Tow vehicle help- need guts!

lucemoose

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Just tentatively trying to research what could be a new tow vehicle as my long term love may need to be replaced. However, I am towing a Richardson Supreme Excel and so I need guts! I also live in London and would like a short wheel base if possible but I'm pretty used to driving my pick up truck around and parking it, so maybe slightly more manouvability (sp) than a Mitsubishi! Any thoughts or personal opinions?
 
If you want towing guts, then the new isuzu D-max has a 3.5 ton tow. I love love love mine.
Tows my Equitrek with 2 up without batting an eyelid. (First journey with it was 1000 mile round trip)
 
I would caution against going SWB as it will bring with it a higher likely hood of instability.
If you can run to new the new Navara would be high up on my list as they are very economical for everyday use 44+ mPG and 3.5 ton towing. you in london would find the surround view camera system very useful as well
 
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Trailer weighs 1280 kg unladen and only take a 16.3hh TB in it, plus tack and a water container. Am currently towing with a 2005 Nissan navara 2.5 TDI and really rate the truck, but think its coming to the end of its healthy lifespan as I've worked it so hard for 10 years!
 
I've got a 2005 manual diesel Land Rover discovery, and really rate it's towing capability.
I have an Equitrek and tow 2 big horses, each weight c580kg and it doesn't even notice it going up hills.
I do have a hybrid car for running about it, but the disco does about 24mpg towing, 26-28 round town and 32/34 on a run.
 
I've got a Hyundai terracan 2.9 diesel which is the best towing car I've had...and I've had a few!!!!!

I've just brought a big 700kg horse in an ifor 510 back from Newmarket and had to keep touching the brakes to keep the speed down, it didn't even notice it...it's also really easy to manoeuvre, parallel park etc

It's also for sale......
 
I have a SWB landcruiser, towing capacity is 2.8t so enough for what you want. It's v comfortable, can park it anywhere - I often take it to work and park easily in the city.

I have no problems with stability, the thing is very well planted!
 
Several people on our yard tow with a mitsubishi shogun and are very happy with them. They seem considerably more gutsy than my Nissan navara and easier to park but I love the convenience of a pick up.
 
Love my Shogun. 3.2 litre so pretty damn thirsty! But brill for towing. Road tyres would be better for economy than the mud terrains I have but they are still not cheap to run.
 
I would caution against going SWB as it will bring with it a higher likely hood of instability.

I would say the opposite is true. I've had a SWB Trooper and currently a Fourtrak (and towed things heavier than horses, like tractors and farm implements) and my dad has had several SWB Shoguns, all excellent towing vehicles and I would sooner tow with those than a pick up (got one of those too.)
 
I don't think you can beat a Discovery for towing ability (mine happily towed a 511 with big horses in), coupled with the driver comfort. I traded mine in for a 3.5t box and a family estate but it was lush to drive (auto) and had every comfort (don't do low spec)! Shame it was so bleedin' expensive to run 😢
 
Defender 90 as long as you don't have to sit in it for hours - although the newer ones with the top of the range seats aren't that bad, and even warm up quite quickly! It tows the same weight (3.5T) as a Disco / Range Rover but is about half the size. I get about 27 mpg with mine on fairly short journeys so not as bad as you might think in terms of efficiency.

Having towed with several different vehicles I've never felt so happy or confident as I do with the 90 and agree the shorter wheel base seems to provide better stability. From what I've read (but never experienced) pickups aren't the best to tow with as their rear end is very light so they're more prone to snaking.

It's surprisingly easy to park as you can see the corners far better than cars with more modern style sloping bonnets and big bumpers. It's tall but it's no longer than a Focus. The only problem you might have is getting hold of one. They're about to stop production and I believe all those being made now are already spoken for. That means 2nd hand ones are commanding a premium. Mine's 2 yrs old and the estimated value from my insurance renewal (usually less than you'd have to pay to get another) is only £2k less than I paid for it brand new.
 
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If you want towing guts, then the new isuzu D-max has a 3.5 ton tow. I love love love mine.
Tows my Equitrek with 2 up without batting an eyelid. (First journey with it was 1000 mile round trip)

Also have a D-max. Be careful you get the 3.5 tonne one tho as it does come in a lesser version too.

I tow the max weight with it with cattle on board and am very happy with its gruntability 😁

Mine is an automatic which I particularly love.
 
Just bought a VW Touareg as they have a 3.5 ton tow. Had a BMW X5 before and liked that too (couldn't afford a newish one)
 
Thank you all so much for the responses and PMs too. I'm not keen on the lack of turning circle on the Mitsu, and will definitely be going for 2nd or 3rd or 4th hand as I'm not very flush.
Are automatic cars good to tow with? Never thought about that!
 
Can't beat a defender 90 as a SWB towing vehicle not sure it's ideal for London though the turning circle in them is not great .
 
Thank you all so much for the responses and PMs too. I'm not keen on the lack of turning circle on the Mitsu, and will definitely be going for 2nd or 3rd or 4th hand as I'm not very flush.
Are automatic cars good to tow with? Never thought about that!

Definitely - much easier than a manual.
I've had SWB Nissan Terrano and it was no problem at all - didn't find it any more unstable than the LWB but I do prefer the extra back doors.
Now have a SsangYong Rexton which is great at towing too - although mine is a newish model. Both of these cars tow brilliantly up steep devon hills, so lots of grunt.
 
Can't beat a defender 90 as a SWB towing vehicle not sure it's ideal for London though the turning circle in them is not great .

I don't find it too bad - newer ones much better than the old ones.

I prefer towing with a manual as I like to use my gears to control speed etc. It's possible to do it in an auto as you can lock it into a lower gear, but don't find it gives as much control. OH insists that's in my head though. Autos are usually better in terms of the wear and tear of towing as clutches can take the brunt of the burden in a manual.
 
Ours is an auto, it's ideal for getting a smooth pull away. Ours does have the option of knocking it into manual if you need to drop a gear/control the speed.
 
Absolutely lurrrrrrrrrrrve my Rexton 2.7 auto, 5 cylinder Merc engine and 5 speed Merc Tip auto box, leather seats and all the other comforts air con etc :-)
 
I don't find it too bad - newer ones much better than the old ones.

I prefer towing with a manual as I like to use my gears to control speed etc. It's possible to do it in an auto as you can lock it into a lower gear, but don't find it gives as much control. OH insists that's in my head though. Autos are usually better in terms of the wear and tear of towing as clutches can take the brunt of the burden in a manual.

I wouldn't want to tow with an auto either, partly because it's so hilly round here. I'm pretty sure clutches can go in autos too.
 
I wouldn't want to tow with an auto either, partly because it's so hilly round here. I'm pretty sure clutches can go in autos too.

Automatics dont have a clutch. However you will get more assured engine braking from a manual even changing an auto manually does not really help as the torque convertyer can still nullify the engine braking.

For all you doubters about long wheelbase being more stable than short wheelbase. Maybe with a horse trailer you will not notice it however I do many thousand miles towing per annum and the longer wheel base the better it is all down to physics . You have to ask the question why if its not an issue several SWB versions of 4x4s have a lower towing limit than there LWB counterparts even though mechanically they are the same. For example SWB shogun 3000kg MTW LWB 3500kg MTW thats because its safer.
We have had 4-5 discovery 3 or 4 but agfter a few close calls have changed to pickups as they have a longer overall wheelbase and never have had any wandering issues at they are so much more planted.
To be quite honest the Navaras are just as comfortable as the DIscos and a hell of a lot cheaper to run!
 
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I wouldn't want to tow with an auto either, partly because it's so hilly round here. I'm pretty sure clutches can go in autos too.

I thought that too until I drove an automatic. They are easy up steep hills and I have to drive up very steep windy hills. You can always select that they stay in a particular gear or use the tiptronic, so best of both worlds.
 
Automatics dont have a clutch. However you will get more assured engine braking from a manual even changing an auto manually does not really help as the torque convertyer can still nullify the engine braking.

For all you doubters about long wheelbase being more stable than short wheelbase. Maybe with a horse trailer you will not notice it however I do many thousand miles towing per annum and the longer wheel base the better it is all down to physics . You have to ask the question why if its not an issue several SWB versions of 4x4s have a lower towing limit than there LWB counterparts even though mechanically they are the same. For example SWB shogun 3000kg MTW LWB 3500kg MTW thats because its safer.
We have had 4-5 discovery 3 or 4 but agfter a few close calls have changed to pickups as they have a longer overall wheelbase and never have had any wandering issues at they are so much more planted.
To be quite honest the Navaras are just as comfortable as the DIscos and a hell of a lot cheaper to run!

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one, I have one of the shortest grunty 4x4's you can get, it has a towing capacity of 3.5t and is exceptionally stable. AFAIA, the closer the hitch is to the back axle, the more stable it will be for towing.

I'm surprised at your praise for the Navara considering the amount of miles you do, I know a few people who've found them terribly troublesome - their choice has been a new engine or scrapyard, no wonder they are cheap.
 
We'll have to agree to disagree on this one, I have one of the shortest grunty 4x4's you can get, it has a towing capacity of 3.5t and is exceptionally stable. AFAIA, the closer the hitch is to the back axle, the more stable it will be for towing.

I'm surprised at your praise for the Navara considering the amount of miles you do, I know a few people who've found them terribly troublesome - their choice has been a new engine or scrapyard, no wonder they are cheap.

SWB or LWB the hitch point is the same distance from the back axle the stability comes from the the two sets of wheels being further apart. If I didnt rate the navara why do you think we have replaced discoveries with them .Reliability and safe towing are the criteria we judge them by We have had no issues at all with the navaras wereas the discos were for ever breaking down .Stability better, Comfort level exactly the same in top spec Navara as the Discovery ,more economical and most of all a lot more reliable (never had to be recovered) Plus the real added bonus less than half the price of a discovery. We all hear bad stories about different vehicles I am just trying to give our practical experiences there are a lot of myths out there .
 
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