I learned the hard way about daily drivers...

At one point the wife and I had 3 vehicles. An S15, a Highlander and a Miata.

All very different, and served different purposes. Each quite well for our needs.

Sound expensive?

Nope. We could insure, maintain and operate all 3 for less than many we knew were spending on car payments. For one vehicle.

It did allow the pleasure of 'down time' when one needed project work (usually the Miata, for modification, not repair), selecting the right ride for an occasion, use need or weather conditions. Very freeing.

 

haha yeah dude this is the dream. Like I’d love to just leave my truck on stands for a couple days while I wait for a part to come in and not feel like I can never leave it in a non-operating condition just in case I want to run to the nearest burger spot.

I’m anxious to start this over the right way.

 

My truck was parked for 6 months while I built this thing.

 

No fair!!! sweet rig man

 

honestly a really smart take.

 

I may have misrepresented.
It took far longer to build this than 6 months.
It took 6 months to get it road worthy.
It's been 6 years and 248 nights of camping and it's still not done, lol.

 

I hear you on the stress factor. I daily my 95, 500 miles a week mostly highway. Going on six years of it being my only vehicle. Have had to miss work several times due to various major issues, but I keep fixing them and she keeps on trucking. About to roll over 296k any day now and I’m looking to pick up a second vehicle ASAP so I can give the ol Taco some rest and rehab.

Edit: Figured I should include a good story. The most fun I’ve had was when both driver side ball joints exploded while I was driving 25mph down the road in a remote town. The CV axle came apart as well and the only thing holding on was the tie rod. The next week was spent hitching a ride to work, coming home 12 hrs later and working as long as I could on the truck in the parking lot of my apartment. They wanted to tow it out but I promised them I’d get it done and they gave me a break. Tools and parts were very strategically acquired at times when I could get a ride.

 

I have comp car(only can be driven business hours)
Helps alot

other vehicles keep me busy
Current issues I’m dealing with

96 Taco—TPS….did the 100 pedal press..Unk if that will work
01 forester—RR’d AC expansion valve(with OE this time(ugh)) and recharged this weekend….TBelt/water pump/tires next on the list
98 RSTi….the HVAC speed switch has been cleaned/lubed 4 times….just started acting up again….bought a fleabay one to rebuild with parts from 2 others

meh
Keeps me busy
Zero Car Payment FTW

 

Yuuuuup had a daily while I built the (brand new) Taco to be a badass all-rounder.. and now that car is gone so I can focus on a real project and the Taco is an incredible daily. It's immensely better having 2 cars.

 

I guess I should have mentioned I have four vehicles-
1986 S15 Jimmy, 2wd, very lowered and very occasionally driven.
1998 Tacoma, 4WD TRD Access Cab, the off road truck.
2008 Honda Ridgeline, my daily driver, identifies as a truck and does truck stuff but doesn't go offroad.
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT, the wife's car she just bought, has maybe a 1000 miles on it.

So yeah, quite diversified and each have their uses.

 

Lance
Incredible Thunderstorm Taco Picture!

really nice photo

 

hahah the never ending pursuit

 

brutal.. luckily every time something has gone wrong I’ve been able to take it to the mechanic. I wish I had a shop of my own at home but working out of an apartment just wasn’t feasible. Idk there’s pros and cons. I learned a lot about my truck that’s for sure

 

Yeah, it’s been nice not having a car payment for a while now. But then the little things that happen almost seem to equal a car payment anyway. So I’m torn about the whole concept. My plan is to buy a newer Camry to have as my daily and then start screwing around with a project car

 

bro show us some pics of your rig… 2021?

 

Bro.. you get it. Definitely got the dream set up here. A vehicle each for its own particular use. Beautiful gmc by the way

 

Agree

 

My build thread is in my sig, lol, but here ya go. And yessir 2021, just hit 16k miles lol.





And the 2 obsessions:

 

Is the Santa Cruz green? It's looks more like Toyota's under ground gray but looks green in that picture. It sure has some heavy duty off road truck looking tow hooks for a cross over pick up CXP is that what Hyundai is installing at the factory?

 

Oh lol I’m new to forums so I don’t really understand how things work still. Pretty damn bad ass whips, though.