Hello every one....great site been reading here since early yesterday !! I have got a lot sorted , but have a few questions ...i want to be sure and get it right before i venture out on the roads in spring, as i am a very new Caravan owner
I have a very well maintaned Luna Micron.I have been told it weighs 13CWT curb weight ( forgive me if am getting the terms wrong) and 16 CWT Gross weight..i get this to 813KG.. looking around and reading up it looks quite light..
I have about a week to make my mind up on a car to tow with,i have been driving since 1980.
I am looking at a New Hyundia 1x20 1.6 petrol auto..and a New Kia Venga 1.6 Auto petrol I need an Automatic as i have restrictions
Although both look good to tow my van and well with under the weights given for both cars...I am wondering if a diesel would make a lot of difference, and indeed whether i am going to kill an automatic car towing,and if i should get a bigger engine i have read various comments on here ? so any input would be great..
Also braked weight non braked weight ?? am i right in saying if your tow bar has a fitting that puts the breaks on the caravan thats braked ...and how do i check whether it is breaked or not...I have lots of other questions but have got a bit boggled due to reading so much...and how late it has got So will leave it at what i am asking for now, i will have more to ask
sorry if the answers are on here and i have missed them, and also for asking daft questions...But i really want to be confident that i know whats what...
Thanks to any one that will help me here....Katy
------------- Very new need all the help i can get...please...thank you :-/
Your caravan hitch will move back and forth if you push it and pull it ,this is braked. We have 6 KIAS in family so we love the vehicles.I have the largest Sorento Auto for towing. My wife has Picanto Auto.I have been towing nearly 40 years and have found diesels better for that.With you requiring auto i would personally go for slightly larger diesel as petrol will be a higher revving engine.
Either car will tow the caravan. The diesel versions will tow it better. Your fuel costs when towing will be considerably less with a diesel, despite the higher cost of diesel over petrol. Obviously you need to look at overall costs/yearly mileage to work out the cheaper car overall.
Non braked weight refers to towing a small trailer without brakes, this will be much lower weight than allowed for towing heavier caravans with brakes that work as described.
Automatic gearboxes sap power from an engine, so it's always a good idea to go for a bigger engine with an auto. This is especially important when towing, as you'll need all the power you can get.
All cars struggle when towing a caravan, my old Lunar Clubman is a similar weight & I tow it with a 2.7litre automatic BMW (OK, it's almost 30years old, so a bit different, but it still struggles up steep hills).
I wouldn't want to tow with anything under 2 litre with an automatic gearbox, especially with a diesel, although a 1.8 would probably be OK & the 1.6 will tow the caravan, the extra power of a 2 litre would be useful.
As for using autos to tow, well I actually quite like towing with an auto. There's so much to think about whilst towing, having a gearbox which will sort itself out is certainly easier, & they are so much smoother pulling away & changing gears. They do use more fuel than a manual, but as you've got no choice that's just something you'll have to live with.
Check with the manufacturer that the car won't require any extra cooling fans or anything (some autos need extra cooling if they are to be used for towing), but the gearbox should cope fine.
For you quick replies and input, i have more to ask as we go am afraid lol....
I think i may be limited to the cars i have said...but as i have a while ill look what i can afford in the bigger diesels, if i cant get any bigger car ill be happy knowing i can tow my van safe even if it does cost more and i am a bit slow, i will check about the extra cooling ...
I read last night ( i downloaded all sorts ) all vans over a certain weight have to be braked ?? so i thought mine would be, but ill get one of my stapping Sons to push it back and forth....by what you have said , and what i saw when i have been towed by friends twice...its braked, ill go research a few auto diesels now
To all you tenters i am so jealous, i have camped for a lot of years and loved it very much,i miss it very much,it was a lot simpler under canvas, but as age and restricted mobility kicked in i need the van.
One question before i go....is it ok to leave the van attached to the tow bar and on the car ? will that do any harm..to the car or the tow ball ? looks a heavy job to un hook then re hook and i may be on my own at times
Thanks folks
Katy
------------- Very new need all the help i can get...please...thank you :-/
It would be ok to leave 'van hitched to car if there was room on the pitch but generally you might find there isn't unless 'van is very small. You don't have to lift caravan to hitch/unhitch. To unhitch you lift handle & wind jockey wheel until hitch is clear of ball then drive away. To hitch up you need to reverse ball under hitch then wind down onto ball. Takes a bit of practice & if you are on your own you will need a bash plate behind your hitch to prevent marking paintwork if you go too far.
You may need to push caravan in place on pitch unless you pay out for a motor mover. It depends how much you want to spend, but a mover is good for hitching on your own as well. All caravans are braked btw.
Hiya, when winding your jockey wheel up and down make sure its the handle on TOP of it and not on the side like my poor OH did once when we first started , The caravan went down with a mighty crash but luckily there was no damage caused.Now she does it like a pro lol,BTW we used to tow with a 2.0 kia carens diesol and had no probs, now simply because of the extras we have we drive a 1.6 ford galaxy eco boost petrol. It has the same pull as the 2.0 version (max towing braked is 1600 kg) a\nd our van is 1242kg so more than enough. Enjoy your van and happy touring
atb Bill
------------- Bill n Kay
............................
when the going gets tough... get someone else to do it.....
I smile besause I have'nt a clue whats going on... appreciate everything in life especially your friends...
You can leave the car hitched but obviously you cannot use the car independently. You fill find many sites require the car to park alongside the caravan. If you leave it hitched you may have issues levelling the van properly. If it's not levelled you may find water in and out doesn't flow correctly or the fridge may not work.
If you haven't got a mover fitted there's generally folk around on site willing to help if you are alone.
You'll probably find reversing your car to the correct position, under the tow hitch, to hitch up is easier than you think.
I've only recently started caravanning on my own (I still use my vast collection of tents when the weather's better & when I'm on a proper site with facilities) & I had little trouble learning how to hitching up.
I still have to get in & out of the car a couple of times, but my car is quite old & has metal bumpers, so I'm actually OK to bump into it (& often do, very lightly). If you get a bumper protector plate, as Tentz suggests, you'll be fine & you'll avoid damaging your expensive plastic bumpers (they're only a few quid).
The Lunar Micron is only a light van, you may even be able to pull it over an inch or two if you're slightly out when reversing, or there's bound to be someone around to help (I would, if I was asked & I'm sure most other caravanners would be only too happy to as well).
You can't usually leave a caravan hitched to a car. Most pitches are arranged so that the car is parked alongside the caravan. Only once have I left the car in the same position after parking and even then, I had to disengage the hitch to get the caravan level. It was lovely though to just wind down the jockey wheel back onto the hitch when I left!
Anyway, once you're pitched, the whole point of having a caravan is that you have a car to go out for the day in! It's really easy to reverse back to a tow hitch after a while. I line up the middle of my van with the brake light in the back window, and keep stopping and looking to see if I'm anywhere near. On the drive I put a bamboo stick where the hitch is to reverse up to as well. On a site, I might ask someone for help reversing, but it can be done without help!
There is no hard work involved in lifting the hitch off the ball with a jockey wheel, you just wind the handle the right way and up and off it goes. Just make sure you have the caravan handbrake on! LOL!
I drive mine with an auto 1600cc - an old Nissan Almera which does very well. I would however prefer to have an 1800cc just for the extra umph. My caravan is extremely light at just 600kg max weight, and while my car is a bit slow on long slow hills, it's not too bad. I wish someone had told me to make sure my auto was a three speed and not the two it has (or do I mean 3 and not 4? - scuse my lack of technical jargon for transmission), as that would make the long slow hills easier.
They all struggle up long slow hills. Even my old beemer, & that's a 2.7 litre petrol, & has a 4 speed auto box. It's all just part of caravanning, & it's a small price to pay IMO.
I like the bamboo cane idea, I might even use that one myself. If you could somehow attach a similar cane to the car, next to the tow ball, it would make the whole thing a lot easier, you'd just have to line them up.
I know that when the word "Lunar" (written on the gas locker) starts to disappear under my rear parcel shelf, I'm just about there (obviously this changes a little depending on how high you're sitting in the seat, but it's a good indicator).
There's loads of little tricks & tips for reversing, some people use a line of masking tape on the rear windscreen & another down the centre of the caravan window, although this can also change depending on your seating position. You can also buy lots of different reversing aids, but most are unnecessary when a simple bit of tape or garden cane will do.
Personally, I like the garden cane, although I seem to get it right with nothing most times now. I would definitely suggest a bumper protection plate though, as modern plastic bumpers are very expensive to replace (which kind of defeats the object of having them in the first place, but that's a whole other argument ).
"Takes a bit of practice & if you are on your own you will need a bash plate behind your hitch to prevent marking paintwork"
"but a mover is good for hitching on your own as well"
Tentz..Think ill have to ask for help looked at the prices
a bash plate...lol...good idea yes think i will need one of them
"Hiya, when winding your jockey wheel up and down make sure its the handle on TOP of it and not on the side like my poor OH did once when we first started "
OMG..Bill & Kay . !! lol..yes i will try remember that.i guess you only do that the once !!
Steve ...Thanks .not bothered about water or a fridge..am used to tents !! the places am intending to go the most are three day blues festivals, so i wont need to go out for days, if i stay any longer else where yes i guess its better to be able to go out for days and ill unhook the van..i hope.lol..
"You'll probably find reversing your car to the correct position, under the tow hitch, to hitch up is easier than you think"
Matt ..am hoping so but i can see i am going to have to practise
there's bound to be someone around to help (I would, if I was asked & I'm sure most other caravanners would be only too happy to as well).
thats a comfort,i would help if i could too, it was bad enough getting my tents in a tangle, with an audience...lol..reversing on to the ball will be fun...am sure
"On the drive I put a bamboo stick where the hitch is to reverse up to as well"
am pinching that tip thanks Jax
"I drive mine with an auto 1600cc - an old Nissan Almera which does very well. I would however prefer to have an 1800cc just for the extra umph. My caravan is extremely light at just 600kg max weight, and while my car is a bit slow on long slow hills, it's not too bad"
as long as i get t here without the wrath of folk i am holding up. I am seeing if i can run to a Kia soul diesel 1.6 lol am not good at tecnical jargon either
as modern plastic bumpers are very expensive to replace (which kind of defeats the object of having them in the first place, but that's a whole other argument ).
lol am sure i will go through one or two before i get the hang of things
This is a great forum and i am grateful for all your input advic e and tips...thank you... i think i will be spending quite a few hours on an industrail estate for reversing, hitching an un hitching etc....before i set off for real...so excited i cant begin to say..thought my days of just setting out with my tent were over, well they are..but my caravaning is just begining...i hope lol
thanks again every one, much gratitude Katy
------------- Very new need all the help i can get...please...thank you :-/
Good luck with it all, Katybee! Come back and let us know how you get on!
BTW, I can't reverse with my caravan hitched for toffee! It's not been a problem in the two years I've been towing, although if I can find a couple of strong fellas, they can push my van back into position with their fingertips! LOL!
Another "Good Luck" from me too. I doubt we'll meet up, but if I ever see someone on their own with their caravan I will be sure to politely let them know just to let me know if they ever need any help.
It's always nice to get some gratitude on these forums. Just don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. So many people these days seem all too happy to suffer in silence (me included, I'm the worst for asking for assistance when it's needed).
I hope you enjoy your caravanning, it sounds like it'll be just the thing for you to extend your camping lifestyle, it is just another form of camping, after all.
Quote: Originally posted by magsruby on 21/1/2012
They all struggle up long slow hills. Even my old beemer, & that's a 2.7 litre petrol, & has a 4 speed auto box. It's all just part of caravanning, & it's a small price to pay IMO.
I like the bamboo cane idea, I might even use that one myself. If you could somehow attach a similar cane to the car, next to the tow ball, it would make the whole thing a lot easier, you'd just have to line them up....
).
I thought it was just me on the long slow hills, I feel a lot better about it now! Not that my car goes a great deal slower, but the revs and temp go up (not to abnormal levels though)! I've got a little button that drops it down a gear if needs be.
I put the cane in front of the hitch and line that up with middle of the brake light in the back window. When it's touching the car, I know I'm nearly there, whip the cane out of the ground and reverse a few more inches and I'm usually in exactly the right spot. The thing I found hard the first few times was putting the hitch up high enough to get the ball underneath, doh!
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Topic: A few questions
So will leave it at what i am asking for now, i will have more to ask 
& I'm sure most other caravanners would be only too happy to as well).
).
& I'm sure most other caravanners would be only too happy to as well).
).
Katy 
