I have "been told" to look at another vehicle as my Patrol is "getting a bit old with nearly 420,000 kms on the clock" & the ones in view are the IZUZU pair.
Friends are on their second MUX & swear by them (80,000 trouble free kms on the first one). I'm favouring the D-MAX purely on the weight (load) issues (after having to have the GVM increased on our Patrol a while back). Most magazine tests show the MAX & not the MUX as the tow vehicle, is it just that one is cheaper than the other or is the reason something else?
IZUZU have just bought out a softer (3 spring pack) to cater for the "tourers". While I agree the MUX may be better to drive around town with its coil suspension,
is the MAX too rough without a load on?
Is it not too awkward parking in shopping centres (most of these seem to favour "shopping bags with four wheels") with its extra length?
Seating - one of Pat's concerns is the seating (has a bad back). I've confirmed with a dealer that the front seats are the same in both vehicles. One plus to me is that the MAX is a 4-5 seater & I don't have to store the extra two seats from the MUX in my garage. I assume dual cabs can have Child Safety Seats installed.
I would fit airbags to the MUX (not in favour of WDHs where we travel & have a single axle van).
A recent query on this page was mainly on the D-MAX with a couple of members stating they like the MUX.
Thanks everyone for your anticipated comments.
Dougwe said
01:29 PM Apr 13, 2018
Hi Warren and Pat, you will find the single cab doesn't have child seat hooks, obviously. The space cab doesn't have either and I have been told that kids that still need child seats are not allowed in back and no provision. The 'duel' cab is what you need and has child hooks behind back seats. I have the duel cab Collie for that reason, so I can have the grandkids in the tug when needed.
Warren-Pat_01 said
03:23 PM Apr 13, 2018
G'day Doug,
I'm sorry I didn't add the dual cab was my choice. I find it difficult to get into a single cab ute as I have a built-in ladder for legs!
Radar said
04:35 PM Apr 13, 2018
Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
I have "been told" to look at another vehicle as my Patrol is "getting a bit old with nearly 420,000 kms on the clock" & the ones in view are the IZUZU pair.
Friends are on their second MUX & swear by them (80,000 trouble free kms on the first one). I'm favouring the D-MAX purely on the weight (load) issues (after having to have the GVM increased on our Patrol a while back). Most magazine tests show the MAX & not the MUX as the tow vehicle, is it just that one is cheaper than the other or is the reason something else?
IZUZU have just bought out a softer (3 spring pack) to cater for the "tourers". While I agree the MUX may be better to drive around town with its coil suspension,
is the MAX too rough without a load on?
Is it not too awkward parking in shopping centres (most of these seem to favour "shopping bags with four wheels") with its extra length?
Seating - one of Pat's concerns is the seating (has a bad back). I've confirmed with a dealer that the front seats are the same in both vehicles. One plus to me is that the MAX is a 4-5 seater & I don't have to store the extra two seats from the MUX in my garage. I assume dual cabs can have Child Safety Seats installed.
I would fit airbags to the MUX (not in favour of WDHs where we travel & have a single axle van).
A recent query on this page was mainly on the D-MAX with a couple of members stating they like the MUX.
Thanks everyone for your anticipated comments.
Hi Warren.
In hindsight I now have a regret buying a duel cab, I was swayed by the enjoyment we had years ago towing our small camper trailer with one, lots of great memories.
Now we own 2800kgs duel axle caravan with the luxuries, everything we need is in the caravan, the need for the tub to carry things is not needed so much, saying that we also find with sub 300kgs on the tow bar from the caravan we are unable to carry much in the tub, really if you are conscious of your weights approx 140kgs by that time you are up on the recommended weight on your drive axle if you have a canopy on.
I also believe the Max or Mux both really need rear suspension upgrades to make them a tow vehicle, a suspension upgrade to our dual cab has improved the all round travelling comfort. Well worth the money, car sits better, rides great with or without the caravan, its a joy to drive.
I also have been following a lot of stories on chassis damage to duel cabs which is starting to concern me, it seems the station wagon version of the dual cabs do not suffer with cracked chassis, I would recommend reading as much as you can on this as it seems to be coming more noticeable. The one piece body of the station wagon increases the strenght of the chassis.
Hope you found some of this a help, mind you this is my thoughts only and I have allready spent the money to find out how useless the dual cab is.
-- Edited by Radar on Friday 13th of April 2018 08:46:51 PM
mezza56 said
05:30 PM Apr 13, 2018
" I have sent the money to find out how useless the dual cab is." Wow Radar thats gonna set the cat in with the pidgeons with all the duallies on here .
rockylizard said
06:19 PM Apr 13, 2018
Gday...
GEEZ Mezza - the bloke was only expressing his PERSONAL opinion ... from his experience -
"mind you this is my thoughts only and I have sent the money to find out how useless the dual cab is"
Absolutely no need for any other dual cab owner to fell upset.
Cheers - John
Dougwe said
06:57 PM Apr 13, 2018
I'm a duel cab owner and my Collie is great. You keep things under listed weights and drive to conditions and all performs as expected. Both the Collie and aluminium teepee are fully loaded all the time as I am in the playground full time.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
Aus-Kiwi said
07:47 PM Apr 13, 2018
Big call saying they are better than 460k Patrol.
Radar said
09:12 PM Apr 13, 2018
mezza56 wrote:
" I have sent the money to find out how useless the dual cab is." Wow Radar thats gonna set the cat in with the pidgeons with all the duallies on here .
mezza56, really only one other dual cab ute owner so far.
The other 2 posters, one drives a motor home and the other a station wagon.
I just hope other dual cab ute owners get involved in this discussion, may some of them also have weigh bridge tickets to prove me wrong.
mezza56 your preferred vehicle unknown.
The Belmont Bear said
08:50 AM Apr 14, 2018
I chose a wagon version (Pajero Sport) over a dual cab as I preferred to have a more comfortable ride when I wasn't towing. I fitted air bags to the rear coils which I only ever inflated to 15 PSI with a 2.7T load, I also used a HR WDH and after playing around with rear tyre pressures had a very stable rig. The best part is that I could reduce the air in the bags back to 5 PSI when I didn't have the van on which gave me the softer ride back. That was only my own personal preference at the time but I could have also quite happily settled for a dual cab as it would have probably done the same job without needing the airbags.
Cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Saturday 14th of April 2018 08:51:11 AM
Aus-Kiwi said
08:54 AM Apr 14, 2018
Chassis is stronger with body to the bumper too . A box is much stronger.
Radar said
04:22 PM Apr 14, 2018
Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Chassis is stronger with body to the bumper too . A box is much stronger.
That was what I tried say.
We don't live in our caravan full-time, we mostly do extended road tours, staying a few days here and a few days there lasting about 2 months at a time.
Our 2014 dual cab ute is coming up to 90 000ks and about 60 000 of those was with a caravan attached.
We drive the dual cab around loaded when we have the caravan in tow but there is not much weight in the tub.
yobarr said
05:57 PM Apr 14, 2018
mezza56 wrote:
" I have sent the money to find out how useless the dual cab is." Wow Radar thats gonna set the cat in with the pidgeons with all the duallies on here .
Hi Mezza.....I suspect that your prediction will be shown to be accurate,and I also would also like to congratulate Radar on his succinct summary of the twin-cab situation. Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Saturday 14th of April 2018 06:03:16 PM
sandgrooper1 said
08:58 PM Apr 14, 2018
Hi,
I have owned Dual cab Isuzu Dmax utes over the past 9 years. Have been happy with the two manual vehicles in that time.
The current Dmax, a 2012 model newer shape has replacement suspension, which in my opinion totally transformed the car, even rated a comment from my wife in the positive when I had it done 5 years or so ago. I have LR tank, drawers and canopy so a bit of extra weight.
As with anything there are positives and negatives, my main annoyance is the amount of dust ingress in the ute section which them leaves dust on everything in the back if I go over a gravel road......I admit to being a neat freak so this may not bother others.
However, they are very practical for tourers, you can fit a lot in and if you carry fuel you wont get any fumes. I also like how it tows my caravan. Average 13 to 15 ltrs per 100 kms. I tend to travel at 90 to 105 kmph , I have larger tyres(265/70/17) so according to my GPS at an indicated 100kmph I am doing 99 kmph. I see Fred Wright from caravan and motor home mag has used/quoted a figure of 10.5 ltrs per 100km towing......maybe if it is a box trailer or camper trailer but hard to see it towing a full van. Maybe I just have lead feet....
In the current issue of C and M there is an article covering the subject of keeping the old truck vs updating.
If you fit a bulbar/towbar etc they are very long vehicles and sometimes don't fit in carparks without sticking out a little/lot. I have never seen a Isuzu Dmax with a bent chassis, however no doubt it may have occurred but I have not seen on facebook etc any comments indicating this has occurred.
I am currently considering an update which will be auto.......Mux or Dmax in LSU guise. I will be adding a replacement suspension again and also a Long range tank and bulbar.....not a factory one as I don't like the look of them.
I am leaning towards the Dmax as it has 3500kg towing vs 3000kg towing for the MUX .....my van is about 2700kg loaded and I know the vehicle in terms of my needs.
Good luck with your choice....MUX would be a easier option to live with around town for sure. If you are touring mainly then a Dmax may be a better choice.
AL
-- Edited by sandgrooper1 on Saturday 14th of April 2018 09:01:20 PM
Warren-Pat_01 said
10:57 PM Apr 14, 2018
Blimey, did I cause that? A witch hunt?
Referring to the chassis point, my mechanic had a new dual cab BT50 & coming back from Karumba a year ago with a boat in tow & an estimated 600Kg in the tub, he hit a bull dust hole & bent the chassis just behind the cab. Mazda replaced the car but it caused a great inconvenience in getting everything back to Townsville.
Whether that is still an issue, I don't know.
My van is not perfect but I cannot see use wanting anything any bigger but a slightly greater carrying capacity would be nice (perhaps a Goldstream 1760 in the future?). Its ATM is 2000Kg. The car would be our one car only (as is the Patrol) & used for everything.
I have asked a chap from ARB to give me the weights of a bull bar (steel, ally & plastic) a canopy & towbar so I know what I'm up for as far as weights go. In the past, we just added everything & filled the cars up without considering the ramifications of excessive weight! I recall carrying a "few" sheets of chipboard 8'x4' in the roof rack from Adelaide to Ceduna when I was building our cupboards as well as everything else I could fit in the old FJ35 Toyota wagon!
Our friends often boast about their fuel consumption in the IZUZU but the "old" Patrol is not far behind them either. Our last trip to Canberra without the van on, gave me an economy of 10L/100Km at 100kph. Without the gas injection, I guess it would be a lot higher.
So I didn't awaken too many MUX owners?
Aus-Kiwi, you're favouring the wagon in your second comment?
DMaxer said
08:03 AM Apr 15, 2018
I have a 2014 Dmax dual cab manual that I purchased new and really love it. I tow a 17.5 foot Windsor that weighs 2.1 fully loaded. It tows easily but I have noticed the rear leaf springs starting to flatten out. I am thinking of getting a suspension upgrade and not sure what to do. I see Pedders has one that increases the GVM to 3400. I don't need a GVM increase but would like suspension upgrade. What have others done when they upgraded and whose product did you use. Pedders quoted me $2300 for the job. I don't want a quick fix nor do I want the car looking like something out of Mad Max. I would love your thoughts on what you had done or recommendation you have had.
One other question, does the upgrade mean that the vehicle sits higher than before? Should I also still use my WDH? Look forward to any assistance.
-- Edited by DMaxer on Sunday 15th of April 2018 08:10:39 AM
Radar said
08:29 AM Apr 15, 2018
Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
Blimey, did I cause that? A witch hunt?
So I didn't awaken too many MUX owners?
Aus-Kiwi, you're favouring the wagon in your second comment?
Hi Warren
I have spent a small amount of time in a Mux as our son in law is a journalist reviewing cars, so most times I get to have a drive of new ones and it was on one of these occasion I had a Nissan Navara dual cab Brisbane to Sydney and return got a good feel for the vehicle, pretty it didn't have a caravan on the back.. The muz I did about 50 or so ks and felt that with a good quality suspension fitted would be a good tourer.
We have 2 friends who own D Maxs, one tows single axle caravan, stays on powered sites, carrys very little in the tub has mention the D Max may go in on a Muz which would blend in with their life style, nothing to do with the ute, it is they don't need the ute as much anymore. This one is totally standard, owner said it come with extra rear springs and the unloaded ride is acceptable. We normally go out with them in there car when we go out together, thinking about it possibly 300ks in 3 years. Rides alright, its a commercial vehicle.
The other couple come from a station wagon, husband brought the D Max, wife would dearly like to go back to the comfort of the wagon and they tow a 3tonne caravan. This one has had rear suspension make over, to me the ride is not great, harsh, not very pleasant when not towing. The D Max with the caravan on rides better, I really think he didn't throw enough money at the suspenion when he did it. I drove this car with the caravan on for 150ks. From a 12 years of upmarket Parados to a D Max would be a big change. With this car I have travelled probably about 100ks, I prefer to take our ute as I don't enjoy the ride of theirs.
By the way yes there is broken chassis in all, I look sometimes and all I see is Navaras which scares me. There is all brands there.
Lots laughs out there.
Radar said
09:17 PM Apr 15, 2018
Interesting, no more comments.
Warren-Pat_01 said
10:01 PM Apr 15, 2018
Thanks everyone for your input - it is appreciated. There is certainly a lot of info to consider.
I have "been told" to look at another vehicle as my Patrol is "getting a bit old with nearly 420,000 kms on the clock" & the ones in view are the IZUZU pair.
Friends are on their second MUX & swear by them (80,000 trouble free kms on the first one). I'm favouring the D-MAX purely on the weight (load) issues (after having to have the GVM increased on our Patrol a while back). Most magazine tests show the MAX & not the MUX as the tow vehicle, is it just that one is cheaper than the other or is the reason something else?
IZUZU have just bought out a softer (3 spring pack) to cater for the "tourers". While I agree the MUX may be better to drive around town with its coil suspension,
is the MAX too rough without a load on?
Is it not too awkward parking in shopping centres (most of these seem to favour "shopping bags with four wheels") with its extra length?
Seating - one of Pat's concerns is the seating (has a bad back). I've confirmed with a dealer that the front seats are the same in both vehicles. One plus to me is that the MAX is a 4-5 seater & I don't have to store the extra two seats from the MUX in my garage. I assume dual cabs can have Child Safety Seats installed.
I would fit airbags to the MUX (not in favour of WDHs where we travel & have a single axle van).
A recent query on this page was mainly on the D-MAX with a couple of members stating they like the MUX.
Thanks everyone for your anticipated comments.
I'm sorry I didn't add the dual cab was my choice. I find it difficult to get into a single cab ute as I have a built-in ladder for legs!
Hi Warren.
In hindsight I now have a regret buying a duel cab, I was swayed by the enjoyment we had years ago towing our small camper trailer with one, lots of great memories.
Now we own 2800kgs duel axle caravan with the luxuries, everything we need is in the caravan, the need for the tub to carry things is not needed so much, saying that we also find with sub 300kgs on the tow bar from the caravan we are unable to carry much in the tub, really if you are conscious of your weights approx 140kgs by that time you are up on the recommended weight on your drive axle if you have a canopy on.
I also believe the Max or Mux both really need rear suspension upgrades to make them a tow vehicle, a suspension upgrade to our dual cab has improved the all round travelling comfort. Well worth the money, car sits better, rides great with or without the caravan, its a joy to drive.
I also have been following a lot of stories on chassis damage to duel cabs which is starting to concern me, it seems the station wagon version of the dual cabs do not suffer with cracked chassis, I would recommend reading as much as you can on this as it seems to be coming more noticeable. The one piece body of the station wagon increases the strenght of the chassis.
Hope you found some of this a help, mind you this is my thoughts only and I have allready spent the money to find out how useless the dual cab is.
-- Edited by Radar on Friday 13th of April 2018 08:46:51 PM
" I have sent the money to find out how useless the dual cab is." Wow Radar thats gonna set the cat in with the pidgeons with all the duallies on here .
Gday...
"mind you this is my thoughts only and I have sent the money to find out how useless the dual cab is"
Absolutely no need for any other dual cab owner to fell upset.
Cheers - John
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
mezza56, really only one other dual cab ute owner so far.
The other 2 posters, one drives a motor home and the other a station wagon.
I just hope other dual cab ute owners get involved in this discussion, may some of them also have weigh bridge tickets to prove me wrong.
mezza56 your preferred vehicle unknown.
I chose a wagon version (Pajero Sport) over a dual cab as I preferred to have a more comfortable ride when I wasn't towing. I fitted air bags to the rear coils which I only ever inflated to 15 PSI with a 2.7T load, I also used a HR WDH and after playing around with rear tyre pressures had a very stable rig. The best part is that I could reduce the air in the bags back to 5 PSI when I didn't have the van on which gave me the softer ride back. That was only my own personal preference at the time but I could have also quite happily settled for a dual cab as it would have probably done the same job without needing the airbags.
Cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Saturday 14th of April 2018 08:51:11 AM
That was what I tried say.
We don't live in our caravan full-time, we mostly do extended road tours, staying a few days here and a few days there lasting about 2 months at a time.
Our 2014 dual cab ute is coming up to 90 000ks and about 60 000 of those was with a caravan attached.
We drive the dual cab around loaded when we have the caravan in tow but there is not much weight in the tub.
Hi Mezza.....I suspect that your prediction will be shown to be accurate,and I also would also like to congratulate Radar on his succinct summary of the twin-cab situation. Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Saturday 14th of April 2018 06:03:16 PM
Hi,
I have owned Dual cab Isuzu Dmax utes over the past 9 years. Have been happy with the two manual vehicles in that time.
The current Dmax, a 2012 model newer shape has replacement suspension, which in my opinion totally transformed the car, even rated a comment from my wife in the positive when I had it done 5 years or so ago. I have LR tank, drawers and canopy so a bit of extra weight.
As with anything there are positives and negatives, my main annoyance is the amount of dust ingress in the ute section which them leaves dust on everything in the back if I go over a gravel road......I admit to being a neat freak so this may not bother others.
However, they are very practical for tourers, you can fit a lot in and if you carry fuel you wont get any fumes. I also like how it tows my caravan. Average 13 to 15 ltrs per 100 kms. I tend to travel at 90 to 105 kmph , I have larger tyres(265/70/17) so according to my GPS at an indicated 100kmph I am doing 99 kmph. I see Fred Wright from caravan and motor home mag has used/quoted a figure of 10.5 ltrs per 100km towing......maybe if it is a box trailer or camper trailer but hard to see it towing a full van. Maybe I just have lead feet....
In the current issue of C and M there is an article covering the subject of keeping the old truck vs updating.
If you fit a bulbar/towbar etc they are very long vehicles and sometimes don't fit in carparks without sticking out a little/lot. I have never seen a Isuzu Dmax with a bent chassis, however no doubt it may have occurred but I have not seen on facebook etc any comments indicating this has occurred.
I am currently considering an update which will be auto.......Mux or Dmax in LSU guise. I will be adding a replacement suspension again and also a Long range tank and bulbar.....not a factory one as I don't like the look of them.
I am leaning towards the Dmax as it has 3500kg towing vs 3000kg towing for the MUX .....my van is about 2700kg loaded and I know the vehicle in terms of my needs.
Good luck with your choice....MUX would be a easier option to live with around town for sure. If you are touring mainly then a Dmax may be a better choice.
AL
-- Edited by sandgrooper1 on Saturday 14th of April 2018 09:01:20 PM
Referring to the chassis point, my mechanic had a new dual cab BT50 & coming back from Karumba a year ago with a boat in tow & an estimated 600Kg in the tub, he hit a bull dust hole & bent the chassis just behind the cab. Mazda replaced the car but it caused a great inconvenience in getting everything back to Townsville.
Whether that is still an issue, I don't know.
My van is not perfect but I cannot see use wanting anything any bigger but a slightly greater carrying capacity would be nice (perhaps a Goldstream 1760 in the future?). Its ATM is 2000Kg. The car would be our one car only (as is the Patrol) & used for everything.
I have asked a chap from ARB to give me the weights of a bull bar (steel, ally & plastic) a canopy & towbar so I know what I'm up for as far as weights go. In the past, we just added everything & filled the cars up without considering the ramifications of excessive weight! I recall carrying a "few" sheets of chipboard 8'x4' in the roof rack from Adelaide to Ceduna when I was building our cupboards as well as everything else I could fit in the old FJ35 Toyota wagon!
Our friends often boast about their fuel consumption in the IZUZU but the "old" Patrol is not far behind them either. Our last trip to Canberra without the van on, gave me an economy of 10L/100Km at 100kph. Without the gas injection, I guess it would be a lot higher.
So I didn't awaken too many MUX owners?
Aus-Kiwi, you're favouring the wagon in your second comment?
I have a 2014 Dmax dual cab manual that I purchased new and really love it. I tow a 17.5 foot Windsor that weighs 2.1 fully loaded. It tows easily but I have noticed the rear leaf springs starting to flatten out. I am thinking of getting a suspension upgrade and not sure what to do. I see Pedders has one that increases the GVM to 3400. I don't need a GVM increase but would like suspension upgrade. What have others done when they upgraded and whose product did you use. Pedders quoted me $2300 for the job. I don't want a quick fix nor do I want the car looking like something out of Mad Max. I would love your thoughts on what you had done or recommendation you have had.
One other question, does the upgrade mean that the vehicle sits higher than before? Should I also still use my WDH? Look forward to any assistance.
-- Edited by DMaxer on Sunday 15th of April 2018 08:10:39 AM
Hi Warren
I have spent a small amount of time in a Mux as our son in law is a journalist reviewing cars, so most times I get to have a drive of new ones and it was on one of these occasion I had a Nissan Navara dual cab Brisbane to Sydney and return got a good feel for the vehicle, pretty it didn't have a caravan on the back.. The muz I did about 50 or so ks and felt that with a good quality suspension fitted would be a good tourer.
We have 2 friends who own D Maxs, one tows single axle caravan, stays on powered sites, carrys very little in the tub has mention the D Max may go in on a Muz which would blend in with their life style, nothing to do with the ute, it is they don't need the ute as much anymore. This one is totally standard, owner said it come with extra rear springs and the unloaded ride is acceptable. We normally go out with them in there car when we go out together, thinking about it possibly 300ks in 3 years. Rides alright, its a commercial vehicle.
The other couple come from a station wagon, husband brought the D Max, wife would dearly like to go back to the comfort of the wagon and they tow a 3tonne caravan. This one has had rear suspension make over, to me the ride is not great, harsh, not very pleasant when not towing. The D Max with the caravan on rides better, I really think he didn't throw enough money at the suspenion when he did it. I drove this car with the caravan on for 150ks. From a 12 years of upmarket Parados to a D Max would be a big change. With this car I have travelled probably about 100ks, I prefer to take our ute as I don't enjoy the ride of theirs.
By the way yes there is broken chassis in all, I look sometimes and all I see is Navaras which scares me. There is all brands there.
Lots laughs out there.
Interesting, no more comments.