Adulting is Hard: Keep 3rd Gen or go Commuter

[volkinator]

I'll be in a similar situation here. I'll have about a 30mi trip to work as well.

Talked to my Fiance about possibly getting the 3rd vehicle for us as a commuter for me. She's got a 2010 corolla and has a 60mi trip to work herself... less than ideal for both of us, but it'd be where we want to live. I have a hard time with the ROI on a commuter that I'll have to put money into for repairs either way. My fiance brought up a good point of basically take the money you'd put into the commuter, and keep saving 50?/100?/200? a month (whatever you can afford) and keep driving the 4runner. When/if it decides to break, you've got repair cash, or if there's an accident, you take the cash+insurance and buy a bit of a nicer car.

I think it really comes down to living within your means. If I were in your shoes I'd drive the 3rd gen or taco. You've got a 'spare' if anything happens... Not sure what your wife's commute is, but I think the perfect setup would be:
1 car that gets good gas mileage for long trips that both can fit in comfortably and use for the longer commute between the two of you (her car)
1 car for weekend adventures to take you places you couldn't get (T4R)
1 extra car that maybe you both want/need (Taco for the bed)

It sounds like you've already got those 3 in my book. I'm not a big fan of the "his car/her car" thing, I want my fiance to be just as comfortable taking any car we may have. Also a perk she wanted to learn a manual! So we got a manual corolla for us. My $0.02

 

[gamefreakgc]

Lots of people are passionate about this topic! opcorn:

All I have to say is, if you have money for a brand new Tacoma, you can afford the gas in a 4Runner. 'Nuff said.

 

[SilverRidgeRunner1]

There is no way I'd trade it in. When we were looking at new vehicles, I kept getting asked if I'd like to trade it in. One of the service guys even asked if it was for sale, and told me not to trade it in. I found it pretty damn funny. My wife had proposed selling it, and using the sale to buy commuter. She was seeing hondas and such with 140k for lower than we would be able to sell. She is on this MPG commuter POV. This was sort of her plan, I'm the hiccup in it .

Tell her your going to switch to premium and that the switch alone will gain u 4 mpg

 

[Rock_Rat]

Hey OP, nobody on here can make this decision for you. Everyone on here uses and maintains their T4R for various reasons. We all try and live within our means.

I'm not sure why you have a Taco and T4R and what you do with either of them (camping, fishing, hunting, off-roading, groceries, soccer, etc...)

You must separate your NEEDS from your WANTS.

The first question I would ask myself is: Do I NEED a Taco and a T4R?
What does the T4R offer me and my family that the Taco can't, and visa versa.

Do you NEED a bed for transporting wood, PVC pipe, fertilizer, grass seed, hay, building and remodeling materials, etc....You're in the PNW so a 4wd is good to have. Are you personally attached to the Taco or the T4R in some way or another?

Have a heart-to-heart, sit down and justify to yourself and your family why you NEED both. High mileage on the T4R is not a good reason to purchase a Taco. (IMO - It seems to me you purchased the Taco to replace the T4R but hesitated to put it up for sale.) If you bought the Taco for that reason, then you should have put the T4R up for sale and used the money towards a commuter car. Personally I would sell one or the other and pick up a good reliable commuter car with low mileage under KBB value. If not, then stick with the T4R and start putting away your "monthly payment" (takes discipline) in preparation for future repairs.

Again, nobody on here can make this decision for you. I'm a huge fan of zero payments and buying good reliable used cars. My 4Runner is the only new car I've ever owned in my entire life.

Here's an old adage I try and live by:

"Use it up and wear it out. Make it do or do without."

 

[Dephcon]

I have my 4runner and a utility trailer. No need for a pickup bed. Between the two, i can carry just as much as a truck bed and keep half of it dry when it rains. For a commuter, i have my V-Star. I'm not married anymore so I can have whatever i want, its just funds that slow me down.

 

[phattyduck]

I have my 4runner and a utility trailer. No need for a pickup bed. Between the two, i can carry just as much as a truck bed and keep half of it dry when it rains. For a commuter, i have my V-Star. I'm not married anymore so I can have whatever i want, its just funds that slow me down.

I'm married, but I agree with most of this. The 4Runner+utility trailer is a great truck substitute. Loads of mulch, appliances, wood, etc. are no problems. Strike that, I did all that with my '89 Camry. :lmao:

A well build folding trailer from HF will sit in the corner of the garage and do all the 'truck bed' things you might need to do...

-Charlie

 

[AntleredRuin]

I say keep the 4runner.
I purchased my 4runner last years, (granted at only 132k) AS my commuter car, and I have a 60mile round trip to the office, not including client visits.

You know the vehicle, you aren't paying $200+ a month on a car note, the insurance is cheaper, and the gas mileage isn't THAT BAD. You can pretty easily do 22mpg on these things with good tire pressure and a good tune up.

A whole lot safer than a smaller car, and old enough that you can do damn near do all necessary work yourself, which saves shit tons. At 270k, you still have some life left for at least the next few years, provided you continue taking care of it.

The question is: if you ONLY needed a truck bed as a justification for the new Taco, then why didn't you get an older taco, and save several hundred dollars a month on a car note? There's your gas bill difference right there.
And the older Tacos are pretty much just 4runners with beds anyways; they'll last just as long if the frame is fine.

Saving on gas means nothing if your car note costs more than the savings.

 

[Nervo19]

Your thread title is absolute click bait to me. If you have a new Tacoma you get 23 mpg's and free maintenance for two years. Commute in that. Your 4Runner is paid for and it brings you joy. Why does she get to dictate what you drive? As has been said you will get very little on a trade in for the 4Runner. The six footers in my family find small cars to be very uncomfortable on long rides. What price is your back worth to her?

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Looks like you have an old 4runner and a new taco when you need a new 4runner and an old taco.

New t4r for commuting and old taco for occasional truck bed use.

 

[TXLX1]

If your 4runner isn't worn out and in need of a lot of maintenance and repair, I would personally keep it, especially if you like it. Nice ones are getting harder to find for reasonable money. Out of my 3 vehicles, the 4runner gets the best MPG, so it's my gas saver and I like driving it.

 

[JBurt]

How is there no space for a trailer but there is room for a Taco and maybe another car?

 

[AntleredRuin]

How is there no space for a trailer but there is room for a Taco and maybe another car?

And if you can afford another car (and not sell any you currently own) how can you not afford an extra $50/mo in gas?

 

[gamefreakgc]

This thread has taken on a life of it's own. The OP hasn't responded since the first page lol.

 

[AntleredRuin]

Apparently we're all very passionate, and just chased away a new (not really) member.

 

[gamefreakgc]

Apparently we're all very passionate, and just chased away a new (not really) member.

Yeah pretty much. I bet at this point he's already out shopping for a Corolla or Civic and not even reading this anymore.

 

[farmerjon]

The thread hits close to home for many of us, as many of us have been forced to ask ourselves, either by significant others or life circumstances, what we would do if it came down to needing a different DD. I've thought about this a lot myself, and would try to have the truck and a commuter (maybe a Civic Si), but life often isn't that simple.

Plus, we love our rigs, and we don't want miles on them, but its like someone said, use it up and enjoy it while you're at it...

 

[diverscale]

Yeah pretty much. I bet at this point he's already out shopping for a Corolla or Civic and not even reading this anymore.

and his wife probably told him to stop visiting this forum as it could influence him.

 

[RedNeck D]

Hers is paid off, the 4runner is paid off (hopefully), and you bought something new. Don't be dumb and add another note. Keep driving what you have. 18mpg is pretty good and you can tow/haul some. Seats four comfortably. I just bought a 98 AS a daily commuter since my weekend car gets horrible mileage and is absolutely impractical for anything other than spirited driving.

 

[HulkSm4sh]

I've commuted 60 miles roundtrip to work everyday in my 4Runner for the last year or so that I've owned it. No, it's not as comfortable as a little car, and yes, the gas mileage is a little worse. But I enjoy it more than any other car/truck I've owned, and the low cost of ownership (no payments, low insurance, repairs are cheap) allows me to make the decision for something I want instead of a maybe more rational 'commuter.' As others have pointed out, you'd be hard pressed to actually save much money by adding another car into the mix. I'm assuming you know your way around the 4Runner at this point - if something goes wrong, you can fix it yourself for cheap. I love commuting in the 4Runner, highways are fine, etc.

If I were in your exact situation though, I'd probably be driving the new Taco. Why buy a car and then not drive it to slow down depreciation a little bit? It's depreciating whether you are driving it or not, it's not a collector's item. Drive the damn thing and enjoy what you spent your money on. Will be fun and better in a lot of ways than the 3rd gen to commute in.

Pretty much what I'm arriving at. Rather have something I know how to fix and still enjoy. I drive the Taco. It is awesome. Not to mention, it is so much damn easier hauling new doors and other remodel goods. I'd just prefer not to hit that wonderful point where I drive it down below its worth prior to payoff.

 

[HulkSm4sh]

And if you can afford another car (and not sell any you currently own) how can you not afford an extra $50/mo in gas?

Solid question. Steep hill/driveway. Vehicle stays. Boat trailer and utility trailer we had, wiggled way down during winters. Didn't want to install a bollard to anchor too. That side of house wasn't that well thought out during build in the 70's.