Hello all

[Steve1962]

Hello all,

Just joined, and live in West Oxfordshire.

Planning to buy a caravan and a car to tow it, so have joined up to gain some wisdom from the collective's experience.

Thanks.

Steve

 

[Mel]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Lots of advice on here. If you
passed your driving test after 1997, have a look at the threads and links about changes to current legislation, as this may have a positive bearing on your car and van choices.
mel

 

[Dustydog]

Welcome to the Forum Steve,
plenty of very good people on here for advice.
Try and look at lots of different layouts and think which will suit your requirements best. Take your time.
Equally you need to decide the day to day use of the car and which will best suit your pocket and towing needs.
I think caravan prices will decrease over the next 12 months so be careful not to pay over the odds nor a damp one.
Once you find one that takes your fancy I strongly recommend asking a qualified caravan engineer to give it a thorough survey.

 

[Steve1962]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Lots of advice on here. If you
passed your driving test after 1997, have a look at the threads and links about changes to current legislation, as this may have a positive bearing on your car and van choices.
mel

Thanks Mel,

I passed my test in 1984 so no worries there.
Would like a 4 berth caravan with the bed at the end so that's what I've been eyeing up.
The car choice thing is a real nightmare isn't it?

Thanks.Steve

 

[Steve1962]

Welcome to the Forum Steve,
plenty of very good people on here for advice.
Try and look at lots of different layouts and think which will suit your requirements best. Take your time.
Equally you need to decide the day to day use of the car and which will best suit your pocket and towing needs.
I think caravan prices will decrease over the next 12 months so be careful not to pay over the odds nor a damp one.
Once you find one that takes your fancy I strongly recommend asking a qualified caravan engineer to give it a thorough survey.

Sage advice there sir,

Thanks.

I have a lot to think about that's for sure.

Steve

 

[Beachball]

Hi Steve welcome to the forum enjoy

 

[Raywood]

Hi, Welcome to the forum. I agree the car choice can be a nightmare. I would get some idea of the caravan you want and its weight and then make a choice. The car needs to have enough weight to control the caravan and a towing limit higher than the caravans MTPLM (the caravans maximum weight).
The two large clubs and the trade body recommend the caravans MTPLM should be 75% or less of the cars kerb weight but including 75 kg for the driver and some luggage for beginners. With cars getting lighter this can be difficult and personally I would not worry about 90% but exceeding this carries risks.
good luck.

 

[otherclive]

Hi, Welcome to the forum. I agree the car choice can be a nightmare. I would get some idea of the caravan you want and its weight and then make a choice. The car needs to have enough weight to control the caravan and a towing limit higher than the caravans MTPLM (the caravans maximum weight).
The two large clubs and the trade body recommend the caravans MTPLM should be 75% or less of the cars kerb weight but including 75 kg for the driver and some luggage for beginners. With cars getting lighter this can be difficult and personally I would not worry about 90% but exceeding this carries risks.
good luck.

The recommendation is 85% not 75% so the OP is in the right ball park, and as Prof John has explained in another current thread there is so much more to a safe towing outfit than just adhering rigorously to this one parameter.

 

[Raywood]

Sorry, look to have hit the wrong button and not noticed.