I am planning my retirement and becoming a nomad and am seeking advice please.
I have a nice car that I dont really want to sell but it seems that only 4wd or AWD are in all the media. My car is a 6cyl 2500cc sedan with a gross trailer weight braked of 1500 kg, max torque of 252Nm and max power of 153kw.
Am I dreaming to think that this vehicle can tow a van (albeit not a very big one), and would be suitable for a life on the road?
JW, your car is capable of towing a van or camper. It's more a matter of where you want to go...off road is where you wont be able to go. Decide where you want to go, what you want to do and then make the decision about your tow vehicle
__________________
Take only your memories, leave only your footprints
Thanks Bob, I wont be going off-road, other than to roadside stopovers, where i wont need a 4wd. I really like my car and it would be a shame to sell it, I would rather (if poss) work around it.
I also had a nice car that I could tow with, but, given the dirt and dust not to mention possibility of coming into contact with wildlife etc, it would have got wrecked very quickly. Decided to keep it for a while until I decide what to do with it and get another one more suited for the job.
As long as you ensure the car is in tip top mechanical order ( tyres, radiator, drive line, etc) and match the weight of the van to your car you should be right.Don't rush into the purchase of a van/camper until you have decided where you want to go and how long you want to stay out there
__________________
Take only your memories, leave only your footprints
If you are planning to travel all around the country, you'll miss out on being able to visit various places if you don't have a 4wd. We never tow our van off the blacktop, but once settled in a place we can use the Patrol to explore the surrounding countryside and national parks. There's lots of beautiful places we couldn't have seen without 4wd, and others where the access roads are so rough that even though a car could have got there, it would have risked damage.
If you are planning to travel all around the country, you'll miss out on being able to visit various places if you don't have a 4wd. We never tow our van off the blacktop, but once settled in a place we can use the Patrol to explore the surrounding countryside and national parks. There's lots of beautiful places we couldn't have seen without 4wd, and others where the access roads are so rough that even though a car could have got there, it would have risked damage.
Exactly our approach ...
But lots just use a family car & seem to enjoy the experience ..
While a 4 wd would be an advantage, I have noticed lots of people in the freecamps do actually use a car to tow their vans. We have a Holden Rodeo ute not 4wd but it tows our van and we have been lots of places in it. Just be a bit wary of where you park, Black dirt is not an option in wet weather. We almost got stuck once in it but the good old H. Rodeo got us out. Good luck and enjoy your travels.
There are a few on here who tow with small cars, one being Beth. I think hers is a Hyundai (I know its red) and she tows a camper trailer. There are a few others so it can be done. Its where you want to go and how much of a set up you want that will help your decision.
I would not call a 6 cilinder 2500 cc car a 'small car'. And as people say, a 4wd gives you more possibilities. But without there are stille plenty possibilities. Why not go for it and see how your experiences are. Cars can be sold and bought all over the place, also when you are well under way.
4X4's were'nt available to the average person for quite a while after the War. Don't forget people have been towing 'Vans for years with ordinary cars.
Admittedly most of them wouldn't have been going off-road.
In "the olden days" all outback travel was done with holdens, valiants and such vehicles before 4WD. The road from Perth to Darwin wasn't the lovely black top it is now. The Birdsville, Strezlecki and Oodnadatta Tracks were not the nice open surface roads they are now. The mail and general goods were carted on some wicked tracks on trucks without 4WD. The truck had power but it also had weight. We're really just a bunch of sooks, but 4WD is my preferred vehicle for all sorts of reasons. Do what suits you, and when it doesn't suit you anymore, change it. Welcome to the Nomads, and I hope you enjoy your stay.
__________________
20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
saw a 17 ft caravan being towed by a falcon sedan in Derby. The owners said they were plesed with the performance of the car, and the van was within its towing capacity. They made the point that thir car was very comfortable to ride in, and didnt think 4WD's would give such a good ride. Every choice in lfe is a compromise... follow your own dream.
As long as you ensure the car is in tip top mechanical order ( tyres, radiator, drive line, etc) and match the weight of the van to your car you should be right.Don't rush into the purchase of a van/camper until you have decided where you want to go and how long you want to stay out there
