Best work horse/tow ute

[sprungupcruiser]

Yeah that was my other option i was looking at. Options!

[sierrajim]

$89k with 14,000 miles/22,400km

Also have a white 2006 here that is fitted with the 360hp Duramax for $85k

Both of these can be financed through a business easily enough. Have a couple of brokers you can talk to, PM me if you like.

[nerida67]

Issues with the "F"Trucks
Being a V8
QLD rego is around the 1K a year

A truck with more than 4.495T GVM
Has to have yearly inspections
2 tonne trucks (hinos,canters,isuzu whatever)
Rego is around the 1K a year also
Plus most are 24V diesels,+ others costs

Seems alot of headache and costs for a maybe once a month

Get a mate with a larger style ute and pay him a few $$$$ when you need the extra power or towing capacity
Works out ALOT cheaper

[sierrajim]

Issues with the "F"Trucks
Being a V8
QLD rego is around the 1K a year

A truck with more than 4.495T GVM
Has to have yearly inspections
2 tonne trucks (hinos,canters,isuzu whatever)
Rego is around the 1K a year also
Plus most are 24V diesels,+ others costs

Seems alot of headache and costs for a maybe once a month

Get a mate with a larger style ute and pay him a few $$$$ when you need the extra power or towing capacity
Works out ALOT cheaper

Then you look at a Chev, 12 Volt, 4,177kg GVM, 6,177kg tow rating, 365hp/650lb-ft of torque and they ride much like a car. Run through your business they are also classified as commercial.

The F250 and Ram 2500 are both also under the 4,500kg light truck GVM limit.

[sprungupcruiser]

Yeah I agree one of the big yank trucks would be completely ideal for my needs I don't think I want to stretch the budget out 85k. I am still getting up and running for myself and while business is good and I have enough work I think I will stuggle to A. Get approved for the lease and B. Be able to afford it if I need to go back and work for a builder if it goes quite or if I can't work for an extended period (wet season).

What nerida suggested above was another option that had also crossed my mind. My navvy from the easter comp has a 105 series petrol, but his missus is up the duff, so I'm not sure how long he will be aloud to be my navvy for.

[ISUZUROVER]

What makes the LR better?

Solid Chassis, good suspension, solid axles F+R, and good gearing. Plus the current model has a 6-speed box with lower first gear than most, and anti-stall control.

Ask RUFF - he spent many years towing comp buggies with rangies and discos (same chassis/suspension/axles).

[chunderlicious]

Landcruiser v8 ute, tows 3 tonne with EASE. and with $1200 worth of suspension it handles well and is comfortable. you can get one new for under 60K if you speak to the right people and haggle. it wont be fully loaded with difflocks or power windows, but it will tow and carry and handle any abuse you may choose to have for it.

[wilsy]

Going throught this hassle myself, but a 3T ute isn't an option for me as trailer, patrol and tools and spares is a shade under 3.2T. The Gu 4.5 pulls it well but sitting between 100-110 fuel economy wavers between 22 and 28L/100K, where as mates cruiser sits on 110 all day and only chews it's way through 16-18L/100K. I know what i'll be leasing soon....

[joshy]

A patrol ute only has a towing capacity of 2500kg. I think new models were upgraded to 3T?

In a single cab ute I would definitely be looking for cubes and cylinders.

I was also looking at the 4.2 patrol utes, until i found out all of them can only tow 2500kg.

[Nev]

Rob, I'd definitely say go a 79 Cruiser ute with the TDV8 if you can stretch to it. They really are fantastic to drive and tow 3T easily. Also hold their resale very well as I'm sure you know come end of the lease. Otherwise I think any of the dual cab utes out will do the job if you're only towing 3T a handful of times a year...just not anywhere near as well. Getting off the line will be the problem as they are fairly laggy.

Best of luck with the decision mate.

[Tazz]

I've got a D40 Navara diesel and it tows 2 to 3 tonne regularly and has done so for nearly 4 years now. Mines an auto and it's much better for towing - the auto does a great job of masking the fact the motor's have no low down torque.

I've had mates with manuals and none of them have been happy towing as they are constantly slipping the clutch - even just to get off from the lights or an intersection on flat ground, and constantly changing gears on road to keep the engine in it's narrow power/torque band.

The D40 will definitely kill a 4.2petrol or 4.2TD towing as mine regularly leaves mates for dead on hills - but it does guzzle the fuel to do it (and again I’m talking about auto).

Whilst these little motors DO outperform the 4.2 patrols - if I was towing every day, I'm pretty sure they would not last nearly as many k's as the less stressed, lower powered 6 cyl's....

They definitely wont tow as well as the TDV8 cruiser or a Chev, Effie etc, but they do tow better than I believed and it definitely tows (accelerates & holds speed on hills) way better than my previous factory TD 80 series.

Again these comments are based on an auto though so it never loses boost shuffling from gear to gear unlike the manuals.