Hi, I am really stuck on deciding what to do with my vehicle situation.
What I have now.
Hyundai Santa Fe V6 SUV (great for lower back injury, which I suffer from, and elderly mother also suffers from). It is much more gentle on my back sitting in the SUV. My physio explained it is good to be sitting in the high position of SUV.
Good for towing Boat in and out of Boat ramp at the lakes. (5 metre wooden catamaran with sleeping cabin, approx 400-500kg weight) .Ford Econovan (yr2000, Long Wheel base, manual, set up inside with bed base which opens up for storage underneath) . Suitable space inside to sleep, but also about 1 metre extra to store things and/or to sit off side of the bed if its terrible weather out.
I have been driving van lately, left the SUV in the yard unregistered (but can get it blue slipped for <$500 worth of repairs) .
But I have been feeling bad, when I meet my mother weekly for lunch and cannot transport her in the same comfort that the SUV provides her back.
I can drive her round in her sedan, but she says it is much more comfortable for her in the SUV, just the seating position is much better on your lower back. I sometimes have to drive her long distances, 3 hours each way drive to see her grandkids etc, so I want to have something that is easy on her back (and mine) . Even though she won't complain, I can hear and see her in much more agony getting in and out of sedan, and she would struggle to climb up into the van.
I have the van, for regular road trips (just been 10 weeks around Byron bay, port Macquarie, gold coast) . It is cheaper than my only other real options (backpackers hostel) , and I actually sleep much better in the comfort of van bed, compared to the crappy mattresses at most hostels.
I feel like the Hyundai Santa Fe doesn't quite have the amount of space I would like for sleeping in back.
I had a Mazda tribute SUV before the Hyundai, and it was similarly good on my injured back.
So I guess, ideally, something which has a really good ergonomic seating position for back, sitting like you do in Santa Fe, or the Mazda tribute, but also with enough space in the back to put a mattress and have little bit of space besides the mattress spot.
A van that has similar seating position to what I had in Santa Fe SUV and Mazda tribute SUV perhaps ?
Also needs to be able to pull my boat up the ramp at lake (just a lake trailer sailer boat, not fit for ocean or waves). Only about 400kg weight to pull, but I though it was good to have all wheel drive, so you don't slip driving/pulling up ramp.
Would like something with good safety rating, good for low maintenance, good on fuel.
Max budget $5000, cheaper would be better though
Holy crap I think that needs to be in the title and in the first line. That really doesn't help
At that price you'll struggle to get more than 2 airbags I'm sure