What is a good small 4x4 pickup?

[downslope]

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The great thing about a commuter car like the guys have been pushing you towards is they are cheap to maintain. Even tires are 1/2 that of a Rangers tires. Chris

Not only cheaper to maintain but also a lot easier to find a used one in decent condition for a fair price. There's a lot more Civics out there to choose from than used Tacos.

Also it's not necessary to "just buy a crappy accord and commute with it...". You can get a nice car with a 6 speed stick and a 1.5-2.0 liter engine, nice sound system and enjoy the commute (if that's possible:laughing Even the 5-6 miles per gallon he saves using the wife's car is substantial, like 30% off the top of the gas bill.

 

[clemsonfor]

Boy you guys just don't give up...

Everyone likes to think a brand new car that gets 15-20 mpg more than a loan-free vehicle pays for itself but they also like to forget higher insurance (sometimes doubling those monthly payments), loss of resale (new cars depreciate a LOT faster than an old $2k truck), expensive repairs (emissions, faulty sensors, etc...), and giving a 2-3 year old $20k car to a first time driver in school is asking for trouble.

For goodness sake, he wants reviews and opinions on used compact trucks, not your agenda pushing idiocracies about foreign oil usage...

BACK ON TOPIC AGAIN...
Check out the old Nissan trucks of that vintage too, they were tough to kill as long as they weren't too rusted and had an ext cab version.

I really never advised getting a new one. I would however reccoment a used car 35+mpg range that is $3-4k. I agree the savings in insurance and older style tires (not these 50 series 17"s they put on new cars) taxes etc plus the no payment (assuming he will pay cash for a $3500 or $2000 car.

 

[clemsonfor]

But when I post asking what grapple should I buy, are you REALLY going to suggest I just buy 2 rakes and make do?

I deeply appreciate all your advice and math from both of you.

Thanks for the encouragement

David

I dont own a loader and did not buy one for the reason of economics. I could not think of a use i would HAVE to have one for. I figured anything i would need to lift i can with a $100 boom pole. I have made do for 2+ years and not missing a a loader or wishing i got one once since then. Actually the boom pole is still under my car shed and has not moved for 1 year. But i only use my tractor at the farm when i need to mow or make a food plot.


Like i said you can do what you want and clearly you will. As far as the best commuter truck. I vote RANGER. 4cy stick shift of the late 90s or early 00's. But NO 4wd Who ever told you they get that much mpg is not speaking truth.

 

[clemsonfor]

Ok i have done the leg work. Go to this web site its i have found to be just right on mpg and im skeptical of government stuff. Its revised and reflects realworld mileages.

First link is the 1989 ranger 4wd.

Fuel Economy of 1989 Ford Ranger Pickup 4WD

The 4cy gets 22 mpg, exactly what i get under normal driving. If i drive abnormal, with super slow accelerations and not going fast i have gotten 25 mpg, with out AC. But i dont get it unless the whole 350 mile tank i drive like a little old man concious of every short shift i do, and i mean every one!!!

The 6cyl is reported to get 19mpg which is right along a budy of mine that has a 1988 ranger in highschool.


Fuel Economy of 1989 Ford Ranger Pickup 2WD

This is the link for the same vintage but 2wd. And this really is the same #'s for a 87 89 or 90 i think there all the same even up to like 93.

Anyway it does say my truck will get 25 which i can get if i really try but normally see 22 mpg. the v6 2wd says 22 mpg. So your buddy getting 26 mpg in a 4x4 must either have tiny tires pumped to 65 psi with his bed removed and an auxiallry overdrive?

 

[riptides]

Sorry, I have lost track of your fleet, David.

You have a 150 or not?

I'd go with a commuter sedan, and select the other ride depending on the conditions and what you need to do.

My everyday vehicle is a selection of, Sonata sedan, s-10, Ranger (daughters who is summer breaking), Mini-van and f250 $X$ (sub 4 for $) I crack myself up!.

Or are you looking to add the truck?, sorry.....

 

[IslandTractor]

Island & Clensonfor,

Following Renze's thinking, Some people can get a little bit self righteous But no offence

I would NEVER buy a Prius, they are a HUGE scam and the world is just ignoring it.

#1 - First mistake is like Mr Euro you just assume I will have this horrid commute and job for the rest of my life, or at least for the 5 year terms of the DEBT I need to take out to buy a used Prius.

I am already speaking to a headhunter with at least one real opportunity which is a good fit, and I will be engaging more ASAP.

#2 - I plan to buy a vehicle for CASH, and I plan to spend as little as possible on that because, Yes, the economy sux, and yes my income is down, and yes I need to prioritize what I spend $$ on. Unlike our dear leader, I will not go get every nickle of debt some bank will loan me. I have PLENTY with 3 mortgages now.

Yes I might end up in a litte Civic putt-putting too farr and too often to work (and I will hate every second of it, and think of how right you were every time). Your math is not entirely wrong, only wrong in assuming I cannot do anything to change my situation for the better. Maybe I can't improve my situation, but I will still try.

Today I got 17.17 MPG in my F-150 covering the last 2 days commute. One day with the tonneu cover on, 1 day not. Next two days will be with and we shall see what impact it has.

But when I post asking what grapple should I buy, are you REALLY going to suggest I just buy 2 rakes and make do?

I deeply appreciate all your advice and math from both of you.

Thanks for the encouragement

David

Just to be clear, I am operating on the principle that the OP gets to ask the question and that after a few reasonable responses have been posted then the forum opens up a bit. You are getting exactly what you paid for and we, the unruly peanut gallery, are providing equally valuable advice. I know Dmace would like to keep this focused on small pickups but really, there are about six or eight conceivable direct narrow answers and they have already been mentioned so now it's off to the races. Besides, even your wife is thinking more broadly (appropriately:thumbsup.

I do understand a bit more than I did earlier after a few clarifications. Frankly there are a lot of us trying to limit debt right now and if that is a priority then I would just keep driving the F150 and do my very best to drive with a light foot, 40+lbs of pressure in the tires, and more than anything to just limit unnecessary trips. I cannot imagine that adding a used Ranger like vehicle to your fleet for even $2000 plus extra insurance, sales tax etc would end up being cheaper despite the 8mpg disparity in mileage (13 gallons a week extra for the F150, call it $50). You would not break even with a $2000 Ranger until at least 40 weeks and that doesn't count the insurance, repairs etc etc. Call it a year at least to break even. As you are actively looking for new work there is a pretty good chance something will change in that period. If it does you'd want to rethink the whole transport scenario anyways so why commit to the Ranger now? Same goes for your beloved Harley's. Why sell one if things are likely to change. You might regret it and if you don't need to sell (just eat the $50 a week) then hold out.

That said, I am no fan of the Prius (Pious) but it is hard to argue with the gas mileage. I am not sure what you are referring to in calling them a scam, I don't believe that but I do think there are other better high mileage options for someone who does mostly highway driving. A Prius is hard to beat for a suburban to urban daily commute at an honest 44mpg or higher. Give credit when the numbers add up.

With regard to your grapple analogy. I don't think it is quite accurate. More accurate would be to say that you asked what grapple to get to remove a few dozen small bushes and one of us (not Dmace who would have told you to go for the Anbo grapple:laughing might have suggested a ratchet rake or box blade to remove those bushes. We are suggesting an alternative way to solve your problem, not ignoring the problem. The only think we are ignoring is that you don't like econoboxes. Hey, guess what, almost no one does! You don't fall in love with these vehicles and they are not the stuff of teenage wet dreams. They do a job, commuting, very efficiently and far better than any of the vehicles we would all like to be driving (choose two: Harley, Vette, Porsche, Ferrari). You don't really need to hang up your manhood when you get into a Civic, you (we) just need to put your macho self on hold for a while.

 

[Dmace]

With regard to your grapple analogy. I don't think it is quite accurate. More accurate would be to say that you asked what grapple to get to remove a few dozen small bushes and one of us (not Dmace who would have told you to go for the Anbo grapple:laughing might have suggested a ratchet rake or box blade to remove those bushes. We are suggesting an alternative way to solve your problem, not ignoring the problem.

YOUR analogy is wrong, not his. He needs to pick up things such as bulk material that CAN NOT be done in an econobox. Yeah I would tell him to get a grapple since IT WORKS but you guys want him to buy a snowblower that will solve some problems and NOT ALL of them. I still only heard him ask for opinions on "small 4x4 trucks" which you have yet to provide so your wasting your time and everyone elses...

 

[clemsonfor]

The only think we are ignoring is that you don't like econoboxes. Hey, guess what, almost no one does! You don't fall in love with these vehicles and they are not the stuff of teenage wet dreams. They do a job, commuting, very efficiently and far better than any of the vehicles we would all like to be driving (choose two: Harley, Vette, Porsche, Ferrari). You don't really need to hang up your manhood when you get into a Civic, you (we) just need to put your macho self on hold for a while.

This is well said. Like i said i drive a 1997 saturn daily. Not because i think its cool or im a sissy, but because its cheap to drive, tires are 2/3 the price of my ranger and close to half the cost of an f150. Its reliable and gives constant 32mpg returns and i have AC (which my ranger does as well).

I still will go deer hunt out of it sometimes, carry 12ft lumber in it (did it many times in my 3 homes ive lived in so far. Even when i bought my house now and was remodeling it, we caried lumber in it as it was cheaper to drive than my ranger. I will drive it up to a bon fire party will all my friends and get out of it, I DONT CARE. I know im a man and am confident and comfortable in that. Like i said the saturn is more comfortable than my ranger anyway. Really i can be more of a man than pretty much anyone i know that drives a truck. That is if you measure a man by what he can do, work on or things fix stuff hunt gather etc.

 

[clemsonfor]

YOUR analogy is wrong, not his. He needs to pick up things such as bulk material that CAN NOT be done in an econobox. Yeah I would tell him to get a grapple since IT WORKS but you guys want him to buy a snowblower that will solve some problems and NOT ALL of them. I still only heard him ask for opinions on "small 4x4 trucks" which you have yet to provide so your wasting your time and everyone elses...

But his MAIN goal is to get to work on the 160mile daily commute. Maybe once a week he may have to get hay or a shovel or bags of chicken feed or goat feed? Were providing suggestions that will fit his budget better which he has hinted at that is part of his main goal. I can fit everything you would need under normal circumstances in my saturn. No i cant get a round bale in it but he has yet to mention picking up roundbales. If he needs he can just drive the 150 to get them. I can fit 2 straw bales in the saturn, i can fit easy 600lbs of bags of whatever in there as well, get 12ft lumber in it (not a decks worth but if i need 2, 4x4x8s i can easy fit them.

 

[IslandTractor]

YOUR analogy is wrong, not his. He needs to pick up things such as bulk material that CAN NOT be done in an econobox. Yeah I would tell him to get a grapple since IT WORKS but you guys want him to buy a snowblower that will solve some problems and NOT ALL of them. I still only heard him ask for opinions on "small 4x4 trucks" which you have yet to provide so your wasting your time and everyone elses...

Man you think concretely. If he drove an econobox four days a week and drove the full size truck once a week he would save bucks and pick up supplies once a week. If he drives the econobox 9 out of 10 days because it is a hatchback and can handle 2/3 of the loads he needs then he only needs to drive the big truck once or twice a month. We haven't heard what kind of loads he has in terms of size. A hatchback or small wagon can handle at least half of what you can put into the bed of a small pickup. I don't know about your pickup use but I see most pickups driving around with loads that would fit on the back of a Vespa three quarters of the time. Think outside the box. There are ways of doing this without your darling 4x4 small pickup. That is all we are exploring. No one is forcing him to do anything. Maybe a small pickup is the one and only answer and maybe it isn't but limiting discussion does nothing but confirm original bias. Why are you so resistant to exploring options?