Hi I've got a 2002 5 door hatchback 1.9TDi 81kW

I am thinking about buying a caravan but I am not sure how suitable the car is.

The log book gives the kerb weight as 1431kgs (mass in service) so applying the 85% rule means I should be able to tow up to 1216kgs which would be OK for my needs (small 2 berth van)

But I am concerned about noseweight. Skoda quote a maximum hitch weight of 60kgs and the carvan club recommend that an optimum caravan noseweight is 7% of it's laden weight which for a 1216kgs caravn would be 85kgs. Too much.

Following that theory I would only be able to tow 857kgs laden weight. A VERY small van.

I thought the Octavia (wherebveit the old model) was a good tow car.

Am I missing something.

Most cars towbars only allow 75kg, which is more than enough usually. We used to use a rule that if you could pick up the front of the van but it was heavy it was ok. too light is also bad. Also if you check your jockey wheel is unlikely to be rated at more than 75- 100kg max. Basically the caravan club issue guides not rules

I have a witter bar on my vRS this is tested to allow upto 70kgs noseweight as stamped on the load sticker. The bar was supplied and fitted by the dealer and they assure me that the weight specified by witter is correct for the vRS, as witter iirc only make one fixed towbar for the octavia hatchback it should be the same weight for your Octavia too.

I have towed a caravan for a few years and have ALWAYS uprated the rear suspension to heavy duty or progresively wound springs as it seriously improves the stability when towing. I really recommend the springs for a company called M.A.D.

The rating for the tow bar is a daft really as they may state the it can take a static load of 62kg, but in reality this load changes by the bump (in the road!) the caravan obvioulsy pivots on the axle which changes the load on the tow bar. Lots of beginners question this on the Practical Caravan Forum and the answer is generally the same. The towbar will withstand towing stresses. Its the weight of the caravan and othe overtrain wieght that you need to be worried about. the 85% rule is what you want to be aiming for allthough lots of people legaly tow at higher than this. You are doing the right thing checking the weights...

When you tow for the first time, its like learning to drive all over again:rofl:

The diesel Octavia's are excellent towing cars, I use mine to tow a 5.5m RIB boat, all up with the engine and trailer it weighs about 1000kg. My 66kw TDi doesn't really notice it and is very stable at 60mph(ish) on the motorway. I've even overtaken cars on roads through mid-Wales. According to Parkers the max towing weight is 1300kg for my car (I'll look in the handbook tomorrow and post up). Remember if your driving licence is issued after January 1999 you can only tow something where the maximum authorised mass (MAM) of the trailer is less than the unladen weight of the car and the car + trailer has to come under 3500kg on a weighbridge (ref: Towing trailers or caravans with vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes : Directgov - Motoring)

The Parkers figure of 1300kg permissible trailer weight (braked) is correct for the 66kW TDI Hatchback and Combi. The max noseweight is 60kg for that engine.

I've had a look in the Skoda techinical suppliment that came with my car (08/98 onwards) and it states:

50kW SDi - braked 850kg

66kW TDi - braked 1200kg

81kW TDi - braked 1200kg

Unbraked trailer (all models) 500kg

Nose weight min 25kg, max 60kg

I have towed a caravan for a few years and have ALWAYS uprated the rear suspension to heavy duty or progresively wound springs as it seriously improves the stability when towing. I really recommend the springs for a company called M.A.D.

The rating for the tow bar is a daft really as they may state the it can take a static load of 62kg, but in reality this load changes by the bump (in the road!) the caravan obvioulsy pivots on the axle which changes the load on the tow bar. Lots of beginners question this on the Practical Caravan Forum and the answer is generally the same. The towbar will withstand towing stresses. Its the weight of the caravan and othe overtrain wieght that you need to be worried about. the 85% rule is what you want to be aiming for allthough lots of people legaly tow at higher than this. You are doing the right thing checking the weights...

When you tow for the first time, its like learning to drive all over again:rofl:

Not towing for the first time but I've had a ten year sabbatical!! Thanks for your assistance.

I've had a look in the Skoda techinical suppliment that came with my car (08/98 onwards)..

The figures I quoted above come from the later (12.00) Skoda Octavia Technical data supplement. No minimum noseweight is specified.