good price but I'm not sure if it's too big for a first time user.
The car is a focus 1.6tdci 2011 kerb weight 1357kg towing weight 1300

The caravan is a Abby county Gloucester running order weight 980 kg
Mptlm of 1230 kg
Your thoughts will be appreciated
Regards Brian

Nutkins

07/8/2014 at 5:22pm
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1230kg equates to approx 90% of cars kerb weight. Thats with caravan fully loaded. Should be ok as long as you don't get silly packing things in the van. As for cars performance especially when it comes to inclines, I wouldn't like to say...Whats the BHP?

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VangoMan02

07/8/2014 at 6:02pm
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I also two with a Focus 1.6 tdci 110bhp 2010 model. My caravan weights are similar to the ones you mention but I keep my total towing weight to around 1,100kg or very slightly over.
It tows well at that weight and can tackle steep hills etc but wouldn't like to load up to around 1,200kg and have to do a hillstart on a steep hill. I.M.O.

Dread to think what it would do to the clutch!!!

I have been towing for 40+ years and this is the smallest car I have towed with and it is a good little towcar but not sure about loading up to near the claimed max of 1,300kg by Ford.
Unless someone knows better

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Rob and Tina

07/8/2014 at 6:56pm
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We tow with a 2013 1.6 diesel Focus. The car is loaded fairly lightly as there are only the two of us and we are towing about 1150kg. The car has a towing limit of 1200kg so Ford have lowered the towing limits since your car was built. Our car manages fairly well but it struggles a bit on steep hills especially with a strong head wind. I don't think I would want to tow 1300kg with a fully loaded car as I feel I need more power sometimes but I was spoiled by previously having a Galaxy with 140bhp which towed effortlessly.

Rob

elbizor

07/8/2014 at 7:06pm
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Thanks for your replys, the car is 110 bhp as stated by vango man.
Though a tdci so about 170 ft/lb of torque.
Keeping your weight down to 1,100? Does that mean hardly putting anything in the van like clothes and food? Or just keep the really heavy stuff out like awnings?

uxb443

07/8/2014 at 8:31pm
Location: Staffordshire
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On Tuesday coming back from North Wales via Dollgelau there is a 1 in 5 hill just before Dinas-Mawddwy. The total hill is about 1.5 miles.

My Santa Fe is over 2000kgs and the caravan is about 1350kgs loaded.

I was coming down the hill cautiously because you can 'feel' the caravan pushing. I would not like to do more than 30-35mph.

The biggest problem is always stopping, not 'going'.

If your clutch burns out it is a pain in the pocket.

If your brakes fail under heavy load or the caravan takes charge then the cost could be horrendous, and I don't mean to fix your car and caravan.

Please take great care and have some great caravan holidays. They ARE the best!

Nutkins

07/8/2014 at 8:37pm
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If its a good deal for the van i'd say go for it and see how the car manages with it. You'd be ok loading to around 1150kg mark.
You want to be putting awning in car along with clothes and groceries(unless like us buy them on arrival). If its a full size awning it might be sensible to buy one of the smaller lightweight ones that still offer decent amounts of space. Stuff in the van can add up pretty quickly so be quite restrained. You'll have aqua roll, waste hog, chairs, cutlery, crockery, battery, gas bottle, toilet fluids and other miscellaneous items.
You'll be ok if your sensible and careful...you could always swap cars eventually if funding allows.

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VangoMan02

07/8/2014 at 9:33pm
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Quote: Originally posted by elbizor on 07/8/2014Thanks for your replys, the car is 110 bhp as stated by vango man.
Though a tdci so about 170 ft/lb of torque.
Keeping your weight down to 1,100? Does that mean hardly putting anything in the van like clothes and food? Or just keep the really heavy stuff out like awnings?

To be fair it is just the two of us and occasionally one grandchild at a time..

We only use a lightweight porch awning nowadays but don't always take it. Absolutely everything we have for the van is lightweight apart from gas bottle.
An obsession from my lightweight backpacking days.

We hang some clothes in the wardrobe ( above axle) and the rest are in holdalls in the boot of the car.
Most of the food is in the boot but we usually do a shop when we get where we are going.

Empty Water and Waste containers in caravan. Caravan water sysytem always drained as is flush tank in toilet.
Hookup cable also over the axle.

All melamine plates, lightweight pots/pans in caravan and cutlery etc.
Two Lightweight folding chairs in the caravan and lightweight table we use in awning.
We store the original long table that came with the van at home (weighs a ton) as the chest of drawers folds out to a large table..ideal for two.

We use a 4.5 butane gas bottle,I can usually tell how much gas is left but if in doubt I will take a full one as I have two, just use the other next time on a short break.

The one thing I do watch is what is in the front locker, its amazing how much weight can build up with bits and pieces over time..basically the spare wheel, gas bottle and lightweight levelling wedges and wheel cholks are stored in there.
With just two of us we have a bit more flexability with what we put in the boot but not overloaded.

Sorry..should have said we also have a motor mover, another reason to keep payload low..

Post last edited on 07/08/2014 21:40:17

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bblondemoment

07/8/2014 at 9:47pm
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Oooh, how I envy you lucky focus drivers - my 59 reg focus only has a braked tow limit of 800kg !!!!!!!!.
I used to love my focus until I thought about towing a caravan ......... Now I hate it and aren't in the position to be able yo change it for at least another 18 months

VangoMan02

07/8/2014 at 9:53pm
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What size engine do you have, petrol / diesel??

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bblondemoment

07/8/2014 at 10:14pm
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Me? If so, it's a 1.6 petrol zetec auto

glittering-prize

08/8/2014 at 12:16am
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small car,petrol and towing dont sound like a mix.unless you buy a trailer tent.

ferretlady

08/8/2014 at 8:36am
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I too have a 1.6 auto focus. Thats why I'm happy with my little Freedom. I always put my awning in the car when towing, although I do put the food in plastic boxes over the axle. Clothes are in a holdall in the car. I still avoid Dinas Mawddy though!!!!! Years ago I had to go that way in snow, I was driving solo though. I was glad to get home, I can tell you!!!!!

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bblondemoment

08/8/2014 at 10:29am
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When I bought my car I had no intention of towing a caravan because I had a static but I've suddenly got itchy feet and would like to wander rather than being stuck in the same place. I didn't want a massive touring caravan as there's only two of us however, after seeing other focus, Astra tow caravans I was disappointed to find what what mine is restricted too. Indeed irony is that when I was happy with a static my last car I had then a peugeot 307 could tow much more (1200).
Don't really want a trailer tent (no offence to anyone who's got one cos each to their own) as I was after comfort rather than space so I will probably follow in ferretladys footsteps and purchase a freedom x

tango55

08/8/2014 at 10:34am
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I towed my caravan with an MTPLM of 1300 kgs. for two years with a Ford Focus estate 1.6 diesel and it coped really well on the flat and if I inflated the tyres to the recommended figure for towing I actually got 38 mpg. towing down the M42 and M5 to Devon from Staffordshire. The problem I found mainly was going down hill as you could feel the slight nudge due to the insufficient vehicle kerbweight and was cautious of any cross winds so kept the speed down to around 40 mph. just in case the unfortunate did happen. However, what made me eventually change the car was when we were travelling to New Quay in Wales and leaving Aberystwyth town on the A487 Cardigan Road. There is a 30 mph. speed limit then a steep hill exit to which I eventually had to drop down to first gear and just made it to the top which was a frightening experience to say the least and still wonder now how we made it up that steep hill. If we had to stop for any reason I know the car wouldn't have coped with a hill start at that degree which then made me extremely cautious and had a phobia about climbing hills so my best policy was to look for something more compatible. I decided to have a car of the same size but with a bigger engine with more torque and kerbweight which is why I opted for the Volvo V50 with the 2.4 diesel 5 cylinder engine. Where the match with the Focus was 92% is now 83% and I can definitely tell the difference on hill descents and standing starts.
Basically, the 1.6 Focus diesel is a fairly good towcar but it does have it's limitations of course in terms of towing and road safety but a good option would be to consider the 2.0 Focus diesel as I have also towed with this model too but the six speed gearbox in the Focus doesn't compare to that of the Volvo in terms of towing capabilities.

ferretlady

08/8/2014 at 1:10pm
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Quote: Originally posted by bblondemoment on 08/8/2014
When I bought my car I had no intention of towing a caravan because I had a static but I've suddenly got itchy feet and would like to wander rather than being stuck in the same place. I didn't want a massive touring caravan as there's only two of us however, after seeing other focus, Astra tow caravans I was disappointed to find what what mine is restricted too. Indeed irony is that when I was happy with a static my last car I had then a peugeot 307 could tow much more (1200).
Don't really want a trailer tent (no offence to anyone who's got one cos each to their own) as I was after comfort rather than space so I will probably follow in ferretladys footsteps and purchase a freedom x

hi,
we've been very happy with our little caravan. There's o ly the 2 of us now, plus 2 small dogs. With the awning, we have more than enough room. The layout is good and we've always been comfy. I wouldn't change it for anything!!!!!

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