Thread: Tow Wagon

So the Mrs has arrived at the arbitrary, unilateral and unconsulted decision that my ute (2015 Colorado) must be sold and a more "family friendly" wagon be obtained. If this was an employment relationship or some other commercial contractual arrangement, I'd be all over it - but it is not. She is the boss and I will do as I am told because it is too cold to sleep in the shed.

The key reason she wants it gone is "it is too big" and "I cant drive it in town" and "Its a manual".

So the brief for the new car is that it has to be automatic, big enough to fit a family of four (plus a dog) and all our gear for a week away, but nice to drive, small enough to parrallel park in town easily, fuel efficient but fast, powerful and able to tow the boat (5.8m Lazercraft on alloy trailer). Needs to have the comfort of a nicely appointed european limo, but with the maintenance and running costs of a jap matchbox/shopping trolley.

Obviously the brief is impossible, so I am going to try out a few at car yards in the near future to see what she can/can't live with.

Key questions I have for you fine folks are
a. "what do you drive and what do you tow?"
b. "does it work for your needs?"

I am particularly interested in the mid sized SUV options (think RAV4, VW Tucson size) as I think that is what she is going to want but I am not sure it will tow my waka. I only live 10 min from the boat ramp that I will launch at 90% of the time, but I would want to be comfortable towing as far north as the BOI or down to the Coromandel.

In a perfect world I would get a Toyota Highlander, but there are two issues I can foresee - With my budget I will be looking at a 2012-2014 model with between 120-150k KM on the clock, and I think she will still have problems driving it in town.

Budget is $30k max and the newer the better as far as I'm concerned.

A Colorado should do what you require...oh wait.

Buy her a outlander or something and keep the ute.

We have a VW Touareg. Tows the horse float with 2 big horses in piece of cake. Nice to drive, but not fuel efficient. We have the early V6 petrol model, the V6 tdi diesel might be more fuel efficient.

Pity you can’t keep the Ute. As suggested, consider buying your missus her own car for pooling about in. It may be cheaper in the long run. My wife had a RAV4 and it was great. That said, you should avoid the cvt versions so I’m told, if you intend towing.

Volvo station wagon with an auto box?

Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

Pity you can’t keep the Ute. As suggested, consider buying your missus her own car for pooling about in. It may be cheaper in the long run. My wife had a RAV4 and it was great. That said, you should avoid the cvt versions so I’m told, if you intend towing.

She has "her" car, but she needs my car to be "our" car. On some level it makes sense, but I don't want to go too far towards a little shit box like hers.

Looks like the Tesla Truck is your only option!

Originally Posted by Bol Tackshin

Looks like the Tesla Truck is your only option!

teslas are shit!

for sale:
tends to whine a bit
unpredictably changes direction
unreliable, works 3 weeks a month
rear end gone
getting soft in suspension
............best not go on

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/c...ing/3092515974

Or similar.

Rav4 IS CVT.....RUN FOREST RUN!
the VW's tend to destroy 1/2 shafts as the father in law found out

I have a V6 Tucson. It's great for towing the jetski, I wouldn't want to tow a larger boat too far or too often (I have towed a 5.8m McLay on good roads).
A friend tows a double horsefloat all over the upper North Island with her Santa Fe, which is a bit bigger but probably better suited for what you want.

New cook seems to be the best option.

i hear all concientious tradies will be selling their utes and buying suzuki swifts ....... strop some 6 metre lengths of timber to the roof , concrete barrow in the boot and save the planet sweet as
......