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I have a braked 5.7M Extreme alloy boat weighing approximately 1300KG. I mainly use a vehicle around town for short trips but every now and again tow the boat for about 4 hours to different locations. I required 4WD when launching and retrieving on ramps or sometimes beaches. I want the vehicle to be as reliable and economical as possible. Want to spend only around $12000. Currently have a 2001 Mazda Tribute 3000cc but find it bit unreliable and thirsty. Can access Japanese vehicles cheaply but doesn't need to be Japanese. Any suggestions very welcome thanks.

Vehicles to consider is Toyota's 2.0L RAV4 or Hilux Surf 3.0L diesel and the Nissan X-Trail 2.5L petrol (non-CVT transmission). But in this price range you are likely to only find high mileage vehicles which isn't ideal. Look for a vehicle with a good service history and as low a mileage as your money can buy.