Could someone in the know please help me with my towing match? I am using the towcar website helpfully recommended, as forumers have indicated my car is not up to the job. I am nervous about this and don't want to take any risks. I don't know anything aabout this sort of thing
My car is Citreon Picasso 2010 1.6 VTR+ S-E Semi Auto. I could not find the break horsepower on the VG5 which everyone talks about but it is 80kw, so I chose this one (it was forward slash to another figure I didn't understand but only one said 80kw)
I put in the unladen weight of 835 and a payload of 250 to take it up to the 1100. I did not know what the other box to the right meant so left it.
The towing report for most caravans is a bit dodgy but for this one is good. I am told it is a lightweight caravan which is one of the reasons we like it.
Your max towing weight is what your car can legally tow and is not an indication of the level of performance you may experiance when out towing on a journey from A to B on the open road. All sorts of factors such as head winds, long motorway inclines, being stuck on a hill start with insufficent power to get going again may effect a units performance and leave the driver in some very stressful situations indeed.
My very first caravan was a 11ft tiny lightweight Monza, towed by a 1982 84bhp Honda Civic, which looked a fine match on paper, but chugging up motorway inclines sometimes with the aroma of burning clutch at 30mph in 2nd gear and having to very carefully think out routes to avoid any potential hillstarts was no fun at all, and one l would not like to repeate. My advice would be to go for a more powerful towcar, and if possible avoid the automatic which tend to give you a lower manufacturers tow limit anyway across most makes and models.
Im sure you will manage to find something a little better suited given time, good luck in your search.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
Thanks Julia but we already have the car so we are not in a position to choose the car. It is a stretch enough buying the caravan. We either get the caravan or we don't. Getting a new car is not an option right now :-(
------------- Early June- France TBC
July 2nd- Deer Shed Festival
More to come....
Just did another match for you on Towcar info ,using a slightly heavier van of 903 kg unladen weight ,and what I assume is your car c4 picasso 1.6 semi auto 110bhp or 80kg .
The match came out at 65percent which is extremely good and will give you a laden weight of around 1050 kg fully loaded .check it out yourself but it looks god to go ,just use your car in manual mode while towing .
It would seem that your cars kerbweight is 1252kg, the caravans max weight is 1100kg so your towing ratio would be 87.8% which is very slightly above the recommended level but still well within what is reasonable and acceptable.
With a bhp of 120 and torque of 160nm it is not going to be a ball of fire towing but it will do the job very adequately. You might find that you have to use the gear box but in the end that is why they are fitted.
If I were you and you like the van I would go for it, your combination ticks all the boxes so should be no problem.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
What does the V5 say for max towing wieght? Section O. ??
1100kg maybe right on your cars max limit.
Have you towed before? With a petrol the peak torque maybe higher up the rev range around 4000rpm. So dont be scared to drop a gear or two and use those revs.
Thank you for the really helpful replies. This is just what I need.
Grampian, the V5 says max towing weight 1300 braked 700 unbraked
Black Fox I cannot find the figure for bhp but it max net power is 80kw and if you choose this model on the tow website i think it gives us 110bhp but I dont know this is correct. I think there is a way to convert but I dont know what it is.
Janus is kerbweight the same as mass in service? This is 1673
------------- Early June- France TBC
July 2nd- Deer Shed Festival
More to come....
Massin service is the nearest thing you will get to a published kerbweight and at 1673 kg towing an 1100kg caravan you have an excellent towing ratio. It is a surprisingly high figure though as it is more than my substantially bigger Mondeo.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Thanks Janus. I hope the figure on the V5 is correct. Looking at the dimensions the Mondeo is longer, and though the C4 is higher and wider not sufficiently so to make it heavier. I suppose I need to trust the V5
Thank you geoff+emmy for your calculxations and experience. It is reassuring.
------------- Early June- France TBC
July 2nd- Deer Shed Festival
More to come....
We had the same spec, although it was the grand picasso. The engine is 110bhp and we towed a van with max weight of 1300kgs. Never had any problems, towed just fine. You can always change gear manually if it needs it any way. My inlaws have the 2litre xsara HDI and this has only 90bhp and tows a van similar to your weight. Never had a problem,power wise or weight wise.
Is your car the C4 picasso HDI
I just used the checker and came up with a 70% match, so its perfect.
------------- were caravaning but now tenting and now back to a caravan
This is using the caravan weights from the link you provided
The towing capability for the Citroen C4 Picasso - 1.6 Hdi [semi-aut.]
with a : [Overall performance]
Performance on leveled roads
Top speed
Acceleration and take over
Towing ability Performance in mountainous regions
Drive off uphill
Driving on motorway slopes
Driving on steep roads
[Stability index = 9.8 / 8.2 Towball: 60 kg.]
70%
[weight ratio 70%]
1100 kg 1574 kg
60 kg
[Speed index: 93 mph]
[Max gradient: 17%]
Citroen C4 Picasso - 1.6 Hdi [semi-aut.] (80 kW/107 bhp)
Date of manufacture: april 2007 - march 2011. Towball limit: 60 kg (Advise: 60 kg)
Important for safe towing is the weight ratio between Car and Caravan. The weight ratio (loaded caravan / kerbweight tow car) for the Citroen and is 70%. This means that the match between car and caravan is perfect. The stability and safety index is very good for this outfit.
The towing performances of this Citroen with your are perfect (performance index = 93).
You may expect excellent performances from this outfit. On flat roads it's easy to come along, top gear is applicable in all cases.
On motorway inclines you will be able not only to come along, but be the first at the top. On steep roads you have more than sufficient power to keep going. On hill starts there will be sufficient power to get going, provided the wheels have traction.
------------- were caravaning but now tenting and now back to a caravan
A question, is your car a citroen C4 GRAND picasso hdi 90 vtr+ se? If it then in simple terms you have a car that would be an almost perfect match for your caravan, plenty of weight, enoigh power and plenty of torque.
Enjoy your caravanning.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Hi folks, no it is not the Grand Picasso. We almost bought that one but the extra length was an issue for me in my staff car park! It is the C4 Picasso 2010 1.6 VTR+ S-E Semi Auto 5 seater.
The reportI got was the same as Dean has posted as I recognise the text.
So the verdict, thanks to your help, is that we are good to go by the looks of it :-) Will be careful not to fill it full of junk and appreciate we have not got the most powerful car in the world but that it appears fine for this caravan.
Just waiting to see if they can find me an awning to throw in and do me a good price :-)
------------- Early June- France TBC
July 2nd- Deer Shed Festival
More to come....
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Topic: Towing match help please
