Hi and Help :)

[CluelessNewbies]

Hi All - as our name suggests, we turned up at the NEC over the weekend and bought our first caravan! (Lunar clubman SR) Never had one before, never towed before. We are all excited but realising we collect it in about 4 weeks, the reality of what we have done is setting in ..... we don't have a clue about we should be buying for it! Or preparing for! Just wondering if any of you helpful people can point some words of wisdom. Ive booked my car in for a tow bar, so there's a start is there anything not obvious we should be thinking about!? Thanks!

 

[Gagakev]

Hi Clueless Newbies, big welcome to the forum.
First thing I would mention is have you checked the towing capacity of the car against the vans MTLPM?
There is quite abit of activity on here over the last few days with other newbies asking questions and getting the right answers, have a read through and ask any questions you feel havent already been asked,
Most importantly just enjoy your new hobby and laugh about the mistakes you WILL make

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Hi there - thanks for such a quick reply! There was a stand a the NEC where they checked the weights and it balanced out OK. Im using a CLK 220d 2009. Probably not the most ideal towing car!

I would certainly be interested to understand what people use for security. I have some AlKo locking wheel things with the van, tracker and alarm - any good suggestions on what else i need. Also what do you do regarding insurance?

 

[Gagakev]

Hi there - thanks for such a quick reply! There was a stand a the NEC where they checked the weights and it balanced out OK. Im using a CLK 220d 2009. Probably not the most ideal towing car!

I would certainly be interested to understand what people use for security. I have some AlKo locking wheel things with the van, tracker and alarm - any good suggestions on what else i need. Also what do you do regarding insurance?

The stand at the NEC may well have used a web site to check your weights,these are sometimes not reliable for the particular car people have, check the handbook and caravan manual yourself to make sure.
Security..................this can be decidced by your insurance company requirements, they will stipulate minimum requirements.

Insurance companies, Hmmmmm there will be a good debate on this one, some will go for the cheaper ones and some will go for the tried and tested caravan clubs policy's.
Are you going to join one of the clubs? Either the C + CC or the now new CMH C (or whatever it calls itself know!) If you join one of the clubs you may want to look at there breakdown policies as well , There are others out there as well !! I am with the C+CC and do both my insurance and breakdown with them as the others dont cover the length of my van!

Good luck

 

[ProfJohnL]

I have to say that from your posting it seems you may have jumped into caravanning without first of all checking all the necessary things first.

I have just looked up the Lunar clubman SR on google and Lunar state it has an MTPLM of 1495kg. This is also its Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) . Now this makes it a large caravan, and if you are following the Caravan industries towing ratio advice of restricting your caravans MTPLM to no more than 85% of the tow vehicles unladen weight, (ULW) you will be looking for a car that has a ULW in excess of 1758Kg. This will be a big car, and becasue its already big its Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) or Gross Vehicle Weight will also be big, probably inexcess of 2005kg This gives a combined MAM in excess of 3500kg.

Your driving licence must show cat BE or B+E otherwise you are not entitled to tow this outfit.

If you only have Cat B, then you will need to take the +E test.

Edit added after Gagakevs last response.

I'm sorry to have to cast doubt on your choises, but I am concerned that the information teh caravan dealer has given you is seriously in error.

Without knowing the exact model of the car you have (E.g. make model year engine capacity fuel, body shape and trim level) I cannot check the vehicle weights, but a quick look and several models are not type approved for towing....... and several models are almost 200kg lighter than the caravan's MTPLM. If this is the case then it is miles from being a recommended match.

I seriously recommend that you get all the weight data for the car and the caravan, and confirm with your car manufacturer if your specific model is even authorised to tow.

 

[LizziePope]

Hi CluelessNewbies – welcome to the Practical Caravan forum and to caravanning! Thanks for posting.

You can find some tow car matching advice here, plus we have a series of towing videos here. Hope that helps!

 

[Raywood]

The profs advice is sound and I would follow it. The towing ratio of 85% is advice rather than law but sensible. I would not worry though if you go over it a bit.
You do need a fair bit of equipment to get started and most dealers will have a starter pack or give you a discount on these although Amazon and other web sites are worth checking out.
The main essentials are gas bottles, one will do to start off but a second will be needed later, fresh water and waste water containers, crockery, cutlery, an electric cable, a connection for the waste container and a step. The last three will probably be supplied with the caravan though but check. I assume the dealer has your registration number for a number plate.
Things like bedding and cooking utensils can probably be brought from home at first and you can then build up a supply of what you need as time goes on.
Apart from the magazine reference which is well worth a look there are several good videos on hooking up and towing on u tube and there is more help on the web site of the Caravan and Motorhome Club.
If you have specific queries if you post the here there is plenty of experience to help out.
If you find out from the Prof's advice that you cannot tow the caravan you should have seven days from the date of the contract to cancel but that may need help and the CAB have advice on line and a telephone helpline if you need them.

 

[Thingy]

All good advice, but the cheapest and most useful bit of equipment is a spirit level. You will also prob need chocks and ramps.

 

[Gagakev]

I have to say that from your posting it seems you may have jumped into caravanning without first of all checking all the necessary things first.

I have just looked up the Lunar clubman SR on google and Lunar state it has an MTPLM of 1495kg. This is also its Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) . Now this makes it a large caravan, and if you are following the Caravan industries towing ratio advice of restricting your caravans MTPLM to no more than 85% of the tow vehicles unladen weight, (ULW) you will be looking for a car that has a ULW in excess of 1758Kg. This will be a big car, and becasue its already big its Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) or Gross Vehicle Weight will also be big, probably inexcess of 2005kg This gives a combined MAM in excess of 3500kg.

Your driving licence must show cat BE or B+E otherwise you are not entitled to tow this outfit.

If you only have Cat B, then you will need to take the +E test.

Edit added after Gagakevs last response.

I'm sorry to have to cast doubt on your choises, but I am concerned that the information teh caravan dealer has given you is seriously in error.

Hope clueless can clarify if it was the dealer or as I took it, it was a separate independent stand which provided the information

Without knowing the exact model of the car you have (E.g. make model year engine capacity fuel, body shape and trim level) I cannot check the vehicle weights, but a quick look and several models are not type approved for towing....... and several models are almost 200kg lighter than the caravan's MTPLM. If this is the case then it is miles from being a recommended match.

I seriously recommend that you get all the weight data for the car and the caravan, and confirm with your car manufacturer if your specific model is even authorised to tow.

 

[Hutch]

Hello CN, welcome to the forum, the people on here are really trying to help, found this site,
http://www.auto-data.net/en/?f=showCar&car_id=23425.

It shows your car is 1500kg ULW and a max of 2050. With a towing limit braked of 1500kg. Although this gives you a max of 100% its probably not ideal for a new tow er, it can be done BUT. Check you data plate on your car as to the max train weight, . Which is the max weight of the car and trailer which the car is allowed to tow. , hopefully, this is the 2050 + 1500 kg , you will be legal, if you have B+E,
Let us know to help you,
Hutch.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello CN, welcome to the forum, the people on here are really trying to help, found this site,
http://www.auto-data.net/en/?f=showCar&car_id=23425.

It shows your car is 1500kg ULW and a max of 2050. With a towing limit braked of 1500kg. Although this gives you a max of 100% its probably not ideal for a new tow er, it can be done BUT. Check you data plate on your car as to the max train weight, . Which is the max weight of the car and trailer which the car is allowed to tow. , hopefully, this is the 2050 + 1500 kg , you will be legal, if you have B+E,
Let us know to help you,
Hutch.

Actually Hutch the page you point to shows the GVW as 2030kg - but it makes no difference as Clueless cannot drive this outfit on a Cat B only licence.

It would be nice if CluelessNewbie could respond to these points.

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Hi all - firstly many thanks for your help and advice. I have looked at the manuals for the car and it looks like it should be OK. The curb weight of the van is 84.5% of the curb weight of the car. (Which makes it legal?) the maximum towing capacity as outlinedby mercedes is 1500 (which should cover the weight of the van) the actual towing ratio of van to car based on the recommended 85% will be circa 92.something %. Not ideal, but within the limits. It looks like i may be able to balance the weight between the car and van to compensate the %'s and keep within the 3500 limit.

That said however, I am now booked in for B+E test in 2 weeks with 2 days back to back tuition to get my towing skills up to speed (although annoyingly my wife already have a license for it!) with a view to potentially getting a larger car!

I just want to express my thanks again for your guidance on this! Its certainly been a learning curve over the last 24 hours!

After trying about 100 caravans to find what was right for the family, it was easier to change take the test and change the car! Im fairly sure now this actually going to work out a very expensive holiday but it should be fun!

Nest desicion, e class or 4X4 !?

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Also think i should be changing my name to slightly less clueless !

 

[Hutch]

Thanks for the feed back CN, but your stuck with that name on this forum, good luck with the B+E , I wouldn't like to do it with a short trailer, easier with a longer one. Keep posting though.
Hutch.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi all - firstly many thanks for your help and advice. I have looked at the manuals for the car and it looks like it should be OK. The curb weight of the van is 84.5% of the curb weight of the car. (Which makes it legal?) the maximum towing capacity as outlinedby mercedes is 1500 (which should cover the weight of the van) the actual towing ratio of van to car based on the recommended 85% will be circa 92.something %. Not ideal, but within the limits.

Sorry but towing ratios doesn't work like that.

The towing ratio is always calculated on the worst case scenario of the MAM or MTPLM of the caravan divided by Kerbweight of the car. This is obviously an unrealistic result as cars are rarely as light as the kerbweight, though caravans can quite easily rise towards their MTPLM.

As Kerbweight is not a recognised legal term I prefer to use The Unladen Weight (ULW) which happens to be a figure used in the driving Licence categories. I should point out the The ULW is usually fractionally bigger than the notional Kerbweight.

It looks like i may be able to balance the weight between the car and van to compensate the %'s and keep within the 3500 limit.

Sadly but No: The 3500kg limit on the Cat B licence does not refer to the measured weight of a vehicle but specifically the vehicles MAM. adn combined MAM for vehicle and trailer. This is not negotiable, and if the paper values exceed 3500kg, a Cat B driver cannot legally drive the outfit even if its actual measured weight is much lower.

In addition Some Cat B only licenses (depending on when you passed your test) also have to ensure the trailers MTPLM or MAM does not exceed the ULW of the towing vehicle. This equates to a towing ratio of 100%

That said however, I am now booked in for B+E test in 2 weeks with 2 days back to back tuition to get my towing skills up to speed (although annoyingly my wife already have a license for it!) with a view to potentially getting a larger car!...

...After trying about 100 caravans to find what was right for the family, it was easier to change take the test and change the car! Im fairly sure now this actually going to work out a very expensive holiday but it should be fun!

For your chosen caravan I think that is a sensible course of action

Nest desicion, e class or 4X4 !?

4 x 4's may give you the weight you are looking for, but if the vehicle is also your day to day transport, think about how long you're going to be in the vehicle whilst NOT towing, and what creature comforts and style you are looking for. Most caravan sites do not need a 4x4. A good car is usually more than enough to do the job.

 

[Hutch]

CN, did anyone at the NEC, tell you that Caravanning can be addictive and VERY expensive, but also great fun.

Northen France 2013 Feb, van was 2 weks old.

 

[KeefySher]

CN, did anyone at the NEC, tell you that Caravanning can be addictive and VERY expensive, but also great fun.

Northen France 2013 Feb, van was 2 weks old.

Wow!! that was some kind of precipitation, it's changed the colour and shape of the tow car

 

[tentmonster]

Have you joined either the Camping and Caravan Club or the Caravan Club (or both)? Well worth doing. Both also offer a car / caravan matching service and a towing course.

Before I towed a caravan, I had towed boat and camping trailers without a problem but towing the 'van was an education - it felt so heavy on the car. And my outfit is an 87% match.

I would start with visiting 'Club' run sites first of all... I've noticed that Camping and Caravan Club wardens will usually help you put your van on your pitch and will make sure you are all OK. On other sites they tend you leave you to it.

You will need all sorts of bits and pieces besides the basic kit: chairs and table for your awning, a bucket and watering can, a spirit level and chocks, electric cable, TV cable (if needed) and a torch or two is handy. I also have a nose weight gauge and check it before setting off every time now. I wondered why the car was creaking when we first towed it - had almost 100kg nose weight when limit was 75kg. Oooops. :S

Learn by your mistakes and other people will help you - usually.

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Im certainly starting to see expensive part

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Awning is a good point actually - there seems to be a lot of choice out there and we don't have one yet. are they any good versus bad brand or awning types. Ive seen a lot blow up ones, are they worth the extra cost?

 

[tentmonster]

We've ended up with a collection of them!!!!

A full awning came with the caravan - which I find OK to put up actually - but I am used to erecting tents.
We then bought an almost new Dorema porch awning - smaller but big enough for 2 to sit it and table and chairs - it keeps the weather off the door and somewhere to keep stuff.

We have just bought a Dorema inflatable awning with sleeping pods for the kids as our van only a 4 berth and there are 5 of us - not great planning but we could not afford a new big car. If you are not used to tents, the air awning is good and pretty quick. If you want to max the space go for a full awning and 'fun with poles' - budget for a divorce as well.

I need to sell our porch awning really by the way.....

 

[CluelessNewbies]

do all awnings fit all vans?

I'm all about simple and easy! I was just thinking something big enough to put children's "stuff" in, a place for the dog roam in and out and the children to 'de-mud' before coming into the van! - something easy enough for one person to erect (less chance of divorce ) sounds like inflatable is the way forward!

 

[tentmonster]

Ours is a dorema futura 330. You will need a straight 330 cm on the rail for that one. They do a bigger one - a 440.
We liked the Dorema because it is made of canvas and not tent material - it feels as though it will last.

I think heights are pretty much standardized these days, although I am sure someone will correct me on this one.

Full awnings feed into the rail at the bottom and almost envelope the side of the 'van. These air awnings are more like oversized porch awnings - get the kids to do the pumping. You will then need to peg it - so you will need a pack of heavy duty pegs and a hammer. You should get a valance with it that creates a seal between the bottom of the 'van and the ground. A carpet is useful too.

http://www.dorema.co.uk/de/awnings/futura_air_all_season.htm

 

[crazyguider]

Don't forget you will also need the 'domestic' stuff, like things to eat off and with, drink from, cook with, etc. Go for as much light stuff as possible. My dining set came from a pound shop 6 years ago, and is still going strong AND was far cheaper than the ponsy stuff they sell in caravan shops! Acrylic 'glasses' (or plastics as my pedant teen son says!) save weight, too, as do ali saucepans and cooking gear.
Also, don't take too many clothes - nothing wrong with a bit o' muck. We find lightweight camping towels are great at cutting weight, too.
Hope this helps and isn't stating the bl****ng obvious, lol.

 

[KeefySher]

Air Awnings are the way to go.

We have a Bradcot Aspire Air 390. Came with a pump. As with most things you get what you pay for.

Ikea do a tempered glass 'crockery' called Ofstat at 50p per piece be it dinner plate, bowl or side plate. We're on our 2nd season using it, excellent value.

We use proper mugs rather than plastic as they are easier to clean.

If your caravan has a put up table, use it outside, no need for a fancy camping table.