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Hi have you considered a Nissan Navara double cab 2.5 diesel with a hard top cover to the rear you can get just about everything including the kitchen sink in the boot, we towed a Swft Charisma 545 with ease from Sheffield to Weymouth last summer. Plenty of room for 4 adults in the cab and for 9k an 07 plate should be possible.

Ive just upgraded to a 3Lt V6 auto which has no trouble at all with our Raylle Compass 634 at 1900kg.

Paul

Quote: Originally posted by Rob12 on 09/7/2012

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Just looked at cuddles towing website and heaviest xtrail is 1632kg so deff not an xtrail. I think your list has some good towing cars best option is to go look at a few see what you think etc.

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I've owned and towed with most of the suggested cars and can offer a few pointers based on many thousands of towing miles

Firstly, the X-trail is way too light and although it has the power and reliability it would leave towing at or over the 100% rule.

Landrovers: They are uttely charming and enjoyable to own, but reliabilty is patchy and they actually aren't that good to tow with compared to some other 4x4's with directional stability being the main area of deficit. In addition the power you get from their diesels is some way off competitive and the petrol V8's don't pull nearly as well as you might think.... Sounds great though!

I've towed with Discovery V8s and Range Rovers and whilst they inspire great loyalty ( I adored my Rangey) if you get to compare them with others, they're only average.

VW Touareg: without doubt the best tow-car I've had, you only get to realise how awesome the stability is when you try other cars, the diesels pull very well (even the base 2.5tdi) and the active diffs give a degree of trailer stability as well as nearly unstoppable on slippery stuff. Even with a typical kerb weight of 2500kg+ it can control anything and economy is good too. I'd reccomend the 3.0tdi if you can stretch to it...

Hyundai Santa Fe is good but only 1800kg kerb weight and has rear suspension that is a little soft when a van's hitched up.

Hyundai Terracan is a good old fashioned 4x4 with loads of room and is surprisingly well appointed. It has an awesome reputation for reliability(although ours has had a string of issues) and they tow big twin axle vans all day long. Very good but shaded by a fair margin by the Touareg.

Audi A8: ours was the 4.0tdi and was simply the most awesome power house you'll ever experience. With 480llbs/ft (it has 300llbs/ft at tickover!) of torque, it's hard to describe how effortlessly it pulls any weight and the standard air suspension keeps everything level, the quattro drive train keeps you moving too. However, even at around 2000kg kerb wieght the directional stabilty is still just shaded by the Touareg. The biggest downside is running costs. Not fuel economy as this is very good for it's class, but maintainence and repairs need very deep pockets!

A change in fortune means I have to be more modest in my vehicle purchases but if I had your 9k budget, as much as my heart is drawn to Land Rover products, I wouldn't hesitate to put a Touareg infront of my caravan.

Ooh, forgot the Kia Sorento!

Great towcar, a real no-brainer in terms of reliabilty and value for money but the 4-speed auto (as with the Terracan) is a limiting factor when tackling hills with big vans. And the manual is not nearly as popular,,,

Manual sorento is great(old model) we are on our second. Lots of power even in fifth and very stable.

We got 34mpg solo from ours last week- towing probably around 20-22mpg.

Manual is lower road tax than the auto. Comfortable and well equipped too.

Quote: Originally posted by John Fuller on 23/7/2012

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I've towed with Discovery V8s and Range Rovers and whilst they inspire great loyalty ( I adored my Rangey) if you get to compare them with others, they're only average.

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Quote: Originally posted by listerdiesel on 24/7/2012

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Quote: Originally posted by John Fuller on 23/7/2012

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I've towed with Discovery V8s and Range Rovers and whilst they inspire great loyalty ( I adored my Rangey) if you get to compare them with others, they're only average.

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Well, I'm surprised at the comment, we tow 3.5 tonnes regularly (6-wheel turntable drawbar box trailer) with our V8 Disco, and we are more than happy with it, both in pulling power, long distance comfort and (on LPG) fuel consumption.

Peter

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Peter, please don't misunderstand me: In isolation they are great cars and are somehow greater than the sum of their parts. I've never felt better about driving down the road than I did in my P38 Rangey 4.0SE (manual), it somehow made every journey an event and gave tremendous pride of ownership.

However, if you drive some of the other cars I've mentioned, and let's use the T'reg as an example, the LR products are moved by sidewinds and other vehicles catching hold of the van more than the VW. Ultimately of course the sheer mass of the disco/rangey keeps it all going where instructed but the VW simply doesn't acknowledge the trailer at all.

Extra kerb weight allied to active differentials that redistribute torque to keep the vehicle straight as well as suspension that because it is more road-biased has less play in the bushes etc means that even passing LGV's at speed can be done with no steering input from the driver at all. It simply doesn't move.

And as for pulling power, whilst the V8 Rover engine is an all-time favourite of mine, it simply isn't in the same class as the leaders in turbo-diesel technology. Inherently, the tdi engines power and torque characteristics are far better suited to the demands of pulling heavy loads. Granted it doesn't match the sound of the buick-based V8 in the LR products, but try towing with the 3.0 V6tdi in the T'reg or Q7 and you simply will not believe the difference.

My 4litre V8tdi in the Audi A8 would pull up any incline on a motorway in 6th gear at 1500-1600rpm without needing to change down whilst towing a large twin-axle van. Simply awesome

So yes, the Rangey/Discos are great. But as much as some might consider it blasphemy, there are better. I know this based on years of actually towing with each of the vehicles i've mentioned and based on 20+ years of LGV driving both done all over Europe averaging more than 80,000 miles a year!

Quote: Originally posted by iain.morrison3 on 23/7/2012

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Hi

Thanks for the info didn't think I could get a to touareg within my budget. will need to look up autotrader.
I had sort of made my mind up either a Santa Fe or smax.

thanks

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Iain,

You can definitely get a T'reg for your 9k budget although you may have to work harder to get the 3.0 instead of the 2.5. I owned the 2.5tdi which was a great car but a friend has the 3.0 V6tdi and the difference is well worth the effort if you can secure one.

As for auto vs. manual. Well it's largely down to personal choice but I have to say it really depends on the vehicle. My present tug (Hyundai Terracan) has a 4-sp auto and really kneeds another gear or 2 for best use of the power. However the VW/Audi autos are 6-sp units that make towing an absolute doddle.

Good luck and let me know what you decide!

John.

Quote: Originally posted by John Fuller on 24/7/2012

So yes, the Rangey/Discos are great. But as much as some might consider it blasphemy, there are better. I know this based on years of actually towing with each of the vehicles i've mentioned and based on 20+ years of LGV driving both done all over Europe averaging more than 80,000 miles a year!

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Post last edited on 24/07/2012 10:42:06

I've got a Landcruiser LC 120 auto and tow a 1700kg Caravan works for us.

I know a lot a people who have or have had Terracan's and I have never heard a bad word against them.

Discovery 2 there is obviously a conspiracy against them because nearly all reliabilty surveys put them at the bottom or near the bottom of reliabilty surveys. So its good that they are simple to work on.