Subaru Forester: Towing --- CVT or 6-sp?

[phsycle]

No it doesn't when you figure in total cost of ownership and resale value. Still shocked of what I can get for my tired old Tacoma, pretty sure I can get $6-7K out of it, and I paid $17K for it 16 years ago.

Think it is me getting older and thinking about retirement, used spend money like there was no tomorrow. Now getting close to that age has me becoming a tight wad. There is a chance I can retire from current job, and work from home in 2 years, so all this worry about gas mileage goes away.

Years ago I rented an Outback for 2 weeks for a mountain bike trip in the PNW/BC, end of the 2 weeks I was hating it, could not wait to get back in my truck. Why I am looking at wagons and hatches again, I have no idea (the allure of decent gas mileage...)

If you don’t need 4/AWD, then maybe a 2wd Tacoma (non-Prerunner, 5-lugger) would be a good fit? Gives you the truck bed, decent mileage (guessing high 20’s), and cheaper price.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2-7-2wd-mpg.171537/

 

[Clutch]

If you don't need 4/AWD, then maybe a 2wd Tacoma (non-Prerunner, 5-lugger) would be a good fit? Gives you the truck bed, decent mileage (guessing high 20's), and cheaper price.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2-7-2wd-mpg.171537/

Funny you brought that up, I was cruising the classifieds last night looking at the older 5 luggers as another option, prices aren't that bad... should get ok mileage and with a low bed height for ease of loading the bike. Wouldn't need a trailer at all then.

Still can find the 5 luggers with low miles for not all that bad of a price.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/719314547/overview/

I gave myself a budget of $30K for a brand new 4WD Truck (my wife said I can spend more, but I refuse to), if I was going to get a car didn't want to spend any more than $20K. If I spent no more than $13K on a 5 lugger, saves me quite a bit money right off the bat.

 

[phsycle]

Funny you brought that up, I was cruising the classifieds last night looking at the older 5 luggers as another option, prices aren't that bad... should get ok mileage and with a low bed height for ease of loading the bike. Wouldn't need a trailer at all then.

Still can find the 5 luggers with low miles for not all that bad of a price.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/719314547/overview/

I gave myself a budget of $30K for a brand new 4WD Truck (my wife said I can spend more, but I refuse to), if I was going to get a car didn't want to spend any more than $20K. If I spent no more than $13K on a 5 lugger, saves me quite a bit money right off the bat.

I wish I could make a 2WD work. I do like the lower load height, better MPG and cheaper purchase price. But it snows where I am and there are some places we go where we traverse sand and/or rougher roads. No way I would take 2WD anything out there.

$30k for a new 4WD truck seems to be the right call. Especially factoring in the sale price of your old truck. If you are going to get a Tacoma and can do without a double cab, you can probably get an extended cab or older regular cab for a good deal lower than $30k.

 

[calicamper]

The 2wd 4banger xtra cab tacomas are a great bang for the buck. Two friends have 5spd s and both have nearly 300,000 on them. Both use them as the dad escape pod mtb rig etc. 6ft bed shell on etc

 

[Clutch]

I wish I could make a 2WD work. I do like the lower load height, better MPG and cheaper purchase price. But it snows where I am and there are some places we go where we traverse sand and/or rougher roads. No way I would take 2WD anything out there.

$30k for a new 4WD truck seems to be the right call. Especially factoring in the sale price of your old truck. If you are going to get a Tacoma and can do without a double cab, you can probably get an extended cab or older regular cab for a good deal lower than $30k.

I keep on saying I don't need 4WD...think it was in 4WD once this winter, but didn't need it...so I start thinking do I really need 4WD? Last winter it stayed in 4WD for 8 weeks straight we got so much snow and ice. So there is that. As a second vehicle 2WD will fine, but as an one do-it-all, not so much.

$30K is still more than I want to spend, but it opens up a lot more options at that price point than $20-25K on the used market.

Question is do I want to buy something used like a super low mile 5 lugger for just for running back and forth to work, and keep the beater 4WD as back when the weather turns to crap. Or just bite the bullet and buy a brand new truck and have one do-it-all vehicle?

The 2wd 4banger xtra cab tacomas are a great bang for the buck. Two friends have 5spd s and both have nearly 300,000 on them. Both use them as the dad escape pod mtb rig etc. 6ft bed shell on etc

They seem like the perfect cheap SOB old man truck.

 

[phsycle]

I keep on saying I don't need 4WD...think it was in 4WD once this winter, but didn't need it...so I start thinking do I really need 4WD? Last winter it stayed in 4WD for 8 weeks straight we got so much snow and ice. So there is that. As a second vehicle 2WD will fine, but as an one do-it-all, not so much.

$30K is still more than I want to spend, but it opens up a lot more options at that price point than $20-25K on the used market.

Question is do I want to buy something used like a super low mile 5 lugger for just for running back and forth to work, and keep the beater 4WD as back when the weather turns to crap. Or just bite the bullet and buy a brand new truck and have one do-it-all vehicle?

Tough question. Seems like the 2-vehicle approach is the "best of both worlds" option. The only issue I see is the reliability of the 4WD truck. Taking it out on bad weather days or trips with rougher roads, will only continue to rapidly decrease its reliability. I guess it just depends on your faith of your old truck. If you don't have concerns of it breaking down, and you don't mind wrenching on it, the 2-vehicle option seems like a good way to go.

But I hate 2-car maintenance. 2-car insurance payment. 2-car registration. And I hate wrenching on the weekends. So if I were in your shoes, I would just sell off the old truck and get a new one.

 

[Clutch]

Tough question. Seems like the 2-vehicle approach is the "best of both worlds" option. The only issue I see is the reliability of the 4WD truck. Taking it out on bad weather days or trips with rougher roads, will only continue to rapidly decrease its reliability. I guess it just depends on your faith of your old truck. If you don't have concerns of it breaking down, and you don't mind wrenching on it, the 2-vehicle option seems like a good way to go.

But I hate 2-car maintenance. 2-car insurance payment. 2-car registration. And I hate wrenching on the weekends. So if I were in your shoes, I would just sell off the old truck and get a new one.

I have no faith in it what-so-ever...even though it has been a good truck. It roughly cost me $1500-2000 in repairs every year. Waiting for the engine to go next. Was going to throw in a JDM when it does, but I don't trust it anymore. Body and frame are in good shape though...no rust.

Do have the 2-car thing right now, her SUV..but since she drives it 99.9% of the time why I left it out of the equation. However I pay for everything but gas for it. Like my truck I paid cash for it. So no payments on either vehicle, haven't had a payment in 20 years.