Vehicles are manufactured and designed to be driven within a legal weight limit. Overloading causes significant damage to the engine, suspension, brakes, and tyres, among others. It reduces a vehicle’s lifespan and increases fuel consumption.
This can lead to unnecessary repair costs and high fuel costs. Overloading also makes the vehicle difficult to control in emergencies, resulting in accidents. Checking vehicle weight by registration helps show your vehicle’s weight to prevent overloading your vehicle and ensure safety while on the road.
In this article, we will examine the best and most accurate ways to check vehicle weight and how to use the gross vehicle weight checker.
Vehicle Weight Definitions
Before we jump into the how-to, it’s needful to define a few key vehicle weight terms:
- Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW): This is the maximum weight your vehicle can weigh when fully loaded.
- Kerb Weight: This refers to the weight of the vehicle with standard equipment and fluids but without passengers or cargo.
- Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM): This is the maximum weight the vehicle is allowed to be when fully loaded. Most times, it is often the same as GVW.
- Unladen Weight: This denotes the weight of the vehicle without any passengers, cargo, or fuel.
How to Check Vehicle Weight by Registration
Checking a vehicle’s weight by registration is the first step to ensure that a vehicle (car, van, truck, trailer, etc.) matches the legal weight limit. There are several methods you can use to find the exact weight of a vehicle. These include:
Gross Vehicle Weight Checker
A gross vehicle weight checker or car spec check tool is the easiest way for car buyers, sellers, and owners/keepers to check vehicle weight online. The tool reads the reg number to reveal detailed vehicle specifications, including the weights and dimensions.
With Smart Car Check reg number check tool, you will find the following weights:
- Unladen weight
- Kerb weight
- Gross vehicle weight
- Gross combined weight
- Max Permissible Mass (MAM)
DVLA Online Enquiry Service
The DVLA vehicle inquiry service can also be used to check vehicle weight by registration, and other vehicle specifications, Follow these steps to use the DVLA service:
- Visit the DVLA website and find the vehicle enquiry form.
- Fill out the form with the car registration number and submit it.
- You’ll be shown a summary of your vehicle’s information, including make, model, fuel type, and tax status.
- Next, check the vehicle’s weight, alongside other specifications.
Other Ways to Check the Weight of Your Vehicle
You can also find your vehicle’s weight by checking the car and some documents. These include:
VIN Plate
To find the VIN plate, check the driver’s side door jamb or under the hood. This usually lists the Gross Vehicle Weight or Maximum Authorised Mass.
V5C Logbook
The vehicle registration certificate (V5C logbook) also lists some vehicle weights. Look out for the “G: Mass in Service” section. This is quite similar to the kerb weight or revenue weight.
Car’s Owner’s Manual
A manual comes with every new vehicle and shows clearly all vehicle specifications, including the vehicle’s weight. If you have the owner’s manual of your vehicle, you can easily flip through the pages to the vehicle specifications section. Here, you’ll find the vehicle’s specs, including the:
- Kerb weight
- Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)
- Payload capacity
If, for any reason, you don’t have the owner’s manual, you can get one easily online by visiting the manufacturer’s website. On the website, enter your car’s year, model, and trim or the VIN number to view the weight specifications.
Pay attention to the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. This is a measure of the vehicle’s maximum allowable weight. It shows the maximum weight that the vehicle is allowed to safely carry.
The actual weight of a vehicle is expected to be less than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The manual also has the Kerb weight listed, which is the weight of the vehicle without passengers and cargo.
How to Check Gross Vehicle Weight Online with Smart Car Check
Checking your car’s weight with Smart Car Check is quick, simple, and takes just seconds. To check vehicle weight by registration, follow these steps:
Step 1: Enter the Registration Number
Enter the vehicle registration number in the form on the car spec page. You can also enter the VIN by running a VIN check.
Step 2: Submit the Form
Click on the “Search” button to initiate the search.
Step 3: View Specs, Weights & Vehicle History
Make the necessary payment to view detailed vehicle specifications, including year, make, model, colour, engine specifications, and all the available vehicle weights.
The Importance of Knowing Your Vehicle Weight
Knowing your vehicle’s weight limits keeps you safe, protects your car, and helps you avoid expensive fines and legal troubles on the road. Here’s why it’s essential to check:
Improves Road Safety
Checking weight limits makes roads safer for everyone. Heavy vehicles stop more slowly, swerve harder, and cause worse accidents. Staying within limits means better control and fewer dangerous situations.
Better Vehicle Control
Overloaded cars become really hard to control, especially during emergencies. Knowing your weight limit helps you avoid packing too much stuff, which keeps your vehicle responsive and easier to handle.
Protects Your Engine and Parts
Too much weight puts massive strain on your engine, transmission, and brakes. Regular overloading wears out these expensive parts faster and kills your fuel efficiency, costing you loads of money.
Avoids Fines and Penalties
Police check vehicle weights, and overloaded cars get hit with hefty fines. Checking your weight limits before loading up saves you from these penalties and keeps your driving record clean.
How Much Does a Vehicle’s Weight Affect Its Acceleration?
Extra weight seriously slows down how fast your car speeds up. Understanding this relationship helps you drive better and keep your vehicle running smoothly.
Weight Increases the Work Your Engine Does
Heavier cars need more power to get moving from a complete stop. Your engine works much harder pushing extra weight, which means slower acceleration and less responsive performance overall.
More Energy Required to Move
Heavy vehicles demand more fuel to create enough force. Engines struggle harder, taking longer to reach your desired speed on roads.
Reduced Power-to-Weight Ratio
When the weight goes up but engine power stays the same, your car feels sluggish. Sports cars stay light specifically to accelerate faster than heavy vehicles.
Extra Weight Affects Your Car’s Physics
Physics shows that heavier objects resist movement changes more than lighter ones. This basic law means your loaded car takes longer accelerating, braking, and turning compared to an empty one.
Momentum Takes Longer to Build
Heavy cars need more distance and time to build speed because mass resists acceleration. Think about pushing a shopping trolley versus pushing a small cart.
Handling Becomes Less Sharp
Weight makes steering feel lazy and unresponsive. Your car won’t zip around corners quickly when loaded down with passengers and luggage inside.
Conclusion
Checking a vehicle weight is necessary as it directly affects the performance of a vehicle, prevents unnecessary repairs, and improves the safety of the driver and other road users. You can use the gross vehicle weight checker, check the owner’s manual or use the DVLA service to check the weight of your car.
FAQ on How to Find the Gross Weight of a Vehicle
What is the weight of my vehicle?
You can check your vehicle’s weight using different tools, including the Smart Car Check car spec check tool. This will help you understand how much weight your car can tow for maximum performance and fuel economy.
What is the tow weight of my car?
Your car’s towing capacity depends on its make and model. Check the owner’s manual or VIN plate for gross train weight (GTW) and subtract the gross vehicle weight (GVW). You can use our vehicle weight calculator using the vehicle registration or VIN number to access detailed information on the gross vehicle weight.
Can I find the kerb weight of my car by reg?
Yes, you can use our car spec check tool to find out about the kerb weight, gross weight, and more. This helps maintain the performance of your car for safety and legal compliance.
Can I check vehicle weight by VIN?
Yes, you can check a vehicle’s weight by VIN using our VIN check tool. It provides the same information as checking the vehicle weight by registration number.
How heavy is my car?
You can know your car’s weight by checking official documents like the V5C and owner’s manual. You can also check the VIN plate located on the driver’s side door sill or under the bonnet. Typically, the weight of a car in the UK ranges between 1.2 and 2 tonnes-varies by vehicle type.
