Can I combine the wood hauler & car into 1 vehicle?

[GeeVee]

Infinity plus one one -keeping your money in your pocket.

Not many could make having a beach truck and a clean ride to work thats dependable pay off.

If you look at it like this: Wait one more year before you jump into downsizing to just two vehicles between ya.... the urge may pass. Especially if you don't have a bunch of repairs to the older two.

Anything I have that is servicable stays with me. When Its not servicable and isn't making good business sense, then I lay it down permanently.

you're not in that situation. You have not indicated its putting you in a bind to have a truck, your wife might be tempted to say so, but her grocery getter is the one with the payments, which is ok too. We always have one vehicle with a payment, one that has plenty of service life and aint costing in major repair, and a beach truck. We worked up to this cycle, and its works well.

OR-

WHAT are you going to do with a minivan or wannabe truck SUV thing when you have a wet dog? Can you move your sister and her refrigerator with a Jeep?

Being able to tow 3500 lbs? Not a compromise I'd tolerate.

 

[anymanusa]

A duramax powered 3/4ton will haul and get 20+ hwy with small tires, but expect Fo pay a pretty penny.

 

[Ductape]

I gotta say, my 97 F350 gets 20 - 21 mpg AND brings home the bacon.

That being said........ it doesn't exactly ride like an Accord on the highway.

Your two car plan is pretty good.

 

[mdavlee]

You could get a used diesel pickup. I've had 13 diesels with atleast one of each brand. Most of the duramaxes will get 20 ish on the highway. A cummins from 07 down with the 5.9 will get 18-20. A ford with a 7.3 will get about the same. You should be able to pick up a decent 94-03 ford for under $15k. You might luck out and find a duramax in that price range. There's lot's of dodge/cummins in that price range but the 98-02s have the vp pump that's sensitive to fuel pressure and will die and cost about $1300 to fix. Early duramax have injector problems and that will run about $2k. The 7.3 fords will need glow plugs, relays, and cam sensors.

 

[Fronty Owner]

I would go with a diesel. altho, your gonna be hard pressed to keep it under 18K and get anything reasonably decent.
If you can handle 20 mpg, consider a compact truck and a trailer. My round trip commute is atleast 50 miles, usually closer to 70 miles by the time I finish my day. realistically, in your situation. I would drive the truck to work one week a month. This will cut 350 miles/month off the car and only add about 25% more to your fuel bill.

 

[wdchuck]

Everbody and myself has missed an obvious and viable option......rent what you need.


A car will carry you, the saw, the fuel, the tools to go cut some trees and you can bring them home with a rented uhaul cargo van for cheap. When I say cheap, I am thinking of the oil changes, batteries, tires, registration, insurance, blah, blah, blah that you WON'T have to worry about. If you are getting your wood from a more private source then you can cut the rounds and get them in ' load ready ' situation for when you rent the hauling vehicle.

However, if you usually get your wood from ' available now to first come first take ' situations, then you need to keep what you have and just keep it going.

One other option if you really have to get down to one vehicle for some odd reason:
Go to a couple corner gin-mills and find some good ole boys that will trade a case of beer and gas money for hauling services, or maybe split the take 50/50 but pay cash for the gas money @ $1/loaded mile for each load stacked to the same height as the cab roof all the way back to the tailgate(make sure they have minimum a 3/4ton for this).
If you keep your truck, maybe you apply the above for 16' trailer usage and bring home 2-3 cords at a time using your truck as the tow vehicle and the owner rides shotgun so they can babysit their trailer. Buy them breakfast at the local truckstop beforehand and lunch on the way back to their home plus twelve pack and you will have what you need for cheap.

Anyways, just some ideas while crosswording on the da trone.

 

[Jredsjeep]

i have a 2003, 2x4, 5 speed, 3.0 liter Ford ranger that will consistently pull down 22-23mpg on the highway and with my 4x8 utility trailer haul (carefully) about a cord of wood. i can fit my family of 5 in there also with the two rear jump seats and 3 across the front. i am not a big fan of the jump seats for safety reasons and don't make a habit of it but i can if the wife's car is away or something.

i wish they came in 4 door configurations but i guess then it would be to close to a sport track, trouble with them is they cannot be had in stick shift (that i know of) so don't get the same mileage and have that TINY bed. my boss does have a 4 door Chevy S10 that i would think could be equivalent if you are not brand specific.

i have a pic of my truck loaded up will have to see if i can find it, edit found it, you can see my 94 F350 diesel in the background, that is my real wood gopher, and i only paid about $4,500 for my ranger.

 

[TXTreeSurgeon]

You don't need a truck and you don't need a diesel to tow 1/2 cord of green wood. I tow 2/3 cord green oak and a full cord seasoned oak with my 07' V6 Ford Escape (rated at 3500 lbs towing). I know, I know, that is pushing it... but if I can tow that much, then you could definitely tow less. I would recommend a new or used v6 Escape as long as if offers enough seating capacity for you. The 08 models moved to a 6-speed auto (from a 4-speed) and 240hp (from 200hp) and have rear disc brakes (from drum rear brakes). 08' and later models get 19/25mpg in FWD and 18/23mpg in 4WD. I wish I had 4WD... think hard about getting it.

I know from experience... 1/2 cord of green hardwood on a reasonably light trailer (3.5k or 5k rated single or preferably tandem axle) is totally reasonable with a V6 Ford Escape.

 

[TXTreeSurgeon]

I forgot to mention... a Ford Escape costs a lot less that most other options too.

 

[merlynr]

Will a honda hold accord of wood?

 

[fields_mj]

I would keep what you have. If you MUST change, here are a few options.

1. Older Dodge Sprinter Diesel (the one that was a rebadged european Merc.)

2. The old VW diesel truck (Rabbit I think).

3. A 93 or early 94 F350 crew cab w/ 7.3L IDI This one will probaly only get 16~18 mpg but will haul a full cord, and if you use a trailer you should be able to get a cord and a half. FWIW, if the 86 ever dies, this is what I would replace it with. An 86~early 94 F250 crew cab diesel. Only draw back is that with the diesel, you really do need to drive it at least once a week.

Just my 2 bits,
Mark

 

[cnice_37]

I have hard time arguing against those suggesting the status quo. I will offer a possible alternative, but my case may not be for everyone.

.....A late model mini van....

I appreciate the alternative thought, but I was able to convince my wife to go with the Subaru after she was deadset on the Minivan. I do need to have some fun driving my vehicle.

 

[loadthestove]

Myself like some others here have recommended would keep both vehicles.getting one vehicle for two purposes will be hard to do and if you are not careful you could end up with something that doesnt fit either intended purpose .

Luckily I'm blessed enough to be able to afford two trucks.I have a regular cab f150 4x4 as my daily driver and an f350 dually thats sole purpose is to pull our fifth wheel.

when I purchased the f350 my intentions was to sell the f150 to cut back on expenses but after a few days driving I discovered that the 350 was not a daily driver for me,with the 8ft bed and 4 door cab the truck needs a forty acre field to turn around and the dually rear tires makes it nearly impossible to get in a lot of drive thrus,,
My insurance company ( state farm) offers a break on rates if my mileage on the truck stays less than 5000 /yr .

 

[cnice_37]

Myself like some others here have recommended would keep both vehicles.getting one vehicle for two purposes will be hard to do and if you are not careful you could end up with something that doesnt fit either intended purpose .

Luckily I'm blessed enough to be able to afford two trucks.I have a regular cab f150 4x4 as my daily driver and an f350 dually thats sole purpose is to pull our fifth wheel.

when I purchased the f350 my intentions was to sell the f150 to cut back on expenses but after a few days driving I discovered that the 350 was not a daily driver for me,with the 8ft bed and 4 door cab the truck needs a forty acre field to turn around and the dually rear tires makes it nearly impossible to get in a lot of drive thrus,,
My insurance company ( state farm) offers a break on rates if my mileage on the truck stays less than 5000 /yr .

Yeah the F250 gets the low mileage discount. I'm only paying around $400/yr to insure it. It may qualify as an antique next year too (>25 yrs) so I think there may be another discount there, but who knows.

I do love the look of that year truck and as others have suggested, I'd probably regret the decision down the road.

Thanks to all who have chimed in. And Merry Christmas.

 

[fields_mj]

Yeah the F250 gets the low mileage discount. I'm only paying around $400/yr to insure it.

??? I think that I'm paying that on my '93 diesel, and it's my daily driver at 15K per year. Then again, I think I only have PLPD on it.

 

[cnice_37]

??? I think that I'm paying that on my '93 diesel, and it's my daily driver at 15K per year. Then again, I think I only have PLPD on it.

Welcome to Taxachusetts aka The People's Republic of Massachusetts !

I have only the minimum of coverage. It is what it is, and that's with multiple car discount and homeowner's under the same insurance co.

 

[branchbuzzer]

I appreciate the alternative thought, but I was able to convince my wife to go with the Subaru after she was deadset on the Minivan. I do need to have some fun driving my vehicle.

Now you just gotta push those minivans a bit more, then you'll have loads of fun. I like doing the ole Scandinavian Flick in mine, just not enough snow and dirt roads here to do it as often as I'd like.

 

[branchbuzzer]

I have your solution. The wonder vehicle. It Does It.....All!

Hauls 1/3 cord, but you can get way more on it if ya try.
Seats 5 or more with optional accessories shown below.
Gets 26 mpg hauling loads of red oak on twisty roads with mountain climbs. 30+ mpg unloaded.
Cost $500 + accessories, tax, title, etc. You save $17,500!


1988 Chevy S-10 2.5L 4cyl. Iron Duke, 5 speed.

Seating Accessories

:biggrinbounce2:

 

[bullittman281]

You guy's have forgotten the obvious. A 7.3L powerstroke excursion. ~20 MPG, plus you arrive in style and comfort. And it will haul a monster trailer. Or you could be less obnoxious and get an F250 with the 7.3.

Bullittman

 

[NHtech]

the answer is simple get a 96-98 dodge 2500 with the 12v and a hand shaker i get about 22 hwy but only 15 city so it probly depends on your commute weather it is hwy driving or city driving jmho