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The Garden State, NJ
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I currently drive a Sierra 1500 that I really enjoy. It’s a great daily driver, fits the family (w/ a rear-facing baby seat), and obviously gets the job done for moto. My dilemma is that it sucks on gas and the commute to my new office will have me driving 25,000+ miles a year (this is total work + leisure).
So I’m considering selling and buying a dedicated commuter + a cheaper truck/van for moto and typical house work. I’ve considered consolidating into a Ford Maverick, but it’s just too small with the family/baby seat. A Rivian would be ideal, but $100k is double my budget.
What’s your setup or what combos do you think would work well?
Do you need to fit the family in the daily car comfortably?
I am a sales rep and I drive a TON. Like 60k plus miles in my work car. Currently I'm running a Lexus UX250h hybrid for work and love it. Its super comfortable, quiet, great technology, killer fuel mileage, etc. And then I have an express for moto. I REALLY want to get something with a high roof though. But if your budget is 50k for both you can definitely get a decent and safe vehicle for both jobs.
I have an express van and my daily is an old beater jetta I took in on trade when i sold my old camper.
Dang, that’s some serious drive time! This is a pretty good combo. Daily would need to fit the family, but I assume that Lexus works?
I have two young boys in boosters so it works pretty good but it’s on the smaller side for sure. But with the van I have endless room so I prioritized fuel mileage and comfort and gave up a little on the size side.
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I just traded in a 2021 Silverado with the 3.0L Duramax and 10 speed.The cruise set between 70-75 and that thing would easily get 30 mpg’s. I think I averaged around 23-25 in town. A bike in the back was no impact on mileage. The truck was great for our 4 year old and 1 year old in a rear facing car seat.
I loved that truck but started having some issues around 50k miles. The new (2023) 3.0L Duramax trucks are a redesign that addressed a lot of the issues I was having.
We got a 2500 diesel for tax purposes but that 1500 with the 3.0L had no problem tugging a 16 foot v nose with 6 bikes.
I had a diesel ZR2 Colorado. Great truck, but the cost of diesel fuel over regular and the cost of diesel maintenance exceeded the mileage benefit. I’m also not towing anything - just a bike in the bed.
I've been down this road multiple times. The last go around, I just bought a new Silverado and drove the wheels off of it. Did over 20k miles/year for two and a half years. Run the numbers on total cost of ownership for what you're doing. Many times, people think a second car is cheaper, until they factor in depreciation and maintenance on the second car.
If you feel you must get a second car, buy a specific work beater. Something like an older Civic or Cruze. The 1st generation Volt is a good choice as well.
At the height of the used car price craziness, my dad's company decided that they would pull company cars and instead give their salesmen a stipend. He found a decent used 2012 Malibu on a local dealer lot. Had 75k miles and I think he paid around $6500 for it. He's put 50k and a set of brakes on it. Those mid-size GMs love to eat highway miles.
If it isn’t a money issue just keep the current truck and buy a high milage Camry or carola or something. I’ve been buying 2,000 dollar Subarus with 300k and driving them for 50k miles before they go tits up. Sell to some ambitious high school kid for 700 bucks and repeat the process. If I get 18 months out of each Subaru I’m happy. Keeps miles off my newer Tacoma that i use for weekend activities.
Down here (central Florida), diesel is a little more expensive but not much. I also do about 60k a year and the cost of diesel, tax breaks and lower depreciation makes it worth it. I think my threshold would be about 20k miles for it to be worth it.
Probably not needed, but here's how I beat gas and still do everything I need AND I can comfortable camp in it for two days before needing a re-supply. This is real, and it is really mine lol. Not a facebook find. Bought for 5k with 100k miles about, 34 mpg with the bike, 39-40 without. I have a nice table I can setup and my pit feels no different or more cramped than when I had a truck. have about 500 in the trailer. Somehow, it pulls perfectly too. Kentucky to florida for less than the price of a date night. I can detach the trailer and wheel the entire setup into my garage/safe place as well while it is completely loaded.
Edit: I sleep longways from hatch to dash on the passenger side on a 6" foam pad at 6'3" tall VERY comfortably. No outdoor sleeping with the skinwalkers and such...
One vehicle is always better than two even if the gas mileage is not great. When you consider maintenance, insurance, depreciation, and the initial cost of a second vehicle....it far outweighs gas mileage differences. If you want a dedicated vehicle for moto that is a different story and you should do that, but it will not be "cheaper" when you compare those factors.
I also have the 2.8 Duramax Colorado but just a z71 which gets better mileage than the zr2. I had some problems with the EGR around 100k then had it deleted and tuned and now I average about 33 mpg on my 40 min commute. For me as long as I am doing maintenance myself, the fuel savings outweigh the costs of having a diesel. Especially once you factor in the costs of maintenance of having two vehicles, insurance on both, etc. Also we go on quite a few trips to ride so its nice to throw two bikes in the bed and still average over 30 mpg.
What issues were you having? I have the same truck (gmc) w/ 20k miles and it's probably the best truck I've owned.
Currently with gas at 3.31 and diesel at 4.21 national average for march you would need to get 27% better fuel economy in a diesel to breakeven. so 30mpg gas would have to be matched at 38 mpg in a diesel for there to be no difference in travel costs. That's a little unrealistic, but 25 mpg gas and 32mpg diesel seems about right. Depends on what you're driving of course. For my little setup, it's dirt cheap. $25 oil changes and 32-34 mpg. if I had a family I think a diesel colorado, maverick (if you can stomach it), or of course a sprinter.
The DPF became clogged and ran in a constant cycle of not being able to complete a regen. Then by the time I had got home it had put itself into a limp mode where power was greatly reduced and speed was limited to 55 mph. Other than that which was conveniently right after my warranty ended. I have had zero issues. I would agree it is easily my favorite truck I have owned. I am at 140k now and fully expect it to make it 200k plus
4 door Tacoma and a small commuter
After owning a truck, I don't think I could ever be without one.
Yeah I mean when you figure it on a national average but here in central IL, diesel is rarely that much higher than gas. Right now at my local Casey's gas is $3.89 and diesel is $3.95
Yeah, IL is special like that lol.
Pit Row
You won't want a diesel after you see your first repair bill.
Here in CT, Deisel is about $1.50 more per gallon than gas.
Similar deal with my 3.0L. Stuck in Regen and it would go into limp mode. We were leaving Pax one day coming down 95 with the box trailer doing about 70 and the dash lit up and the truck fell on its face into limp mode. Dealer replaced the whole fueling harness, and injectors and the problem seemed to be fixed. Picked it up the very next day and didn't get out of the parking lot before the dash lit up again. Dealer replaced the whole emissions system including the DPF and catalytic converter and everything was good. Also, a lot of weird electrical shit. Dash lights intermittently coming on, the famed stuck in crank mode with no start. The straw that broke the camels back was when were getting in after dinner one night. I got the kids all strapped in and jumped in the drivers seat. Hit the start button and put her in drive. Dash goes ape shit and I had no brakes and no steering. I threw the truck in park and left it for a week while I shopped 2500's. Went back to pick it up for trade in and everything was fine. I freaking loved that truck but it became too problematic. The new LZ0 is supposed to be reengineered and way more reliable as GM addressed a lot of these issues. I wasn't the only having challenges.
I have a 2013 Tacoma with the 2.7L 4-cyl engine. I have 270,000 miles on it without so much as a whimper - same clutch, same serpentine belt (it has a timing chain, but the belt runs the AC and maybe the alternator I guess.) I replaced the original spark plugs last year just because I felt guilty.
When they were in booster seats, they fit just fine.
I can fit two 85s, my 250, stands, fuel, tools, milk crate full of chemicals, ramp, EZ-up and gearbags in it, no problem. The only issue is that my son is now 5'9" and cannot fit easily in the jump seats in back. (They only made the 5-speed with the extended cab, not the full crew cab.) No problem; his older sister still fits back there, and she ain't growing any further!
I get around 25MPG on the freeway, which isn't great, but it's good enough for me not to be able to justify buying a 2nd car so I can get 30. You could conceivably get one of those for $15,000-ish and be done, but even if you want a second car, you have plenty of budget left.
This right here. It amazes me the costs that people will incur to "save" money on gas.
At 25,000 miles, $3.45 (gas price in NJ), 17mpg (gas mileage on the Sierra), you're looking at spending just over $5000 in gas per year.
Let's say you got a second car for commuting and so 15,000 of those miles were done in the commuter at 35mpg. Your total gas cost would be around $3500 ( ~$2000 (Sierra) + ~$1450 (commuter)).
So you would be saving around $1500 per year in gas. Now factor in insurance, maintenance and depreciation on the commuter, and I bet you're likely losing money.
There are certainly other reasons to get a commuter, it could be a comfort thing, for example your first vehicle is a loud van that's tiring to drive every day, or perhaps your family could benefit from having that second vehicle, but unless you're doing A LOT of miles, it rarely makes sense to have a second vehicle to save money on gas.
I drive a Honda Ridgeline for this purpose. I get plenty of shit for it not being a "real truck" but it works perfect for me. It drives great, nice interior for when I need to drive anyone around for work, bike fits in back, and the trunk under the bed is great for muddy gear. And it's a Honda so I'm not worried about racking up the mileage.
I'd say consolidate into one vehicle to save money on price of a second vehicle and not needing to insure two vehicles. Something like a new/newer crew cab toyota tacoma or tundra. Both of those are super reliable and decent on gas and the back seat will work for kids or whatever.
EDIT - or as Davey says above, the newer model Ridgeline would be another good compromise vehicle to suit both purposes and drives a bit more car-like than the Toyotas.
I agree (mostly) with your logic, but compare this scenario: A $30k Tesla as a daily commuter, and a $15k Tacoma as Falcon mentioned.
Collectively, they are under the purchase budget.
No fuel with the Tesla, but let's say that my electric bill increases $100/month, or $1,200 per year.
The Tacoma would maybe be driven 5,000 miles a year. At 16 mpg... 312.5 gallons at $3.45 = $1,078.13 per year.
The last time I had two cars, my insurance was $80 more a month, $960/year.
Total cost = $3,238.13
Fewer oil changes and presumed maintenance in the two car scenario because the Tesla apparently requires less.
The caveat to all of this... I pretty much hate Teslas, and I don't have much interest in buying one. Also, saving $1,800 a year and compromising what I actually enjoy driving (the Sierra) doesn't make much sense.
10 points for you WarrenMX... still interested to keep the thread going and hear would combos people like.
Depends on a person's situation. If you have an older truck that's paid off or close to it, it might make more sense to buy a used commuter car and park the truck and only use it for family and truck stuff. That way you can save not just gas but wear and tear on your truck and stretch it for longer before you buy another $50k plus vehicle.
I bought a cheap older camry I found with ridiculously low mileage for the year (2000 with under 50k on it) and we drive the wheels off that thing and have a sprinter for track outings with 2 rows of seats behind us so we can seat our 3 kids in carseats (soon to be 4) and still have a seat between them all. Still enough room in the van for bikes, bags, ez-up, stroller, cooler, pressure washer etc....
My day is ruined, LOL.
I've got the 2020 silverado 3.0L diesel, it gets nearly twice the mpg of my 2010 5.3 gas silverado and I love this truck.... but I am petrified of the potential for the complex emissions to go wrong.
This is what I'm going to do. I have a 2015 Tacoma(bulletproof truck) that's just about paid off. Going to buy a commuter car some point soon and use the Tacoma as the toy hauler and house vehicle.
That's what I've just done, my 2020 truck is paid off, the same truck new would cost $20k more at today's prices.
I got the 2022 subaru wrx as a commuter, it's great value and a lot of fun.
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