Outfit matching websites

[AnthonyNornIreland]

I recently went onto a outfit matching website, entered my details as requested and was given a match of 86%, and a towing review second to none.

Bought the van, took it out last week, and was a little uneasy about various aspects of the drive.

I contacted the caravan club today, via their outfit matching number and was told my actual match was 91%, and if my vehicle, which is a Oct 2006 model, had been a June 2006, the max weight for the towball would not be 75kg, BUT 50kg.

Just a word of warning here, all may not be as it seems!!!

 

[Robtel]

Hi Anthony,

I posted something similar last year. Probably the same site that gave me erroneous specifications for both my car and caravan. Luckily I double checked the details with both manufacturers and was happy enough with the match but some people do tend to take what they read as being 100% accurate, not necessarily so.

 

[ProfJohnL]

For exactly the reasons demonstrated above, I have been at some pains to encourage people to treat all such matching web sites with great care. All of them use hand entered information and that can allow errors to creep into their data bases. They are great for a general idea about weights, but it only need your model data to be held incorrectly for the wrong output.

The same applies to any third party including the CC's phone lines. Always check the weights and limits with the vehicles data plates or relevant handbooks, or with the manufacturer.

 

[Terry_5112949]

There is one site for matching outfits that is a little confusing regarding loading, I personally stay off this site, there are better sites just google for them

 

[Lutz]

You can't beat matching using the kerbweight shown under Section 4 Item G in your V5c Vehicle Registration Certificate or an actual figure measured on a weighbridge and the actual plated MTPLM shown on the caravan. No website is absolutely reliable. If you want to find a match in advance without access to the car's log book or the caravan you must be aware that any figure that a third party website comes up with can only be a rough guideline.

 

[Zafiral]

The CC phoneline had different figures to the weight plate on my car so even they are not infallable.

 

[Lutz]

Why should they be any more infallable than any other source?

 

[mat1]

lutz,

the v5c sect 4g for my vehicle states mass in service 1967kg with the handbook 1865kg.

this is a big difference especially when working out safe towing limits.

should i go for the lesser of the two and therefore creating an even larger safety margin ?

the difference being 1585kg or 1672kg at 85%

anyone else got the best part of 100kg difference ?

mat

mat

 

[Lutz]

A difference of 100kg doesn't surprise me. The V5c entry is official and undoubtedly the more reliable. Handbooks, websites, brochures, etc. give figures for guidance purposes only and usually reflect base vehicles without any optional extras.

 

[mat1]

A difference of 100kg doesn't surprise me. The V5c entry is official and undoubtedly the more reliable. Handbooks, websites, brochures, etc. give figures for guidance purposes only and usually reflect base vehicles without any optional extras.

vosa have confirmed that this is the true weight of the vehicle as it left the factory and therefore the more accurate one to go by when looking at relevent weights.

thats good news for me as it gives additional vans to look at within the various weight guidlines.

mat

 

[Lutz]

Note that if something particularly heavy is permanently fitted to the vehicle after it left the factory, this will raise the kerbweight, possibly making it appropriate to apply to the DVLA to have details in the V5c document to be amended.

 

[Zafiral]

Lutz, true the CC are not a bible, but they are probably regarded as more reliable than most.

A difference of near on 100kg in kerb weight to MIS will probably be the manufacturer is not counting the weight of the driver and a 90% full fuel tank in its figures.

 

[Lutz]

A difference of near on 100kg in kerb weight to MIS will probably be the manufacturer is not counting the weight of the driver and a 90% full fuel tank in its figures.

That is unlikely. 100kg difference between the lightest possible base model and an equivalent one with all factory-fitted options is not unrealistic. Included in that figure will also be production tolerances of sheet metal, paint, and spray-on deadener thicknesses, which alone can account for more than 15kg.

 

[Zafiral]

Lutz, for the Zafira the differnce between the brochure and the handbook model for model is from memory about 80kg, even before you add the weight of any options, my guess is that the brochure wants to show as higha payload as possible as the legal difinition of Kerb Weight is not clear cut.

 

[Lutz]

The source of information for the handbook and the brochure may not necessarily be the same. In the particular case of the Zafira, engineering responsibility lies with Opel, not Vauxhall, but of course marketing in the UK is handled by Vauxhall. Engineers often use the lowest possible calculated data for a vehicle without any options whereas Marketing may have used a figure for a UK model which is never offered without certain options and therefore the weight of such options are included in the published data.

 

[Zafiral]

Most Practical Caravan tow car tests add 75kg for driver that is not included in UK kerb weights, but is allowed for (to my knowledge) in MIS readings.

 

[Lutz]

The definition of kerbweight is covered by convention only, and convention has it that it does not include the driver but does include a full fuel tank. However, as foreign manufacturers had a different interpretation, the term 'Mass in Running Order' was introduced European-wide to avoid confusion. It is the same as 'Mass in Service' in Section 4 of the V5c document. MIRO does include 75kg for the driver and sundry items but only a 90% full fuel tank. Most car manfacturers have adopted the MIRO definition, but still call it kerbweight. A few manufacturers have stuck to the old convention. So, depending on the source of your information, you have to be careful when using the term 'kerbweight', what it actually includes or does not include.

 

[Zafiral]

Thanks for that explaination Lutz.

Now for the next can of worms, which convention do the Caravan Club use when asertaining the 85% GUIDE.

 

[Lutz]

I doubt whether they ever gave it very much thought. To my knowledge, they use published data and do not weigh the test cars themselves, so the accuracy of the information is as good or as bad as what the car manufacturers provide them with. Besides, the 75kg for the driver are within possible variances between one car and the next, so it's really not that important either way.

 

[Zafiral]

At almost 65kg difference in the MTPLM, it could make the difference between a recommendation or not.....

 

[Lutz]

Assuming you have a car with a MIRO (or MIS) of 1500kg and apply the 85% recommendation, you could tow a caravan with an MTPLM of 1275kg. Now, instead of using the "new" definition, you use the "old" kerbweight figure and this happens to be 1425kg, then the weight ratio, based on kerbweight rather than MIRO (or MIS) would be 89%. The 4% difference is not going to make or break an otherwise good towcar. In fact, I doubt whether anyone would be able to tell the difference in towing behaviour. Let's not be too pious about it all. Tests, whether in Practical Caravan or anywhere else, must be taken by face value as a rough indicator and not as gospel.

 

[Zafiral]

Assuming you have a car with a MIRO (or MIS) of 1500kg and apply the 85% recommendation, you could tow a caravan with an MTPLM of 1275kg. Now, instead of using the "new" definition, you use the "old" kerbweight figure and this happens to be 1425kg, then the weight ratio, based on kerbweight rather than MIRO (or MIS) would be 89%. The 4% difference is not going to make or break an otherwise good towcar. In fact, I doubt whether anyone would be able to tell the difference in towing behaviour. Let's not be too pious about it all. Tests, whether in Practical Caravan or anywhere else, must be taken by face value as a rough indicator and not as gospel.

Lutz, I wholeheartedly agree, but I can assure you, you will not get a trouble free life if you suggest a 89.5% match on here for a newbie.

 

[Lutz]

Assuming you have a car with a MIRO (or MIS) of 1500kg and apply the 85% recommendation, you could tow a caravan with an MTPLM of 1275kg. Now, instead of using the "new" definition, you use the "old" kerbweight figure and this happens to be 1425kg, then the weight ratio, based on kerbweight rather than MIRO (or MIS) would be 89%. The 4% difference is not going to make or break an otherwise good towcar. In fact, I doubt whether anyone would be able to tell the difference in towing behaviour. Let's not be too pious about it all. Tests, whether in Practical Caravan or anywhere else, must be taken by face value as a rough indicator and not as gospel.

I not suggesting that a newbie should aim for more than 85%, just that he shouldn't get too anxious if his brand new outfit turns out to be a couple of percent over the recommended figure.