They don't make 'em like they used to!
This coming season, I will again tow with my Toyota Hilux Surf. She is approaching 22 yrs old and has never let us down. Yes, there is always a first time but compared to the VW Touareg I feel that at least I will get to my destination! As you see from the photo, this car has been very much loved by yours truly and continues to be upgraded with modern innovations etc. She tows like a train and does it effectively and efficiently. Oh, and also fairly cheaply as the old engine thinks nothing of burning 50% recycled veg oil in the summer bringing my fuel costs down to a small hatchback type cost! They just don't make em like they used to do they?
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Bakers, I'm just the opposite. When I got her she was in a bit of a sorry state but there was definitely a car there waiting to get out. I started compounding the paintwork and did it all by hand - hour after hour- Slowly, but surely, the car started to improve. I have resprayed a couple of areas around the rear quarters where previous owners had not been as careful as they could have been. I continued to compound and polish and finally waxed it with High Definition Wax by Autoglym - a wax that I can't fault- brilliant stuff! . I can now see my face clearly in every panel ( not all at the same time you understand !! ) I then had the wheels done and new Grabber tyres. Then a Stainless Steel exhaust system, a larger radiator to cool better whilst towing and a retro fit Cruise Control. The underneath amazingly was almost without rust and was as solid as you could wish- Rustbusters were amazed at its condition- it is now fully protected and sealed from corrosion with a German anti corrosion wax. Just sorting out reversing sensors and dash cam. Next it will have the inside completely refurbished and I should end up with a tow car that will certainly see me out!! All at a price that was a fraction of the Touareg- great motor!!
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Wow you've lost me there 😂😂😂. But at least you can see where you've been 😉. Sounds like you understand what you're talking about too. We are both as ignorant as each other when it comes to cars. Years ago my dad who was quite good with practical things taught me how to do plugs and points oil and water change a tyre as he said that was essential, it certainly was for all I could afford. Also living in the country and not belonging to rescue organisation or such things as mobile phones it was a good idea. Not any use now engines to complex.
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I agree- all too complicated now- another reason Ibwent for an older car. I can service her as far as oil, air, water and filters are concerned but little else. I do love doing bodywork though and bringing something back to gorgeous from not so gorgeous!!
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My first car was a Wolsley. That had a fan in the passenger footwell to be used as a heater and a hatch in the floor. If you lifted the hatch you could use a lever to jack up all four wheels. Modern heaters beat the old one but the jacking system was great.
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Merve.
There are 4X4s that I class as fit for purpose, in other words will go anywere and come out the other side, and yours fits the bill. When you watch programs of vehicles going through rough terrain Toyota is always in the thick of it so for our roads it's a peace of cake. We tow with a 2004 Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2 158 bhp long wheelbase auto, that we brought when it had only done 18,000 miles, we think it is a great towcar and would never sell it. This is the second Shogun we have had in 16 years and they have never missed a beat.
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Hi CGB, nice to hear from you. I love this car! She was built for towing! The Shogun is a car I've admired- built in the same style and rugged manner as that era of Japanese 4x4s. With its high and low gearbox and diff it will perform on wet fields and difficult terrain when other, more modern cars struggle or more often fail to do the job. I remember a particularly wet week at Cromer and the day came to leave. You could almost feel the anticipation of the 'crowd' as the time approached to pull off site, and, being on a very slight slope, made it even more possible that difficulty would occur as it had with the three outfits that had left in the previous days leaving huge skid marks and ruts. She was put into low gear and 4 wheel drive and diff and pulled off with consummate ease. No skid. No problem. She should, with all the care I lavish on her, see me to the end of the road so to speak. I can't wait to get all the inside refurbished.
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Merve.
A few years ago we were at the Firs CC site at Belper for a very wet weekend and if you have never stayed their the site is on two levels and at the time the lower part was all grass pitches, when we arrived all the top which is mostly hard standing was full so we had to go on grass down the lower half. The next morning a motorhome came down the lower half and drove straight onto a very wet grass pitch and just sank but instead of just stopping there he tried to get the vehicle out and churned the hole of the pitch up, he then went and got Mike the warden who said he was not allowed to tow him off and that he had told him not to go down there. He was down to the axles and our Shogun pulled the 3.5 ton ton of metal out without even a wheel spin.
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Nice vehicle Merve. A Chelsea Tractor it ain't
. There will always be a call for Utility vehicles in life. They're needed, they're used, they're loved. Designed to work & work they do0 -
Yeah, that's what I like about her Rocks. She is not full of pretentious gizmos- just an honest to goodness tug. Definitely not a Chelsea Tractor! She will be much better when she is refurbished inside - not that she's in bad condo but I want to keep it true to its roots. Reversing sensors are difficult with the spare wheel on the back but you can get adjustable ones so that's a possibility. I love the fact that it's all metal and heavy! It'll tow anything. Had a Towbar fitted today on my 65 plate Seat Leon Estate just to tow my 6x4 trailer- Wow! The plastic! No wonder it will only tow the lightest of vans(if I wanted to) as a match!
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{ Please excuse my interjection }
MollysMummy, The reversing sensors on my Fiat Jazz Camper are more of a necessity than anything !!
Just one highish window in rear door, no internal rearview mirror just the standard door mirrors. and a portly driver who cant twist round far enough to peer out of the rear window
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What would I class as a gizmo ? Well looking at the Seat Leon we have just purchased to replace our old VW Polo, which was as basic as you could get i.e. Wind up windows , no air con, a cassette player! etc- We are now looking at a computer which tells you about everything you are doing , what gear you should be in and the one you are in, what your average miles per gallon is, fuel consumption, average speed of journey then there is the radio/cd player and all the apps and things like google maps etc - the infotainment system they call it. - the pretty pictures that tell you which heater vents are being used!! which doors are open and a reminder not to forget your mobile phone. The 'sport' button if you fancy laying rubber! - I would argue that some are really useful like the tyre pressure monitors and others are nice but not necessary. The only one of these that is on the Surf is the tyre monitors which I purchased from Tyrepal - now, when you are towing, I find that very reassuring especially for the caravan tyres where I have had punctures in the past. Oh, and a retro fit cruise control that again, whilst towing, can be very useful. What do you think is a gizmo ?
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What has changed beyond all recognition is the massive reduction in the levels of filth poured out of the exhaust system. The simplicity of yesteryear’s technology comes with a very high environmental penalty.
We really have to be grateful “They don't make 'em like they used to!”
Sadly it does bring a great deal of complication, but if we have a conscience for the environment we have to change.0 -
It is interesting what different people see as the criteria for a tow car. Mine has always been that it has to be a car that I want to have and has never been based on needing to tow with size/weight as the starting point.
I have just sold my car, a Q5, after four years and 88000 miles and would not want to spend that amount of time in a car that was, for me, a compromise chosen principally for towing.
A few years ago a friend, a caravanner, was invited on a drive from Cornwall to London in a brand new huge Japanese 4x4. His friend asked him what he thought and his comment was that if he wanted to travel in a tractor he would buy one.
I love to see old vehicles that owners have lovingly cared for, as Merves clearly us, but personally I am glad that the don't make em like they used to.
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Heated electric front seats thats never been used, and electric sunroof thats never been open because if it's hot weather we put the air con on. Lots of the gizmo's I can live without, but we have a Honda Jazz that is loaded with everything like your Seat Leon.
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Yes, Climate control on all the time, it does wonders for clearing the windows in super quick time especially if you get in with damp clothing as it dries the air before affecting windows. Oh and I love the bum and back heating on cold leather seats in the morning.
These aren't gizmo's they are essentials along with my heated steering wheel as I'll never resort to gloves.
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I can't see we will ever buy a car without heated seats, that has always been standard or a ticked option even in our "shopping trolly" since our SAAB 99 in 1984. I would not be allowed to!
All the safety kit going, ABS, DSC adaptive CC, multiple air bags for all on board, I put a value on myself and "mine" when travelling in cars.
The auto adjusting driving seat and wheel gizmo I could live without as only I drive my car; it would be nice in the "shopping trolly" as we are forever resetting those. I struggle to get in past the wheel if I was not the last one using the car!
The refinement of driving a modern car after one designed for sale two decades ago is a revelation; very definitely it is the other way round.
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Hi Merve, not sure how you got to 'uncomfortable' as I did not say that?
What I was referring to was exactly what you have said, re being refined, and the fact that I spend a lot of time in my car.
Whilst I am sure that many would view a Q5 as large it is not in the same league as many that one would see on any club site and was chosen over a A5 Sportback because of the raised setting position.
On heated seats, the new car has them, so will probably get usd at some point, but will need to get used to feeling that I have had an unfortunate accident!
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