I am a Florida boy, born and raised so needless to say i've never driven in the snow and i've barley even seen it. I may be moving to Boston in the next few months and it just so happens it's also time for a new truck, my '94 is on its last leg and it won't come close to passing an emissions test. Anyway it's time for the new generation F150, i've been eyeing these trucks since they came out and i'm looking to get one before I move.

I'm looking to get something newer, probably 06-08 Lariat fully loaded crew cab. The problem is I live in FL and it's much easier to find a really nice low milage 2WD down here than a 4WD. Generally all the 4WD models I come across either have a lot more miles or are much more expensive.

I want to hear from people who have experiance driving up north where it actually snows (apparently a lot like in Boston) My question is do I really need the 4WD for the winters up north? Will I regret not getting it or is the 2WD a capable truck in the snow?

Also for anyone who lives in the Boston area, can I drive a truck that size up there without going crazy in all the traffic?

 

If u buy a 2wd and live in snow country, you will kick your self in the azz every time it snows, guaranteed. It may be a little more money now to get the 4wd, but it will cost alot more to buy another truck with 4wd in 6 months.

 

x2

you can make a 2wd work somewhat...and some people swear a 2wd can do anything. but hell, I've gotten stuck in my driveway before with 4x4 during a snowstorm of about 6-8"


tires make a big difference as well. but if at all possible, grab a 4x4. that little bit of extra traction makes a huge difference

 

Sometimes, Less is More....

By that I mean, sometimes things go counter-intuitive, (especially in colder temps, IME) and a seemingly-lesser equipped truck will surprise you, and possibly even best the other.

I've had various 2x4 vehicles, including two Japanese AWD cars, and three F-150's and one F-250, over 20 years. All of those RWD vehicles had aggressive, REAL snowtires (the kind with self-cleaning lugs?)...and they were STUDDED. Studs make a huge difference, on a suitably-aggressive, REAL winter tire. For example, my studdLESS F-250 could get stranded on ice or packed, frozen snow, very easily (addmittedly only in 2x4 drive), compared to the 2x4 F-150 with studded snows. And they don't make much noise at all, just on the rears.

Oh! WARNING: Experts advise never to drive street vehicles with studded tires on ONLY TWO WHEELS. Studs must be used on all four wheels. My experience is largely with studs on the rears, only (and this is frowned on) but I also used them on FWD Audis, both on just the front (driving) wheels, and on all four wheels. With no complaints and vastly superior traction, under most conditions, including ice/black ice/hard pack. Studs on all fours were superior, but even just studding the driving wheels makes a huge increase in traction, over the studless tires, even regardless of tread design.

Do your own research, but I feel kind of naked at times, with the F-250 4x4 with NO STUDS! The "!" is for when we stood, on a cold, dark, windy night, staring down my best friend's icy, winding driveway, made steep and sweepingly-dramatic, like a mini-mountain road. Now, when I drove the STUDDED F-150 2x4, I had the reassuring knowledge that I was going to be communicating quite handily with at least one pair of wheels, down the icy, mountain descent. But in the big, bad, studLESS F-250, I was biting my nails a might. It all worked out fine, but it will make a drinking man count his beverages up, as he desperately attempts a dramatic, albeit it slo-mo, unscheduled, four wheel drift, and the soft susseration of the studdless tires will seem almost inaudible to him (or her!) as s/he careens gayly down the "S" bend, by the 20' ravine on one side. (I only went over it once-once was enough.)

Whew! Where was I? I was saying folks would do well to consider getting heavy-treaded, studded, WINTER tires (nothing that says "All Season" on it). That would apply to both 2x4's and 4x4's, IMO. (The 4x4's will HAVE to stud all four tires, to prevent unnecessary driveline windup.)

Big Six

 

A 4x4 will cost more up front, but once you have it, the resell value of the truck will be more next time to trade. I other words, you'll be paying for the 4x4 one time, after that you will have an increased trade in value.

 

I am from Boston and of course you can drive a full size truck around here. Traffic can suck around here but it sucks in a lot of areas.

You will struggle sometimes in the snow with a 2wd. I would recomend the 4wd. There are plenty of them around here for sale. Since you are looking at a late model truck the rust will not be an issue.

How come you are switching to the fullsize? did you not lie the rangers? Do you need a bigger truck?

I look on CL a lot tell me what you are looking for and what you want to spend and I can keep an eye out for you and see what they are going for around here.

 

at the risk of turning this into an argumentative thread about how to buy a vehicle. after looking at the above post anytime you are looking for a specific vehicle it becomes more challenging. I never recommend buying a used vehicle form a dealer, however if you want a specific one sometimes that might be they only way. have you considered buying a new one, How much did you want to spend. yesterday on CL there was a 2009 xlt rnager 4x4 auto loaded with 20k for 16.5k. it is for sale by the original owner. that truck new is about 23/24k.....

 

yes! go 4x4. i would never consider a 2wd. i run double studded snow tires on my 4x4 and she stays locked in 4x4 from october to april. i know boston uses salt which we dont so the roads will be more wet then the ice we deal with.

bottom line, go w/the 4x4 you'll thank yourself later.

 

I've lived in Michigan for my whole life and have driven everything from English sports cars to musclecars to an FJ40 Toyota Land Crusher though winters over the last 40 years.

Of course you can survive snowy winters with 2WD if you know how to drive in snow; good tires help a bunch. Front wheel drive cars do much better than rear wheel drive cars. 2WD pickups can be light in the rear, but with good snow tires and some weight in the bed, you can do OK. I have had big vans for the last 24 years, and have an Eaton posi in my E150...I can get thru just about anything on the roads with it. If you want to go offroad in snow, or need to traverse many miles of unplowed roads, then 4WD is something you need. If you drive in the city and suburbs, most streets get very passable pretty quickly. (Plus if you have 4WD, your boss will expect you to be at work when other people take snow days )

Think of all the fleets that operate thousands of 2WD pickups and vans through all weather conditions. In Michigan or in Boston, I would imagine that 4WD vehicles make up only 10-20% of the vehicles in use, and everyone else survives, including little old ladies driving whatever they drive.

4WD will also use more gas, and there is more stuff to break, so the initial cost is not the only thing to consider.

Good luck,
George

ps--some afterthoughts. I have been to Boston, and if you are living or working downtown or in a congested part of the city where you will need to park on the street or in parking structures, a big pickup is NOT what you want. Do you carry stuff in your pickup bed all the time? I have heard it said that Subarus are the official car of New England...arguably the full time AWD coupled with a smaller vehicle makes much more sense for a city vehicle. In the Ford lineup, something like an AWD Escape would work great, or if you need a pickup, I still like the smaller size of the Ranger when I envision congested city conditions.

 

I agree. After living in the mountains of northern Arizona, I would definitely want a 4wd. I did manage with my 2wd, but it was extremely challenging at times. Sure, I did have weight in the bed, good tires, and a set of chains for the tough situations, but needless to say it was not very easy. There are plenty of times where 4wd would have been much more suited to the climate that I lived in. The snow was not the hardest part of driving, but it was the ice that posed the most problems.

If you can find a 4wd and it is in your price range, I would say get it. Otherwise I would suggest that you learn the capabilities of your truck in a vacant parking lot after the first snow. Overconfidence is what gets people in trouble.

I hope that this has been helpful.

 

Mabye it's because I've lived in Canada all my life and am used to alot of snow, but I don't think you NEED a 4x4. I drove 2002 4x2 through 5 winters (4 of those with an open differential) and rarely had a problem. Last june I bought my current truck (2004 FX4) and thought winter would be that much easier now, but the truth is nearly the whole winter I had it in 4x2 and can only remember once this past winter where I felt like I needed a 4x4 to get around. Granted when I wanted to go have fun in the snow a 4x4 made it more possible, but if your not going to go play in the white stuff I would say you don't need it. In fact with the additional gas costs and these trucks known for actuator problems (I've already replaced 1 in less than a year of ownership) I'd think twice about it. My brother also has a 1999 F150 4x2 with an open diff (1 wheel drive baby) and snow tires and he does quite well in the snow.

 

I am going to gets some negative feedback on this comment but if I was looking fo ra crewcab I would serously consider the...gulp.....Tacoma!

 

get the 4x4. I drove a 4x2 F150 for 11 years when I lived on Long Island. I "got by" in the winter by putting four 50 pound bags of sand in the bed by the rear wheels for extra traction, and having aggressive tires. Sometimes it sucked.

When we moved to CT 6 years ago, it was time for a new truck anyway, I got an 04 FX4. Have been through many New England blizzards since then, never ever an issue, just click on the 4x4 button and I have no problem. We live on a hill and it would be a nightmare with a rear wheel drive truck.

You may be better off getting a Ford ranger or an Escape (my wife has had two, a 4x4 2003, and we just got a new 2010 Limited 4x4 in march) both will serve you well with parking in the Boston area which can be tight. An F150 may be tough, unless your employer has a garage, then you shouldn't have an issue.

Bottom line, get a 4x4 for up here. You will survive with a 4x2, but why worry about it when for a little more, and the click of a button you're good to go.

 

I posted earlier about driving a large truck around here and I said it is not an issue. I saw another post that made me think of something. f you are moving to City of Boston it might be a pain to have a large truck like that if you are moving to the suburbs it is no different then many other parts of the country.

 

you can make either one work. however my wife and kids dont get nearly as nervous riding in the big 4x4 verses my old 2x4. trips in the winter are much more calm. but be forewarned that parking in the city will get tricky, these 4x4 are right at the height limit for parking garages. I have been turned away from a few garages. but if you live there you will find your spot to park