Mariner30 wrote:

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Range Rover.

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 Range Rovers are not much chop. The top of the range models have so many extras that their payload vanishes so an umbrella & small cappuccino or espresso!

Even a Disco 4 SE to HSE looses a couple of hundreds kg due to all the electric motors driving everything.

I have a Freelander compatriot who has installed every last Land Rover option. Including a lot that were never officially offered. Not easy stuff, but it was added.

I would hate to think of all the extra weight, thus reducing your outback payload.

If you are looking at a new car get the weight of the pauper model vs the Autobiography model. Probably about 3 bullbars & 2 towbars in weight (3 arms & 2 legs)!

If your car has massage seats & steering wheel, about the only payload left over is for a waif on the back seat!

blakey72 wrote:

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Can someone give some reasons to stay away from Ford Ranger/Everest? How about the VW Amarok V6 W-Series?

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 The Amorak is a great choice,walking all over both the Ranger and the Everest,although they,too,both are great cars..NONE of these cars has any chance of safely towing 3500kg.Cheers

blakey72 wrote:

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OP is still here haha. It's given me some food for thought. Not sure which van we are going for yet but I'd say it won't be light. It will be semi-off/off-road and have queen bed and bunks. Maybe 23' plus so probably looking at 3000-3500kg I'd say. That rules a few out I guess. I like the RAM's but the Mrs isn't a fan......At all. I think she wants a wagon too rather than a ute. I didn't realize this would be so complicated/hard :/

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 Your "Mrs" is a smart woman..The Ram 1500 is not even in the race if you want to safely tow more than 3000kg ATM.Wanting a wagon also limits your choices somewhat,as the LC200 can't safely tow much more than 3000kg ATM if safety is of any concern,and the Y62 loves petrol! What to do, what to do? Others may have suggestions,but I think that wanting a wagon limits your options? And before anybody suggests GVM upgrades,that too is a waste of money if you're towing.Great for touring,where load capacity is important,but waste of money if you're towing,as you can't get weight onto the front axle.Cheers

yobarr wrote:

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Whenarewethere wrote:

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Another option!

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 Just wondering if the fuel tanks would suggest questionable fuel economy? Cheers

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 I don't think these buyers are overly concerned about fuel efficiency.

Looking up a few F650 sites. They seem to be 50 gallon tanks, so 189L x 6 = 1134L

Seems to be about 40L/100km, so a range of 2835km, & if towing a touch less!

wendyv wrote:

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If we were setting up again to travel with a caravan, I would be looking very hard at the new Land Rover Defender. Our "old" one - 96Tdi - was a great vehicle for long term travel and towing, and getting off the sealed roads.

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 Defender 2020 details.NO chance of towing much more than 1800kg MAX with 150kg towball weight.The 2021 3 litre model appears to ALMOST be able to safely tow 3500kg,but costs $190,000. The older models are underpowered.Cheers

Depends on which Land Cruiser and  - what you intend to tow........( you must still  compare  and interface the weight  specs of both, because it is still very easy/possible  to be disillusioned , not legal and way "out of pocket...")

Flags2 wrote:

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Hi Blakey

Yes I would have 2 or 3 options for the van first which will help your tow vehicle decision making.  You can safely tow 3500kg with a Land River Discovery 4 MY2915 onwards. Van ATM is 3500. LC was way too expensive and with its own high weight, we had limited capacity to add further weight for travelling.

We have our van and tow vehicle weighed by an RACQ approved specialist before we set of on every trip (obviously not for short trips because we don't take much!). Our tow ball load is always <10% of ATM (normally about 7%) and we are extremely careful about balancing the load in the van and the vehicle to ensure we are not too heavy in any one area.  We weighed everything we loaded on our first trip (was a long trek and the most we ever took) so have a spreadsheet that helps us every trip.  We invariably have about 120-140kg spare capacity in the van and about 50 - 70kg spare capacity in the car (30-40  of which MUST be forward of the rear axle). We travel with empty water tanks but can fill one tank (95l) if needs be without being over weight. 

We had narrowed our preferred van to 3 choices before we went vehicle hunting.   In our case they were all about the same ATM (within about 100kg each).  The research may be tedious but it really pays off at the end of the day.

Good Luck 

-- Edited by Flags2 on Friday 21st of May 2021 07:20:37 PM

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 With respect,Robyn,there is no way known that you can safely tow 3500kg behind a vehicle with GVM of just over 3000kg,which I believe is the  LRs GVM? NO WAY. You may be interested to learn that if safety is of ANY concern,the weight on the wheels of the car should be at least 10% greater than the weight on the van's wheels.Many experts suggest 20-30% greater,with 10% as a minimum.There is no way you can get within cooee of that with a Land Rover Discovery.Some bigger cars towing lighter vans MAY get away with 7% towball weight,but suggesting 7% towball weight is ridiculous when the van is heavier than the car.Cheers

Is that for the Defender 90 or the 110?

I know the new models are expensive, so I guess I would be looking to balance cost and towing capacity. If the Defender was too expensive, would go for some variant of the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Would add that if we were setting up again, would not be towing a very large van - 18 feet max interior would allow us to fit in everything we required.