What do you tow with?

[Hormonal Filly]

I only need to tow 1 horse and my 506 trailer, so no more than 2 ton. Currently have a Freelander 2 which can tow 2 ton. It tows fine and is a great all round car but I've experienced endless problems - would like something reliable. Due to where we live I need a 4x4 or a car that can go into 4x4 when required.

I am going to do my trailer test this year so family don't need to take me everywhere. I looked at the CRV's but they're quite gutless.

Don't really want to spend over £6,000..

 

[rabatsa]

SWB Shogun and will tow 3 tonnes.

 

[ihatework]

I tow a Bateson Ascot with one up with a Mitsubishi Outlander, bought mine on the basis of 3 friends having had them and they stood the test of time. I’ve been very pleased with it. It’s a 12 reg approaching 100k on the clock now and has flown through its mot every year just with routine servicing. To be honest it’s the best car I’ve ever owned.

6K might get you something similar, just need to be careful on the engine, the 2.2 diesel probably the best.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

SWB Shogun and will tow 3 tonnes.

I love Mitsubishi. We have a 2005 3.2 Shogun we use to tow with but its being put up for sale. Its the LWB and far to long for me. I like the 2008 SWB Shogun but the road tax is £500 a year.

I tow a Bateson Ascot with one up with a Mitsubishi Outlander, bought mine on the basis of 3 friends having had them and they stood the test of time. I’ve been very pleased with it. It’s a 12 reg approaching 100k on the clock now and has flown through its mot every year just with routine servicing. To be honest it’s the best car I’ve ever owned.

6K might get you something similar, just need to be careful on the engine, the 2.2 diesel probably the best.

Didn't even think of the Outlander, i'll look thank you!

 

[Follysmum]

Range Rover at present, great towing car but absolutely rubbish for space.
Will be hopefully getting a Ford ranger in the near future

 

[irishdraft]

Landrover defender 90 tows 3.5 tonne 20 years old and still going strong.

 

[Annagain]

Landrover defender 90 tows 3.5 tonne 20 years old and still going strong.

This - except mine is only 5 years old. I've never felt safer towing than I do with the Defender. It's not a brilliant everyday car as it's not the most comfy or fuel efficient but I only do 4 miles to work and will soon be going on the train when I move offices so it doesn't bother me.

 

[Follysmum]

I had a defender 90 many years ago and absolutely loved it, biggest mistake I made selling it but hubby wanted a bit more luxury at the time.

 

[Merrymoles]

Just moved to a 3.2 LWB Shogun from a Discovery2 and have to say the Shogun is better so far. I used to tow with my Defender too and that was brilliant but unfortunately had too many problems with it and sold it for an "ordinary" car.

 

[Abi90]

Looking to upgrade to a Shogun post second attempt at trailer test next week. Are the SWB or LWB preferable? I like the space in the bigger ones.

Do the SWB have enough “boot” space?

They seem pretty reliable? I need to buy an older one (04-07 prices) until I have equity in my car loan in about 12 months.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

SWB Shogun and will tow 3 tonnes.

Me too, my SWB Shogun tows 1 pony and 1 small horse in an Ifor 506 and it feels effortless.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I love Mitsubishi. We have a 2005 3.2 Shogun we use to tow with but its being put up for sale. Its the LWB and far to long for me. I like the 2008 SWB Shogun but the road tax is £500 a year.

My 2014 Shogun is classed as commercial and the tax is only £250 a year.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Looking to upgrade to a Shogun post second attempt at trailer test next week. Are the SWB or LWB preferable? I like the space in the bigger ones.

Do the SWB have enough “boot” space?

They seem pretty reliable? I need to buy an older one (04-07 prices) until I have equity in my car loan in about 12 months.

The boot is huge, I can lay down diagonally with ease 😁 Day to day I have plastic storage containers in it permanently and can fit two full sets of tack and all the other stuff with room to spare. Only had mine since December and I am very impressed with it.

 

[rabatsa]

The folded up seats in the non commercial ones do take up a lot of the room but you can still fit a fair bit of stuff in there.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

My 2014 Shogun is classed as commercial and the tax is only £250 a year.

If I could afford a 2014 SWB Shogun i'd go and buy one today, I only have £6,000 and that will only get me a up to 2008 plate with expensive road tax.

 

[EventingMum]

Currently, a Ford Ranger and before that a HiLux, the beauty of a pick up is the road tax is less.

 

[alexomahony]

I love my Kia, and it would be well within your budget as you'd want an older one to get the best towing capacity x

 

[[59668]]

Isuzu DMax pickup truck. Personally, even if you are only towing 2 tonnes, I would want something that is capable of pulling 2.8....just for my peace of mind.

 

[HeyMich]

Ford Ranger and it's amazing! (but possibly not available for 6K)

 

[Orchard14]

Land Rover Discovery 3. Tows my 2 600kg horses with a 1t 511 like it isn't there. I only passed my trailer test last year so I wanted the Disco because it's so solid and would make me feel safe - It has has several issues with it though and it is expensive to run. I used to have a small Mitsubishi which was a good reliable well-made car so I'm thinking of PX'ing the Disco and getting a Shogun. Or I have heard great things about the older Kia Sorrento's and the Ssangyong Rexton interests me as a good budget towing car. I trained for my trailer test in a Ford Ranger Wildtrak and that was the easiest car I've ever driven. I need to tow just 2.5t or so but I wanted something capable of taking 3.5t so it takes less strain and less damage to the vehicle over time. Reading these comments with interest too.

 

[rosiesowner]

Tiguan Allspace. Great car, comfy, tows with ease, mum really likes it (she is the pony chauffer!)

Doesn't guzzle diesel too badly. Automatic so nice smooth ride. I've driven it a couple of times (granted only for five minutes each way!) and even for me as a bad learner driver it was really nice to drive. Can switch between sports/normal/4x4 mode etc.
Chosen because mum wanted to have another VW and it switches easily between being a grafter to tow and an every day car. Not the most storage room in the world but enough for two peoples' things in the boot on the way to a show. Way more room if you can get the back seats down. We tow a 511 with it with Chilli (16hh TB) and sometimes her 14.1hh friend.

Even just a silly thing like pressing a button on the keys to open the boot while you're juggling armfuls of stuff is useful!

 

[phizz4]

The long wheelbase Shogun has a much greater storage capacity. Two western saddles, pads, clothes, boots etc in the boot with plenty of spare space. My experience of a short wheel base is that the ride can be a little choppy. If you don't need the third row of seats in a LWB you can take them out which creates a large, covered storage space. We keep a bottle jack, tow rope, jump leads, spare bulbs, spare lead rope, head collar etc in there, very useful. The trouble that my wife has found when using a friends pick up (a Toyota Hi Ace) she couldn't reach stuff in the back without a small set of steps and it was a long reach.

 

[dixie]

Ssangyong Rexton

 

[tda]

Toyota HiLux, automatic. Love it, could be a bit better on fuel but thats not gonna happen. V reliable

 

[Frumpoon]

I've always had Japanese and never spent much to buy or maintain, you could get an antique shogun or pajero for no more than £1500 and it will have selective 4wd, air con, and some other mod cons

 

[Thea]

We’ve towed with a Nissan navara and a Ford Ranger. The ranger is brilliant, you don’t even feel it with two big horses across muddy fields. Both mum and I hated the navara and we had issues with it losing its back end when braking hard when no weight is in the back so we swopped to the ranger. I dont get on with towing so have a lorry but we still have the ranger, it’s comfortable as an every day car and isn’t too bad on fuel. No idea on their value second hand but lots of people have older ones for towing around us.

 

[silv]

Toyota Hilux, heaps of space, effortless towing, very reliable.

 

[Tiddlypom]

If you don't need the third row of seats in a LWB Shogun you can take them out which creates a large, covered storage space.

We've done this with our yr 2014 LWB Shogun, too. The rearmost seats unbolt pretty easily. Great cars.

Slightly sad, though, as we had many happy years of travelling chattering junior cricketers x 6 to away games in the yr 2000 Shogun, happy times!

 

[Abi90]

I've always had Japanese and never spent much to buy or maintain, you could get an antique shogun or pajero for no more than £1500 and it will have selective 4wd, air con, and some other mod cons

I’ve onlt got a £6,000 budget but the spec of some of the older Shoguns is pretty good and none of them have done very many miles. They are thirsty but I don’t drive very far so not a massive issue

 

[riversideeu]

I tow a 506 and one horse with a Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 manual and it is fantastic. Mine is an 09 reg and you should be able to get a newer reasonable one for your budget. I previously had an Isuzu Trooper 3 litre so was worried it would feel under powered but the engine is so much more modern and efficient it really is much better than the Trooper.