Towing 2800kg - Navara or Patrol?

Hi Zane,

Just a bit of info for you. I have a 2006 3 ltr turbo diesel and tow a 710 leader boat, total weight loaded 3000kg. Never had any dramas, brakes on the boat trailer are electric over hyd and work well (very important). Yeah she knows she is pulling it but does it ok. Cruised up to Dongara with it 90kmh not a problem, except for the hills.

I know another bloke who is touring Aus and towing a van 2800kg with his 2007 TD 2.5 CR and the only problem he has had was the motor getting a bit warm pulling the van up hills in the hot weather up North.

Cheers
Simon.

Thanks Simon, That's reassuring to hear. On paper the new STX Navara looks good.


For me the Navara being a ute has a few benefits being a business vehicle and able to claim 100% business use, where as wagon it becomes a little more difficult. ie: the vehicle gets used primarily for pleasure ;)

keen to hear what others think of the Navara over the Patrol.

Not keen on a L Cruiser because of the cost and sheer size ;)

Cheers

The Navara might be able to tow 3000 kg, like most of the other utes, but how much fuel do they use to do it?

My MN Triton averages around 15lt/100km towing 2300kg which from what i see isnt to bad compared to teh bigger vehicles....

Zebu,
If you are only towing the horses and float on bitumen or flattish gravel roads, then the Navara 2.5TD would be fine. Start taking it regularly up challenging off road terrain with trailer, then it's a different matter altogether.

Simon's Navara is not the 2.5D D40 STX, so does not necessarily comply with your original query. Nor does it comply with a towing capacity of 3,000kg.

A Patrol is the same 'sheer size' as a Cruiser, but a little cheaper.

If I'm not mistaken, your desire is to find a tow vehicle that is compliant with statutory and insurance requirements.

That's right it is all bitumen driving - no bush work. So yes its about being compliant - but not be towing with a slow dog either.

I don't want to find towing 2800kg regularly will kill off the vehicle. With the exception of the 4.2 Litre Patrol, I just dont see how the 3.0liter diesel patrol can be better than the new st-x navara.

Understandably the Patrol is 300kg heavier, so may be a bit more stable towing more weight - but perhaps underpowered against the other??

Zane, The 300kg extra of the Patrol over the Navara should make it a more stable towing platform.
However, all things being equal, (that is bitumen roads etc), compared to a 3.0 litre Patrol I'd take the Navara as my economical choice.

Hi Zane,
have you looked at the Isuzu DMax/ Holden Colorado. They can tow up to 3000kg.

Hi,
As a Isuzu Dmax owner (man Dual cab)and one who tows a caravan I can say that I think the Dmax tows well, better than the 3ltr Patrol it replaced.
Also it's much more economical overall and has next to no low down turbo lag unlike some of the smaller capacity but more powerfull diesel's.
Just my thoughts.
AL

I looked at The Dmax and Colarado but both are around the 360nm torque , its also not up there with a Navara (450nm) or Triton (403).

Hi Zebu,
That's fair enough,would be boring if we all drove the same car!!
But let me off you this parting thought, and that is that figures written on a piece of paper do not always equate to real world performance.
Both units you refer to have had a few articles written on them saying that they do suffer from low down turbo lag which is exacerbated and emphasised by the extra load of towing. Over 2000 rpm I guss they are good but below that their engines are off power and underdone from what I have read.
It was one of the main critisms I had with my 04 man 3ltr Patrol. the turbo lag really peed me off and showed itself at the most inopportune moments.
The Isuzu does not have any of this lag and pulls from very low RPM with no complaint.
The Colorado does have the same motor as the Isuzu but with a different turbo and head so my comments don't totally correlate to them.

Good luck to you in your final choice.
Regards AL.

Thanks- might checkout the Dmax. ;)

Its amazing how many double horse floats go over there max rated ATM when you put two bigger horses in. My two horse angle float weights 1100kg, Put two bigger gg's s in at 475kg each, and I am over the floats 2000kg ATM. ;)

450nm @ 2000

See this link - far right hand column

http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/resources/grade-comparator/specification-documents/NAV0363_A4specs3_May2010.pdf

Thanks ... I couldn't get that with my searching