4x2 vs 4x4

Can't imagine paying for a new truck w/o 4x4.. I live in North Texas and the weather here requires 4x4 at least twice a year.. But just too much to do and see that only 4x4 will get you to.. Not hating on 4x2 vehicles, but if you plan on using it mostly for highway and day to day transport in an area you don't see bad weather and you never leave home.. 4x2 would suffice I'm sure..

 

I live on a farm in a rural area so 4x4/AWD is an absolute must to tackle the mud, snow, water, etc. Some people have to have it. Others I guess don't. I guess if you're only driving around on the road in an area that never sees snow, 2WD is quite acceptable. If you're looking to save money, that might be a route for you. Heck, if people didn't need 2WD trucks, they'd stop making them.

 

Interesting perspective. If I needed it regularly, or even 1-2 times a year I would consider it. But once in a lifetime? A tow could get me out of a situation for much cheaper than the additional purchase price, worse mileage, and higher insurance cost.

To each their own.

 

I get 20 mpg with my 4x4, I don't have a heavy foot though. I also push a plow so it's a must have. I will never own a 4x2 again.

 

Are you kayaks only 5 feet long?

 

hope he's getting the long bed.

 

let me get this right... If I'm going up a mountain and the patrolmen say you need chains... You're exempt if you have 4x4 or AWD. Correct?

 

depends. If its bad enough, they can require chains on all vehicles, regardless of awe or 4x4. That may depend on the state.

 

Yeah, totally depends on the circumstances. Often, then may just make you carry chains or have snow tires (how do they know what a "snow tire" is while you are driving). IME, if you aren't on ice, and you have a 4x4, they are too busy bothering with people who need chains or assistance to hassle you. I have only once been part of a situation where they required chains on a fully loaded F350 4x4, but it was pulling a trailer and the weather was absolute garbage, so it was understandable.

I have also been in a situation where I was happy to have the chains, but not required. We were in Seattle when there was a freak ice storm -- about 1/2" of glass built up in an hour. Semis just stopped dead in the middle of the freeway to chain up. We chained up too, since the work trucks (same F350 config) always had them from travelling around the passes. We would not have made it without them. I watched a parked motor home slide across 3 lanes because of the wind. 4x4/tires etc wouldn't have done a thing. Next day was miles of abandoned cars on the road - was around 2008 I think.

 

Huh? This doesn't make sense to me. The bed is only 6' long and won't hold any kayak. You will need some sort of rack to put them on, but you can get a rack for any type of vehicle to carry kayaks.

I just don't see how a pickup (especially a tacoma) is better than any other vehicle to carry kayaks. I put them on my accord with no problems...

 

All the new 2016 models have about the same ground clearance, 9.3 inches. They all have LSD, which for slippery, non off road conditons, I find better.

There have been given some excellent reasons for 4x4 but most involve you go out of state off road or deal with deep snow. Are you shitting me ? Florida and Kayaks.....I would love to live some where I didn't need 4x4 in the winter.

If you get a 4x4, give me a call. I will live in your place for the winter and you can live in mine and get some use out of the 4 x4. You won't need sun screen but you will need warm fleece for the sub zero temps and knee high snow. Please call....I will be waiting by the phone !

 

That is probably the funniest thing I have read in a long time. In no way, shape or form is 4wd required down here. I am from the north (Marquette and Minnesota) and have been down here in for almost 20 years, mostly in 2wd trucks, never an issue getting around (it's north Texas, it is mostly flat). The biggest problem is people blocking the road from spinning out because they don't know what they are doing or how to drive.

Required, haha I am sorry, if you think 4wd is required down here you probably shouldn't be driving during those times (did you buy that OR for our winter weather?). Seems half the trucks now down here are loaded models on 20's and street tires with 4wd for those times we get a little ice, that is when the arrogance kicks in. Had a friend post pictures of his 4x4 when we had a dusting of snow with the caption "4x4 kind of morning", he shouldn't be out on the road. We get ice on average maybe once a year? Maybe twice on a bad year and none others and it is usually melted mostly that afternoon.

I do agree with the part about 4wd getting you to places 2wd can't to see things, which is exactly why I bought 4wd this time. Visiting family in Colorado, Utah and Arizona I can hit up the scenic 4wd trails and passes and such. Go down to PINS and hit up some back country in Big Bend.

If you don't need it don't buy it, plain and simple. To spend 4k more to have something you might use once or twice is arrogant and vain. It will spend more on gas, more on insurance, more on maintenance, more on upfront costs, taxes and financing and maybe get half that back at resale (the math never works). If you do get stuck you spend what maybe 100-150 to get pulled out? Is that worth a 4k option?

To pull a boat out, only twice have we been stuck at a ramp, once because it fell off the end of the concrete when it was shallow and the other when so much sand washed up the trailer ran in to sand as well as the rear tires (this was on the Mississippi). Both situations could have been avoided if we were a little smarter at the time. Know the ramp, unless you are going to unkept ramps you will be fine pretty much all the time.

4wd these days is becoming more a image thing than anything else, and that is why you see prices climbing because people will pay it and then the complaints come about the cost.

Tyler

 

This was pretty much my mentality behind my purchase.....I am not an off-roader, nor do I ever do anything that I would probably need 4X4, but I plan on kayaking and eventually towing a boat regularly, and didn't want to get stuck on the ramp. So I was torn between 4X4 Limited, or 4X2 OR. Either one would have been fine for my needs, but to me, I wanted the color matched overfenders, and after modifing the OR to get everthing that I wanted, it would be easier to order the Limited that came with it all (and settling for some things I didn't care for, like the extra chrome and lack of MTS/CC, and sr5 suspension), than to order the OR and have to get everything customized aftermarket to the way I want ( tonneau cover, leather seats, colored overfenders). I am just a factory kind of guy, I will only modify if it really serves a purpose, and still looks like it was factory (like swapping incandecent for LED interior lights). Anyways, I went with e 4X4 Limited, and love it. the key is to not settle. If you are willing to pay 35K for a vehicle you are settling for, then (as long as you can afford it), you might as well pay 40K for something you want.

Edit: Also, my job requires I use my own vehicle, and one day I may need to travel somewhere...the unkown is what you have to plan for.

 

Thanks for some common sense.You get my vote for man of the year.

 

Thank you all for your advise and thoughts. After reading them I realized I never stopped to asked the people I knew who own pickup trucks and live/work around me. So I did so today and the answers are pretty much what I expected, those with 4x4 got it either for "just incase" or they big tow boats. Only two of the seven 4x4 owners I polled say they had to use it; both got stuck on the boat ramp in 2WD mode, but admit over the years they only needed it once or twice. All of the three of the 4x2 owners said they never been stuck or wished they had 4x4. Now most of them drive F-150s and I think two drive Sierras so not sure if that makes a difference.

I've decided to continue waiting for a 4x4 Limited in Blue. Not because I need it, but incase my lifestyle changes once I have it.. such as getting into off roading in the Everglades etc. Blue is apparently a very desirable color as I can get most other colors right now, but not Blue.. no delivery date yet in 4x4. I might drop down to a Sport 4x4, and trade the Homelink & OEM Leather for the hood scoop. I could live without both, but $ wise its a better buy to get the Limited.

The Limited 4x2 was very sluggish in low RPMs / acceleration, the Colorado isn't so while I wait I guess I'll start researching the forth coming Colorado Diesel version.

 

I don't know how far you'd be willing to travel but my local dealership replaced the Tacoma I bought with a 4x4 Limited in blue. Its in N. Charleston, SC. Rick Hendrick Toyota. Hendrick Toyota Scion

 

So, I bought a SR5 4x2. I really wanted a TRD OR and thought I could settle. Wanted to take a hill on my friend's farm land and couldn't. Yea, I had the Auto LSD which should work similar to a rear locker but I was still sliding too much. I also almost got stuck pulling out the far side of his trail because it was muddy and slick and I had to go faster than I wanted. I paid the $3k stupid tax and took it back less than 5k miles later and got a TRD OR like I wanted. Took that thing through some game trails where it had rained and gave it a mud bath. I used 4H once. I drove to the end of a trail, it was slippery and I couldn't turn around so I started to back up. The slight hill I went down before coming to a stop was too much for a slow crawl of 4H. I could have taken it faster but I decided to test out 4L and crawl control, viola, I was out.

Overall the SR5 4x4 might be what you want. I know where I want to take this truck so the bonuses of the OR are worth the $4k over the SR5 4x4 for me.

 

I don't understand how my opinion was funny.. Or why you agree with him. I mean, where I live it actually snows in the winter and ice on the ground is common in winter.. I have no clue where he lives, but I doubt he knows exactly where I live. My wife drives this truck also. She feels more comfortable WITH a 4x4 when roads are slick, and so do I... Plus I did say twice a year, never said i live in Alaska..

It's almost like you guys are hating just because I actually prefer it.. The OP asked for opinions, you gave yours and I gave mine.. What's the problem? I have no issues with a 2wd.. I just don't prefer them.. Simple as that..

 

Simple if your asking if you need 4X4, then you don't need it

 

I don't know why the Tacoma is even produced in 2wd configuration.

Personally, I would not own a pickup truck that's not 4x4.

And I live in Florida.
Pull off the paved roadway in the sand with a 2wd and you will be stuck like chuck.