Suggestions for a tow vehicle & caravan combo

I've a Jayco Eagle camper trailer - it takes at most 10 minutes to set up.

I don't really have a set budget but am trying to determine whether it's something I can do now or whether I should wait a couple years for more vehicle options to become available/affordable. My own research is pointing towards something like a Volvo XC70 3-6 years old (<$30k) and a 10 year old Windsor Rapid.

Or a Grand Cherokee, or a Pathfinder, or a Sorrento, or one of the many Utes with a 3000kg tow rating. If you dont want to spend the big bucks ; dont overbuy on the vehicle. Many hundreds of caravanners using any or all of the above listed vehicles and are happy doing so. As far as vans go perhaps you could look at the expanda range. Q/S bed each end & heaps of room inside.

The key here is the side curtain airbags - not many of the 4WD's come with that even as an option. The Pathfinder I know has it but only in the top spec model, and I'm guessing the Landcruiser would have it in the range, but that's a lot more than I'm wanting to spend. The current Sorrento would have them, but not the previous model.

The cheapest combination I've come up with from my own research is a Volvo XC70 (3-5 years old) and a 10 year old Windsor Rapid. So anything cheaper than this (that also has the curtain airbags) would be a bonus.

Your comment with regards to the cheapest and a Volvo XC70 scares me. I think you need to think more about the vehicle itself, Volvo's are not the safest as many people seem to think. A safer vehicle is the vehicle that handles and performs better in all emergency scenarios, not the one that gets its reputation from crash simulation ratings. I also note there is no budget but you mention cheapest so I would assume you want to spend less rather than more. The Volvo XC70 has aweful resale value and would be on the bottom of any of my lists.

Would also not be the best to get any parts once you leave the cities.

Dont think there is a Volvo dealer in Alice for instance.


Wouldnt be on any list of mine.

Not many options when you want AWD/4WD with side curtain airbags unfortunately. I agree that the resale is pretty bad, but I'm planning to buy something 3-5 years old. I also tend to stick to the coastal routes.

A Toyota Kluger would be a better option if you could afford it. The Volvos are notorious for various problems because of the design and the spare parts pricing is not favourable. The Kluger would tow better and be safer whilst towing IMO, yes the Volvo has great safety features for when you are in a collision, but the Kluger makes the XC70 look wrong for so many reasons.

The Kluger wins re-sale value so even if you have to spend more to get it, it'll cost you less in the long run.

Some XC70 owner reports lifted from a reliability ratings site:

I've got a 2004 XC70 which is starting to run up some pretty sizeable service bills. I'm thinking about getting a 2009, I know it's not the best car out there but I just happen to like the dealer, the service, the car itself (previously also had a 1998 V70). I find that I tend to keep a car between 5 and 6 years, and have always purchased, not leased. I put somewhere between 12K and 14K annually on the car. What would you recommend: purchase or lease?

have a 2008 and I've wasted too much time at the dealer, the dealer people are nice, no question about it, but I cannot be there every other week, my recommendation is stay away from this car for a couple years until they can improve it, see reliability at consumerreports or even the editors score at edmunds, they failed pretty badly with this model. I am like you, I like the car inside and out but too many problems that are not worth the money, evn when they are giving almost $7500 rebate away, that should tell you that they are not selling this car, not just becuase the recession but because people are realizing that is not worth the headache. I can wait to december 24th to return mine and be free again.
Good luck with your decission, if you want a list of all the problems I´ve had I will be more than happy to give it to

If I were you I would not even consider to get a Volvo, read my postings from before the 2008 XC70 is just a pool of problems, I get something new every other week and of course Volvo US or the dealership could care less. I imagine their sales are down so badly due to quality and reliability issues that they have to put the 5 year Complimentary Maintenance Program but unless you are willing to go to the shop every other week and suffer your car experience throughout your lease term I would not purchase a Volvo. Check Consumer reports or Edmunds and you will see what I am talking about.

There are plenty more but I think this is enough to get the message across.

I think only the current Kluger has curtain airbags, which would limit me to buying a 1 year old one.

TerraFirma - thanks for the info on the XC70. I'm aware that they're not perfect cars, but I've owned two Volvos in the past. One was flawless until it reached about 300k, the other I had some issues with. The main attraction for me is the towing capacity and general weight of the car as well as the comfortable Volvo seats. It tows more than a Rav4/Forester/Outback and is still reasonably priced.

One other option I'm considering is a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe as it tows 2000kg and takes a 150kg towball weight and has the required safety features. This would tow most Windsor Rapids.

The main downside is every time you want to go sightseeing you have to pack up camp and unpack when you get back.

Have only had one Roo jump out in front of me in 29,000k of towing up the centre and down the west.

Would like to see one at Steep point or Cape Peron or Lost City all worthwhile places to visit.. LOL.


Cheers

I have seen a couple of people going around in those ex ambos. Are they likely to be able to sleep 4 adults though? :D

Garbage.
4 Adults would be a bit tight. the space behind the seats is 1.7m x 3.5m Eric.

I agree Graham,
After 3 yrs on the road and 83,000 kms we only had 1 roo jump out which was taken out by the trailer. I don't swerve!!! That's what the bullbar is for lol. We did a fair bit of night driving and never had any trouble with animals. Funny you mention steep point cause it was on the way out from there that we hit it as we reached the main road. Just goes to prove we should have stayed on the dirt lol.

Josh

Hi Lynne, thanks for the reply. I tend to spend about 4-5 nights at each location, so I tend to prefer something with very minimal effort to set up, and more importantly, pack away in the rain. The kids are 1 and 4 now and we've been camping in a touring tent for 4 weeks at a time since they were virtually newborns. I'm not sure if the camper trailer would be any quicker from what I've observed of others setting up and packing up.

Spell checker didn't pick up that one, the peugot gets thrown away, not through. :O)

i thguoth FT' where rather heavy on juice??

robertbruce... they are. VERY!!!! My sister and hubby have one (only 2WD version) and they're cursing it.

Not only that, but the third row of seats is either all or nothing. They can't be split, one up and one down.

OHHH YESSSSSSSS, i was right about something...chi.chi.chi.jig.jijg.jig....lol...

OMG, BUT.....

if you can afford an expanda i guess your not worrying about the fuell that much... I8)