Anybody tow a caravan with a Leon? Just wondering whats siszes of caravans could the Leon pull, mines is the 150tdi so engine wise its ok but whats the limits for the chassis. Its would be a braked van so whats the limits? Also can you get twin electrics with the cupra R bumper?
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Didnt think it was legal to tow with an LCR...I think it states this in the handbook...
I'm guessing that because yours is the FR+ (LCR kit) you also shouldnt be towing...
I'm guessing that because yours is the FR+ (LCR kit) you also shouldnt be towing...
ye i remeber seeing something somewhere about curpa r not being able to tow......... something to do with the rear axle set up i think cant remember where i saw it... damn.. must admit though i have seen a lot of leons and not one has been towing or even had a tow bar... strange
I regularaly tow boat trailers with my TDI 150 FR
Probably slightly heavier and longer than a caravan.
No problem at all, it's a great towing car. Ok it hasn't got a 3.0 engine and 4WD but it tows well.
Got the tow bar fitted at Anglia Towbars in Newmarket, there's a limited choice of makes you can fit due to the LCR body kit (make sure to mention that it's LCR rear bumper when you book it in), they fitted a whitter one that looks cool and didn't need a cut in the bumper, much better than the swan neck ones that look a bit dorothy.
The main reason I swapped my LCR for the TDi was so that I could tow. LCR would probably only do about 3mpg with a big trailer on. I get 15-25mpg with the diesel when towing fully loaded trailer.
Probably slightly heavier and longer than a caravan.
No problem at all, it's a great towing car. Ok it hasn't got a 3.0 engine and 4WD but it tows well.
Got the tow bar fitted at Anglia Towbars in Newmarket, there's a limited choice of makes you can fit due to the LCR body kit (make sure to mention that it's LCR rear bumper when you book it in), they fitted a whitter one that looks cool and didn't need a cut in the bumper, much better than the swan neck ones that look a bit dorothy.
The main reason I swapped my LCR for the TDi was so that I could tow. LCR would probably only do about 3mpg with a big trailer on. I get 15-25mpg with the diesel when towing fully loaded trailer.
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Sooty torques
Oooh, careful love.......
Mines 'only' a 130TDI but it's a great tow car. The Leon Mk 1 TDI's did very well in the Tow Car of the Year tests run by the Caravan Club and the Camping & Caravanning Club.
Been towing with first a 110 TDI and for the last 3+ years with my 130 TDI.
Key thing is to IGNORE the limits given in the handbook - most are based on the car with just the driver, one gallon of fuel and NO luggage or load, and at sea-level; they are almost theoretical...
The general rule (which is the safest) is to take the cars kerbweight as given in the handbook and work out what 85% of that weight is. This figure will give you the caravan / trailer MAX LOADED weight you can tow safely. To find out what the max is, every trailer should have a plate mounted where the max load of the trailer is clearly marked.
So if your car's kerbweight is 1300kg, 85% of this is 1105kg. So the 'van you can safely tow has a max plated weight of below 1105kg. Also think about loading margins - how much stuff you intend to load into the 'van.
Do you already own a 'van? If you are buying one, ignore what some dealers will tell you - they base most of their towing limits on engine size
- and go by the max plated weight of the 'van.
Lots of folks who are "experienced" towers tow vans over this figure, but not only does it mean that you are more likely to have an unstable outfit, but that you will also be one of those accused of holding everybody up...
Been towing with first a 110 TDI and for the last 3+ years with my 130 TDI.
Key thing is to IGNORE the limits given in the handbook - most are based on the car with just the driver, one gallon of fuel and NO luggage or load, and at sea-level; they are almost theoretical...
The general rule (which is the safest) is to take the cars kerbweight as given in the handbook and work out what 85% of that weight is. This figure will give you the caravan / trailer MAX LOADED weight you can tow safely. To find out what the max is, every trailer should have a plate mounted where the max load of the trailer is clearly marked.
So if your car's kerbweight is 1300kg, 85% of this is 1105kg. So the 'van you can safely tow has a max plated weight of below 1105kg. Also think about loading margins - how much stuff you intend to load into the 'van.
Do you already own a 'van? If you are buying one, ignore what some dealers will tell you - they base most of their towing limits on engine size
- and go by the max plated weight of the 'van. Lots of folks who are "experienced" towers tow vans over this figure, but not only does it mean that you are more likely to have an unstable outfit, but that you will also be one of those accused of holding everybody up...
Cupraloon
Guest
Tow Bar on a Leon
I'm a little puzzled why is it people all go
when a tow bar is mentioned fitted to a performance car, i had exactly this response with my last car a Prelude vtec, a soon as anyone saw the tow bar, which i used to tow a bike trailer for track days.
Now I want to fit one to my Leon and the choice seems very minimal, as I want a detachable one, and Witter seem to be about the best but the local towing company want £395 to fit it.... Crazy
I'm a little puzzled why is it people all go
when a tow bar is mentioned fitted to a performance car, i had exactly this response with my last car a Prelude vtec, a soon as anyone saw the tow bar, which i used to tow a bike trailer for track days.Now I want to fit one to my Leon and the choice seems very minimal, as I want a detachable one, and Witter seem to be about the best but the local towing company want £395 to fit it.... Crazy
I'm a little puzzled why is it people all go
Now I want to fit one to my Leon and the choice seems very minimal, as I want a detachable one, and Witter seem to be about the best but the local towing company want £395 to fit it.... Crazy
Would exactly say that my leon was a performance car
Sooty torques
Oooh, careful love.......
Just realised that I passed may test on 11 Nov 1997 so that means that anyone after Jan 1997 you have to sit another test. So It might not be this year I go caravaning lol
Is that right? I had it in my head that this re-test was only when you wanted to tow trailers above a certain weight / size ?
Sooty torques
Oooh, careful love.......
I'm a little puzzled why is it people all go
"Performance" cars usually make much better towcars due to the power-weight ratio, closer gearing, beefier brakes and stiffer suspension. They always do very well in the Towcar / Year tests. However, don't go confusing caravan mags interpretation of "Performance" with likes of Ferrari, Lambo, etc. etc.
I mainly use my towbar to tug trailers full of logs around for the stove and bags of apples to make cider
yeah, mine ain't an LCR but I don't give a monkey's what anyone else thinks. Street cred? It's all in the mind... ![[B)]](/forums/styles/seatcupra/oldforumsmileys/shades.gif "Cool [B)]")
Is that right? I had it in my head that this re-test was only when you wanted to tow trailers above a certain weight / size ?
It's trailers above 750kg you need to do a separate test for now - before the change there was no limit.
You also lose 7.5T truck and minibus entitlement on the new license laws - hence why I currently hassling work to pay for my LGV C and D1 tests!
Yip anything over 750kg and its a separate test. As well as not being able to drive a mini bus. But I can drive upto 7.5 ton and a long wheel based van
I dont quite see the logic in that. That means I could drive a (small )skip lorry, or smaller lorries.
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Found this. Did you know that drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to tow large trailers and gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles. Category B Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and with up to 8 passenger seats may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) OR a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.
All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM.
All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM.
Yip anything over 750kg and its a separate test. As well as not being able to drive a mini bus. But I can drive upto 7.5 ton and a long wheel based van
You shouldn't be able to drive anything over 3.5T - check your license entitlements - you should have C1 if you can drive up to 7.5T.
Long wheelbased vans are generally 3.5T - so come under the B category on your license
Yip so I'll be ok towing a small caravan with a family sized car as long as the weight does not exceed 3.5t or the trailer does not 85% of the cars mam wieght. I'd be stuck if I had a 4x4 Land R with a big caravan. Though. I'm going to try for the test is between a 2-4 day course depending on experiance but it aint cheep
No - I've been looking into the costs for my D1 & C categories - it's about £2000 worth of training!
I'm not too bothered about doing my B+E at the moment - I don't really have any need to tow right now and my fiancée has done her trailer test to allow her to tow horses anyway
I'm not too bothered about doing my B+E at the moment - I don't really have any need to tow right now and my fiancée has done her trailer test to allow her to tow horses anyway
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