8 common mistakes to avoid when selling your car
The 8 most common mistakes when selling your car privately in Australia — from overpricing to the Notice of Disposal most sellers forget to lodge.
How to tow a caravan: 6 essential safety tips
From coastlines to the bush, towing a caravan allows you to take your home with you wherever you go. But before you hitch up and hit the road, safety must come first. Whether you’re new to caravanning or have some experience, here are essential tips to ensure a safe and smooth journey on Australia’s roads.
1. Understand your car’s towing capacity
Before you load up your caravan with all your holiday essentials, make sure your car can handle the caravan’s weight. Every car has a specific towing capacity, and exceeding it can lead to dangerous situations. In Australia, it’s also required by law to stay within these limits. Check your owner’s manual or build plate (on the side of your doors) to find out its maximum towing capacity, and always factor in the weight of everything you're carrying, not just the empty caravan.
Some simple explainers:
- Tare Mass / Weight: The weight of an empty vehicle, including standard equipment, fluids and a full tank of fuel.
- Tare Trailer Mass / Weight (TARE): The weight of an empty trailer, including the frame and wheels, but no load or removable items.
- Kerb Mass / Weight: The weight of a vehicle ready to drive with fluids and fuel, but without passengers or cargo.
- Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) / Weight (GVW): The maximum allowed weight of a fully loaded vehicle, including passengers and cargo.
- Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) / Weight (ATW): The maximum weight of a fully loaded trailer, including the trailer’s own weight and its load.
- Gross Combination Mass (GCM) / Weight (GCW): The maximum combined weight of a loaded vehicle and its trailer.
- Tow Ball Download (TBD): The downward force from the trailer on the tow ball, affecting towing stability.
If you’re looking for a refresher on all things towing, we’ve got just the guide on how to calculate your towing capacity. Or if you’re towing a trailer instead, here’s all you need to know about towing a trailer safely.
2. Load your caravan properly
Safe towing always starts with proper loading. Distribute weight evenly, aiming to place about 60% of the load toward the front of the caravan. Heavier items should be placed low and secured, while lighter items go higher. You’ll also want to avoid overloading, as an uneven load can cause the caravan to sway, especially at high speeds on highways or out on regional roads.
