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Hi folks I would appreciate any help you can give me. At the moment we own a motorhome and though we love it to bits the cost of replacing it for another is making me seriously consider changing over to a caravan. We have looked around at the local dealers and done a bit of reading up on how to find which cars can tow what caravan and some of the figures I am being given are confusing me a bit.

Firstly we don't want to be forced into a 4x4 because of running costs and I am currently looking at the possibility of a Ford Mondeo 2.0 TD. Now according to the Caravan Club and other sources I have read they strongly recommend I should not be towing no more than 85% of the cars kerb weight(1495Kg) and NEVER tow more than 100%, so that works out as a caravan with an MTPLM of 1270Kg. My wife has fallen in love with a Lunar Solaris twin axel(MTPLM of 1600Kg) but the sales man at the dealership asures me that a Mondeo will easily pull it because the caravans MIRO is 1325Kg and that I am unlikely to use the full 275Kg payload which would take me to the MTPLM  and that because the weight of the driver and any passengers and luggage will take the kerb weight of the car above 1495Kg and also the Mondeo has a maximum towing capacity of 1800Kg. Please help as I feel like I being swamped by all these figures

I too am new to caravanning, and have had exactly the same problem.  I have combed through endless posts on this website looking for the answer and can tell you I have found out this.

The Maximum Towing Capacity your car will pull (1800kg in your case) is not the same thing as a safe towing weight.  The ONLY safe rule for beginners is 85% of your kerbweight.  Your car engine might physically be able to move 1800kg, but that is not the same thing!  You have to have the ratio of car to caravan BALANCED to ensure you are stable on the road, stable in corners, high winds, etc.  Snaking can occur when going downhill at speed.  With a caravan heavier than the 85% rule you are at risk of not being able to drive safely, and that is why the 85% rule is used.

Use the kerbweight specified by your manufacturer and dont confuse yourself by saying that you and your belongings will make the kerbweight heavier!  Any car will physically pull a heavy caravan.  but the 85% rule is about having the power to tow safely, and having the power to get out of trouble, too.

Also, remember that when you are towing your caravan,  your car may well have a towing capacity of 1800kg - but you need to think about the weight of you, your passengers, your suitcases and anything else you put in the car, too!  You need to remember to add this to the equation, also!

In terms of weight you add into the caravan - http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=14 this link will tell you exactly what weighs what.  With the figures you have given you would only need to add a tv, a gas bottle some clothes and a full fridge to be in difficulty.

Other more experienced members will have plenty of advice, but my best advice is to look elsewhere - any dealer who tries to sell you a caravan on those figures needs to be given a wide berth, I would have thought!

Finally, do a search in the forums here and read all the articles about weight, (I did) and it was enormous help

Good luck, and be safe.  There are plenty of caravan dealers, and plenty of cars.  I'm not saying you couldnt safely drive on 90%, but it should be 90% of your car's weight when the caravan is FULLY LOADED (with all your clothes, tv etc etc)

Hello

I would very much doubt if the Mondeo would pull a van of that weight, you would need a bigger tow car thats for sure.

Salesmen will say anything to get a sale so do your homework first, dont to put off a 4x4 I run one and its cheaper to run than my wifes former Omega.

Whatever you choose enjoy.

Colin

The 85% guide is based on the true kerbweight of the car against the total weight of the van, while you can keep the weight of the van down....you cannot ballast the car. The point being the total train weight would remain the same and performance and quite possibly safety would suffer or in other words you cannot have your cake and eat it!!

From the Ford owners manual; The maximum vehicle and trailer payloads represents 'technically binding' values for up to 12% gradients and an alttitude of 1000 metres above sea level . Technically binding I take to mean nothing should break under these conditions but no where does it mention high sided caravans and the difference that makes in a wind or any speed that weight of 1800kg is safe to tow at. 

So what your salesman is saying is technically true to a point but it's one of the worst examples I have heard and I would strongly advise sticking within the 85% guide line.

Hi Andrew

I have been round and round this ground for the last two years. My caravan 'only' has an MTPLM of 1300 kg and I gave up finding a car that would tow it. I spent quite a while looking for a diesel Omega, but could not find a good one with a reasonable mileage.

I did not want to go down the 4x4 route either and have finally ended up with a Kia Sedona. It is a bit of a compromise, although it is great at towing and my wife really likes it.

I wouldn't dream of using a Mondeo with a caravan of 1600 kg

James