THE_Liam
Yorkshire and The Humber
If at first you don't succeed... HAMMERS.
Posts: 1,363
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Sept 25, 2014 13:15:09 GMT
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Right, I'm looking for a cheap caravan so me and the lass can have some cheapo weekends away. I'm talking a 2 berth weighing no more than a metric ton loaded. Now, I was going to get a new motor with a bit more grunt but I've got a free towbar for the 190E, so I'm planning on seeing how it gets on, but am I being daft with 109bhp? Is that gonna be enough to pull that weight comfortably or am I just going to break something trying? Cheers  |
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Sept 25, 2014 13:59:19 GMT
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back in the day my old man had all sorts of cars, that had won tow car of the year (always had a caravan whilst i was growing up)
he ha 1750 maxi, talbot alpines and they all maanged fine and I'm sure they had around that power or less.
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nyx
Part of things
Posts: 47 
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Sept 25, 2014 14:45:25 GMT
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the mercedes 190e is a good towcar. ive used mine before to tow 1150kg caravan and all was fine. my w124 will tow 1300kg with no problems
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THE_Liam
Yorkshire and The Humber
If at first you don't succeed... HAMMERS.
Posts: 1,363
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Sept 25, 2014 15:05:05 GMT
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the mercedes 190e is a good towcar. ive used mine before to tow 1150kg caravan and all was fine. my w124 will tow 1300kg with no problems What engine is yours pal? Mine is only the 1.8 and it isn't exactly nippy as it is... |
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Sept 25, 2014 15:46:38 GMT
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Not cheap but the Polish built Freedom caravans are excellent items as, being fibreglass shell on galv chassis, you don't have the water leaks / wood rot that can often be found on old traditional built caravans.
I've had two caravans and despite not being very old / looked after they both suffered from water ingress on joints.
BTW I towed a small caravan with a 105S Skoda Estelle without a problem. Then another time I used a 1.0 Metro City & a 930cc Chrysler Sunbeam - both capable of towing my caravan per manufactures spec. They didn't suffer from lack of power but when I "upgraded" to a 1600 Cortina estate, whilst there was no increase in power, the outfit felt more stable.
So as long as you stick to the recommended 80% weight of caravan to the weight of the tow vehicle then that is more important than the power of the tow vehicle.
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nyx
Part of things
Posts: 47
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Sept 25, 2014 17:16:36 GMT
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my 190 is a2.0 120hp ish i think. honestly it will be ok. as above 80ish percent of kerbweight will be no problem. my sister tows with her w124 the caravan all in weighs 1400kg and she only has the 2.3 130hp and its no problem.
a ton on a w201 will be no problem. i used to tow my old boat at 1300kg with a 406 90hp deisel and she was ok on the open road and would stay at 60 no problem
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marcp
Part of things
Posts: 91
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Sept 27, 2014 23:58:25 GMT
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I really want to buy a caravan but the only thing stopping me is my driving license! For the cost of doing the trailer test, buying the van, I could have a good few years tenting around.
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THE_Liam
Yorkshire and The Humber
If at first you don't succeed... HAMMERS.
Posts: 1,363
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Sept 28, 2014 18:16:10 GMT
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I really want to buy a caravan but the only thing stopping me is my driving license! For the cost of doing the trailer test, buying the van, I could have a good few years tenting around. You don't have to have B+E to tow a caravan mate, but it does restrict what you can tow, here's how it works: - The caravans gross weight (MTPLM) must be less than the unladen weight of the car - The gross weight of both the car and the caravan can not be over 3500kg So for example my 190E is 1170kg unladen, which means I can tow a caravan up to 1169kg MTPLM, which covers all but the fanciest 2 berths and even some lightweight 4 berths |
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scimjim
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,503
Club RR Member Number: 8
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Caravan questionscimjim
@scimjim
Club Retro Rides Member 8
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I don't think it's unladen weights mate - but max authorised mass? www.gov.uk/towing-with-carAnd if you've never towed before, don't start with a van that weighs the same as your car! |
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Last Edit: Oct 4, 2014 17:41:39 GMT by scimjim
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if yer not to fussed about comfort get a rapido folding caravan quite light to tow made in the eighties (not mine just off tube )
I'm on my second one the largest which i think weights about 6/700 kgs and they are all braked so ideal for small car and will fit in a council lock up
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Last Edit: Oct 4, 2014 19:34:35 GMT by campervan
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Caravan questionDeleted
@Deleted
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The caravans fully laden weight can not exceed the car manufacturers recommend towing weights which will be in the handbook and on the chassis (VIN) plate, this is NOT always the cars unladen weight.
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lilbob
Part of things
Posts: 419
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I would played safe by keeping the caravan weight at no more than 85% of the cars unladen kerb weight unless you are expereanced at towing iv been towing a caravan for 8 years and would not say I'm an expert tower you learn something new each and every time you hook up also if you want cheap and cheerful join the caravan and camping club and take full advantage of the weekend rallies prices from £7 a night
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scimjim
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,503
Club RR Member Number: 8
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Caravan questionscimjim
@scimjim
Club Retro Rides Member 8
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The caravans fully laden weight can not exceed the car manufacturers recommend towing weights which will be in the handbook and on the chassis (VIN) plate, this is NOT always the cars unladen weight. A manufacturers towing limit is nothing to do with the car's kerbweight - it's the maximum weight at which: “The motor vehicle towing a trailer must be able to start the vehicle combination – laden to its maximum mass – five times on an uphill gradient of at least 12 per cent within five minutes.” So you have the limits of the law (including your licence limits if applicable), the car's limits (which include the above as well as towbar max load and nose weight limit) and the recommended limit (80-85%) |
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Caravan questionDeleted
@Deleted
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The caravans fully laden weight can not exceed the car manufacturers recommend towing weights which will be in the handbook and on the chassis (VIN) plate, this is NOT always the cars unladen weight. A manufacturers towing limit is nothing to do with the car's kerbweight - it's the maximum weight at which: “The motor vehicle towing a trailer must be able to start the vehicle combination – laden to its maximum mass – five times on an uphill gradient of at least 12 per cent within five minutes.” So you have the limits of the law (including your licence limits if applicable), the car's limits (which include the above as well as towbar max load and nose weight limit) and the recommended limit (80-85%) I didn't say it was anything to do with kerbweight, a car can only tow what the manufacturers plate, also called the VIN or chassis plate states that it can pull, this info will also be in the handbook and that is what the car can legally tow and what VOSA and the police will look at. |
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THE_Liam
Yorkshire and The Humber
If at first you don't succeed... HAMMERS.
Posts: 1,363
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On the majority of cars though the weight it can physically tow as stated on the plate is more than the unladen weight anyway, it's 1500kg on my 190 and the unladen weight is 1170kg. scimjim - It's definitely unladen weight for the car mate, but max mass for the caravan. lilbob - I'm looking for something with a max weight around 1000-1100kg mate, which will actually weigh around 800kg, so far less than my cars weight. |
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scimjim
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,503
Club RR Member Number: 8
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Caravan questionscimjim
@scimjim
Club Retro Rides Member 8
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Have a look at this thread on PH - ROG teaches it, so explains it much better than most. |
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compass
Posted a lot
www.compasstrading.co.uk
Posts: 1,644
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Hmmm. I'd double check on the details of towing to be sure Liam.
As far as I was aware, if you passed your test after 1997 you are entitled to tow only up to 750kg, no matter if it's a caravan or a trailer. I did my towing test a few years ago, and this was certainly the case then.
It'd be worth double checking with the DVLA anyway, as the last thing you'll want is points on your license, at best.
I'd agree with what others have said too; I wouldn't be towing an 1100kg caravan with a 190, especially if new to towing. Caravans, especially single axle ones, bounce around a lot, and get blown about by the wind. It can be quite unnerving at first.
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If you haven't towed a caravan before get an anti snake bar, they really helps stabilise the caravan especially when pulling back in after overtaking, or after being passed by faster vehicles.
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compass
Posted a lot
www.compasstrading.co.uk
Posts: 1,644
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having looked on the .gov site, it appears Liam is right! Things have been dicked about with again by DVLA, and now there`s another cut off date on January 2013 for new drivers, just to complicate things further.
Total weight of trailer & tow car cannot exceed 3500kg now, which gives more to play with than the previous 750kg.
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Caravan questionDeleted
@Deleted
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The reason why the towing rules have changed again is because of the almightly cock up that said you could only tow 750KG but you could increase that to 3500 combined weight (dependant on the car),it was so badly written and explained that even VOSA bods and the police didn't have a clue what was right and it led to a lot of people wrongly getting tickets and their cars impounded for 'driving other than in accordance with a licence' so VOSA have now rewritten it to make it clearer.
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