260DET Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Euro mate said both the Toerag and the Howdy were good tow cars, his opinion on maintenance etc is based on his own experience, he runs a euro workshop in Sydeney. I asked him about the little VW diesel SUV, whatever it's called, for towing but it's too light. And probably too fragile. Have driven a Santa Fe, not bad if you don't mind the FWD bias. My searching for 'what tow car' is over, will post once the buy is done Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6601680 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlin Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Fathom said his was a water pump failure. Apparently ALL of them required replacement, but VAG gambled. Rather than issueing a recall that was unmanagable, they elected to instead replace the pumps when the vehicles were seen for service. Fathom's was one that failed prior to be replaced. So, given that was a couple of years ago, one would assume all the pumps have been done by now. Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6602175 Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Mitsubishi Challenger SUV, 2.5 turbo diesel, five speed sequential shift auto, 2WD, three tonne towing capacity Only thing is with the auto torque is reduced from 400nm to 350, no LSD but I assume that the electronics sort that out. Everything else looks good, these would be the cheapest diesel SUV with a serious towing capacity around, by a big margin. Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6603474 Share on other sites More sharing options...
samstain Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) Mitsubishi Challenger SUV, 2.5 turbo diesel, five speed sequential shift auto Make sure you take it for a test drive - on a flat 100 - 110k road. A guy here at work has the Triton version (diesel + auto) and it has a massive surge problem where it refuses to sit on 110... on a dead flat road, without moving your foot (or in cruise) it will hunt between 105 and 115. It has been back to Mitsubishi dozens of times over the last 2 years where they have swapped everything imaginable, including re-flashing the ECU with a custom program from MMC Japan... and then replacing it when they bricked it on one attempt. I think he is basically now at the stage where he has given up on it and is just waiting till it is due to be replaced. Apparently there was something strange about his combo from memory though, he appeared to get the motor from one series coupled to the GBox from a different series or something along those lines - not that it is actually changing gears when it happens. Edited October 31, 2012 by samstain Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6603499 Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Good advice, will take it for a 100kph run as soon as I get it. If it is not 100% right then back it goes to the dealer to cancel the sale. Think I have five days to do that. Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6603768 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlin Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Good luck with it Rich, I'm sure it'll be fine. Good specs, I'd not considered one as an option. All your research paid off Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6604076 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryRB Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 how about a toyota landcruiser, 195kW/650Nm 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8 diesel Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6605416 Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 The diesel Land Cruisers are not bullet proof despite what the Toyboys may like to think. Talking with a bloke out at Lakeside the other day, he bought one new and at 140K the fuel system dropped it's guts, had to be towed. Cost $7K to have it rebuilt. 650nm would make one a monster tow car though. Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6605428 Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxheadmr Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Mitsubishi Challenger SUV, 2.5 turbo diesel, five speed sequential shift auto, 2WD, three tonne towing capacity Only thing is with the auto torque is reduced from 400nm to 350, no LSD but I assume that the electronics sort that out. Everything else looks good, these would be the cheapest diesel SUV with a serious towing capacity around, by a big margin. Interesting, had a look at the nt model pajero as well which looking at car sales is a slightly dearer price for an 09model about 30k Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6605525 Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Challenger can be bought new for mid $30's, depending on the specs and the deal of course. Got mine today, so far so good Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6606891 Share on other sites More sharing options...
10 4 Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 What about these things &sort=default"]http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/audi-allroad-2002-13143249?base=1216&vertical=Car&cr=0&eapi=2&__N=1246+1247+1252+1282+1216+937&num=15&silo=Stock&items=[Make:AUDI,Model:ALLROAD,Series:C5]&sort=default Towing Braked (kg) 3100 Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6606943 Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Read back a bit, euro coolness seems to be related to the amount of $ you are prepared to drop in depreciation to own a one, crazy stuff. Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6606950 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatz Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 f**k just replaced the rubber on the q7 Nothing but the best china high load shit 780 fitted foR 4 tires. 275/45/20's f**k yea When did rubbeR get so cheap? Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6607859 Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 China rubber on a Q7, shame Should havve the best most expensive euro rubber otherwise you void the?????hehe. Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6607896 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatz Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Will do some bends to see if its death rubber Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6607906 Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil_weevil Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 do some skids too Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6608916 Share on other sites More sharing options...
phunky_monkey Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 f**k just replaced the rubber on the q7 Nothing but the best china high load shit 780 fitted foR 4 tires. 275/45/20's f**k yea When did rubbeR get so cheap? Cheap cheap! I was surprised at how cheap you could get them too, especially for such a ridiculous size. I can get Yokies for under a grand. Crazy! Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6610009 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBS206 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Make sure you take it for a test drive - on a flat 100 - 110k road. A guy here at work has the Triton version (diesel + auto) and it has a massive surge problem where it refuses to sit on 110... on a dead flat road, without moving your foot (or in cruise) it will hunt between 105 and 115. It has been back to Mitsubishi dozens of times over the last 2 years where they have swapped everything imaginable, including re-flashing the ECU with a custom program from MMC Japan... and then replacing it when they bricked it on one attempt. I think he is basically now at the stage where he has given up on it and is just waiting till it is due to be replaced. Apparently there was something strange about his combo from memory though, he appeared to get the motor from one series coupled to the GBox from a different series or something along those lines - not that it is actually changing gears when it happens. Does it happen to have a snorkel fitted? Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6610609 Share on other sites More sharing options...
samstain Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Does it happen to have a snorkel fitted? I like your thinking, but no I don't think so... it is all very stock - just dealer fitted times such as a canopy and bull bar of some description from memory. Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6610777 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBS206 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I like your thinking, but no I don't think so... it is all very stock - just dealer fitted times such as a canopy and bull bar of some description from memory. It would be interesting to see where the air intake for the stock air box is. I've seen certain 4WDs have them in a wheel arch, which caused pressure issues at speed.Might be worth having said person investigate and see what happens if a snorkel is fitted (Or an air intake from somewhere else) Link to comment https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/272151-good-tow-cars/page/45/#findComment-6612359 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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