What car would you buy to tow 1600kg?
Submitted: Thursday, Oct 28, 2010 at 21:43
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Ayita5
Hello experienced towers,
I realise this question has been answered before, and I've read up on previous threads, but I'm interested in some current opinions on my particular scenario.
After selling our two current vehicles, we will have approx $8000 to spend on one new vehicle (I know, not much but all we've got unfortunately) - to tow around Oz a 17ft 1600kg van.
I'm guessing from reading up that most people are going to recommend a land cruiser, but maybe not... anything we get I know is not going to be able to be that new with our limited funds. We would like a 4wd so that we're not limited to where we can go (caravan is not off-road but we can leave it in parks for day-trips). At the moment, one of our vehicles is a '96 dual cab hilux and we love the fact that it has the tray at the back, so I don't know if any good towing vehicles are more ute type things? (We'd just use the Hilux except the towing capacity is only 1500kg apparently?? Doesn't seem right to me - especially considering our
sedan is 1600kg!) Or do landcruisers have a nice roomy back? I'm just used to seeing other 4wds where the back is fairly small - we'd like something spacious.
Your personal opinions and experiences would be highly valued. Thanks so much. :)
Skye
Oh, P.S. will also have three
young kids in the back, two of them in car seats....just to add another dimension to the dilemma. :)
Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Thursday, Oct 28, 2010 at 21:55
Thursday, Oct 28, 2010 at 21:55
Kroozer .... end of story but thank you for asking :-)
Sounds like you need what i have eh .... room for 3 adults in the back and seats 2 adults and a kid in the front, that way you now can have another kid, exciting eh, oh and factor in GOOD DVD players, car uses less fuel, rides smoother, tyres last longer and motor runs better and missus stays happy ................
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Follow Up By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 20:43
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 20:43
Hi Skye...... for your info we paid $13,000 for it as a very basic "truck", we have since replaced the gearbox and transfer case, radiator and almost all cooling system components and heaps of other things ..... all up spent about $10,000 more ($23,000 all up) to get it up to a point where i would trust it to go remote with 3
young kids, point is that you wont get ANYTHING that you can put your kids lives at stake in remote areas for that price without spending a heap more on it, it sucks i know but if you have kids then they have to be factored into it and reading the below posts it is "hinted" that you would be better off buying a 2wd car capable of towing the van, it is a good idea and worth looking at as you can spend half that on the car and the other half on getting everything up to scratch ......... Australia is a BIG place, we are very lucky and the
places you can go to in a car will keep you travelling for 10 years and never see the same place twice, there is a lot of very flash 4WD's out there that never go off the sealed roads towing vans ......
Whatever you do be prepaired to spend a heap of money on mechanicial inspections BEFORE you buy it, worth EVERY cent trust me ($6-700 bucks)
Cheers buddy and good luck, hope it works out for you .....
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Reply By: Member - Toyocrusa (NSW) - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 06:27
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 06:27
Hi Skye. 17ft is a resonably large van so for the sake of safety for your family the larger the towing vehicle (within reason) the safer it will be for all of you. Your price range will be fairly limiting and you may have to think about trying to increase that amount to get into a later model vehicle which should also have more trouble free kilometers left in it. The 80 series diesel L/cruiser, Nissan diesel or 90 series Prado diesel are all good towing vehicles but you would be looking for a long time to find one in your price range at the moment. Good luck with your seach but keep looking cause you just never know. Regards,Bob
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Reply By: Wilko - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 06:41
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 06:41
Hi Skye,
Take a look at the Pajero, IMHO it rides on road better then the Prado and has plenty of room.
Cheers Wilko
AnswerID:
434492
Reply By: paulnsw - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 08:36
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 08:36
A 1996 dual cab Hilux would not pull the skin off a rice desert they are so gutless.
The only sensible vehicle with your limited finances would be a Ford Falcon station wagon. Anything in a 4WD for $8k would be thrashed and need another $4k to bring it up to scratch. What you desire and what is practical are eons apart. Sensibility and what is practical needs to rule.
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Reply By: John and Lynne - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 10:47
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 10:47
Have you actually checked the loaded weight of your van? For a 17ft van, loaded, 1600 kg seems fairly light. It is always a good idea to run a van over a weighbridge, complete with
water, gas and gear before committing to a vehicle. Compliance plates can be quite unreliable! Good luck with your search. Lynne and John
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Reply By: xr500 - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:02
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:02
80 series landcruiser dual fuel maybe the go for your price range. turbo diesel would be good but too hard to find and twice the price. cheers darren
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Reply By: MrBitchi (QLD) - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:03
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:03
Pajero. Best car on the market. ;-))
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Follow Up By: Joe Grace Doomadgee - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:30
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:30
nah, croozer :-)
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Follow Up By: MrBitchi (QLD) - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:41
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:41
LOL, he said "car", not "truck" ;-)
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Follow Up By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 20:26
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 20:26
yeh but it,
well ok it uses twice as much fuel, twice the weight, 50 foot turning circle gutless and crap ride ....... but to me it's "my car" ..... :-)
karoozer, end of story LOL
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Reply By: Member - mazcan - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 14:00
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 14:00
hi
imho a pajero manual would get you a good tow vehicle in that price range there are lot of s/hnd ones around you will have to pick a year that matches your money there got room for the kids as
well and are very reliable and economical tow vehicles for that weight range
cheers
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Follow Up By: Madfisher - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 19:44
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 19:44
We have had both Jacks and Pajs, the isuzu built Jacks seem more troublefree as the ks get high. Eg most Pajs v6s need attention at 200000(valve stems, often head troubles as
well) and a full rebuild at 300000, their are now a lot of v6 Jacks about with in excess of 400000ks and still going strong.I believe Isuzus engine building expertise is on a par with toyota.
Cheers Pete
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Follow Up By: Member - mazcan - Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 11:36
Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 11:36
hi ayita5
i was referring to diesel pajero's not petrol
cheers
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Reply By: Member - Ian F (WA) - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 17:57
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 17:57
G'Day Skye,
The main thing to worry about is the stopping power. I have seen many small vehicles towing oversize Vans/boats etc. Risky in wet weather or gravel roads!
Ian
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Reply By: Madfisher - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 19:39
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 19:39
I do not know what state you are in but in NSW car sales website their is a one owner 97 Jack 3.2 with 93000ks for about what you are asking. Jacks are rated to 2500kg and are superb and stable towing vehicles. The later 3.5 jacks do have a lot more power and torque but I have not seen any with such low ks. We have three jacks in our family and have had a superb run out of all of them and
mine now has 170000ks up. Beware of the 98 3lt diesel, more trouble then they are worth, the good motors are the 3.1 diesel, 3.2 v6 and 3.5 v6 petrols.
Well serviced petrols are doing over 400000ks with only timing belt changes, BUT they must have a full log book service history or walk.
Cheers Pete
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Madfisher - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 20:52
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 20:52
Just checked the add is still their asking $8500, but the add has been their for a while so may be ready to deal. Their is also a very straight older 92 v6 withb/bar t/bar with 212000ks( very low ks for age) for 4500. Also a 2000 3.5 with rear bumper damage with 94000ks for $8500( make sure this one has a service history as it does not look as
well kept. All on carsales private nsw
Cheers Pete
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Follow Up By: Ayita5 - Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 09:22
Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 09:22
Hi Pete,
Thanks for looking. Unfortunately, we are not ready to buy just yet (another few months before we sell both current vehicles) but hopefully your finds show that maybe it IS possible to find something to suit us. Fingers crossed. You've given us some more options to look for anyway, cheers for that.
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Follow Up By: Madfisher - Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 14:33
Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 14:33
Hi Ayita 2nd hand car sales are in a complete glut at the monent, so heaps of bargains arround, although it may be hard to shift yours.
Cheers Pete
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Reply By: Axle - Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 21:16
Friday, Oct 29, 2010 at 21:16
Mate!!! 98 model Disco 300tdi, Don't listen to the crap around here!!!!.......LOL.
Just make it a exercise to check its history, With luck your way a good one could be in your Budget.
Cheers Axle.
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Follow Up By: Ayita5 - Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 11:07
Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 11:07
Hmmm....hadn't really even thought of these before.
Okay....so I'm not familiar with Landrovers. Please tell me, WHY can I buy a late 90's model for the same price I could only get a late '80's model landcruiser?
What's wrong with them? :)
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Follow Up By: Axle - Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 13:57
Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 13:57
Because Toyo are way over priced!, always have been and always will be. I own a 100s, and a landrover. :)))).
Good luck with whatever
cheers Axle.
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Reply By: Alloy c/t - Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 18:35
Saturday, Oct 30, 2010 at 18:35
Jeep Cherokee , for the $ you want to spend , totally underated by people that dont have a clue except tojo-nissan.
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