Advice needed please - which car would you recommend?

[Tayla]

i love this form! I would never have thought to go look at a Jeep. I'll add it to the list.

I think I will have to start a spreadsheet with all this information in it to compare all the cars, there is just so many things to think about and compare with cars!

 

[Xpandafan]

i love this form! I would never have thought to go look at a Jeep. I'll add it to the list.

I think I will have to start a spreadsheet with all this information in it to compare all the cars, there is just so many things to think about and compare with cars!

They weren't on my list either, but are becoming a more familiar sight where I summer camp and those guys seen to know their stuff.

 

[17triton]

My cousin owns one and tows a big BarCrusher boat from Ballarat down the coast regularly and is very impressed with it.

 

[Brad]

Not sure if I mentioned this in an earlier post, but my father tows a much larger crusader van than anything in the Jayco range with a Jeep. For towing and performance it leaves my pathie for dead. So in a couple of years I will be upgrading to a Jeep.

 

[SilverFox]

Oh!! Another piece of information concerning diesel engines and the engine in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel has a fully integrated water trap to trap any contaminates that may exist in the fuel. When this occurs, a warning light appears on the dash, notifying the driver that the car needs to have the trap emptied. Contaminated fuel is a killer of any diesel engine, particularly when most engines nowadays are common rail. Any contamination in the fuel can and does ruin your engine and its injectors which in the case of the Jeep are $3000 each, multiplied by six for each cylinder and you are up for a very expensive repair.

Other car makes do not have any water trap installed on the fuel line, and this is most certainly something to look out for. You can buy and have installed an after market unit, and these do work well. In any case, this is certainly something to look out for.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

 

[Antman]

WOW those seem like expensive injectors. I think the new prados are about 1k each injector and there are only 4 of them. I know the Prado doesn't come standard with the water trap but easily installed after market and something that, when I do upgrade to diesel, i will certainly be doing as the quality of diesel IMO has degraded.

 

[Xpandafan]

Ouch. Pace was looking at aftermarket filters recently. Seems a great bit of preventative maintenance.

 

[Matty4]

OK, I'll throw my hat into the ring.....

Firstly, I will agree with the others about the Jeep, I love mine..............................but,
They are only available as a 5 seater............there is no 7 seat option at all!!
That really discounts it for you at the moment.

A couple of other things that have been mentioned but as yet not sure if you've answered or not is, do you intend getting far off the beaten track at all?
I ask because this will dictate to a certain extent whether AWD or 4WD.
If you don't intend getting too far off the blacktop then I would highly recommend an AWD diesel Territory.
If you do intend going further off the blacktop then I would highly recommend a diesel Pajero.
I've had both, but in petrol form.
They are both available in 7 seats and the 3rd row folds away into the floor completely when not in use, unlike some others. The Terri has a 2700kg towing capacity and the Pajero 3000kg.

Another thing to consider is how long do you intend to keep this car.
Your step-daughter is now 16 and in less than 2 years she will most likely have her own car and won't want to travel with you, negating the need for the 7 seats.

Good luck in your quest.

Matty

 

[Tayla]

Hi Matty, Thanks for your help.
I don't think we would go offroad much but would like to do some free camping and national parks and things like that. We will probably go for outback version of the van just for better clearance if nothing else. I'm not sure what my husband prefers but I would rather go for 4WD.
The Pajero is sounding better every day. I would prefer the greater towing capacity purely because I don't want to be limited in choice of van like we have been this time.
you're right, I'm not really expecting my stepdaughter to come along often or for much longer but by then there may be another small body that needs a seat

 

[Pace]

you're right, I'm not really expecting my stepdaughter to come along often or for much longer but by then there may be another small body that needs a seat

what the, is there something we need to know???

 

[Tayla]

Jeepers, you are quick Pace! just keeping the options open, baby Lachlan is only 10 weeks old at the moment :biggrin-26:

 

[Pace]

Pardon the pun, I think you have let another cat out of the bag, 'jeepers'. As the ad goes, 'she bought a jeep'. LOL. Pace.

 

[randl007]

Hi Tayla, we tow with both a challenger or a Patrol, our ATM on the van is very close to 2500kg so quite heavy. both cars having a towing capacity of 2500kg and although we have chipped both cars the Patrol fairs better than the Challenger. I would not go a challenger unless you are buying new. the new ones tow 3000kg so would fair so much better. You could probably buy a challenger have a chip put in and pay for the fuel for a half lap of Oz for the price of the other cars. It may be worth a look at the new specifications on the challenger.
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au/vehicles/challenger/specifications.
Good luck in finding a car

 

[Tayla]

pace9908 - hubby has a better idea, just chuck the kids in the van while we are towing, then we won't have to worry about extra seats or "are we there yet?"

randl007 I was wondering about the Challenger, they looked quite reasonably priced but nobody seems to mention them so I wondered if they were no good for towing...

 

[Matty4]

pace9908 - hubby has a better idea, just chuck the kids in the van while we are towing, then we won't have to worry about extra seats or "are we there yet?"

Might I suggest watching a movie called "The Long Long Trailer"...............
I love that idea too.............................but!!.......................

 

[fishinglizard]

I have a challenger, tows my van really well, I bought it off my brother, he upgraded to the 2013 because he upgraded to a heavier than 2.5t van, the salesman (insert grain of salt) told him the 2013 has had a big or bigger transmission cooler on it so the tow cap. has increased 500 kegs to 3t. but no mention of retro fit of trans cooler to upgrade tow limit. Going down hill (off the blue mountains) the on board computer got as low at 8.9 to the hundred, going the other way it sits between 13 an 15 ltrs to hundred. Biggest down side of it is only 70 litre tank. I would put a photo of it on but can't work out how to do it.

 

[Xpandafan]

Might I suggest watching a movie called "The Long Long Trailer"...............
I love that idea too.............................but!!.......................

That the one with Lucille Ball? Saw it again just a couple of years ago and still nearly choked laughing! Put me off anything bigger than our 18.57-7, though.

 

[Tayla]

Might I suggest watching a movie called "The Long Long Trailer"...............
I love that idea too.............................but!!.......................

I'm going to find that movie, sounds like a good laugh


fishinglizard - how much would your discovery weigh fully loaded? Your fuel consumption looks pretty good.

Someone mentioned on another thread that there will probably be a new Ford ranger released in 2014 with 7 seats. Are Rangers any good for towing??

 

[fishinglizard]

Per the plate, its 1545 empty and maX wieght of 2020. I weighed every thing in it and had about 180 kegs for food and clothes left. I just drove up the coast and the on board computer sat between 13.5 and 15.9 most of the way. I am not sure hiw accurate the cars computer is i didnt crunch the numbers myself. I sit on 100 clicks, i dont flog it up hills but i dont slow down either. It auto.

 

[Grover]

well my partner has a landcruiser load the cruiser up and pulls the van,i also wanted a 4wd to pull the van i brought a hyundai terracan it pulls my 16 foot expanda fine its 3000 turbo diesel at 100000 kms $23,000 2006 model ,their alot cheaper now it what you can afford in the long run