Am I missing something - tow car question

[Landcruiser]

I want to upgrade my current towcar, which is a very basic 2005 Mitsubishi pick up with a hard top. I tow one14.3 horse in a wessex Clubman trailer. Mostly I do TREC, so sleep in the trailer, but on occasion I have also slept in the bed of the pickup, I just about fit on the diagonal.

My current truck has no satnav and no heated seats - I have decided that with part of the money my mom left I'm going to treat myself to these luxuries. So, I'm looking for a car/truck that is a decent tower, but has tons of room for a weekend's worth of kit for me, dog and horse. No room in the trailer as I don't have the partition in it. It also needs, ideally, length for a 5ft 7 person to sleep in if necessary. I'm drawn to an ex lease vehicle with low mileage, 50,000 max. Fuel consumption is a consideration but not a deal breaker, despite the fact it will also be my every day car I do very few miles, I cycle to work.
Any suggestions? Currently looking at a 2018 L200, any other big cars/trucks that might fit the bill, or ones to avoid? (I have previously owned a Landcruiser and a Trooper so know those options, although they were both a good few years ago).

 

[FestiveG]

Ssanhyong Rexton might be a good bet. Tows 3.5 tonnes, huge inside and has loads to tech kit, including heated rear seats. I've had mine about 18 months and love it! It was superb in the snow as well

 

[Annagain]

What's your budget? I understand the new Defenders have been designed so you can fir a mattress in to sleep in the back with the seats down but that's obviously a very pricey (but very positively reviewed) option. I know some one who slept in an older Discovery quite comfortably if you can't stretch to a new Defender but find one with an excellent history as they can be hit and miss.

 

[Landcruiser]

What's your budget? I understand the new Defenders have been designed so you can fir a mattress in to sleep in the back with the seats down but that's obviously a very pricey (but very positively reviewed) option. I know some one who slept in an older Discovery quite comfortably if you can't stretch to a new Defender but find one with an excellent history as they can be hit and miss.

I'm wincing at how much newer cars are, having never bought anything that's cost over 5 grand before - but I'm looking at cars around the upper teens, plus vat.

 

[Annagain]

I'm wincing at how much newer cars are, having never bought anything that's cost over 5 grand before - but I'm looking at cars around the upper teens, plus vat.

You'd get a 2014 ish Discovery 4 for that if you wanted one.

 

[Michen]

Have to say I’m loving my Touareg and it’s such a great tow car. Not cheap though but I’d have got an older one to fit the budget rather than changed the car.

 

[Batgirl]

Check out car camping, you'll get a good ideas of the ones you can sleep in easily. I have a Santa Fe, fits a single mattress full length (or if I'm proper care camping a Jay B bed which gives me storage under it).

 

[Hazkirbo]

You'd get a 2014 ish Discovery 4 for that if you wanted one.

where from?! Our 65 plate was just shy of £30k last year with just under 40k miles! Although we absolutely love our disco, if the budget allows we’d highly reccomend. Nowhere near as bad on fuel as we expected it to be.

Or you could go for a newer Disco Sport if you only tow the one horse? You seem to get more for your money. A few of our neighbours have DSports for their caravans and love them.

 

[w1bbler]

Ssangyong rexton commercial. Just has front seats & rest of the car is a big flat area. Loved ours, perfect for horse camp weekends

 

[sarahann1]

Another vote for a Ssangyong, I’ve got the Musso pick-up, I love it. Tows brilliantly, has some great gadgets, heated seats etc etc. Really good car for the prices they are.
my husband was a Mitsubishi technician, he specialised in L200s, he much prefers my Musso to them.

 

[whirlwind]

LWB shogun- my seats fold completely down into the footwell near enough so if you wanted you’ve got all the space from right behind the drivers seats!

 

[Sealine]

Another vote for Ssanyong. I've had my 2018 Rexton for two years and it's a great, reliable towing car and has all the gadgets I want. Can't say I've tried to sleep in it though.

 

[Annagain]

where from?! Our 65 plate was just shy of £30k last year with just under 40k miles! Although we absolutely love our disco, if the budget allows we’d highly reccomend. Nowhere near as bad on fuel as we expected it to be.

Or you could go for a newer Disco Sport if you only tow the one horse? You seem to get more for your money. A few of our neighbours have DSports for their caravans and love them.

A few on here at the upper teens.
https://www.cargurus.co.uk/Cars/l-U...MIwePTl5a87wIVE-3tCh21Uw4oEAAYAiAAEgKe-_D_BwE

 

[Landcruiser]

Ssangyong rexton commercial. Just has front seats & rest of the car is a big flat area. Loved ours, perfect for horse camp weekends

I hear you!...but I need the option on back seats as well, it will be my day to day car as well as tow/camping. I do like the looks of it though.

Anyway, I test drove the 2018 L200 yesterday and decided to go for it. It has more pros than cons, it's pretty smart and clean, and the heated seats and Satnav work. Happy days. I'm not sure what the young salesman thought when I climbed in the tailgate, shut myself in, and lay down diagonally in the truck bed though

 

[dixie]

I was going to say Ssangyong Rexton too. I’ve had mine 5yrs and it’s fab. The longest I’ve owned a car and will get another.

 

[Abi90]

Another one who has a Touareg. I love it, even though it’s old it has loads of tech. Upgrading to a much newer one this year

 

[Darbs]

Get a Discovery 4.

Best car on the planet by a long way, the load bed is 6ft long and completely flat. It super comfortable to drive and will tow anything. You will easily get a D4 for mid to high teens. If you go down that route, get the later 8 speed gearbox with the rotary knob gear change, and full dealer service history. This is the type of thing you could get: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rov...705327?hash=item4b8eb3f42f:g:gKsAAOSwkgZfGB0r

 

[phizz4]

Get a Discovery 4.

Best car on the planet by a long way, the load bed is 6ft long and completely flat. It super comfortable to drive and will tow anything. You will easily get a D4 for mid to high teens. If you go down that route, get the later 8 speed gearbox with the rotary knob gear change, and full dealer service history. This is the type of thing you could get: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rov...705327?hash=item4b8eb3f42f:g:gKsAAOSwkgZfGB0r

Many cases of terminal engine failures of Discovery engines. Details here.
https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/discovery-4-engines.148628/
This has also been an article on Rip Off Britain.
Our blacksmith had the engine on his 2016, 48,000 mile Discovery 4 fail, it cost him several thousand pounds to replace, even with some concession from JLR, as you have to remove the body from the chassis to do the repair.
Some people are lucky and get no problems.

 

[FestiveG]

Many cases of terminal engine failures of Discovery engines. Details here.
https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/discovery-4-engines.148628/
This has also been an article on Rip Off Britain.
Our blacksmith had the engine on his 2016, 48,000 mile Discovery 4 fail, it cost him several thousand pounds to replace, even with some concession from JLR, as you have to remove the body from the chassis to do the repair.
Some people are lucky and get no problems.

My local mechanic told me categorically not to get a disco to replace the td5, says they are total money pits

 

[HorseMaid]

Loving the ssangyong recommendations on here, and here's another vote from me! Love my 2016 rexton, it has all the bells and whistles at a fraction of the price of a lot of other cars, very reliable and great to tow with!

 

[Annagain]

My local mechanic told me categorically not to get a disco to replace the td5, says they are total money pits

Full service history is vital with a Disco. If a 2014 ish (what OP would be looking at if she was so get one) one was going to have problems it probably would have had them by now. If you get a good one they're fab. A bad one is a money pit.