Can I Tow 1500 Kilos With 1430 Kilo Kerb Weight Mpv

[exkiaman]

How do folks feel about a Mondeo Estate with a 1615kg kerbweight and a 2200kg towing limit? It's GVW is only a bit above the max. towing weight at 2360kg. No mention of a noseweight on the stats I've seen. It's a Titanium X Sport 2. 2TDCi Automatic.

 

Come on, Andy, this is a separate question & should go in a separate thread. .......not hijack someone elses & you a mod!

[ancell]

Post 24

 

I have towed it with my ford galaxy 1803 kerb weight 100 kilo drawbar max.

 

Uphill downhill in gusty conditions and foul weather.

The rig has always been rock steady.

 

Now I am changing my tow car.

On paper the heavier C4 grand will tow 1700 kilos but my caravan dealer has much more experience than me and he states the C4 is not up to the job.

 

I am keen to get the C4 its a much more sophisticated vehicle than the ford and a much better drive based on my 1 hour test drive including motorway but I do not want to find going up a steep highland road in gusty rainy conditions the van swaying behind.

[Guest]

Or even worse going downhill with the van beside you

 

In the end it's you decision but an expensive one if it's wrong. If your heart is set on the C4 then you can always buy a smaller van

[Steamdrivenandy]

 

Come on, Andy, this is a separate question & should go in a separate thread. .......not hijack someone elses & you a mod!

 

It's an associated question with a car that's lighter than it's tow limit.

[ancell]

I am off to look at the now rather ancient-design wise-S-Max its 1700 kilos kerb weight.

 

I am not amused with certain vehicle manufacturers-see my previous posts.

 

I expect to read a manufacturers spec and get accurate information this is not the case for citroen renault peugeot Vauxhall and Nissan MPVs and that's just the ones my dealer mentioned!

[Guest]

How do folks feel about a Mondeo Estate with a 1615kg kerbweight and a 2200kg towing limit? It's GVW is only a bit above the max. towing weight at 2360kg. No mention of a noseweight on the stats I've seen. It's a Titanium X Sport 2. 2TDCi Automatic.

Kerb weight refer to the car, towing limit refer to the engine power to pull the car + trailer.

[BrianI]

How do folks feel about a Mondeo Estate with a 1615kg kerbweight and a 2200kg towing limit? It's GVW is only a bit above the max. towing weight at 2360kg. No mention of a noseweight on the stats I've seen. It's a Titanium X Sport 2. 2TDCi Automatic.

I believe Mondeos from around four years ago onwards have a 90kg noseweight.

Brian

[Steamdrivenandy]

Kerb weight refer to the car, towing limit refer to the engine power to pull the car + trailer.

 

I recognise that, but in theory, with an emptyish car it could be pulling a van 1. 36 times its own weight. Which may be fine given the grunt in the motor but in adverse conditions it could be lethal surely?

[dreadly]

The OP has already stated he wants an MPV. Why are we discussing Mundano's ?

[Guest]

Is it to confuse or just for a bit of sport

[ancell]

Post 34 perhaps SDA is going for a 1000 post.

 

Again :D

[milkymarsh]

I am off to look at the now rather ancient-design wise-S-Max its 1700 kilos kerb weight.

 

I am not amused with certain vehicle manufacturers-see my previous posts.

 

I expect to read a manufacturers spec and get accurate information this is not the case for citroen renault peugeot Vauxhall and Nissan MPVs and that's just the ones my dealer mentioned!

Smax is a good tow car. Just stick with the manual. If we'd bought a manual version, we would prob still have it, as it was one of the most stable towcars we have towed with. We had no issue towing 1500kg with it.

Good luck

[ancell]

I drove and towed for 800000 miles using manual g/boxes the I got a BMW series 5 straight 6 turbo diesel auto.

Now completed almost 200000 miles auto shift.

post 37

 

I am not returning to manual auto is much easier for my up to 400 miles per day trips.

As the vehicle is a motability MPV I just lease it for 3 years and get a new one.

I have no complaints regarding my Ford Galaxy its done 50000 miles with me NIL faults 41 MPG towed my swift challenger 540 no problem with its 6 speed 2 litre diesel.

Design wise its pretty long in the tooth and for me ford have put up the price astronomically for such an elderly design.

 

The Grand Picassos 2014 brand new engine chassis etc just blows the ford away on the basis of my 1 hour test drive.

Reliability wise who can tell- my last Grand C was far from reliable.

 

I will probably take a chance on the 1470 kilo kerb weight model same HP as the ford and gamble it is overweight-as usual-I only need 30 kilos to come up to 100%.

[Steamdrivenandy]

Manufacturers appear to be moving towards quoting kerbweights without the 75kg allowance for a nominal driver and gear. Certainly the VW Group have gone that way with recent launches. The latest Octavia and Yeti brochures have a footnote on the weight tables explaining it. At first glance it makes you think they've made a massive weight saving between models, but it ain't so.

Maybe PSA have done the same? Trouble is if a brochure copy writer doesn't realise the significance then that sort of info can get left out.

Maybe your Citroen dealer should do some real digging with Slough and find out for you.

[CommanderDave]

You need to check the train weight as well as the other weights as Citroen sometimes quote towing figures on a number of passengers and towing limit. The more passengers the less it can tow.

 

 

Dave

[Paul_B]

Post 24

 

I have towed it with my ford galaxy 1803 kerb weight 100 kilo drawbar max.

 

Uphill downhill in gusty conditions and foul weather.

The rig has always been rock steady.

 

Now I am changing my tow car.

On paper the heavier C4 grand will tow 1700 kilos but my caravan dealer has much more experience than me and he states the C4 is not up to the job.

 

I am keen to get the C4 its a much more sophisticated vehicle than the ford and a much better drive based on my 1 hour test drive including motorway but I do not want to find going up a steep highland road in gusty rainy conditions the van swaying behind.

 

I looked at the C4 too and that's what the dealer told me, he had a Avensis estate (my first choice) but that was sold, he told me to sit in it & try it for comfort.

 

He said I would be better of with a mondeo both for towing & comfort, unfortunately he only had petrol ones.

 

I'm probably wrong but I prefer to look at kerb weights when deciding on a set up

[ancell]

I must have a 7 seater MPV and it must suit my disability requirements.

 

I have looked around and nothing comes near the brand new technology of this years citroen Picasso grand based on my thorough test of its capabilities on winding twisty Scottish roads and the M8 motorway.

I am going to get- in built sat nav- rear view camera- climate control- sun blinds- self dipping mirror- folding wing mirrors- paddle shift gear change- electric auto hand brake and keyless ignition and these are only the ones I remember.

All the above are in addition to fords "extras" alloy wheels.

The fords inaccurate cruise control is a joke-at least mine was.

I forgot a speedo my 66 year old eyes can read-its digital-in fact the whole dash is digital at eye level a detail I have missed on the ancient galaxy.

Bending down to fiddle with the heater controls is not a good idea.

I realise you either love or hate auto electric hand brakes I got used to the C4s one it did take several months.

The ford hand brake is hard to engage and has never been much good from new you need a fair bit strength to pull mines on a real bummer towing to a stop on a slope at a junction.

 

You can see where this is going I am ordering my C4 on Saturday-the earliest appointment available-curious sales technique

[Guest]

I think I'd prefer a safe tow rather than lots of toys, lights bells & whistles. Lets hope we don't hear about you on the news

[ancell]

Just cannot face another 3 years of the boring ford galaxy with its poor handbrake and hard to live with cock pit.

 

I was very happy with it before my test drive of the C4 Grand though.

I was hoping to get the 1. 6 litre diesel but I am getting the heaviest spec the Blue-HDi150

The kerb weight is 1476 kilos.

Same diesel HP as the galaxy but 61 combined MPG even if that's 10 MPG overstated that's better than my galaxy s 41MPG over 50000 miles!

It will never drive itself so that's us up to 100%

Plus citroen are famous for under reporting vehicle weights Autocars test C4 was 200 kilos over the documented weight.

 

I have had a lot of useful tips on this thread so I will be getting it weighed.

 

I have been towing caravans for 40 years so I am confident I can deal with any difficulties

[Steamdrivenandy]

Most mags recommend the 1. 6, which is £4,000 cheaper, but it only pulls 1500kg and only weighs 1320kg. Not sure how moving to a 2 litre adds both four grand and 340lbs.

 

For some reason Drive the Deal don't offer the auto C4GP, however the manual version attracts a 17. 8% discount off list price which if repeated on the auto would save circa £5k

 

For Spacious and practical cabin, and Exclusive trim has lots of desirable equipment. The 2. 0-litre diesel engine has low CO2 emissions given its power output.

Against The engine is noisy and the ride is too easily unsettled by lumps and bumps. This is a pricey Grand C4 Picasso.

Impressive ride quality, improved interior finish, very practical and family friendly.

New control interface system isn't the easiest to use, useless glovebox

[ancell]

I am getting mines under the motability scheme so the costings are completely different

The 2 litre only costs £400 more for me.

I was not prepared to pay that at first for a miserly 17BHP more but it is heavier I suspect because of different g/box drive train suspension etc plus more kit it all adds weight.

For towing this works against normal criteria-the lighter the better.

Still get the aluminium bonnet and tail gate though.

 

Of course the vehicle is packed with electronics there must be chips everywhere thats bad news for a private buy given citroens place at the bottom third of the JD Power Survey.

My experience with my previous one was not perfect.

Citroen fixed everything from out to lunch engine management system to 3 burned out windscreen washer motors in the same day.

But that was a day gone for me every time toeing and froeing the 15 miles to the dealer.

 

To repeat once more my one hour test drive sold the new machine for me and a possible 55MPG+ from an almost 7 seat MPV!

[Guest]

I'm sort of intrigued with this thread.

 

The OP asked a question/advice and no one on here has given him the answer he wants. Even dealers have suggested that what he want's isn't ideal but despite that he's still going ahead.

 

Why bother asking the question if you've made up your mind and are going to totally ignore all the advice

[Steamdrivenandy]

To repeat once more my one hour test drive sold the new machine for me and a possible 55MPG+ from an almost 7 seat MPV!

 

The Honest John real mpg site only has one entry for a C4GP so far and that says 47mpg, but unfortunately it doesn't say which actual model that applies to.

[Rodders53]

I'm sort of intrigued with this thread.

 

The OP asked a question/advice and no one on here has given him the answer he wants. Even dealers have suggested that what he want's isn't ideal but despite that he's still going ahead.

 

Why bother asking the question if you've made up your mind and are going to totally ignore all the advice

 

I think I have given him the answer he wants. .. Citroen do not give the kerbweight in the brochure (despite labelling a mass in the spec as that) rather they give the Unladen Weight of the vehicle.

 

The Mass In Service of the vehicle is also given by Citroen in their spec and is suitably above the 1500kg of the caravan so it will be a pretty good match In Service i. e in practical use.

 

I'm fairly confident he'll be fine and safe with the combination. I can't be 100% without sight of the V5 with the MIS on it.

 

It's a great shame Citroen have made that mistake in labelling the mass in the spec. It will result in many people dismissing the vehicle as a potential tug as it will be / is used by sites like Honest John and the Caravan club matching service as 'gospel'... just like they do for the Freelander 2 using the 'from xxx' figure Land Rover publish for all models although they are mostly heavier.

[Steamdrivenandy]

 

I think I have given him the answer he wants. .. Citroen do not give the kerbweight in the brochure (despite labelling a mass in the spec as that) rather they give the Unladen Weight of the vehicle.

 

The Mass In Service of the vehicle is also given by Citroen in their spec and is suitably above the 1500kg of the caravan so it will be a pretty good match In Service i. e in practical use.

 

This is very similar to the comment I posted earlier. Skoda certainly appear to have moved away from quoting a kerbweight with allowance for driver and fluids on all their recent vehicles and they label the data as such in their brochures. This makes the cars look much lighter than their predecessors, but if you add the 75kg back in there's not a lot of difference to the old models.

 

I suspect that it will become standard for all manufacturers to quote such a figure instead of what we know as kerbweight and if that's so it does rather mess up the 85% recommendation as a guideline.