[A/S] towing vehicle

[claudette beaulieu <cjbeau@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> the GAWR when added together has at
> least equalled the GVWR on the vehicles that I have owned. Have you
> asked the salesman to double-check his data? 

Yes.  I tried to be tactful, saying I thought perhaps he'd copied the 
wrong figures.  If the two axles together could only support approx. 
7700 pounds but GVWR is 9,200, how could you ever load the vehicle up to 
its full GVRW?  At first he was quite adamant that he had the right 
numbers.  When I persisted, he said he'd go back out to check the label 
and call me Monday.

> I am wondering if the
> 9,200 pound figure might be the Gross Combined Venhicle Weight
> Rating (maximum combined weight of tow vehicle and trailer) rather
> than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (maximum weight of the tow
> vehicle).

Per the brochure & web site, the GCVWR of this potential tow vehicle is 
20,000 pounds.  Maybe he looked at the actual axle weights as equipped? 
  Or maybe he looked at the wrong vehicle?

I've never paid any attention to things like gross axle weight ratings 
until I decided to get an RV.  I feel like I don't know a lot.  I have 
figured out that the "maximum towing capacity" quoted by manufacturers 
is wildly optimistic, as it assumes a base vehicle, no options, and one 
150-pound passenger with no cargo.  Someone sent me to a web site that 
walks you through more realistic calculations.  The last calculation to 
check whether the axles can comfortably support the tongue weight.

Thanks for the info on the block heater.  I see now how it would be 
helpful.

Claudette