Jeep KL Cherokee confused by Caravan Dealer.

[Watkins247]

I've been towing a 25 year old Carlight mtplm 1475kg with a MT ZT kerb weight 1495Kg.

A few weeks ago bought a Jeep Cherokee 2.2 200bhp kerb weight 1890Kg in handbook it say max tow 2495Kg with vehicle fully laden but can be increased by 10% if weight in vehicle reduced.

Yesterday went to caravan dealer, more out of curiosity than anything, approached by dealer who said would check towing capability before looking at vans, told me max limit for mtplm of 1420Kg and wouldn't be legally able to sell me a van over this.

Sounded wrong to me so asked him to check MG ZT came back with 1600Kg.

Now confused what can I legally tow with Cherokee?

Thank you

 

[Raywood]

I assume the dealer was using a matching site and these are not always accurate, which might account for the problem. Different models and engines within the range also have differing towing capacities, so may be he got that wrong. It is the manufacturers figure that counts and this should be on the registration document and in the handbook. Provided these tally, then that is the correct figure.

Frankly the kerb weight of the MG is far too low for me, and the Jeep is a far batter match on weights. You should never tow a caravan with an MTPLM of more than the cars kerb weight, so the maximum towing weights should be ignored if they exceed the kerb weight. These are based on the cars ability to restart on a 12% hill and have nothing to do with safety.

The ability to increase the towed load on the jeep follows a line mainly taken by French ars. Put simply you are never going to load the car and trailer to exactly their limits so some leeway between the two is sensible.

 

[Watkins247]

He got the weight by putting the reg number into whatever he was using on his PC.

I'm still waiting for reg documents to come through for Jeep.

The MG is very stable towing as it has VERY stiff sports suspension to the point I've had people run across camp site to tell me hadn't hitched van up properly because rear of car hadn't moved.

thank you for reply

 

[Raywood]

If he put the number in to a web site it was presumably an error on the site details. Provided the hand book for your version shows 2495 then that should be that. You can find an answer here
https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/caravans/towmatch/ or
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/towing-capacity/vehicle%20/towing-capacity-chart17.htm
They seem to show no worries for you.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Watkins,

I wonder if we are missing a vital bit of information, when did you pass your driving test?. If it was after 1997 then unless you have taken any additional tests your licence may be the problem.

Post 1997 basic licences limit the driver of a car in cat B to a combined Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) not exceeding 3500kg. The MAM of the caravan is the same as it's MTPLM figure, and the cars is it's Gross Vehicle Weight. The limit is based on the weight capacity of the vehicles not what they actually weigh, so you can't circumvent the limit by only part loading.

With a combined limit of 3500, subtract the caravans MAM of 1475kg leaves a balance of 2025kg for the MAM of the tow vehicle.

The jeep with its kerb weight of 1890 will almost certainly have a MAM well in excess of 2025, and thus the Cat B 3500 limit is exceeded.

Your solution is to take the CatB extension test to give you the CatB + E entitlement. This increases your combined MAM limit to 7000kg and that covers any car and caravan combination in the UK.

If you took your test before 1997, then you already have CatBe which covers you.

The dealer should have explained this if that is what he claims is the problem.

As for it being illegal for him to sell it, I have yet to see any legislation that supports that position. A dealer has the right to choose to refuse to sell anything to anyone, provided the decison is not based racial predudice or any other illegal bias. The dealer should advise a customer of any issues of legality of usage, for example not being licenced to drive an outfit, but it is not illegal for them to sell if the customer wishes to buy. The dealer may have a company policy which governs sales in such circumstances, but it is not a legal duty.

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

He got the weight by putting the reg number into whatever he was using on his PC.

The information held online isn't always correct. For example, I used to have a Nissan X Trail and whenever I used the online tool to check for replacement tyres with various Tyre Dealers, they always gave the wrong wheel size.

 

[Watkins247]

Already a well seasoned driver in 1997, can drive up to 8250kg train weight Vehicle of 7500kg with 750kg trailer, didn't even mention anything about licence.

 

[Watkins247]

I think system was wrong 2420 would be closer to what Jeep quote. Gave a definite impression if he allowed me to drive off with a caravan above 1420kg and had an accident it would come back on him for allowing me to do so. Couple of other dealers near me I will have to try one of them and see what answer I get.

 

[Parksy]

You don't say what year the Jeep is, but if the handbook states the towing limit so that's the one that I'd be guided by.
If it's any help the Jeep Cherokee website gives towing limits for new models with different engine sizes.

 

[Watkins247]

It's a 2018 on Jeep Web site say 2495kg, my main concern would be if wrong on dealers system and refuse to sell me a van over 1420kg choice becomes very limited.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I'm please you have the correct licence.

We are working very much in the dark.

Based on the information you have supplied, its seems inconceivable that the caravan you have chosen is too big (heavy) for the Jeep to tow.

Your license is fine, and you have had some towing experience.

As we don't know what the dealer saw on his computer, or any other issues he may be aware of that we have not been told about, we can't really offer anything more conclusive.

I suggest you write to or email the dealer principle and ask them to give the details of why they made their statement.or what makes them think the proposed outfit is so unsuitable.

 

[Lutz]

I wouldn't go by anything that a website or handbook says, but only what is on the statutory plate, as that (and the Certificate of Conformity) is the only definitive and legally documented source of weight information. As the OP already has the vehicle, there shouldn't be any problem in checking what is shown on the statutory plate.