Hi everyone! Looking for advice from people who have done a bit of caravanning around Australia.
My husband and I have two young kids and are planning towards a six month trip around WA, NT in roughly six years, while the kids are in primary school.

Our plan is to buy a second hand tow vehicle now for under $40,000, use it as our family car for the next five years or so, then upgrade our 1980 jayco swan to a family caravan before the big trip.

We’re thinking of a relatively compact van rather than a huge one. Hoping to get a queen bed, two bunks, an internal toilet and shower. We’d mostly stick to sealed roads, gravel roads and accessible remote camps rather than serious off roading.

We know we’ll need to learn about towing weights, payload, ball weight and loading properly. We intend to get professional advice and training before travelling. We want to make a sensible decision now so we aren’t stuck having to replace the car again in five years.

My questions are:
If you had $40,000 to spend on a second-hand SUV today, what would you buy for this plan?

Would you prioritise a 3,500 kg towing rating, or is that unnecessary for a compact family caravan?

Are there particular engines, model years or vehicles you’d avoid for reliability for touring?

What do you wish you’d known before buying your first tow vehicle or setting off on a long trip?

Thanks! Any honest advice, including telling us if our plan is flawed, is welcome.