What would you choose for towing a rig around the country?
blakey72 said
06:40 PM May 16, 2021
Hi all, I'm kinda new to all this so you'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge. My wife and I (in our early 50's) plan to buy a 4wd and van and start traveling around the country. We would like to get 'off road' to an extent such as up around Cape York and northern WA. We don't plan to go full on off road, maybe semi. I am looking atm for a 4wd new or 12 months old to do the towing. I want something that will do it with ease, get us out of trouble if needed and be reliable/comfortable.
I have looked at the Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol and Ford Everest (2.0L TT) so far. Is there anything else I should be considering? Budget is up to $150k at a stretch. Caravan will be 21 foot dual axle semi off road. Not sure which yet but we have been looking at Safari which are based in Ballarat.
Cheers
Blake and Julie.
blaze said
06:55 PM May 16, 2021
landrover discovery 4
cheers
blaze
bgt said
07:08 PM May 16, 2021
Have a good look at the RAM. We owned one for 5 years. Best vehicle we ever owned. The 4x4 would be my first choice.
Whenarewethere said
07:18 PM May 16, 2021
Land Rover Discovery 5
We don't tow & go around the country with a Land Rover Freelander. We usually sleep in it as we are too lazy to put up the tent.
IF i was to do another trip around the country i would use my trusty BA ford fairmont
Flags2 said
07:35 PM May 16, 2021
Hi Blake, Julie
Welcome! We did 3yrs research before we decided on a Land Rover Discovery 4 (ours is MY2015) because it rides beautifully, tows really easily and we wanted a 'car' at the end of our travels rather than a ute or truck like vehicle. As for vans, very personal decision but, following the same research period and over 6 shows, we went with a Nova Vita 21-6 9R. Plenty of room and really practical layout. My husband is 6'4" so the size of the shower and length of the bed was crucial. We went with single beds so we could get one that he fitted into. Happy to discuss in PM if you wish.
iana said
07:40 PM May 16, 2021
The start would be "who would be travelling", if its just two of you or one, is it a family of three or more. I used to work with fleet management at a council, when I was up to buying a vehicle to tow, my then boss said only buy Japanese designed and made, parts are always available.
I brought a Mazda BT50 extra cab tray top, why because they are, as are all light trucks, built to carry a load, and there was only two of us traveling. We mounted a canopy on the back, this has proved ideal. I am not a fan of the four door utes, however as I said if there are more than 2 persons, the 4 four door ute or an SUV, the ball game changes.
blakey72 said
07:58 PM May 16, 2021
iana - Yes that's something I forgot to mention. There is going to be just two of us most of the time BUT with three poodles. Two standard and one toy so I was kind of thinking wagon rather than ute (even dual cab). I just don't know there would be room in a dual cab as the dogs would take up most of the back seat which means we couldn't put anything 'inside'. Also, kids/grand kids may join us on our way around the country so extra seats may come in handy.
I do like the Ford Everest price wise however I'm just not sure about a small 2.0L TT doing a lot of towing and would it have the power to get us out of anything.
Blaze, whenarewethere and Flags2 - yep will look at the Discovery for sure, didn't think of it. Only question mark re. these is parts availability in woop woop. Something I need to consider.
bgt - Yes the RAM has been in the back of my mind however I just don't know how my wife would go with such a big rig. I haven't ruled it out however.
tea spoon - not sure if that would get us out of sand/mud/snow haha. Really after a 4wd :) otherwise I'd take my 2001 AUII XR8 Tickford ute ;)
bgt said
08:29 PM May 16, 2021
blakey72 we drive a Jeep Cherokee now. It's harder to park than the RAM. Driver view from the RAM is way better. The RAM had better fuel economy. Only real issue was getting in and out of it. But we had no side steps on ours.
iana said
08:31 PM May 16, 2021
Ah well I can't comment on any others , so will bow out. Just remember that even our BT50 is hard to park at times in shopping centers, and supermarket parking bays.
blakey72 said
08:32 PM May 16, 2021
Yep just having a look at the RAM's now ;)
Bobdown said
08:44 PM May 16, 2021
Blakey,
You can't go past a LC200 Cruiser for comfort, power and towing and reliability.
I have had 4 Cruisers and have done over 200k towing all over Oz, with my dog in the back (seats out) and no trouble at all.
Cheers Bob
bgt said
09:06 PM May 16, 2021
RAMs come with an electric rear sliding window. With a canopy the dogs could be in the back with the window open and still have the back seat to use.
Whenarewethere said
09:11 PM May 16, 2021
blakey72 wrote:
Blaze, whenarewethere and Flags2 - yep will look at the Discovery for sure, didn't think of it. Only question mark re. these is parts availability in woop woop. Something I need to consider.
My car has never broken down, neither has my sister's Evoque, so you don't need parts like other makes require!
I do take a spare air & oil filter & have a second spare wheel.
blakey72 said
10:14 PM May 16, 2021
I can't find a price on the RAM 4x4. Would it come in within my budget?
landy said
10:20 PM May 16, 2021
If you look at the smaller Ram make some inquiries about the rear Axle weights before buying, I don't know if any thing has changed but reports I have seen suggest that they are very limited in what the can legally carry when compared to most other common tugs. Yobar would know more about this I am sure.
Mike Harding said
07:08 AM May 17, 2021
My Holden Trailblazer does decent job of towing a 2.8T, 25' tip-to-tail van and has low range for off-road work.
Snippy said
07:29 AM May 17, 2021
Landcruiser. Our 100 series has clicked 370,000km and is going like a champ.
More LC's out west than anything else. Better towing capacity than most.
Ours is petrol v8. Don't touch Ford Ranger. I know or have met a few that did.
vince56 said
08:09 AM May 17, 2021
Landcruiser, cant beat them. I have a 200, great car, my second LC. My previous work had a 100 series for a supervisor, 850,000kms and never had engine, gearbox or diff work, pretty impressive.
Whenarewethere said
08:15 AM May 17, 2021
I spoke to the owner of this setup & they were extremely happy, including Wife! They loved the Luxury. They were very well organised with compressor etc.
Like all tow vehicles there are options and combinations that have the best tow figures. The RAM is no different. There's those who state the RAM rear axle is the weak link. Maybe it is. But what version of the RAM are they talking about? 1500? 2500? or 3500? 2x4 or 4x4? It's my understanding the most expensive Ford Ranger has a lower tow rating than other Rangers. I bet I could find similar complications with all makes.
Besides are you looking for the vehicle that will tow the most or one that suits a number of needs?
Blanket statements about any make are silly. Look at the specifications.
-- Edited by bgt on Monday 17th of May 2021 08:40:35 AM
Flags2 said
08:40 AM May 17, 2021
Hi Blakey 72
Parts availability are now no longer a serious issue for Land Rovers as far as I am aware. We asked both the local dealer where we get our disco serviced, and a mechanic friend of ours and both said that parts that are not on the shelf of the workshop are as close as the nearest post office or airstrip. That is the case for quite a lot of vehicles now anyway.
Just as an aside, the beauty of the back of the disco is that all the rear seats fold dead flat (you don't need to remove them at all) which is great for storage. Your dogs will have plenty of room to stretch out!!!! Your grandkids will have very comfortable seats. And for them, I would get a full annex for them to sleep in. Ours love it!!!!!
Happy hunting
Whenarewethere said
09:13 AM May 17, 2021
Flags2 wrote:
Hi Blakey 72
Parts availability are now no longer a serious issue for Land Rovers as far as I am aware. We asked both the local dealer where we get our disco serviced, and a mechanic friend of ours and both said that parts that are not on the shelf of the workshop are as close as the nearest post office or airstrip. That is the case for quite a lot of vehicles now anyway.
Just as an aside, the beauty of the back of the disco is that all the rear seats fold dead flat (you don't need to remove them at all) which is great for storage. Your dogs will have plenty of room to stretch out!!!! Your grandkids will have very comfortable seats. And for them, I would get a full annex for them to sleep in. Ours love it!!!!!
Happy hunting
My independent mechanic which I have been using since 1987 also services my current car which is a Land Rover. Previously a Seat, Lancia & Peugeot.
I have never had an issue getting parts.
My Land Rover is full of Ford & Volvo components. The engine in my car is the brilliant Ford 2.0L Ecoboost engine O - 100kph 8.0 seconds 1.8 tonnes of car.
Life is too short to be driving white goods, get over it!
bgt said
09:32 AM May 17, 2021
I'm a semi pro photographer. I visit photography forums. When ever anyone gets on those forums and asks 'which is the best editing software' everyone jumps in and recommends what they are using. Of coarse they do. That's why they bought it. It suited their needs. Well here is no different. When someone comes along asks which vehicle everyone jumps in and say this or that because they own one. Of coarse they would recommends what they bought. It suited their needs. From a technical, budget and end use need.
Remember that we all have different needs. Not all vehicles suit that need. And if we purchased something just for the towing specs then I think everyone would be driving Isuzu or Hino trucks. There's more to choosing a tow vehicle. It has to suit our needs. It has to suit our end use. It has to suit our budget. And we have to like it. Don't underestimate the 'feel good' factor.
And don't be blinded by your needs and not the OPs needs.
BAZZA44 said
10:08 AM May 17, 2021
As mentioned the Ram 1500 axle weight is a problem. Only tow van up to 3000kg. Be careful.
Barry
Whenarewethere said
10:18 AM May 17, 2021
It's very nice using quality photographic equipment, the same as using very nice transport!
I think landrover is fully owned by the tata motor company and are now made in india that would make me think twice before investing in one of them reliability was never there strongest point but that may of changed since tata have taken them over
iana said
11:05 AM May 17, 2021
I think what bgt has written is absolutely correct, our BT50 (Ranger) is perfect for our needs, no WDH to frig around with, dust proof and does towing well. But then again we have no animals, or other passengers except the two of us. Whereas with extra passengers or pets, our vehicle would be hopeless.
bgt said
11:35 AM May 17, 2021
BAZZA44 you are making the mistake of saying ALL RAM 1500's are limited to 3000kg. I suggest you contact RAM Australia and tell them their figures are wrong and they are misleading the public with false advertising.
I mentioned blanket statements. This is a prime example of a blanket statement.
-- Edited by bgt on Monday 17th of May 2021 11:37:31 AM
-- Edited by bgt on Monday 17th of May 2021 11:37:48 AM
Whenarewethere said
11:37 AM May 17, 2021
iana wrote:
I think what bgt has written is absolutely correct, our BT50 (Ranger) is perfect for our needs, no WDH to frig around with, dust proof and does towing well. But then again we have no animals, or other passengers except the two of us. Whereas with extra passengers or pets, our vehicle would be hopeless.
Hi all, I'm kinda new to all this so you'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge. My wife and I (in our early 50's) plan to buy a 4wd and van and start traveling around the country. We would like to get 'off road' to an extent such as up around Cape York and northern WA. We don't plan to go full on off road, maybe semi. I am looking atm for a 4wd new or 12 months old to do the towing. I want something that will do it with ease, get us out of trouble if needed and be reliable/comfortable.
I have looked at the Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol and Ford Everest (2.0L TT) so far. Is there anything else I should be considering? Budget is up to $150k at a stretch. Caravan will be 21 foot dual axle semi off road. Not sure which yet but we have been looking at Safari which are based in Ballarat.
Cheers
Blake and Julie.
cheers
blaze
Land Rover Discovery 5
We don't tow & go around the country with a Land Rover Freelander. We usually sleep in it as we are too lazy to put up the tent.
Hi Blake, Julie
Welcome! We did 3yrs research before we decided on a Land Rover Discovery 4 (ours is MY2015) because it rides beautifully, tows really easily and we wanted a 'car' at the end of our travels rather than a ute or truck like vehicle. As for vans, very personal decision but, following the same research period and over 6 shows, we went with a Nova Vita 21-6 9R. Plenty of room and really practical layout. My husband is 6'4" so the size of the shower and length of the bed was crucial. We went with single beds so we could get one that he fitted into. Happy to discuss in PM if you wish.
I brought a Mazda BT50 extra cab tray top, why because they are, as are all light trucks, built to carry a load, and there was only two of us traveling. We mounted a canopy on the back, this has proved ideal. I am not a fan of the four door utes, however as I said if there are more than 2 persons, the 4 four door ute or an SUV, the ball game changes.
I do like the Ford Everest price wise however I'm just not sure about a small 2.0L TT doing a lot of towing and would it have the power to get us out of anything.
Blaze, whenarewethere and Flags2 - yep will look at the Discovery for sure, didn't think of it. Only question mark re. these is parts availability in woop woop. Something I need to consider.
bgt - Yes the RAM has been in the back of my mind however I just don't know how my wife would go with such a big rig. I haven't ruled it out however.
tea spoon - not sure if that would get us out of sand/mud/snow haha. Really after a 4wd :) otherwise I'd take my 2001 AUII XR8 Tickford ute ;)
Yep just having a look at the RAM's now ;)
Blakey,
You can't go past a LC200 Cruiser for comfort, power and towing and reliability.
I have had 4 Cruisers and have done over 200k towing all over Oz, with my dog in the back (seats out) and no trouble at all.
Cheers Bob
My car has never broken down, neither has my sister's Evoque, so you don't need parts like other makes require!
I do take a spare air & oil filter & have a second spare wheel.
I can't find a price on the RAM 4x4. Would it come in within my budget?
My Holden Trailblazer does decent job of towing a 2.8T, 25' tip-to-tail van and has low range for off-road work.
More LC's out west than anything else. Better towing capacity than most.
Ours is petrol v8. Don't touch Ford Ranger. I know or have met a few that did.
I spoke to the owner of this setup & they were extremely happy, including Wife! They loved the Luxury. They were very well organised with compressor etc.
Like all tow vehicles there are options and combinations that have the best tow figures. The RAM is no different. There's those who state the RAM rear axle is the weak link. Maybe it is. But what version of the RAM are they talking about? 1500? 2500? or 3500? 2x4 or 4x4? It's my understanding the most expensive Ford Ranger has a lower tow rating than other Rangers. I bet I could find similar complications with all makes.
Besides are you looking for the vehicle that will tow the most or one that suits a number of needs?
Blanket statements about any make are silly. Look at the specifications.
-- Edited by bgt on Monday 17th of May 2021 08:40:35 AM
Hi Blakey 72
Parts availability are now no longer a serious issue for Land Rovers as far as I am aware. We asked both the local dealer where we get our disco serviced, and a mechanic friend of ours and both said that parts that are not on the shelf of the workshop are as close as the nearest post office or airstrip. That is the case for quite a lot of vehicles now anyway.
Just as an aside, the beauty of the back of the disco is that all the rear seats fold dead flat (you don't need to remove them at all) which is great for storage. Your dogs will have plenty of room to stretch out!!!! Your grandkids will have very comfortable seats. And for them, I would get a full annex for them to sleep in. Ours love it!!!!!
Happy hunting
My independent mechanic which I have been using since 1987 also services my current car which is a Land Rover. Previously a Seat, Lancia & Peugeot.
I have never had an issue getting parts.
My Land Rover is full of Ford & Volvo components. The engine in my car is the brilliant Ford 2.0L Ecoboost engine O - 100kph 8.0 seconds 1.8 tonnes of car.
Life is too short to be driving white goods, get over it!
Remember that we all have different needs. Not all vehicles suit that need. And if we purchased something just for the towing specs then I think everyone would be driving Isuzu or Hino trucks. There's more to choosing a tow vehicle. It has to suit our needs. It has to suit our end use. It has to suit our budget. And we have to like it. Don't underestimate the 'feel good' factor.
And don't be blinded by your needs and not the OPs needs.
Barry
It's very nice using quality photographic equipment, the same as using very nice transport!
BAZZA44 you are making the mistake of saying ALL RAM 1500's are limited to 3000kg. I suggest you contact RAM Australia and tell them their figures are wrong and they are misleading the public with false advertising.
I mentioned blanket statements. This is a prime example of a blanket statement.
https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/payload-limits-ram-1500-towing-capacity-114369/
-- Edited by bgt on Monday 17th of May 2021 11:37:31 AM
-- Edited by bgt on Monday 17th of May 2021 11:37:48 AM
I disagree!