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Affordable 4x4 tow cars
- Thread starter LizziePope
- Start date
Congratulations! This time you haven't assumed that everyone can afford new cars, and have gone for the ones that are more in the real world.Well done!
Personally, I go for much cheaper than that: I still run a Range Rover Classic which cost me £2,150 seven years ago. Yes, it has cost a few thousand in repairs, but still nowhere near what it would have cost me to buy a new, lesser car in 2009.
I almpost take an inverse pride now in having the oldest outfit on site, as my caravan is now 37 years old, and only cost me £2,500 eighteen years ago.
If you're not concerned about the number plate, there are lots of cheap and cheerful outfits out there.
Personally, I go for much cheaper than that: I still run a Range Rover Classic which cost me £2,150 seven years ago. Yes, it has cost a few thousand in repairs, but still nowhere near what it would have cost me to buy a new, lesser car in 2009.
I almpost take an inverse pride now in having the oldest outfit on site, as my caravan is now 37 years old, and only cost me £2,500 eighteen years ago.
If you're not concerned about the number plate, there are lots of cheap and cheerful outfits out there.
- Jun 2, 2015
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'tis a nobel attitude I think, I certainly won't be upgrading my c-van any time soon so as to have the latest model or changing my car to have a newer plate than the person in the next pitch. For us it is about the freedom to take the Kids (and ourselves) on lots of little expeditions away through out the year and obviously the main summer holiday. i am glad that some folk feel the need to upgrade every two or three years though, if they didn't there wouldn't be the second hand units available to buy.
Parksy
Moderator
- Nov 12, 2009
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I bought my 1997 P plate Mitsubishi 2.8 Pajero LWB automatic seven years ago for £1800after selling the 2.5 Pajero SWB auto that I'd owned for the previous seven years.
Neither Mitsubishi that I've owned has ever missed a beat and apart from servicing done by myself at home, tyres batteries, shock absorbers and exhausts I've spent nothing at all on them.
I intend to keep my current 1997 Trundle Truck for another couple of years, it pulls like a train and is roomy and very comfortable if a trifle old fashioned, with no onboard computer, no traction or stability aids, and without care, a bit of a wallowy ride when cornering.
Mitsi's make fantastic tugs for heavier t/a caravans although they can be thirsty beasts at times.
My 2.8 returns around 22-25 mpg on longer mainly motorway journeys whether towing or not, there's not much difference at around 60mph. I do have a snazzy 2014 Fiesta Titanium 1.6 diesel as a runabout or for longer trips without the caravan though, zero rated road fund licence and 60+mpg works out ok for me.
Neither Mitsubishi that I've owned has ever missed a beat and apart from servicing done by myself at home, tyres batteries, shock absorbers and exhausts I've spent nothing at all on them.
I intend to keep my current 1997 Trundle Truck for another couple of years, it pulls like a train and is roomy and very comfortable if a trifle old fashioned, with no onboard computer, no traction or stability aids, and without care, a bit of a wallowy ride when cornering.
Mitsi's make fantastic tugs for heavier t/a caravans although they can be thirsty beasts at times.
My 2.8 returns around 22-25 mpg on longer mainly motorway journeys whether towing or not, there's not much difference at around 60mph. I do have a snazzy 2014 Fiesta Titanium 1.6 diesel as a runabout or for longer trips without the caravan though, zero rated road fund licence and 60+mpg works out ok for me.
- Aug 23, 2009
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Although motoring should be about a car that meets your needs at a price you can afford, many people seem to think these days that the way to go is living beyond their means just for a bit of one up man ship.
Great to see some cheaper second hand alternatives appraised but I also, would look at older still for better value. There are some great imports around from Japan that just need a good waxoyl to keep them rust free. My old Pajero ('94 vintage) is still pootling around town, though not in my ownership anymore. Reliable older vehicle is an understatement.
Great to see some cheaper second hand alternatives appraised but I also, would look at older still for better value. There are some great imports around from Japan that just need a good waxoyl to keep them rust free. My old Pajero ('94 vintage) is still pootling around town, though not in my ownership anymore. Reliable older vehicle is an understatement.
- Nov 11, 2009
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I had 1995 Pajero 2.8TDI SWB auto, which I sold just over year ago. Whilst it wasn't used for mainstream towing it did get used occasionally to just move the van from home to store. I bought it principally for off road trips so had uprated suspension, and larger tyres fitted. But the thing that always impressed me was the build quality and its sophistication given it was nearly 18 years old when I bought it. Overall reliability was very good, and if I did need anything parts were cheap and easy to obtain. I sold it to a local chap who bought it within two hours of me putting it for sale near our local supermarket. He's still running around in it, and still speaks to me. In fact my son is keen to retrieve it and has asked me to ask the current owner for first refusal should he sell it.
The 4WD system matched to an auto box is awesome and off road it more than held its own with Landies, even giving "helpful" tows to Disco 2 and Disco 4 when in North Wales. The only downside to a SWB is lack of load space.
The 4WD system matched to an auto box is awesome and off road it more than held its own with Landies, even giving "helpful" tows to Disco 2 and Disco 4 when in North Wales. The only downside to a SWB is lack of load space.
Parksy
Moderator
- Nov 12, 2009
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I've dragged many a motorhome and front wheel drive car with a hitched caravan out of the mud with my Paj Clive, it's the only time I get to put the 4wd to good use. I've yet to tow a Disco, they are often on the back of breakdown trucks when I go cruising on by. I switched to the LWB for the space in the back, our caravan is never overloaded because most of the things we take go in the back of the tug. I'm surprised that the Shogun isn't included in the editors blog about the best second hand towcars.
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