we have a renault scenic authentique 1400 petrol and would love to start caravaning but have been told cant because car too small,can anyone advise us if this is correct?
thank you
margaret
thank you
margaret
can i tow?
- Thread starter margaret_374305674
- Start date
have a look at www.whattowcar.co.uk. It will give you some advice as to what the capabilities of the car are.
margaret, it all depends on two things - or rather three. 1st is are you prepared to tow or take the course? 2nd, what is the kerb weight of your car - the scenic is a punchy little beast so should strut its stuff, depending on the caravan and what you take in it. 3rd, as i mentioned earlier in (2), your caravan should, to be safe on the road and easiest for you and the car to handle, be no heavier than 85% of the car kerb weight. this isnt hard to calculate if you know all the relevent weights. hope this helps a little
of course i should have said - the m.t.p.l.m. weight of the van should not exceed 85% of the kerb weight of the towing vehicle especially and even more so if you are new to the game. incidentally the mtplm weight is usually stamped on a small aluminium type plate adjacent to the van door (ground level generally) and before you ask mtplm means maximum technical permissable laden mass i.e. your van plus the recommended (in van's handbook) weight allowances for optional and personal kit. exceed at your peril. happy caravanning..................
- Mar 14, 2005
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With Renaults you have to be rather careful because if you check the manufacturer's specification you will find that if the car is fully laden, you will invariably be left with a relatively low maximum permissible towload. It is often less than 85% of the kerbweight of the car.
yes you can tow! just dont expect to tow anything too heavy or get anywhere too fast!
we towed our Eriba Familia (850kgs) with a Scenic Fuji 1.4 16v petrol, and it did the job. I have to say though it wasnt the most comfortable as you have to change gear - a lot.
also, as Lutz says watch your weights - Renaults base their weight of the car including driver-only - i.e. no kids, luggage, dogs, etc...
we have now upgraded our car, but it is certainly not impossible to tow with a Scenic - just depends what you want to tow. hope this helps, let me know if you need any more info. Mark (",)
we towed our Eriba Familia (850kgs) with a Scenic Fuji 1.4 16v petrol, and it did the job. I have to say though it wasnt the most comfortable as you have to change gear - a lot.
also, as Lutz says watch your weights - Renaults base their weight of the car including driver-only - i.e. no kids, luggage, dogs, etc...
we have now upgraded our car, but it is certainly not impossible to tow with a Scenic - just depends what you want to tow. hope this helps, let me know if you need any more info. Mark (",)
hi margaret
yes, it is possible to tow with a scenic 1.4 providing you go for a lighter van and dont expect it to climb snowdon with a van on the back.
you might have to plan your route to avoid big hills and take your time planning stops ect before you go on a longish journey, it my sound a bit tedious but it is a penalty you have to pay to tow with a lighter or smallish vehicle but it is worth it in the long run and should not put you off.
those of us who choose to tow with the more economical type of car do this as a matter of course, and it all adds to the enjoyment and freedom that caravanning offers.
as long as you are careful of the tow weights ect, you should be ok. I tow a bailey ranger 380 2 berth van m.t.p.l.m 1058kg with a renault megane 1.9dti kerb weight 1140kg and do not find many problems under tow, and get around 40mpg with the van on the back.
the scenic is slightly heavier @ 1235kg and is taller so should be a bit more areodynamic to tow with.
now for the technical bit:- renault recommend a max tow weight of a braked trailer @1300kg all models (driver only) which I believe is a little optimistic as this is over 100%, the 97bhp dti/dci diesel might do this but i'm not sure about the 1.4 petrol.
secondly renault tow weights are calculated with driver only so any additional weight put in the car must be taken off the trailer weight by the same ratio to get the outfit below the max gross train weight or m.g.t.w. which is found on the vehicle vin plate.
examples:-
scenic 1.4 vehicle kerb weight is 1235kg with a max gross vehicle weight of 1795kg (560kg pay load) so if the car was fully loaded this would reduce the max trailer weight of 1300kg down to only 740kg .
in pracite of course you would not fully load up the car while towing but a little extra weight does sometime help, so if you were to say load the car with 200kg (passengers and bit and bobs ect)this would give a m.t.p.l.m of any van to be towed to around 1100kg which is more realistic (as my bailey is 1058kg).
so do your sums first get a light weight van and join us, it will be worth it.
regards colin.
yes, it is possible to tow with a scenic 1.4 providing you go for a lighter van and dont expect it to climb snowdon with a van on the back.
you might have to plan your route to avoid big hills and take your time planning stops ect before you go on a longish journey, it my sound a bit tedious but it is a penalty you have to pay to tow with a lighter or smallish vehicle but it is worth it in the long run and should not put you off.
those of us who choose to tow with the more economical type of car do this as a matter of course, and it all adds to the enjoyment and freedom that caravanning offers.
as long as you are careful of the tow weights ect, you should be ok. I tow a bailey ranger 380 2 berth van m.t.p.l.m 1058kg with a renault megane 1.9dti kerb weight 1140kg and do not find many problems under tow, and get around 40mpg with the van on the back.
the scenic is slightly heavier @ 1235kg and is taller so should be a bit more areodynamic to tow with.
now for the technical bit:- renault recommend a max tow weight of a braked trailer @1300kg all models (driver only) which I believe is a little optimistic as this is over 100%, the 97bhp dti/dci diesel might do this but i'm not sure about the 1.4 petrol.
secondly renault tow weights are calculated with driver only so any additional weight put in the car must be taken off the trailer weight by the same ratio to get the outfit below the max gross train weight or m.g.t.w. which is found on the vehicle vin plate.
examples:-
scenic 1.4 vehicle kerb weight is 1235kg with a max gross vehicle weight of 1795kg (560kg pay load) so if the car was fully loaded this would reduce the max trailer weight of 1300kg down to only 740kg .
in pracite of course you would not fully load up the car while towing but a little extra weight does sometime help, so if you were to say load the car with 200kg (passengers and bit and bobs ect)this would give a m.t.p.l.m of any van to be towed to around 1100kg which is more realistic (as my bailey is 1058kg).
so do your sums first get a light weight van and join us, it will be worth it.
regards colin.
hi again
wiil have to be quick as I am using the computer at work
following my post of this morning I have just come to work down the M62 and just seen a bailey 460/4 towed by a renault scenic I dont know which model it was but it seemed to tow ok thought i would mention it
got to go the boss as come in
bye
wiil have to be quick as I am using the computer at work
following my post of this morning I have just come to work down the M62 and just seen a bailey 460/4 towed by a renault scenic I dont know which model it was but it seemed to tow ok thought i would mention it
got to go the boss as come in
bye
Pageants and Senators are named, so if it was logo'd 460/4 it would be a Ranger which are quite light.
rogerL hi
sorry I did not have time to explain better, as I was cut short when the boss came in early to work and I was on his computer??
yes it was a ranger 460/4, the model I was refering to was the scenic, the model and engine size is on a little badge on the drivers door about 2in long and I could not get a good look at it as there was traffic in between us on the motorway.
sorry I did not have time to explain better, as I was cut short when the boss came in early to work and I was on his computer??
yes it was a ranger 460/4, the model I was refering to was the scenic, the model and engine size is on a little badge on the drivers door about 2in long and I could not get a good look at it as there was traffic in between us on the motorway.
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