best correct match site

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

hi thinking of changing car and caravan what is the best site to use?.

 

[Lutz]

All sites, whether those that you pay for a result, such as Towsafe or the free ones, such as Whattowcar,]http://www.whattowcar.com/]Whattowcar[/url],[/url]are only as good as the data which has been fed into them. I don't have any experience with Towsafe but Whattowcar definitely has serious shortcomings in this respect, using some pretty inaccurate figures in some cases. Whattowcar should therefore be used with caution.

If you already have the relevant data, such as the weights and engine performance figures out of the respective brochures or owner's handbooks, it is quite easy to calculate the match yourself and obtain a result which is no less meaningful than the professional websites. They do no more than what you can do yourself and the only advantage that they have is to make quick comparisons between various different combinations possible.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

PC mag has a section at the back which gives some Kerbweights and you can get the caravan weight(MTPLM) off the plate on the van or if not yet purchased the manufacturers spec sheet

Simply divide the MTPLM by the car Kerbweight and multiply by 100 to see how near the 85% "rule" you are.

The lower the figure the better but you may decide if you are using a fixed bed as a 2 berth for example that you will not be anywhere near the MTPLM and this could give more leeway.

Some cars (as Lutz says) have a lower manufacturers max tow and PC point this out at the heading to the Top Towcar buyers guide and also on individual models where needed

 

[Val & Frank]

Not trying to confuse the issue, it's confused enough already!!!. But why is the 85% rule, always with an almost empty Car& Loaded Van. The Payload for both car and van should normally always be within the Gross Train Weight, which I believe to be a Legal Requirement rather than the 85% rule. If you use the Cars GVW and the vans MTPLM. That means you will always be within the Law, and would have an accurate 85% rule fully loaded ????? along with the max train weight. And then check the tow cars max towing weight from the maker!!!!

Is that Right

Val & Frank

 

[Lutz]

You are right in saying that the gross train weight (and, for that matter, max. GVW and/or MTPLM, and the manufacturer's specified max. towload) are legal requirements and not the so-called 85% rule.

The reason why the weight of an almost empty towcar is compared with a fully loaded caravan is that this represents the worst possible condition. In general, the actual weight ratio will always be more favourable.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Frank,

My thoughts on why you use the caravan MTPLM and the car kerb weight for the calculation of the 85% guideline is that this is the worst possible case. The caravan is as heavy as (legally) possible, and the car as light as possible.

Then when you do load the car and caravan, the actual ratio will always be lower than the calculated ratio.

If you used the maximum weight for the car and the MIRO for the caravan, and used that for the 85% guideline - then the actual ratio would always be worse.

Robert

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Its just easy to calculate if you can get accurate weights for car and van

If you used the gross vehicle weight it would have to be the 50% rule or something else but the relative weights would still be the same for a given outfit.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Its just easy to calculate if you can get accurate weights for car and van

If you used the gross vehicle weight it would have to be the 50% rule or something else but the relative weights would still be the same for a given outfit.

Hello JohnG,

Please remember that 85% is only guideline not a RULE. The word rule suggets it is a fixed and unchangeable value and backed by some authoratitive body that will impose some sanction if it is broken. I hope we have established beyond any reasonable doubt that 85% is not enshrined in any legislation, and thus is only a guidleine.