Ford Focus Tow Car

[Gary_374372415]

I need some advice before I purchase a secondhand caravan and hope someone can help me.

I have a ford focus that has a tow weight of 1279kg if I take into account the 85% that gives me a tow weight of 1087kg hope I am right up to this point as maths has always been my downfall!!

Could I buy a caravan that I see advertised at 900kg that would leave me 187kg for clothing and beding that I would be taking along, it is only for two of us.

Am I correct? any advice is appriciated. Thanks Gary

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Gary,

Your mathematical skills seem OK - 1087 is indeed 85% of 1279 - but I have doubts over the figures you've used.

The car manufacturers determine maximum tow weights by loading a flat bed trailer and then testing the combination, often increasing the load with 100kg weights - so I'd expect a maximum tow weight to be 1200kg or a similar weight in increments of 100kg.

Your value of 1279kg is much more like a car kerb-weight - that's much more likely to be an odd weight.

So if 1279kg is indeed the kerb-weight - then you've done the maths for the CC recommended 85% "safe" tow guideline. Good. And as you say you have 187kg of sensible payload - which it doesn't matter if you exceed - I doubt if any driver can tell the difference between towing a caravan loaded to 85% and 87% (which is 25kg in your case - and equivalent to a sack of potatoes)

But - you MUST identify the correct "maximum braked trailer weight" from the Focus car handbook - or by looking at the car VIN plate and subtracting the "gross vehicle weight" from the "gross train weight" - because this will be the legal maximum you can tow. And that may indicate a lower weight than the 85% guideline, but in the case of a Focus I think you're safe (because I think it's 1200kg)

Robert