My pickup is rated at 2 tons cargo and 5 tons towing. The ride really doesn't smooth out until I have about a ton in it.
One all purpose vehicle
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EbS-P
Minister of Fire
For many years 4 speed automatics were common like that in my Chevy truck. My first car just had 2, the Powerglide transmission. No overdrive and first gear not low at all.
Yes transmissions with lots of gears are great in many ways. But many are having durability issues. I am sure they will get it worked out but I don't want to be a guinea pig lol.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
OP: You seem to be working under the assumption that keeping the Silverado is more of a financial burden than downsizing to a "compromise" vehicle, but I'm wondering if you've actually run the numbers on this. Having more vehicles than drivers really shouldn't affect your insurance much, and the extra registration and (assumed) annual inspection is a drop in the bucket, when compared to the inconvenience and cost associated with buying a vehicle that's not ideal for your other purposes. The only real financial argument that could be made for your plan seems to be the risk of a major repair on the old vehicle.
PS - If your insurance co is hitting you for a third vehicle with only two drivers, you really need to give them a call. Any vehicles I've ever owned beyond the number of drivers on the policy are usually a very small fraction of the cost of the "primary" vehicles. If you can keep the auxiliary vehicle mileage below their "low mileage" thresholds, you get an even bigger discount.
PS - If your insurance co is hitting you for a third vehicle with only two drivers, you really need to give them a call. Any vehicles I've ever owned beyond the number of drivers on the policy are usually a very small fraction of the cost of the "primary" vehicles. If you can keep the auxiliary vehicle mileage below their "low mileage" thresholds, you get an even bigger discount.
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Ashful
Minister of Fire
Chrysler has been putting 700 - 850 horsepower thru many tens of thousands of 8-speed ZF 8HP90 transmissions for nearly ten years, and many tens of millions of 400 hp pickups and SUV's with the lighter ZF 8HP70, and they seem to be holding up extremely well. Mercedes and Cadillac have been using the little AWF8F35 since 2013, and although there have been a few issues, they're way more reliable in on-road mileage than any old 2-speed Powerglide ever was, albeit they'll never find their way into a tubbed Malibu doing 8 second quarters.
I haven't really researched how those many speed new transmissions are doing. I do know, like many others do, CVTs aren't doing very well as they get up there in miles. Maybe their issues will be worked out as well, I had one in a company vehicle and was fine with the way it operated - and it was fuel efficient. But probably shouldn't be in a truck, I haven't heard of any yet.
I have run the numbers, comes out to be about $500/year with full liability (no collision) insurance, registration, taxes and emissions, (thankfully we don't have inspections yet) year round for the older truck. I likely will move the full size truck to comprehensive only at times. I've used the insurance tricks, or more accurately my agent suggested them. When I had sons living here with all vehicles in my name and insurance, keeping a 3rd, non-running vehicle on the policy actually brought the premium down a bit. Now, it's just me and two vehicles, and one is rarely driven. But - like you said, I should also look at the whole picture - such as having a backup vehicle on hand in case a major repair comes up which isn't unlikely since they're older. While I'm still working full time I'm definitely keeping the two. And if I have opportunities for large amounts of firewood, or 'Fill your truck for $XXX' - the Silverado would be the way to go.
As for paying for wood, occasionally I must. If I knew I'd be heating with wood years ago I would have bought a house with a few acres of woods. I see some photos of places on this site and think wow - that's the ultimate home setting.
Like the Powerglide I had in my first vehicle. Bit the dust a year after I bought the '67 Chevy Caprice in 1974. The only advantage was, they were also cheap. I was able to get it replaced at Aamco with a used one for - as the Rainman would say 'About a hundred dollars'.
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EbS-P
Minister of Fire
Unless you pay cash I don’t see how buying new saves money over keeping what you have running even if it means paying insurance and registration for two.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
This is what I was getting at. Although I don't really need to worry about the cost anymore, and now buy all my new vehicles with cash, I'm still cheap and just can't shake my low-income childhood and youth mentality. I have tried every which way, using some very creative and questionable accounting of supposed repair costs, and still have never been able to make a truly honest justification for getting rid of an old vehicle for a new one.
In the end, I buy new vehicles because the old one is looking old and tired, or because I don't want to deal with the hassle of a mid-January exhaust replacement, or anything similar. I tell myself and my wife that there's some justification for it, but the reality is that there is almost never any true financial justification for getting rid of an old vehicle, or even two, if it means replacing it with something new(er). Trust me, I have tried.
Sadly, the deicing chemicals used on the roads up in NH is the normal demise of many cars. I had a 97 Sonoma with 60 K on it which was garaged but the rot on the underbody and the underbody components like the gas tank vent system just rotted away so it would not pass emissions.
Poindexter
Minister of Fire
The only one I can think of is if you take medical call and absolutely must have a reliable vehicle. Plumbers and people who work on household heating systems may have similar requirements. Maybe a few more. There is a difference between reliable transportation and unreliable transportation.
I have had trucks, mostly Fords, but my current go-to vehicle is a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan that I picked up used with 24k miles on it. The van seats 7, but all the rear seats disappear into the floor and leave me with a huge cavity with a flat floor that will take a 4x8 sheet of plywood. It drives great and carries all sorts of stuff from a gang of people to serious dump runs, wood finds, compost in garbage cans, etc. I have a large tarp that I line the back with when carrying dirty stuff. The van gets great gas mileage (30mpg on a trip) and has good power for heavy load hauling. And, on top of all that, it is a great camper. The flat floor means all I need is a bed roll (or air mattress for the missus), my camp kit, stove, and a cooler and I am ready to go.
Thankfully no road salt here, so this vehicle should last quite a long time.
Thankfully no road salt here, so this vehicle should last quite a long time.
I always liked minivans. The Plymouth Grand Voyager we had didn't have any options with the seats except to remove them completely. Did that many times years ago with projects involving building materials for rooms and decks. A year ago I had a Dodge Caravan for a company van, very comfortable to drive for more than half the workday hours.
Not bad in snow. Years ago I believe all of the manufacturers offered AWD options of their minivans, I did have 2 rarities - an '85 Dodge Caravan with the 2.2L 4 cylinder and a 5 speed manual, and an '87 Ford Aerostar with the 3.0 V6 and 5 speed manual. The Aerostar was terrible to drive in snow. That, and my parent's AMC Gremlin, both RWD of course be very light back ends.
Yes, with previous vans I had to manually remove the seats. They were awkward and not light. It's so much easier and faster to just stow them in the floor. Chrysler corp. has a winning design here.
We have tons of road salt here. Must be something unique to your neighborhood? Liquid and rock salt so heavy that the roads are white when dry. Ick.
I share your appreciation for the utility of that dodge minivan. Stowaway seats, full sheet plywood ability, and whatever engine that gives you 30 mpg is great.
Road salt here too, affecting various components. I look forward to cold weather on a day like today though, forecasted to possibly hit 100º. I hate it. The white coating on the road can be seen here during the winter.
A minivan especially a 'grand' versions of the Chryslers have a lot of room. More than compact or even mid sized pickup trucks. Of course a lawn tractor would be tough to load. Years ago some minivans and I think GM full size vans had AWD options. Those may be non existent now. It wasn't cool to drive I minivan, but I don't care. If I found an AWD one I would have considered it. I guess SUV sales eliminated the AWD option in minivans.
A minivan especially a 'grand' versions of the Chryslers have a lot of room. More than compact or even mid sized pickup trucks. Of course a lawn tractor would be tough to load. Years ago some minivans and I think GM full size vans had AWD options. Those may be non existent now. It wasn't cool to drive I minivan, but I don't care. If I found an AWD one I would have considered it. I guess SUV sales eliminated the AWD option in minivans.
Not here, but your area is colder. We are lucky if the roads even get sanded. Maybe a Pierce county thing?
Yes, I think the Toyota Sienna was the only one left. The Dodge is pretty good in the snow, but we don't get a lot here. Often there is none and I don't take it into the outback, so AWD is not a necessity.
The Outback is great in snow... just kidding, know what you meant. I've had many Subarus over the years including Outback that were in fact great in snow. The Caravans and Voyagers I've had did well in the snow for FWD.
For a brief time I had a company full size RWD GMC 2500 van. I put 2 good sized firewood rounds in the way back, If snow was forecasted, I'd back in into my driveway since it's slightly downhill from the road. With FWD there's an advantage to pulling straight in - going in reverse the weight is over the driving wheels and very slightly I suppose biased that way when pulling out. The other way around with the RWD van. Overall, with the rounds the big van did pretty well in snow.
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EbS-P
Minister of Fire
We had a 1992 Ford Aerostar AWD. The GMC Safari had AWD for that era.
Looks like the Pacifica has AWD plug in hybrid too!!
I’m going to change my recommendation from a Subaru to a Pacifica with trailer. Are the Pacifica’s and good?
Looks like the Pacifica has AWD plug in hybrid too!!
I’m going to change my recommendation from a Subaru to a Pacifica with trailer. Are the Pacifica’s and good?
I looked into the 2018 model year and could only find the 3.6 v6 engine offered. Rated at 20 mpg highway. Is yours the 3.6? How do you exceed the rating by 50%?
I can beat 20 mpg with my F350 on the highway.
Yes, it's the 3.6. The EPA mileage is 17 city 25 highway I think. I don't have a lead foot. My local winter mileage is around 20 mpg, but highway mileage is consistently 28-30 mpg without me working at it as long as I don't go above 65. Cruise control helps. The engine is just loafing at that speed. For local trips, the driving mileage drops down to 24ish in summer, but most local trips are at least 10 miles of which 50% are downhill. I do very little city driving in the van. That's where the Volt shines. The mileage is definitely better than I expected. Not sure if synthetic oil helps together with the Michelin LRR Energy Saver tires?
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My neighbors had I think the same year Aerostar with AWD. The Chevy version of the Safari, the Astro also had an AWD option. I'm not familiar with how the Chrysler minivans rate these days.
