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Subject Topic: Lightweight Vans anyone??
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Message posted by romany girl on 31/7/2010 at 8:40am
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Sadly Lunar have ceased production of their lightest weight van range, the Zenith, which is such a shame, as our 2006 model Max laden weight is only 1150kg for a 4.60mtr bodylength 4 berth with quite a few mod cons.

I would love to see a new caravan produced similar to our own layout with more basic equipment. We would love a two long front bench/bunks across a single rear dinette layout, manual flush loo, which has less to go wrong, less lights dotted everywhere to save on weight (12 internal lights in our caravan for a space 15ftx7 ft is rather rediculous, and we dont use half of them!) plenty of deep lockers including across the front of the caravan, and a bunk bed that can be taken out and left at home when not required. Also when will manufacturers follow suit with their removable carpets, and make removable washable upholstry covers, which would be so much more practical for those with children and dogs?

My final wish would be for a couple of front benches that could be used as fairly wide, maybe 2ft6ins, comfortable singles, for adults who do not wish, or find it a struggle, due to being elderly or having disabilities to make up a front double every night, but dont want to go down the fixed rear bed option due to the added size and weight required in a van to fit them in?

Julia  



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Message posted by MattCharlie on 31/7/2010 at 9:49am
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I don't struggle with my license. Im 22 and tow a 2 beth Besaccarr Cameo (1450Kg) with a Ford Mondeo. There are plenty of offerings from Bailey, Lunar and even some older Swifts that would be ok weight wise for a 5 berth.

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Charlie

Message posted by alan29 on 31/7/2010 at 5:44pm
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We needed a lightweight van when we were buying. Dealers told us that it was the most common request and they could sell them many times over.

Message posted by janus on 31/7/2010 at 11:50pm
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Quote: Originally posted by nelmo on 30/7/2010
 My Santa Fe is about 1900kg and the van (5-berth) is 1500kg max - ok, only 100kg under but it's a German (thus heavy) van and the SF is pretty hefty. A Mondeo estate is lighter and there are several lighter 5-berths around, aren't there...?

BTW, the Adria range is pretty light...

Your Santa Fe would be a very difficult car for someone with only a B licence to match a caravan with, the 1900kg is the kerbweight and I would imagine the maximum laden weight is about 2600kg at least which would mean that it could only be matched with a caravan that had a MTPLM of 900kg. The licence restriction is that the MAM of the car added to the MTPLM of the caravan must be less than 3500kg and it is the only offence where the technical maximums rather than the actual weights are the deciding factor.

My mondeo on the other hand has a kerbweight of 1496kg and a MAM of 2025kg so is legal for someone with a B licence to tow a caravan up to a MTPLM of 1475kg, It is a flaw in the law that makes large heavy vehicles almost impossible for a person with a B licence to tow with legally.



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Bill

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Message posted by janus on 31/7/2010 at 11:54pm
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Quote: Originally posted by MattCharlie on 31/7/2010
I don't struggle with my license. Im 22 and tow a 2 beth Besaccarr Cameo (1450Kg) with a Ford Mondeo. There are plenty of offerings from Bailey, Lunar and even some older Swifts that would be ok weight wise for a 5 berth.
That is the way to do it, get a good sized family car with good towing characteristics and match it with a slightly lighter caravan. Done like this there are lots of modern caravans that are easily and safely towable by anyone.

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Bill

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