Outfit matching system
We have received some feedback indicating occasional issues with the function of the outfit matching system, which are under investigation. We hope to have these resolved as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience.
Comments
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It has taken them a long time to work it out However better late than never. When I challenged them over the 'phone a few years ago regarding some incorrect data I was basically told they couldn't be wrong, and if they were it was the car manufacturers faulty
data to blame, not the club...... I now always use Tow Car to check tow data and also access user reviews.0 -
I've just used the Towcar site and found it totally inaccurate .
If gives the ratio as 86% and then makes this risible comment.
"The Mazda CX-5 - D 2.2 aut. [AWD] and the Bailey Unicorn Valencia with a laden weight of 1497 kg is
a moderate match, only for experienced (caravan) drivers."My caravans MTPLM is 1565kg, and the cars kerbweight is 1703kg, with a ratio over 90%
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Since the last software upgrade last weekend, I cannot reproduce the functionality errors on our Outfit Matching service. Hopefully this means all is OK now.
Should you still have problems with the functionality, please reply on this thread with details of how far the outfit match got to before it went wrong.
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I've used it faithfully and unquestioningly (is there such a word?) as I've been shortlisting for our next car and it seems to be OK, but last night I was thinking about our very first van, a 1982 Safari whose weight I don't remember. We towed it with our
Peugeot 405 with a 1.6 petrol engine. To my amazement the CC computer said "yes" although I felt very uncomfortable with the whole outfit, both in terms of weight and power (or lack of it). Anyway it got me thinking, I wonder how many of you out there have
unwittingly towed with completely the wrong tug and got away it!0 -
I used it and it said beware of low power pulling away from junctions or on hills.I tow an Abbey spectrum 420 twin axle and the vehicle i checked was a Shogun 3.2 di-d equippe 4x4.I am thinking how big an engine do i need.I can't remember the exact wording
but i thought it implied underpowered.0 -
It's easy to find a match --- Buy a Land rover Discovery with the 3 ltr SDV6 engine and it will match with any caravan.
Been there - done that.
Next!
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It's easy to find a match --- Buy a Land rover Discovery with the 3 ltr SDV6 engine and it will match with any caravan.
Write your comments here...What a silly thing to say. We want to get there - every time.
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It's easy to find a match --- Buy a Land rover Discovery with the 3 ltr SDV6 engine and it will match with any caravan.
Write your comments here...What a silly thing to say. We want to get there - every time.
Things are different at JLR these days
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I saw this thread and wondered how the full matching tool handled the new under-£20,000 class winner, the Citroen C4 Cactus Ripcurl Blue HDi. (I have posted my concerns about this in the current Towcar of the Year thread).
The answer is "not very well". The noseweight allowance is "unknown" so all possible matches appear with a warning about that. Secondly, the maximum gross train weight is incorrectly given as 2435Kg, not the 2210Kg stated by Citroen in its brochure.
It looks as if the MGTW quoted has been derived simply by adding together the listed kerbweight and towing weight limit.I suspect that if and when these figures are provided/corrected, the tool will provide virtually no matches for this class-winning tow-car other than trailer tents.
I can't see any reasonable course of action here for the Club other than to withdraw its award and give it to another car. I have emailed "technical" and await a reply.
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Personally I would not use the service. Before I buy a car or caravan I get the manufacturers figures which are what is used in law and do my own calculation.
If the caravans MTPLM is more than the cars kerb weight I stop there. If it is less I look at the match and the lower the percentage the more I am likely to proceed all other things being in order.
I do sgree with the previous post though and tne downright misleading information might make someone make a very costly mistake and result in them driving illegally.
The tests do however cover trailer tents and therefore the test should make the polnt clear that they are all it is fit for.
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I can't see any reasonable course of action here for the Club other than to withdraw its award and give it to another car. I have emailed "technical" and await a reply.
Well, I have a reply from the Club:
"The Citroen Cactus was the best towing vehicle in its category, despite its GTW limitations. Please note that the Peugeot 2008 was also restricted on its towing weight based on the GTW."
Fair enough. Perhaps I was wrong.
I still find it funny that that a £19,444 car can be recommended above the others in its price range when it would probably be difficult to find anything on the average Club site that it could be used to tow, at least practically.
It was tested with a caravan weighing 825Kg. Bailey does not even make a caravan with a MIRO so low, let alone a MPTLM, so they must have used a ballasted shell.
Using the Club's kerbweight, a couple weighing 75Kg each towing that would be able to carry 37Kg of other things, or a largish dog (but not both) in the car before they bust the train weight.
Fair enough, the write up does say that the car is restricted to "lightly loaded compact caravans". Something like a Freedom, or a Kip Shelter with a MPTLM of 750Kg would probably be a good match, and would at least leave scope for a bit more luggage.
It is quite true that the 2008 is train weight limited too, but it has a considerably higher towing limit and train weight than the Cactus - in fact, less the noseweight of course, it would retain its car payload allowance in full while towing the 986Kg caravan (at 85%) that it was tested with. Perhaps they should have tested a diesel version of the 2008, as the petrol struggled on the hill start.
The matching tool (subject of thread!) would be no help with all this because it does not hold either the train weight or the noseweight for the 2008, and it has the wrong train weight for the Cactus unless they have fixed it now. I hope they can find the resource to do it properly, because it looks as if it should be useful.
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