Vauxhall Astra

[Replican]

Having camped for a couple of years we are now ready to move up to a caravan. We have a relatively small budget (£3000). We have a Vauxhall Astra Estate with 1.7 diesel engine. Has anyone towed with one of these. Wondering what caravans we could get which would be ok with this car. I've looked online but just ended up more confused. TIA

 

[otherclive]

Hi you need to find out the kerbweight of the car plus the makers specification for maximum towed weight. A guide is that inexperienced towers should keep the caravan max weight MTPLM to around 85% of kerbweight. This may be quite a bit lower than the cars maximum towed weight as that is based more on the cars ability to do a number of repeated hill starts on a defined incline. Caravans are totally different to say towing an equivalent weight boat or car trailer.

Is your licence BE or B as the latter limits your outfit to a lot less.

 

[ProfJohnL]

....Is your licence BE or B as the latter limits your outfit to a lot less.

:blink: I think you have that the wrong way round, Clive! :silly:

What Clive is referring to is for drivers who passed their basic test after 1st Jan 1997 who receive entitlement B, are limited to a car and braked trailer with a combined MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass) not exceeding 3500kg.
If you passed your test before that date you will have been awarded entitlement "Be" which allows to to go up to a combined MAM of at least 7 tonnes.

If yo only have B you can take an extension test to attain B+E which is the effective equivalent to "Be"

This is calculated on the car and trailer maximum weight LIMITS, e.g (GVW for the car and the MTPLM for the trailer) not what they actually weigh if you put it on a weigh bridge

However my guess will be the Astra GVW + Max towed weight is unlikely to exceed the B only entitlement limit. But you should check. But you should check both the cars specification and your licence.

 

[otherclive]

....Is your licence BE or B as the latter limits your outfit to a lot less.

:blink: I think you have that the wrong way round, Clive! :silly:

What Clive is referring to is for drivers who passed their basic test after 1st Jan 1997 who receive entitlement B, are limited to a car and braked trailer with a combined MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass) not exceeding 3500kg.
If you passed your test before that date you will have been awarded entitlement "Be" which allows to to go up to a combined MAM of at least 7 tonnes.

If yo only have B you can take an extension test to attain B+E which is the effective equivalent to "Be"

This is calculated on the car and trailer maximum weight LIMITS, e.g (GVW for the car and the MTPLM for the trailer) not what they actually weigh if you put it on a weigh bridge

However my guess will be the Astra GVW + Max towed weight is unlikely to exceed the B only entitlement limit. But you should check. But you should check both the cars specification and your licence.

I don’t think its the wrong way around. IE the latter being the B entitlement gives a more restrictive weight limit on the outfit compared to BE licence.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Sorry I miss read your comment.I hadn't note the word "to" 😉

 

[audiorob]

http://www.towingcapacity.co.uk/car-make-model/vauxhall/vauxhall-astra/
You can identify your specific model in the extensive list and find the braked/unbraked limit for towing.
You also need to know the kerbweight of your car (try www,parkers.co.uk).
Then your caravan must be less than the stated towing limit, and ideally around 85% of the model specific kerbweight.

 

[Raywood]

I have towed with an Astra but with a bigger engine. Vauxhalls are generally good tow cars and yours should be fine with an appropriate lightweight caravan. You should find the weight and towing capacity in the registration document, although you will probably need to add 75 kg for the driver as this counts towards the calculation used for 75%.
Are you looking for a two berth or family caravan. There should be a decent choice for a two berth but for a family it will be very limited with that car.
The towing limit for the car will almost certainly mean you will not break the 3,500 kg barrier so the licence would not be a problem.

 

[otherclive]

I have towed with an Astra but with a bigger engine. Vauxhalls are generally good tow cars and yours should be fine with an appropriate lightweight caravan. You should find the weight and towing capacity in the registration document, although you will probably need to add 75 kg for the driver as this counts towards the calculation used for 75%.
Are you looking for a two berth or family caravan. There should be a decent choice for a two berth but for a family it will be very limited with that car.
The towing limit for the car will almost certainly mean you will not break the 3,500 kg barrier so the licence would not be a problem.

OP Ray meant 85% which is a guideline for the ratio of MTPLM to kerbweight. Rays obviously thinking about his own outfit again 🙂