# what cars/4x4's?



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

Hi,

My work colleague has recently bought an icelandic pony and is looking to buy a car to trailer it around (currently in wales where it will stay until next autumn). She needs to know what cars are heavy enough to take the weight of her pony and small trailer. I don't know how much they weigh, and she's not bought a trailer yet but won't be spending loads on it or the car.

What we basically need to know is what cars other than RR's and Landys are there that are heavy enough to take the weight of one horse and small trailer.

What do you guys use?

cheers


----------



## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

She'll get away with something quiet light to tow just 1 Icey. They are only around 350kg I would say. Personally I won't tow a light trailer because they scare me, I like my trailer to have some weight to it. A Freelander would be a good option cos they are nice to drive and reasonable to run, but can pull a trailer and pony quiet easily. 

I'm struggling cos I need to pull 2 heavy cobs and a trailer...unfortuantely I'm looking to have buy some huge monster 4x4 to do so which will cost me a bloody fortune!!! Might be better off getting rid of the horse instead!! (That's a joke cos he's going nowhere!!:smilewinkgrin


----------



## oldDoubletrouble (Sep 21, 2009)

Freelander 2 looks to be a workhouse!

I am currently looking for A Honda CR - V , or CV-R whatever! Excecutive 2.2 TDI but cannot find the one I wan!
lol


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

crv's are horrid! have you test driven one? ming!

they don't have alot of money to spend on the trailer so it'll probably be a small lighter one. we're in oxfordshire so livery etc will be expensive, include living expenses for themselves as they will be moving to a more expensive village to be nearer the horse, and there's not alot to play with.
they won't be going away very often with horsey-poo so i dont think they need a heavy trailer, and 4x4 is low on the list of requirements, but with kit and 2 people etc the heavier the car the better i say.

i'll mention the freelander, but again thats RR/landy territory, they're looking for cheaper options as they tend to hold their value too well. 

anyone use a volvo estate? ztt's any use?


----------



## RAINYBOW (Aug 27, 2009)

I have a Nissan Terrano and it's pretty good.

W reg paid £3000, it has extra foldaway bench seat in the boot so is a 6 seater but not an MPV.


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

do you know how much weight you are pulling? we've estimated it to be around 1 tonne with all kit, 2 folk and 2 (400kg each) ponies. but that's just an estimate does anyone know for sure?

a crv is 1.5 tonnes so should pull/stop that with no problems. bloody hard finding weights of cars online, does parkers guide do it anyone know?

cheers


----------



## ninja (Jan 4, 2009)

RAINYBOW said:


> I have a Nissan Terrano and it's pretty good.
> 
> W reg paid £3000, it has extra foldaway bench seat in the boot so is a 6 seater but not an MPV.


i have one of them also and agree they are good and reliable :smilewinkgrin:

but it is classed as a 7 seater  
although have taken the bench seat out


----------



## RAINYBOW (Aug 27, 2009)

owieprone said:


> do you know how much weight you are pulling? we've estimated it to be around 1 tonne with all kit, 2 folk and 2 (400kg each) ponies. but that's just an estimate does anyone know for sure?
> 
> a crv is 1.5 tonnes so should pull/stop that with no problems. bloody hard finding weights of cars online, does parkers guide do it anyone know?
> 
> cheers


We tow my husbands kit car which is about a tonne plus the weight of the trailer no problems



ninja said:


> i have one of them also and agree they are good and reliable :smilewinkgrin:
> 
> but it is classed as a 7 seater
> although have taken the bench seat out


Yes you are right it is 7 seats, i lost count LOL


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

should be alright then.

not sure if she'll be happy with the size of it tho..


----------



## Oenoke (Oct 17, 2009)

I have a Sinclair horse trailler (750kgs) and I can tow this with my Land Rover Freelander (diesel 2.0) with 1 Warmblood horse (600kgs) in it, if we're going anywhere with 2 horses I tow with my mum's Mitsubishi Shogun LWB (diesel 2.8), before this my mum had Landrover Discovery and Diahatsu Fourtrak that towed the horse trailler.


----------



## RAINYBOW (Aug 27, 2009)

owieprone said:


> should be alright then.
> 
> not sure if she'll be happy with the size of it tho..


It's not huge. I have found it very easy to drive. It isn't too wide which helps  It parks ok in a normal size space.

According to the OH it tows about 2 tonne ok


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

she's a pretty good driver, we have massive parking spaces at work and she has a drive. she actually wants somethign quite big to make sure they dont have to cram stuff in.


----------



## Cascara (Jul 27, 2009)

please check the manufacturers towing capacity as what a car will tow and what it can legally tow are two different things. National Trailer and Towing Association Ltd.


----------



## RAINYBOW (Aug 27, 2009)

owieprone said:


> she's a pretty good driver, we have massive parking spaces at work and she has a drive. she actually wants somethign quite big to make sure they dont have to cram stuff in.


Because of the bench seat in the back being removable its pretty versatile. I leave mine in mostly but remove it when we go away for the extra space. It is long but not too wide so roomy enough


----------



## Guest (Oct 20, 2009)

Hi my hubby is a fitter, he suggests a Kia Sorrento, not overly heavy, very reliable & low maintenance.


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

Cascara said:


> please check the manufacturers towing capacity as what a car will tow and what it can legally tow are two different things. National Trailer and Towing Association Ltd.


yeah i know that that's why i was asking who used what so i could then check what their tow weights, rather than have to try and find a list of cars with tow weights, or do them individually.


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

BALOO J. said:


> Hi my hubby is a fitter, he suggests a Kia Sorrento, not overly heavy, very reliable & low maintenance.


ooh hadn't thought of Kia, would be nice and cheap and not hold it's price nicely lol.

thanks for the suggestions guys feel free to give more, will give her a good list of things to check out and test drive


----------



## Pom (May 19, 2009)

Hi,

Im in the same stituation, Im going to be taking my trailer test in December so wanted to get a 4x4 that would pull a big tralier. I looked around and spoke to people who had 4x4. I didnt want a big car as would be driving it everyday, plus I didnt have the budget of a RR. Ive recently brought a Dihatsui Fortrak TDX. Its brilliant. I call it the Tank!!! There not the prettiest of cars but they are built to tow. It can pull 3.5 ton.

When I was looking people said to stay well clear of the cheaper end of the market discovery's as the cost to service and repair them was alot. I was also told that the Freelander isnt built as a towing machine and to stay away from them. I also looked at the Honda 4x4's but they didnt have very heavy towing capacities. The Kia wasnt too bad, plus it wasnt that expensive.

If you were to look at the Fortrak, look for a TDX (TDL are commercial) no older than a 1994 reg. 

I brought a V reg TDX with 77k on the clock, brilliant condition, electric windows & central locking for £3500. 

It is definatly the perfect car for me, plus it does have 7 seats so even though the back seat isnt that big you still have the option of the 2 fold down seats in the boot. The other bonus is that the insurance is only group 8. Alot of 4x4 insurance can be quite high. I looked at a discovery and that was insurance group 13.

Other people will have different opinions on this obviously but this would def be my pic for a cheap towing machine.

Hope its some help.


----------



## shula (Oct 18, 2009)

i used to work in in a recovery garage. toyota's 4x4 spend the least amount of time on the back of a truck being recovered. a bit more pricey but very reliable. if your vehicle breaks down a lot of garages will not recover a trailer with horses in because of the insurance.


----------

