Hi everyone , thinking of buying a 2.8D frontera for towing my viceroy but can find very little info on them, anyone use one ? advice on mpg,reliability etc much appreciated ! second choice is a 2.5td disco but ive read some bad reports on towing with these. thanks !
------------- i aint lost the plot, i was never in it.
Brilliant choice the 2.8 frontera , one of the best tow vehicles around good economy 26-30 mpg loads of grunt . Isuzu engine reliability they only made them for 2 years 1995&96 . It was costing vauxhall £7-8000 to buy each engine & gearbox from Isuzu ! So wasn't making them much profit . Unfortunately tightening emmisions regulations & the high engine cost was the death knell for them . Vauxhall sourced a replacement engine from elsewhere ( Chrysler/jeep 2.5tdi) but it was prone to engine management problems . The only issue i can see with buying one is spares are getting harder to source & Vauxhall mechanics haven't got a glue how to fix them ( in the unlikely event they go wrong ) . I sold mine cos i wanted a 7 seater & opted fot a 2.5 discovery it turned out to be my biggest regret ever . The disco was thirsty , unreliable & towed nowhere near as well as the frontera 2.8 . In the end after 6 months i replaced the disco with an Isuzu trooper 3.1 7 seater & my troubles were over. Have you considered the trooper 3.1 ? Just steer clear from the later 3.0 ones & you shouldn't have any worries ! Good luck with whatever you decide , Hope i havent upset to many landrover owners !
What are the running costs like on the frontera and the 3.1 trooper ie mpg ect? I have a vauxhall omega 2.5 v6 petrol at the moment but we are doing a lot of caravan and camping club rallies so most of them are on feilds so was thinking a 4x4 may be better. Also the omega isnt keen on hills when towing
Had a trooper L reg 3.1 no problems towimg about 22mpg towing 28mpg solo. Had engine rebuild on that.
Now got Vauxhalls version which is monterey wih isuzu engine, car exactly same only newer and no different to trooper also had engine rebuild on this as well.
thanks for the advice everyone, i am just trying to find one now.there dont seem to be many about though. have considered a 3.1 trooper but i beleive they are a little too thirsty ?
------------- i aint lost the plot, i was never in it.
Its worth waiting for a good 2.8tdi to come along but your right there's not many about be patient ! I found the performance & economy better on the 2.8 frontera than the 3.1 trooper/monterey . I put it down to the size & weight of the trooper they're a lot bigger than the frontera's . Mpg wise 26-30 for frontera, 22-26 for trooper , either will tow the biggest of Uk made caravans.Which ever 4x4 you choose your unlikely to get brilliant economy 30 mpg at best.
Go for the 2.2dtl we get 26mpg towing and 40+ solo and is a far better to drive than most 4x4's as it feels more car like. It's max tow is 2800kgs in 5 door and 2400kgs in the 3 door.
------------- "common sence is not so common"...Voltaire
I tow with a 2.5 Turbo Diesel Frontera and its great, no trouble with hills whatsoever, the OH worked out it does about 25-28 miles per gallon while towing which isnt to bad, I would recommend it.