caravan towing virgins...

Rolandtheroadie

pulliptears wrote: »

Shame its not a car we would choose lol

Our chryslers also rated at 1700kg

pulliptears

scotsman4th wrote: »

Our chryslers also rated at 1700kg

And I bet if you check the US Spec for your car it allows few hundred kilos more. Madness!

vaio

maybe US kilos are smaller (like their gallons)

Maybeanotherday

Think we've sussed it....theres a website that actually makes sense on this...basically it's stating that you can't have a combined weight of more than 3500kg our golf weighs approx 1800kg so we should just scrap getting a 4berth?
Just need to figure out how to drive with one now lol

marlot

You can tow a reasonable sized caravan, but the rules are a little complex.

The best summary I've found is available here (download the guide, it has an excellent flowchart).

http://www.iwt.co.uk/customer-care/faq-categories/1358/1761

ScottishSapper

skellett wrote: »

Just need to figure out how to drive with one now lol

Dead easy - honest, biggest problem you will find is forgetting that it is on there.

Seriously, more and more places are offering courses, Not only for 'virgins' but those who have held licence for years.

Shame you are not up here in God's country, there is the annual outdoor exhibition in Glasgow end of this week. They have 'experts' there from most of the Caravan clubs and they offer free (oh I love that word must say it again Free!) manoeuvring sessions (oops change of font from spell check!)

Dr.Shoe_2

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough.

The 50% rule means that the prime mover (towing vehicle) should be 50% heavier than the trailer. I do believe that this is more of a guideline than an actual law as it allows for you to put extras in the caravan like bikes and awnings and furniture etc.

I must confess though that I did not know about the 3,500kg law though it is irrelevant to me but it will almost certainly apply to my daughter should she ever get the idea that she wants to tow a caravan so it's now filed away for futre reference. Many thanks.

The reason why the ratings are different in the states is because they tend to have straighter roads and have very low speed limits on bends (15mph in places) and a highway limit of 65 in most states or even 55 in some. Moreover, the Americans don't have the same attitude to safety that we have hence trucks with no side bars etc.

pitkin2020

Go to your local driving test centre and find an instructor to teach you and then test you, you can then get the addition added to license to tow heavier caravans once passed. You will also learn how to do it properly.

creased-leach

Do look at the trailer tent option. We used one with four young kids- and had some of our best ever hols in them. If not, then maybe a folding camper?

However, last week we stumbled upon a major bargain. We bought a 2 berth Swift Corniche- which weighs 750kg- with an awning. There are now 4 of us, eldest will be sleeping in the awning, the rest of us will be using the king size bed. It would easily sleep two adults and two little uns.

skoda38

hi, how about a folding camper. half way between a trailer tent and a caravan

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CONWAY-TARDIS-Folding-Camper_W0QQitemZ290397610958QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_SportsLeisure_HikingCamping_Tents_JN?hash=item439d0be3ce