UPDATED, TRUCK GOT STOLEN AND CRASHED! SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM FOR PICS!

Just for reference, here's a quick pic of her a few weeks ago. Before I installed my Hella's:



So I'm thinking that I may sell my truck and buy a pretty clean 1990 Civic Si for better fuel mileage and practicality purposes. I Love the truck but the gas is killing me and I dont really need a pickup in downtown Milwaukee. I feel like I'd be betraying a good friend if I decided to do this and fear that Id deeply regret it in the future. The 4WD is awesome in the Wisconsin winters but I've been through more of them in a Honda then in the Toyota and they've always got me through.

Am I going crazy or is this a good Idea? I know that a lot of people are going to tell me to keep the truck but I can only have one car at the moment and like I said, practicality wise the civic wins I think.

 

Baz,

Everyone has to make decisions based on their needs and priorities. Just because you sell you truck does not mean you can't participate in the forums. The truck has no feelings and you won't be betraying it. If you need a little car, I'd do it. You will probably regret it but just wait a while, save your pennies, and maybe you can afford two cars down the road and buy another truck. Life has many compromises between what you want and what you can afford.

 

Yeah I agree with khoopes, and the same thought has crossed my mind a few times as I am still in college and gas is taking a big hit on me. You will probably regret it eventually as I know I will especially with all the money I put into it, but I guess sometimes you gota do what you gota do.

 

Baz,

A lot of people are going through this same crisis right now. In the end you gotta do what is best for you, I'm sure the truck will understand. Before you make the jump though, I think you need to take a close look and see what you will actually be saving. Will the insurance be cheaper on this Honda? Seems like it would, but I don't know. The Honda is 18 years old, what kind of major maintenance will it be needing in the next few years? How many miles do you drive each month, and what kind of mileage does your truck get now? Is the difference in all of this enough to make you want to sell? You pretty much have the ideal Yota truck for most people on this board, would you have any long term regrets about selling it? One option might be to cancel the insurance on it and let the tag expire, keep it in your garage and drive the honda for a few years. Hopefully what you save in gas can pay for the Honda and when you have extra money you still have that great truck waiting for you. Personally for me, I would cut down on other expenses wherever I could before I'd get rid of that truck. Just my .02, go with what is right for you, I just think you should take a look at the numbers and know exactly where you stand.

Good luck...

 

bummer man. i guess if you've truly decided on ditching the yota, then that's your decision.

personally, i would just go buy a cheap $1500 putt putt car in good condition and park the truck, but never get rid of it. since you said you can't have 2 vehicles, maybe it's time to join the motorcycle club?

how bad is your gas mileage in your truck? i've been consistently getting around 22+mpg in mine, which is pretty darn good imo for a 4wd 4cyl. with the truck you can haul stuff, won't have to be the driver for you and your 4 friends, you've got the 4wd for the winters and for havin' some fun offroad, and another benefit is your visibility is loads better than in the rice rocket. and the truck will make you look cooler

 

Think about a 91 Celica 4WD. so you still get 4WD but then you get good fuel economy, power, looks and TOYOTA reliablity.

 

being Canadian all I can think of is keeping the Toyota for those Wisconsin winters. You get the best of both worlds.

 

You'll be back! I guarantee it

 

These trucks are getting easier and easier to find for cheap, as the gas prices go up... I say... if you can fetch a good price for your truck now... do it.. and later when you have a little extra $ look for another... prices have been crazy lately.. i picked up a 94 runner for $600, and drove it home. also getting a 90 pick up, for $200...also driving home. So do what ya gotta do, as 1 door closes another opens.

 

yes they do... mine does... and its been dumpin on me lately because i haven't been giving it enough attention. So it decided to break today.... On a side note, very ironic this thread, i am HEAVILY considering trying to sell my truck.... (but i think i might only get wampum for it..... maybe a peanut)

 

I sold my '93 2 years back and bought an '87 Subaru wagon. They still had
4hi and 4low back then, so it's a great car. Does better in the snow than any truck I've had. I sold the truck because I had a payment on it I couldn't really afford, and figured the car would get better mileage and all that. That lasted 2 years and........well..........in my garage now sits an '83 Toyota pickup waiting for it's new engine & transmission..I just couldn't do it. The Subaru will be sold as soon as it's running. Of course I'm in the west and I'll get a lot of use out of a truck.

Not really sorry that I sold the '93. I like the old ones much better anyway.

Not really a moral to the story, but I'll be interested, if you sell it, how long before you're back. Probably a lot depends on what happens with gas prices. I just plan to ride my bike and walk around town as much as possible, but for road trips and camping and hauling stuff and just when I feel like driving it since I miss it, I'll have the truck.

I can totally understand what you're thinking.

 

Also take note, that you will probably have to pay taxes all over again and pay a higher registration fee since you just got a new/used car. I don't know if that's worth it to down-grade in year and maybe the veh itself. Compare that with how much you will be saving in $ by gaining and extra 12-15 MPGs.

 

I drive a '91 4Runner (I really wanted a truck-extended cab). I did the figurin' on the gas mpg a few months ago. If I got a vehicle that got 35 mpg, and drove the thing 365 days a year (which I would not do) I would roughly save $50-55 a month. I was trying to justify a motorcycle at the time. Your numbers will be different. Bottom line is, like was already stated, what will the 10-12 mpg difference really mean?
Gas is killing me, although I am very lucky. My commute is only 11 miles round trip, and there are many days that I don't drive at all (school district schedule, plus off in the summers )

I am just getting into this Toyota thing, but good luck to you.

 

you could always buy a 2wd toy truck...

 

mm hmm, that would get around 30, but, for me anyways, i've always had a hard time justifying a 2wd pickup. Especially if you live where it snows, then you have about one of the worst possible vehicles to drive in the winter. On a positive, you will have a VERY good platform for making a dune runner.

 

Ok first things first. We need to stop equating vehicles (no matter how much we love them) with human emotions. You're not betraying anyone by selling your rig. Of course this is coming from someone who has named every truck he's ever owned and cryed the day I saw one of my babies totalled by the next owner......


DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!

Kidding. On a real note sit down and crunch some serious numbers. Insurance, fuel, etc and see if you'll really save any money. I've always been of the mind that although my truck gets a little worse millage I can do more with it. Ever stack a cord of wood in a Civic?

Think it through and make a good decision.

 

Do you have a need for a truck? If so keep it, if not then let it go. Unless you haul gear around every now and then, or wheel it you probably do not need a truck.

 

nice to see you taking a logical look at things. if it's not practical to keep the toy, don't. if you're not willing or able to use a bit extra fuel then by all means don't. if you're willing to give up the extra room and utility of the toy, then pass it on to someone who is.
don't think of it as giving it up, think of it as giving someone else a chance

and I'm going through a similar conundrum with my 72 firebird- fuel vs. desire.

 

i donno man. thats a pretty damn clean truck. youll be hard-pressed to find another in that condition later on down the road. but i wo do sell it, dont loose your butt in the deal, that truck looks/ runs great, so just dont give it away.

but then again, im one of those people that gets attached to their vehicles. some of you might rember the red 4runner that i bought, i only owned that for a couple months and when it came down to selling it, im not going to lie, i shed a few tears, even though i almost tripled my money. you cant drive dollar bills, or go mudding on dollar bills. i donno, just my thoughts...

 

any way you might be able to use public transportation/bicycle during the week and keep the truck for the weekends? Seems like the way to go if your job allows that type of flexibility...