Easy question for bbob..

[Flyer]

Guru,

could you please clarify the GVWR for me. I am under the impression that this rating is the weight of the car, plus 4 or 5 200lb passengers... I don't know though, and I think it's just about assinine that you can't directly read the net weight of the vehicle from the info sticker on the drivers door jam.

thanks-

[growe3]

GVWR= Gross Vechicle Weight Rating

Would be the weight of the vechicle including all fluids, passengers and cargo.

-George

[Bruce Nunnally]

The 97 STS had a curb weight of 3,960 lbs.

The 93 STS had a curb weight of 3,721 lbs.

Usually the SLS is up to 50 lbs lighter for a given year.

[Flyer]

Thanks for the info Bruce, but Guru, why include a passenger weight? Why not give gross vehicle fluid filled weight, and not let people try to figure out how many passengers, and what their weights are? My question still hasn't been answered...

How many passengers and what are their weights included in the GVWR?

[Flyer]

Guru,

By your logic, there would be a never ending controversy over why people couldn't get the same "gross" vehicle weight...

I just want to know how many and what weight of passengers are taken into the GVWR so I can look at ANY car and get a good estimation of the cars weight, which CANT be done unless you know how many passengers and the weights that are included in the GVWR.

Thanks.

[Bruce Nunnally]

The only express regulatory limitation on the GVWR that manufacturers may assign to their vehicles is set forth in 49 CFR 567.4(g)(3), which provides that the assigned GVWR "shall not be less than the sum of the unloaded vehicle weight, rated cargo load, and 150 pounds times the vehicle's designated seating capacity."

[Flyer]

Thank you Bruce, that is exactly what I was looking for, 150lbs* seating capacity...

[Flyer]

Guru,

I think that you are not understanding my question. The government includeds a weight for each person in the GVWR. I did not know what that number was or is, that "they" use. Bruce told me that he believes it to be 150lbs, and that for each seat in the automobile. So if I take 150*5 for a Seville, I have 750lbs that I can deduct from the GVWR to arrive at an approximate vehicle weight.

[JasonA]

So if I take 150*5 for a Seville, I have 750lbs that I can deduct from the GVWR to arrive at an approximate vehicle weight.

Well, no, not really. Like Guru said, it includes more than passengers. The regulation Bruce mentioned only means that the car must be designed to carry at least x number of 150-lb people. It in NO WAY imples that the GVWR will in fact be x number of 150-lb people. It just states that Cadillac has to engineer the car so that (in the case of a Seville), you can safely carry 5 passegers of 150 lbs each. That's the MINIMUM GVWR. The actual GVWR of the Seville might in fact be more than that. What does the GVWR say on your door jamb sticker?

[Flyer]

That's a big 10-4 to the website guru....

Thanks

[Bruce Nunnally]

yeah, what bbobynski said.

Cadillac said the curb weight (no passengers or cargo) for the 92 STS was 3,721 pounds. The door GVWR shows 4689 pounds, which at a minimum includes five 150 pound passengers, or 3,939 with cargo but no passengers. You'd have to be a fanatic to take your car so a scale and actually weigh it (slowly raises his hand ). My 92 STS weighed at 3680 +/- 100 on a scale.

One might say that Cadillac allowed for 200 lbs of cargo on a Seville, so that 5 x 150 lbs passengers + 200 lbs cargo + 3,721 curb weight = GVWR.

On the other hand, one might note that as pointed out specific curb weights by vehicle options are not specified. A car with a sunroof/moonroof arguably weighs more than without, etc. So that the GVWR is not all THAT useful a figure, except for max shipping weight, or to meet gov regulations. Better to work from quoted curb weights for an approximation of what the car might weigh.

[KevinW]

On the other hand, one might note that as pointed out specific curb weights by vehicle options are not specified.  A car with a sunroof/moonroof arguably weighs more than without, etc.  So that the GVWR is not all THAT useful a figure, except for max shipping weight, or to meet gov regulations.  Better to work from quoted curb weights for an approximation of what the car might weigh.

The curb weight listed in sales literature, etc. is for a base model. Options do add weight, and in my experience, the GVWR printed on the door jamb takes this somewhat into consideration, for the most part. The GVWR minus the maximum recommended cargo capacity is more accurate than the published curb weight.

For example,

1995 Fleetwood Brougham - GVWR 5786 lbs. The maximum load is 6 passengers plus 200 lbs cargo, which adds up to 1100 lbs. The actual weight is very close to 4686 lbs. Brochure weight is 4506 lbs (sans fullsize spare, V4P package etc.).

The difference is more striking on earlier models, with less standard equipment. A 1983 Delta 88 with nothing (V6, THM200C, etc.) was listed at 35xx lbs. Mine with the trailering package, 307 V8, A/C, THM200-4R, V08 cooling, etc. weighs approximately 4000 lbs.