Do you REALLY NEED 4×4?

[Graygoose2021]

Ive had 3 good 2WD trucks that sold, made good money on em , and one not for sale....yet

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[The_Auto_Tech]

Sure, and if you're going cross country take your plane. The OP indicated it was going to be his only and last vehicle. Perhaps I read it wrong...

I mean, some of you guys spent more on 1 single truck than I have in all 3 of those vehicles, plus I've owned the Flex since 2015 and the Raptor since 2019. Only the truck I just purchased do I owe anything on.

 

[Samson16]

I mean, some of you guys spent more on 1 single truck than I have in all 3 of those vehicles, plus I've owned the Flex since 2015 and the Raptor since 2019. Only the truck I just purchased do I owe anything on.

I may have been too sharp with my response to you. I’m remembering the downside to single cab ownership when a 93 Nissan hardbody was my only vehicle. I made do, but I was in my twenties. Heck, I could actually sleep standing up in those days lol.

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

I may have been too sharp with my response to you. I’m remembering the downside to single cab ownership when a 93 Nissan hardbody was my only vehicle. I made do, but I was in my twenties. Heck, I could actually sleep standing up in those days lol.

Completely understand, no hard feelings here! Trucks have come a very long ways since the 90's, hell, even the 2000's. I'm right there alongside you though, I daily drove an 86 RX-7 for 3 years in my early 20's. Horrible idea, but I did it because it's what I had. I am by no means rich now, I just learned to be smart with money early on and not put myself in bad financial situations, so now in my late 30's I do alright. I too remember the days where I could fall asleep anywhere... lol

 

[skohler]

I think the older I get, the less I need 4WD. There are still times I can get myself 100% stuck and I do need it, but I'm better at judging how to avoid it. Drive according to the environment.

 

[parkerdog]

Completely understand, no hard feelings here! Trucks have come a very long ways since the 90's, hell, even the 2000's. I'm right there alongside you though, I daily drove an 86 RX-7 for 3 years in my early 20's. Horrible idea, but I did it because it's what I had. I am by no means rich now, I just learned to be smart with money early on and not put myself in bad financial situations, so now in my late 30's I do alright. I too remember the days where I could fall asleep anywhere... lol

I have to laugh! If you could see My OLD FAT A%% these days in person you would not believe that I used to drive a 87 fiero gt back in the early to middle nineties. (wish I still had that car) Wife didn't like it so it was sold to an old guy at the time for his 16 year old daughter.

 

[PvtZoller]

4x4 for me is like the fire extinguisher in your kitchen, a firearm in the nightstand, or your spare tire.

364 days a year, maybe 3640 days a decade. You wont need it. Use it once and you are the genius who made the investment. 1 day of crummy weather or perhaps an unexpected detour away from it paying for itself.

I will note, I normally get a new truck every 5 years or so. 4x4 has near zero depreciation in my experience.

"Darn, nice truck - Wish it was 2WD though"
- No one ever.

 

[sbreech]

We had a funeral in WV 2 weekends ago, and getting to the family cemetery included a shallow creek crossing and a steep incline up a BIG hill behind the church (not a road - a tractor path) that I was thankful we had 4x4 in. Just to the left of the muddy tractor path was a steep hill (almost cliff dropoff) to the driver's side going up. I was about 1/4 of the way up, started sliding to the left a little, and exclaimed a big "NOPE," threw it in 4x4 and didn't have to get the family to another funeral a few days later.

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

I think the older I get, the less I need 4WD. There are still times I can get myself 100% stuck and I do need it, but I'm better at judging how to avoid it. Drive according to the environment.

This definitely makes a lot of sense. Driving according to the conditions/environment and being properly equipped to handle what you're doing goes a long ways. Yes, if you want to go off road in the shit and have a very good chance of getting stuck, make sure you have 4WD. Yes, if you NEED to be driving in deep snow or ice a lot, then AWD/4WD is your friend (with proper tires, summer tires and knobby M/T's aren't doing you favors). If you're just driving under "normal" circumstances, 4WD/AWD ain't necessary.

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

4x4 for me is like the fire extinguisher in your kitchen, a firearm in the nightstand, or your spare tire.

364 days a year, maybe 3640 days a decade. You wont need it. Use it once and you are the genius who made the investment. 1 day of crummy weather or perhaps an unexpected detour away from it paying for itself.

I will note, I normally get a new truck every 5 years or so. 4x4 has near zero depreciation in my experience.

"Darn, nice truck - Wish it was 2WD though"
- No one ever.

A fire extinguisher and a firearm serve a specific purpose, and can't really be replaced with alternative means. You're not going to sacrifice a fire extinguisher for a cup of water, and you're not going to sacrifice a firearm for a wooden stick. There's downsides to 4WD when it comes to application in a truck. There's not a downside to a fire extinguisher, or a firearm for self defense.

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

We had a funeral in WV 2 weekends ago, and getting to the family cemetery included a shallow creek crossing and a steep incline up a BIG hill behind the church (not a road - a tractor path) that I was thankful we had 4x4 in. Just to the left of the muddy tractor path was a steep hill (almost cliff dropoff) to the driver's side going up. I was about 1/4 of the way up, started sliding to the left a little, and exclaimed a big "NOPE," threw it in 4x4 and didn't have to get the family to another funeral a few days later.

In that situation I don't think any intelligent person would be driving a vehicle that wasn't equipped for it. That being said, it's about not putting yourself in a stupid situation either.

 

[Bossharp]

Many really need it..some like to have it. For me the difference in price ($5,005.00) was not worth it. I would rather have the mod's.

 

[nomarhits400]

Chili I had a 2006 SRT-10 Quad for 3 years after seeing one fly by me taking the kids to Disney world. The quad cab has only a auto transmission that I have to use (loss of use left arm) and it was a incredible ownership experience. Lay a 2' patch in 2nd no problem! Chirp going in 3rd? Yep. Mine was a Mineral grey with a hard factory tonneau cover (with wing lolol!) and I kept that truck until the very day the super premium factory warranty expired. Chris Mossberg of the shotgun family bought it and took it home to Maryland on a train..

Didn’t even remember these existed!:

 

[Bossharp]

nomarhits400 when the SRT-10 first came out it was a single cab only with a 6 speed manual. I looked into converted to a auto but it was just impossible. Then the Quad cab automatic came in 2005. That's what I seen flying by me. But I had just bought a new 2005 Quad cab 1/2 ton LONG BED 2 wheel drive with a painted to match topper to haul the Band and PA. They were and still are a incredibly fast performance truck. Very limited too. My only mistake was watching a video of a 2005 QC doing a burn out and the guy lose it and rollover.. I plan to make my 2024 single cab XL have the look of a SRT-10 with the hard tonneau cover wing and stance and eventually performance. With the 1998-2004 'Lighting' influencing me as much or more. I'm looking forward to this build!

 

[PvtZoller]

A fire extinguisher and a firearm serve a specific purpose, and can't really be replaced with alternative means. You're not going to sacrifice a fire extinguisher for a cup of water, and you're not going to sacrifice a firearm for a wooden stick. There's downsides to 4WD when it comes to application in a truck. There's not a downside to a fire extinguisher, or a firearm for self defense.

Besides expense - What is the downside on having 4x4 in contrast to a 2WD pickup for day to day use?

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