Car towing weight limits - explained: | Go-Pods Micro Tourer Caravans | Go-Pods.co.uk
Not all cars can tow but those that can have a maximum weight limit applied.
Cars have two limits - unbraked trailors and braked trailers. Braked trailers can be heavier, as they're not relying on the car for slowing down. Go-Pods have a built in AL-KO braking system, so the larger of the shown limits applies.
If your 'braked towing allowance' is 750Kg or over you can tow a Go-Pod.
The best place to find your vehicles 'braked towing allowance' is to check your V5 document.
However, it's not always on the V5 so click here for advice on other places to look.
The Technical Stuff
The 2021 model Go-Pods leaves our Portuguese factory weighing 490Kg. This is the official MiRO which forms part of the Type Approval Certification for this caravan.
On reaching our UK workshops, we upgrade Go-Pods to British style electrics and add certain other parts, thus increasing the weight to 540Kg - the ‘on the road’ weight, not including any accessories that you have added when ordering. This figure does not allow for any water that you may add to the toilet or other personal items.
This figure has changed over the years, due to constant improvements to the Go-Pods spec. Please refer to the model pages for the latest figures.
Due to the manufacturing process, some variation in weight is inevitable and should be allowed for by the customer.
For people with ample towing allowances of over 750Kg all this jargon is of little concern...
Go-Pods have a 750Kg MTPLM, offering generous user payloads.
The MTPLM is sometimes referred to as the MAM or 'maximum authorised mass'.
Owners of pre-2019 models wishing to check weights, might prefer to visit a public weighbridge but should be aware that these are often less accurate than we'd hope. Many report tolerances of up to 60Kg & can be further affected by rain, maintenance schedules etc.
Be mindful of your car's capacity, (as it is your responsibility), and spread the load between your Go-Pod & car if required.
| The car's towing allowance MUST exceed the Go-Pods plated MTPLM. |
| The loaded Go-Pods weight MUST stay under the plated MPTLM. |
Plate Upgrade Option:
Depending on which accessories are added in addition to the regular spec, you may wish to discuss upgrading your Go-Pod's load capacity with your sales person.
Plate upgrades officially increase the MTPLM from 750Kg to 1000Kg, providing 250Kg of extra user payload. Before upgrading, please check that your tow vehicle has at least a 1000Kg of towing capacity.
No physical change is made for this, as all Go-Pods already have a 1000Kg rated axle. It's purely a matter of documentation and the only difference will be the figures shown on the chassis plate.
Pros & Cons:
Plate upgrades are a matter of personal choice. A regular Platinum model has a user payload of over 100Kg and many customers consider that this, (especially in conjunction with the tow vehicle's load), is more than adequate. After all, many people opt for a Go-Pod because they like to travel light, so the option of packing an extra 250Kg of luggage seems unnecessary. The other side of the coin is that adding a motor mover alone takes up 42Kg of that user payload, so they some people upgrade to stay safely on the right side of the law.
One upgrade negative to consider is that should you decide to sell your Go-Pod in the future, you will limit your potential audience to those with at least a 1000Kg towing capacity.
The alternative to a plate upgrade would be to simply carry more of the heavier items inside of your car, rather than inside of the Go-Pod.
Important Notes:
Measurements and weights shown are intended as a guide and may vary, be approximated or estimated where necessary. Weights may change without notice and we recommend allowing a suitable margin. If your car's towing allowance is low, please remember that adding accessories will increase the overall weight & you may wish to carry more of your load in the tow vehicle. Roof boxes are a popular solution too. Actual Mass figures are offered as a guide only and we recommend working to the maximum MTPLM which must not be exceeded and it is the owners responsibility to ensure this.
Please always refer to the Owners Manual, official website and official Facebook Page for the correct advice.