James Ruppert
KICKING TYRES
Old Toyota trucks are invincible – in this case literally
T
here’s money to be made in vehicle recovery. You
will need a bit more than a towbar – at the very least, a legal trailer is a good starting point – and some comfy seats for those poor souls being rescued. Which is why a mechanic friend of mine wants to add this service to his mobile offering.
Let’s start with what he won’t be buying. Tempting as a diesel Range Rover may be, they really are too flaky for front-line work. In fact, there’s not enough space here to highlight all the potential issues. A Land Rover Defender is a better shout, but the new ones are ferociously expensive and the characterful decade-old examples are just a tad agricultural for long-distance recovery.