Thats more or less what I was saying. In my car the plate is under the bonnet. It gives a variable figure though- depending on your loading. Your sum only gives the maximum tow weight when fully loaded.
Whatever that plate says you cannot tow more than the maximum given by the manufacturer in the handbook.
I said earlier you would find the towing limit stamped under the bonnet, which is of course wrong. What you get is the two figures you have given - as I described in the nose weight thread two days ago.
Quote: Originally posted by Jan P on 03/07/2005
Just checked our car on that web site it gives 1500 as max tow our handbook gives 1200 quite a difference and my understanding is that to exceed the handbook makes us uninsured.
If you had any recourse in an accident I'm sure the handbook would be taken over any website (which I'm sure will have a disclaimer on it somewhere)
thanks a lot for all the responses they have been really help-full, but to give us more choice of caravan we have now decided to get a new car. thanks again
We had a Zafira 1.6 03 reg, and we found it struggled to pull our erde 122 trailer when we were on holiday last year, I would hate to have been in it when it was pulling a caravan, we have now traded in for a 53 reg Kia Sedona ready for when we get our van.
I think there might have been an issues with the pulling power on zafiras up to 04. The 05 Zafira has a different engine plus other componets were changed as well. And with the new zafira due out in a a few weeks there will be more changes there as well.
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We had a new Y reg Zafira 1.8 with 120+ horses under the bonnet and it pulled our then ABI 450ct sprinter very well. Except for its stabillity even with blade stabiliser and correct weighting it sometimes got out of shape, I was never confident towing with it. I went back to Dealer they put on stronger rear springs which helped a lot. It meant I could up the nose weight a little. But was told by them that the Sprinter which was 850kgs and recommended that I did not go much above that figure 85% rule. To get over this you would need to carry more in the tow vehicle. I found that the Zafira was the best car I have ever owned but wanted a bigger van so she had to go.
Just come back from looking at caravans having just bought a Zafira 2.0 dti last month. Absolutley shattered to find that i cant tow a caravan because of the low tow weight. Had absolutely no idea atall and it seems ludicrous that we could pull with a much smaller car. Went straight round to the dealers who confirmed it. Apparently it has something to do with the high gear ratio and not to do with the size of the car. This is apparently why the 85% rule doesnt apply. Dealer advised that we probably could tow a light van, but could end up stuck on a hill (anything above a 12% gradient) with the clutch burnt out or with a van on its lid on the motorway. Dont know too much about the technical details (I'm just a girl) but thought i would let you know what our dealer had told us. Off to drown my sorrows.
I have an 04 1.6 zafira and I may get a caravan in the future . Had the car 6 months ,bought it initially for the large bootspace ((as a 5 seater) so that I could fit all my tenting stuff in,which it does with ease.
I can see what the dealer was getting at in frizzy123s post as I find my zafira revs higher in 5th gear at 70 ,4th gear at 60mph etc..,than my previous car a 1.6 97 escort did(used to pull a 11' caravan with the escort no probs)
If I ever do get another caravan it would be small and lightweight anyway so not too bothered about the low weights but it is surprising as the car is fairly heavy
Quote: Originally posted by john&lynn on 03/7/2005
Dont want to sound contraversial but that is totally wrong, the zafira 2.0dti life weighs in at 1448kg kerb weight, but Vauxhall give a maxium towing weight braked as 1050kg , ,also the 1.6 expression as a kerb weight of 1316kg but a maxium tow weight braked of 1000kg , i am not saying the cars wont pull above those weights, but then you would find out you are not insured if you go above the manafactures reccomendations , plus you are totally illegal in the eyes of the law, towing is not about kerb weights alone but manafactures reccomendations , as they are the ones who test the cars to give these figures ,
The Zafira dti can pull 1500kg, the 1050 weight limit is when all 7 seats are occupied. Got this info from Vauxhall
If you want to buy a Zafira which is a good tow car then buy the 2.2sri I have a 2001-2005 model one of the last few registered 2005 and it has a kerb weight of 1465kgs from the handbook, making a 85% weight of 1245kgs and a maximum tow weight of 1400kgs.
The engine easily copes and pulls very well. The stiffer sports suspension appears to be more stable also.
My dart comes in at 87% with a MTPLM of 1280kgs which I feel happy with not being a complete purist! I just need to adjust the loading.
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Topic: zafira as towcar
