Daihatsu or Maverick

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parsley

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I am looking for a towing vehicle - OH is happy with either of these - but we will be looking at older models - £2000 and under as OH is handy with a spanner.

What are people's experiences with them please?
 
We're on our second Daihatsu Fourtrak and would have another any day. They tow brilliantly and aren't bad on juice either. I know someone with a J reg', it's done 185000 and has only ever needed tyres and plugs, can't get much better than that! I know they aren't made any more, more's the pity, but you can get parts easy enough and if OH is a handyman so much the better!
 
If you are looking at an older vehicle the reliability wise the Dihatsu ! Both are good towers but the Mavericks don't seem to have the same shelf life!
 
Daihatsu! we've just got one after our clapped our old but trusty landy gave up the ghost, and its fab - and a tonne more luxurious! which is saying something considering its quite an old model!! (except if you turn the back windscreen wipers on it'll short the rest of the electrics out!)
 
im interested in this too, talking about the diahatsu, who uses theirs on a day to day basis ie to work and back or who just uses it around the farm/yard etc? just wondering whether its something i could buy for everyday use, dont have the luxury of being able to tax/insure it for horsey use only. sorry to butt in on a post but its related!!!
 
Daihatsu too!!!!!
We are on our 2nd too. Hubby loves it, wouldnt swap it for anything and uses it daily for work and I for towing or did until damn new horse decided he doesnt like trailers. Only advice Id give is try and go for one later than 1994 (I think
blush.gif
) as they changed from leaf spring suspension to independant suspension and it makes a massive difference having had both. Also check the boot area for rust as was told this is where they go.
 
daihatsu - but make sure you get an L reg onwards, better suspension = more stability, and don't get the model with the dash push button for the 4wd system, they are a pain if they go wrong! apart from those problems they are the best vehicles i have towed with and i always swore by landies before! mine's pulled trailer and two horse through a showfield that resembled a swamp!!
 
just bought our second daihatsu today 104,000 miles but looks in good condition for age ,bought purely to tow and everything i read suggests these are fantastic towers capable of 3.5 tons. dont understand why they stopped making them. feel like a farmer driving it and my kids love it.have to drive a sensible car for work as community nurse and do lots of miles.
 
Pity the Daihatsu people don't read this, they might think about bringing them back instead of pouring all their money into the Shogun which was the original reason for discontinuation of the Fourtrak!
Long live the Fourtrak!
 
My cousin drove a fourtrak and it struggled at hills with a horse box on. She changed to a freelander and has been loads happier.

Weve got a 02 freelander and its pulled an ivor williams double horse box with 2 horses in it, no struggling at hills!

The older model discos are suppose to be the best pullers
 
[ QUOTE ]
My cousin drove a fourtrak and it struggled at hills with a horse box on. She changed to a freelander and has been loads happier.

Weve got a 02 freelander and its pulled an ivor williams double horse box with 2 horses in it, no struggling at hills!

The older model discos are suppose to be the best pullers

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG! You have got to be kidding? You haven't really pulled two horses with a Freelander, surely to God?

They are well known as being "light" jeeps that were never really marketed as serious workhorses like the County/Defender and the Discovery.

I thought they had a low kerbweight and a relatively low towing capacity?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am looking for a towing vehicle - OH is happy with either of these - but we will be looking at older models - £2000 and under as OH is handy with a spanner.

What are people's experiences with them please?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a Maverick (LWB) and a Terrano (SWB).

Both excellent tow cars and nice and roomy inside for the kids when you want to take them out too.

I find the car has more power than Discoveries for example, which I've always found underpowered when it comes to towing. I get on average 28mpg out of it and we've never found it noticeably more thirsty when we've towed with it. We buy white diesel in bulk so basically just fill the tank and always seem to get about 340 miles out of it before we feel the need to fill it again (can't bear them to run empty), regardless of whether those miles are done around the village, up the motorway or with a horse trailer on the bank at some point.
 
1 for trailer 1 for horses so no passengers or tack/equipment?

The limit for towing should be 85% which would be 1382. Assuming it is the biggest 5 door Freelander.
 
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