Looking at buying a new dual cab advise welcomed

[goona]

Hi All,

Any advice welcomed. My diesel golf is getting a bit on 10 years old early next year and the tow car the Patrol is now 15 years old. We are thinking of trading the golf in first as it is starting to have a few issues and getting a dual cab to try it out towing the boat. The boat weighs 3.5T and I am a bit dubious about these so called 3.5t towing capacities stated on the dual cabs as the towing capacities. I also have a fairly steep driveway and with the Patrol it has to be in low range to get it up otherwise it is riding the clutch the whole way.

Things I am looking for.

Must be diesel
Must have 3.5t towing capacity
Economy is also important to me as I plan to go to Gladstone regularly in the new year
Good Warranty

I look forward to hearing about your dual cabs both good and bad reports would be great

Cheer Goona

[Dan5]

Whatever you get get it in an Auto........no more riding the clutch up the driveway...........FWIW I like the look of the Navara and the motor from the Colorado........

[scottar]

"Any advice welcomed" - get a Landcruiser. Other than that, the biggest automatic ute you are happy to shell out for. I traded my Navara STR on a 200 series diesel. The difference in towing comfort and the general "feel" when towing is like chalk and cheese and I am only towing about 2.2 T.
I also have to reverse uphill around a corner and over a gutter. My Navara and prior to that a Patrol would start and suffer from diff wind up due to the corner. Not locking in hubs was not an option with the Navara due to wheel spin as the front wheels met the gutter, the Patrols hubs were auto lockers. The cruiser as well as having more go and the auto is capable of being driven on the black top in low range with no ill effects and also performs this requirement in a superior fashion to the other two vehicles.

Regardless of your vehicle of choice, dependant on your tow ball down weight, a suspension upgrade is quite possibly going to be on the cards as well.

[goona]

"Any advice welcomed" - get a Landcruiser. Other than that, the biggest automatic ute you are happy to shell out for. I traded my Navara STR on a 200 series diesel. The difference in towing comfort and the general "feel" when towing is like chalk and cheese and I am only towing about 2.2 T.
I also have to reverse uphill around a corner and over a gutter. My Navara and prior to that a Patrol would start and suffer from diff wind up due to the corner. Not locking in hubs was not an option with the Navara due to wheel spin as the front wheels met the gutter, the Patrols hubs were auto lockers. The cruiser as well as having more go and the auto is capable of being driven on the black top in low range with no ill effects and also performs this requirement in a superior fashion to the other two vehicles.

Regardless of your vehicle of choice, dependant on your tow ball down weight, a suspension upgrade is quite possibly going to be on the cards as well.

Hi Scottar,

This is part the reason I am keeping the Patrol for now. I took the auto hubs off and replaced them with AVM manual hubs. Traction isn't a problem and have plenty of low down torque being the 4.2t patrol. I was thinking of doing the Cruiser but $85k is a bit much at this point in time. If I did do the Cruiser I would also go down the GVM upgrade prior to registering as it gives you quite a bit more weight. Tow ball down weight I assume would be 350kg as well.
I test drove the Colorado and was fairly impressed with it but it didn't feel as capable as the Patrol hence why I am nervous about shelling out for a dual cab that might not do it
Goona

[perko]

I agree with Scott. Get a cruiser. If not then a D Max or the new Hilux would be my choice.

[scottar]

If it was me I would look at the numbers - highest curb weight with the biggest power plant (haven't looked but probably the Ford or Mazda - which ever flavour takes your pick) and take one for a drive or better still see if you can find someone that has one who is willing to strap a reasonable load to it and go for a run. If you aren't happy with it, I couldn't see you being happier with a smaller lighter vehicle.

[Still_Dreamin]

There was a topic on this website called "so you think you can tow 3.5T" well worth a read. I have a 2013 manual dual cab Triton that is rated to 300kg ball weight and 3 tonne. What a load of shit!! the jayco van is 187kg ball weight. Put it on the Triton and the arse just about sits on the ground which we correct with load leveller. The van weighs 2.2t and any sort of incline and you are riding the clutch all the way. On one hill at set of lights I had to put in low range on the black top just to get over the hill where I pulled over and put it back into 2wd.
If I had more time and money I would take Mitsubishi to the ACCC for false advertising.
Next time I will be buying a Landrover Discovery or Landcruiser

[beerhunter]

You definitely need an auto if your towing with this new modern crap.

sent from the beerhunter

[goona]

Hi Still Dreamin, I am with you with regards to the Triton. I had one as a work ute and used to tow the 1.7T excavator behind it and it struggled. My boat dry it 2.76T so legally I could to it behind the Triton which is a joke as it would defiantly not tow it. I like the dual cab ute set up though and the triton wasn't to bad to drive but to small for my needs.
I did read the You think you can tow 3.5T and was very good. Definitely gets you thinking and makes me nervous as I am sure they will be policing it more and more as the years go on and if you have an accident you don't want to be over

[Reel Blue]

My brother in law has the mazda and it goes very well. It is way quicker than my new dmax. However, I really like the dmax and tow a cruisecraft 685 ht with it. Very economical and will tow at 100 in fifth gear on low inclines. Big hills slow it down. A friend uses a ranger to tow his 760 haines hunter which weighs 3.5 tonne empty and he said it tows it well and he came from a v8 diesel cruiser. A 200 series cruiser would be the best but yes very expensive to buy and run.

[hainsofast]

I agree with Scott. Get a cruiser. If not then a D Max or the new Hilux would be my choice.

Problem with the cruisers it Toyota tax, cost you $70K at least for the pov pack, they are nice but way overpriced

[Greg P]

Bit off topic sorry but I've gone from a PX series 1 Ranger to a new VX TTD 200 series recently when my lease went up. Ranger towed my boat very well but the LC of course does it all better. Expensive to buy - yes but you'd be surprised at the fuel. I tracked both with an app, the ranger over 3 years and the new girl since early October. Ranger averaged 10.33 l per 100km over its time with me (105,000 Klms). I've done 10,000 in the cruiser and it averages 11.8l per 100km. Same weekly runs, boat runs etc.

Not towing but on a trip from Brisbane to Sydney I had it average under 10l per 100km - pretty impressed. The trip computer is very accurate compared to the app which was always filled to the brim each time.

For dual cabs for me it would be the new series 2 Ranger or a Dmax. New Hilux is solid but no game changer but take it everyday over a collie or amarok.

I had a faultless run on the Ranger, great engine/auto transmission combo and got $35k as a trade which was higher than I expected.

Not or many real lemons in that segment these days though, just down to preference, price ad specs.

[Dan5]

I have a 200 Series also and yeah does everything that much better than the rest IMO but..................The question was Dualcab yeah?

[beerhunter]

Could do a dual cab conversion on a 200 series and eat Pal because you cant afford proper food [emoji1]

sent from the beerhunter

[gofishin]

...I am a bit dubious about these so called 3.5t towing capacities stated on the dual cabs as the towing capacities...

...Things I am looking for.

Must be diesel
Must have 3.5t towing capacity...

Goona, if your loaded BMT is indeed up at the 3.5t mark then do the math very carefully. By that I mean your GCM, GVM and payload calcs, including any options.

The 3.5t rated 4cyl D/cabs were a 'claytons' 3.5t, and I doubt if anything has changed (although I haven't looked at the specs for ~2yrs). Add a canopy and a few bits to the truck and you can't have 3 adults in the truck and tow 3.5t legally.
Cheers
Brendon