Recommend me a 4wd to tow a 16ft caravan around Aus help with economical option

[TurboRA28]

Hi all, i'm looking for a 4wd for an extended trip around Aus towing a 16ft caravan (1400kg or so + all our gear). Our main requirement is interiour space as we have a lot of gear and most importantly is economical as we estimate 35000-40000km so fuel bill will add up. I am leaning towards LPG + fuel for the economical side of things.. I found our 80 series while used 30ltr/100 towing on LPG still was a hell of a lot cheaper than running on petrol and using say 24ltr/100.

Diesel i'm not sold on, sure it would be the best for towing in terms of torque etc.. But eco side they seem expensive to run, maybe use 30 % less diesel than the petrol equalivent but with diesel costing 10% more or so.. LPG still seems to come out on top? Plus the purchase price for a diesel is a lot more.

I've previously owned an 80 series petrol on LPG and loved it but sold it when we planned to do this trip in a bus.. Things changed now caravan. anyway.. Did like the 80 series except could only afford to run on LPG and the tyre carrier for spare was a pain in the arse.. But still an option.

We currently own a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder 3.3ltr petrol which we planned to do the trip in but it struggles to the tow the van comfortably up hills etc. Feels like it is working really hard.. Though averages 20ltr/100 which isn't too bad. If we chucked this on LPG it'd be pretty ecconomical. Just reckon this will give us the shits with poor performance and also not much space in the boot area.

Other options i've been thinking... Late 90's Prado 3.4ltr petrol but that prob is very similar to the Pathfinder. Only benefit is on LPG it already has the spare tyre on the rear door and has a bit more KW and Torque.

GU patrol 4.5ltr on LPG.. But seems the 80 series has a bit more power than the patrol and also has a larger fuel tank (GU ends up with only 40ltr aux tank on LPG).

Started having thoughts of grand cheroke and disco v8's etc on LPG but reliability, also some seem hard to convert to LPG as no where for the tank and to still run a decent sized fuel tank.

Basically i'm trying to do the sums and work out with initial outlay/fuel costs, etc what ends up the cheapest..

For example with our current Nissan Pathfinder (not towing figures as this is too hard to get data on for all options), vague information I know fuel prices will change dramatically and nothing is static but just trying to get something working out..

Initial Cost $7000
Ltr/100 - 15.7
@1.45 per ltr = 22c per km
35000km trip = $7700
Total Cost (initial purchase, 35000km fuel) - $14700

LPG option
Install Cost inc rebate - $3500 (inc tyre carrier)
Ltr/100 - 20.5 (30% more LPG than petrol)
@.65c per ltr = 13c per km
35000km trip = $4663
Total Cost (initial purchase, LPG conversion, 35000km LPG) - $15163

So based on that it would seem best just to run fuel in the nissan.
If it didn't struggle pulling the van wouldn't be so bad.

If we went an 80 series, for better performance and space..
Initial Cost seems around $10000 you can get one already on LPG

Ltr/100 - 23 (on LPG not towing)
@.65c per ltr = 15c per km
35000km trip = $5232
Total Cost (initial purchase, 35000km fuel) - $15232

So really comparable to the Nissan Pathfinder, but get more space and better performance.

Does this make any sense? Am I working this the right angle?

At the end of the day we only have so much for fuel bill, already own a Nissan but could sell and upgrade somewhat.

Any other 4wd options I should be looking at?

Cheers
Joel

[Chase Rockwell]

Having done this myself (sans caravan), just get the cheapest car you can find and spend the money saved on fuel.

[itsnotagsr]

Troop Carrier?

[TurboRA28]

I like the troopy, but we need 4x seats (2 kids) so would need the modified 3rd door option to make it viable which seems rare as.. Old man used to have one and was tops.

[T T Celica]

Sounds like you have already sold yourself on another 80 series??? I honestly cant think of another vehicle thats going to suit all your requirements. What sort of range could you get from a petrol/LPG 80 series, assuming the 95L main fuel tank (say 80-85 useable), and 80-100L gas tank are both used?? Remote areas dont have LPG, even areas that arent that remote dont have it, like Weipa, on Cape York. Last LPG used to be in Cairns, but i THINK Cooktown now has it. Very, very few large roadhouses have it too.

[MRMOPARMAN]

i recently did around 3000km round trip with a few mates, me in a TD5 disco, and a mate in a duel fuel GQ. by the end we had spent the same in fuel. and i didnt have to fill up with gas at every fucking servo i went past!

oh and the disco fuckin killed the GQ through the adelaide hills (and he was on petrol).

a big problem for my mate is he ended up running on petrol at least 25% of the trip, because the car had no balls on gas for the hills, or he couldnt get gas at some servos. and with the shit 300ish km range towing on gas, it ended up being very tedious stopping at every servo we saw to try and find gas.
its not like we were up somewhere remote like strezlecki either. it was central SA (flinders ranges).

so for that reason, i vote a modern turbo diesel. either prado (if you can find one in the price range), pajero or.. TD5 disco.

id would have recommended a TD cherokee, but im sure you will find them too small inside. they are smaller than a pathy inside!

[devo]

if $$ are tight just use what you've got. if you're going around oz then unless you got a big lpg tank you're going to be running petrol half the time anyway. when you get out onto the quieter roads just drive at 80 like the rest of the caravan mob. it saves a shitload of fuel.

[Fondles]

Buy a decked out bus.

[TurboRA28]

We tried the bus thing but found it sucked when setup camp and then wanted to do day trips around and had no car.. Didn't want to tow car with bus.

Disco is in price range, but arn't they unreliable as all fuck?

[myliberty]

Ffs diesel! You're towing 1500kg!
Whatever vehicle, pushing 4.5t for 40,000kms on petrol or LPG will lead to suicide.

Turbo diesel of >4L or GTFO.

[MR-PUNANNY]

I think your main issue here is availability of LPG. I have no other input but suggesting a TD too. I find the current model Hilux TD tows my car to teh track easier than the 80 series (Even a Kluger fwd was better...except 80 series is more stable than both), so maybe look into a 120 series Prado

[Shifty]

Cut back out of bus. Drive car in. Profit.

[Fondles]

pushing 4.5t for 40,000kms on petrol or LPG will lead to suicide.

Why ?

We (my family) spent a few years doing the perimeter of OZ in a Petrol series IIa Land-rover towing a heavy trailer, we did not die nor commit suicide.

[myliberty]

Does your family own a refinery?

[MRMOPARMAN]

We tried the bus thing but found it sucked when setup camp and then wanted to do day trips around and had no car.. Didn't want to tow car with bus.

Disco is in price range, but arn't they unreliable as all fuck?

a low km car with full service history will serve you well. The abs unit and sensors are notorious for buggering up. But wont leave you stranded on the side of the road. Mine was an unlucky exception. But knowing that id still buy another. I loved it when i had it

[15UZU]

turbo diesel all the way

yes they cost more to buy,but you get better resale,win!

yes diesel costs more to buy,but it uses less of it, so break even,

uses less diesel than an equivalent spec petrol engine when its loaded up, win!

diesel is available in almost all hillbilly servos, gas often isn`t.

diesel can be refuelled from a jerry can on the side of the road, gas can`t

[Fondles]

Does your family own a refinery?

Does owning one assist in the suicide ?

[JMick]

.......... Last LPG used to be in Cairns, but i THINK Cooktown now has it. Very, very few large roadhouses have it too.

Cooktown had it 17 years ago when I had an LPG vehicle.

Mick

[nine2nine]

How much can a falcon/commodore wagon tow?

Whatever you choose, make sure its reliable, easily fixed and common (had to pull the radiator out of the patrol, repair it, then put it back in on the side of the road two weeks a go), and you have everything you need to fix it. Breaking down 40km from the nearest town may not sound like much but if you have no reception, then its too far to walk.

[HoonBoy]

I can't believe it hasn't been said yet, AU Wagon on gas. Will tow it with ease, parts are everwhere, heaps of storage in the back with the option of roof rack stuff if you want more. Only downside is a dual fuel one has the spare tyre in the back taking up storage space.

I have been suprised with getting LPG in weird places, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I wouldn't go dedicated LPG on a trip like this and would make sure I had plenty of petrol just in case but 90% of the time the only problem will be range between fills.

[RotaUte]

I think your main issue here is availability of LPG. I have no other input but suggesting a TD too. I find the current model Hilux TD tows my car to teh track easier than the 80 series (Even a Kluger fwd was better...except 80 series is more stable than both), so maybe look into a 120 series Prado

By easier, you mean, faster :P

[gbanger]

ok dual cab D4D 3.0ltr TD hilux FTW, yeh its going to cost abit initially but once set up they are a good capable thing to tour, go offroad and to tow with,mine gets under 10ltr/100ks towing/parked or express way driving it doesnt give a fuck what I do to it..........
or just get a PF spec AU wagon on GAS.

[MR-PUNANNY]

By easier, you mean, faster :P

LOL! Thats right. The Kluger squatted pretty bad, and it was the fwd version, so too much gas taking off would wheel spin lol. On the freeway, with him towing his R34 GTR and me towing Supra, going up that bug hill before mittagong to Wakefield, he could easily keep at 110, where as I droped to 90km.

[MRMOPARMAN]

You realise klugers are only rated to tow 1500kg dont you? Thats a gtr/supra without trailer!!

[dave1600]

Another vote here for a twin cab diesel ute.

We tow either the caravan (admittedly smaller than yours) or the racecar, and it handles it perfectly.

Last big-ish trip was Newcastle to Airlie Beach via Goondiwindi, we averaged a touch over 11ltr/100k for the whole trip. Load the ute tray up with all the huge pile of gear (esky right at the back for easy access whenever we stopped), throw the kids in the rear seat, plenty of room and fairly civilised to drive. Economy doesn't seem to vary by more than 1-2klm/100 whether unladen, towing the van, or towing the racecar.

We travelled with another family, they had a Holden Colorado diesel twin cab and a bigger van and managed something like 10ltr/100k for the trip up to Airlie Beach.

[Potsy]

Factory Gas AU/BA/BF wagon, extra leaf on rear springs (manybe some poly-airs to adjust the ride height), roof racks and a 9kg gas bottle and a long hose as a backup. Fuck the Petrol.
Cheap, cheerful, reliable, comfortable, economical.

[MartyXF]

By observation I gather that doing 20kph under the limit where there is no overtaking lanes and 20kph over the limit to prevent anyone from getting past when there is, is a requirement for all Caravanners.

[Potsy]

By observation I gather that doing 20kph under the limit where there is no overtaking lanes and 20kph over the limit to prevent anyone from getting past when there is, is a requirement for all Caravanners.

This is so fucking true. Cant wait till 'm a grey nomad.

[Mister Black]

I've been looking for a tow car with similar requirements, needs to be able to to a decent load up and down decent hills, good interior space and not too terrible economy on long trips. I'm having real trouble going past the Disco TD5 at the moment, a Delica might be an option for a big road trip too, though in my case the nopics won't be seen with the 'special bus' so that's out for me.

[Potsy]

Delica's are woeful unladen, so i dont think they would be much chop when towing.