Vehicle Weight
: Should I Care About It?
In case you are curious about the impact that vehicle weight has on your car, the following is a primer to set things straight for you. Curb weight is the popular term that refers to the car as it is on the road: oil circulating, full tank of gas and all other fluids topped off. This is most commonly the weight that you will see on the VIN plate adhered on the driver's side door jamb. The every day commuter will likely never care about their vehicle weight, nor should they need to.
That being said, there are a few times where knowing your vehicle weight does come in handy. One of these situations is when a vehicle is hauling cargo, and another is during the winter months when a car might lack traction. If your car or truck is rear-wheel drive, adding some weight, or ballast, in the rear can increase grip in snowy conditions. Increased vehicle weight does mean lower gas mileage, and this should be taken into consideration.
If you are using your vehicle for frequent hauling, you might need to check your gross vehicle weight rating. This is the number that reflects the maximum load (the total weight of cargo and passengers) that the vehicle can safely transport.
Overall, vehicle weight is not usually a number that you need to worry about unless you are having serious traction issues or are hauling cargo regularly.
