Caravan Weight

[CookieMonsterCaravanner]

Hi All

I am looking for a new caravan but finding more modern vans are quite heavy.

My car has a max towing weight of 1200kg and I am struggling to to find a 3 Berth van to suite can anyone recommend something suitable?

 

[otherclive]

The Xplore range have been going some years and are lightweight caravan. The latest brochure is in the link below. Its standard MTPLM is 1090kg but can be upgraded to 1150 kg. Three berth is not too common so you may be better looking at lightweight four berths, the one below is a double, single and bunk. So the bunk could be removed for more payload. Or just used as a gear store when on site.

Other range is Swifts Basecamp.

Xplore Caravan - XC Lite

The Xplore XC Lite - Light weight for towing, easy to pitch, up to an incredible 4 berths! Perfect for active people wanting the most out of their weekends. Click to discover more now!

xplore-rv.co.uk

 

[Mel]

You can do an advanced search by maximum MPTLM on Caravanfinder. It is not100% so check results but it will give you an idea
3 berth

New and Used Caravan Search Results - CaravanFinder.co.uk

www.caravanfinder.co.uk

Or 4 berth

New and Used Caravan Search Results - CaravanFinder.co.uk

www.caravanfinder.co.uk

 

[Woodentop]

It might help if the OP told us the make and model of his towing vehicle. Quoted towing weights are often wrong, even on the manufacturers web site!

 

[IanB1485]

The weight of the caravan at it base weight ( MRO = Mass in rolling order) is what to look at and provided you weigh everything you put in the van and it comes to less than 1200kg total you can tow it. The MTPLM is the maximum weight the caravan can be loaded to. Its a limit not a target.You are looking at a 4 berth with an MRO less than 1200kg. Unless ,like me and THO we have a grown up granddaughter who sleeps in her own tent, so a two berth for us. I have a caravan ( 2 berth coachman Amara which the MRO is 1030kg) , if the granddaughter was small then we would have installed a camp bed for her at the rear ( or me) or as a teenager, in the awning ( with lots of duvets), they need their space . An Elddis Xplore 304(circa 2001) circa which is a 4 berth ( rear bunk beds ) had a MTPLM of only 1050kg .so they are out there

 

[Buckman]

Doesn't the Explore have a reputation for leaks?

 

[Sam Vimes]

I have an xPlore 304 which comes in under 1200kg. Small but you can use it as a 3 birth fairly easily. Four birth at a push for a small child in the bunk bed.

At one point I also had an inner tent in the awning and slept in that on a camp bed.

 

[Sam Vimes]

I don't think they leak anymore than other makes. Mine doesn't.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I don't think they leak anymore than other makes. ...

Sadly that's not much of a recommendation!

 

[Sam Vimes]

I hit post before finishing duh?

Meant to add mine doesn't leak.

Sad indictment of the caravan industry not a specific brand.

 

[Dustydog]

Has the definition of MRO changed🤔#5’ being pedantic🙀

It is true Xplore had their fair share of bad leaks. Where I think it went wrong was the poor after sales warranty attitude which ran through a rapid change in ownership from Elddis to Erwin Hymer Group U.K. Ltd who in turn are / were owned by European Erwin Hymer Group who today are owned by the USA Thor Industries! Still made at the original Consett factory.

All my previous caravans, Swift, Elddis and Bailey have leaked, but been relatively easily fixed. Amazing how factory operatives can’t properly seal a joint. Imagine the devastation if they made gas appliances🤪

 

[ProfJohnL]

The weight of the caravan at it base weight ( MRO = Mass in rolling order) is what to look at and provided you weigh everything you put in the van and it comes to less than 1200kg total you can tow it. The MTPLM is the maximum weight the caravan can be loaded to. Its a limit not a target.You are looking at a 4 berth with an MRO less than 1200kg. Unless ,like me and THO we have a grown up granddaughter who sleeps in her own tent, so a two berth for us. I have a caravan ( 2 berth coachman Amara which the MRO is 1030kg) , if the granddaughter was small then we would have installed a camp bed for her at the rear ( or me) or as a teenager, in the awning ( with lots of duvets), they need their space . An Elddis Xplore 304(circa 2001) circa which is a 4 berth ( rear bunk beds ) had a MTPLM of only 1050kg .so they are out there

I have a concern with measure every item approach.

Firstly the Mass in Running printed on the documentation, is not the value of the caravan you have. It was the value that a specific model of the caravan that was supplied for formal type approval testing. Due to manufacturing tolerance's, th e level of humidity and the mass of any factory fitted options your model has the actual MRO is likely to be greater than the value on the docs.

This is very important becasue if the caravan weighs anything over the printed value, the difference has to be offset by reducing the pay load capacity by the same amount.

By all means weigh everything you put in the caravan, and keep a spreadsheet, it can be illuminating, but there is a potential problem with using this method to work out your total pay load, because scales used may have rounding errors which accumulate with every small measurement make and cumulatively underestimate the real mass of the load in the caravan. It might alternatively over estimate the real mass, and You also have consider the scales absolute accuracy error.

If you stopped and found to be overloaded, there is no valid excuse. you are expected to account for any inaccuracies in the measurement systems you used to check the compliance of the trailer to its Gross Vehicle Weight limit.

The most important measurement should be done when the caravan and tow vehicle are loaded with people and belongings and none of the measured or calculated values exceeds any of the relevant load limits.

 

[Buckman]

Generally the MTPLM printed on the sticker which is fixed to the body is a good guideline, but not enforceable by law. However it is always best to stick by the guideline. On newer caravans there is a fixed plate in the locker and the figures on that plate are enforceable.

 

[IanB1485]

@ProfJohnL I take your point about cumulative errors . I did also have the caravan weighed on a public weighbridge with current MRO i.e. mover fitted, current battery and One full 10kg gas bottle. As a shock ( still quite new to caravanning when I had it done) it was some 50 kg heavier, but with the help of the members of this forum and another it was explained how the difference occurs. Also looking at the certificate given to me at the weigh station they also have a tolerance of accuracy - can't remember off hand what it was but I allow a reserve on my spreadsheet to allow for that and the inaccuracies in my scales, of which I have two sets. No guarantee of accuracy but gives a greater level of confidence.

 

[CookieMonsterCaravanner]

It might help if the OP told us the make and model of his towing vehicle. Quoted towing weights are often wrong, even on the manufacturers web site!

Apologies the vehicle is a Dacia Duster 1.5 DCI 4x2

 

[Sam Vimes]

The Dacia 1.5dCi is similar to my Qashqai 1.5dCi which I use to pull along the xPlore 304