Van for towing and general use.

Castlekeeper

I've an old hilux that's coming to the end of the road and I'll need to replace it. It's main uses are the crewcab for the young bucks, pulling a 10 x 5 with a few cows or weaknlings, maybe 1.5t, and carrying the usual stuff in the back, all road work. We've a bit of a hill on the drive out of the yard but I rarely have to use the 4wd unless I'm well loaded.

I was thinking of getting a van instead, with maybe a bench seat.

What would be a good model?

What would they be like for towing with a bit of weight in the back?

My budget is about €15k.

All suggestions welcome.

Like you, I'm switching to a van. Was looking at the vito crew cab with 6 seats. Meant to be well balanced with trailer on back.

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121405948#Comment_121405948

I’d say if your towing definitely aim for this mid sized van segment of the market. I see lads towing with the berlingo etc, I have one, really only suitable for lighter loads up to 1500kg max.

older by the day

You say you are towing 1.5ton with a hill going out yard, and need extra seats. If I were you I would be slow to change

I had to put 2000 euro in to my Hilux recently because of rust under neat.

I had a caddy 2.0l for a couple of weeks. I had forgotten how handy the Hilux was for towing and pulling in to soft places. plus the extra seats.

Before buying a van, use a car or a van first for a couple of weeks. I bet you will miss the 4*4

minerleague

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411140#Comment_121411140

Was there much damage? Just failed test due to rust on chassis and wondering what to do. Is it worth spending money on an 07 jeep? Will the work you done see it through a couple of years?

Castlekeeper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411140#Comment_121411140

Ah yeah, that's the same issues alright. I'm waiting for a lad to put it up on a lift to have a look, but I was quoted 3-4k incl vat for general go of tackling the rust in those models. I'd be worried that it would be dead money. I was thinking if something like a transit with the 3 seats, but I probably be better borrowing one like you said.

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121414424#Comment_121414424

On done deal

Castlekeeper

I didn't call them now because they're not in my locality, but I was talking to two other crowds and they're all north of 3k. It's a dirty messy job with a few parts and plenty labour so it's understandable.

Mooooo

I've seen some on social media have issues with that crowd, obv 2 sides to any story but prob worth researching

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411535#Comment_121411535

A local mechanic did it. He got a few new pieces from a crowd in the north. The genuine parts were mental.

New cross member over the diesel tank, new straps holding on the diesel tank. New pieces for holding on the steps. He hot washed and painted the rest. I hope to get a few years. It always takes 500 to pass the test anyway. Price around if you are doing it.

Where would two thousand go if we're trying to buy one. All go down against the tax on the farm. (Not that it will be easy to pay the tax for this year).

The transit would definitely pull the box. But you would need to go handy. Stopping would be her biggest problem.

RockOrBog

I find the newer vans a waste of time to tow and not great in general. Smaller common rail diesel engines they're generally underpowered, I'd guess because of the green agenda. DPF problems, electrical faults, poor quality wiring and metal which rusts quickly. It all went downhill after the early 00s I reckon.

Local lad here does refurbing and rustproofing on older tractors and jeeps etc, he's out the door with work, they're coming from 30 miles away.

tikka16751

My neighbour tows a 3 tonne digger with his berlingo. He said it’s all if it.

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121419124#Comment_121419124

I would not like to try explaining that to an insurance company if he was in an accident. A very experienced neighbor got jackknifed down a hill pulling the rock breaker with a VG transporter.

I still say you can't beat the 4*4

tikka16751

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121420079#Comment_121420079

99% of people towing are in 2wd. I don’t understand your logic there.

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121421095#Comment_121421095

There is a big chatt going on here this year about towing limits. What's legal and what is not. But I think the Berlingo is 1500kg max on a braked trailer. You can check the towing capacity on line

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121421095#Comment_121421095

Heavier vehicle towing would make a big difference.

I got my hilux rust proofed, I had to bring it back in twelve months and they redid it, they took off the tub and all the second time.

It should be a good job, it's difficult to be sure of the box iron where you can't see,

I used to have a hiace 30 years ago and I'd never go back to towing with a van

tikka16751

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121421567#Comment_121421567

Who did the cowboy work on it?

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121421882#Comment_121421882

They said I didn't specify treating the chassis part across the diesel tank, so maybe I didn't but they should've seen it. the guys testing it saw it.

Any way they did it again and now I think the chassis across the tank is replaced in all the hiluxs, Any way they repeated the treatment. They had to take offf the tub to replace that piece across the tank.

The boss wasn't there when I was paying the second time so I reared on the guy in the office, his only retort was ''Why did you buy a hilux if you didn't want rust'' Toyota should be ashamed to see all the hilux's being repaired there.

It was done in FMK rustproofing

https://www.fmkrustproofing.ie/pages/dinitrol-application-process

Bullocks

I have a 09 Vito. Bought it 4or 5 years ago for I think €2500 . I had a Patrol for years before that but rust failed it too bad to pass the DOE and I picked up the van to fill a gap until I came across another jeep that suited .

I find the van way more useful on the farm and has 3 seats if needed . It's probably a bit cheaper on parts ,maintenence and diesel.

It tows pretty good but not quite as good as a jeep. Off road it's no comparison to a jeep but I would like to put a set of off road tyres on it just for the craic to see what it would be like in the field .