I am under extreme pressure to swap our heavy hauler (3L diesel Hi-Lux) for a 4WD, ostensibly because we now have to haul 2 neddies in the float. I hate these Urban Assault Vehicles & regard them only as $$$$manna from heaven for car dealers! If females were legally excluded from vehicle purchasing decisions, there would only be 10% of the 4WD's on the roads. Who out there is brave enough to own & operate one as an owner/repairer? What do you operate & why? I'm leaning towards a diesel barn door landcruiser or a diesel landrover.

I was going to suggest a Kombi instead. More practical, more roomy inside, better driving position than a 4WD yet smaller on the outside for easy parking. And way cooler than any Jap 4WD.

But towing a float with two horses - oof! The maximum recommended tow weight for a stock Kombi (braked) is 1000 kg, and I am pretty sure two horses weigh more than that.

I have a brochure at home for a VW syncro T3 Kombi. It shows a photo of one towing a horse trailer. I will check on the tow limits, but an all-wheel drive Kombi sounds the ideal solution to your needs! I hope you have better luck talking your wife into the idea than I had with my (ex) girlfriend...

I'd love to be able to say get a Kombi, but what you want is a Landcruiser. Nothing else matters. If you've ever been to Top End, you'll know why

Geodon

I own an old '84 HJ60 Landcruiser wagon, it's a great tow vehicle, not because of it's power but because of it's weight and stopping ability. The best thing is, it does not get pushed around by the trailor, wind, or bad roads and I can rely on it to pull me and the trailor up. I am not bias to makes, any big 4WD's will do the same job.

I mate of mine has a 98 diesel Toyota Troop Carrier. I feel the same as you about many 4WD vehicles , but after using the Troopy for a week towing stuff around Melb I was quite impressed. Plenty of power, excellent brakes and really easy to drive. And pretty comfortable too.
If you dont need 4 doors then a Troopy would be my choice

My 87 Landcruiser Sahara Turbo Diesel can tow a Tamdem Trailer with a car on it like it's not even there.
I was sitting on 110 k/p/h last week with Herbie on a trailer.

Well, here's a pic of the vehicle that's taking up most of the space in my shed at the moment. It's a '66 International 4x4 steel-bodied panelvan. It originally ran a 281 ci inline 6-cylinder, but it's in the (slow) process of receiving a 383 ci Big-block Chrysler V8 with a 727 Torqueflite automatic.

To answer geodon's question; It will take me camping and firewood collecting where the kombi won't, and it's also going to be my tow vehicle for the heavier loads. :thumb

Andrew, a bug hardly counts as a measure of a vehicle's towing ability, try 90 bales of green hay on an 1100kg triaxle trailer!!! I'm guessing about 4.5 tonne - with another 1.5 tonne in the back!!!):o:o:P:P

Bugger, where'd the pic go? :o

Land Rover Discovery.

V8 Though not Diesel (Power) and on Gas for $$$ :thumb

I'm resisting fiercely. We had a V8 Disco- it nearly sent us broke. IT would go for servicing to the dealers who didn't understand LPG & they gave it back to us set up for petrol & when you changed over it ran like an asthmatic dog so we ended up getting it serviced twice- dealer followed by LPG expert! The heads started leaking water at 160,000km so I dug my heals in & we sold it & bought the Hilux which has been fine & is real easy to owner service. It's rated at 1800kg for towing & my anticipated load is 2000kg. So near & yet so far!!

Well Colin
I could try it, but I wouldn't want to void my insurance when it all Jack knifes.

I used to two big cars - Falcons and Valiants for demolition Derby to and from the city. We used a mate SWB Cruiser and at time you needed the mirror to remind yourself there was somthing behind us. It was a well balanced tandem trailer and 110 was a breeze.

Love you truck Colin - you must have one hell of a fire place.

When I was a lad my Defacto Dad used to tow a tandem horse float for adjisting (whatever) racehorses. He had a Sahara Wagon and it was a brilliant ride - even with 20 cartons of XXXX in the back.