Possibly downgrading my firewood hauler...

[ReggieT]

Hey guys,
A lot of thing have changed for me in the past 6 months, and I'm looking closely at possibly selling my full size 03 Tundra Access Cab V8 with 169K.
At best I cut 4-5 cords a year...so its not a truck needed for survival or work related.
I've got several good offers...I can get about 35% more than I paid for it from a friend of mine.

I'm looking at taking some of cash and buying a smaller truck ext- cab...perhaps a Ford Ranger, GMC Sonoma or maybe a Tacoma Pre-Runner with higher miles. Might just buy a decent utility trailer for extra hauling as-needed.

Funny, thing even though this truck really sucks down the gas...I've really grown kinda attached to the power, comfort and safety of it...almost getting the @#$ blues before I sell it!!! lol
Have any of you guy downgraded in trucks before...is the fuel/insurance savings worth it...did you REGRET it?
As small trucks go...What would you studs recommend or AVOID?


Thanks,
Reg

 

[HD2010]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you will regret downsizing later.

 

[steved]

After owning a 2500 for the past 20 years, there is no way I could drop to even a 1500; let alone a mini-truck.

 

[zogger]

Are you using it as a commuter vehicle as well?

If so, keep the truck, get a cheapo beater car to ride to work. the yota will last hundreds of thousands of miles with some care, and you know what sort of shape it is in.

With that said, I can only think about owning anything made in the 21st century. I drive stuff that is sold as scrap and gradually work on them. cheap, My insurance is ALWAYS higher than my fuel bill monthly.

I am one of those guys that would leap at the option of insurance by the mile. I maybe drive 1500-2000 miles a year with different trucks added up.

 

[blades]

The latest crop of 1/2 tons are pretty good hauling wise- but that's not where you are going. I can relate to the fuel usage, but I would really think long and hard about a 1/2 size pickup. The physical size isn't the only thing downsized on those if you get my drift. Plus in the long run maintaining the 1/4 size unit might just cost more that the savings expected on fuel. If the tundra is paid off keep it, get a beater to go back and forth with. If part of your reason is to get out from under a loan that's a whole different game. Here in WI its hard to keep anything much over 10-15 years as the salt on the roads in winter eats your ride out from under you.

 

[blades]

Zogger , ya beat to the send button.

 

[zogger]

Zogger , ya beat to the send button.

Ha! Already thought of an edit to my post.

My little ratsun truck from the 80s is still chugging along, and being diesel, gets 30-40 MPG. It obviously will not haul tons of wood,. It would carry some, and tow more. I have never towed a trailer with mine, BUT, dude up the street has a comparable era and model (720) gasser version, and I have seen that truck pulling a stock trailer with the guys horse in it. You can still find these trucks cheap, the toyotas of that era go for more and are even stouter, and then there are the others like mitsubishi and isuzu. some of them must have half a million miles on them, no salt down here. Little trucks are still fairly common and a nice money saver when you don't need a full size truck and can get by with something lesser once in awhile.

Ya, I know guys with cummins diesels and lebenty seven whatever speed trans in them can routinely get over 20 MPG but egads old beat on and with a lot of miles on them they are still big folding money to purchase used and then something goes wrong with them and it is even more serious folding money. These old little jap trucks are a penny pinchers ride when you just need occasional use of a truck.

My boss can afford any dang pickup sold, and rides around in a ranger, because it gets the job done. He needs a bigger truck, he can grab a 250 or the 450 or larger. For day to day jazz, just the ranger is working for him, big enough to haul some stuff, good enough mileage it isn't stupid to ride around in when you aren't doing serious heavy truck work.

It's all compromises, your wallet/needs and what trucks go for in your area.

 

[ReggieT]

Hmm...really good wisdom & feedback. I've been having those same thoughts myself. It's nice enough to take on road trips...and I was blessed top buy it outright about a year ago for cash.
Put a new timing belt kit, step bars, bug guard and draw tight hitch...and she runs like a dream.

Never has let me down...

Wife loves it more than me...so that may be a partial obstacle/issue. lol
I've got 2 other cars to dash around in...guess I'm just getting cheaper in my old age...use to to throw money around like it grew on tree's...not anymore!

 

[GeeVee]

As small trucks go...What would you studs recommend or AVOID?

I'd recommend not having remorse with a small truck and avoid downsizing, If you only have one truck it ought to be full size.

 

[Rudedog]

As small trucks go...What would you studs recommend or AVOID?

I'd recommend not having remorse with a small truck and avoid downsizing, If you only have one truck it ought to be full size.

Not to mention the added expense of re-registering a vehicle and paying the DMV any associated taxes and fees. I have never bought a used car that didn't have some sort of hidden problem. You know what you have and this change will not make any Earth shattering changes so why do it.

 

[Rudedog]

Not to mention the added expense of re-registering a vehicle and paying the DMV any associated taxes and fees. I have never bought a used car that didn't have some sort of hidden problem. You know what you have and this change will not make any Earth shattering positive difference so why do it.

 

[sunfish]

I went from a 1985 F250 to a 1980 F150 to a 1994 Toyota. All 4wd. I cut on my own property and never haul wood on the road. The small Toyota is unbelievable in the woods! That said I have a slightly newer larger truck for hwy use. If I were you I'd keep the Tundra...

 

[dancan]

With the current little trucks out there ........ Stick with what you have is what I'm thinking because you're not going to save much if any gas with a lesser truck .
I had a customer get rid of his older SR5 for a nice new Ranger 4 years ago , if you want , I can introduce you to a man that's been kicking his azz every day for the last 4 years .

 

[zogger]

I went from a 1985 F250 to a 1980 F150 to a 1994 Toyota. All 4wd. I cut on my own property and never haul wood on the road. The small Toyota is unbelievable in the woods! That said I have a slightly newer larger truck for hwy use. If I were you I'd keep the Tundra...

You look in the news (wars and whatnot, going back years and years) or various documentaries, where folks really need to haul stuff and the roads suck or are non existent..you see toyotas. Ya, you'll see everything else, but it is like ten to one.. Got to be a reason for that. I don't have one but have yet to meet anyone who had much bad to say about theirs. Top gear, trying to kill the hilux episode is a classic.

 

[Rudedog]

Top gear, trying to kill the hilux episode is a classic.

They, along with Mercedes, have an excellent parts distribution set up worldwide.

 

[sunfish]

You look in the news (wars and whatnot, going back years and years) or various documentaries, where folks really need to haul stuff and the roads suck or are non existent..you see toyotas. Ya, you'll see everything else, but it is like ten to one.. Got to be a reason for that. I don't have one but have yet to meet anyone who had much bad to say about theirs. Top gear, trying to kill the hilux episode is a classic.

Yep have noticed that Zog.

Bought this Toyota from a friend 8 years ago with 250,000 mile on it. Has right at 300,000 on it now, still has org clutch. Actually only stuff it's had done have been front brakes, shocks, tires, exhaust, starter & timing belt as a preventive.

 

[Toddppm]

Smaller Toyota sounds ideal and get good gas mileage but they go for big money used until they get over 200K or more. I've heard the S-10's were not good on gas and the Ranger I had wasn't all that great. The yota would be the way I'd go , like said above you could tow more than you can haul in it.

 

[zogger]

Awesomeness

 

[sunfish]

Top gear, trying to kill the hilux episode is a classic.

I saw that. Classic is right!

Hell, there are a few yotas around here that teenagers couldn't kill.

 

[RyanTowry_81]

only way to get really good milage in a truck is to go 2wd on the mini trucks.

I have owned a 93 ranger 4x4, 96 tacoma 4x4, 84 toyota 4x4, 86 2wd toyota, 96 chevy 1500 4x4, 2000 chevy 2500 gas 4x4, 2003 chevy 3500 diesel 4x4, and of all the 4wd trucks the diesel gets the best mileage despite being by far the biggest truck (crew cab long bed). i currently use the 2wd as the commuter and the diesel as the tow/haul rig, mainly because the 2wd gets 27-30mpg and it was free from my dad.

personally if you are looking to have one truck for a daily driver and a hauling truck i would not step down to a midsize as the mileage gain will be very minimal if any and not worth loosing the carrying/towing capacity