Having just sold our large 7.5ton Motorhome I'm looking at getting a caravan that can happily sleep 5+ dog & we'd want to carry 5 bikes. Due to budget restraints (skint) the plan is to buy a cheap van & looking on eBay there seems to be a few around the 3-4K mark but I don't know what I'm really looking for.
As for the tow vehicle I am currently changing my Motability car, my requirements are for an automatic, room foe aforementioned 5 adults + dog/wheelchair. I'v had a Citroen Grand Picasso & whilst it's a fantastic car I gather it's not the best towing wise. The Vauxhall Insignia Sportstourer looks great & Ford offer the possibility of the C-Max, S-Max or Galaxy. A basic Seat Alhambra could also be a possibility, but I do need certain add-ons like an electronic parking brake & cruise-control (as well as a tow-bar) and the more I spend on the Advance payment means less for a van.
Any constructive ideas will be very welcome.
It would help as to what large vehicles are available to you on mobility
You possibly looking at an MPV with the rear seats removed and a bike wrack for the tow hitch, you could also store 2 or 3 bikes in the van when towing
Thanks for the reply, there are any number of cars available depending on how much you're prepared to pay in addition to the monthly rental. Needing an automatic makes things a lot more expensive anyway but for example a Ford Grand C-MAX 2.0TD Titanium is around £2500 whereas a Galaxy 2.0TD Zetec is around £2000. A Skoda Superb 2.0TD S is also around the 2.5k mark. I don't(Can't) want to go any higher than this.
What I really need is some idea about loading for example if I carry bikes an a tow-bar mounted rack does this affect the max permitted tow ball weight?
Also do caravans get heavier as they get older? I used to have a Hobby Motorhome which even when totally stripped out was heavier than it started.
Is there an easy to read list of tow-car weights? I've seen the TowCar.eu site & I've bought the latest What Car mag but the print on the car spec's is so small it's not easy to read.
I have just taken delivery of a new shape VW Sharan after having 2 Galaxy's (07 & 09 reg so new shape) All company cars.
The first Galaxy was brilliant it did 120k in 2 years with very few issues.
the second was a nightmare it had a clutch at 30k, the gearbox then seized and exploded at 42k also damaging the engine.
The later Galaxy had been cheapened in the build, things like the overhead storage was removed, the switches were bad quality. (it was the same trim level.)
The new Sharan (same as the new Seat Alhambra) is coming upto 4k (4 weeks old)
First impressions are it is nice to drive, comfortable has all the extra's (Electronic handbrake,cruise control, bluetooth, sliding side doors, panoramic roof, start stop engine, parking sensors f+r etc).
The seats like the Galaxy's fold totally flat so dont need to be removed (the Sharans passenger seat also fold flat for extra long loads!).
The Sharan doesnt handle as well as the Galaxy on twisty country lanes when you get your toe down though.
I will wait and see what the reliability is like long term, but in the past previous model Sharan's and Tourans on the fleet have been troublesome.
I can't comment on towing though as we use the other half s car for that.
If a Galaxy is only £2k then thats your best choice, it will do the same job for £500 less than the others. You can't be putting bikes on a towbar with the caravan as it adds to the noseweight. Either stuff the bikes in the caravan or get roof bars & bike carriers.
This website Is good guide to weights but before committing yourself you need to check actual manufacturers' literature for weights.
Bikes will affect the nosewieght allowed by the towbar which typically is 70 to 80 kg and most caravans are around this. So best to put the bikes on the roof of the car/mpv as if you put them in the caravan you will take up most of the allowable payload of the caravan.
As to choce of car if you are towing a 5+ berth they won't be the lightest of caravan so it should, if possible, be 85% of the cars kerbweight (ie unladen + fluids + 75kg for driver) and certainly no more than 100% so probably looking at C MAX or galaxy or vaux Antara.
I am not sure about wheelchairs but the tailgate of the insignia is quite low.
The Skoda Superb estate has a pull out boot floor to make it very easy to load and unload, it comes with roof bars so all you need is the cross bars with bike slots
As others have said have a look at some 5 berths that interest you and then compare their MTPLW with the cars kerbside weight and aim for an 85% ratio.
We are also considering a change in car over the next 2 years so we can get a 5 berth next and currently tow with a Vectra SRI. Personally I have been very disappointed with Vauxhall in terms of reliability, we use the insignia at work (basically an update Vectra) and they always seem to be getting faults on them. Our Vectra has been in the garage 3 times in 3 years with major faults and it is ony 5 years old with 50k on the clock. Thats why they came so low down in the recent JD power survey! The ONLY thing in Vauxhalls favour is they are now offering a 100'000 miles warranty to the first owner so if you coud get this then I might consider one. I think you would find the Insignia a bit on the light side and should probably look at their new Antara as its bigger and heavier.
Another good option (if you can get it on your scheme) is to look at the Kia Sorento. This has a 100kg towball weight on some models and again Kia are offering a 7 year warranty, which having looked at it it is very good and covers the major parts you would expect.
Ford are ok but you will only get a 3 yr warranty so depends on how long you keep your cars for. If I was looking to keep it for over 3 yrs I would probably go for the Vauxhall or Kia ranges at the moment.
Tinker is after an auto & annoyingly the auto sorentos (& Santa fe) are 80kg noseweight limit.
Re bikes, for me it is roof of the car or leave them at home. The other options are too much of a hit on either the noseweight (towball carrier) or the payload (carrying bikes in van) of the caravan.
Thankyou everyone, I've narrowed it down to a Ford either a Galaxy or the S-Max. The vanity in me opts for the S-max but the Galaxy is the better buy both practically & cost wise.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Choice of car
it had a clutch at 30k, the gearbox then seized and exploded at 42k also damaging the engine.
)
