Pickup truck vs. car + trailer

[Ausfahrt]

I grew up with pickup trucks and love the utility that they offer. I bought a new 1988 Toyota pickup for $8800 and drove it 335,000 miles before I sold it for $2200 back in 1997. I replaced it with a 1994 F-150 extended cab with a 5.0 five speed MT.

But as gas prices rose I realized that driving a pickup truck with an empty bed while getting 15-17 mpg just didn't make much sense. So I sold my '94 F150 in 2004 and received my wife's 2002 Civic.

My wife and I have an agreement that I can buy new motorcycles but I have to drive her "hand me down" cars. Fine with me.

So I choose to drive her old and "my new" Civic to haul a trailer to Home Depot. It sure beats hauling an empty truck bed around at 17 mpg.

How are you guys dealing with $4 gas?

 

[Bryankkkk]

Is that an auto trans? If so RIP lol

I use my CRV to Haul during winter and truck in summer. Trucks gets up and goes when I need it to. Plus the truck has all the toys

 

[millerbl00]

I drive what I choose. Life's too short.

 

[wander2039]

Haven't had a truck in years. Use the Escape and a old chevy pickup bed trailer that was free. Escape without the trailer gets 24-25mpg on the highway and 20 in the city, beats the old F150 5.4L by 7mpg at least. Could get a lighter 4x8 trailer and pull it with the Focus but not worth the cost the amount we need a trailer.

 

[SLCraig]

I would be doing the same as you.
Makes no sense to drive a truck unless you absolutely need to.
I'm fine with hand me down cars too, as long as they're manual trans. haha

 

[Ausfahrt]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
I would be doing the same as you.
Makes no sense to drive a truck unless you absolutely need to.
I'm fine with hand me down cars too, as long as they're manual trans. haha


Yup. 5sp MT.

Don't get me wrong, I love pickups. They just don't make sense for me anymore.

 

[ClutchDisc]

I drive a 2001 S-10, 4cyl, manual trans, and get about 24-25 mpg city/hwy combined.

 

[eljefino]

I've got a harbor freight trailer that I paid $162 for and tow it behind a 22 year old volvo wagon.

I was even out cruising around in this rig after the blizzard of 13 with a snow blower on the trailer to do a friend's house when he was in Florida. Pfft, people say you "need" a 4wd pickup.

 

[tig1]

I have a 5'X 8' trailer with the fold down tail gate. I use it a lot and tow up to 1600lbs with my Focus. Works great as I to sold my 2000 Ranger because of gas prices.

 

[getnpsi]

I'm over trucks too. I'd consider a light or medium duty fullsize classic to restore, as it's cheaper for parts and when you are done it still has plenty of use. I like the 1969-1973 Ford F100, "uncle jesse's rig" from dukes of hazzard. Anything brand mid 1960's and earlier cleaned up and EFI converted would be fine by me.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I have the Cherokee that I don't drive much. 5000# towing capacity. When I get a house, I'm going to use the Cherokee to tow a trailer for all supplies.

Cheaper than buying another vehcile.

The Focus isn't rated to tow ... so I'm not sure how that would work liability wise. I would have no problem attaching a receive to the focus for small loads; especially if I didn't have to go too far.

 

[Coprolite]

I just went from an Infiniti coupe to F150 FX4. The long term plan is that the truck will become the third vehicle in the house. In the meantime, I am on a vehicle allowance and a pickup works well in that equation. Off (paved)road use is a possibility in my profession. Historically, I proved my family cars could do it but I did get strange looks from people.

 

[Bladecutter]

I've never owned a pickup truck, and have always installed receivers onto my cars. My '92 Buick Park Avenue Ultra did a whole lot of heavy hauling. Helped one family friend move from Brooklyn, NY to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada with a large U-Haul trailer on it many years ago.

My '07 Nissan Altima towed many a motorcycle between NYC and Denver, all while getting low 30's while towing.

I'm looking forward to installing a receiver on my new CX-5.

BC.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: bigdreama





How are you guys dealing with $4 gas?
where are you finding $4gas?

It's down to $4.25 here. I just swipe my card and fill up my 420 cuin engine or 4.0l jeep as needed

 

[jimbrewer]

I'm lucky. I have a short commute and drive between 7500 and 8000 miles per year. When we had a choice of living in town or out of town all those years ago we made the right choice.

Having a short commute and being a low mileage driver opens up all kinds of possiblities which wouldn't have been available had I lived out of town.

A few years ago before the bust, off-lease luxury cars were dirt cheap. So I drove one of those. I didn't have to worry so much about repairs or gas mileage either one.

More recently, I went ahead and bought a pickup truck. Used cars are now expensive. The relatively (its not so bad with the new generation Fords) bad mileage is pretty immaterial given my driving habits. Had I moved to the place out of town, I'd have little choice but to buy a Fiesta or some such vehicle.

My biggest expense is depreciation, which is at least $3,000 the first year. So that's what I focus on. Its a little different for others, but not that much.

 

[Cubey]

I towed light loads with a 91 corolla 4cyl with over 150k miles and it did ok. I didn't go over 50-55mph. I onced towed a heavier load and the car felt like it was straining a bit on the steeper hills.

I like the idea of 4cyl pickups though I've never owned one. I was tempted to get a ranger but then I hated how I'd be at the vehicle's towing limit for the 17ft travel trailer I had at the time so. I ended up getting a 4.6L V8 F150 and never moved the travel trailer an inch while I had the truck. I sold the truck and trailer and got a motorhome.

 

[Donald]

My Dodge Ram gets 25 MPG.

I could probably put your Civic and your trailer on my 12K GVW trailer and still get 25 MPG.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: bigdreama
So I choose to drive her old and "my new" Civic to haul a trailer to Home Depot. It sure beats hauling an empty truck bed around at 17 mpg.

If that were Saskatchewan, it would be an F-350 dually doing the pulling.

I literally have not seen a car pull a trailer of any sort, even as small as yours, for a number of years up here, and I do plenty of driving.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I sold my Dodge truck and replaced it with a very nice 5x8 utility trailer with a ramp on the back. I don't miss the truck a bit.

Both of our vehicles have OEM receiver hitches. I can hook the trailer to either one in a matter of seconds and go.

 

[Malo83]

Originally Posted By: millerbl00
I drive what I choose. Life's too short.

X2, still drive my 83 Silverado that I bought new, would never consider getting rid of it regardless of gas prices

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