IF YOU’RE LUCKY enough to be able to afford a new vehicle, you should check out Practical Caravan’s annual Awards, which list the best new tow cars in a range of weight and price brackets.
However, if you don’t want to splurge all of your hard-earned on a new motor, you’ll be researching the pre-owned market.
As someone definitely in the latter camp, I’ve pulled together a list of tow cars from the past decade that really impressed me. Anecdotally, I’ve chosen models and brands with a good reputation for reliability and resilience. I’ve also drawn up a list of points to consider when you choose your next car.
CRITERIA FOR BUYING USED
Tow match
Can the car you fancy tow your caravan? The main question is likely to be weights, specifically your car’s kerbweight versus the caravan’s MTPLM (the maximum weight your van can be when fully loaded for towing). You’re likely to find the kerbweight in the car’s manual; it will also be in the V5C vehicle handbook, listed as the mass in service. The caravan’s MTPLM is on the weightplate, usually by the van door.
Sensible guidelines state that novice caravanners shouldn’t tow a van weighing more than 85% of their car’s kerbweight. For example, a 1500kg MTPLM tourer will require a tow car weighing 1765kg – if you’re a novice.
For the seasoned tow car driver, the allowance is 100%, so you’d technically only need a 1500kg tow car to pull the same caravan.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Summer 2023-Ausgabe von Practical Caravan.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Summer 2023-Ausgabe von Practical Caravan.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
DASH CAMS
John Sootheran explores the 'big brother' world of dash cams - with caravanners in mind...
CARAVAN SAT-NAVS
State-of-the art satellite navigation just for caravanners? Yes, it exists. John Sootheran investigates
COACHMAN ACADIA 460
This comfortable two-berth is a welcome addition to the range, although the décor might not suit everyone
SWIFT SPRITE EXCLUSIVE QUATTRO MB
Innovative design in the latest addition to this popular range provides a cleverly repositioned corner bed
NORTH WALES FROM ALL ANGLES
Peter Baber finds Palladian splendour, mighty castles and fashionable hotspots on a tour of North Wales
SOUTHERN SEES
Titanic struggles, medieval halls and otters are among the many highlights of Victor Charles' Hampshire tour
LAKES, RIVERS & CANALS
Get a brand-new perspective on the UK by exploring its lakes and waterways on your next caravan tour!
Feeling Peaky
A journey through the Peak District's Hope Valley leads Susan Taylor through caves and caverns, Pride and Prejudice, and an attempted push up Mam Tor
Easy ULLSWATER
Within reach of the M6, Penrith is the perfect launchpad for a jaunt around Ullswater, as Peter Baber discovers on a Lake District tour
83 ERRORS TO AVOID!
Veteran or first-timer, there's always something new to learn about caravanning, especially when it comes to sidestepping mistakes that could spoil your fun! Our expert team has decades of caravanning experience under their belts, so here we reveal the errors we've made - and learned from - over the years, to help you avoid doing the same in future...