Will my car tow my Abbey?

[Litespeed]

I am totally new to caravanning and have gone in feet first and bought a brand new Abbey Aventura 330. Our car is a 05 plate Renault Espace 2.2dci. Below I have got all the figures and weights together and wondering if one of you good people out there good tell me if I'm within the limits. I seem to get totally confused witha ll the abbreviations used

Abbey weights

Maximum Technical Permissable Laden Mass - 1454 kg

Mass in running order 1229 kg

Espace

Kerb Weight - 1775kg

Maximum towing weight braked - 2000 kg

Maximum payload inc driver - 555kg

Thanks very much.

 

[Lutz]

Legally, what you've got to watch is that the Espace is towing less than the 2000kg that you quote as its Maximum towing weight braked AND that you don't exceed the Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass of 1454kg of the caravan. As the latter is well below 2000kg, there's nothing to worry about the car.

Secondly, there is a rule of thumb (not a law) that the Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass of the caravan should not be more than 85% of the kerbweight of the towing vehicle. Based on the figures that you gave, your outfit would be at about 82%, so you'd be well within that limit, too.

 

[Litespeed]

Thanks for your help Lutz,

Thats a shame because I have been tapping up the wife to let me buy a Mitsubishi Shogun....No chance now!!

Regards

Simon