CONFUSED! What sort of wagon can tow our boat!?

how do we know what sort of wagon is strong enough to tow our boat its 400kg bare boat, 150kg motor and not sure on trailor - plus when we go camping its fully loaded down with more weight!

Try using the prospective wagon to tow it fully laden up a steep hill. Then you'll know.

If you're using the wagon to reverse the trailer down a boat ramp, a rear-wheel drive vehicle (like a Commodore) will provide better traction to tow it back out than a FWD can. (More weight on the back wheels due to slope = more traction. Important on a ramp that is probably wet/slippery/weedy.)

I'm not too sure what's so confusing about this situation, however. It's not exactly rocket science.

Most (NON CVT transmission) 1800cc vehicles from 2000 or laterwill tow 750kg unbraked with no real issues. Braked trailer and you are up to 1200kg
Sory to seem churlish but you need to find out what the total weight of the whole thing is going to be and if the trailer is braked or unbraked to get a solid recomendation --that said --it seems the old ford falcon/fairmont RWD is a pretty safe bet

Are you still looking at hiluxs or similar! any 4wd is going to tow you boat adequately.

Or are you looking at a car for towing!

So at a guess, you're about 550kg for boat, say 200kg for trailer.The killer is how much stuff you're packing in it when you go camping, so think of a figure and double it - and you're probably over the tonne mark.
If it was me, I'd be looking at putting override brakes on the trailer.I never heard of an accident caused by a tow vehicle not having enough power, but plenty where tow vehicles don't have good enough brakes.Probably cost you $1,000 or so. (probably only $700 or so for parts - but some skills needed to DIY)
But then you'll probably be pretty safe to tow 1200kg or so braked with a medium sized car as suggested by kazbaz above.Otherwise, you're in to more serious $$ tow rigs (4WD or large car) which probably isn't needed.

As above. You don't need anything particularly heavy duty for that sort of work. Be careful of the CC rating thing for judging vehicles though. Its not the accurate measure it used to be.

For example I would be quite happy towing that boat with a modern 1.2 litre VW Golf, but there is no way I would want to do the same with a 1.5 litre Suzuki Swift auto.

Also. if towing quite a bit make sure you service your transmission regularly if its an auto. That is often overlooked and ends in tears.

I have no idea what your budget is but if it were me and I wanted a good economical all round vehicle that will easily tow the boat even when loaded I would look at a VW Passat or Skoda with the 2.0 Diesel engine from about 2005. These can be had from about 15K and are a monumental amount of car for your money. They require minimal servicing and are cheap as chips to run without sacrificing safety, equipment or performance.

I think a 2WD one would be absolutely fine for that weight of boat but you can get 4WD ones if you wish.

The BIG thing I would look for that I think is a huge advantage is the "trailer stability program" that many VW/Audi/Skoda's have from about that age onwards.

If the trailer starts to get out of control the car will automatically apply/limit brakes and power to individual wheels to quickly get it back under control for you. Having been in a vehicle that rolled several times due to a faulty trailer I am a big fan.

You just have to make sure the towbar wiring has been done properly so that the car "knows" when a trailer is attached.

Oh and the VW/Skoda/Audi product has the 6/7 speed DSG transmission which I particularly like for towing. Its like driving an auto but its more like a manual underneath. That means that you get proper engine braking in each gear and you can drive it manually if you wish which is great for dealing with a trailer. It also allows the car to get a lot more grunt out of its engine when loaded on hills without the engine revving and roaring like traditional 4 speed auto's tend to do. Think of it like riding a 10 speed road bike after an old 3 speed releigh 20.

Best of luck.

At up to barely 750kg loaded, pretty much anything will tow it.

" plus when we go camping its fully loaded down with more weight!"

I can just imagine.
20 dozen beer('cause it's cheaper in town), the beer fridge, half a dozen 9kg gas bottles, the generator, 100 litres of fuel ('cause it's cheaper in town), the kayak, a couple of bicycles, the tent, plus the other small tent for the kids, the camp table and chairs.

What sort / make of boat is it!

Almost any rubbish recycling station can weigh your car and trade in one, unhitch trailer to get car weight. Trailer (with boat) is difference. Phone first to see if there is a fee to do this. Then you are certain of unloaded weight so can compare to load towbar can take as above postings.

Comor falcon is the best in the car division. Just hook up and go, the auto are strong.

Check your towbar rated limit.If it is lower than the weight you are towing and you have an accident,you may find the insurance will riggle out of it.

Is the original poster using the word 'Wagon' literally (i.e. Station wagon' or just asking what type of vehicle could tow that boat!

I bought a 99 AU wagon to tow a 1.5ton cherry picker. Cost me 4k. It tows it easily. Huge amount of room in it. Im usually fully loaded with billboard skins, tools petrol containers. and no worries. Fuel cost a bit but for the price of buying the car its not bad.

No matter what it is you have to be able to stop within 7 meters when travelling at 30k/hr - that the law.Weight on the tail is not to exceed manufactures spec also.

commodore or falcn wagonwill be adequate, not somepiddlytincanthing with noguts, struggling to go up aslight hillwithtailback a mile long behind