Big J

They are not cheap to fix when they go wrong, so a wise call I think. On paper, the V6 is sort of pointless when compared to the V10. You're only gaining 2-3mpg, but losing 90bhp. If you're towing, I'd bet the V10 is better on fuel.

Funny thing is that in the 80 miles I did in it today, I averaged 26.5mpg, and at the speed I was doing (motorway, plus some slightly heavy right footed A and B roads) I wouldn't have got much more than that in the Sprinter. I'm convinced it'll actually be better on fuel towing than the 313CDI Sprinter.

Right, we're sorted for vehicles The Berlingo van stays as it's awesome and it's my main work vehicle. The C4 Grand Picasso is being swapped for a same age, same mileage Seat Leon X-perience. It's a medium sized 4x4 estate on stilts. It's narrow for the lanes and has an auto box for my wife who doesn't like gears. Kathryn can also get onto my sites with it should she need to drop off parts or oils (happens pretty regularly). And I picked up a nice low mileage, one owner V10 Touareg today. It pulls like a train and actually looking forward to hitching a trailer up to it. I can't imagine any hill will phase it. So, hopefully, that concludes the (up to this point) neverending question of which tow vehicle to get. I shall report back on how we get on with the Touareg. First impressions (after driving it 80 miles today) is that it is incredibly comfortable and brisk. The cabin is so much better than in a pickup, and space for someone my height much better.

Lots of good ideas, and lots of food for thought. I think whatever uses can be demonstrated as being viable would vary from site to site, depending on the locality. It's going to be a fairly productive heavy scenario, so things like woodland burial aren't going to be compatible. I'm not keen on paintballing or motorsports as they are disruptive and antisocial, and they make a mess.

It's a bit of a hypothetical question, but if you had a woodland and you were looking for ways to diversify the income from it (beyond timber harvesting and carbon offsetting), how would you approach it, and what would you look to pursue? Hypothetical woodland is young broadleaf (20-30ft), fully deer fenced and private. Located within 20 minutes of a town. I had thought private dog walking, glamping pod, forest nursery etc, but I'd be keen to hear any ideas, if you don't mind me picking your collective brains.

Very true, but then I'd have to develop the tireless habit of announcing my arrival on every site with the exclamation "Great Scott!"

I am looking forward to getting an electric truck once they become economically viable. Not quite there yet though.

Very good advice. I've never had to do it on the road, but I did have a loaded timber trailer push me and the tractor down a hill earlier this year (soft ground, mostly leaf mulch) and I'm very grateful that I remembered to accelerate into the slide, rather than panicking and applying brakes. I've maintained that driving in the UK would generally hugely improve if everyone had to pass a trailer test. That awareness of other road users with larger loads, as well as learning to drive more smoothly and with more anticipation.

I knew a psychic once. Not a tall chap. Did a bank robbery and was never seen again. He's now a small medium at large

I think I remember seeing your photos of that accident. It must have been an awful mile before you eventually came to a stop. Ifors are built like brick outhouses. I don't think any other trailer will stand up to the abuse they take. But they are veyr basic, and there are much more sophisticated designs out there that tow far better.

Quite probably, but the exchange rate drop (from 1.32 to 1.13) basically consumed the projected profit. Simple economics, combined with total uncertainty about the future. Did you envisage 3.5 years ago that we'd be where we are now? I don't own a crystal ball unfortunately!

I had an Ifor quite a few years back. I've not had one since. It wouldn't take much to get it fish tailing. I presently have a tri axle Meredith and Eyre trailer, which is pretty good, but the best I had for heavy towing manners was an Unsinn 14ft trailer from Germany. Twin axle with secondary gas struts on the suspension. It did nearly 30k miles with me, and never, ever fish tailed. Lovely aluminium sides, very smart and ludicrously cheap. Went to the factory in Bavaria in early 2016 with a view to importing them, but Brexit and the slide in the currency buggered that plan.

Interesting. Gap in the market there now then. I haven't worked with them, but have spoken to them a few times.

Fire away! Ironmike isn't too far from you in Richmond (around 80 miles) if you need a low impact machine for timber extraction there.

No apologies required for the derail. I enjoy the discussion

Haha, no! The harvester/forwarder is only going to weigh 3.5t so still very much low impact. Just more productive.

I wouldn't use it enough to warrant it. We're selling the little forwarder and bed processor in spring for an uprated and also heavier machine. It'll require low loader transport, so it's main function would be backup family vehicle and occasional tower

Haha! I'm not looking to drive quickly, and nor do I with a trailer. Just not being reduced to less than 20mph on a 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 slope would be nice. There are quite a few of those around here, sometimes for 400 or 500ft of vertical ascent.

Nor me, really. I need something comfortable and powerful as a backup family vehicle and for occasionally towing something heavy.

I did have them out to quote on the site, but the landowner didn't want to splash out to that extent. Having the excavator based machine doing it meant that yes, the stumps are still mostly there, but it was a little under half the cost. Lovely machine though.

That's not too bad really. Only top end Navara type money, or a touch more.

The G coupler looks really good, I must admit. I generally grease each time I refuel, which is usually every 12 machine hours. I don't go nuts, but you can appreciate that a forestry forwarder has a hard life!

Thanks for taking the time to explain. Looks far better than a standard manual grease gun but I am still quite fond of my battery system

I am glad that I am not alone! ?

I have no idea what a Fuchs Reiner system and G coupler is. Please educate me.