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Thread: Tow vehicle advice

  1. #1

    Exclamation Tow vehicle advice

    Ok so I've purchased a 23ft striper and need a tow vehicle as I am currently borrowing my brothers Patrol to tow it. I have a very tight budget of $5000, it has to be 4x4 and tow 3 tonne. I have found a few Land rover Dico 2's v8 and Mercedes ML320 6cyl petrol.

    Will only do 2 to 3 long distance trips a year of about 1400kms return but mainly just 30km to the boat ramp and back

    Please help I don't know much about the cars I have mentioned and cant find anything better.

    Thanks

  2. #2

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Disco 2 v8 preferably on injected lpg.

    Cheers


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Boat: Seafarer Vagabond
    Live: Great South East....love Moreton Bay fishing

  3. #3

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Reflection View Post
    ... it has to be 4x4 and tow 3 tonne....
    you mean 3.5t!

    On an alloy trailer it might sneak under 3t absolutely bone dry, but add a 10 ball and a rod and you will be in 'no insurance' land - give or take a few spare 10 balls

    Buying with that budget in mind you should also factor in a few unplanned repairs, if you haven't already.

    Cheers
    Brendon

  4. #4

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Brendon she will be over 3t you are correct. Also i have factored in a few repairs tho just hoping they stay on the cheaper side for now.
    Does anyone have a Disco 2 v8 that can give some advise what to look out for?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #5

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Have you considered looking at 2.0 to 3.0 tonne Japanese trucks. A $5000 Disco could well end in tears.
    Dale

    I fish because the little voices in my head tell me to

  6. #6

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Hi mate, I own a disco V8 that I bought to tow the haines with. Personally I'd prefer the diesel for the economy as the the crane I drive gets better mileage than the V8 .
    Disco's are what they are, don't get one if you have no mechanical knowledge, their electrics are by Lucas, the prince of darkness, and weird sh!t happens to them. Having said that, I paid around 3K for mine with rwc and rego and it has been from brissy to the gong and tows the boat fine. You are probably better off with the truck option though...3.5t is a lot to tow and stop with a car.
    Dean

  7. #7
    The disco 2 is German Bosch with zero problems for Engine Management. I have had mine from new in 2002. 250,000 k later still love it. My disco 1 95 model is Lucas but a holden v8 dizzy now lives in it...

    My d2 v8 on lpg averages 16l per 100k...so very cheap to run.

    Drivetrain is tough on the d2. Only weakness is if the cooling system has been let go and she overheats. All alloy v8s do not like being cooked and head gasket failure follows 2500 skins later or do them yourself and save a fortune.
    Cheers
    Boat: Seafarer Vagabond
    Live: Great South East....love Moreton Bay fishing

  8. #8

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    I have used old F100's to tow with hey are great & you can get a petty on gas.
    parts are cheap & easily sought
    Easy to work on if you are so inclined

    get an old bench seat jobbie & a roughy for towing if thats all it will be used for & it will pull all day leaf suspension will carry the load easy & like others said 3.5T is alot to ask of a std 4wd type car like the DIsco.
    Time to do some Fishin & less workin.

  9. #9

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Thanks Guys for the input. I towed the boat back with a 2010 Patrol 4cyl diesel from Townsville to sunshine coat so I think the v8 Disco2 will do it very well.
    I am not concerned about the fuel consumption as it will only tow the boat and do a few trips up the beach for camping.

    ozscott - That why I am looking at the Disco2 as the Bosch engine seems well put together.

    This is the one I am looking at getting http://www.carsales.com.au/private/d...?Cr=19&sdmvc=1

    Cheers

  10. #10

  11. #11

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Gee really like the 4x4 red one..what a cracker car compared to today's modern offerings.....still no matter a good working aircon is a must and rip the stupid woofers out....I would own that red one...but the damn patrol just will not quit.



  12. #12

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Mate the heaviest I have towed (my Vag is only 2 tonns) is about 2.8 tonns - see photo. It towed big trailer very well, but at the end of the day the D2 is a 100 inch wheelbase - ie short, so its not the best tow vehicle if you are going to stick 250kg on the tow bar - both of the heavy trailers I tow and a van i tow all have 150kg nose weight as measured...short wheel base vehicles will pitch compared to say an F100 (avoid the F150). You just can beat distance between the wheels for towing with heavy nose weights. I run air bags which help a lot. If you are doing long trips AND if the striper has say 200kg plus nose weight I would go a long wheel base beast like an old F100 and gas it up (if you want a wider range and gun vehicle offroad, look at the old defenders - say 110 or better still for towing 130 inch wheelbase models). I have a 95 d1 V8 auto and she has towed almost 4 tonn (my 95 was rated to 4000kg) - a GQ Comp truck on a big trailer with parts etc) and did it fine, but it was a short highway trip.

    The D2 is still a light truck at 2100kg kerb weight for a manual V8 base model however if the trailer has good electric brakes you wont have a problem however and they are safe. Mate the Mercs are not built for towing like the D2 and if you want some fun the D2 as a stocker is a gun offroad. I would get a D2 with centre diff lock or at least the lug nut on the transfer case output housing to take a basic cable pull...they went a couple of years with traction control alone which was a bit silly.

    What you cant see in the photo below are all the gazebos, aluminium riggers, tool boxes, tables, steelwork etc...she is heavy and massive wind resistance.

    Cheers
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Boat: Seafarer Vagabond
    Live: Great South East....love Moreton Bay fishing

  13. #13

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    I got tied of trying to work out what to buy to comply with the regulations and ended up buying a 4.5 ton diesel dual cab trader with a tipper body so I can use around the yard. Not the prettiest bit of equipment but does the job. Hard to get something that will do the job and comply so you have insurance if something goes pair shape. A lot of boats getting around on trailers that don't comply. All good till something happens. My boat comes in at 2.1 ton dry and by the time you add gear, fuel and trailer your over.

  14. #14

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Hello Reflection,

    The $5K budget is a bit limiting.
    What other cars do you have?
    Perhaps sell one of them + the $5K and get a better L/cruiser or Patrol.
    It would save on rego/maint/insur on another vehicle that gets limited usage.
    If you do plan to do some longer trips it might be better to have a more reliable vehicle than say an old Disco or whatever.

  15. #15

    Re: Tow vehicle advice

    Hi Crocodile,

    I don't have any other cars I own, only a company car.

    An to the other Guys who suggested a Light Truck, I will be using it to take the family to DI/Fraser occasionally so a truck is not an option. As mentioned I have towed the boat with a 4cyl diesel patrol 1200kms and was impressed what such a little engine can deliver and also the suspension was standard.

    I've managed to stretch it to $6000 now, tho I am having a look at a 2001 Disco2 v8 on Saturday morning as I haven't even been in one also found a 2000 Disco 5TD manual that looks promising.

    Cheers

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