Manufacturers towing limit...

[Deerfoot]

Morning,

I'm presently looking at getting a caravan. We had a look round a few at a dealer last weekend and the guy we spoke to worked out a few towing weights for our car.

One of the vans he recommended to us has an empty weight in excess of the max towing weigh stated by Honda. Surely this can't be right?

He waffled on about outfit weights and said 'it'll be ok if you load the car correctly' .

I'm not so sure. Any ideas?

[littlebasher]

Deerfoot said:

Morning,

I'm presently looking at getting a caravan. We had a look round a few at a dealer last weekend and the guy we spoke to worked out a few towing weights for our car.

One of the vans he recommended to us has an empty weight in excess of the max towing weigh stated by Honda. Surely this can't be right?

He waffled on about outfit weights and said 'it'll be ok if you load the car correctly' .

I'm not so sure. Any ideas?

You're right to question, it's illegal for starters!

I've been pulled into the services before for random weight checks (especially in the summer on the M5). If they determine that the caravan exceeds the max plated weight of the car, that will be the end of your journey!

If the MIRO is already more than the car can legally tow, just imagine what it would be like after you've loaded the van with all your stuff.

[Deerfoot]

I thought it was odd.

My car has a towing limit of 1100kg, the vans he used as examples have a MRO of 1115kg and 1044kg respectively and a MTPLM of 1330kg and 1268kg yet he still stated that they were able to be towed legally by my Accord.

[littlebasher]

Maybe he confused yours with the Manual version?


Only some of the Autos were 1100kgs - the manuals and petrol autos had 1500, 1600 or 1700kgs towing limits

Seems unusually low for such a large car TBH!

[Deerfoot]

littlebasher said:

Seems unusually low for such a large car TBH!

I know. It is, however, an opportunity for a change I guess...

[R0G]

Towing capacity refers to the max ACTUAL weight a vehicle has been designed to tow and has nothing to do with plated weights

Exceeding the towing capacity can be prosecuted in court under reg 100 C&U if deemed unsafe
Insurance companies may also use any exceeding of the towing capacity as a reason to revoke insurance

It is not illegal to have a plated weight on a trailer or caravan which is greater than the towing capacity

It is not illegal to have a vehicle max weight (GVW) and a trailer (MAM) or caravan (MTPLM) which adds up to more than the GTW
GTW also refers only to the actual weight of the combination not the total of the plated weights

I have a sticky on this = http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Deerfoot]

Many thanks R0G, can you cast your eye over these figures?

car, Accord Tourer 2.2 i-dtec automatic.
kerb weight, 1633kg
max tow, 1100kg,
gross, 2180kg,
train, 3280kg.

van,
MRO, 1115kg,
MTPLM, 1330kg

They say I can tow 1388kg even though it exceeds the max tow of 1100kg advised by Honda.

[R0G]

Deerfoot said:

Many thanks R0G, can you cast your eye over these figures?

car, Accord Tourer 2.2 i-dtec automatic.
kerb weight, 1633kg
max tow, 1100kg,
gross, 2180kg,
train, 3280kg.

van,
MRO, 1115kg,
MTPLM, 1330kg

They say I can tow 1388kg even though it exceeds the max tow of 1100kg advised by Honda.

You cannot do that set up
Max tow is 1100 and empty the van weighs over that at 1115

The person who said it was ok does not know the laws

[Deerfoot]

R0G said:

You cannot do that set up
Max tow is 1100 and empty the van weighs over that at 1115

The person who said it was ok does not know the laws

I thought so. Many thanks.

The troubling thing is this was a branch of a large van retailer (think the things spiders spin), not some small indy.

Once again, many thanks.