Pls Help! Towing weight woes!!

[cm2581]

I've just recently bought a Nissan Terrano from a reputable car dealer. It is 10 years old and is a top spec model (2.7 Tdi SE+) and is an automatic. I missed the fact that the car was an automatic when I read the advert (doh!!) but wasn't put off by this fact when I saw it. I did however say to the salesman that I needed to know the max towing weight as although I knew the manual was 2.8 tonnes, I didn't know the automatic's towing capacity. I clearly stated that I needed a vehicle that towed AT LEAST 2.5 tonnes. He looked in the manual and couldn't find details. I said think there is a plate on the vehicle sometimes that says it. Found a plate with numbers under the bonnet but not telling what the numbers were. Top number 2580, then 4280. I said I think that is towing weight (top) and gross train weight below. He said I will check on a website we use to confirm. He went inside and returned in a few mins to say that the 2580 was the max towing weight. I subsequently bought the car but have just found out through a few internet searches that it may only be capable of towing 1.7 tonnes!!! Therefore it is totally useless for towing my horse trailer with two big horses in it!!!! I traded in a mondeo as it could only tow 1.8 tonnes!! I would never have bought the monstrous thing if I'd known it couldn't tow my two in the trailer. Does anyone know where or how I could find out for certain what the towing capacity is? Thankfully both my boyfriend and father were present and whitnessed the salesman confirming the 2580 being towing weight. Does anyone know where I stand? Trading standards and consumer direct are on holiday till wednesday!! :-(

 

[lacroupade]

towing weight for the automatic is much lower than the manual and exceeding it will shag the gearbox eventually.

Its 2800 kgs on the manual and around 1750kgs on the auto from memory.

And if you specified the requirement during negotiations then the contract of sale is invalid.:thumb2

 

[cm2581]

so how easy is it to remove the towbar I had fitted?!!! I suppose i'll just have to suck it up and loose the £168 for the two new tyres I put on it!

 

[lacroupade]

so how easy is it to remove the towbar I had fitted?!!! I suppose i'll just have to suck it up and loose the £168 for the two new tyres I put on it!

six bolts and chop the wiring as close to the bodywork as possible.

As for tyres, potentially, unless you can swap them somehow, its a loss. Any chance the tyre depot still has the old ones at this time of year? For £10-20 to swap them its worth it? But see what the garage says first, they may wriggle a lot, especially if its the salesmans word against yours.....

 

[lacroupade]

http://www.parkers.co.uk/advice/TowingWeightCalc.aspx?mode=choose

Its actually only 1700 kgs.

and thats braked....

 

[cm2581]

Thanks for your help! It's a pity - it's a great car!! I just really need it to tow!That's why I bought it! But it is great in the snow! Will speak to trading standards before I speak to the garage and see what they say.

 

[lacroupade]

Thanks for your help! It's a pity - it's a great car!! I just really need it to tow!That's why I bought it! But it is great in the snow! Will speak to trading standards before I speak to the garage and see what they say.

Right thing to do, but they should tell you the same - if you specified a technical requirement clearly during negotiations and that requirement turns out not to have been met, then the contract has not been met and is invalid. But making that happen in the real world is a different kettle of fish, especially with a motor dealer who has banked his profit. You may need to be persistent, depends how reputable the dealer is.

But you are in the right and this is a significant enough issue, not like say expecting leather seats and getting cloth instead; this issue makes the vehicle unfit for purpose.

How much did you pay out of interest? The amount could mean that Small Claims Court is the best option.

 

[11redrex]

Swap it for a manual.

 

[cm2581]

It is a W reg (July 2000) spec above. Odometer reads 29k but have paperwork to confirm replacement dash at an Arnold Clarke dealer at 54k. Very good order, slight rust starting to bubble above front arch which I was going to get sorted. Lots of nice extras such as air con, cd multichanger, full leather interior. Now has four good tyres and may or may not have a towbar if I have to sell it privately! It was advertised at £3995 but when I went to see it it was £2995. They had dropped £1k off between me seeing advert and going to forecourt. Only saving grace!! Do you think I'd be able to sell it privately for what I paid for it?

 

[DEE]

O dear

Buy the same flavor But manual Keep well away from shoguns :doh :doh :doh :doh Nissan only :bow

 

[lacroupade]

It is a W reg (July 2000) spec above. Odometer reads 29k but have paperwork to confirm replacement dash at an Arnold Clarke dealer at 54k. Very good order, slight rust starting to bubble above front arch which I was going to get sorted. Lots of nice extras such as air con, cd multichanger, full leather interior. Now has four good tyres and may or may not have a towbar if I have to sell it privately! It was advertised at £3995 but when I went to see it it was £2995. They had dropped £1k off between me seeing advert and going to forecourt. Only saving grace!! Do you think I'd be able to sell it privately for what I paid for it?

well if you advertise it quickly you may not do too badly, but its a bit more than you'd pay privately TBH so getting it taken back would be the best option? But given recent weather you may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

I'm glad i read this, i've been tmpted by an auto!

it is odd having such a big towing capacity difference.

I agree with the above advice go back to the dealer first!

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

I beleive the 2580 stamped on the plate is the gross vehicle weight, that is the maximum weight of the vehicle and any load/contents it is carrying.

compare with this:

http://www.carenthusiast.com/reviews.html?mode=tech&id=87

it is for the 3.0 rather than the 2.7 but you can see what i mean!

 

[MudLifeCrisis]

Take it back to the dealer. As you specified you required a tow limit and the dealer has given you incorrect information , be it by mistake or intentionally, the car is NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE and you are entitled to your money back under the sale of goods act.


Brian

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

the towing wieight is the train weight minus the gross weight both are on your plate;

4280 - 2580 = 1700 k

he pointed these figures out to you, but it seems he didn't understand them!

so take it back!

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

err can some of the the gvw be transsfered to tow weight

in other words if carrying full weight, then tow weight goes up.

after all same weight for the engine and box to move.

whats the kerb weight, take that off gross, get max load,

then add that to 1700, surely same as tugging 1700 and
carrying part of the load in the car. again provide gross train
weight isnt exceeded.

kerb of an auto might be up on a manual as slush box heavier
typically, think my lwb t2 was around 1800kg kerb weight
as that would give max load in car of 700 or so.

worth playing with maths if can keep car fairly empty, guess
depends how much tack? you would carry overall.

 

[MudLifeCrisis]

Unfortunately the maximum towing limit is just that , the maximum it can tow and can not be exceeded.

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

dont think max tow weight is legal issue, not like gross train.

more of a guide, ie weight car can get mving on a certain
gradient, think it used to be a 1 in 8.

shame as the british autos are far tougher than those found
in say mistrals ang gre imports where back in the jap home
land they dont tow like us and if do max tow is 750kg!

oh well prob best taking back, no boubt about the mis-sell
aspect.

also funny, sad, as on the auto troll, its 3500 tow weight
just like manual so that one must be heavy duty.

 

[lacroupade]

dont think max tow weight is legal issue, not like gross train.

more of a guide, ie weight car can get mving on a certain
gradient, think it used to be a 1 in 8.

shame as the british autos are far tougher than those found
in say mistrals ang gre imports where back in the jap home
land they dont tow like us and if do max tow is 750kg!

oh well prob best taking back, no boubt about the mis-sell
aspect.

also funny, sad, as on the auto troll, its 3500 tow weight
just like manual so that one must be heavy duty.

Its a good point because the 3.0 ltr T2 auto also has the same weight limit as the 3.0 ltr manual. Maybe its an issue with the autobox fitted to the 2.7? I'm certainly convinced that I buggered mine up ages ago by significantly exceeding the limit.

 

[felixthelogchopper]

Contract is void for mutual mistake ( Raffles v Wichelhaus ) as you thought you were buying something that you weren't, ie a vehicle capable of towing your horsebox. If the salesroom you bought from get sniffy about it, mention the fact that you were supposedly dealing with an expert in your position as an amateur and so their opinion is held to be legally relied upon as to the nature of the inducement offered, namely the towing ability ( Esso Petroleum Co. Ltd v Mardon ). Above all, this is what Trading Standards are there for so let them do the hard work :thumbs