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Topic: Help On Towing Weights Please. Im stuck

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Charlie1978

09/9/2015 at 4:40pm
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Hi, Im new to caravanning. Iv a small 2 berth Sprite mid 80's only 850Kg.
However I'm looking to buy one of those new Jeep Renegades 1.6 diesel, but the max towing weight on the models I'm after is only 1000kg with a kerb weight of 1404kg.
Im worried that may not be enough? Any advice is greatly appreciated. My current car is a qashqai 1.6 4x4, do you lot also think its worth having 4x4 capability?

Thanks Everyone :)

Graeme_Cooke

09/9/2015 at 5:05pm
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If the MTPLM of your Sprite is 850kg then you would need car with a minimum kerb weight of at least 1000kg. This is based upon the 85% guidance. The towing limit is based upon the cars ability to tow a load up an incline. This is also the maximum in terms of insurance. The 85% guidance is just. It is not the law.

The kerb weight of the Jeep is fine for the sprite but 1000kg max towing weight might mean it is underpowered.

With regard 4x4 capability that is very much personal preference. Some people like the ride height etc. A lot of caravan owners have 4x4's for the heavy kerb weights so they can tow 1800kg plus vans. The only time you might need it would be a muddy field but I'm sure you'll get a lot of people on here that have caravanned for years without needing 4x4 to get off a pitch.

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Charlie1978

09/9/2015 at 5:41pm
Location: Crawcrook Gateshead
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Thanks Graeme, You've said what I was worried about, basically being underpowered. By the time Iv got car full of gear and people and towing the caravan, its bait close to the mark I think. Gutted.

jeff juke

09/9/2015 at 7:17pm
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A wee read here too might help..Click

-------------
Animals have feelings..

JEFF................

Baileyjake

10/9/2015 at 1:13pm
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remember this.

jeep are now owned by fiat.

the renegade is based on a fiat 500 platform.

they now make a 4x4 fiat 500 also.

would you tow a caravan with a fiat 500?

the renegade is also very small.

i had a jeep compass and apart from build quuality issues it made a fine tow car. unfortunately they dont make the compass anymore so your choice is the renagade or the hugely expensive Cherokee.

LlaniDavis

10/9/2015 at 1:49pm
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What does it matter what the floor pan of a vehicle is based on? What matters when towing is what the engine, gearbox and brakes are.
The 4x4 500/Panda is nothing like the Renegrade, so a pointless comparison.
Many car manufacturers use a common floor pan against their range. You only have to look at the number of vehicles in the VAG range that use the same one.

billy

10/9/2015 at 4:23pm
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If its got a 1.6 diesel of around 100bhp it will tow an 850kg caravan no probs. You don't need a 4x4 to tow that. Small suv's are just designed to look pretty though, their target market is probably not really caravanners. A Ford Focus would be a better towcar for that size caravan.

Baileyjake

10/9/2015 at 5:01pm
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Are you guys for real? Yes it's not actually a fiat 500 but there's a reason it has a max tow weight of 1000kg.

The steel work underneath will be like tin plate and will unlikely take the stress of a towbar pulling more. The renegade is a tiny car, in the same size category as a fiat 500L. I am sure you could tow a small caravan with it but it's not going to be like the quashkai. I passed a golf towing a caravan on a hill recently and it must have been struggling to make 40mph when I passed it, also towing a caravan doing 60.I saw an upside down golf hanging off the a frame of an overturned caravan on the M25 and something similar with a yarris in Switzerland. More to it than a 1.6 Diesel engine.

billy

11/9/2015 at 7:06am
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Accidents happen because caravanners drive like idiots. If the car can tow 1000kg then it can tow an 850kg caravan. There will be no issues with fitting a towbar or durability of the car.

checkley1973

11/9/2015 at 7:17am
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The car may be light but the caravan is even lighter so no problems.

The rest on here is just unfounded opinions.

Charlie1978

11/9/2015 at 8:21am
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Hi Guys, thanks for all the answers. Im more unsure now what to do. Id obviously rather go for the 2wd version of the renegade as its way cheaper. But I'm thinking that if it only tows a 1000kg and my caravan is 850kg then by the time you add people and gear into tow car and caravan I am likely to be be over that limit or do you not count those weights?
the 2wd version is 120hp diesel. I wouldn't class the renegade as a small SUV, its basically the same as my Qashqai, but the towing capacity is not :(

Think if i want this Jeep I'm going to have to stump up for the 4x4, it tows 1500kg. UNLESS anyone can suggest a better car? I need a SUV type car the space thank everyone.

Baileyjake

11/9/2015 at 10:13am
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I am sorry but I don't know too much about the renegade it looks to me to be more like the nissan juke size wise. Are you only looking at new cars? I think the mitsubishi ASX is supposed to be good and very capable but I don't know the price compared to the renegade. I guess you get what you pay for. I buy used cars to get more for my money.

I think the Hyundai Tucson and Kia sportage are good tow cars but again can't comment on price. And with a 850kg (MRO?) caravan probably a bit if an over kill. What about the vitara or Rav 4?

Many will lament that a 4x4 is not required to tow a caravan. And it certainly is not but some if us just like 4x4s.

My wife has a zafira and the larger diesel engined versions of this must be capable. They are 7 seater with a huge boot they certainly have the kerb weight to even tow my 6 berth. Bailey.

LlaniDavis

11/9/2015 at 8:41pm
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Quote: Originally posted by Baileyjake on 10/9/2015
Are you guys for real? Yes it's not actually a fiat 500 but there's a reason it has a max tow weight of 1000kg.

The steel work underneath will be like tin plate and will unlikely take the stress of a towbar pulling more. The renegade is a tiny car, in the same size category as a fiat 500L. I am sure you could tow a small caravan with it but it's not going to be like the quashkai. I passed a golf towing a caravan on a hill recently and it must have been struggling to make 40mph when I passed it, also towing a caravan doing 60.I saw an upside down golf hanging off the a frame of an overturned caravan on the M25 and something similar with a yarris in Switzerland. More to it than a 1.6 Diesel engine.

Whatever!
I suggest you go and talk to people who actually own this car. They are nothing like a Fiat 500 so your comments are both incorrect and fatuous.
Funnily enough my car is based on the same VAG floorpan as the Golf and yet has won several towing awards, but using your "argument" it is dangerous and no good.
I suggest you do some research before you make criticisms.

Baileyjake

13/9/2015 at 2:12pm
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I don't believe the renegade is built on a VAG platform. See this what are the associated cars?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Renegade_(BU)

It says fiat 500L is the related platform.

A jeep dealer told me the renegade was built on the 500 platform.

billy

13/9/2015 at 2:33pm
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You don't need the 4x4 version of the car tow your caravan. The only advantage a 4x4 might be is on a slippery campsite pitch. In normal driving conditions it will be of no advantage. You are not understanding the weights. What is max gross train weight of car, this is total allowed weight of car & caravan together?

I've looked it up for you, for 2wd diesel max tow is actually 1200kg, gross laden weight of car is 1905kg giving you a gross train weight 3105kg. Unladen weight of car is 1390kg so you can load 500kg into it & still tow caravan. I doubt you will be loading anything like 500kg into car & your caravan is well below max tow weight. The 2wd is more than adequate for your requirements.

LlaniDavis

13/9/2015 at 6:46pm
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Quote: Originally posted by Baileyjake on 13/9/2015
I don't believe the renegade is built on a VAG platform. See this what are the associated cars?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Renegade_(BU)

It says fiat 500L is the related platform.

A jeep dealer told me the renegade was built on the 500 platform.

I didn't say it was built on a VAG platform, so perhaps you need to read what I actually wrote!!

I was pointing out with a VAG comparison that whilst it might be a Fiat 500 platform does not mean it is any thing like a Fiat 500, and therefore your comment was both unhelpful, inaccurate and fatuous.

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