Towing vehicle recommendations

Kat

Kat

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Hello everyone, I'm looking for recommendations for a tow vehicle. I'm towing on an old style licence so no worries about weights etc.

However I am looking for an economical vehicle to buy that is capable of towing. Current vehicle (a pick up) tows 2.8t and that is enough so looking for similar or greater capacity.

I'm a bit stuck as current vehicle has been written off (not my fault) and wasn't expecting to replace it for a couple of years. I'm a wary of expensive repair bills having been stung on a previous vehicle and when 4x4s go wrong the bills are normally big so was considering whether finance would enable me to go for something brand new but that is looking a bit of a stretch so maybe looking at something under five years.

I have a small car for commuting and the husband uses the tow car day to day but my car is getting to an age/mileage where it isn't worth much so trading that in isn't really worth considering.

Any suggestions, I'm getting a bit stir crazy not being able to book any shows or pleasure rides! Thanks :-)
 
Do you need to tow up to the 2.8t or could you go for something smaller? Are you looking for a new car or a slightly older one?

I had a Discovery Sport as a courtesy car for about 3 weeks when my Defender had to have work done. It was lovely to drive and all the gadgets were great - compared to my tractor they would be! I didn't manage to let it park itself as I rarely have to reverse park which I was disappointed with! Fuel economy was fairly decent. My journey to work is 4 miles of pretty stop-start traffic and I was averaging about 28mpg on that and well over 40mpg on longer journeys. If I didn't have to tow two big horses I'd be trading my beloved Defender in tomorrow. I've read very good things about it as a tow car although I didn't tow with it myself. The first models tow 2t (manual) or 2.2t (auto) and I'm sure I read the new models with the new engine will be able to tow 2.5t. Might be worth a look?
 
When I was looking a couple of years ago the only ones towing anything approaching 3 tonnes the VW Touareg, the Disco and the one I got, the SsangYong Rexton. Depends on your budget and what you mean by "economical" - you won't get much over 35mpg if you have a vehicle able to tow that kind of weight.
And check the road tax - I looked at a disco a couple of years old and it was £550!!! And I got a demonstrator Rexton for not much more than a three year old Disco would have cost.
In older vehicles the Nissan Terrano is a decent tow vehicle, but look for the larger model, both engine and body, they do a SWB and a small engine one. Or the others are the crew cab pick ups - I just didn't fancy parking on a supermarket car park in one of those!
 
annagain said:
Do you need to tow up to the 2.8t or could you go for something smaller? Are you looking for a new car or a slightly older one?

I had a Discovery Sport as a courtesy car for about 3 weeks when my Defender had to have work done. It was lovely to drive and all the gadgets were great - compared to my tractor they would be! I didn't manage to let it park itself as I rarely have to reverse park which I was disappointed with! Fuel economy was fairly decent. My journey to work is 4 miles of pretty stop-start traffic and I was averaging about 28mpg on that and well over 40mpg on longer journeys. If I didn't have to tow two big horses I'd be trading my beloved Defender in tomorrow. I've read very good things about it as a tow car although I didn't tow with it myself. The first models tow 2t (manual) or 2.2t (auto) and I'm sure I read the new models with the new engine will be able to tow 2.5t. Might be worth a look?
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Thanks for your reply.

I don't necessarily need the full 2.8t but I think 2 or 2.2 might be a bit close for comfort, I need enough power to get up a very steep hill every time I go out. My trailer is just under a tonne (about 0.9t I think but would have to check), and my horse has been on a weighbridge and is pretty much bang on 0.5t but I take turns driving with a friend so normally have two in and her horse is bigger than mine. I wouldn't want to be restricted in this as it is really useful to be able to go out together.

I know tow cars are never great on fuel (that's why I have a little hatchback for commuting) so I guess that by economical I am thinking more in terms of initial purchase price, tax band and insurance. Although my current tow vehicle gets over 30mpg in general short run use so I wouldn't want to get a gas guzzler!
 
JillA said:
When I was looking a couple of years ago the only ones towing anything approaching 3 tonnes the VW Touareg, the Disco and the one I got, the SsangYong Rexton. Depends on your budget and what you mean by "economical" - you won't get much over 35mpg if you have a vehicle able to tow that kind of weight.
And check the road tax - I looked at a disco a couple of years old and it was £550!!! And I got a demonstrator Rexton for not much more than a three year old Disco would have cost.
In older vehicles the Nissan Terrano is a decent tow vehicle, but look for the larger model, both engine and body, they do a SWB and a small engine one. Or the others are the crew cab pick ups - I just didn't fancy parking on a supermarket car park in one of those!
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I have a double cab pick up at the moment, it isn't great in a supermarket car park but you can normally find a quiet corner miles from the door!

Most new pick-ups tow over 3t now, get decent MPG for a 4x4 and get cheaper van tax rates so maybe I am best sticking with plan A and getting another pick-up...... I certainly can't stretch to a Touareg or a Disco.
 
Thanks for that link popsdosh I will check that out. I have a Navara now, and have loved it. Currently think the L200 looks a bit better in terms of the spec you get for your money but I think the husband would rather have another Nav.
 
I've heard that the new Navara pick up are good & my vet rates them highly. We would have considered having one or a Isuzu fury if we didn't have four children.

If you want a good 4x4 you can't go wrong with a proper land rover like the disco or defender l understand repair bills maybe higher but it's the price you have to pay for having vehicles like that. If they are looked after properly serviced & repaired it shouldn't be really an issue. l've a P38 range rover that l've had for a long time yes she is a old petol gobbling v8 but it's never let us down even though it was supposed to be the most temperamental of the range rovers made but we normally tow with an Isuzu Trooper which does the job beautiful it tows better than our disco did & when we went to a show ground two years ago that was so soft & muddy it went through it without a problem whereas some of these other supposed 4x4s especially the bmws were getting stuck relying on a tractor or us to get them out. So if you do decide on a 4x4 you need to get one that looks & does the part as so many look the part & thats it & l know of friends we have bought one & found they are exceedingly the towing capacity & had to get an different vehicle.

Good luck with your search hope you find a vehicle soon.
 
Kat said:
Thanks popsdosh, have uust had a quote from them that has brought a new Navara back into contention ��
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You wouldnt regret it . they are more car like to drive . I have TOR(tekna) with surround cameras couldnt be easier to park and hitch up . We moved to them from discoveries would never go back as they are so reliable . If you already have a navara when you buy a new one they give you 5yrs free servicing as well its a no brainer. Mines done 30k in 12 months no issues at all.
 
dixie said:
Yep I agree. I have a 4yr old one for 18m now and it's fab.
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I drove into the car park at the local agri merchants in mine a few weeks ago and there was a man there just loading feed into one. He said it was the third one he had had after years of owning Land Rovers and he would never go back, the Rexton is far better. That's about as good a recommendation as you can get
 
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