towing with a Megane

[viv_5041787]

Hi. I am thinking of getting a caravan but I am very confused regarding towing weights. My car is a 1600 Megane RT. Also I will need to get a tow bar fitted and again I'm not sure which one. Any help would be appreciated. thanks Viv

 

[Mike_5041089]

Ask renault, or check the car's handbook to see what the kerbweight is, then multiply this by 85% to get the ideal match. With regard to the towbar, always use an independent specialist - most will fit at your home or Office, and charge about half the cost from a franchised dealer, for usually the identical product.

 

[Alec1]

Just be wary as when we had a Laguna in the Renault hand book it states that you can tow X weight with just the driver in the car. So as you add more people and luggage to the car, the weight that you can tow has to come down by the same amount. It 's to do with the cars maximum permissable train weight of car and trailer/ caravan. You need to do the maths, weight of car, persons in car, approx. weight of luggage, plus any tool boxes, weight of caravan when loaded up. Example:Laguna 1230kg empty, 2 adults 200kgs, 2 children 130 kgs, luggage/ tools 150kgs. 1710kgs!!! That's before a full tank of petrol!!! Now on top of that the fully loaded weight of my 'van 1200kgs. that comes to 2910 kgs.!!! Laguna towed lovely and if i had another car i'd have another one again. Use a 4x4 now. happy 'vanning.

 

[Steve L]

Alec is right. I have a Renault 25 and I'm looking at changing to a Laguna. The manuals are complicated but the legal weight limits are on the VIN plate fixed to the car. The "boys in blue" refer to this when weighing your outfit. The "Gross train weight" (car + trailer + people)is the maximum combined weight of the outfit. The other weight they look at is the gross weight of the car. By subtracting the two you get the trailer weight. We loaded our van and car as if we were going on holiday( including the two Labradors)and popped down to our local farm feed merchant and for