What is a good small 4x4 pickup?

[big e]

I also really like the Element but they are way out of the price range. Never seen even a 200,000mile early Element for less than 6-7K and most are considerably more. Fabulous multipurpose vehicle though. I love that they designed it to have the interior hosed out.

Yes, quite multi purpose.
(We all have dreams of 2k vehicles, but when push comes to shove and we are staring at a 100 mile + commute in the DC/VA area we come to our senses and sell a Harley and get something that fills the need.) (But I'd never say that to the guy.)

BTW, the interior hosing is urban legend. Water will pool in spare wheel well, ect. Electronics down there too.

I know you can't hose it out, but what about this.... - Honda Element Owners Club Forum

 

[MossflowerWoods]

...we come to our senses and sell a Harley and get something that fills the need...

GASP!

Wash that mouth out with soap sir!

Would YOU sell a Harley for a Honda Element? Really?

I am actually considering selling one for a F-350 or F-450 4x4 dualie... But NEVER for a commuter car.

I get 40-45 MPG on a Harley you know. Plus they look way cool, sound cool, and I do ride in the rain (it is just not as much fun), and they are super easy to park.

David

 

[Car Doc]

I agree its blasphemy talking about selling a Harley being a sensible idea thats down right un-American!

 

[IslandTractor]

BTW, the interior hosing is urban legend. Water will pool in spare wheel well, ect. Electronics down there too.

Darn! Ruined my day. Are you going to pop my Santa Claus bubble too???:laughing:

Well, at least you could clean it out with a leaf blower and use the big side doors for loading cargo.

I still want one as my island car but they will need to come down quite a bit in price before they compete with old Ford Windstars.

 

[big e]

Hmmm, I say this with great love and as a guy who got his first motorcycle in 1979 and commuted in NYC in the late 80's and ridden to AK in the 90's.
From my perspective, if I had 4 motorcycles and your decision to make I'd sell one in a heartbeat.
--You have 4 motorcycles? How many engines do you want to maintain?
--I wouldn't relish a break down by the blast wall outside DC in a 2k truck.
--Motorcycles in general are more expensive to upkeep. I'm looking at $450 for a pair of Metzler tires for my BMW motorcycle this week. And moto tires only last 10k miles.
--And for me, I see no glamor in putting a bunch of soulless highway commuting miles on my moto. You should be eating and talking on the phone during that down time! Not to mention, your not gonna be picking up any fescue or peletized lime for the farm on the Harley.

I may have missed something, but how much life will be left in the 2k truck when it comes time for your daughter to drive it?

 

[MossflowerWoods]

--You have 4 motorcycles? How many engines do you want to maintain?

--Motorcycles in general are more expensive to upkeep.

--And for me, I see no glamor in putting a bunch of soulless highway commuting miles on my moto.

I may have missed something, but how much life will be left in the 2k truck when it comes time for your daughter to drive it?

They are all different, and one is actually my Wife's... Just like tractors man, the each have a different purpose. And I've already said I'm thinking of selling one to fund a used 1-ton dualie... The Buell is for hooligan days, and the RoadGlide is for touring, and commuting, etc...

Unless it is miserable weather, I've never had a soulless day on my bike, even commuting. I have well over 100,000 miles on bikes (Heck my Softail has almost 50k all by itself). I've done So Cal to Sturgis and back in 2000, and in 2007 I rode from Anaheim to Fredericksburg in 4 days.

Even with all of that, most of my miles are commuting. I love to ride. I was an MSF Instructor from 1998 to 2006. I love to ride...

Maybe I could maybe be talked into selling the Buell for a excavator or something like that now...

And it is not that easy to just sell something unless you are selling it off cheap. All my bikes have "extras" and will not be the cheapest ones on craigslist. Plus, I don't want 5 cars. I want a farm truck 4x4 I can use in the woods for firewood etc AND drive to work when the HD is not best choice. I want a REAL truck I can pull my tractor, horses, and an RV trailer, and I want my 2011 Flex Limited I bought last July.

When the "ranger" becomes my daughters at 15, the plan is we will put it up on stands and rebuild it. probably rebuild the motor, jack it up, body work, heck maybe we will even paint it (I did all these things as a HS kid and fresh out of the Navy in 86). They were valuable lessons, and great times working with my little brothers...

None of my ideas are the most practical, or economical. Living on 51 acres way ot fo town is foolish. I should never have bought it, I should just sell all 3 houses, sell the horses, chickens, etc and move into the beltway close to work... Nope. THAT sounds soulless I have to say.

My life is a PITA some times, but it is also beautiful and very rare in our world today. I'm doing all of this for my kids, and for my own soul as well. I've been a city boy for 47 of my 48 years and living out in the sticks in a brokendown house with horses and chickens (and foxes) etc. calls out to my soul like no place I've ever lived before...

Honestly, I was just going to buy a Ranger and be done with it, but I wanted to know if those Frontier 4-door 4x4 shortbeds were any good (must not be, they never come up in this thread). Really I just wanted to see if I was missing a critical chunk of data before I pulled the trigger.

Just call me crazy I guess.

What Beemer do you ride?

Ride safe, rubber side down, shiny side up.
Happy Tractoring.
David

 

[downslope]

Guys, Guys, Guys...

Please do not fight. Honestly much of the time I will ride my high MPG Harley, but when the wether is bad, or I need to pick up feed, hay, tools etc ON THE WAY to/from work etc. A Small Truck is what I am looking for.

If I was asking about buying a Tractor would you all convince me to just buy a wheelbarrow and a shovel! It sure is more economical that a big tractor with big nasty payments...

Come on!If I wanted an Accord or a VW, or a CAR, I'd buy it and never asked here for an opinion. But I AM a farmer, even if just a Hobby Farmer, and I have different needs besides simple MPG.

I'm trying to discover what is the BEST Small 4x4 Truck & why. A TDI does not meet that criterion. I do appreciate all the data on good MPG cars.

Honestly, I was trying to justify an F-350 7.3 PSD asmy commuter and I simply could not do it.

I do NOT want another car. I bought my wife and excellent car and I've been driving it to death all because of a mere 5-6 MPG improvement from my F-150.

I can justify a small 4x4 pickup, and a large 4x4 pickup, and a car and THAT IS ALL I WANT. On weekends the small 4x4 will work the property with me and maybe haul firewood (much more than my bucket can haul), or who knows up and down back property trails.

Eventually I may sell a Harley to pay for an F-350 I want, but the F-150 will go when that happens.

The question at hand is simply, what is the best (and why) small 4x4 Pickup. I'm willing to drop the extra cab (but I might be forced to go with airbags at least for driver).

As Dmace has kindly pointed out, the topic is Pickup, not car. Let's PLEASE get back on topic.

Thanks for all the inputs, but I'm honestly looking for a small pickup.

But I am thinking maybe a 1980 F-150 4x4 shortbed would be the best way to go... Not sure...

Be well,
David

Yes, the topic is pickup, but David even you yourself stated in one post that you may have to consider a car but would rather not. We all should respect each others opinions and advice on the subject but you will make the final decision. Like I said, IMO you are looking for something that is not going to be readilly attainable without A LOT of dedicated searching and some luck besides; you've even asked on here where you can start looking. You have been jumping all over the place, from 4x4 diesel crew cab dually long distance commuter, to $2,000 small 4x4 trucks with airbag. In your latest post you mention looking for a 1980 F150; that is a 33 year old truck!. You will have to search long and hard for something like that where repair and restoration doesn't break the $2K budget and be reliable for driving over 35K miles per year. Even the 7.3 you're looking for will be a tough search. If you're a gearhead and like to take on big restoration projects maybe a high mileage old truck is the way to go. But in my opinion only, a truck for 160 mile commute would not be the answer. The only truck I ever owned that would fit that need was when I had one of the diesel compact pickups back in the 1980's. If you like to search and start a project you could look for one of those:laughing: I suppose I'm just kidding, but that would be kind of truck that would fit your needs to a T, like an 84 Isuzu P'up, Chevy LUV diesel, etc.

I used to commute 80 miles each way and would never consider driving the farm pickup regularly. If I had to pick up supplies or deliver something I'd plan ahead to do it all in one day with the truck.

I'll tell you a true story. My friend landed a job he loves in a high-end boat yard, but it was 75 miles each way in I-495 traffic. He tried it for a while in a nearly new 02 Tacoma 2WD stick shift. He averaged mid 20's and the truck was rolling up the miles. Between wearing out the truck and gas expenses he was not happy. His solution was to keep the truck for his side projects and jobs and purchase a Yaris hatchback stick shift. Now he averages 42 mpg overall and higher on straight interstate runs. Him and his wife have a few motorcycles also, but I know it's rare when uses the bike for commuting.

In the end you should buy what you like as long as you can afford to purchase, maintain and operate it. If you can live with low 20's gas mileage then just look for truck that can stand up to the 5 day a week commute and go for it. I may be wrong but I picture you as a guy who owns a bunch of Harleys and doesn't find much excitement in driving a little car, a 4x4 truck would be a little more "fun". I would listen to the opinions of those who say to use a car and the Harleys for 90% of the commuting while you search for and purchase your 1980's $2K project truck. Good luck in your search and whatever decision you come to.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Yes, the topic is pickup, but David even you yourself stated in one post that you may have to consider a car but would rather not.

Even the 7.3 you're looking for will be a tough search.

If you like to search and start a project you could look for one of those:laughing: I suppose I'm just kidding, but that would be kind of truck that would fit your needs to a T, like an 84 Isuzu P'up, Chevy LUV diesel, etc.

Good luck in your search and whatever decision you come to.

Downslope,

Part of the problem is my commute has been a moving target. When I took the job I was told it was 25% company travel to various sites, and 2-3 times a week at a "main" site. Then it was no company travel, and sometimes 2-3 days at HQ, some work from home, and as of this week it is this idiotic sit here 5 days a week twiddling my thumbs and posting on TBN... When I started this thread my commute was not supposed to be 5 days a week.

I found a perfect F-350 IMMEDIATELY, it just cost a bit more than I expected and some other priorities popped up (a builder who can convert attic to a REAL 2nd story, etc...) So now I'm thinking about selling the Softail to fund the F-350.

I forgot about those old Isuzu diesel pickups! I wonder if they even exist anymore!

Many of my TBN buddies have advocated "Do Nothing, Buy Nothing, Just use what I've got" and candidly, their's is the hardest argument to dismiss.

M wife just popped off with a statement I shold go buy a Kia Soul or some super cheapo new car and burn it up commuting, That is not the soul I'm looking for, and I do NOT want another car payment.

Yes. I am likely jousting at windmills and unlikely to find a solution easily. I still gotta try don't I?

Thanks for all the advice.
David

 

[big e]

Just call me crazy I guess.
What Beemer do you ride?

BMW R100GS
Good luck to you!

 

[Car Doc]

Like I said I am a Toyota mechanic and very devoted to the brand but I see all of them at one time or other. I dont bash any but I definitely have my opinions on why one is better etc.

00-05 Tundra's are cheap right now they are a good used car value with the gen 2 Tundra out. (and dont be afraid of one with 150k miles either NADA beats cars to death and is a buyers best friend not good for seller but ask any banker about Toyota value)

Taco's are still high always will be but the 4.7 v8 has enough get up and go to pull trailers and still ride as nice as a car down the hwy.

My 02 Tundra 4wd v8 gets 15 mpg on a good day but pulls my travel trailer and all my other stuff just fine and rides real nice. :thumbsup: