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Tow car advice

R

Rickster32

Hi,

New to the forum, I'm after advice if possible, picking up a Renault Captur 1.6 (self charging) hybrid in a few weeks, is this model capable of towing a lightweight caravan? I have seen a YouTube video of the petrol only version towing a caravan, so I am assuming this will apply to the hybrid version? Thanks.
 
Rickster32 said:
Hi,

New to the forum, I'm after advice if possible, picking up a Renault Captur 1.6 (self charging) hybrid in a few weeks, is this model capable of towing a lightweight caravan? I have seen a YouTube video of the petrol only version towing a caravan, so I am assuming this will apply to the hybrid version? Thanks.
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Hi Rickster32,
Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately the towing capability for each engine size and type in a model range can (and does) vary from car to car. It can also vary with model year and even spec. The authoratative way to find out is to look at the weight plate on the car - it is usually in the drivers door frame and will look something like this.
The first number shows the maximum load of the car, the second of the car and trailer combined. The third and fourth will be the maximum weight on each axle.
If the car is not allowed to tow, the second number will be zero.

You can also look at the V5 document. Section O1 and O2 list the maximum weight for a braked and unbraked trailer respectively.

Tobes
 

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As Tobes says your plate on the car plus handbook and dealer will tell you but from an initial net trawl I see 750kg which would be a v v small van or better a trailer tent.
 
Rickster32 said:
Hi,

New to the forum, I'm after advice if possible, picking up a Renault Captur 1.6 (self charging) hybrid in a few weeks, is this model capable of towing a lightweight caravan? I have seen a YouTube video of the petrol only version towing a caravan, so I am assuming this will apply to the hybrid version? Thanks.
Click to expand...
It seems that the maximum it can tow is 750kg. Perhaps year and more specific on the model would help us give you a better answer.
 
Quote " , but I assume the weight will be the same "

NEVER assume anything !!

Always check the weight plates on the vehicle.
 
Rickster32 said:
This is the video of the car on YouTube, only difference is ours will be the self charging hybrid, and it's brand new, but I assume the weight will be the same
View: https://youtu.be/1vOxPrJlY1U
Click to expand...
It is not the weight of the car it is the weight it can legally tow. As has been said look at your V5 or the makers tally plate either on a B pillar or sometimes under the bonnet. It’s not unusual for some hybrids to have lower tow specifications compared to petrol or diesel equivalents. It happens too with petrol or diesel automatics where some makers specify a lower tow weight than for a manual. And sometimes it’s the other way around.
 
The legal limit has to be whatever the maker seta for the car so you need that. Different power outputs from different engines will normally mean a different towing limit so you have to have the Renault figure.
 
Just a heads up - Renault have on several previous models publish a maximum towed weight figure in the handbook that exceeds the difference between the car's Gross Train Weight(GTW) minus the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). This can be perfectly legal, but it's how you can achieve it that can cause problems.

Legally the measured weight of your entire outfit fully loaded, with all passenger and luggage and ready to roll MUST NOT EXCEED cars Gross Train Weight stamped on the cars data plate. That is an absolute limit with no tolerance.

Most manufacturers set their towed weight limit to be = GTW - GVW. In practice that says the car at its maximum permitted weight (GVW) can tow a trailer whose weigh combined with the weight of the car is still within the cars GTW. That can easily be understood.

Where manufactures quote a bigger towed weight limit, You still have to keep within the the cars GTW so if the excess towed weight is say XXXkg, it means that to be able to tow it the cars actual weight would need to be its GVW-XXX or XXXkg below its GVW limit.

In a number of cases the XXX has equaled the cars payload capacity, so to be able to tow the biggest trailer the car would have to be in its unladen condition (with driver) but zero luggage and passengers- -For most caravanners that is an untenable situation.

Its simplest to consider the GTW -GVW calculation as being the heaviest towed load for the car.
 
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The maximum technically possible towable weight is a matter of some interest to many of our Continental cousins.
Many have punitive taxation regimes that render larger engined cars eye wateringly expensive to own, but want to haul a decent sized family caravan off to their 4-6 weeks holibobs Dans la plage.
it’s quite common to see one relatively small car towing a relatively large caravan, with the family, luggage and the kitchen sink in another car.
 
And it's the only thing I use when selecting car and caravan(head under parapet, for my tongue in cheek but mainly true bold statement. Tend to trust the manufacturer me.)
 
We have cancelled the hybrid, the dealer had the same model/spec and colour in the petrol only variant, which can tow upto 1200kg, more than plenty enough. It was in the showroom at another one of their dealerships so fairly lucky we could have it, as most dealers at the moment won't sell showroom cars due to the waiting list for a new one. Thanks everyone for the input 👍
 
Rickster32 said:
We have cancelled the hybrid, the dealer had the same model/spec and colour in the petrol only variant, which can tow upto 1200kg, more than plenty enough. It was in the showroom at another one of their dealerships so fairly lucky we could have it, as most dealers at the moment won't sell showroom cars due to the waiting list for a new one. Thanks everyone for the input 👍
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That’s a good outcome. Make sure that at 1200 kg towing load the car can still be laden to its Gross Vehicle Weight. Prof Johns post above explains why.
 
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