Here's something I've come across in the past year. Since I'm only 19 and being able to own two vehicles is very difficult, I was wondering what the most practical vehicle would be if you lived in a 4 season state/province. When I bought my 4wd truck I immediatly thought "perfect", but now that gas has gone thru the roof what is left now for practicality? I love trucks with a passion, especially lifted ones with big tires, but it almost seems like driving them would be too costly for me. You know something? I'm sure their are worse vehicles on gas. I'm sure most of you guys have two vehicles right?

How many of us have one truck that they drive everyday? I'm thinking about either selling my ford or you know not driving anywhere!!

But in your eyes what is the most practical vehicle for everyday driving and winter driving.....but and here's the but - providing you with good offroad capability?? See where I'm going with this? Does it all come down to Capability vs. Practicality? OR am I looking too much into this??

Please don't shoot me for thinking this up on my own...

 

Well - I love my Ex and probably will continue to drive is as a daily driver since it gets as good or better mileage than my wife's "small" car - she has a lincoln LS and gets about 20 mpg hiway.. (course she drives like she still has that 440 Chrysler Hemi she used to have )

Know this though, u will probably leave a lot of trade in money on the table to save a few dollars in gas ---which will take YEARS to "get back"...

but if you insist, NONE of the 4 jeeps I had ever left me offroad other than places NOBODY should have gone...

 

I think the most practical daily driver within a $3000 price range for someone without a lot of money would be a 80s Ranger with a 2.3/5 speed/4x4/manual hubs. Good on gas, can easily fit 31s and fairly decent off-road. Not much pick up, but, the 25 mpg is not too hard to take.

I pretty much drive my 1971 F-100 4x4 with 8 mpg anywhere I want. I just do not have a need to drive it much since it is used mostly for logging.

 

Honda Helix. Vroom Vroom!

 

I am on my 3rd year of my Ranger (see pic). It gets as much as 22-23 on the highway and has good power, and gets used as a truck fairly frequently. It is very capeably off road, and is great during hunitng season. It can pull dad's 18.5' inboard/outboard tri-hull, w/ V-8 no problem. The only thing I wish it had was the ext. cab, and of course more power, not that it's weak, but there's always room for more. Other than that, it is perfect for me. The only thing it has ever needed was a brake job that I knew about when I bought it at 89k, and that falls under routine maintainance and the 4x4 shift motor needed celaned out to keep 4wd working good. There are times I wish I had a F-150, but most of the time my Ranger is all I really need.

 

I drive my 92 4x4 every day. My catch is that I need a truck for construction to haul my tools, and most sites that I deal with do not have any roads to them yet.

Be carefull before you get rid of your truck or buy another vehicle just to save gas money. At your age, the insurance alone will cost a minimum $100 a month more for another vehicle, pending vehicle and driving record, and that is before you take into account the upfront cost of another vehicle.

If you want to drive your truck, drive it. Gas is still cheaper than in Europe.

 

your right. I was thinking that if I had to sell the truck that I would get a 1995 GMC Jimmy or Blazer. I like the jimmy's frontend better tho. Plus a 4.3 V6 is a great motor. I'd probably put 31's on her and call it a day. Maybe some other mods. So that's where I'm at maybe if gas get's too retarded for me to handle. What do you guys think? It's not a ford, but oh well? let me know.

 

anyone have a reply to getting a jimmy?

 

I was thinking the same thing. The wife tends to drive alot more than I so she got the Honda Civic but also does not like my big truck. We are thinking of getting one of those new Escape Hybrids and I will drive her Honda for daily commute.

Not sure about your insurance but my insurance gives multi car discounts. So when I had an F150, F250, and the Honda the insurance was only $132 more than just the F150 and Honda. You can put one vehicle as a leisure vehicle (less than 6k miles a year) helps cut costs alot.

 

i wouldnt buy the jimmy only cause its not a ford and also the 4.3 isnt that great of a motor the bronco is a much better truck and it comes with the 300 Inline 6 better motor
you wanted my opinion

most practial vehical is a f250/350 with the 7.3 powerstroke 4x4

 

> anyone have a reply to getting a jimmy

dont

 

Here it comes, from deep left field, the most bizarre nomination - the Ford Aerostar van. I've driven and owned all kinds of vehicles over the past 38 years and even to my own disbelief, I find the Aerostar to be absolutely the most versatile, let me emphasize that, VERSATILE, vehicle I've ever owned. This little mutt in the extended, 4WD version can do everything short of climbing a tree. The original intent was solely a kid-hauler. Then we discovered it could tow boats as well as all the camping gear with room left over. With the seats out, it easily swallows 8, 10 even 12 foot pieces of lumber - with the rear door closed! Got an overstuffed 8 foot couch you want to move? No problem. We currently own 6 differrent Fords ranging from an Escort GT to an Expedition and none of them can match the frumpy old Aerostar for versatility, room, mileage and overall enjoyment. When you need a limo to pick up family members and luggage at the airport, who gets the nod? Yep, the old Aerostar.

The crazy thing is, I didn't even want this vehicle in the first place - now, I can't stand the thought of getting rid of it. There is no comprable vehicle available right now. So, if versatility is what you are after - have an open mind and check one of these out.

 

For me it would be a H1 hummer, the get 20 hwy and 16-17 city they can tow haul offroad and you can take a date out in it. Imho its the only thing that is even close to being king along with my Ford 79 f250 snofighter.