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Hi - I am in the market for a vehicle to tow a 4.5m motor-baot. I don't know the weight, but it is a typical boat of its size: 90hp & 8hp outboards, minimum accessories.
I would much prefer a station wagon to an SUV
There is a Mitsubishi Airtrek 4WD 2001 for sale in my area for a reasonable price (based on the price-check i purchased through this website) - it has however done 184,000 kms. It is a Two-Litre engine Auto 4WD, and I am wondering if the car will have the grunt to tow the boat, and retrieve the boat from slipways. Thoughts?
While the Airtrek is capable of towing the boat you will need to confirm that it doesn't exceed the recommended towing weight of 1500kg for a braked trailer. It is a good vehicle however you could do better by looking for one with less km's on the clock.
Forgive my ignorance - I am assuming that 'braked trailer' has its own breaks(!?)... I am not after a big boat, usually around 750kgs - and trailers from boats of this size appear to be un-braked. What is the recommended towing weight of the Airtrek?
The recommended towing weight, on the Airtrek, for an unbraked trailer is 500kg and 1500kg for a braked trailer - which brakes the trailer wheels, under certain conditions, while towing.
Thanks for the advice - the Airtrek is not gonna cut it!! Very good to know before I purchased it... Now looking for larger vehichles - considering a Nissan Terrano 1995 - it is in good physical condition and under $10K and has only 93,000kms. I had a small 2-door nissan a few years ago. Seemed OK. Nervous about getting an SUV though I hear allot can go wrong!
The Nissan Terrano will be a better option. The year model you are considering has a good reputation. Even though the mileage is low for the year, you should ensure it has a good service history and consider having a pre-purchase inspection carried out. The petrol option is a bit on the thirsty side but the diesel engine will be better in this regard and it will have better torque to tow the boat.
Cool - yes, they are asking $9K - and I would definitely take it to get checked out - I hear the Gearbox and Rust are it's biggest issues. The model I am looking at is petrol, so as for the 'thirsty' factor, would it be a deal-breaker at this price... i guess its weighing up the pros/cons. Most other SUV's at this price have at least 150,000km+ on the clock... how important IS low milage?
Low mileage and a good service history, in most cases, is more important that its age.