i need a 4wd pickup.. best mpg options?

[Ryland]

If snow is your only reason then get a set of snow tires on your vehicle of choice and a trailer hitch, and if you are really worried then get a set of tire chains, I've only seen a few extreme cases where 4 wheel drive does any good, but you can do alot with a small vehicle, good tires and a hitch unless you plan to be towing stuff while in the snow.
Either way, that EPA web site link above is a good tool as it lets you compare vehicles equally instead of comparing word of mouth opinions.

[Clev]

Oops, forgot about rust. Yeah, you're probably better off replacing it.

My dad bought a mid-80's Ford diesel F250 for that price a couple of years ago. He ended up selling it within a couple of months. It was so down on power that it ended up returning poorer fuel economy than the GMC 2500 V8 he replaced it with. I would avoid those.

Is it time again to lament about the lack of small TD pickups in America? LAMENT.

BTW, I understand the 4WD and ground clearance issues, as I live in the mountains. Chains on 2WD are okay for light snow on nearly level ground, but 4WD has gotten me in and out of places that a chained 2WD couldn't touch, and 4WD with chains gets you through anything.

If you have a few bucks left over, set them aside for some diff locks. You'll be able to climb trees then.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by Ryland

If snow is your only reason then get a set of snow tires on your vehicle of choice and a trailer hitch, and if you are really worried then get a set of tire chains, I've only seen a few extreme cases where 4 wheel drive does any good, but you can do alot with a small vehicle, good tires and a hitch unless you plan to be towing stuff while in the snow.
Either way, that EPA web site link above is a good tool as it lets you compare vehicles equally instead of comparing word of mouth opinions.

I grew up driving a 2wd pickup in snowy Alaskan winters. Heavy snowfalls and poorly maintained roads, but I only once had need of 4wd and it was certainly what you'd call an extreme case. Inevitably, I'd find a couple overturned vehicles in the median after every big snowfall and they were always 4WD/AWD. Those drivers tend to be overconfident in their abilities and underestimate the conditions.

2wd and good tires will get you anywhere you need to go as long as you are on a road and not doing anything real crazy.

Mike

[nj trucker]

I would go with an older Dodge mid 90's diesel. I had a 96 Dodge 2500 with a 8L V10 (10 mpg) and it was built like a tank, very reliable. My dad made me get rid of it because of the bad mileage.

Now I have a 2002 Dodge 1500 with a 4.7L V8 (11.8 mpg) and it is the biggest POS I have owned. I had to replace the tie rod, ball joint, and wheel bearing on the passenger side. It has a new PCM because a $60 vapor pump shorted out. I've had to replace both radiator hoses and the radiator. The bed is starting to rust out on both wheel wells. I replaced the exhaust that rusted through on the one side. It has turned into a money pit.

My friend had an old (85 I think) Ford F350 diesel crew cab dually that was ok on mileage. If you change the gear ratio in the rear you can see some good highway numbers. His topped out at 70 mph going down hill but he had an old 4 speed manual with no overdrive. It did well in snow and mud even though it was only rear wheel drive, all because it was a dually.

[NHRABill]

Lots of suggestions but no one has suggested a 6cylinder Chevy fullsize pickup extended cab... They come with 5 speed auto was an option and they last forever very easy to find parts and super cheap for the parts...

Get something durable- reliable and cheap a 4wd chevy 1500 or C/K their older model goes back to the mid 80's till 98 is a good generation the GMT 400 platform same as my Tahoe the Blazers and the Suburbans The 4.3L V6 / 4wd / 5 speed extended cab would be my choice careful driving and good maintenance should get you close to 20mpg. Or you can get the 5.0 v8 and so on there were many choices in the 4th generation.

Chevrolet C/K - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[bestclimb]

Wife and I get around all winter long in Alaska with front wheel drive cars. We did have to use chains 4 times this winter.

Twice to get out of the uphill 75 foot driveway after a foot of snow and no time to shovel (MPG that morning was Horrible did you know that a Honda civic is capable of single digit MPG?). Once my wife had to chain up at work after an ice storm (4x4 would not have helped as stopping and turning would have been a serious issue) and once to pull a car out of the ditch.

I have had Toyota pickups and have to say a good running 90s extended cap Pu would be hard to beat if you must have 4x4 (some folks really do need it)

[laack]

Its not often that 4wd is needed, but those few times a year that you do it is worth it! My winter camping trips usually involve back roads that aren't always plowed well or traveled often. its not a good place to get stuck. I don't want to list all the reasons for a 4wd other than the fact that I need it even if its just once a year.

There seems to be alot of hate for the 4WD pickup or maybe its just the idea of a gas guzzler in general. Considering that its not my daily driver I can accept junk for MPG. my civic may have 230xxx on the odo now, but its running strong while putting 15-20k per year at 50+ mpg average.

An SUV is not a good option for me due to the fact that i toss random junk in the bed that doesn't always fit in an enclosed trunk. ie: bed mattress and greasy car parts. I have moved 4 times in the last 2 years for work and expect to move again this august.

I am leaning towards a MT Nissan Frontier crew cab. economy is average for the 02 range. The rangers and b series mazdas seem to have retained a little higher resale value so I unfortunately have to rule them out. an F150 just sucks down too much gas for me to swallow.

[bestclimb]

Nissan frontier is a good rig. I to like a truck if their is any load involved, it segregates the load from the pax in an accident.

For a vehicle that sees little use the MPG is really not a huge issue. Cost of insurance/licensing will be the largest part of TCO.