Outfit Matching is the term used to describe whether a particular car and caravan are suitable for use together. Many of the principles involved are described in more detail in our range of Information Leaflets, but an overview is provided here. For definitions of the specialist terminology used, see our Glossary of Caravanning Terms.
1. Outfit weight ratio
2. Car manufacturer's towing limit
3. Gross train weight
4. Noseweight
5. Engine characteristics
6. Outfit matching telephone helpline
As a general rule, you need to ensure that the car is significantly heavier than the caravan, in order to minimise the risk of caravan instability at higher speeds. The Club recommends that the loaded weight of the caravan should ideally not exceed 85% of the car's kerbweight.
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While in principle you can tow a caravan up to this limit, you should bear in mind that in many cases this figure is based primarily on a fairly modest hill start test, and is not therefore an indication of acceptable (or even necessarily safe) performance under other towing conditions, such as motorway driving.
Note also that if you are towing a small trailer tent (for instance) which doesn't have brakes of its own, then you need to comply with the unbraked towing limit, not the braked limit, which will apply for most caravans. Watch out too for limits which vary depending on how many passengers are in the car, or how steep a hill you expect to drive up.
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A legally-significant limit, which should be stated by the car manufacturer for newer cars (from 1998). Some manufacturers make this an easy assessment, by defining it as being the sum of the car's Gross Vehicle Weight and Towing Limit. Others, especially those selling MPVs, sometimes set the figure lower than this, meaning that you may not be able to load the car to its full capacity if you need to use the full extent of the Towing Limit, or may find you have a reduced Towing Limit if the car is significantly loaded.
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The Club recommends you aim for a noseweight load which is 7% of the caravan's actual weight when loaded, but manufacturers' limitations may make this difficult for some combinations. Watch out for cars with low noseweight limits or for caravans with a distinct forward weight bias. Make sure that the limits of the tow bar (usually marked on it) and the caravan hitch (usually either 75kg or 100kg) are not exceeded. If there is a difference between these various noseweight limits, then whichever is the lowest applies.
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More power is generally good, but for hill starts and maintaining a steady speed in varying terrain, a good torque characteristic is equally important. A healthy maximum output, at as low engine revs as possible, is the optimum for towing - one of the reasons why many of the recent Towcar of the Year winners have been turbo diesels.
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You should find the relevant figures to make these assessments in the manufacturers' handbooks, or on identification plates attached to the vehicle. If you're assessing a car or caravan that you don't already own, query your dealer for these details, or try to find a relevant road test article in one of our magazine issues.
However, Club members can also contact us for help and advice concerning outfit matching. We use a computer database of car and caravan technical details, plus extensive archives of manufacturers' information and test reports, to provide detailed information very quickly.
Due to the complex nature of outfit matching advice, however, we find it preferable to deal with these enquiries by telephone, rather than by letter or email. This lets us ask questions to fully understand your needs and priorities, and ensures you get the best possible advice.
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Please have the following details of the car and caravan you want compared to hand:
Car |
Caravan |
| Make |
Make |
| Model |
Range |
| Body style |
Model |
| Derivative / Trim style |
No. of berths |
| Engine size and type |
Year of manufacture |
| Year or registration number |
|
The Outfit Matching Service is available principally to Club members, via the number given at the link below. You will need to be logged into the website before viewing the Outfit Matching telephone number.
If you are not a Club member, but are a novice just taking up caravanning, contact the Outfit Matching Service via The Club's main switchboard number (01342 326 944), and we will offer basic outfit matching advice if our Information Officers are not dealing with Club member enquiries.
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