TOWING VEHICLES FOR VANS

Pretty well any of the 4 Cyl twin cabs will do the job for you.

The Mazda BT 50 and Ford Ranger Clones would be about the top specced brands at the moment.

You will pick up a Triton, Colorado, Navarra a for a bit less money.

Hi kevmac,
I have an 07 Mazda BT 50 diesel. It's great goes like the clappers and tows well. I have a 21'6ft van and a 23ft boat both weigh in over 2.5 tonnes and it handles them fine. I must say though we do have a cruiser and it is streets ahead of any ute to tow with.
Fuel economy is fantastic and the latest models are better still. Mate of mine has the latest model ranger/BT and it's a top vehicle too. They are heaps better to tow with than my model.

Hi Kevmac,
Following the terminal demise of my Disco TD5, I now use a 2005 Mazda Bravo extra cab, 4x2, petrol 2.6L, manual, to tow my 16ft Viscount Grand Tourer poptop around as well being my daily driver.
Like all commercial type vehicles it is not as comfortable as a sedan when empty, but is quite Ok towing the van.
Fuel use towing is around 14-15L/100Km at up to 100kph and around 11L/100Km solo at similar speeds.

I looked at my future trip plans and decided that I no longer required a 4wd to get to where I wanted to go, so decided on 2wd because I could buy a later model in better nick for the same or less dollars than the equivalent in 4wd .

As it turned out I found the Mazda in a large Mazda dealer in Albany at a very good price, it had only 45K (logbook verified Km) up, a fibreglass canopy and surprise, surprise a 130L long range tank fitted.

Hope this gives you ideas.

Cheers,

Disco
(some 50 k west of where you are).

We used to tow with a Landcruiser and then upgraded to the Ford F250 when they were introduced into Australia.
I have found that when towing the longer the wheel base the better the tow vehicle is when it has a caravan behind.
The Twin Cab Ute makes a great vehicle for the grey nomad (like me) because all the dirty and smelly things can be put in the rear while you are clean in the front.
We only have a tub with fibreglass canopy on ours but having travelled with lots of other people with twin cabs, if I was setting up again I would buy a Cab-Chassis or one with a flat tray and have a canopy that lifts up on all 3 sides. There are some nice fibreglass ones around now like what Telstra use that makes accessing items in the rear much easier than with the original tub and canopy.
The tailgate of a tub is also very hard to dust proof so a sealed canopy on a flat tray will keep things dust free also.
My brother has a Ford Ranger and thinks that it is a great vehicle.

Brian

Well have a starting point at least to work on. Thanks people !!

Hi Kevmac,
Chose a vehicle you like the look of and go on a product review site. Most of the modern utes are pretty good as people have already stated.
Regards