Long time no post! Just an update. Finally got a caravan, its an adria adiva 532ld. Im going to be using an insignia to pull it. However i am struggling to find a good match site. The car can tow 1700 and its mass in service is 1613. The caravan has a max weight of 1460. I cannot seem to find the exact van anywhere.
Are there any other ways i can find out if its a good match please guys?
Thanks
You have the figures you need. Why do you need a matching site? Stay with this thread & you will learn far more about matching car to caravan than any matching site that exists.
Hi and thanks for the reply. I did use that site but couldnt find the caravan on there. The car is a vauxhall insignia ecoflex, 2015, diesel, manual. Which i found no problem but the caravan is adria adiva 532 LD 2005. The list on that site doesnt go far back as 05!
Thanks again
I assume you got the caravan weight off the plate on the caravan & it is the higher of the 2 weights ie the max loaded weight yes? You have the car weights so you can go from there. What engine? If 2litre diesel then you have enough power.
The guide weight ratio car to caravan is 85% but it’s not law. If car kerbweight is 1613kg & caravan max loaded weight is 1460kg then weight ratio is just over 90% which some might consider excessive but probably ok. I would just cruise on the motorway with the trucks at 55mph & you will be ok.
Stick around & I’m sure the advice will come in thick & fast.
Quote: Originally posted by MannyG on 23/2/2019
You have the figures you need. Why do you need a matching site? Stay with this thread & you will learn far more about matching car to caravan than any matching site that exists.
Yes, I wholly agree with the above post as I have found myself that car & caravan match websites can often deliver innacurate figures so the best way is to do your own maths by the use of a percentage calculator. You need the MTPLM (not the MIRO) of the caravan and the kerbweight of the towing vehicle then calculate 85% of the figures which ever way round you want which will provide accurate results. Ignore the figure as to what the car can tow as this is based merely on the anchor points and design of towbar tested by the vehicle manufacturer's Research and Development department and not to be confused with a safe towing match.
Below is a typical online percentage calculator.
Manny and tango thanks for your advice, i will get the pen and paper out, start working this out! Rob and Tina you have helped me before, i do not have the licence for a trailer so am limited to under 3500. The car plus caravan comes in at 3073. I will have to add the towbar on that so approx 3093. Does this mean i am going to have to be frugal when packing?!
The licence restrictions are calculated on the max plated weights of the car and caravan not the actual weights. The caravan has a max weight of 1460 so the combined weights of car and caravan must be less than 3500kg. Check the weight plate on the car, usually on the door frame and note the two heaviest weights, the lower one (probably around 2100kg) will be the max weight of the car and the higher one (probably around 3800kg) will be the max gross train weight which is the max permitted weights of car and caravan added together. If the max weight of the car plus the max weight of the caravan (1460) add up to less than 3500 you are ok, if they exceed 3500 then you need a B+E licence.
Ok so i went out just had a look, 4 rows;
2160kg
3925kg
1-1120kg
2-1170kg
So 2160kg for car plus 1460kg for van is 3620kg! .. .. looks like im looking for trailer training!
Thanks for your help Rob, atleast now i know i need extra licence to be insured!
You need the extra licence to be legal, not just for insurance purposes. If you get your test done soon you won't miss the main holiday season this year so better to have it sorted now than have to disappoint the kids in the summer.
Just to say that Rob's advice is spot on as are your calculations. To reinforce however that driving licence requirements are based on maximum plated weights of car and caravan combined - NOT actual weights. So if you tow that caravan with your Insignia on a B licence only, it's no defence even if both are empty, you'll still be doing so illegally.
Towing match sites are notoriously full of errors and over-simplified. Many do not originate in the UK so the weights and specifications of the cars listed are incorrect. They are also prone to placing far more emphasis on the so-called '85% rule' than is merited. As far as I can tell, this is based on very limited research that is now several decades old, during which time car engines and suspensions have improved enormously. Add the fact that when you go away for a holiday, your car will have several hundred kg extra weight in it and it's questionable whether the kerb weight is relevant at all.
Make sure that the actual weight caravan (or indeed, any trailer) is less than the car's maximum towing limit, which is a legal requirement. Personally (and notwithstanding the comments above), I also believe it's sensible to keep the weight of any caravan to less than the car's kerb weight. But to suggest in any way that an 85% ratio will be fine but 90% any more likely to be problematic is to be simplistic to the point of foolishness. Your car's engine and suspension, the weight distribution within the caravan and the weight on the tow bar will all be greater influences.
If that sounds confusing, it isn't meant to. Because once you have the B+E licence extension, you should be fine towing with that combination. Enjoy
------------- "Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect."
Hi SamandRose,
Thank you for yiur informative post. Yea i was thinking i could just squeeze under the limit with my current licence as my partner fell in love with the caravan as soon as we seen it! But fair is fair i would rather have the added training behind me for safety, insurance and legal reasons, also i suppose it will future proof me incase we get an upgrade! But now the pressure is on to find suitable b+e training near me as its the last piece of the puzzle!
Thanks again for everyones advice and feedback.
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Topic: New caravan!
via mobile 23/2/2019 at 7:48pm
