Tow car/SUV/van/4x4 advice needed
Discussion
Hi all,
I've been hoarding cars for the last few years, and I really need a tow setup to move my stuff around. The initial idea was to get a 3.5t recovery truck, but towing capacity and extra tax/insurance make it less interesting, for something that will probably get used 3 times a year.
So I started looking at car + trailer combo's. I really prefer small, lightweight cars, so I am in unexplored territory. Since it would double as a daily (I am trying to cut down on cars), it'd prefer something small-ish. I used a BMW E36 323ti for many years, and loved that car. Currently preparing a E46 325ti as new daily.
A few concerns that I have:
- I'd rather have petrol over diesel, planning to convert it to LPG (currently around £0.3/liter over here, diesel and petrol being around £1.1/liter)
- preferably no diesel also has to do with the low emissions stuff everywhere
- preferably set and forget. I don't like working on cars and don't want to caress the car
- I don't care too much about features. A fun driving car without options that can break is perfect
- Non critical issues don't really bother me. As long as the car drives as it should and passes an MOT, I couldn't care less that the heated seating doesn't work. The comfort level of my 90ies 3-series was more than perfect (electric windows, airco).
- it will mostly be used as a daily. Likely a few short pulls (10 miles) in a year and one long haul (1000 miles in a day or 2) to buy something "new"
- it is hard to pin down my yearly mileage currently. I suspect 10k miles a year will do it nowadays.
- Any car I'll buy have some up front costs (converting it to LPG most likely, converting it to a cargo vehicle OR paying a bunch of registration tax as well), so I can't keep changing cars as freely as you can in the UK.
- I have a max budget of about £4k (to buy the car) in mind. Preferably less.
There aren't really any normal cars that pull enough weight, I'm looking at 2500 kg and up.
So, SUV's. I have a preference for BMW, as I am most familiar with them and finally have a good indy for them. The first gen X5 can't tow thqt much however and maintenance costs worry me. They were expensive vehicles and I'd be buying at the low end of the scale. Other options I found: Mercedes ML, Porsche Cayenne. The ML looks cheap and looks like a lot of car for the money. Many of them already have a tow bar as well and there are multiple engine options. The Cayenne is even more ugly, but should be quite fun to drive. Porsche running costs scare me though.
4x4: Mitsubishi Shogun, Land Cruiser, Nissan Terrano, Daihatsu Fourtrak, Jeep Grand Cherokee
I really like the looks of the short wheelbase Shogun. They can pull enough (2.8t) and are quite compact. Most of them are old diesels though, they all use quite a bit of fuel -based on the specs-, are slow and probably not that fun to drive. Maintenance costs should be good as far as I know.
Pickups: the American stuff has its charm, but it's all too big.
Van: looks like you need to go big to have some towing capacity. Don't really fancy driving a van as daily, but if it is really that much better, I might consider it. Pretty much all diesels though. Most mid sized vans seem to have a relatively low rating, so I think I'd be looking at the big ones.
I think an old SUV would be the best match for my use, but maintenance scares me. The problem is that all SUV's are relatively new and were very expensive cars, so have a bunch of electronics that can break and expensive parts.
Can someone point me in the right direction? What kind of mileage to expect when empty and when towing a ~2 ton trailer for these cars would be useful too. Things to definitely avoid?
Edited the post upon realising I had to go for B+E anyway. The initial idea was to use an AMT ECO 2000 trailer (mtm of 2000 kg at a weight of 335 kg), to have the total train weight under 3500kg, but it doesn't work like that. So I'll probably buy a heavier, 2nd hand trailer => higher towing weight needed.
I've been hoarding cars for the last few years, and I really need a tow setup to move my stuff around. The initial idea was to get a 3.5t recovery truck, but towing capacity and extra tax/insurance make it less interesting, for something that will probably get used 3 times a year.
So I started looking at car + trailer combo's. I really prefer small, lightweight cars, so I am in unexplored territory. Since it would double as a daily (I am trying to cut down on cars), it'd prefer something small-ish. I used a BMW E36 323ti for many years, and loved that car. Currently preparing a E46 325ti as new daily.
A few concerns that I have:
- I'd rather have petrol over diesel, planning to convert it to LPG (currently around £0.3/liter over here, diesel and petrol being around £1.1/liter)
- preferably no diesel also has to do with the low emissions stuff everywhere
- preferably set and forget. I don't like working on cars and don't want to caress the car
- I don't care too much about features. A fun driving car without options that can break is perfect
- Non critical issues don't really bother me. As long as the car drives as it should and passes an MOT, I couldn't care less that the heated seating doesn't work. The comfort level of my 90ies 3-series was more than perfect (electric windows, airco).
- it will mostly be used as a daily. Likely a few short pulls (10 miles) in a year and one long haul (1000 miles in a day or 2) to buy something "new"
- it is hard to pin down my yearly mileage currently. I suspect 10k miles a year will do it nowadays.
- Any car I'll buy have some up front costs (converting it to LPG most likely, converting it to a cargo vehicle OR paying a bunch of registration tax as well), so I can't keep changing cars as freely as you can in the UK.
- I have a max budget of about £4k (to buy the car) in mind. Preferably less.
There aren't really any normal cars that pull enough weight, I'm looking at 2500 kg and up.
So, SUV's. I have a preference for BMW, as I am most familiar with them and finally have a good indy for them. The first gen X5 can't tow thqt much however and maintenance costs worry me. They were expensive vehicles and I'd be buying at the low end of the scale. Other options I found: Mercedes ML, Porsche Cayenne. The ML looks cheap and looks like a lot of car for the money. Many of them already have a tow bar as well and there are multiple engine options. The Cayenne is even more ugly, but should be quite fun to drive. Porsche running costs scare me though.
4x4: Mitsubishi Shogun, Land Cruiser, Nissan Terrano, Daihatsu Fourtrak, Jeep Grand Cherokee
I really like the looks of the short wheelbase Shogun. They can pull enough (2.8t) and are quite compact. Most of them are old diesels though, they all use quite a bit of fuel -based on the specs-, are slow and probably not that fun to drive. Maintenance costs should be good as far as I know.
Pickups: the American stuff has its charm, but it's all too big.
Van: looks like you need to go big to have some towing capacity. Don't really fancy driving a van as daily, but if it is really that much better, I might consider it. Pretty much all diesels though. Most mid sized vans seem to have a relatively low rating, so I think I'd be looking at the big ones.
I think an old SUV would be the best match for my use, but maintenance scares me. The problem is that all SUV's are relatively new and were very expensive cars, so have a bunch of electronics that can break and expensive parts.
Can someone point me in the right direction? What kind of mileage to expect when empty and when towing a ~2 ton trailer for these cars would be useful too. Things to definitely avoid?
Edited the post upon realising I had to go for B+E anyway. The initial idea was to use an AMT ECO 2000 trailer (mtm of 2000 kg at a weight of 335 kg), to have the total train weight under 3500kg, but it doesn't work like that. So I'll probably buy a heavier, 2nd hand trailer => higher towing weight needed.
Edited by Terror Factor on Thursday 23 July 01:05
Hi Leroy,
It seems you are correct. I was under the impression that the train could weigh 3500 kg, but it seems that the max theoretical weight (on paper) can't be more than 3.5t
So I'll have to go for my B+E license or reconsider a recovery truck. The advantage of having to go for the license anyway, means I'm not limited to that lightweight trailer. Also means that I should go for a vehicle with a higher tow rating, gut feeling says to go for at least 2500 kg.
It seems you are correct. I was under the impression that the train could weigh 3500 kg, but it seems that the max theoretical weight (on paper) can't be more than 3.5t
So I'll have to go for my B+E license or reconsider a recovery truck. The advantage of having to go for the license anyway, means I'm not limited to that lightweight trailer. Also means that I should go for a vehicle with a higher tow rating, gut feeling says to go for at least 2500 kg.
The only way around it is this.
You are allowed 3.5 tonnes between the trailer and car, however the tow car must always be heavier, Worse still you need to check the vin plate as its the maximum weight the car can be fulled loaded. Then you need to add the fully loaded weight of the trailer and it must come under 3.5 tonnes.
Ie you can have tow car max weight 2.5 tonnes leaves you with a tonne max weight trailer and load.
You cant have a 1.5 tonne max weight car with a 2 tonne max weight trailer (without a licence)
You are allowed 3.5 tonnes between the trailer and car, however the tow car must always be heavier, Worse still you need to check the vin plate as its the maximum weight the car can be fulled loaded. Then you need to add the fully loaded weight of the trailer and it must come under 3.5 tonnes.
Ie you can have tow car max weight 2.5 tonnes leaves you with a tonne max weight trailer and load.
You cant have a 1.5 tonne max weight car with a 2 tonne max weight trailer (without a licence)
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