What does the 85% rule mean?

In line with the major caravanning clubs, Practical Caravan recommends using the ‘85% rule’ when calculating a suitable carand-caravan match. It states that a caravan should weigh no more than 85% of the car’s kerbweight. To calculate the 85% figure, divide your car’s kerbweight by 100 and then multiply it by 85.

For example, if a car has a kerbweight of 1500kg, divide it by 100; the result in this example is 15kg. Multiplying this number by 85 gives a figure of 1275kg. This is the 85% figure. *See our glossary on the next page for explanations of all terms