Have done the unthinkable.. please help!

[Twin2bunny]

Too late to cry over well spilt milk so please be gentle. new to caravanning we purchased 2 weeks ago an 06 Compass Corona 556.(Max laden weight 1450 and MRO 1229). Dealer assured us our 4x4 was fine and that night just to make sure we checked out as a towcar. The car is a 2003 Nissan Xtrail SVE 2.5 auto (kerb weight 1490 kg, max towing according to parkers is 1350kg, not listed in handbook) which I have now found out is not suitable for our van. Hubby is away with work so can't check car.
I have only 2 choices (neither of which are financially great) -.Go to dealer and see if he will take van back as swap.or change car?

I'd like to know if our new van weight 1450kg is heavier than average - we need a 5/6 berth as have 3 growing kids and wanted them to enjoy growing up with life in a caravan.
We also have 5 bikes and were told we cud carry them in the van but that would increase weight even more?? If we put them on roof will that destabilise unit even more so?

I'm very confused and been up most of the night trying to get a solution - don't know what to think now and am in knots trying to work all out.
Thanks for your help and expertise,.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Oh dear Bunny,

I assume you are new to caravanning, so you were so reliant on the caravan dealer being accurate in their assessment of the suitability of your Nissan.

The problem is the car has a maximum towed weight of 1350Kg but you also have the nose weight allowance of 75KG So the heaviest caravan you could legally tow would be 1350 +75 = 1425Kg.

That is less than the Compasses 1450, which means you could never use the full payload capacity of the caravan, and with six people you are likely to need all the capacity.

I think you could have a case to have the dealer take the caravan back and offer a full refund under Sale of Goods Act, as it is not fit for purpose for towing behind your car, a point you specifically asked the dealer about. The dealers advise was unsound, having expert knowledge they have a duty of care to be accurate in what they say.

Speak to Trading Standards and Consumer Direct for professional advice.

The biggest problem is your car, which in the model you have is surprisingly limited in its rated towing capacity, for example the manual version is rated for 2000Kg, so 1350 looks very paltry.

I must also point out, that as new caravanners the industry recommends the fully laden caravan should not exceed 85% of the tow vehicles kerbweight which for the Nissan is 1267.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

please take the advise of the above. you need to look at lighter caravan like bailey, sprite, lunar these are well known lighter caravans. eldiss is well know for being a heavier caravan.

hope this helps

 

[caravaninspector]

Using your weights stated your can can tow the caravan, but it would be close to its 100% capacity, the dealer will argue that it is not a breach of the sales of goods act, possibly a breach of a duty of care to the customer using the Bolam test but that would be for the customer to proove. The basic idea of the Bolam test is were a professional person gives advise that would differ to many other people in the same business.
I would contact the dealer,if he has any decency then he will attempt to correct any misguided advise he gave.

Steve

 

[Raywood]

I did try your combination in the CC site and it gave a caution against the combination meaning that it could be used with care and if correct I doubt the dealer is liable.
I would check the towing capacity with a Nissan dealer or Nissan themselves as I would have thought the towing potential was higher but it may be the automatic transmission that is the problem. The towing capacity should be in the handbook.

 

[otherclive]

X trail auto towing capacity is low as is the auto Qashqai too. It's not just the heavy van but with all the family, gear and those bikes the gross train weight might also be a limitation as well. The GTW will be in the handbook for the car. Might be better to go for a bigger car like Disco or Shogun

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Bunny,
as John said oh dear, there really is no substitute for doing your homework and loads of research before parting with any money. the weight issues involved with our hobby are very complex and legistlation covers most of them, it is also a pity that you did not join the forum prior to purchase and ask loads of questions thats what we are here for and the chances that some one has or has had a particular outfit are quite high, having said that were do you go from here.
well as I see it you have 3 options,
first would be to see if it is still possible to use the outfit as is. in order to do this you would have to have it weighed on a weighbridge as a unit and then work out the gross train weight max van weight and user payload,
in the event that the unit is unsuitable the first port of call would then be the dealer to try and exchange the van for a lighter one it may help if you are armed with the weight certificates at it would proove that the information provided by the dealer was wrong prior to purchase this may just be the lever that gets him to act assuming he is a fair trader and wants your future business,
and lastly if all else fails you will have to change the car for one with a higher tow limit,
I know things look bleak at the moment and it is a difficult situation but I am sure there is a solution that can be found and in the end it will not spoil your enjoyment of what is a fantastic hobby.
please keep us abreast of how thing progress and what you decided to do as if nothing else it will serve as reminder to other newbies how to avoid the pitfalls of buying a new van.
colin.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Steve, AKA Caravan Inspector

First of all welcome to the forum. I note that you have had your new members post modified to remove business advertising, so the suggests you have a professional interest in the business. If that is it will be refreshing to have your points of view in the general mix.

We are sometimes hampered because we don't always get a fair and balanced report from posters, but let assume this report is accurate. The OP specifically asked the dealer if the caravan was a good match for their needs. (in other words is it fit for purpose) The purchaser who is not expert was relying on the expertise of the dealer to offer reliable accurate advice given the described circumstances.

Now bear in mind its a family of six with bicycles, and the caravan only has a MTPLM 1450 and an MRO of 1229 that leave a load margin of 221Kg But their car only has a towed weight limit of 1350 and a nose load capacity of 75Kg, meaning the total weight of a trailer cannot exceed 1425Kg, which squeezes the load margin of the of the Compass down to only 196Kg - and that assumes the MRO is accurate. The MRO can be upto 5% out that means given a worst case scenario the MRO could be 1290 loosing a further 61Kg from the load margin leaving 135Kg!

Any professional who stated this was a 'good match' for this new family to caravanning is in my professional opinion offering unsound advice. Frankly this sounds like a salesman trying to close a sale, and not checking his facts.

If he had done so, he should have advised the OP it is a possible match but the caravan must never be fully loaded as it will exceed the tow cars legal capability. That is a serious omission considering the circumstances, and certainly calls into question whether the caravan is fit for the stated purpose.

 

[drsorento]

How do you get a family of 6 seated in an xtrail do they do a 6 seat version of this car ?

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Two in the front....
Three in the back.......
One in the van

 

[ProfJohnL]

My mistake, the op has apparently gained another child whilst i was reading opps should be family of five.

Even with this reduced number I am still of the opinion the outffit should not be recommended by a dealer because of the towed weight limit of the car. It clearly does not fit the OP's purpose.