Goldilocks car

[GeenMachine]

Hi All
First time post, so please be gentle kind sirs.
I just acquired a ski boat & trailer ATM 1900kg laden. But I don't have an appropriate towing vehicle. I have a few conflicting criteria that really limits the options:
1) 2.0 - 2.25 tonne braked towing capacity (rules out Toyota Hilux pre-2005 which have 1,800kg braked towing capacity)
2) diesel, both for fuel economy/running cost and for low-end torque to get off the boat ramp
3) AWD or 4WD, again to get off a wet slippery ramp.
4) Price $15K - $20K (rules out 2005 Toyota Hilux 4x4's I've seen advertised with dealers, at $25K-$30K)
5) Mid-sized (rules out Patrols, Cruisers, etc)
6) Built 2001 or later
7) Four-door
8) Reliable
My Goldilocks car is not too heavy, not light; not too thirsty but plenty of power/torque when required; needs to be comfortable enough for journeys up to 90 minutes and steering light enough for the missus to drive, but strong enough to pull a heavy rig off my local boat ramp.
Most of my driving is commuting to work and errands in the local suburbs in moderate traffic, with the odd trip down the coast to visit the family. Most of my towing is to a ramp within 3 minutes of home.
Is there such a car?

[Gon Fishun]

Mazda BT50. 4cyl turbo diesel;D
Bloody terrific.;D;D;D

[Homer_Jay]

Toyota Prado

[Giffo65]

NP Pajero diesel,my missus loves ours.

[finga]

Pajero....
Ours is older, cheaper and petrol but we cannot fault it. ;D

[FishHunter]

Just to be different V8 commodore on LPG

[Stik-ugly]

triton duel cabs

[Mtx]

Pathfinder

[Angry]

NP Pajero 3.2ltr DID Turbo Diesel.

Ive got an 08 NS Pajero & its brilliant.

had a Territory great car to drive but wont pass a fuel bowser.

Mate of mine has an NP Diesle I drvoe it & could nt believe it, very under rated .

The later NS & current NT are basically the same under the skin, just later versions of the same motor but Common Rails controled by elelctronics, NPS are very under rated.

[Angry]

NP Pajero 3.2ltr DID Turbo Diesel.

Ive got an 08 NS Pajero & its brilliant.

had a Territory great car to drive but wont pass a fuel bowser.

Mate of mine has an NP Diesle I drvoe it & could nt believe it, very under rated .

The later NS & current NT are basically the same under the skin, just later versions of the same motor but Common Rails controled by elelctronics, NPS are very under rated.

[MyWay]

ford falcon
Towing Braked (kg)2300
Towing Not Braked (kg)750

[Angla]

I would second the Turbo Diesel Pajero as a car to fit all the criteria. Second choice would be a dual cab ute. My rodeo is pretty damn fine but not for the wife to drive due to manual

Cheers
Chris

[finga]

Just to be different V8 commodore on LPG


ford falcon
Towing Braked (kg)2300
Towing Not Braked (kg)750
Selection criteria number 2: diesel, both for fuel economy/running cost and for low-end torque to get off the boat ramp
Selection criteria number 3: AWD or 4WD, again to get off a wet slippery ramp

So the dunny door and Falcoon are out. :-[

[fishfeeder]

keep your car you have go and Grab an old Landcruiser (cheap) and use that to tow the boat and then you have a 4WD to go offroad on wet days or camping up the beach. cant kill them and mine runs cheaper then my 2wd work ute.

Cheers

[Jabiru658]

Nissan Navara 3.0 Litre turbo diesel crew cab D22, braked tow rating 3000kg. Reliable and in your price range and there's a good range of after market gear available if you want to go that way. I've got a later model and about the only issue is that tall people don't have a lot of room in the back seat but that's a problem with most crew cab utes.

http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/dealer/details.aspx?R=10461917&ncclist=10386191,10221156,10441785,10300898,104619 17,10468391&CT=Compare&tsrc=allcarhome&SearchAction=N&__Nne=15&PriceTo=410&__Qpb=true&YearToShort=1796&YearFromShort=1645&silo=1011&__sid=12CDEF3ECF6B&__N=1216%201246%201247%201252%201282%204294963846% 204294963186%20410%201645%201796%20714&__Ns=pCar_RankSort_Int32|1||pCar_PriceSort_Decimal |1||pCar_Make_String|0||pCar_Model_String|0&Cr=&keywords= (http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/dealer/details.aspx?R=10461917&ncclist=10386191,10221156,10441785,10300898,104619 17,10468391&CT=Compare&tsrc=allcarhome&SearchAction=N&__Nne=15&PriceTo=410&__Qpb=true&YearToShort=1796&YearFromShort=1645&silo=1011&__sid=12CDEF3ECF6B&__N=1216%201246%201247%201252%201282%204294963846% 204294963186%20410%201645%201796%20714&__Ns=pCar_RankSort_Int32%7C1%7C%7CpCar_PriceSort_D ecimal%7C1%7C%7CpCar_Make_String%7C0%7C%7CpCar_Mod el_String%7C0&Cr=&keywords=)

The one I've listed is a basic DX model at $13,999 but with $15-$20K to spend you'll find ST-R models in your price range with change to spare and a few more creature comforts.

My missus drives my ST-R quite a bit although she has trouble parallel parking it (so do I they are pretty long!).

[oldboot]

There is simply no way arround it....if you want to tow 2 tonnes, comfortably you need a tow vehicle with some mass.

I know many of the current tow ratings allow the vehicle to be lighter than the trailer....... but you realy are better off with a vehicle heavier unladen than the trailer it is towing.

Forget your perceptions of size.

I have a couple of single cab hilux utes with flat trays on them......you would be surpried what they are longer than......longer than 80 or 100 series cursers.. way longer than a falcon or bomadore

A 70 series cruser ute is heavier, but it is no longer than a similar hilux

You will find an 80 or 100 series landcruser easier to park and far more comfortable than a hilux or any other ute.

The overriding thing in this situation is towing capacity.

As for the towing capaities of many of the modern post 05, 4 cylinger utes..... well there are plenty of pictures arround where the rear chaisis have bent on them.

the tropies, cruser waggons and the patroll waggons have the ball very much closer to the rear axle than the utes....this makes handing ( in particular reversing) the trailer much easier.

Anything other than the heavier 4wds will be a bit close to capacity for my liking pulling 2 tonnes.

BTW have you had this rig over the scale yourself.

By the way... Goldylocks was a fictional character.;D
Bears don't eat porage, & if they take walks in the morning it is to find a little girl to eat.

cheers