Tow cars

[Theresa10]

Please can someone help I keep tryin to match a car to my caravan but my caravan details come up on some pages but not enough info comes up.for my caravan. Think caravan maybe too old my caravan is a lunar freelander 525 5 berth 1999 weighs 1300kg, . Please can someone give me ideas of cars. I am a pre 1997 driver with be on my licence and been told I need match of 85% . I have been on all the matching sites , caravan club ,tow sure , tow on ect nothing comes up.
Any help would be greatly appreciated on what car to purchase.

 

[Hutch]

Welcome Theresa, are you wanting a tow car for just the caravan or for also every day use as well. The list could be endless, hatchback,saloon etc. how many adults and children, dogs etc, , how often do you think you will be going out in the caravan, summer only or all year round. The more info you can give to the forum the better. Edit. And of course, whats the budget.
Hutch.

 

[Theresa10]

Thanks hutch I have just me and 2 dogs small dogs , use car few times a week and use caravan all year round .
Don't want to spend huge incase not for me , as changing from my Motorhome back to a caravan towed about 15 years ago .maybe £2500 . Diesel estate or mpv but finding it difficult to find the 85 % match as no where seems to be able to match the lunar up with a suitable car even when I put a car details in . Hope that enough info

 

[Hutch]

Hi again Theresa, I will put in my littl bit and hopefully others will help, I had a lovely Mk 2 Vectra 2.2 diesel, hatchback, towing a Sterling Emerald jewel. Mk 1 Vectras 2 litre diesels were also very goo tow cars In My Opinion. I think they weighed in about 1800kg. Cant remember, great fuel consumtion, around town 30 + towing was the same but motorway driving well in high 40's. I also liked the Mondeoes, hatch backs for the dogs is a big plus for us. Also the traction control and Mud and snow tyres will normally get you off any muddy sites.

Hutch.

 

[otherclive]

Theres a Dutch matching website that allows you to input generic caravan, so if you know the MTPLM is 1300kg you can input that data. You can then select a car(s) and see what the match looks like. It will tell you kerbweight/MTPLM ratio. and how well, or not, the power train is suited to the outfit. It is "tow car.info" and is in English. Of course like all such websites you should not take its output as totally accurate and should aim to cross check important things like kerbweight and engine power, and car makers specified towing limits. That website allows you to adjust load in the van and the car, as well as varying noseweight too.

I had a Mondeo 1.8TDDI estate (Circa 2000) towing a 1300kg caravan and it was absolutely fine and still managed 50 (ish) mpg in solo driving on longer runs. The later 2..0TDCI Mondeos are even better and from memory the Mondeo estate won one of the Towcar of the year awards. The nice thing about Mondeos and Vectras is that there are still some nice ones around which don't have silly mileages on them.

 

[Martin24]

Going back a while since we were lucky enough to have a van that light but the cars at that time were an Espace, Omega Estate and then TD5 Disco. All had their positives and negatives at the time and all would be well within budget now. Out of that three, if I had a van that weight with that budget, I would go back to a late, low mileage, top spec Omega. No idea if the Espace and Disco are still on the road but I know my '01 Omega is still going strong as a friend bought it from me 12 years ago and is still running it.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Theresa.

Lets get the elephant in the room sorted. It always sensible to try to keep the towing ratio as low as possible, However the 85% is only a recommendation. It has no legal authority and it offers no guarantees of towing stability or safety. Yes weight ratios are important and the cars stated maximum towed weight limit must never be exceeded, but the 85% recommendation has been quoted so often that many believe it to be sacrosanct.

Weight ratios are just one of the important criteria that affect towing, but other things are arguable more important such as how the load in the car and trailer are distributed, the mechanical condition of both car and caravan, road and weather conditions, and probably the most significant is the drivers driving style.

1300kg is not a massive caravan , so I am certain that virtually any of the mid or large size MPV's should be more than capable of managing the caravan and be well below the 85% (which is good) Always check the cars maximum towed weight becasue some of the Vauxhall Zaffira models have a very low towing limit.

 

[Theresa10]

Many thanks Hutch .

 

[Theresa10]

Hi there thanks for that I have been advised on a vw Passat then someone said try a Toyota avensis as sane car in different name but more reliable but when I put a tow match in for avensis came up poor I couldn't fine my caravan so put another of the same weight in .
I really like the belingo mpv would they be too heavy ? . Also originally I wanted a small van like a dispatch but read you shouldn't use commercial van for towing . Many thanks theresa

 

[Theresa10]

Is that Vauxhall omega was it diesel or petrol . There is quite a few 2006 cars in price range . I could go higher on the budget but I may change caravan next year or heaven forbid not get on with towing so don't want to spend too much just yet . Many thanks for your help

 

[Theresa10]

Many thanks will go and check the site . Looks like swinging towards estates .
Thanks again Theresa

 

[otherclive]

Hi there thanks for that I have been advised on a vw Passat then someone said try a Toyota avensis as sane car in different name but more reliable but when I put a tow match in for avensis came up poor I couldn't fine my caravan so put another of the same weight in .
I really like the belingo mpv would they be too heavy ? . Also originally I wanted a small van like a dispatch but read you shouldn't use commercial van for towing . Many thanks theresa

Passat and Avensis are in the same class groupings but there the similarity ends. If you want the carrying capacity of a van there are van conversions like the VW Caddy, or Peugot Expert Teppee both of which are converted by the manufacturers, Both have oodles of space, good torquey engines too. But check what they can tow. I know that for both the rear seats can be removed as they are/were popular conversions for Motobilty users with good wheelchair access at the rear.

 

[Martin24]

My Omega was petrol automatic. I would go for the diesel or 2.5 petrol.