Looking for input from all you people with hands on experience. We are considering what tow rig is going to be the best for us. We tow a 20' BushTracker and currently have a Landcruiser 200 series with upgraded suspension to 3580kg. This does a great job but with full water tanks etc ready to roll we are on the upper limit of GVM, and now we want to add a boat to the mix. Also, we are used to travelling with a tray back and find the wagon too restrictive.
The standard dual cabs are not big enough.
So this leaves us with the big American trucks, Ford F250, Ram 2500 and GMC
All of you out there who have taken the leap and purchased one of these, can you share why you chose the one you did and how happy are you with it? What is your fuel consumption? Any issues? Any difficulty with getting spare parts or servicing out of the capital cities? And a big one, who has taken their truck in proper off road situations? Have you had it in deep sand?
We have been doing heaps of research and have driven them all, but it is very hard to find info on how they are in real life situations in Australia, so, please, make a cuppa, sit down and share your experiences, the good, the bad and especially the ugly.
Have you considered the Isuzu NPS300 4x4 as an option? Even allowing for suspension modifications, seats ,wheels to make it less truck like and more" touring like" you would get a lot of change by comparison with the purchase price one of the american cars.
Just an idea.
Hi Try2findus i have a Ford F 450 dually turbo diesel I tow a 26ft 4ton caravan in the 3years i have driven this truck i have never had a problem,fuel economy on normal highways towing my van is 21lts per 100klm the best i have had is 18.8,without towing i get 12.5. I am not trying to convince you to buy a ford as i have several friends who tow big vans and everyone loves their particular truck so it comes down to go and test drive as many of the yank tanks and pick the one you like because which ever one you buy I think you will be very happy with. Cheers Baker
-- Edited by baker on Monday 30th of October 2017 04:28:43 PM
We go over there most yrs as part of our trips (Family\friends.
I prefer Chevvy 3500 dual.
A lot like the Henry 250\350. Smaller. After driving them all. I'd go the latest Ford 150. Then the Cadillac. 4wd. Not a Ute. but sooooo nice to drive. Dodge just a cheaper Chevvy in disguise. These just my choices. Carl and his cousin tow 5thers 42ft. One each Chevvy dual 3500 and Ford dual 320.
"I" Think the chevvuy is nicer to drive. Ford has more grunt. But at that size. both have waaay more grunt than they need. With. Without the trailer. Not much difference.
And for them that likes big barrels to play with (Chuckle)
Lean against one of these 'uns. These were the "little". Stern Pea Shooters.
BIGuns were round the front. THEY. were big.
last Yank Decommissioned Battlewagon. Parked up in a cutting on the Mississippi.
That was closest we were allowed by water.
-- Edited by macka17 on Monday 30th of October 2017 02:58:14 PM
Have you considered the Isuzu NPS300 4x4 as an option? Even allowing for suspension modifications, seats ,wheels to make it less truck like and more" touring like" you would get a lot of change by comparison with the purchase price one of the american cars. Just an idea.
Cheers AL
Better still, put a motorhome body on the back and go places you never dreamed about. :)
Cheers,
Peter
ps...Macka - it is time you started using your own pics for your avatar instead of stealing other peoples.
-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Monday 30th of October 2017 03:16:27 PM
Thanks for the replies! We have looked at the Iveco etc options but people we have spoken to who drive them say they don't have enough power! Also they are very "truck like". Yes ideal for a motorhome but we have a van!
Hi Try2findus how about i answer all your questions
Spare parts i purchase all my parts out of America mostly filters being diesel,but i have bought other things because if you try and get a part in Australia they will order it then charge you double.
4WD These trucks are big wide and heavy but in saying that I got caught in a free camp in Tasmania where we got caught in the mud and all i did was drop tyre pressure to 20psi engaged 4wd and just idled out.The biggest problem is they are wide and if you venture down certain tracks you will scratch the truck and its no fun polishing out the scratches.
Once again running them in sand i wouldnt do it but i have seen videos where the American trucks have no problems on the beach,
You maybe able to add the Nissan Titan to the US truck list. The Toyota Tundra is available here with a conversion but Nissan is looking to bring in a RHS version. Both vehicles are made in the US predominately for the US market.
Not many owner reports of sand performance so I'll chuck in an anecdote. I went 4WDriving with a guy who had an F250... Powerstroke with chip admittedly... and we were petrified it'd get bogged in the soft beach sand just North of Perth. We took it in stages, ever so carefully... then eased onto the hungrily soft beach. Ultimately we realised that there was no need. The 100% inexperienced sand driver had no issues. That truck was a sand weapon. ððð
There are three things necessary for beach and sand hill driving.
Soft Tyres. BIG engine and wide wheelbase.
Yank Tanks have ALL 3 in spades.
And from what mates over there say. (A much as I hate to admit it)
Go the Toyota over the Nissan. I'ved riven both on road.
Nissan smaller. feels a better drive. Toyo got more guts.
They'll leave everything other than maybe, a Suzi soft top with 1600 donk
in their shadows.
My brother-in-law has a RAM2500 (bought in the USA, new for $40,000). On an ordinary 3.5T ball coupling he can tow 3.5T, on a pintall hook he can tow 6.5T. It cost him another $40,000 to get it here & convert it to RHD.
He is a contract harvester so he needs the 6.5T tow rating. Driving around town, on the road (not towing) it is as economical as my 4.2L Nissan!
I think I'd find it hard to park in the Vincent Village Shopping Centre (Townsville) though.
Warren
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!