05 Vauxhall Zafira Breeze 2.0 DTI

[Andy_374305863]

Hi, I am looking to move over to a caravan after using a trailer tent for the last 4 years.

I have a small issue though: I drive a 05 Vauxhall Zafira Breeze 2.0 DTI, which has a towing weight of 1050 kg.

I have been to two local caravan dealers, one said that he had nothing that I could tow, the other gave me this advice.

The 1050kg limit is based on me having a full car load, IE 7 adults etc. Because I would never have this load in my car when towing he said that this would reduce the full car load by approx 250 kg, therefor allowing me to tow approx 1300kg max.

My question is, is this allowed? And what if I loaded the free space (the boot) with other stuff that would normally be taken up by the other two passengers. In effect taking the car back to its full load. Would this then take my tow weight back down to 1050kg?.

Thanks for your time and advice

Andy

 

[RogerL]

Where manufacturers specify the towing limit as Gross Train Weight less Maximum Authorised Weight (Vauxhall and most manufacturers do, Renault being the main exception) then reducing the actual load in the towcar does, legally, increased the towing limit BUT if 100% of the car's kerbweight is exceeded that would be inadvisable.

If you load the boot to fully utilise the car's payload then you will be limited to towing 1050kg.

The Zafira-A 2.0DTi is the exception to Vauxhall's usually generous towing limits.

The 85% recommendation for newcomers to caravanning is good advice. A caravan's weight is distributed around it's periphery, unlike any other trailer, and has much more yaw inertia which is why caravan's are more prone to snaking than other trailers.

Avondale and Lunar produce lighter caravans than many others.

 

[Lutz]

Roger's reply may be a little misleading. Normally the maximum permissible towload is an absolute limit that does not increase if the car is not fully laden. The 1050kg specified for the Zafira in question therefore applies whether the car is fully laden or not and consequently cannot be increased by not loading the car up to its maximum gross vehicle weight.

Sometimes, as in the case of Renaults, the car manufacturer specifies their limits other way round. Then, the maximum permissible gross train weight will be less than the sum of the gross vehicle weight and the maximum laden weight of the caravan. This will lead to a reduction in the maximum permissible towload if the car is fully laden.

Whichever way the limits are specified, what you are allowed to tow can only be reduced by other constraints, but never increased.

 

[Andy_374305863]

Hi,

I have read some where that if you exceed the cars max tow limit as stated by the car makers specs, then you are breaking the law.

Is this true?.

Andy

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Yes very true, and you will also invalidate your insurance.

Allan & Gill.

 

[Lutz]

If I recall correctly someone else's reply to another thread on the same subject some time ago, UK law applying to private vehicles does not explictly state that one may not exceed the manufacturer's limit (for commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes the situation is somewhat different). However, you may lose insurance coverage if you exceed the limit so indirectly you would still be breaking the law by driving a vehicle which is not properly covered by insurance.

 

[Andy_374305863]

Hi All,

Thanks to those who have replied.

I guess that if I want to tow a larger caravan I will need to get a different car that will allow this.

Andy

 

[Paul_374314005]

Andy

We have been trying to find the towing capacity of an Opel Zafira 2.0DTi Comfort. We have been told by our local dealers that it is only capable of the 1050kg you specified. Can you tell us where you got this information, as whattowcar.com gives the kerb weight as 1503kg (presumably this gives 1278kg for 85%) or is this too simplified?.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Lutz]

Some cars do have a maximum permissible towload which is less than 85% of the kerbweight. The Zafira 2.0DTI is one. Always check the maximum towload first as this must be observed. The 85% is only a recommendation. If the max towload is less, then that applies.