38 replies to this topic

[mpi Estate]

My Eriba Puck was registered to the first owner in 1975. I bought is off of him in 2009. The kerb weight is 370 kgs, If I add the awning, gas bottle and all standard camping gear it weighs in at around 410 kgs. This tows great behind my mpi estate. cruising at 50-55mph is no problem in 4th gear.

 

@ Carlos: The same counts for any other vehicle that you drive during your holiday. If your family car is on your driveway every night after work, and it's missing during your holiday that is no different signal than with a caravan or camper.

 

But my puck is stored inside in a caravan storage. The first onwer had it stored in his garage. 

[Dan]

It's a (very old) Eriba Puck. Not sure about the early ones but the later ones (with a full length pop up roof) are too heavy to tow with a Mini legally at around 600kg.

But does that law apply in Holland?

Skinnyminny who is asking isn't in Holland, but yes it does because the plated train weight of the car only allows about 400Kg for a trailer. The only difference (in most countries) could be whether a given country goes by the gross weight or kerb weight of the trailer but since we are all in the EU the rules are broadly the same. From the sound of it the older ones are fine but Eribas are unusual in having a steel framed body so the later ones with a big roof and lots of equipment are heavy. I first saw Pucks being used at Mini 40 and very nearly got one but I found the new ones at the time were too heavy and old ones were not commonly available at the time. Not to mention that being as they are quite desirable they really hold their value. Eriba don't make Pucks any more though.

Edited by Dan, 25 July 2014 - 11:08 PM.

[AVV IT]

Slightly off topic question I know, but following a recent row with the dealer I bought my Caravan from (who supplied it with 8 year old tyres on!!), I discovered that it is recommended that caravan tyres are no more than 5 years old and that this is also a condition of many insurance policies. Does anyone know if the same thing applies to the age of car tyres?

[zinzan]

I'm a little envious of your Euro travel trailers/caravans!  Really wish similar lightweight units would make their way over here.  Even the ultralight units for sale in North America, for the most part, still run in the 2500lb+ dry weight range if you want anything with hard sides.  Heck, a tent trailer (a "pop up") is 1400lbs dry.  And then there's the usual 300lbs of "necessities" everyone seems to bring along. 

 

It's not at all unusual this time of year to see large trailers (24 ft or more, 6000+ lbs) being towed, which require a large tow vehicle like a full size pickup (8 cylinder), or even larger 5th wheel units. 

[HarrysMini]

Slightly off topic question I know, but following a recent row with the dealer I bought my Caravan from (who supplied it with 8 year old tyres on!!), I discovered that it is recommended that caravan tyres are no more than 5 years old and that this is also a condition of many insurance policies. Does anyone know if the same thing applies to the age of car tyres?

I was told by my tyre fitter that in the near future (I think he said October), it may be an MoT requirement that tyres are no older than 9 years on a car. Also, insurance companies will not pay out if the tyres contributed to an incident and were older than 9 years old.

 

Whether there was any truth in this or not, I'm not sure. He may have been trying to sell me four new tyres as the tyres on my car were all manufactured in 2002. 

[Ben_O]

Slightly off topic question I know, but following a recent row with the dealer I bought my Caravan from (who supplied it with 8 year old tyres on!!), I discovered that it is recommended that caravan tyres are no more than 5 years old and that this is also a condition of many insurance policies. Does anyone know if the same thing applies to the age of car tyres?

As far as i am aware it only applies to caravans as they tend to sit on their tyres without moving for months or years at a time causing perishing etc.

 

I would have thought that a car in everyday use would need new tyres due to wear before they are that old and if not, then it would also probably have been sitting and therefore are likely to perish/crack

 

Don't quote me on this though, it's just an assumption

 

Ben

[Tamworthbay]

Slightly off topic question I know, but following a recent row with the dealer I bought my Caravan from (who supplied it with 8 year old tyres on!!), I discovered that it is recommended that caravan tyres are no more than 5 years old and that this is also a condition of many insurance policies. Does anyone know if the same thing applies to the age of car tyres?

As far as i am aware it only applies to caravans as they tend to sit on their tyres without moving for months or years at a time causing perishing etc.
 
I would have thought that a car in everyday use would need new tyres due to wear before they are that old and if not, then it would also probably have been sitting and therefore are likely to perish/crack
 
Don't quote me on this though, it's just an assumption
 
Ben

It does depend on the tyres though. I had a set of Michelins on an Orion years ago that did 70,000 miles. For some people that could be twenty years worth of driving. It could be driven most days and still only clock up a couple of thousand a year.

[GraemeC]

The wife's 2000 X-reg Corsa failed its MoT a couple of years back for 'tyres beyond serviceable life'.  Original tyres from new with plenty of tread (only 25k miles but used daily) however they were starting to visibly crack on the edge of the tread. 

 

This is where MoTs are great - that could easily have been a disaster waiting to happen on the motorway if the tester hadn't noticed it and put new boots on.

[Ben_O]

My Mum's new car has perished side walls on the rear tyres.

 

I think it's time to replace them even though they have very deep tread.

 

It's only passed it's mot last month too!