What’s everyone using for 3.5t towing?

[Flying Torquewrench]

Dave, based on your review of the LR I think I might the right decision.

May I make one suggestion to you? On your new Navara get some Dinitrol or similar and treat the inside of the chassis rails. It is a known weak spot on any Nissan 4x4 or pick-up that the chassis rails start corroding from the inside out. Easy and cheap to prevent.

 

[Cyberprog]

I've had 4 x Discovery models over the years and yes they can be unreliable if you don't keep on top of preventive maintenance.
The 2 x Discovery 3 was superb that I owned were superb BUT you must carry around a DTC reader and reset tool.
The canbus system is very sensitive and frequent puts it in to 'limp mode' for trivial things
For example, if a stop/tail filament goes so that a broken bit touches another it throws up errors and lowers the suspension.
Now very helpful if you are towing 3.5T
Then some of the Disc 3 engines self destruct when the cam belt tensioner fix casting breaks off.
A known weakness well documented on the Disco3 Forum
Once they are sorted then a great tow vehicle if you are handy with a box of spanners
To my mind the best all round LR is the Discovery 2 TD5. Later versions are well sorted and reasonably priced.
Kept mine on the air suspension with new bags and compressor.
These parts are as cheap as chips and nice to keep it on the level
Two years ago went to the 'dark side' with a Nissan Navara and part from fitting a decent tow bar have not used any spanners on it yet....

Yep, just had my engine self destruct on me a few months ago. The TD5 I had was bulletproof, though it has now developed a fair bit of tinworm and the electrics are buggering me about.

 

[Furniss]

Graham is spot on in my opinion , I loved my defender but nowadays I have enough stuff to fix without looking after one of them

 

[Furniss]

Does anyone have any experience of Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 2009m/y - not really for work, its just there is a minter for sale locally at decent money (for france) wondered wether it might be a decent runabout ?

 

[Storrsy]

Does anyone have any experience of Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 2009m/y - not really for work, its just there is a minter for sale locally at decent money (for france) wondered weather it might be a decent runabout ?

A mate runs a commercial- absolutely swears by it. He’s a forestry contractor and it’s chocker with all his tools. It’s done 200k and reliable as you like.

 

[Stubota86]

Been dragging around my 3.5T Ifor with digger etc for over 10 years now and have used many different tow vehicles.
The important things is my particular business model.
That is, taking tools and equipment for my own use as the driver and within 100km (formerly 50km) radius of my operating centre
First it was a Discovery 300Tdi - very stable and planted but was always working hard
Second was a Discovery 3 manual - absolutely superb and always in control
Third was a late model Discovery 3 HSE with a big re-map - again superb but too nice for towing a digger!
Fourth was a late model Discovery 2 TDi auto - absolutely superb and always in control
Currently a Nissan Navara NP300 Tekna from new 2 years ago - the best so far. Truckman top to hide my stuff from thieving bastards.View attachment 19112
Nice place to be after a day work in summer or winter. Great fuel economy and plenty of power.
Just need to be aware of the Gross Train Weight of only 6000kgs. Don't come anywhere near that with a few buckets and hand tools
Now here's the thing - we 'sometimes' use it for private use towing our caravan
When we do it is absolutely superb. In fact all the Discos that we have had have been superb
We do love a good holiday - gonna do the NC500 next Spring

my mate and I hired a couple of bikes and did
the nc500 earlier this year, absolutely brilliant trip 🏍

there’s some good Facebook groups with lots of tips and ideas on good places to visit otherwise feel free to message me and I’ll give you the info from our trip if you need it!

 

[Routy56]

my mate and I hired a couple of bikes and did
the nc500 earlier this year, absolutely brilliant trip 🏍

there’s some good Facebook groups with lots of tips and ideas on good places to visit otherwise feel free to message me and I’ll give you the info from our trip if you need it!

Thanks that’s so cool
Wish I’d kept my ZZR1200
SWMBO used to ride with me but would prefer the comfort of the NP300 on the NC500
Will give yer a PM soon for some tips

 

[V8Druid]

Thanks that’s so cool
Wish I’d kept my ZZR1200
SWMBO used to ride with me but would prefer the comfort of the NP300 on the NC500
Will give yer a PM soon for some tips

they were some weapon Dave .. comfortable mile eater ..... fastest thing I've ever ridden

 

[Routy56]

they were some weapon Dave .. comfortable mile eater ..... fastest thing I've ever ridden

Yep and regularly saw 3 figures on the speedo
Miss that bike - should have kept it

You noticed that as usual did loads of fettled to said bike

 

[V8Druid]

Yep and regularly saw 3 figures on the speedo
Miss that bike - should have kept it
View attachment 19214
You noticed that as usual did loads of fettled to said bike

tha's one clean Zed Boyo ...... If I drop my FJ1200 round, could you do the same to that she's badly in need of a lot of TLC... as are all of me siccles
the FJ was a lovely mile eating ride too and had to be ridden on the clock ... 90 felt like 50 ....... and triple figures were deceptive

 

[carlosshane]

At the moment I run a 22 year old Nissan Patrol 2.8td SWB and it is getting a bit slow compared to the rest of the traffic. Great car, goes everywhere but the fuel efficiency is not there at all.

I was thinking yesterday about starting a thread like this, so thank you @Storrsy !

Ideally I want a pick-up or 4x4 that happily tows 3.5 tonne but that I can also use for the commute to my day job, 180 miles return. Because of the high milage I was looking at something with about 70k on the clock. My favourites in the pick-up range would be a Isuzu Dmax but they are quite dear and (from what I have read) not brilliant on fuel.

4x4‘s: I have been looking at the VW Touareg and the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. The Touaregs are quite popular with the horse fraternity and get good reviews.

I have spoken to one guy with a Jeep GC who also tows plant and he is very happy with it. It sits at around 17/18 MPG when towing a 3.5 tonne trailer and high 20’s when empty. If considering a Jeep GC look for the Limited version as the Overland has airbags on the suspension which causes a few issues as it gets older. Also a lot of the Jeep GC‘s have no tow bar fitted, which is good in a way but it also costs about £1000 to have one fitted!

But with a modern 4x4 your storage space is a bit limited in the back for tools etc. Also if you are towing a digger near the upper end of the towing limit then with a van or pick-up you don’t need to have the buckets on the trailer.

me an the mrs have been talking and for once she has agreed that a van may be helpful leading up to when we move...

i floated this idea a while back when we started talking about moving and she just kept saying to hire one when we needed it but we are planning on moving over a month to 6 weeks, get the important stuff in on day 1 then the other stuff as and when so i also have time to tart this place up to get my bond back (need to fill a few nail holes from pictures and re-paint to the colour it was when we moved in)...

anyway, if im gonna buy a van then i should probably get one that would be capable of towing the megane on a trailer (i have the right license for it before anyone asks)...i know a guy with a car trailer and winch that i could use if needed as and when the megane breaks down and the mrs is in it panicking etc...

once the megane is gone and we have moved i will probably sell it when the insurance is due for renewal so im not looking at a long term van, just a good solid strong one that hasnt got a renault badge on it...

with my pay rise and the mrs's new job we could be putting about 700 a month back if we really tried so i wanna know what im looking for ready for when i have the money

 

[V8Druid]

me an the mrs have been talking and for once she has agreed that a van may be helpful leading up to when we move...

i floated this idea a while back when we started talking about moving and she just kept saying to hire one when we needed it but we are planning on moving over a month to 6 weeks, get the important stuff in on day 1 then the other stuff as and when so i also have time to tart this place up to get my bond back (need to fill a few nail holes from pictures and re-paint to the colour it was when we moved in)...

anyway, if im gonna buy a van then i should probably get one that would be capable of towing the megane on a trailer (i have the right license for it before anyone asks)...i know a guy with a car trailer and winch that i could use if needed as and when the megane breaks down and the mrs is in it panicking etc...

once the megane is gone and we have moved i will probably sell it when the insurance is due for renewal so im not looking at a long term van, just a good solid strong one that hasnt got a renault badge on it...

with my pay rise and the mrs's new job we could be putting about 700 a month back if we really tried so i wanna know what im looking for ready for when i have the money

why not just buy one of your awesome pickups and have a big box trailer ... you guys have so much more opportunity for 'proper' kit/towing, than we do .... vans are deceptively small when you actually try to get stuff into them, where as a box trailer is a rectangular box with so much more space