I once had a 1988 VX Landcruiser turbo, definitely one of the best towing 4wds IMO. Infact it was so good I brought a 1998 VX Landcruiser non-turbo, but was guttered because of the lack of power compared. Still have the 88 and doing rust repairs to get it back on the road.
$80 of diesel will last about 600km, the new one should be better due to the lack of turbo.
Brand-wise, I swear by toyota for reliability and they take whatever you can throw at them.