Alternative to fitting towbar
Discussion
by a strange quirk of fate I find myself without a towbar, just as the summer kicks in and I need one.
I sold my trusty outback a while ago on the promise of a lease car from work (with towbar fitted) but vw closed the order book on GTEs just as I was about to place the order. we have a fiat 500 on pcp, and I cant be bothered fitting a bar, to remove it when that goes back, we also have a rav4 which will cost 500 to get a towbar on.
the question is can I get a car with a towbar already in situ that I can run for 12months or so, until I revisit the work lease situation.
Budget £1k, initially i thought mpg might be important, but bearing in mind i can mainly commute in the 500.
have been scouring the trader locally but no joy possibly as i was looking at the running cost too much. Maybe barging is the way to go.
I sold my trusty outback a while ago on the promise of a lease car from work (with towbar fitted) but vw closed the order book on GTEs just as I was about to place the order. we have a fiat 500 on pcp, and I cant be bothered fitting a bar, to remove it when that goes back, we also have a rav4 which will cost 500 to get a towbar on.
the question is can I get a car with a towbar already in situ that I can run for 12months or so, until I revisit the work lease situation.
Budget £1k, initially i thought mpg might be important, but bearing in mind i can mainly commute in the 500.
have been scouring the trader locally but no joy possibly as i was looking at the running cost too much. Maybe barging is the way to go.
Edited by sawman on Saturday 19th May 10:34
I think some man maths is in order here.
More chance of a barge having a tow bar as not many people tow with a miserable car.
£1k barge that you may recoup money on?
Plus insurance that you won't get back.
Possibility of huge bills or scrap car.
Can you source a second-hand tow bar for the RAV?
Fitting not too much of a chore.
This is the way I'd go......
But as an excuse for another car, then go barge :-)
More chance of a barge having a tow bar as not many people tow with a miserable car.
£1k barge that you may recoup money on?
Plus insurance that you won't get back.
Possibility of huge bills or scrap car.
Can you source a second-hand tow bar for the RAV?
Fitting not too much of a chore.
This is the way I'd go......
But as an excuse for another car, then go barge :-)
steve-5snwi said:
I've just paid £750 for a Mondeo Estate with 12 months MOT it has a towbar and a sunroof, i'll use it for 6-12 months then move it on for £750, probably paying another £750 on upkeep fixing things that don't need fixing no doubt.
Thats the kind of thing i thought might work, but there seems to be a shortage in my neck of the woods. The last time i needed a stop gap? I found a merc c class estate with a petrol v6 Just man-maths it, yeah. Buy whatever you fancy with the towbar as an excuse.
It also depends how far you need to go and how often: An old Land Rover might cost a lot more to buy (and not hugely refined), but they're great for occasional utility use, and the cost of having one just "around" as needed is negligible. Hundred quid or so for insurance, and quite possibly worth more than the purchase cost when you decide to move it on.
It also depends how far you need to go and how often: An old Land Rover might cost a lot more to buy (and not hugely refined), but they're great for occasional utility use, and the cost of having one just "around" as needed is negligible. Hundred quid or so for insurance, and quite possibly worth more than the purchase cost when you decide to move it on.
InitialDave said:
Just man-maths it, yeah. Buy whatever you fancy with the towbar as an excuse.
It also depends how far you need to go and how often: An old Land Rover might cost a lot more to buy (and not hugely refined), but they're great for occasional utility use, and the cost of having one just "around" as needed is negligible. Hundred quid or so for insurance, and quite possibly worth more than the purchase cost when you decide to move it on.
Ooh i am liking the cut of your jib, young man. I hadnt considered that direction....It also depends how far you need to go and how often: An old Land Rover might cost a lot more to buy (and not hugely refined), but they're great for occasional utility use, and the cost of having one just "around" as needed is negligible. Hundred quid or so for insurance, and quite possibly worth more than the purchase cost when you decide to move it on.
whilst proper land rovers have an attraction, they are over the nominal budget.
However I am seeing a few freelanders popping up, with the required appendage.
My gut feeling is they may be suspect to reliability issues and the cost that go along with that. Or am I doing them down unfairly, and if so are diesels better than petrols?
However I am seeing a few freelanders popping up, with the required appendage.
My gut feeling is they may be suspect to reliability issues and the cost that go along with that. Or am I doing them down unfairly, and if so are diesels better than petrols?
sawman said:
whilst proper land rovers have an attraction, they are over the nominal budget.
However I am seeing a few freelanders popping up, with the required appendage.
My gut feeling is they may be suspect to reliability issues and the cost that go along with that. Or am I doing them down unfairly, and if so are diesels better than petrols?
At your price point, it would be a Freelander 1. Main unreliability is the well known head gasket issues. If your ok with tools, get one that's gone and repair. Even replacement heads are cheap enough (take care if you do valves, the collets are a pig to get in!!). Also the VCU can be a financial killer. Many people remove the prop shaft "for economy," but often due to a goosed centre coupling.However I am seeing a few freelanders popping up, with the required appendage.
My gut feeling is they may be suspect to reliability issues and the cost that go along with that. Or am I doing them down unfairly, and if so are diesels better than petrols?
They are a strong car - having been rolled over at 80mph by my son in one, I can testify for that. We were rallying, and he got the line wrong!!
AlwynMike said:
At your price point, it would be a Freelander 1. Main unreliability is the well known head gasket issues. If your ok with tools, get one that's gone and repair. Even replacement heads are cheap enough (take care if you do valves, the collets are a pig to get in!!). Also the VCU can be a financial killer. Many people remove the prop shaft "for economy," but often due to a goosed centre coupling.
They are a strong car - having been rolled over at 80mph by my son in one, I can testify for that. We were rallying, and he got the line wrong!!
Sounds exciting!They are a strong car - having been rolled over at 80mph by my son in one, I can testify for that. We were rallying, and he got the line wrong!!
Looks like theres a couple of freelander 3 doors nearby that might be negotiable to budget, one is a td4 with 114k the other is a 1.8 petrol with less miles. Is it just the petrol k series that has the head gasket weakness?
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff