Allowed Caravan Weight

[Annie3]

Looking for some advice. Trying to find a caravan we can tow with our present car. 2014 BMW 1 Series 118d SE 5 door hatchback with diesel engine. Weight 1185 and 1395. Does this mean we can tow a van up to 1185? I ask this as l have seen one l like with a weight of 1234 and was wandering if we added a roof box to the car this weight would be ok? My husband has had a licence for over 40 years and has some towing experience. Any advice would be brilliant I'm getting very confused and don't want to buy something not suitable. Thanks Annie

 

[Gabsgrandad]

http://www.towingcapacity.co.uk/car-make-model/bmw/bmw-1-series/

 

[audiorob]

If I read the chart correctly the maximum weight for an unbraked trailer is 1500kg. However from the figures you have given it is likely that the kebweight is the 1398 you quote. The general advice is to aim for about 85% of this figure (if BMW don't include the driver weight you can add 75kg to their figure). Experienced drivers/towers can exceed 85% up towards the kerbweight or the maximum towable whichever comes first. (For example some Ford Focus have kerbweights 1300+ but a towing limit of 1200 which should not be exceeded). You can reduce the weight towed by (eg) carrying an awning in the car, but the weight of this (or a roofbox) cannot be added to the kerbweight figure - it merely reduces the weight being tugged. Best motto is the heaviest car and the lightest caravan you are comfortable with as the better this ratio the better the mpg etc. So first task is determine the kerbweight of your exact model and start from there.

 

[Raywood]

I am not clear what the weights you quote are but essentially whatever the manufacturers towing capacity is given as is not normally the safe limit for towing a caravan. I would go along with Audiorobs advice on the 85% figure if possible although exceeding this a bit should not be a problem.
The makers towing capacity is based on the vehicles ability to restart on a 12% hill five times and is more a measure of the strength of the drive train. If towing say a broken down car or small trailer around town it should not be a problem. Caravans though have large flat sides which are far more subject to side winds and can travel at higher speeds on motorways so account has to be taken of this which is why you need to watch the weight of any caravan towed.
Basically you need to keep the caravan down to a weight that the car can control when traveling, there is no fixed calculation for this, but keeping the weight down below the kerb weight is good advice and the lower the better.

 

[Beehpee]

Easy way to be sure is look on your V5/logbook and the maximum towing limit is quoted, it will have max braked and unbraked limits, obviously you will be going by the braked maximum, depending on how much towing experience your husband has you can go up to the figure quoted on V5 but not over and it’s better to be lower than the maximum for a safer tow.

BP

 

[ProfJohnL]

Easy way to be sure is look on your V5/logbook and the maximum towing limit is quoted, it will have max braked and unbraked limits, obviously you will be going by the braked maximum, depending on how much towing experience your husband has you can go up to the figure quoted on V5 but not over and it’s better to be lower than the maximum for a safer tow.

BP

If the v5 does show the figures, then it is based on the ideal trailer. Caravans are not ideal, which is why it advised you limit the MTPLM of the caravan to no more than 85% of the towvehicles unladen weight, provided that does not exceed the vehicle quoted towed weight limit.

 

[VicMallows]

For the first time in years, I was looking at my V5 yesterday (needed to re-tax while abroad). The only relevant figure mentioned is the vehicle MAM. (I was rather amused that my Mondeo runs on 'HEAVY OIL' ....I though that was the stuff that big ships use! ... diesel seems a rather light oil to me ).

(PS: filled up at EU 1.02/litre the other day (Spain) at a backstreet self-service. Major stations here currently around EU 1.17).

 

[chrisbee1]

]If I read the chart correctly the maximum weight for an unbraked trailer is 1500kg[/color]. However from the figures you have given it is likely that the kebweight is the 1398 you quote. The general advice is to aim for about 85% of this figure (if BMW don't include the driver weight you can add 75kg to their figure). Experienced drivers/towers can exceed 85% up towards the kerbweight or the maximum towable whichever comes first. (For example some Ford Focus have kerbweights 1300+ but a towing limit of 1200 which should not be exceeded). You can reduce the weight towed by (eg) carrying an awning in the car, but the weight of this (or a roofbox) cannot be added to the kerbweight figure - it merely reduces the weight being tugged. Best motto is the heaviest car and the lightest caravan you are comfortable with as the better this ratio the better the mpg etc. So first task is determine the kerbweight of your exact model and start from there.

The Max unbraked trail weight in the UK is 750 kg regardless of towing vehicle.
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