Weight question?

[Mark_sat]

Ok I have read through the posts here and looked on the DVLA website, and this has just confused me even more.

I am looking at getting a 5 berth van, I am not sure of the weight as I have yet to get one. (using 1250)

However if I was to tow using a Vivaro van,

Gross Vehicle Weight(Kg): 2700

Kerb Weight(Kg): 1677

Towing Limit(Kg): 2000

and coupled with a van of say 1250kg does this mean, that my partner who has passed the driving test after 1997 needs to take the trailer test?

Am I to calculate using the kerb weight?

Giving;

Vivaro - 1.9 CDTi 8v [Powerbox]

Year of issue (or similar) january 2003 - june 2006

Power 88 kW (118 bhp) at 3500 rpm

Torque 288 Nm (212 lb/ft) at (or from) 2000 rpm

Kerbweight (may differ in the UK) 1677 kg and 'ballasted' with 250 kg

Caravan

Actual laden caravan weight 1550 kg (car towing limit is 2000 kg)

Gross Train weight (car+caravan) 3477 kg (if this is correct she will be fine as long as I get a van of 1250kg or less)

Or am I to calculate using the Gross vehicle weight? (2700)

Hope you understand this post!

 

[Lutz]

I presume you are asking the question with respect to driving licences issued after 1st January 1997.

The DVLA website refers to MAM or maximum allowable mass. This, for all intents and purposes, is the same as gross vehicle weight (GVW) or maximum technically permitted laden mass (MTPLM).

As the MAM of the Vivaro is 2700kg, this would leave only 800kg before you reach the limit of a category B licence. So, there would be no way your partner can tow even your current caravan without an upgrade to a B+E licence.

 

[rh010a2370]

Hi Mark.

I too am one of the unfortunate one's who fall under the new licence law of 1st January 1997 concerning towing Caravans & Trailers.

I have just bought a new Hobby Excellent 460 Ufe, According to the law I am able to tow this Caravan with the car I have on the B licence I have at the moment, And the reason being is.

The car I have is a Citroen Xarra Picasso 1.6HDi 92 bhp Un-laden weight is 1350kg the Caravan is a Hobby Excellent 460 Ufe Maximum laden weight is 1300kg, Now because the un-laden weight of my car is more the Maximum laden weight of the Caravan plus both figures combined does not exceed the 3500kg limit, I can tow my Caravan on the B licence.

Now as for your wife, you have to make sure that the Cars un-laden weight is more than the caravans Maximum laden weight, And both weights combined does not exceed 3500, Or just to make sure e-mail the DVLA and ask them to confirm it, Then print off there reply and keep in the car when you are towing just in case you get stopped by the Police. Just like I did that's how I know I am ok for now.

I think this law is a wee bit daft, Because you can have situation where two people at the same age and they decide to take up caravanning, And they both have no towing experience at all, But with the only difference is one could have passed there driving test in December 1996, And the other in January 1997, So the one who passed there test in January has to sit another test to Tow a Caravan or a Trailer over a certain weight, And the other one who passed there test in December does not need to sit anymore tests, All because of this thing they say they have " Grandfather Right's ".

They should have made Towing A Caravan or a trailer a Separate licence all together for everyone to sit, Instead of punishing the newer Drivers.

But then again that is only my opinion.

Robert.

 

[Lutz]

We had a similar situation. Our son passed his driving test just one month before tha deadline, so he automatically got a B+E licence. Our daughter was spending a year at school in America at the time and by the time she returned, she only got a B licence. But, I guess, the line's got to be drawn somewhere.

 

[Timothy_374244492]

Lutz is right your wife will need to do the B+E test. it is all worked out on mMAXIMUM weights not actual.

Fear not though the test is not as difficult as you might think.

I did a couple of hours with an instructor yesterday to help me through it and now have booked my test for this wednesday.

BAsically the driving aspect of the test mainly focusses on the testee's safety awareness of the fact they have a trailer behind them plus a couple of little things they have to remember to do like, handbrake on if stationary for more than 2 secs and there is a rountine for downhill starts but apart from that shouldnt be a problem.

There is only one set manuvour(terrible at spelling sorry) she has to do and not surprisingly that is a reversing one. All the info needed is online deeply hidden in the DSA's website but basically it is a reverse the car from between two cones round another cone then back and to the side a bit is a parking space laid out by more cones you have to slot the trailer in. once you have the hang of it it's easy.

Plus a little known fact is if you have full B+E entitlement on your license you are allowed to take her out with L plates for practice!

If she is remotely confident with a trailer then ignore any teaching establishment that isits on mutiple days traineg for ludicrous amounts of money. so far it's cost me

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi mark

just a quickie to confirm that your calculations are correct

as I went into all this when my son wanted to borrow our van for a holiday last year.

I drive a mondeo 1.6 petrol and tow a 2 berth bailey total gross train weight 2460kg ok no problems so far

but he drives a transit van whitch he uses for work as well for private use with the van on the back it would have a gtr of over 3500kg and so he could not tow with it.

so I loaned him the car and van to go in and i got a free hire car for 2 weeks

 

[Mark_sat]

Thanks for all the replies.

It does seem a little crazy as the new law stands....

I have decided to change the car, at least this way I don't need to unload my work gear from the van.

After reading through the other posts, I have decided to get a Mondeo 2.0 TDCI.

I would have used my van, but I wanted to make sure my wife could drive legally, just incase I was to fall ill, or injur myself whilst away somewhere.