Vehicle Advice Non-Shopbot Related

[erik_f]

I know this is way off topic, but I figure there are a lot of folks here that might be able to give some solid advice on the subject. It is not directly shopbot related, but it is business related. I own a full size Chevy 4x4 and am looking at buying a midsize Toyota Tacoma 4x2. With the reduced payment and savings in gas I figure I can save around $120 a month and maybe more depending on gas prices. Upstate NY can be pretty nasty in the winter, but I have been told by a few others I would be fine with 4x2 with good tires and a few hundred pounds of weight in the rear end. I know I will be giving up some utility and horse power, but I really feel that I can accomplish everything I do now with a smaller more efficient vehicle. The only down side is giving up the 4wd. There is no real mpg advantage to going with a smaller truck if it has 4x4 and my payments would stay about the same. Anyone have any experience downsizing their vehicle and found they were happy with the compromises? Or vise virsa?

[donchapman]

Here's my two cents worth: I drove an 84 Chevy S10 over 300,000 miles and my 2003 Mazda B2300 just clicked over 100,000. I had 3 Datsun pickups before those, so I never downsized, but have always owned small pickups and typically haul a lot more cargo than I see most people hauling in their big trucks. I built my home and workshop and hauled everything on small trucks using lumber racks and later a sailboat trailer I converted to haul long lumber. I've pulled a small travel trailer through the Rockies and towed a small ski boat for several years. I never had anything but 2 wheel drive but don't have ice or snow to deal with very often. 4 wheel drive would be nice sometimes when my road gets real muddy, but good tires, some extra weight in the bed, and keep-movin' driving has kept me from getting stuck. I knew a fellow who made good money on the Texas beaches pulling 4 wheelers out of deep sand with his old 2 wheel drive pickup with oversize tires. I use to snow ski a lot and drove both 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive vehicles in the mountains and found it helpful that for steering control the front wheels be drive wheels, even if it was only 2 wheel drive, which I've never heard of on a pickup but maybe some manufacturer should try.

[ajf]

Small 2 wheel drive pickups have been great for me over the last 30 years. If anything they just seem to get better and have always been able to meet my needs. Purchased a Toyota Tacoma last year largely based on fuel economy ratings, prior to that had always bought Nissan which I must say always lived up to their design specifications and were very dependable. However though the Toyota is a very nice truck and has many good features, I have been very disappointed in its fuel economy, no matter how conservatively I drive this truck I can not get anywhere close to the rated fuel economy also the tires it comes with should not be used in winter conditions.
Most of the new small trucks come with EBS braking system and if you don’t use winter tires all the way around you sure notice the handling difference. Also weight in the back might have been a good idea in the past but there sure seems to be a lot of studies coming out now that indicate that it’s no longer the best idea and will contribute to poor handling characteristics in the winter. I don’t use weight and traction has never been an issue for me with good winter tires and we have a long winter season.

[jshoes51]

I've lived in Maine since 1978, and I've never had 4wd in any of my trucks or vans. You can get by without it, especially if you can pick and choose what conditions you want to drive in. If it's bad, just stay for home for the day. Over the course of a year, you might want the 4wd a half a dozen times. Is it worth the extra $$ and diminished mileage for that?

[woodworx]

I have a new tacoma. It has never let me down. Pulled 4000 lbs at 70mph for hundreds of miles. It's a truck, it is not a hybrid. Gas sucks no matter what way you look at it. I just left Wisconsin 4 years ago. The rule of thumb there was 4 wheel drive won't help you stay out of the ditch, it's just that when your in the ditch, you can get out. Throw bags of lime in your bed. They are heavy, compact, and when you need some grip you can break one open.

[erik_f]

Thanks for all the input...I know it was way far off topic...the dealer has been sitting on this used 09' Taco for 2 months and told me he would trade me for my truck no money changing hands...he couldn't however meet my number so sorry for putting this out there just to not go ahead with it.
Erik

[donchapman]

Your question about trucks is as on topic as the hundreds of questions on this forum about materials, finishes, saws, vacuums, drills, carts, scanners, computers, glues, workshops, benches, etc. because having an economical and functional truck to carry raw materials to my ShopBot and finished products to the customers has been just as important to the use of my ShopBot for the past nine years as any of those other topics. The ShopBot forum moderator should agree because you can spend $30k plus for a big truck or spend around $15k for a small truck and have $15k left over to buy a ShopBot. If you need to haul long materials or finished product consider adding a trailer hitch and modifying a small sailboat trailer like the one in this photo with a 14' HDU sign.


6988

[myxpykalix]

A truck is just another tool, or a shopbot "accessory" right?

[erik_f]

That's what I say...I love my 4x4 but I hate the wasteful nature of the beast. Too bad the dealer wasn't more flexible. They told me the truck I was looking at was on the lot for 60 days and that they already had a buyer for my truck. Even if they broke even on the deal they would have gotten ride of a truck thats been on the lot for 2 months.