new to caravaning

[naillig]

Hi I am new to caravaning but have towed before (recovery truck mechanic) I have bought a 2005 Lunar Quazar 524 I was told my 2008 1.6 Kia ceed petrol would be ok for towing,but after reading forums I am not so sure,the car I have had since new with only 10,000 miles on the clock but the problem is that I would loose too much money to trade in this year
Any advice would be welcomed

 

[ProfJohnL]

From the information you give, the data I have suggests the 2005 Quasr 524 has a MIRO OF 1065Kg payload of 235Kg which gives an MTPML of 1300Kg.

The Ceed 1.6 is available in a number of guises, without knowing exactly what your model is (power body style etc) the figures may be slightly different.

Based on the 1.6 5 door hatch back 124bhp, the cars quoted kerbweight is 1263Kg and its maximum towing weight is only 1200Kg

The caravans MTLPM is greater than the cars towing limit, and it would give a towing ratio of 103%.

You could tow the caravan if it isn’t loaded beyond 1200Kg, but I suspect it may be too tight for the essential and your basic clothes etc.

I’m sure you know that the industry recommends a ratio of only 85%, (equates to an MTPLM of only 1020Kg) and they further suggest you should not exceed 100% so your proposed outfit is above both recommended figures.
If you are not able to change the car, then the only thing left is to change the caravan. Or see if you can borrow or hire a larger car with a tow hitch?

 

[Steve L]

First off being a recovery driver, you have a good skillset to understand the basics of loading for stability.
Your caravan would theoretically be 100kgs too heavy for the car if it is fully loaded. Now, forgetting the theoretical non legeslative 85% rubbish, and working with the +5% that VOSA might allow for scale error, you could be only 35Kgs adrift.
Being practical, you could transfer things like tins of food packed in a box to the car boot, the caravan spare wheel and the caravan awning. This would leave a larger margin for clothing & bedding which are fairly light.

This might work for long enough to allow you to sort a tow car. Why not consider a classic tow car rated zero tax class and cheap as chips on a classic car insurance. That way you could kill two birds with one stone. I saw an old Rover P5 3 litre towing a twin axle van the other day. It looked great and imagine the power from the 3 litre motor.

I've towed at 40Kgs above the tow car limit before and as long as you load right you can do it. I did 1100 miles round Scotland like that without any trouble. You have to have the car and caravan looking wrongly loaded before most people spot a bit of extra weight. But you do have to be concious of what you're doing.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi all
if I my interject I am sure that I read somewhere that the nose weight can be deducted from the the trailer weight as it is a load on the car SO if the noseweight is 100kg on the ceed your sailing
colin

 

[naillig]

Thanks guys I am used to weight distribution and know how I would pack things ,I thought I would be very close to the limits if i use my top box and only put the awning and light things in the caravan, using calor lite bottles as well may be just ok ?
If I could pick up a cheap tow car anywhere I will do to be more safe
Thanks for all comments also it is a hatchback 1600 petrol injection with low engine torque.

 

[RegandPat]

I am also very new to caravaning and my first outfit was a Nisson 1600 pulling a Elldis XL, now it did tow the van okay and we did take it down to Devon, over 100 miles but the engine got very hot and had to do a lot of gear changing.
I did like my old Nisson but it had to go.
My advise is get a 4x4, we love it.
Pat

 

[Steve L]

I have towed for many years at maximum tow limits for cars and trucks.

It sounds correct to say that the nose weight should be considered as load to the tow car, but in practice, vosa see it otherwise.

I used to drive a VW LT35 curtainside truck and tow a 2000Kg trailer behind it. It was like a red flag to a bull as far as interplod were concerned. first port of call on the weekly spot check (yep got stopped that frequent) was to see if I had a tachograph, which I did. Then came the game of "you need anoperators license too", but I didn't as the trailer weighed less than 1000Kgs unladen (thats legislation). By then they got so rattled that anything is fair game, so weight is the next wrangle.

Vosa weight truck & trailer (car & caravan) together to check Gross Train Weight.
Then they weigh the trailer uncoupled from the truck to get the trailers Gross Weight.
Then they weigh the truck solo and also they check each axle weight too.
Finally you hook the trailer up, then they place scales under the jockey wheel and get you to uncouple again. That way they get the nose weight of the trailer which in the case of a goods trailer is set at 7% max of the gross weight. But also it must not exceed the towbar loading defined by the manufacturer.

Basically the same jazz goes on for caravans, therefore, discounting any weight transfer to the tow car.

So unless you play by their rules you won't win their game.

 

[forestgump]

the petrol side would be my main prob ,on a small1600 .

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

Basically the same jazz goes on for caravans, therefore, discounting any weight transfer to the tow car.

So unless you play by their rules you won't win their game.

hi all.
intersting insight there steve as to the insight of the VOSPA boys and what is worthy of a pull.
in 35+years of towing I have only ever been pulled once that was on the A66 they were pulling in all the lorries and caravans for checks we stopped behind "it must have been 10 units or so" and were waiting to be checked when this guy walked down the line stopped when he got to us, introduced himself and asked to check the weight plates.
he looked at the caravan weight plate and the weight plate of the car on the drivers door pillar wrote something down on his sheet and declared that there was no reason to delay us any longer and sent us on our way.
I assume from the figures he decided we were not overloaded and from my own calculations I reckon we were towing about 90% and would have passed the tests anyway.
to me it seems simple if you look overloaded they think you ARE overloaded so even if you are not the roof box, bike rack, the big van small car ect you will get a pull. IMO keep it simple keep it safe and theres nothing to worry about.
colin.

 

[naillig]

Thanks Steve I have also been in the vospa boys clutches as well so know what you mean,the big problem is that I have just bought this caravan it is unladen 1026kg now the salesman checked and told us that the weight ratios would be legal i only plan to take all lightweight gear in the van including calor lite bottles the only heavy thing will be the full awning I have bought as well.
Hoping most other stuff will go in car ie clothes food wise we can buy when pitched up.
To trade the car in would be disasterous as we will loose too much money on it maybe next year so we have to try to get the best results we can. I have towed with this car albeit a camping trailer but it was loaded up and 4 of us in the car and it was no trouble for it.only other thing is use my brothers peugeot estate ha ha

 

[mikecandsarahb]

now i dont trust anyhting caravan salemen tell me, after i was told that my car at the time was not able to tow the caravan i was just buying, i ended up just telling the man to either sell me the van or shut up and leave us alone, it would bore you with the other bit but i dont have the time, just to say we wont go there again for a caravan and that was from a big dealer in somerset.
i had already checked the car and van for weights and knew there was no weight problems,
mike