What is a good small 4x4 pickup?

[Dmace]

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.

Once again you refuse to read the thread where he states he would like to sell the F150 for a larger F350 which makes a small compact truck even more valuable for dual duty.

Why are you so resistant to exploring options?

Because no one asked for commuter car "options".

He asked a simple question about compact 4x4 pickup trucks but some people are so quick to think many people can't think for themselves and need completely different ideas driven into them even when unneccesary...

Why is it so hard for you to understand he wants OPINIONS ON COMPACT TRUCKS and not cars...?

Another thing a car can't do that a comoact tuck will... TOW!
I used a 95 Ford Ranger reg cab 2wd 4cyl 5 speed truck to haul two 500lb sleds on a 900lb galavized open sled trailer for two years before getting my Dakota. It did surprisingly well, got stuck a lot in 2wd but it certainly didn't mind the 2000lb load until the hills. Try that with a Civic or Saturn...

 

[downslope]

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...

How is it a waste of time? Anyone who follows along with this thread and can comprhend what's written can learn some things, even if it's only the differing opions of other posters. It may not all be about the best mini pickup, but so what. We've discussed the economics of commuting, cars versus trucks, hybrids, diesels, depreciation, driveways, 4wd and on and on.

Let's say he came on here saying he had plenty of cash right now and wanted to buy the best brand new 4x4 diesel. Using your logic no one would be able to suggest considering a used truck, a gas truck or anything else.

I think of web forums like this as a bunch of guys and/or gals sitting around a campground, bbq place or tavern discussing whatever. It might be fall and someone asks who do you think is going to win game 7 of the World Series tomorrow. After batting that around awhile the discussion might diverge to ball players on steroids, football season or hot dogs at the ballpark. The last thing we need are self appointed net nannies directing the flow of discussion.

 

[IslandTractor]

Because no one asked for commuter car "options".

He asked a simple question about compact 4x4 pickup trucks but some people are so quick to think many people can't think for themselves and need completely different ideas driven into them even when unneccesary...

Why is it so hard for you to understand he wants OPINIONS ON COMPACT TRUCKS and not cars...?

Another thing a car can't do that a comoact tuck will... TOW!
I used a 95 Ford Ranger reg cab 2wd 4cyl 5 speed truck to haul two 500lb sleds on a 900lb galavized open sled trailer for two years before getting my Dakota. It did surprisingly well, got stuck a lot in 2wd but it certainly didn't mind the 2000lb load until the hills. Try that with a Civic or Saturn...

His wife brought up commuter car options! The main topic of his question was a commuting vehicle, not towing, not rock crawling, not a farm vehicle. Yes, he was asking about small 4x4 trucks but as many people have pointed out, those SUCK for commuting long distances. He may well need the truck features and have to compromise on comfort, safety and mpg but why not explore other options? I fully acknowledge he has the same aversion to small econoboxes that many of us have except when filling the tank. Maybe he will compromise on that dislike in order to gain something else. Maybe not, but an informed discussion does not need to be limited to whatever was in the title or first paragraph of the original post.

He didn't ask any questions about towing so why are you wasting bandwidth with an irrelevant point?

 

[Dmace]

Let's say he came on here saying he had plenty of cash right now and wanted to buy the best brand new 4x4 diesel. Using your logic no one would be able to suggest considering a used truck, a gas truck or anything else.

Wrong again, looking for a new diesel truck and suggesting a used gas\diesel truck would still fill the niche that person is looking for. What your doing is suggesting a compact car when someone asks about a truck. Completely different logic, amazing how difficult it is for some to comprehend this...

The main topic of his question was a commuting vehicle, not towing, not rock crawling, not a farm vehicle.

Actually, the main topic was "small compact 4x4 trucks" and he specifically said "farm use" so a "farm vehicle" would fall under that category.

I've been thinking about getting an OLD beater Ranger for "farm use" and converting it to my daughter's truck in two years when she is driving age.

He didn't ask any questions about towing so why are you wasting bandwidth with an irrelevant point?

Once again, he DID ask for OPINIONS ON COMPACT 4x4 TRUCKS!
I gave him an OPINION ON A SMALL COMPACT TRUCK which is something you guys have failed to do yet...

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Guys, Guys, Guys...

Please lets all just have a beer. :drink:

DMace, I appreciate your staunch support.

Island, Downslope, Clemson, etc..., I appreciate your strong logical arguments and all the data you provided, even the data I did not like. Yes we all have 1st amendment, especially here on an open forum. I'm sorry for getting frustrated with you guys for keeping on telling me, and telling me, and telling me, stuff I did not want to hear... That is not your fault that I was intolerant of your views. Please forgive me.

Keep in mind that back in Feb when I started this thread REALLY I was thinking of buying the neighbor's 89 Ranger strictly for FARM USE, possibly with Farm Use plates. This would have been mostly a toy for me and a car for my daughter in a couple years. I think of it fondly as my magical 4x4 firewood retrieval truck...

THINGS CHANGED...

At that time I was ALSO looking to get rid of the F-150 17 mpg and replace it with an F-350 diesel 19MPG commute (there is a whole thread on that issue also). What I needed and wanted was more coslty than I expected, and I decided to PUT THAT OFF for a while. But I still lust after every 7.3 PSD F-350/450 99-2002 that I see...

This put me back to square one. Do nothing. Crap... That was not what I wanted... But wait...

THINGS CHANGED AGAIN!

Now I actually do have the commute from h3!! and I MUST do something...

Here is what I am doing...

1) I am still considering the 89 Ranger or one similar...
2) I am aggressively looking for a new job (this is actually #1...)
3) I swallowed my pride and called my nephew in Richmond who is moving to Oregon in June and asked what he was going to do with his Civic...

Here is what I learned...

1) I got the pro's & con's of toyota taco's and rangers :thumbsup:
2) I got an earful about how ridiculous I was to want my cake AND eat it too and a bunch of math/economics lessons...
3) I got more info than I needed on Saturn, Prius, and Civis etc... than MIGHT very well be useful to the lurkers on this thread.
4) I got almost nothing on Nissan, etc...small trucks. Pretty much I will ONLY buy a Ranger or Taco unless the deal is simply too good to pass up. Most likely a Ranger due to availablilty and my personal preferences...

So, let's all agree to dissagree and put down our weapons and let this simmer until I actually DO something instead of Chat about what I could do. The you canall either congratulate me or berate me according to my decision (as it should be and as you have full rights to do).

Cool?

Be well guys, I will CERTAINLY keep you posted...
David

 

[riptides]

...... The you canall either congratulate me or berate me according to my decision (as it should be and as you have full rights to do).

Cool?

Be well guys, I will CERTAINLY keep you posted...
David

Congradulations!

Between my (daughters) Ranger and my (really) S-10, they seem to be neck and neck as far as features and issues. Since the S-10 is manual, it has the fun factor and better MPG.

Although with the drive, my left calf is much bigger than my right.

Both are not 4X4's and rarely venture out in snow conditions. I have re-thought my road ventures in the greater DC area.

 

[lostcause]

when you're at the $2k price point for a 4x4 truck, i don't think the manufacturer matters anymore. what matters is what has happened over the last 15-20 years of driving and maintaining it.

around here $2k won't buy you much of a 4x4 - the ones sold for that price haven't been lovingly maintained, and many are abused. you're likely to spend a good chunk of change getting it to where you are comfortable driving 130 miles a day. you aren't going to get a $500 set of new tires on a $2k truck, so you might as well figure on that. probably another few hundred on brakes. maybe exhaust, battery, wheel bearings, ball joints, tie rod ends, shocks... you could easily spend $1k-$2k in parts alone getting it to a comfortable spot. i'd just opt for whatever you find that doesn't look like it's been through the wringer and count up the newly replaced parts to see what you won't need to replace.

there was an earlier comment about people's honesty in fuel economy. a lot of us remember the vehicles we had a couple decades ago and what they got - i my first truck was an 83 s-10 4x4 2.8v6 bought used in 92 for $2k. it was that price because it needed work. i got 18-22mpg with it, but it also came with 205/75/15 tires. i remember buying a 2000 gm 2500 crew 4x4 5.7 in 2002 and i got 12+mpg with it. at the same time a friend bought a new ranger with a v6. his ranger ran the same tire size as my 3/4 ton - 245/75/16. he only got 16+ mpg with that ranger. since then the fuel we run has changed. when the ethanol blends hit i noticed a 1mpg change in my full size truck and a 3mpg change in my car. the mileage you got 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago isn't going to be the same even if you still had that vehicle. on a compact 4x4, i'd figure a couple mpg less than you remember, and also opt for one set up for a smaller tire size.

personally, if i had that commute and i had the other options in the stable i'd probably go for the compact 2wd pickup, and for those times when conditions were bad, just drive one of the 4x4's. one of the reasons i moved away from a compact 4x4 truck was that i didn't see enough return in fuel economy for the lessened capacity.

 

[CAgnoli]

I commuted 99 miles one way for eight and a half years in snow country. Buffalo gets real snow, I've driven full size pickups, Toyota pickups, ans smaller cars.

Honestly, my 2006 Nissan Maxima with 4 Blizzak snow tires was probably the best commute vehicle. Lost 4 mpg with the snows on in the winter, but it was completely unstoppable, I too have a long gravel driveway on a hill, and I never had a problem. My vote is for the TDI with 4 good quality snow tires.

 

[deezler]

^ yeah. I out drag race most SUVs around here on snowy boulevards form the stop light when I have my blizzaks on. It's all about the tires. I think most people underestimate, or just haven't driven/experienced, a small front wheel drive car with quality snow tires.

Plus, when the snow tires are on, your summer tires aren't accumulating miles. So both last twice as long! win win.

 

[downslope]

^ yeah. I out drag race most SUVs around here on snowy boulevards form the stop light when I have my blizzaks on. It's all about the tires. I think most people underestimate, or just haven't driven/experienced, a small front wheel drive car with quality snow tires...

Yeah, that's especially true with small light cars with heavy weight bias over the drive wheels and skinnier, taller non low profile tires. I had an old 3-cyl Saab with snows on the front and it was practically impossible to get it stuck unless you did something crazy like ram into a snow bank. VW beetles with skinny 15" snows in the back were similiar but not quite as good as front-drive because they had to push the front wheels thru the fresh snow if it wasn't already packed down. Also amazing in snow were the old GM X-body cars (Regals,Citations, etc.). They had a 65/35 weight bias with the cast iron V6 in the front and terrific traction in slippery conditions. For safe highway driving you really needed all 4 snow tires for braking and cornering on slippery roads.