Which vehicle would you take if you could only bring one vehicle, and have to leave (sell) the vehicle when you depart for good?

[GON]

Which vehicle would you take if you could only bring one vehicle, and have to leave (sell) the vehicle when you depart for good? This is a hypothetical scenario. Job relates to providing protection against potential adversaries that can now navigate the entire Arctic Ocean.

I am getting ready to retire (summer 2024) and start a new chapter in my career. Over the past few months I have been applying for jobs all over the continent. For most applications, I don’t make the cut for a interview. I have received conditional employment offers in Arizona and Arkansas.

Late last night I received a correspondence that I am one of three final candidates for a job in one of the harshest and remote locations on the continent. I am not sure if the employer provides a vehicle, and if so can the vehicle be used for personal use. If I bring a vehicle, it will have to be flown in, and likely left (sold) at the location when my employment ends. Too expensive to transport anything out of this remote location.

Maintenance/ repairs will have to be done by a local garage. I won’t have the ability to perform repairs myself- no garage, no tools, etc. The most popular vehicles in this area appear to be F series pickups, primarily 1999-2016 Super Dutys.

I have four prospect vehicles to choose from- all are 4wd

2002 F350 crew cab V10 gasser (155k miles) short bed

2005 Lexus GX 470 (140k miles)

2015 F350 V8 6.2L super cab (99k miles) long bed

2019 F350 Dually diesel (56k miles)

I have dropped the 2005 Lexus and the 2019 F350 from primary zone of consideration. Although the Lexus is super dependable, I don’t know that service/ parts will be available. The dually is super nice but not something that can easily be sold upon departure, and shipping cost to the location will be significantly higher than the other three vehicles.

So, in the primary zone are the 2002 F350 crew cab and the 2015 super cab. The pluses of the crew cab include large back seat if grandsons come to visit. 2002 would be easy to sell, and maintenance appears not to be an issue. The 2015 is newer and more fuel efficient, but no need for the longer bed and the back seat is significantly smaller than the 2002 crew cab.

Which would you select?

 

[ls1mike]

I am going with the 2015. I like a long bed and how often do you have people in the back seat?

 

[wag123]

The 2002 crew cab for it's larger cab, easy service/maintenance, easy resale (because it is what the locals buy and use), and potential profit.

 

[cb_13]

I’d take the 15. Good platform, not too old and plenty of parts availability. Maybe just toss a new steering stabilizer in the passenger floorboard before shipping it.

 

[JHZR2]

Which has the best logistics support?

 

[Leo99]

If people leave behind their vehicles in this remote location, maybe there are some for sale at the local used car lot?

Sounds like an exciting opportunity. Are you married? If so, is your wife onboard moving to such a remote locale? It's not for me at this stage in my life.

 

[Kira]

one of the harshest and remote locations on the continent.

What's more demanding; the task you need the vehicle for or the environment?
Is it such a remote and harsh location that parts support would be interrupted?
Is fuel trucked in? Double handled fuel has a higher likelihood of being contaminated....so bring fuel filters.
Is it such a remote and harsh environment that you revised your will? (just askin')

Forgive me for finding humor in considering resale value for a vehicle which is apparently going to be used inside an active volcano.
Ha-ha, bring your flame suit! (I'm so clever)

Wait a minute. If there are people there with money to buy your sloughed-off vehicle, it can't be that harsh.
Are there roads there?
Are cigarette machines illegal there yet? (by many measures, a civilizations' tipping point)

1) A harsh desert in the US or Mexico? 2) A far away place in darkest Canada? 3) On one of the Aleutian Islands?

 

[Egg_Head]

Which one has a block heater?

 

[fantastic]

2015 since it may be easier to start in the cold with spark plugs but the 2019 if you have access to a outlet plug. It would be hard for me to give up the 2019 though since you won't be working forever very long & might want to do some RVing in your retirement. A dual diesel is the top dog in the rv pulling world for safety & comfort. I'd really encourage you to keep the 2019 for an AFTER work, retirement, vehicle too.

 

[drtyler]

The money would have to overwhelming for a situation like that.

Since that's the case, you'll be able to buy whatever you want when your done there.

So my answer is take the car or truck you want to drive when you are up there. If its your "new" 2019, then go for it. Life is too short.

 

[nwjones18]

Assuming this place is cold I'd go with the older crew cab just because if would give you more room to keep stuff out of the weather and to potentially camp out incase you got stuck somewhere and had to wait for someone to come to the rescue.

 

[IndyIan]

First Arkansas, then Alaska! Do you like to snowmobile? Icefish? Hopefully they have a sport complex? I guy I knew worked in a small fly-in community and back then for winter hobbies, it was snowmobiling and ice fishing(and moderate drinking), or just drinking...
The next place he went up north was a dry community as he felt he was going to be an alcoholic otherwise...

 

[dishdude]

I only see one option here.

 

[k1xv]

You want what can be fixed, what your can get parts for, and what someone will want to buy when you leave. And which will start reliably in extreme cold weather.

No brainer. The 2015 gasser pick up truck.

 

[jeepman3071]

The Lexus, which is basically a Toyota Landcruiser and has plenty of aftermarket support across the globe.

 

[ecotourist]

You want what can be fixed, what your can get parts for, and what someone will want to buy when you leave. And which will start reliably in extreme cold weather.

With a block heater. In extreme cold weather (eg - 40) good luck getting anything started unless it has a block heater.

And take a really warm coat. I have an ancient Snow Goose parka (Canada Goose before a name change) that will keep you warm in any weather. I have it in semi-permanent storage because it never gets very cold here.

 

[FowVay]

This is great. I remember this exact scenario many years back. It was going to be a round-trip mission where the equipment had to be left behind because the resources didn't exist to get the equipment home. It was the most poorly designed little car I'd ever seen and even the umbrella that was installed to keep the rain off of the driver was placed in the wrong location - AND... it was upside down. I don't even think the speedometer was in front of the driver and I can practically guarantee they forgot to pack the 8-tracks.

 

[CheezWhiz]

I would sell them all and buy one of these:

 

[AZjeff]

Have you told Mrs. GON you're taking her to the end of the world?

What will you do with your trailer fleet while you're at the North Pole?

 

[PandaBear]

For me, the worst case scenario choice for all possible uncertainty would be a Corolla platform vehicle. Maybe a station wagon of that. I would have chosen a Prius if I can price a battery replacement at year 15. Something durable and good fuel economy since I don't know how much I'd drive.

Luxury car would be annoying to keep pristine when old. Had a few coworkers junking their perfectly drivable luxury car because the window mechanism broke and cost like 3-5k to fix, etc. If I must choose a luxury car probably a Lexus ES that's based off a Camry platform.