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SirFishalot
05-07-2006, 11:17 PM
I'm thinking of getting a new vehicle, #it'll need to a tow 4.6 centre console ally boat(not sure of weight). What cars on the smaller side(bloody petrol hikes) will handle this comfortably?

pegasus
06-07-2006, 06:52 AM
Hey Sirfishalot,

I have a nissan x trail- it tows a 4.55m poly f/runner . Poly s are pretty heavy for their size - double skin 10mm and all that stuff- some where close to the 700 kg ish mark. Xtrial pulls it easily- tow wt rated somewhere up near 2000kg- plus xtra traction on the ramp as required- fuel comsump-generally get 600kms /60litres(without towing).

best regards,
lew

d-man
06-07-2006, 08:03 AM
If you're not looking for a 4x4, Holden Astra has 1200kg braked capacity, that's about the best of the small cars. Vectra is 1500kg. (Jeep Wrangler is only rated to 750kg).
Just got a Honda Accord to drag a 5.1 Quinnie, its rated at 1200kg.

lippa
06-07-2006, 08:28 AM
disel hilux!!!!! check the for sale section! ;D ;D ;D ;D price is negotiable!

cheers

lippa

Juzo
06-07-2006, 08:37 AM
Mate, I've got a Toyota Corrolla, and tow around a 4.4 meter glass brooker, total weight about 750kg, does it no problems, although I wouldn't do long trips in it cause the trailer has no brakes. Having said that the Corrolla is rated to 1200kg on a braked trailer,
check out the Peugeot 307, I'm looking to get one of them as my next car, specifically the HDi (diesel), is rated to tow 1600kg (braked), and gets 1400km's to a tank (highway driving), pretty hard to beat. Otherwise a 4 cyclinder diesel hilux is pretty reliable

TheSaint
06-07-2006, 08:51 AM
mate check out www.redbook.com.au it can tell you all info you need on any car your looking at.. Litre per 100kms, towing weights, etc etc

seatime
06-07-2006, 08:55 AM
Nissan Navara 2.5l turbo diesel, supposed to pull harder than a 3l Patrol.

backhoe
06-07-2006, 06:11 PM
mate check out www.redbook.com.au it can tell you all info you need on any car your looking at.. Litre per 100kms, towing weights, etc etc
Good tip
Told me in seconds what 3 different Toyota dealers couldn't (or couldn't be bothered finding out for me)
Thanks

Forrester
06-07-2006, 11:06 PM
Like Pegasus, I own a Polycraft front runner 4.55m, so maybe it's a bit heavier than what you plan. I tow it with a Camry 6cyl 3litre and I know it's there but getting more confident with more practice. Usually only travel about 5ks to Scarborough ramp but have been up to Spinnaker Sound near Bribie Island. I bought the car for the ride 3 years ago and bought the boat 3 months ago so it's had to work for me. I haven't had any problems with the front wheel drive and only get out about once or twice a month so still enjoy the driving at other times. Wouldn't like to be using a four cylinder if that's what you had in mind. I can't accelerate away when I join the freeway so that's something to think about.
Best wishes in your choice anyway. ;D

TIM-DONSELAAR
07-07-2006, 02:45 AM
i tow my 4.1m polycraft with my 4 cyl camry wagon,i hardly know its on the back.

cheers tim :)

Eagle
07-07-2006, 09:25 PM
I have a Kia Sportage that I use for towing our boat to everywhere. The engine is a 4 cylinder, 2000cc DOC and fuel injected. I get 9.5 k/l going to work and 10 k/l on the highway but that figure could improve if I drove slower, say 100kph. The boat weighs a total of 760kg and the Kia handles it perfectly. The fuel economy drops to about 6.5 k/l when towing but this involved a lot of hill climbing to get to the lake. What I love best is the ability to tow the boat up the ramp. Drop it into 4x4 and it works perfectly. I might add that the Kia tows the boat far better than what my Commodor ever did. I just hated that car. The auto was no good for towing on any road and a pain to retrieve with. The Kia is a "middle of the road" size car and is just great as a family fun car for the two of us. Cheap to run, cheaper tyres and cheaper rego.
Eagle

Tony_N
08-07-2006, 06:06 AM
Have a look at the stats for a Forester. All wheel drive , the option of low range for steep ramps, good fuel economy, and resale value have convinced me.

FWIW

Tony

DNO40
08-07-2006, 06:44 AM
I use a Suzuki Sierra to tow a 4.75 Hornet Trophy around - No problems. Obviously noy suited to long trips, but ideal around the local area.


DNO

SunnyCoastMark
09-07-2006, 09:29 AM
Sirfishalot,
One thing you need to keep in mind is that a smaller 4 cyl car will actually use more fuel than a larger vehicle when towing.

There are a lot of factors to consider here. :-
How much milage do you do in a week?;
How often do you tow your boat and how far?:
How big is the family?
What budget do you have?

My recommendation would be to look at the mid size small six cyls. on the market, such as Camry's and Mitsubishi's.
They are pretty economical and have the extra power when needed.
Other than that - one of the 4 cyl diesel turbo dual cabs such as the nissan navara's etc.

Mark

Tony_N
09-07-2006, 12:00 PM
I pulled a (not very heavy) 15 ft glass boat with a 4 cylinder Camry for about 6months. I know SFA about cars - but my mechanic assured me that the clutch burned out in part because the car was a front wheel drive. HE said that from his perspective the car was not only pulling the trailer but because of the Front WD it was also pulling itself (!) - along I mean. This was putting too much weight on the clutch.

Don't shoot the messenger, and remember that I don't lay claim to any mechanical knowledge at all, but FWIW my advice is not to pull boats with front wheel drive cars.


Tony

Eagle
09-07-2006, 10:44 PM
Hi Tony.
A front wheel drive is usually not a good choice for towing a boat up a ramp because the weight is not over the front wheels. To pull up an incline you need rear wheel traction for best pulling ability. I find that rear wheel traction is often missing because of slime , algae, or similar on the lower section of the ramp. ANY vehicle will have problems under these conditions. To get the best tractive (pulling available) I drop my 4x4 Sportage into 4 wheel drive and comming up the ramp is a breeze. There is no heavy load on the clutch, no shudder, no wheel spin, just solid and smooth pulling.
Physics usually dictates that pulling not pushing is a better way to go. However, with a car that's pushing (rear wheel drive) or a car that is pulling (front wheel drive), there is nothing to say one is better than the other. The front wheel drive often does better only because the front wheels are not on the slimy slippery ramp surface. On a clean dry ramp, the better car for the job is the one with rear wheel drive. In this drive, the weight of the trailer and boat PUSHING DOWN on the towbar ADDS to the overal weight on the rear wheels and helps heaps to overcome wheel spin. With a front wheel drive, the same weight on the back (towbar) LESSENS the weight on the front wheels and they are so much more inclined to spin and not grip. Regardless of pulling the weight of the car up the ramp or pushing the car up the ramp, the amount of work being done is still the same and there is absolutely no difference in the work that the clutch has to do. It's simple physics. You could look at it another way I 'spose, take a look at the super long coal trains with two locos in front and two more in the middle. Are the two at the back pushing the two in front plus the front section of wagons or are the two middle locos pulling only the rear half of the wagons? Go for a rear wheel drive and you wont go wrong. (Except on slimy green ramps).
Eagle

Tony_N
10-07-2006, 07:11 AM
Eagle

You may well be right about the physics of pull-push. As I said I was only passing on the opinion of somebody who seemed to know what he was talking about. My AWD 2.5l Forester pulls my 4.1 Poly very nicely and my mate's Pajero does a very adequate job on our 20ft glass boat.

Tony

Eagle
10-07-2006, 07:46 PM
Just as a follow-up, did you know that you can push a car (or boat or trailer) with a length of rope? The rope is soft and pliable but you can push a car along with it. If any of you cant work out how to do it I guess I will have to explain how to, (later). Yes, you can push with a piece of ordinary rope.
Eagle