It’s Day 64 on our search for the perfect Family Caravan, and wow have we learnt a lot in the past couple of weeks. We provided an update on Day 50 on where we are at on our search, paying particular attention to the tow vehicle. We’re going to be purchasing both a tow vehicle and a caravan and getting both right first time is really important. It’s a massive investment that you just don’t want to have to do twice. And we’ve heard from some people that have unfortunately had to!
We’ve had some great feedback and input on our last two videos on our search with over 12,000 views and 75+ comments. Lot’s of direct messages too. There has been plenty of tips and things to watch out for offered. Sincerely, thanks for information, it’s been a lot of help.
We thought we’d bring them all together to share what we’ve now learnt, which is presented here as 9 things to consider when purchasing your next tow vehicle.
1. Know what you are towing.
Literally, you should always put the cart before the horse. Once you have your perfect van, you then know exactly what you need in order to tow it. If you choose your towing vehicle first, you will be restricted on the type of caravan you can buy. This might mean major compromises on living and lifestyle on your next weekend getaway, holiday or big lap of Australia.
We’ve had real stories shared with us where people have bought the car, bought the van, realized they didn’t match up and had to get a different tow vehicle. Are you going to be towing a camper trailer, an expandable/pop top, a light caravan or a full van with all the trimmings? What about in the future when you decide you really love caravanning? The weights vary greatly, and as such the options to tow them do too. What’s more important? What you drive or how you holiday or live during the big lap? Looking cool or being safe? Each to their own, but for us we want to have the perfect home during our big lap of Australia and beyond and also ensure the entire family is safe. We covered this on Day 30.
2. Make a decision on practicality VS comfort.
Otherwise known as the ute or wagon approach to buying a tow vehicle. A ute or dual-cab is extremely practical on a number of levels. They are compact inside the cabin allowing plenty of room in the back tray. If you have small children along for the ride, you can get away with a smaller cabin for the occupants. Got bigger kids – go straight for the wagon. The setup of the dual cab or ute means theoretically you can load up the tray with everything you might want or need on your trip. They’re also pretty cool to look at and extremely popular. Here in Australia we have a lot of options when it comes to dual-cab utes with towing capability.
A dual-cab ute does have its drawbacks. For starters you’re probably not going to keep an open tray, wanting some weather protection & security for that fridge, storage drawers, food and supplies. If you’re planning to head in land, across the Nullarbor or down dusty roads, keep in mind even the best ute canopies can let a lot of dust inside during the drive. Dual Cab Utes also have some serious shortfalls when it comes to towing capacity too, see below for information on weights.
Suspension on the dual cab utes is also a problem, given they essentially offer truck like rides to the occupants in that cramped cabin. Poor axle location to allow loads in the tray, plus the likely hood of an over-sprung rear generally leads to poor handling and steering. Sure you can get a suspension upgrade, and this will help you with how much weight you can have in the vehicle, but it will never be as nice a ride as a wagon.
Wagons offer a much nicer ride, more similar to a typical car ride experience for the occupants. Generally speaking they are larger, heavier and wider, meaning an easier more in control towing experience when it comes to ascending or descending that hill and making those winding corners. Being larger and stronger also provides bigger payloads for your trip. Generally they also offer more safety options and capabilities than the dual cab utes as well.
The two big players in heavy caravan towing here in Australia are the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 series and the Land Rover Discovery 4 models. Both of these offer almost a tonne more overall towing capability than the dual cab utes, which is a lot! Again this all depends on what you are towing and your overall setup.
For us, we’ve decided a wagon is the go to allow us to purchase a heavier family sized caravan whilst also allowing plenty of room for our boys in the back. I desperately wanted a dual cab ute, but once I added the canopy, awning, roof racks, I am not sure they would ever come off anyway. Hence the better room, ride, safety and towing capabilities came into play.
3. Splash on something new or look to save a bit of money on a used vehicle.
Something has changed in the vehicle industry, extended warranties. Some vehicles now offer up to 7 year warranties meaning the risk on a used vehicle is not what it once was.
In saying that, something can be said for a brand new vehicle, set up to your exact specifications and upgraded for use to how you want to use it. You know what it has done before you got it (nothing crazy!) and that certainly gives piece of mind. Bear in mind though a lot of vehicles might need to be driven in before hitting the road full time around Australia.
A used vehicle provides an opportunity to pick up a bargain. Want those accessories? Get one ready to go! Many travelers sell their rigs after a big trip, presenting a great opportunity at a discount. Vehicles like the Toyota Land Cruiser are well documented to do 300K or more comfortably, so if you can find something that has what you need, at a great prize with say 100- 150K on the click, it might just be the perfect vehicle. There are some things to be aware of when buying second hand, especially second hand diesels. You are going to want to get a diesel mechanic involved, check the filters, service history and the overall chassis and mechanics of the vehicle. The good news here is serious abuse should be simple to identify even for a layperson.
We’re going to be looking for a second hand vehicle hopefully with all the trimmings!
4. Thinking about purchasing that popular vehicle or something more exotic? Think about parts.
The most common thing you are going to hear is be aware of parts availability. We heard it so many times we had images of driving across the Nullarbor with starter motors, exhaust pipes, spark plugs and more just falling off our vehicle as we went! Speaking to many who have done the big lap for a year or more, parts are generally readily accessible for all of the big/common dual cabs and wagons. Especially so for vehicles like the Toyota Land Cruiser which really is a vehicle of choice for farmers around Australia (maybe they are on to something?!). You Porsche Cayanne may just struggle for an airfilter or worse in outback Australia, on top of making it really hard to get a beer in a local pub without a fit of laughter on arrival.
In reality if you are doing the big lap of Australia and the worse does happen, you will have your caravan on the back and you might just have a 1 to 2 week wait for that European part to get over here. I used to drive a Peugeot myself and the worse I had was a 2 week wait for a radiator hose once from France.
We’re looking at the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Land Rover Discovery, and reports are they are easy enough to get parts for. I am sure it will be straight forward too for the big market shareholding dual cab utes from Mazda, Holden, Ford, Toyota, Isuzu and more.
5. Feel the power or enjoy the economy?
That big trip around Australia is going to be hard work, especially if you’re towing a heavy van on the back. It’s also going to be expensive, with fuel being one of the big ticket items in terms of cost for the trip.
Choosing a smaller economical engine might seem a good idea, but it is totally outweighed if you end up running it flat out at high revs trying to maintain a decent cruising speed. Engine wear and tear will happen, and then it comes down to the parts issue in the section above.
Engine capacity or size used to be the number one thing to look at here, but these days turbo-charging and supercharging makes a big difference in output. In fact petrol used to be the default for power, but with modern turbo diesels they have certainly met their match.
The engine maker’s power and torque figures are the best guides to expected performance, along with knowledge of what speed the engine runs at when cruising along at 90 to 100 km/h to your next camp spot. If you can get a higher torque go for it, especially when looking to haul something decent along.
Power & Torque is what the larger wagons are all about, dwarfing the dual cabs in this area.
6. Sit back and relax or work that stick shift?
Historically, manual vehicles have been seen as the better option for towing, allowing greater control over the vehicle and adjustment as and when needed on the fly. But modern day automatics have changed the game.
These days the automatic makes a great towing transmission, because technology allows faster and smoother gear changes instantly and seamlessly in many cases. This is particulate the case with electronically injected engines.
Autos work very well off-road and many drivers prefer two-pedal control in tricky situations. Less to think about when backing up that van. Manuals do offer better engine breaking and with the autos there is a risk of overheating if you are really pushing the hills hard. Many owners look to add additional or larger transmission coolers to help prevent overheating.
Really there is an argument both ways on automatic or manual, and it comes down to personal preference. In addition to heading around the country, we also live just out of Melbourne. Occasionally we will be in traffic, and I can think of nothing worse than cycling through the gears 50m at a time on the Monash Freeway!
7. Choose your fuel wisely.
Traditionally diesel engines gave better fuel economy, but at the expense of performance. This is no longer the case. Turbo-diesels absolutely hold up to modern day petrol engines in terms of power and performance.
The thing about diesel engines though, they are designed to do long km’s and run really hot. As a result, if your diesel isn’t working hard, or hasn’t in the past, there’s a real risk of problems down the line. Many smaller ‘city’ diesel engines, especially those from Europe, are starting to have issues here most simply sue to them not running long or hot enough to ensure the hold up to wear and tear. A family friend of ours is a service dealer for a European brand and this is certainly escalating.
Often mentioned is that diesel is more widely available around Australia than petrol. Speaking to a number of different travelers around our great land, contrary to popular belief, if there’s diesel there is likely petrol too. Don’t make this your prime driver. Pardon the pun.
The diesel is the outright winner in this category. With an average of 20-50% better economy, it will easily go further on one tank of gas. This range may help you in the outback of Australia where it could be a long drive between petrol stations!
8. Can’t weight to accessorise!
Accessorise, but do so wisely. Everything has a price, and we’re not just talking about the dollars. Weight is incredibly important to keep track of. We had one person share their ordeal. They went into their local accessory dealer, loaded up with the works and then going for their first weight check realized there was no longer any room to take the family! Do you need the winch? Will you be going off road really? It could be the difference between taking an Esky or Fridge full of food in the back.
The vehicle will have a kerb weight, it will have a GVM or Gross Vehicle Mass. This is the maximum the vehicle can weigh, based on the manufaturers recommendations. When you subtract the kerb weight from the GVM, this is your payload. Remember, this payload has to have the tow ball weight taken off of it. Once that’s done, this is what you have to play with in your vehicle. Many manufacturers won’t honour warranties, and insurance companies certainly won’t honour premiums if you get outside these weights. It’s also a serious safety issue. Your kerb weight will include a tank of fuel, but if you have extended the tank, added bullbars, awnings, secondary batteries, roof racks, sidesteps, cannopys and more, it might be hard to fit that fridge, the food and extra supplies, let alone your family inside the GVM.
9. Seriously, watch your weights!
The other sleeper here is the Gross Combined Mass of your vehicle and what you are towing. Every modern day dual cab ute claims a 3 Tonne or more towing capacity, but many of us simply won’t be able to achieve it. Let me explain.
Starting with your kerb weight, you will load up your vehicle with all of the extras – your luggage, family and payload in the back. Let’s assume you did a great job, headed the advice in point 8 above and came in just under the GVM of your vehicle (including the ball weight). The next thing to look at is the overall weight of the vehicle and what it is towing. This is known as the Gross Combined Mass, and most modern day dual cab utes have a 6 tonne limit here, some even less.
Here’s a look at the most popular models:
- The Ford Ranger has a GVM of 3200kg and a GCM of 6000kg.
- The Toyota HiLux has a GVM of 3050kg and a GCM of 5650kg.
- The Isuzu D-Max has a GVM of 2950kg and a GCM of 5950kg.
- The Mazda Bt-50 has a GVM of 3200kg and a GCM of 6000kg
- The Toyota Land Cruiser has a GVM of 3300kg and a GCM of 6800kg.
- The Land Rover Discovery 4 has a GVM of 3240kg and a GCM of 6740kg.
Most of the above claim a 3.5 Tonne towing capacity, but does it really stack up? Take away the GVM of the vehicle from the GCM and what you have left is the available towing capacity. Yes they could probably tow more, but is it covered by your warranty and insurance? Is it safe for you and the family?
We’re going to be towing a 3 Tonne caravan, which is common for a family size van. On our vehicle we plan to have all the accessories that seem to be really common: Bull bar with a winch (75-50kg); second battery (30kg); tow bar (10kg); full long-range fuel tank (100kg); recovery kit (10kg) and a full fridge (50kg). Who knows what else – maybe some storage drawers etc. All of this adds up eating away at the GCM.
Also be aware of the recommended axle load on your vehicle as well. This one will be buried even further down in your documentation or fine print. Both the front and rear axles will have a stated weight they can bear for normal operation. Applying tow ball weight, weight distribution hitches and load all impact where and how weight is applied to your vehicle. Even if the fully loaded tow vehicle doesn’t exceed the vehicles GVM there is a real chance your front or rear axle mass limit may be exceeded.
When looking at the vehicles, the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Land Rover Discovery 4 certainly stand out for us. We will be able to two what we need to, have capacity to load up and bring what we want to and ensure we don’t go over manufacturer specifications for GVM, GCM and axle weights. In fact both of these vehicles have higher axle capacity then their overall GVM’s giving even greater flexibility.
Yep – this is all mind numbing stuff, but it’s critically important. We plan to spend around $50K on our towing vehicle and this to us and many others is a lot of money. We want to ensure that we can do what we want to with that vehicle now and into the future, as well as provide a simple, enjoyable and safe towing experience for the whole family.