Hi
My husband and I are looking at buying our 1st caravan.
We have been looking around and really like the layout of the Bailey Pageant Bretagne, we have 2 small children and the fixed bunks really appeal.
The Baileys MTPLM is 1409kg. The issue we are having is finding a suitable tow car to match with it. We have about 5k to spend on the car, but because we both passed car tests after 1997 (as I understand it) we can only tow up to 3.5tonne combined weight?
What good tow cars would keep us under this limit and under the 85% recommended weight?
A diesel Vectra would just about be legal with gross weights of vehicle & caravan just within 3.5tonnes but well over 85% tho. A better towcar for this caravan would be summat like a Galaxy but over 3.5tonnes tho.
No not correct Zoe. The OP was right about the 3500 kg max MAM of the car and van combined and the kerbweight of the car must be higher than the MTPLM of the van.
Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 03/10/2010
A better towcar for this caravan would be summat like a Galaxy but over 3.5tonnes tho.
Would it? I thought a Galaxy was about 2,000kg kerbweight? Which would make the suggested outfit just under 3,500 kg (but only just, admittedly).
For the OP, our Geist is about the same weight as the Bailey and we have the old shape Sante Fe which has a kerbweight of about 1900kg or so, which keeps the train weight under 3,500kg (unless I'm using the wrong figures?).
For £5k, you could get a decent SF (our '05 model cost £7k), although a Galaxy is more economical and practical a car but not, IMO, as reliable.
------------- 'In later life, you will be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than with the things you did.' - Mark Twain
The OP would need a vehicle with a kerb weight of 1,657kgs or greater to achieve 85% this is obviously greater than the MTPLM of the caravan but the MAM of the vehicle will be around 2,500kgs and it is the sum of vehicle's MAM and the caravan's MTPLM that must be below 3,500kgs to remain legal.
Either the OP has to drive a unit that doesn't follow the 85% recommendation or they take the B&E test which I understand is not hard - expensive maybe but not hard.
------------- Caravanning is a way of getting a cheap holiday out of an expensive hobby
Quote: Originally posted by Rune Caster on 04/10/2010
The OP would need a vehicle with a kerb weight of 1,657kgs or greater to achieve 85% this is obviously greater than the MTPLM of the caravan but the MAM of the vehicle will be around 2,500kgs and it is the sum of vehicle's MAM and the caravan's MTPLM that must be below 3,500kgs to remain legal.
Either the OP has to drive a unit that doesn't follow the 85% recommendation or they take the B&E test which I understand is not hard - expensive maybe but not hard.
Ahh, OK....er...what's MAM?
(Blimey, I thought I knew all this )
------------- 'In later life, you will be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than with the things you did.' - Mark Twain
Quote: Originally posted by Rune Caster on 04/10/2010
The OP would need a vehicle with a kerb weight of 1,657kgs or greater to achieve 85% this is obviously greater than the MTPLM of the caravan but the MAM of the vehicle will be around 2,500kgs and it is the sum of vehicle's MAM and the caravan's MTPLM that must be below 3,500kgs to remain legal.
Either the OP has to drive a unit that doesn't follow the 85% recommendation or they take the B&E test which I understand is not hard - expensive maybe but not hard.
Ahh, OK....er...what's MAM?
(Blimey, I thought I knew all this )
That’s lost me too!
Perhaps UKCS could have an abbreviations list we could all refer to?
We looked at Bailey Pageant Bretagne and even had deposit down until we discovered the sales man had advised us wrongly and we couldn't tow it with our old Mondoe, so we waited and when we got our heavier mondoe we looked again, thought we are glad we didn't get it as the kids had grown and we decided the bunks we going to soon be too small. We went for a Geist and haven’t looked back.
When the kids were a lot smaller and we would have had several years from it would have probably suited us, but had they been very small I would have preferred their area away from the door.
We have been looking around and have heard good things about the Nissan X Trail 2.2. Would this be suitable for use with the Bailey? I think its weight is 2050kg, so would be just under the 3.5tonne limit.
Will eventually get round to taking the new test, but money is an issue at the moment as I am a SAHM.
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: Car and Caravan Help Please!
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