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sienna
New Member
17 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 1:46:01 PM
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Hi,
I am having transport problems. I want to take my new girl to some pleasure rides, etc this year but I do not know anyone in my area with the same interests so am unable to share transport. Also, no one near me offers to transport using a trailer, only wagons, and that's too expensive for one horse. I have looked at hiring a vehicle and trailer but having limited experience towing would not feel very happy with this.
Consequently, I am considering buying a vehicle capable of towing a double horse trailer and will then buy or seasonal hire dependant upon my remaining finances.
I have limited finances and as the vehicle would also be my daily "run around" would like something practical and reasonably economical to run.
The market seems to be quite limited due to the new towing regulations and so far I have only been directed at Freelanders.
With the wealth of knowledge out there in "ALiners Land" I wondered if anyone could give me any suggestions of what vehicle may be suitable, or share their experiences.
Many thanks.
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Leeds, West Yorkshire |
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moatside
Platinum Member
England
3224 Posts |
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Vicki M
Silver Member
England
294 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 2:05:53 PM
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Hi
I've managed to get hold of an old Daihatsu Fourtrack and its brilliant. Obviously there are going to be maintenance issues with an older car but I've had problems with new ones too.
My car has been a god send during this bad weather and has helped deliver blankets and supplies to the old and disabled who have not been able to get out during this winter period.
It's helped vans get up hills, carried water for all the horses on the livery yard where I'm stabled when all the pipes froze and she is always willing to get up in the morning!!!!
Needed a car and spotted this.
She is so good she now has the name of Daisy Daihatsu |
  
Vicki M
Al Karif Arabians |
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Angelo
Junior Member
Scotland
40 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 2:06:40 PM
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Hi, I have a Landrover Discovery and love it. It's great for towing but a bit pricey for an every day run around. My friend has a Grand Cherokee Jeep. It is an automatic and converted to gas which is cheaper to run. I have towed with it and loved it. It manages a big equi treck with 2 horses no probs. |
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Nichole Waller
Gold Member
England
1168 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 2:31:24 PM
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I'm not convinced that a landrover freelander is up to the job...
I had a Landrover Discovery for 6 months (it was 18 months old when i bought it) and i had nothing but problems with it. It broke down four times in the six months i had it and had to be towed off on the back of a recovery truck...
In the end i took it back to the garage where i bought it and told them it was not fit for purpose (as i had told them i wanted to tow a horse trailer with it). They were great and asked me what i wanted (which i said a Toyota Landcruiser) and then went out and found one for me and did a straight swap for the disco.
I've had no problems with this at all. I've had it just over 4 years and i've done 90,000 miles in it so far... It is just about to have the back brakes changed as currently it still has the original brakes on from new....(amazingly..)
I can't vouch for Landcruisers enough, even some of my friends that are die hard Landrover fans absolutely love it. And the good thing about a Toyota is as long as you look after them they go on and on and on and on...
It is a little bit 'juicy' on the fuel but i think most 4 x 4 are. If you buy one that is more economical on the fuel it may not be as reliable and therefore cost you more in the long run... |
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kathleen
Platinum Member
England
1835 Posts |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 2:48:56 PM
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Another Diahatsu success here. Ours is the fieldmaster. It isn't young but it stepped into fill a gap when the jeep cherokee had a gear box failure. The Jeep was also a good towing vehicle and comfortable, but ours was automatic and didn't hold back enough on the steep down hills for my liking. We always have second hand vehicles for the farm. When the old landrover died we were not impressed with the newer versions.
Good luck |
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Misper
Bronze Member
101 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 2:50:27 PM
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We have a Honda CRV (2006 model). It does about 40 miles to the gallon when not towing and so far has been lovely to tow with and we have plenty of hills! I have felt comfortable towing for very long journeys. It's great advantage is that is a 2 wheel drive,going into 4 wheel only when it needs to (thus saving fuel). It is also cheap compared to other options.
Good luck!
Andrea |
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simbba
Silver Member
299 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 3:05:42 PM
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I have a nissan terrano which i have had for 10yrs, now and it still takes me all over the country with my double ifor williams trailer during the showing season
Good luck with finding a jeep |
www.xiviersarabianpalominos.com |
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karen d
Gold Member
United Kingdom
847 Posts |
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Claire
Silver Member
England
422 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 3:42:49 PM
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Another vote for the diahatsu from me!
Ours is an L reg and has done over 120,000 and is still going strong and hasn't failed us yet! You wouldn't know you had a trailer on the back to be honest and I've also seen one pull a HGV lorry off a field when it got stuck at a show! |
      
Suffolk |
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Misshana
Silver Member
England
449 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 4:00:26 PM
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| We also had a Frontera for about 6 years, it was fantastic tow car but I believe hard to get parts for now. Replaced with a 57 Kia Sorento. We pull caravan and trailer, its fantastic on hills you'd never know you were towing, it actually gets faster going up!! They're a really good price too. A lot of the farmers round here have them now as well. |
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Qui Gon Jinn
Platinum Member
Scotland
1627 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 4:06:46 PM
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Everyone will have their own personal opinions on 4 x 4's and it really will come down to the money you have to purchase, not to mention the running costs. Some 4 x 4's will definitely be more costly to run in terms of maintenance and fuel.
I personally have a TD5 Discovery and I love it. I bought it last year second hand (it is 5 years old) and can't praise it enough. This is my second Disco, I previously had a 300Tdi and loved it too, I owned it for 5 years. The 300Tdi was automatic and very thirsty!! I got about 21 to the gallon with it. The new one is manual and I get 30mpg running about and about 23 towing. There will always be good and bad examples of all types of 4 x 4, you just need to read up as much as you can on the different ones on offer and decide what is best for you. The freelander is a toy 4 x 4 and NOT up to towing any more than 2 tons and certainly is not a good off road vehicle!!!! Landrovers are one of the best in terms of towing weight (3.5 tons) the Nissan Patrol, Dihatsui Fourtrack, Isuzu Trooper, Cherokee Jeep and Landcruiser also fall into this towing capacity. The Honda CRV is only legally permitted to tow 1.5tons!
If I hadn't bought another Disco, I was very tempted by an Isuzu Trooper, but the newest version I could find was a 52 plate. Sadly they don't make the Trooper any more, but with the exception of one of the models (which was prone to blowing its turbo!!) they seem to be very reliable and you got a lot more spec for your money.
Hope this helps you. Good luck in your search. |
The Soul would have no Rainbow....If the Eyes had shed no Tears. |
Edited by - Qui Gon Jinn on 15 Jan 2010 4:11:10 PM |
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 4:31:40 PM
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I test drove a new Toyota hilux twin cab for a weekend and, as it had a tow bar, I used it. Pulled like butter. I was very impressed with it but I ended up buying a Nissan Nirvara as you got more for your money. I am just as pleased with it, although I have to be honest and say that the Toyota towed slightly better.
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 4:33:53 PM
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| Just re-read your post......you could always put a wanted ad on AL to see if there is anyone close to you that you could share a lift with? |
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Dilbydoos
New Member
England
8 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 4:46:04 PM
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| I have a Mitsubishi Shogan T reg 2.8td LWB.. I find it excellent for towing...and there is also loads of space inside when needed...Not bad on fuel TBH for the size of 4 x 4 as long driven carefully and not constanly making the turbo kickin... Then the fuel is gussled....Has been brilliant in this latest snow as well...never gets stuck anywhere... |
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jillandlomond
Platinum Member
Scotland
3586 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 5:42:14 PM
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| I've got a Toyota Landcruiser and is brilliant at towing! Used to own a Nissan Terrano 2.7 TDI and that was fantastic at towing too! |
    
Borders, Scotland |
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Sahir
Gold Member
England
847 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 5:50:17 PM
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I have a Maverick TDI LWB - really excellent for towing 
and very comfortable for long distance driving too - I love it.
Elaine xx |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 5:51:46 PM
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| I have a Mitsubishi Shogun and love her. Kathleen we have been using a Landrover Defender during the really bad weather and they will get you through just about anything she beat my Shogun hands down in the deep snow ( we have had it very bad ). The only problem with the Defenders is they are very billy basic the one we have is an 05 and they are like driving a tank after the Shogun. |
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paul_exe
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2022 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 7:50:02 PM
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Have towed with various vehicles:
Freelander: Forget it, unless you are prepared to get out at evey hill and push the trailer up the hill. Found it totally useless.
Toyota Defender.. good towing Vehicle, but prefer The Landcruiser, which for me is the machine to do the job.
Volvo 940 Estate. Great towing car, but if caught in cross winds, not as good as a taller vehicle.
Paul |
     
Get over yourself: You breathe, you fart, what makes you different?
Gloriously Sunny Devon |
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Meggie-Lu
Platinum Member
England
1519 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 7:57:40 PM
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| My friend Jay tows his trailer with a toyota pick up truck (they have a closed back on it)!!! They did have a landrover! But it broke down all the time same as my anunty Nicks, so they also changed! The Pick up truck is great!!! |
   Danger Mouse |
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Avonbrook
Silver Member
287 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 8:15:06 PM
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My 2004 diesel Nissan X-trail is brilliant. I don't need to go over the 2 tonne towing weight and it does nearly 40 mpg down the motorway. It has also handled brilliantly in the snow and ice...
Rowena |
  
www.avonbrookstud.co.uk |
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morag
Bronze Member
England
94 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 8:50:10 PM
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| Hi, I have a Suzuki Grand Vitara to tow one horse around - brilliant towing and selective 4 wheel drive so more economical as a general run around. Mid way between car and landie in height so get the advantage of road vision without the cost of the big 4x4. Handles well in 2 wheel drive - just like a normal car but the added advantage, especially in this weather, of selective 4 wheel drive is brilliant. Also the boot space can be flattened and will get 9 bales of standard shavings in if you like jigsaws!! Can only tow one horse at a time though. Have now got an old landrover defender - completely rebuilt with new parts! which is for this show season towing two horses. Its a box on wheels, noisy, uncomfortable and thirsty as a weed, but tows 3 ton easily and can be thrown around the paddocks with harrows, muck spreader or roller attached as it has dual fitting towbar. |
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moonlight
Platinum Member
2000 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 9:16:41 PM
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| Had an old Shogun in the past and loved it, great for towing and in snow, now have a Grand Cherokee Jeep and love it, Jerry the Jeep, excellent towing vehicle for Equitrek trailer and also fantastic up and down steep North Yorks hills in snow, luxury driving the rest of the time, heated seats in this weather just wonderful! Good luck in your search! And happy outings with your horse! |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 9:36:19 PM
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We don't have any hills in Suffolk so my Freelander does a great job. I do over 100 miles to work in it every day and, touch wood, it is fine. I don't do alot of towing but when I have it has been no bother. I am sure there are other vehicles which might be better but personally I have been very pleased with my Freelanders; this is my second one.
Barbara |
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Nerusa
Bronze Member
Scotland
160 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2010 : 9:41:39 PM
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Yet another fan of Daihatsu Fourtraks! I've an M-reg Fieldman (2-seater, no windows in back) and had it nearly 5 years. The guy I bought it from (a farmer) has rued the day he sold it to me because he's not found anything since with such good power to size.
I have run mine in almost constant 4-high this winter and am getting approx 25 mpg, and in towing for one horse in summer conditions, it is the same. I wouldn't want to pull my double trailer with anything else; I drove it 250 miles and back to collect a horse a couple of years ago and it was an absolute dream the whole way. You'd hardly know you were pulling anything.
Whoever at Daihatsu decided to stop making these should be taken out and shot! |
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Topic |
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Which 4x4 would you recommend for towing?
for kids junk
