Daily driver or 2nd vehicle?

[MJE2083]

Ok fellas here is my situation. Since moving to a much more rural area recently, I find myself blessed with a new found abundance of outdoor activities. My current SUV(Ford Edge), while ok for most things, is just too much of an urban grocery-getter for my new lifestyle. So I have come to the conclusion that I would like a truck.

I'm having trouble deciding if I should trade in the SUV for a truck as my daily driver, or keep the SUV and buy a cheap used truck to have as a second vehicle?

The upside to my SUV is that it's fairly roomy, while still good on gas(close to 30MPG highway), and drives really smooth on the road. My wife and I enjoy taking long road trips 1-2 times a year and it's perfect for that. The downside of course to a 2nd vehicle is the extra insurance, maintenance, etc... I put a fair amount of miles on my vehicles yearly(probably 18k-20k miles). The MPG of a fullsized truck, for a daily driver, is a real turn off for me. Looking to get everyone's opinion on which way to go, thanks.

 

[idnative1948]

Do you really need a full-size truck? As in, will you be towing/hauling a lot? Possibly something in a mid-size, then?

 

[mtmuley]

I've never known a daily driver other than a full size 4x4 pickup so I can't relate to the mpg issue. Sounds like you need another vehicle more suited to off road activity, and keep the Edgde for daily and road trips. We have always been at least a two vehicle family, (4 now with kids driving). It's nice to have a rig for off the beaten path stuff. mtmuley

 

[LuketheDog]

Get a 4-door Tacoma and put a cap on the bed. It won't get the gas mileage of your Edge, but that will balance out with the money you'll save on repairs and resale with a Toyota.

 

[WapitiBob]

I hauled an Elk out in a VW Rabbit hatchback, you don't need a truck for hunting. If I didn't have a truck, I'd buy one of those 60 mpg hybrids for my hunting rig but, I drive 5+ hours one way to hunt.

 

[mtmuley]

A hybrid Bob? mtmuley

 

[MJE2083]

I guess I don't NEED a full sized truck, but I think if I went the route of a 2nd vehicle I might as well get a full sized. From what I have seen the midsized trucks are almost as expensive as a full size so why not go bigger? I always wanted a Tacoma but they're just so damn expensive and I've heard people are having a lot of problems with the newer models. It's not just for hunting, but also hauling firewood, yard work, kayak, and hauling my muddy/wet dog around. I'm not going to be doing any towing really, I do have dreams of owning a boat some day but it will just be something small.

 

[mtmuley]

I bought a GMC 3/4 ton 4x4 pickup that was an ex government rig. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles of some trucks, but I got it low mileage, and cheap. And it's not green. mtmuley

 

[JCW]

If it were me I would keep your daily driver get an older Toyota Tacoma/Tundra, find a good mechanic/maintenance guy for routine upkeep and have a fun time. My buddy did that and hasn't looked back.

 

[LCH]

I like a smaller vehicle for a local hunting rig, short wheelbase, easy to get into and out of tight spots. You can find good condition Rangers, S-10s, XJs, etc. for cheap these days.

Longer trips, I do like more room and usually take the SUV out west.

 

[WapitiBob]

A hybrid Bob? mtmuley

Whatever gets me the most mileage and has windows for the legs to stick out on the way home.

 

[Slam]

The Jeep 4 door wagons can be had for $5-$7K for one ~<100K miles and will serve you well.
Get the older 6 cylinder. I had one for years as company vehicle then became my hunting/waterfowl rig. Short wheelbase, pretty much bulletproof
4wd system and mine was reliable. I owned 2 Toyota trucks, a late 70's and late 80's 4wd. Pounded the snot out of them, and they pounded the snot out of me. Go anywhere, reliable, cool little rust buckets. Couldn't do much over 60 in a head wind and they never got better than 16 mpg.

 

[cedahm]

If it were me I would keep your daily driver get an older Toyota Tacoma/Tundra, find a good mechanic/maintenance guy for routine upkeep and have a fun time. My buddy did that and hasn't looked back.

I did this (bought an 03 Tundra in 2011 and gave my wife the Armada), found a great 4x4 shop, and haven’t looked back. With 33” Trail grapplers and off-road suspension upgrades and RHA bilsteins, I get 14-15 or so mpg. In the brief weeks before I kitted it out, it was more like 17-18.

(The check engine light came on in Steamboat the other day and I’m having a minor panic attack that I will need to ‘upgrade’. The old body Tundras are basically a Tacoma with a V8 and full bed.)

If MPG is a big concern that outweighs other things, I would look into a gently used F150 with the eco boost V6 - friends have been very pleased with those.

 

[10Dogs]

I lived what SLAM said.
I drove a '90 Jeep Cherokee with the 4.0 L / 190 horse straight six cylynder ( because it is what I had and could afford )
It may not answer what the OP asked as the assignment but here is my experience.
With factory Goodyear Wranglers 235 /75/15 this jeep took me to work and back through a 30" snow storm in 1996.
Before buying the receiver rack, it carried dozens of whitetails in the fold down cargo area.
The rack sure did make it easier to drag deer up and onto the rack and was much cleaner.
This served me and eventually my hunting buddy well above 275K miles.
Later we got a 2001 Grand Cherokee which is still going at 210K miles.

All that said....if you go with a full size truck....my 97' F-150 has gone everywhere and through everything.
After 255K miles...the deer still like to ride in my old truck every year.
For whitetails it is tough to pull them up into the bed in 1 piece, bigger rack bucks make it easier to hold onto for pulling.
Bigger animals you would probably break down anyway.

Fpr any of the Jeep products I personally look for a 4.0 / 190 HP straight six built before 2002 in the Grand Cherokee.
Or any Wrangler up to 2006 / the 2004-2006 Unlimited are a couple feet longer which (could) allow me to take back seat out.

Sorry....I rambled on

 

[MT_Chad]

Get a second vehicle, if for no other reason don't take the huge hit on depreciation. I have a 20 mile round trip commute every day, so I parked my old pickup and have a cheap car to drive to work. Since then I've only put 10,000 miles on my truck in the last 3 years, almost all hunting and fishing. Insurance on a low mile rig is cheap and here in Montana, older than 10 years and you can do permanent registration.
As far as the rig, I'm partial to 88-98 gm pickups with a 350 and a manual, I have friends with over 350,000 miles on pickups like this. Also those 98-02 f-150s with the triton were very good. Tacomas are good but crazy what people want for them. First gen tundras, worst pickup i ever had..... My one ton gets better milage than that thing did, never got over 16 on the highway, usually 14-15.

 

[MJE2083]

Thanks everyone. I'm sort of leaning the route of getting a cheap used truck for my hunting/yardwork needs. My Father was lucky enough to have a company car for his personal and business use while I was growing up, so he bought a brand new Dodge Ram in '87 and ran it for 30 years. For the first 15 years or so, that truck only left the garage for trips to hunting camp(4-6 times per year) hahaha however he did end up putting quite a bit of money into it over the years.

 

[AKal]

I too have a second rig, I drive almost 120 miles a day for my commute so have a nice riding car for a daily. I have a 3/4 ton diesel but is a little new for my liking as a hunting rig and a little long. I have always had a shorter wheel base older truck that I could get dirty add a few dings and scratches on and park out of sight when not in use. It makes hunting a tad more enjoyable when you do not have to worry about your "precious" vehicle getting bloody, scratched, or muddy. I just put liability on my hunting rigs and am currently in the market for a s10 or blazer for a hunting rig and retiring the 3/4 ton to a tow pig.

 

[bobbydean]

My nephew has a similar dilemma. He rides a Harley to work (100 miles) and will use his hunting vehicle (2500 Dodge diesel in manual transmission for hunting. My niece will drive her diesel car as needed. She can do most of her work from home.

He invested in the best hunting vehicle he could find and a cheap alternative for work.

I think he has 12 years and 300,000 plus miles on the Dodge. He hunts a lot.

 

[targetpanic]

I drive 110 miles roundtrip to work daily...with a 2015 GMC Sierra 5.3 4X4 Extended cab. Have been driving a full sixe pickup for this commute since 2003 and won't have it any other way with all the traffic and crazy people not paying attention...at least I get to see whats up ahead a little bit!