Possibly a dumb question - caravans getting heavier

[andy72]

My wife and I were given our current caravan to us by my parents who have decided that pushing and pulling the van up and down the drive is too much for them now. They would much prefer to rent a cottage somewhere.

Anyway its an old 1991 swift Rapide. It shows its age but ive spent a long while polishing and cleaning it so its about as good as its going to get ( I run my own valeting supplies company). Its got a good few years left in it yet. Its a 5 berth and perfect for my wife, me, my 5yrd old boy and our 8 week old daugher. Its also very light, at 850MIRO and 200 payload. This meant my current car an audi A3 sportback 1.6 petrol was a good match, although a little underpowered for the more hilly terrain.

My question or rather observation is, now that im hooked and looking towards our next, newer van, ive realised thati dont stand a chance of being able to pull anything newer with our current car. All the new 4 or 5 berth vans weigh considerably more than my current van. Granted mine doesnt have the luxury of a shower but has most other things a current van has, so why so heavy?

Even then, most larger family cars (mondeo/vectra size) seem to be right on the edge of being a suitable match. Im hoping as my business grows i can buy a larger car that we will alos tow with but im starting to get brainwashed into the idea i need a big 4x4 to pull anything that gives a family a reasonable degree of space

 

[JohnM20]

Hi Andy
Three years ago, having suffered a heart attack we decided to get a smaller caravan because our drive is on a slight slope and we can't hook up until the 'van is at the top of the slope. We decided to go from a four berth to a two berth in the mistaken belief that it would be lighter. How wrong we were. Every caravan that we looked at was heavier than our well appointed Sterling Eccles Emerald but ended up eventually with an Abbey Vogue 460.
The only solution was to invest in a caravan mover which, although I was reluctant to spend the money at the time, has been the best thing I have ever done. I can get the 'van out on my own with no problem. But the question still remains, what makes a smaller caravan heavier than bigger one with the only difference in fitted equipment being a microwave, which probably only weighs 5 or 6kg, but having two less beds, the top bunk, I know, weighing in at 17kg.
On the point of the tow vehicle, I have just changed my 2.2ltr Nissan X Trail for a 2.0 ltr Mondeo. What a fabulous tow vehicle that is. Although I have only towed for about 300 miles with it, it goes up hills with ease, (some in Devon quite long and fairly steep), pulling the 1350kg rated Abbey and returns about 30mpg.
JohnM

 

[forestgump]

hi andy try the light vans like sprite thay can be 5 berth and still light but a diesel car would help but dose not need to be a 4x4 also adria have some good models.Thay can come come with shower and fixed bed and still under 1300kgs.