Tow Car - What to buy?

[spookypt]

II'm chasing opinions on what sort of car (tow car) to buy. I'm changing my work arrangements and am giving my Toureg back.
The criteria is...
- Seat min 3
- Comfortable AC/CC/ABS etc
- Towing capacity = car + trailer + tyres + tools box = Say up to 2500t
- Prefer auto for when I'm not towing. Much more comfy to drive
- Diesal/petrol no real preference

I've enjoyed the toureg for towing (BUT ITS A BIT MORE LIKE A LUXURY CAR THAN A TOW CAR) and my v8 ss ute wasn't enough and lacked the 3rd seat.

I wish I could have an F250 space cab but seeing as though $'s count what do you guys reckon.

I Ford Ranger Space Cab 2x4 in a deisal looks OK ish although many QLD racer guys use Ford series 2 door Utes but they lack the 3rd seat?

Any constructive opinions are appreciated?

SpookyPT

[hsv300]

I'v got a Chevy Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab great to drive and will tow anything but not cheap

[spookypt]

Originally Posted by hsv300

I'v got a Chevy Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab great to drive and will tow anything but not cheap

To buy and run???? or just to buy???

[hsv300]

To buy about $130 000 not bad on fuel 11L per 100 on the highway 15L-18L around town.

[spookypt]

I assume diesel???

[hsv300]

Yep 6.6L Duramax with the Alison 6 speed auto beautiful to drive a real prick to park.

[stiffy]

SpookyPT,


Ford EF/EL wagons. 2300kg's, heaps of space, parts a dream, can convert to GAS. The list goes on......



STIFFY

[Aussie Mike]

Most of your decent size 4x4's would do the job nicely and be a good daily driver too. My diesel Land Rover does a decent job of towing the Cobra on a trailer. It has a rated 3500KG towing capacity. It tows the trailer at 100-110 OK on the freeway. Slows down a bit on the hills but it's only making about 97KW at the wheels. Gets reasonable economy when towing too.

Not sure if I would recommend buying one though unless you are prepared to turn your own spanners or have a land rover mechanic mate. The Pajero and Landcruiser diesels might be a safer bet and both will do the job fine.

Cheers

[boxhead]

My vote goes to a 1972 Valiant wagon But I am biased.


On a serious note it really depends if this car is going to be your mani car or used for towing only.

If for towing only then I would go the Stiffy route and get an old Ford wagon (Commodore has IRS and has tyre wear issues when loaded up)

If your main car then I know Phil Mizzi is happy with his Territory, but at the same time I will say the Prado is a good thing.

[spookypt]

Thanks for the input Box, Stiff, HSV and OZMike...

Hmmm, I have considered the F Territory... It will have to be a tow/Daily D set of wheels. I know Eric R likes his for towing his Porsche Cup Car. I'll have more of a look.

I'd love HSV's option but in an F truck combo.... My dreamcar is a F250 V8 Space Cab but well......it's a dream. I don't have the dough nor the space at this stage....and I hear HEAVY on juice?

With my move to the sunny coast a round trip to QR will be 400k's so I need to be selective... I like the Defender idea too and have owned a bunch LRover's and their prince of darkness electrics...but I want an auto and they are as scarce as a LR that doesn't leak oil (yeah I know that just means there's none left in the thing!)

Thanks for the ideas... Box my wife loves ya shagen wagon and asked if we could do pwn one too...but I'm not sure what the CEO's I often pick up from the international airport would think?????

[Sloth]

We use a 100 series TD LCruiser. 3500kg, heaps of torque and comfy as in GXL or even comfier in Sahara. Should be able to pick up a nice GXL with 150,000 or less (which is not a lot of kms for one of these) for under $45,000. Easy to service with 10000km intervals. Be prepared to do the front wheel bearings yourself cause is expensive at Toyota. Seats 8.

cheers.

[Tenrocca]

I've got a 95 magna as a daily driver. Wouldn't tow a greasy stick out of a pigs bum, stalls every time you put the a/c on, uses far too much juice for what it is, I get passed by everything except 72 valiants, but every Ceo I have picked up from the airport (hundreds if them, possibly even thousands.... oh and a couple of super models, the Dali lama and the pope) reckons it's great. Megan gale said "I like it, makes you look like your not a pretentious fwit". Who could argue with Megan.

[Aussie Mike]

Given the choice between driving a 95 Magna and slamming my dick in a desk drawer I'd probably opt for the drawer. It'd be close to call though and might depend of if it was an auto or a manual.

[Philm]

Hey Boxhead,
the Terrritory is not bad as a tow car, in its 3 years of life we changed the front ball joints 3 times, diff mounts, have numerous bits fall off it, with the dual zone air con one end is hot and the other is cold.

Draged our Van from Franston VIC back home and we used 4 tanks of fuel, thats 288ltrs of fuel.

We are in the process of getting rid of it and good riddens, the front now has developed a sqeall like pulling a greased stick out of a pigs bum over every bump.

We are looking at the Landrover D4, test drove the diesel prado today... sorry but not impressed for the price.

Phil

[acecob]

Here you go cheap around 130
Willing to swap for a cobra or GT40 valued around the same

[Aussie Mike]

The Disco 4 is seriously nice. I'd love one to replace my Disco 2. The Disco 3 got 4x4 of the year in heaps of magazines and the Disco 4 is an evolution of that platform. More power from a 3L TD motor, 6 speed auto and really nicely appointed. The styling on disco 3/4 divides opinions but I'm in the camp that thinks they look great.

Land Rover have always had some neat suspension technology and they make you look like you know what your doing off road. It's surprising what they will get through or over.

One thing I like about the disco 4 is the anti trailer sway program in the stability control. I reckon this would be a real bonus for anyone towing their pride and joy along behind. Years ago I was nearly shoved off the road by a swaying car trailer behind an XA Falcon ute (brown trousers time). every time you got to 80Ks plus it started getting a whip up.

I found this little vid on you tube. The Disco 4 is towing a trailer with a Defender on it. The whole thing would have to weigh easy 3500KG.



Cheers

[Tenrocca]

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

Given the choice between driving a 95 Magna and slamming my dick in a desk drawer I'd probably opt for the drawer. It'd be close to call though and might depend of if it was an auto or a manual.

definately a manual mike-I think Mitsubishi ran out of replacement auto trans very early on. Most threw a few cogs out the back driving out the car lot.

[Aussie Mike]

Years ago work put us all through a Murcotts driver training day at Sandown race course. I was understandably looking forward to it until I went to the car park to grab one of the pool cars to take and all that was left was the 1989 Magna wagon.

(An Automatic too)

[andyl]

We've got about 270,000Ks on our old shape 2003 Prado 3.4L manual on LPG and its been a fantastic car, just keeps going through anything, never misses a beat, never costs anything just services. Just before each service the oil looks like brand new. You can pick them up for bugger all. The thing still drives like its new. Because we tow a bit I put a new clutch in it about 20,000 back but other than that, tyres and a battery, its not needed a cent. Cant beat a good Toyota for cheap TCO motoring and on LPG it's very cheap on fuel too and still pulls fine. -Andy

[Modena]

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