Even though you have been around since 2015 Glenda, I haven't seen you before so welcome to the gang, enjoy here and out in the playground.

Mmmm, how heavy is your camper? Did you check the weight the Mazda can tow first up? Just curious. Check with a transport company as they may have space on the back of a truck doing a return run from Armidale. Just a thought.

Sorry girl.
I can't help you with that question.

BUT. No matter WHO you r, and what you drive\tow.
You should ALWAYS have RACQ (whatever) FULL cover.

Specially being a woman.

it's the cheapest insurance there is if anything goes wrong.
And they WILL get you
Either home again. Where you want to be.
or to nearest repair station.

Not doing so. WILL cost you.
Unfortunately.

I'd go and get it for you. for fuel costs.
But live a long way up from you.

Maybe somebody on here Living down that way.
wants to go for a drive hey?????.

Be nice to a bird in distress.
It'll give yours a run.

Just a thort.

A friend of mine down that way recommended "New England Towing Services" - he had his car flat topped to Port Macquarie with them.
https://www.facebook.com/NewEnglandTowing/

 

Good Luck.

Gday...

Good to hear things are looking up for ya gwendawan.

You mentioned you have a Mazda 6, towing a Ranger Skamper Camper.

Some basic research I have done shows the Ranger Camper has an ATM of 1,400Kg and if you were at (or below) that weight then the Mazda should be OK as it has a braked towing rating of 1,500Kg.

So the advice that towing through the very hilly country you have traversed in overdrive quite probably put the transmission under too much strain = overheating etc.

I assume the advice to drive it in 'manual mode' will help - what does the owner's manual for the vehicle suggest for towing?

Anyway, hope it all gets together and you get back on the road. Once the transmission is sorted you should be able to tow the camper back home with the Mazda - just being more 'kind' to the transmission.

cheers - John

If you have top cover then you should have accommodation and hire car while you wait. Goid luck either way you decide to return home.

Hi,
Our next door neighbor had a heart attack in Killarney and their insurance company CIL is shipping their van back to the Sunshine Coast for them whilst his wife is staying near the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane. If you are in a motoring organization eg RACQ check with them or your insurance company. This only happened last week with the van due back tomorrow. The company doing the towing is Border Towing from Warwick and they seem really decent people to deal with.
Geoff and Bev

Change the car when fixed girl.
If you lost confidence with THAT car.
You will be dangerous to yourself and others on the road.
You'll NEVER trust it again.

You should never be towing anything with a front wheel drive anyway.
Accidents waiting to happen.
Ex Truckie. seen plenty.

Get something with around a 2 ton tow capacity.
It'll still be economical to drive, with towing reserves.

Also. modern Vehicle. Buy an Auto. They better than manuals.
and (maybe) have a Torque Converter "Lock-up" fitted.

NEVER buy any veh. Where the item you going to tow. is at Max end of it's towing weight capacity doing so.

You have NO reserves. and trailer WILL control you when something happens..

I have a 2010 D-Max Ute with, ON PAPER. 3 ton tow capacity.
I tow a 2 ton van.
And wouldn't go much heavier. For safety..

NOR. More than 2.5 ton with ANY ute
Regardless of what the Paper figures say.

Once you start loading your veh. Towbar allowable weights go down.
as so do the trailer WEIGHT. ALLOWABLE figures.

B4 going anywhere regarding changing veh.

Contact the RACQ. OR spend some time on NET.
There is lots of info on there.

But stay away from front wheel drives. ANY...

 

ALL wheel drive, where front primary.

but you can run it in 4 wheels. Weight over rear

will give the control and traction required.

I put a good info one here a while ago.

Somebody else was kind enuff to post a LINK for it.
Maybe he. or others. Will repost for you.

It gives very detailed info and figures on how. and what you should be doing,
regarding balancing, weights and figures for towing.

Best of luck. and hope things turn out for you.
As said RACQ will cover spare tpt and bed while you waiting.
And check up on their TOP. TOP membership rates.
I reckon they about the best of the bunch.

Used to carry a workshop with me (Almost)
Incl Welder and grinders. (ex machanic)

Nowadays.
small tool pack. Sockets. and a good phone.

HELLLLLP.

You paying. get them to do.
plus, ALWAYS carry BASIC spare parts for your veh.
Belts. Hoses. Bearings, Oils (a ltr of each)
Plugs if petrol

Maybe YOU can't fix.
But if you stopped and have the bits.
Somebody will usually do it for you.

Regards
Macka

-- Edited by macka17 on Thursday 4th of May 2017 06:31:38 PM

Glendawan wrote:

---

Thanks for your advice. I did not want to go four wheel drive as I need to do a lot of city driving when not away. Any suggestions re best type of towing vehicle I need.

---

 We do not have much knowledge of the camper you have. What exact model do you have, what's the weight (tare and ARM?) Perhaps you could go the the manufacturers web site, select the model you have so it is the only one on the page and give us the link to that page. The manufacturer of your camper makes units with a wide range of maximum weights, a few of those exceed the maximum weight of your present tug.

(Also you did not answer my question above.)

Glenda.

IF you definitely want a CAR.
Have a look at SUBARU Stationwagon "Outback"? I think it's called.

Check it's tow weight.
It does a 2.5 ltr and 3,5ltr engines.
Permanent ALL wheel drive.
1500kg trailer weight
150kg Towbar.

Apart from that check some of the AWD (larger) vehicles.
or civilised.... Utes.
Fully enclosed NOT trays.

If new. Look at last yrs models. SUPERSEDED models.
EX demo.
I bought Di's Honda Civic 320km's in clock full wty and 12 mth rego for $3.500 less.
Plane to Brissie and full tank from then to get home.

Same as my current Ute.
EX Brissie council Plumb Manager.. 3 months out of Wty. AS NEW.

Retail $42 k. I paid $23.5k. Plus they paid $50 taxi from airport
and gave me 12mths wty
Cost me $75 plane fare.

I've always bought New. but last 3 have been ex demo.
Save a fortune.. Last 3 saved $27 grand combined.

Just another alternative if upgrading.

Just think about IF Later, you want to upgrade to something.
you don't have to put up and down everytime you move it.

A little extra towing ability. AND SAFETY.
never goes astray.

Gday...

Macka .... her current Mazda 6 has a 1,500Kg braked towing capacity ... the subby would be no improvement 

.... and her trailer ATM 1,400Kg ......

Cheers - John

macka17 wrote:

---

Rocky.

I Know.

BUT. It has MORE body weight. AND is ALL wheel drive..
With Longer wheelbase, Better control on road.
The main reason for mentioning it

IF she wants to stay with cars.

PLUS.
Subaru's have "stronger transmissions and running gear" than Mazda 6.
Mazda 6 is chopped off arse, 2 front wh drive, lightweight'ish car.
NOT basically designed for towing. A People carrier on roads.

Subaru is wagon. IE Long wheelbase. ALL wheels driving.
2.5ltr eng, and also geared for dirt\off road.

Again.
Better for towing.

That's what was on top of MY list to have.
IF I hadn't decided to buy another van. Just my boats.

And AGAIN.
""Just MY thorts"", on a long list of vehicles.

have fun.

---

Gday...

SEE ! ! ! ..... you really CAN provide very good advice. That's all that is asked for.

All you said in the earlier bit of "advice" was -

"IF you definitely want a CAR. 
Have a look at SUBARU Stationwagon "Outback"? I think it's called.

Check it's tow weight.
It does a 2.5 ltr and 3,5ltr engines.
Permanent ALL wheel drive.
1500kg trailer weight
150kg Towbar." 

Most of what you said in that initial post (following the bit I have copied into here) was unrelated and provided nothing for anyone to use to make a decision for any particular vehicle.

This latter post (above) gives MORE than just your OPINION ... it gives REASONS the advice and has validity. Surely even YOU can see the difference.

It is not my intention to annoy or berate you and/or your advice ... just that it is tiresome to see that someone who has so much to offer (and you continue to very pointedly remind us of that) wastes it on unrelated stuff that is really just an opinion with very little substantiation or broadness.

I really WANT to read your posts ... but you make it so difficult to gain anything positive from them.

Cheers - John

Hi guys, does $440 for a backload Armidale to Brisbane for the camper trailer sound about right?

Glendawan wrote:

---

Hi guys, does $440 for a backload Armidale to Brisbane for the camper trailer sound about right?

---

 I would think so, cost me about $2500 for my van from port hedland to perth

cheers

blaze