Tow vehicle

[Beatle]

I'm going to generalise here, but an automatic tranny has inbuilt self protection because of the 'slippage'.  A manual, being directly coupled, transmits all loads through the driveline.  For that reason, many vehicles have a higher tow rating when you option the auto rather than the manual (e.g. later Falcons with 1600kg on manuals, but 2300kg on autos).   Most 4WDs don't differentiate.

I do hear stories of late model twin cabs having problems with clutches when used for towing.  I reckon it's because they all have relatively small capacity engines, pumping out relatively high horsepower, but everything is lightened to make them drive much more car-like.  The autos just seem to be less susceptible to less-than-perfect treatment.  There is little or no 'snatch' effect with an auto.

These days autos are pretty high tech, so it's unlikely there would be a noticeable difference in economy, and there is no doubt they are easier to drive.  Modern multi-speed autos are also well matched with the narrower power band of a turbodiesel and tend to mask the turbo lag.

I'm not sure whether new manuals can be optioned with cruise control, most autos can.

If you intend to tow a lot, and mostly highway, then I wouldn't baulk at a manual, particularly if the vehicle will double as a weekend 4WD plaything.  But if you intend doing a bit of stop-start towing, city driving, and using the vehicle as a family truckster, I honestly reckon the auto is the go.

People will say "but autos are expensive to fix".  That's true, but you need to include the clutch as part of a manual tranny when doing a comparison, and modern high-tech clutches are expensive to buy, and expensive to change.

Modern dual-cab utes are not small either.  A mate's VW Amarok is higher, wider, and probably longer than my 80 series wagon.   But then my wife's Kia Cerato, a 'small' car, monsters the Alfa 90 parked beside it......

[Beatle]

Oh, be wary of quoted tow ratings.   Many require specific tow kits to legally tow those quoted weights.  Also some tow ratings are affected by the loaded mass in the vehicle itself.

I've had 4WDs for years, and love them, but my Dad, and his dad before him, towed caravans all over this wide brown land, on dirt roads, using regular six and eight cylinder 2WD cars such as Falcons and Fairlanes.   You don't NEED a large 4WD to tow.

[Neil Choi]

Looks, they all look the same and as attractive as each other, so don't worry.

Auto is just easy, yes no difference with manual.  Diesel is definitely the way to go.

So it is BT50 vs Ranger vs Navarra vs HiLux, then there is VW Amarok.  Take your pick.  I think HiLux demands a premium due to its good reputation.

Know owners with a Navarra, HiLux or Amarok, all tells me what they have is great and the one to get.

Someone told me about the AU Falcons as Brent has mentioned, pretty cheap because no one likes or wants them due the ugly front.

[Beatle]

Evan, you would be borderline with that set up. Any car can tow, the problem is stopping. Keep em coming, i dont mind the pathfinder diesel idea

That's what modern electric brakes are for Duk.  I towed an 18' bogie-axle van with my 60 series Landcruiser (6.2 GM diesel conversion) and I could stop the thing quicker with the van hooked up than I could without anything in tow!!!

[Sheldon McIntosh]

A bit out of left-field perhaps, unusual for me I know. 

I'd been thinking about this recently, as I'll probably get a tow-car next year.  Since it would be a vehicle I'd rarely use it needed to be 25 years-old to put on club-plates, it needed to be able to tow, needed to be reasonably nice to drive, needed to be cheap and reliable, needed plenty of grunt but not too thirsty, needed to be a different tow-rig than anyone else, needed to be once considered as 'the best car in the world', and needed to be almost impossible to fix if anything ever went wrong with it.

Only one option really....

[Beatle]

A BMW 750iL would probably be cheaper to buy 

Seriously though, Duk did mention daily-drive, so club reg is no use.   He also didn't say that the tow duties would be for AROCA sanctioned events, so if he's towing a boat on weekends, again club reg is useless.

Would AROCA Vic accept a Lexus under club reg?

[Beatle]

A late V8 100 series landcruiser on LPG would be another option.  Economical, 8 seats, much more comfy than a twin cab ute.

[Neil Choi]

A late V8 100 series landcruiser on LPG would be another option.  Economical, 8 seats, much more comfy than a twin cab ute.

Some of those dual cabs are pretty comfy, well equipped, leathered up and pretty flash inside in my opinion.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

A BMW 750iL would probably be cheaper to buy 

I'd thought about it, but would prefer the Toyota reliability (I'm not even joking, I've researched these, the known problems are an easy fix, and these are well known for going 500k).

Seriously though, Duk did mention daily-drive, so club reg is no use.   He also didn't say that the tow duties would be for AROCA sanctioned events, so if he's towing a boat on weekends, again club reg is useless.

Rules have changed here, you get a permit for 90 days per year, you can use the car for those 90 days no matter what you're doing with it.  I don't know what the rules are for oop North.

[Brad M]

How about the ford ranger? I think it has the same engine as the mazda?

Yep BT-50 and the Ranger are twins under the skin.

Every review I've read has the Mazda pip the Ford at the post because of a better cost for the same features. Agreed, the BT-50 is ugly and it may be worth the extra $'s for the good looking twin.

[Mat Francis]

Every review I've read has the Mazda pip the Ford at the post because of a better cost for the same features. Agreed, the BT-50 is ugly and it may be worth the extra $'s for the good looking twin.

Except with the ranger, you can get a factory locking rear diff. No other twin cab ute that I'm aware of offers this as an option.

After a solid 6 months of research, my mate got a top of the line ranger about a fortnight ago. Whilst he hasn't towed anything with it yet, he's absolutely stoked. Still, at 60k odd, you would want to be happy with it.

[Evan Bottcher]

Left field - a club member has a VW Transporter that he tows the race car with.  I think it's a 2.5 diesel, and he raves about how well it tows.  It's a five seater, with heaps of space in the rear for tool chests and spares for the race car.  Apart from the 'white van man' problem, it's damn near perfect.

I'd consider this for us if I could just find a couple of extra excuses.  It'd be perfect for carrying the family gear around.

[alfa duk]

Organised a test drive of the ranger tomorrow

[aggie57]

Any reason a Falcon doesn't work?  2300kg towing capacity when fitted with the right kits, and a perfectly fine tow car.

I've towed with many different cars and 4WD's over the years and the most important thing to get right is the loading of the trailer and overall balance of the rig.

[Joe Falcone]

 towed a 164 from mill park to hughs with my 06 dualcab hilux 2wd 4.0 v6 auto with no trouble at all. plenty of room for 5 adult and drives very much like a sedan. highly recommend this vehicle as a daily driver and fatique free road trips