How much payload is enough for 2 people?

[Vanman]

The list of essential equipment has got me thinking … how much does all that weigh? Then you’ve got all the stuff you need to live for a week, even if you’re eating out you need breakfast and lunch – that’s a couple of pans, plates, cups, glasses, a fridge full of beer and wine, a couple of bottles of the good stuff …

The minimum payload on the vans I’m short-listing is 475 kg. Now I wouldn’t know a Killer granny (Kg) from my elbow and I’m not any better at tonnes. So what do you all think? The max I can see is 650 Killer grannies which I presume is more than reasonable. Is 475 enough for two people and their gear (no bikes, two laptops, an outdoor table and two chairs?). I'm not looking for a scientific answer obviously and I suppose I can weigh some things in advance, I just don't want to buy something with a silly small payload that will never work.

 

[Minxy]

We usually need around 450kg for all our goods, dogs (our dogs alone weigh around 45kg combined, plus loads of food for them and a mountain of their toys!), us, water, food, canoes, bikes etc, etc, etc so if you don't have so much as us to tote around your 475kg should be fine but you need to be sure that'w what you've got so a weighbridge visit is on the cards really.

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

dogs (our dogs alone weigh around 45kg combined, plus loads of food for them and a mountain of their toys!),

Of course, the dogs have first option on everything........plus it's against the law NOT to take their fav toys with them.

 

[Vanman]

Of course, the dogs have first option on everything........plus it's against the law NOT to take their fav toys with them.

I hope that cat in your avatar isn't one of their toys

We have no bikes, surf boards, pets or hobbies that will add significant weight, so I'm feeling better about the options. Bigger = better, but with a PVC there are other issues (Shower and bed size to name but two)!

 

[Stealaway]

Thanks Travelling light shouldn't be a problem for someone who's regularly managed to go camping for a week on a motorcycle. Haven't been to the island since 2013 - have fun!

How have you managed without going for 3 years!!! I think you ought to get your life in order.

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[Vanman]

How have you managed without going for 3 years!!! I think you ought to get your life in order.

So many tracks, so little time

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

I hope that cat in your avatar isn't one of their toys

You may jest.....Georgie, she is the eldest of our 2 Border Collies, is actually Pepsi's, that's my avatar, pet dog.....

 

[Minxy]

I hope that cat in your avatar isn't one of their toys

We have no bikes, surf boards, pets or hobbies that will add significant weight, so I'm feeling better about the options. Bigger = better, but with a PVC there are other issues (Shower and bed size to name but two)!

Have a look at the Globecar range of PVCs as they have fantastic showers and the bed in ours is the same size as our double at home!

 

[Muddibootz]

I knew I needed something else to worry about. I've never really worried about payload before.

 

[scotjimland]

I knew I needed something else to worry about. I've never really worried about payload before.

ha ha... not alone.. I confess, have never been to a weigh bridge.. nor am I going to start worrying about it..

present van has a payload of 1000kg .. so not going to get stressed about weight... .. we don't import wine lakes, so will be lighter on return journey .

we take what we need but always mindful that the more you take the more fuel you use, just be sensible.. after every trip we have a 'clear out' .. if it wasn't used (within reason) it's taken out and left at home.

travel with about 50% fresh water .(50kg) . which saves weight ..

hard hat on..

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[Muddibootz]

ha ha... not alone.. I confess, have never been to a weigh bridge.. nor am I going to start worrying about it..
.

Phew, I thought it was only me.

 

[Paddywack]

you could have a ton of just liquids . hee hee .

you should have a ton of just liquids . hee hee .

Corrected that for you

 

[Chris]

I have been discussing this very issue with my wife and explained that if she is going to persist with her present habit of taking everything but the kitchen sink, then we are going to need to upgrade to something with 6 wheels.

I think I am winning the argument too

 

[big map]

I have been discussing this very issue with my wife and explained that if she is going to persist with her present habit of taking everything but the kitchen sink, then we are going to need to upgrade to something with 6 wheels.

I think I am winning the argument too

So what are you ordering then?

 

[Anthea M]

I have been discussing this very issue with my wife and explained that if she is going to persist with her present habit of taking everything but the kitchen sink, then we are going to need to upgrade to something with 6 wheels.

I think I am winning the argument too

Especially if you use it to move son up to uni ( we have once used ours for that reason!)

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[Chris]

So what are you ordering then?

Nothing yet but I am working on it. Trouble is I have just saddled myself with a very big business debt so I am a bit cautious at the moment. I would put me at the dreaming stage at the moment

 

[Go Humberto!]

It seems to me, as someone just about to pick up their first Motorhome tomorrow, that manufacturers (and dealers) are very "economical with the facts" on payload and the law.

It may be just me but I think one main advantage of a Motorhome is that you carry your own water supply. I imagine many people set off on a journey with (1) a full tank of fuel (2) a full tank of water. That's approaching 200kg in most of the models I looked at.

One manufacturer I looked at (naming no names) quote a payload capacity of around 450Kg for 4 passengers and fresh water in their 5-Berth (they include a 75Kg driver and 90% fuel load in their "Running order" weight).

Frankly that seems borderline irresponsible. Less than 100Kg per passenger?

Supposing you are a lardy driver (>75Kg) who likes a full tank of fuel at the start of a long journey? 4 or 5 bikes + Bike Rack could consume 100Kg.

There should be a much better standard as to what constitutes "Running Order".

If a 5-Berth has 5 Seat Belts then it should be fairly obvious there may be 5 people on board and that they may want to bring "things" with them. I'm inclined to say that 90Kg per person, including their luggage, bike and food, is a reasonable assumption.

I think a full fuel tank should always be assumed.

I think a full water tank should be assumed.

The problem of course is that this may push a majority of vehicles over their Max payload figures immediately.3

Like I say, I found information on the legalities hard to find in their glossy brochures, which feature cycling in the sun images more than ones showing customers being dragged to a weighbridge by the French police.

 

[wigster]

Hello and @Go Humberto! . Post a hello in the introduce your self section
I used to live in Hampshire btw.

 

[sallylillian]

Some vans do have the facility to dump water to about 20 litres left, that is so they can get away with giving you bugger all payload. We travel with about 50% so about 80kg and then quite often waste water as well if we have not had the opportunity to dump it so that could be another 50kg and then half a toilet cassette might be 10kg an extra battery as most are only one as standard and then all the other bits including wine and beer coming back fro France and you can see it adds up, we have 1400kg out of the factory but have used about 1000kg of that when we are coming home with the garage full of booze and bikes etc etc.

The manufacturers web site for new vans should have a configurator section where you can add all your options and work out the total weight, or at the very least they should show you the weight of options, DONT FORGET options will come out of you standard van payload.

Martin

Martin, the Flair price list has weights against every option but I agree a configuring matrix would be great, or just a downloadable excel file. By way of OCR I input the whole price list into a spreadsheet so I could review totals with or without certain options and see VAT implications for import etc. I also added in the weights and although my Flair in base form was only 5900kg with all the extras I am 6684kg!!! Nearly 800kg of optional exy-tras!That is with 90% water and fuel driver and of course the washing machine we had fitted. So although plated at 7490 and thinking I would have tons to play with that is far from the case. One day I will get up the courage to see how much she weights with all the other crap on her!
Michael

 

[Go Humberto!]

Hello and @Go Humberto! . Post a hello in the introduce your self section
I used to live in Hampshire btw.

I certainly will introduce myself... but not until after I collect "Humberto" (my first Motorhome) today, and after I've calmed down from my inevitable white-knuckle drive home.

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[The Dudess]

I certainly will introduce myself... but not until after I collect "Humberto" (my first Motorhome) today, and after I've calmed down from my inevitable white-knuckle drive home.

Bet you're dead excited!

Safe journey.

 

[Vanman]

Frankly that seems borderline irresponsible. Less than 100Kg per passenger?

Yes, to me too. I notice after a quick glance at MMM that the Benimar Mileo 294* starts off with 260kg free payload and it's a 4 berth. No idea what the starting fluids position is, but it's hard to think of a circumstance where that would be OK four up ...


*Other lardy MH are available.

 

[Lenny HB]

It seems to me, as someone just about to pick up their first Motorhome tomorrow, that manufacturers (and dealers) are very "economical with the facts" on payload and the law.

It may be just me but I think one main advantage of a Motorhome is that you carry your own water supply. I imagine many people set off on a journey with (1) a full tank of fuel (2) a full tank of water. That's approaching 200kg in most of the models I looked at.

One manufacturer I looked at (naming no names) quote a payload capacity of around 450Kg for 4 passengers and fresh water in their 5-Berth (they include a 75Kg driver and 90% fuel load in their "Running order" weight).

Frankly that seems borderline irresponsible. Less than 100Kg per passenger?

Supposing you are a lardy driver (>75Kg) who likes a full tank of fuel at the start of a long journey? 4 or 5 bikes + Bike Rack could consume 100Kg.

There should be a much better standard as to what constitutes "Running Order".

If a 5-Berth has 5 Seat Belts then it should be fairly obvious there may be 5 people on board and that they may want to bring "things" with them. I'm inclined to say that 90Kg per person, including their luggage, bike and food, is a reasonable assumption.

I think a full fuel tank should always be assumed.

I think a full water tank should be assumed.

The problem of course is that this may push a majority of vehicles over their Max payload figures immediately.3

Like I say, I found information on the legalities hard to find in their glossy brochures, which feature cycling in the sun images more than ones showing customers being dragged to a weighbridge by the French police.

There is supposed to be a standard for MIRO I don't know if the UK conforms with other countries but the German one is, Driver at 75kg (perfect I'm 74kg), 90% fuel, 20Lt water and one full 11kg Aluminium gas bottle. MIRO is subject to a tolerance of +/-5%, so a van with a MIRO of 3000kg can be anything from 2850kg to 3150kg.

Martin, the Flair price list has weights against every option but I agree a configuring matrix would be great, or just a downloadable excel file. By way of OCR I input the whole price list into a spreadsheet so I could review totals with or without certain options and see VAT implications for import etc. I also added in the weights and although my Flair in base form was only 5900kg with all the extras I am 6684kg!!! Nearly 800kg of optional exy-tras!That is with 90% water and fuel driver and of course the washing machine we had fitted. So although plated at 7490 and thinking I would have tons to play with that is far from the case. One day I will get up the courage to see how much she weights with all the other crap on her!
Michael

Most German vans give all the weights in the price list certainly the Hymer group do, likewise any van I'm interested in I always create a spreadsheet for costs & weights.
Both Hymers we have had have come out of the factory under the nominal weight where as people I know with Carthago's come out over the nominal weight.
German Certificates of Conformity quote the nominal MIRO and the Technical MIRO the later is the MIRO with all factory fitted extras.

 

[Go Humberto!]

Bet you're dead excited!

Safe journey.

I Am dead excited.
At least now, after 20 years or so, I can stop stop "window shopping" my Sundays away at dealerships.

 

[Minxy]

So come on then, what are you getting? Can't stand all this tension!

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[Jim]

There is supposed to be a standard for MIRO I don't know if the UK conforms with other countries but the German one is, Driver at 75kg (perfect I'm 74kg), 90% fuel, 20Lt water and one full 11kg Aluminium gas bottle. MIRO is subject to a tolerance of +/-5%, so a van with a MIRO of 3000kg can be anything from 2850kg to 3150kg.


Most German vans give all the weights in the price list certainly the Hymer group do, likewise any van I'm interested in I always create a spreadsheet for costs & weights.
Both Hymers we have had have come out of the factory under the nominal weight where as people I know with Carthago's come out over the nominal weight.
German Certificates of Conformity quote the nominal MIRO and the Technical MIRO the later is the MIRO with all factory fitted extras.

The German way, isnt German it's an EU directive, most all country's comply. However a recent addition to the directive allows companies to remove water from the calculation. So you have to be careful. Water is heavy and that wonderful payload might look miserly when you have full water tanks.

 

[Go Humberto!]

I introduced myself at the top of the Forum since I collected "Humberto" on Friday and went straight into 2 nights at Old Sarum near Salisbury.

Just got bck so I'll update Blog..etc tomorrow.

 

[christa32]

I'm a newbie
How can you tell the payload? I'm looking at getting a VW (probably from the 1990s so from the Westfalia era) and vendor descriptions don't usually include the payload capacity.
Thanks very much!

 

[Vanman]

I'm a newbie
How can you tell the payload? I'm looking at getting a VW (probably from the 1990s so from the Westfalia era) and vendor descriptions don't usually include the payload capacity.
Thanks very much!

I'm sure an expert, or several will be along soon, but in lay persons terms ... every van has a maximum weight limit (it will be on the vehicle somewhere, but is easily looked up). Say it's 3000kg for argument. Now the van your looking at, when new, will have had a suppliers Maximum weight in running order, say 2500kg, that's the weight of the van plus any goodies THEY put in. 3000 minus 2500 leaves 500kg for you to put in (people, bikes, bedding etc). trouble is with a 2nd hand van extras will have been added so you either need to do a guestimate or have it weighed on a weigh bridge to be absolutely sure. Hope this helps.

 

[sdc77]

.... I still can't believe you're not supposd to fill the garage

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[christa32]

Vanman, thank you!
So I had looked up the chassis model of one I'm looking at on this table http://www.parkers.co.uk/vans/reviews/volkswagen/transporter/1996/technical-data/

but it only gives me the payload. Is the payload the equivalent of the 3,000kg in your example ('maximum weight limit') or the 2,500kg (suppliers' maximum weight)?

Thank you