Which Crew Cab to tow my rib

[TimMcC]

Hi

I have finally bought a rib ( 5.5m Osprey Vipermax ) and am now looking for something to tow it and the various trailers I have . I am considering a late
90’s crew cab as they can be taxed cheaply here . On my short list are the

Mitsubishi L200
Mazda B2500
Ford Ranger
Toyota Hilux

Any opinions on any of the above or any suggestions for alternatives . It must be a crew cab as I need room for passengers and a passenger 4x4 will cost a fortune for motor tax over here .

Thanks
Tim

[codprawn]

The ultimate crew cab tow vehicle is the Land Rover 110 Defender!!!

A mate of mine had a Warrior and hated it - so did I - his new Nissan Navara is much better but I don't know if they were around in the 1990s?

[TimMcC]

Originally Posted by TimMcC

Hi

I have finally bought a rib ( 5.5m Osprey Vipermax ) and am now looking for something to tow it and the various trailers I have . I am considering a late
90’s crew cab as they can be taxed cheaply here . On my short list are the

Mitsubishi L200
Mazda B2500
Ford Ranger
Toyota Hilux

Any opinions on any of the above or any suggestions for alternatives . It must be a crew cab as I need room for passengers and a passenger 4x4 will cost a fortune for motor tax over here .

Thanks
Tim

Also forgot to mention the Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.0 TD . Anybody use one of these ?.

[paul holder]

i have a ribcraft 6.5 + 200 optmax . we use a 90 land rover with a ball on the front + 24volt battery pack for the boat winch all the other junk goes in the back you cannot brake them.think about when your tired & wet you jump in and away you go .we have a nisson pathfinder its a car . navarders not that old . suzui a car.if your slip very agresive think about an auto box

[Nasher]

Hilux every time

Nasher

[Mollers]

I have an L200 which is good other than the turning circle. The latest Navara has been slated recently for safety reasons. If replacing, I'd probably go foe a Hi Lux, the new L200 is a soppy looking thing.

[doggypaddle]

I would go with codders, a 110 is by far the coolest build quality is far better than it used to be and the resale value is far better than most other 4x4s as well (including other rover products). with a decent coat of waxoyl inside and outside the chassis they should outlast most others too, and if you think landrovers are too old fasioned design and the jap stuff is superior i draw your attention to drum brakes and cart springs on the back of the competition!!
the 110 does have its shortcomings, the cramped interior being my main critisism, but to be honest i dont think you will have much problems with any of the one you listed, get what ever you prefer or is available in a colour your significant other half likes Landrovers are strage things they are a bit like marmite personally i love both.

[Roy Smith]

We are on our third Nissan Nivara
the one we now have is the latest type 170 BHP which if i was honest is a
better driver than the older ones but not as strong, the safety thing was a
recall on the air bags because ford motors said that in a test,
they did not inflate as quick as they should.bit of sour grapes fixed by a
soft ware up date.
If i was buying a new pickup/crew cab i would have a Toyota Hi Lux
the new 3 ltr just feels like it will last for ever, my dad as had a colorado for 10 years Auto diesel, over 200 thousand miles and still going strong.
I was always a land Rover man, but i just got fed up taking our TD5 back to the dealer, My brother in law pointed out that when there is a major desert expedition and you need to stake your life on the reliability of the 4 x 4
its nearly always Toyota Land Cruisers or Nissan Patrols, now do they know something we don't.

[martini]

Forget the warrior, turning circle is awful. The mazda is the same vehicle as the ford but cheaper. The navara does go well and holds it's value well, can be a plus or a minus point depending on wether you buying or selling. As it's prob going to be a rust bucket when you sell it I would say a minus point.

So I vote Mazda

Edit - Compare the price of the Toyota's, they're good but they know it

[doggypaddle]

[QUOTE
I was always a land Rover man, but i just got fed up taking our TD5 back to the dealer, My brother in law pointed out that when there is a major desert expedition and you need to stake your life on the reliability of the 4 x 4
its nearly always Toyota Land Cruisers or Nissan Patrols, now do they know something we don't. [/QUOTE]

The japanese did seem to have a habit of plagerising and improving on at the same time, the original landcruiser was an extremley close copy of a landrover, though landrovers had a pathetic 2.25 diesel and the landcruiser had a far better 3.6?or 4.2 six cylinder.
the daihatsu 2.8 engine is a copy of a BMC2.5 but again far better than the original.
jap stuff may be more reliable than landrover but landrovers construction allows it to last longer when maintained(in a triggers broom stylee)

[codprawn]

As far as German Reliability goes the Cayenne has just had a recall - a fuel pipe can chaff through and set the car on fire............

Yes Yes I know it's not that bad really but when people bash Land Rovers they love to pick on things like that!!!

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Roy Smith

We are on our third Nissan Nivara
the one we now have is the latest type 170 BHP which if i was honest is a
better driver than the older ones but not as strong, the safety thing was a
recall on the air bags because ford motors said that in a test,
they did not inflate as quick as they should.bit of sour grapes fixed by a
soft ware up date.

Ummm, and a bit to do with the engine ending up in the drivers legs in a 'head on'.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Ummm, and a bit to do with the engine ending up in the drivers legs in a 'head on'.

I think the Navara was one of the first crew cabs to be tested - older pickups certainly weren't. As I tried explaining before if you crash something heavy like a pickup or an artic into a concrete block it will come off a lot worse. Crash it into a Mini or a Corsa and it's a different story!!!

[two stroke mick]

Why did Pauld Holder recommend an automatic box for a steep slipway?

[Roy Smith]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Ummm, and a bit to do with the engine ending up in the drivers legs in a 'head on'.

I think you need to look at what would happen to any of the cars vans trucks
we all drive and given the same test and not taking the results out of context
i ask you, would you rather be in a transit van in a head, on or a Navara
i know which one i would rather be in.
If you look at the Ncap tests a lot of the main stream makers have had to modify or redesign there cars/pickup, to get the crash test star rating up.
i am not having ago at land rovers my sister as a new defender she told me
it has the Ford engine and its great but the rest of it, is 40 years old, a bit like a Morgan, new engines old body.

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Roy Smith

I think you need to look at what would happen to any of the cars vans trucks
we all drive and given the same test and not taking the results out of context
i ask you, would you rather be in a transit van in a head, on or a Navara
i know which one i would rather be in.
If you look at the Ncap tests a lot of the main stream makers have had to modify or redesign there cars/pickup, to get the crash test star rating up.
i am not having ago at land rovers my sister as a new defender she told me
it has the Ford engine and its great but the rest of it, is 40 years old, a bit like a Morgan, new engines old body.

They have been retested and now have 3 stars, still not sure how the air bag helped with the engine

Put mine through a hedge and drove away with both legs still attached airbags didn't go off

Just had a look at the new Hilux, I like it but 5 speed box and lower trailer towing weight

What is the height from the road to under the sill on a 110 Defender (just trying to build a mental picture of Cp)

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by two stroke mick

Why did Pauld Holder recommend an automatic box for a steep slipway?

Because you can apply just enough power to the wheels to provide drive without spinning the wheels. Auto Disco for towing is my choice too.

Pete

[TimMcC]

Originally Posted by martini

Forget the warrior, turning circle is awful. The mazda is the same vehicle as the ford but cheaper. The navara does go well and holds it's value well, can be a plus or a minus point depending on wether you buying or selling. As it's prob going to be a rust bucket when you sell it I would say a minus point.

So I vote Mazda

Edit - Compare the price of the Toyota's, they're good but they know it

I had a look on auto trader and the likes and I think the Mazda/Ford represent the best value for money . The Hilux’s are definitely more expensive . I like the looks of the
Crew Cab Defenders but not many around and also more expensive than the others .

Is the B2500 and the Ranger the exact same ?. As you say above the Fords
are cheaper . Is there any know issues with the 2.5 diesel or anything in particular to look out for on these ?.

Thanks

[paul tilley]

3ltr diesel hilux ,comfy ,cruises at 90+ ,tows like a train and economical

[Jono]

I have a good mate…yes, yes, I know ( )… who has the privilege of being able to buy and run pretty much any vehicle that’s available…he..and his family have been dyed-in-the-wool supporters of Solihull since time began…having had dozens of Range Rovers, Discoveries and Defenders personally and on their fleet… he is so fed up with piss-poor quality, reliability and customer support that his current vehicles of choice are a Hilux, a LandCruiser, a Jimney and an FJ… he’s just bough his wife a Subaru…. All this from a man who’s owned and driven all over the World, both on road and off in every LR product from a Series 2 ambulance to a RR Vogue including such exotica as a Wildcat, 101 and 127… He’ll not buy another LR….neither will I…unless the Injun’s start up production of the old Series motors in Mumbai.

So my vote..having had and driven a variety of the suggested vehicles is ..Hilux.. if your towing weight is OK… they’re not exaggerating the bus like turning circle of the Mitsubishi (late 90’s/2000models) by-the-way… it was feckin’ embarrassing in any car park