2wd versus 4wd

[DPKetchum]

Been in the 8 mile walk and 6 hours in the middle of the night deal with pavement 6 FEET AWAY with a UHHAPPY LADY(NOT wife which I think was worse),two TIRED HORSES and one WORN OUT DOG over not having 4x4! WOW!!! That brings back some OLD memories. Dog and one horse now passed away,lady friend married another old fart and I married a MORE understanding women. CHEZZ I DID see the OLD truck a few days ago. Sold it in a town MANY miles away and by jimmy it was at a intersection to my right . 1990 DARK RED D350 SRW had wheel barrows,shovels etc in the bed. Same wheels,dented tailgate(forgot to let down after gooesneck lifted,OPPS) lots of OLD memories. PLUS being STUCK A LOT Oo.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

tow truck costs $200 tops... everybody says "if you use 4wd ONCE, it pays for itself... you'll pay much more than that in wear/tear, fuel consumption, etc.



unless you NEED 4wd and use it often, go with the 2wd... the 4wd front ends don't seem to hold together that well



do what you want, but I'd push you towards a 2wd...

 

[BGott]

I was thinking about the extra maintainance and fuel used by a 4WD over my 2WD when I made my trade. I was thinking how I hardly ever got stuck, well, except for the time at the beach when I had to pay a kid with a Cavalier $20 to pull me out, then there was the time my roomie backed it into a ditch with both back tires hanging, the time or two I had to turn around on one of the narrow streets around here and backed a tire onto wet grass and had to pay kids to push me onto the pavement. Had a trailer on the back to haul the stuff out of my mom's house and got caught in the backyard by a turd floater and got lucky and flagged a guy down that had 4WD that pulled me out. Then I remembered the time a month ago that I backed into the driveway at one of my rent houses and missed the culvert with one tire. Then I thought about all the times I've wanted to be somewhere and had to take the long way or park and slog through the mud. Now I have 4WD and have used it a time or two and I love it! I just have to remember that 4WD means that you can get deeper into the mess before you get stuck.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

good call! that seems to be a motto here in TX... "4wd gets you into more trouble than it'll get you out of!"

 

[JasonBrown]

As for resale here in IL you can't give away a 2wd truck. Good luck finding one on the lot. They just don't sell here. I love my 4wd. I will be adding the locking hub option at some point however.

 

[steved]

If I didn't have 4wd, I wouldn't get to work... and would be "let go" if that happened... for those of you with the lame excuse "it's snowing, I can't make it" and therefore stay home... grrrrrrr... . Lame excuse.



Once 4wd saves your butt (or a family member's) in an emergency ONE TIME, you will see it's value... the ain't going to happen with the "it's snowing, I'll stay home" attitude...



I won't own a 2wd... you rarely need it in the summer, but I have driven in 4wd for 600 miles in a single stretch because "it's snowing, I can't drive" couldn't apply...



And as far as the value... the towing bill might not equal the cost of 4wd, but sitting for hours waiting for one to show (burning daylight) adds up quick.



steved

 

[Nate]

Haha.



My Dad works 50 miles from home. A few times it's snowed 2-3 feet (not uncommon in northern Maine) and he was at work on time. Guys that lived just a few miles from the mill called in that they couldn't come in.

Normally he'd drive a 2wd Ford Ranger (cheap on fuel), but if it was real bad, he'd take my Mom's 4x4 F150 and my Mom would take my Blazer. And I would walk to school (3 miles).



I also think the 2wd trucks are stupid low. The front end is scraping the ground and the back is sky high.

If I didn't have 4wd, I wouldn't get to work... and would be "let go" if that happened... for those of you with the lame excuse "it's snowing, I can't make it" and therefore stay home... grrrrrrr... . Lame excuse.

steved

 

[KennethS]

If I was off the road them I would have a 4 by 4. They are great if you need it.

But I an retired and when the weather gets bad I stay indoors and the truck sits in the garage. I don't need a 4 by4. I am short and work out of the bed so the 2 wheel drive suits me. I guess it what makes you happy. Some fellows has to have it to go to work so its a must. Wife says I don't need a truck because its sits in the garage most of the time. Maybe she right?

 

[klenger]

I guess this whole thread just goes to show why 4WD is an "option".

 

[ZHutton]

If I ever say 4x4 pays for itself the first time you get stuck in 2wd I do not mean it in a dollar way.



I mean it in a time way because I don't have a cell phone and don't have to go hunt down a phone and wait on a tow truck driver.



I am also the goofball everyone knows that they call when they get stuck or break down in a major way.



When I had a cell phone I quickly realized it sucked not having any goofballs equal to me that I could call for help.



Now that I belong to this site I fit in a bit better. :-laf

 

[Forrest Nearing]

you've got a $30k truck and don't have a cell phone

 

[RBollengier]

I have to admit I bought 4wd because I liked it. ALL of my vehicles have it, and the Jeeps go off-road as much as on road. Maybe I will have to fetch one out of a tight spot some time. Well maybe if it's a tight spot for a Jeep the truck wouldn't have a chance. But I do like my 4wd truck and that's all the justifying I needed. All of my other trucks were 2wd and I never NEEDED 4wd once, I just wanted it in all of them but but didn't want to spend the $$$.

 

[BeauP]

I have to admit I bought 4wd because I liked it. ALL of my vehicles have it, and the Jeeps go off-road as much as on road. Maybe I will have to fetch one out of a tight spot some time. Well maybe if it's a tight spot for a Jeep the truck wouldn't have a chance. But I do like my 4wd truck and that's all the justifying I needed. All of my other trucks were 2wd and I never NEEDED 4wd once, I just wanted it in all of them but but didn't want to spend the $$$.

I totally agree come on it's a 4wd! Do you need a good reason. Even if you don't ever use you could act like you do

 

[MFalkinham]

I also think the 2wd trucks are stupid low. The front end is scraping the ground and the back is sky high.

To someone with a 2" lift and 35's I suppose it seems that way. To me your truck is "stupid high".

 

[Nate]

Actually I bought the truck like that. It's just a leveling kit.

 

[DavidBurt]

My thought on 2wd vrs. 4wd is that the 2wd trucks ride better and handle better (less sway more stability). On the other hand if you need it, you need it. If I didn't have 4wd I would be stuck once a week, not to mention winter time. Drive both and see what you like best, and ask yourself how much will I use it? If you get 2wd your trade in won't be as high as a 4wd but then again you didn't pay as much for it in the first place.

Dave

 

[Jeremiah]

2WD v. 4WD

Someone said once the only difference in 2WD and 4WD is 20 feet, meaning you can get yourself 20 feet further down the road using 4WD. There's some truth in that, but as someone else observed, I couldn't get out of my driveway or up the hills in my subdivision in the winter without 4WD. If someone wants to stay home when it snows, that's fine, but I like getting out and going places. Living on a Colorado mountainside, I wouldn't have a 2WD vehicle of any kind. It takes the white knuckles out of driving. But if I lived elsewhere, I might consider 2WD.

 

[KennethS]

Never needed a 4 wheel drive

There are OK if you need one and never had a cell phone. Don't talk on the phone any more then I half to. Wife had one but I throw it over the hill.

 

[Bob4x4]

tow truck costs $200 tops... everybody says "if you use 4wd ONCE, it pays for itself... you'll pay much more than that in wear/tear, fuel consumption, etc.



unless you NEED 4wd and use it often, go with the 2wd... the 4wd front ends don't seem to hold together that well



do what you want, but I'd push you towards a 2wd...

Where I go a tow truck wouldn't even attempt to drive out to laugh at my stuck for $200 :-laf



Bob

 

[CRuth]

Yeah, had that happen before. And I can count only one time when I was stuck and had cell phone coverage.