What Caravan can my Golf Mark 5 SDI 2.0 Tow

[Thefoo17]

Hi I need some advice please im looking at buying a caravan only a cheap one as this will be my first, but I need some help. Which caravans can I safely tow with my Golf Mark 5 SDI 2.0 2008?? It has to be 85% of the kerb weight which the kerb weight of my car is 1217kg.
Please can you help

Thanks
Jane

 

[Damian]

You are quite limited in choice, but looking at the what tow car site and going through some of the makes and your car there are several options, depending on how many berths you require.(using your kerbweight figure and an 85% weight of 1034Kg)
For example:
2009 Bailey Ranger 510/4
Adria 390,432, 462,492,542.
Adria Altea 4 Four, 4 Two,
Adria Aviva Move 512PK
Elddis Xplore 402, 434

None are particularly ideal (excluding most of the Adria range) but are pretty much at the top limit for the car.
If you want a heavier van or bigger van, you will need to change towcar.

 

[Hutch]

]Hello, have you thought abought maybe trailer tents, maybe the type with the wind up roofs.
Hutch.

 

[SamandRose]

Hi Jane
You need to check the manufacturer's towing limit , which should be somewhere in the handbook and might also be on the VIN plate (where it's called the 'gross train weight'). It's illegal to tow above the towing limit even if it's below the 85% figure.

Is the SDI Golf the non-turbo version? If so the towing limit could be quite low as the engine has limited power. Performance when towing is likely to be - shall we say - leisurely at best.

For a more powerful version of the same car, the towing limit will probably be well in excess of the kerb weight as it's based on the car's ability to move the towed weight from a hill start. In this case the 85% value is a useful guide - but it's NOT a rule and in reality a few kg over it will make little if any difference.

caravans.autotrader.co.uk allows you to search by MTPLM so that should give you some idea of what you can buy second-hand and safely tow. Good luck

 

[paws]

Just to firm up a little on the advice given under the previous post here:

You need to check the manufacturer's towing limit...(where it's called the 'gross train weight').

That is not actually correct..... the Gross Train weight has more to do with the maximum combined weight of the towing vehicle and the caravan ( trailer)

The maximum weight you can tow will be considerably lower than the gross train weight.

When it comes to the "85%" recommendations often seen and discussed..its important not to regard them as something written in tablets of stone.... they are merely a convenient rough ( some might say very rough) guide to people new to towing and the world of caravans to give them an idea. The 85 % recommendation is not a legal requirement and you are not bound by it..

Nevertheless its a wise person who tries to keep the weight of the caravan that she or he is towing as low as possible so that the "towing ratio" is as low as possible.

Adherence to the law and the recommendations does not in any way make the towing combination "safe" there is a lot more to it than that, but for the moment please feel free to come back with any further questions and one of the members here will do their best to help
Regards
paws

 

[SamandRose]

Paws, thank you for putting me right. Sorry Jane if I confused you.

The reference to "gross train weight" came from the gov.uk website which I looked at when trying to check the limits for my car. I foolishly assumed that the information on a government website would be correct and should have known better after recent events ... !

 

[ProfJohnL]

Paws, thank you for putting me right. Sorry Jane if I confused you.

The reference to "gross train weight" came from the gov.uk website which I looked at when trying to check the limits for my car. I foolishly assumed that the information on a government website would be correct and should have known better after recent events ... !

Can you quote the page address please and i will have a look at it. I have had some success at getting towing related inaccuracies changed ( sometimes even put right!)

 

[Raywood]

I would be wary of the government web site as it does contain mistakes. It recently showed seriously incorrect information on trailer lengths.