Looking for sound advice

[Michael_374573573]

Hi

I and the wife are looking at buying a 2 birth van. At the moment I have a 05 plate Toyota Avensis 2 ltr D4D. Is this a good tow car, what's the maximum I could tow? Would I be better changing the car for a Nissan X-trail?

Any sound advice would help ease my mind on the suitability of my car.

Thanks

Mike

 

[landypete]

HI michael

i pulled a 1000kgs max coachman last year with a avensis 2.0 td est no probs at all went past some big 4x4s going up hill but i cant rember if its 1300kgs or 1500kgs thay can safeley tow

but good luck hope you enjoy our great hobby

peter

 

[landypete]

sorry forgot xtrail good car but not that big not much room inside and suffer with turbo probs imho keep toyota

 

[Lutz]

The current Avensis has a higher maximum permissible towload but a 05 plate one will probably have a 1300kg limit, although this should be adequate for the average 2 berth caravan. You'll have to check the exact weight details on the car's VIN plate or in the V5c certificate, to make sure.

Depending on equipment the kerbweight will be somewhere around 1500kg (here again you should find details in Section 4 Item G of the V5c). Going by the 85% weight ratio recommendation, the caravan should not be much more than 1275kg.

 

[Philspadders]

past some big 4x4s going up hill but

perhaps they were sticking to the speed limit.

 

[markemall]

It never ceases to amaze me why some see towing a caravan as a race. Only last week on the A47 I was travelling, caravan in tow sitting at 60mph according to my sat nav and some a**hole in a Range Rover came belting past me in lane two, towing a large twin axle, the prat got one car in front then had to pull in as the road then became single carrageway. Then the car in between us turned off so I was directly behind him the traffic was heavey so idiotman could not overtake and I followed idiotman until he turned into Vauxhall caravan park.

I commented to my wife what did he gain by belting along like that.

I am afraid the it fools like this that give caravanners a bad name.

 

[landypete]

sorry i did not mean my post about going past 4x4s to sound like i was speeding as i have never gone over 60mph i always stick to 50-55 mph what i was trying to say is that if i was doing 55 up a hill with a crawler lane and the car /van/lorry etc was find it hard work to get up the hill i would simpley go past safley i hate speeding idots on phones no seat belts i have a five week old daughter and two young sons in car so i would never do anything to put them or others at risk all i can do is say sorry if you thought i was trying to say that speeding is ok ps sorry to michael for drifting away from your op

 

[Michael_374573573]

Thanks for the advice I will stick with my avensis, as you said it pulls 1300kg max. My main concern was I don't see many avensis's pulling vans. So wondered if there was a problem with them I did not know about?

Out looking for a van this weekend.

Mike

 

[Lutz]

The Avensis of your vintage has a relatively low maximum permissible towload for its size and weight. Maybe that's why one doesn't see that many as towcars.

 

[Michael_374573573]

The Avensis of your vintage has a relatively low maximum permissible towload for its size and weight. Maybe that's why one doesn't see that many as towcars.

That's what confuses me when I look for a different car i.e. a Nissan x-trail the max towing load does not look any better?

I would like to tow across the country we both like Cumbria visit every year with our two dogs. This year it will cost me