Any left field towing car suggestions??

[bearman68]

Our Jeep Cherokee has finally broken down with a minimum of a failed engine and turbo (Oil pump looks like it's failed).It's a 2002 2.5 manual diesel, remapped of course, and has served us well. I've been able to put 2 full sized canoes on the roof, it's been adequate in snow, and of course it's towed a decent sized trailer with a small car on the trailer. It's also very good on the gliding field, and has been surprisingly good on the road as well. Very versatile.

So my options are:-

1) Buy an old smashed up Jeep and transfer the engine (circa £900 and a few days work).
2) Buy a different Jeep Cherokee - circa £1400, and only an afternoon to sort.
3) Consider a Grand Cherokee and a few brave pills. The auto gearbox issue is quite common, but I know what goes wrong with them, and can usually fix. (Circa £800).
4) Something else that I haven't thought of.

Because I'm a skin flint, and have very little time for posh cars, anything within shed budget is completely acceptable, but anything outside isn't.
Must be diesel, absolutely no V8 petrol allowed, even with LPG. My tendency is to go for a manual, as I have never towed with auto, but I'm not sure if this is a silly fallacy or a cast iron truth - comments would be welcome.

Is there anything out there I might have not considered. (No land / range rovers please).

[ZX10R NIN]

Option 2 & you have a load of spares from your old car.

[RazerSauber]

Vauxhall Frontera perhaps? These seem pretty indestructible with the diesel unit in. Just keep an eye out for rust. 1.7 tonne towing capacity.

Alternatively, Disco 1 300TDi? Again, keep an eye out for tin worm. 3500kg towing capacity I believe.

[GreatGranny]

Stick with what you know

Looks in good nick, sensible mileage, full MOT and you have lots of parts just in case.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Jimmy Recard]

I use an ML270 CDI and it does quite a lot of towing. Just spent the weekend at Anglesey where we took my friend’s car to race

Pretty robust engine and gearbox, as you’d find on a WJ Grand Cherokee. I prefer automatics for towing

[bearman68]

RazerSauber said:

Vauxhall Frontera perhaps? These seem pretty indestructible with the diesel unit in. Just keep an eye out for rust. 1.7 tonne towing capacity.

Alternatively, Disco 1 300TDi? Again, keep an eye out for tin worm. 3500kg towing capacity I believe.

I upgraded to the jeep from a Fronty. I liked mine, but it was so bloody slow. I towed way over 1.7t in mine without undue issues, but the engine was terrible in that car. Lacked low down grunt. The jeep was a huge improvement - (or was when it still had a turbo), faster, more economical, good at towing, and surprisingly good road manners.

[bearman68]

Off to pick up a Grand Cherokee Overland tomorrow - with the compulsory dodgy gearbox.

I've ordered brave pills, taken out travel insurance and made my sarnies. I'm going to drive it home from Devon tomorrow, a grand total of about 150 miles, without exceeding 40.

Here it is.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/jeep/2004-jeep-grand-che...

What could possibly go wrong..........