How many of you keep a "backup vehicle"?

Diamondpilot · Jan 6, 2015

Degolyerent said:
DP, I thought you had 2 trucks? Do you not consider that a backup?

I do but the diesel is a work truck keep at a different location. I am considering selling it. After changing jobs last year I have about 1/2 the spare time I did before.

If Nissan come through with the Diesel Titan I may just pick up one of them.

Chris

JDgreen227 · Jan 6, 2015

Diamondpilot said:
I do but the diesel is a work truck keep at a different location. I am considering selling it. After changing jobs last year I have about 1/2 the spare time I did before.

If Nissan come through with the Diesel Titan I may just pick up one of them.

Chris

DP, not trying to be critical but since you buy new vehicles so frequently I can understand you not needing or wanting a backup. However, for me and others who drive a Y2K truck and 2004 model car perhaps we can use a backup. Just saying it as I sees it.

Diamondpilot · Jan 6, 2015

JDgreen227 said:
DP, not trying to be critical but since you buy new vehicles so frequently I can understand you not needing or wanting a backup. However, for me and others who drive a Y2K truck and 2004 model car perhaps we can use a backup. Just saying it as I sees it.

I really don't buy that often. Right now I have a 2006 F350 with 128,000 miles, a 2012 F150 with 49,000 miles, and a 2013 Edge with 52,000 miles. We bought 2 vehicles last year, the Edge in February and the F150 in July to replace a 2007 and 2008 both with 120,000 plus miles. On average we keep vehicles 5 years and about 120,000 miles.

I could care less how old it is but about 120,000 miles is the key number for me to get rid of them. They seem to really depreciate after that point.

Chris

jwstewar · Jan 7, 2015

With 2 drivers we have 3 vehicles. Monica drives our 2008 Suburban. It has about 37k miles on it. I drive our 2k Honda Accord back and forth to work. It has 241k on it. We bought it used with a salvage title at 71k miles. Then we have our '99 Silverado 1500 that I bought new that acts as a back-up and work truck. It has less than 130k on it. It comes out if we need to tow the 18' utility trailer or the stock trailer, of course the Suburban can and does also do this as well, including towing the stock trailer to the goat shows as at that point the Silverado is hooked 36' dual slide camper. The Silverado does back-up should the weather turn bad and I decide that I want 4wd to go to work (if I decide that I don't wanna telecommute for some reason) or should the Honda break down - has only happened once since we owned it and that was last Feb. when we lost the transmission in the Honda. So for $800 I had my buddy swap another tranny in it and have put another 22k miles on it so far. Hoping to run the car another 18 months and to 300k before I retire it.

Gale Hawkins · Jan 7, 2015

We got two back on the road yesterday. One had a flat and one had a messed up door hinge that messed up the catch.

New would be nice. Today we are topping off batteries so they will start at 1F in the morning.

I do miss global warming.

Capricious · Jan 16, 2015

Capricious said:
(2) drivers, both who need to commute.

(2) cars (2013 Toyota & 2006 Toyota)

(1) Truck (2002 Ford Ranger)

Within one or two years the Ranger will be replaced with a new 1/2 ton, and in 4 to 6 years the 2006
Toyota will get replaced with a new car.

Retirement in 5.5 to 8.5 years

Well, the "back-up" vehicle is going to get used. On the way home last night in the Ranger got "rear-ended", which pushed me into the vehicle in front of me. I have bumper damage on the front (the Kia I was pushed into almost looked like it wasn't damaged, although I suspect the bumper may have issues underneath- score +1 for Kia rear bumpers, and -1 for Ford Ranger front bumpers)

The real issue is the rear; with a step bumper and a receiver hitch, the "weak link in the chain" was the frame rails, which are all buckled between where the step bumper & hitch mount, and where the rear spring hangers are. The car that hit me (Mazda) had it's air bags go off, and was the only vehicle towed, although I had to pry my front bumper away from one of the front tires so I could steer.

I swear, I think the guy who hit me is a DEA agent. "Company" car.

Anyway, I tow a 3000 lb trailer. I don't know that I would trust the truck to tow it any longer if those frame rails were merely straightened out, and not cut out and replaced.

May have to replace this truck a full year or so sooner than I wanted to.

podagrower · Jan 17, 2015

Well, I am in the backup vehicle becoming the primary as well. I've kept my 97 Ram 4X4 for reasons I can't explain or justify (I just like it). Wednesday night, the transmission in my 07 Ford E250 started slipping (not the right term for what it was doing, but best description) in first gear, Thursday morning it was slipping in every gear, shifting like it was in tow/haul mode, and making a whine that let me know it was terminal. This was over about 30 miles of driving from checkers to wreckers. 164,000 miles on the trans, maybe 10,000 of those towing, it's been serviced regularly, but the shop says it was a bearing failure that just filled the trans with shrapnel.

john_bud · Jan 18, 2015

2 drivers and 3-4 cars. Now the diesel truck sleeps (17 mpg winter on $3 fuel), while the olds intrigue runs (23mpg on $2 fuel).

Not a hard decision.

jwstewar · Jan 19, 2015

Well since everyone else is mentioning they are using their back-up vehicle, I guess I will too. I received a call from my wife the other night crying saying I wasn't going to believe what happened. Thinking and fearing the worst, I asked her what? Turns out she was backing out of the garage and didn't give the garage door quite enough time to go up all the way. She backed into the door. Bowed the door pretty good, but the bigger deal was it busted the glass in the back of the Suburban. Since it is a bit cold to be driving without a rear glass right now, she is now driving the Silverado until the new rear window comes in. I had my buddy order it in last Thursday, kinda surprised it isn't here yet, but he will probably install it this week sometime. They said the glass listed for over $700, he is selling it to me at cost of $225 and then we will install it together. So for that cost, no insurance claim. Now I just need to make a trip to Carter Lumber and order 2 bottom panels for the door. Not in an overly big hurry to do that though, the door still goes up and down.

xtn · Jan 19, 2015

Down to only five registered/inspected/insured vehicles for my wife and myself now. Was six, but we recently gave the '05 Ram 1500 away to my brother/sister-inlaws.

The back-up to my daily driver '13 F250 is my previous daily driver '03 F250. Just decided to keep it around instead of trade it in when I got the new one.

xtn