Any regrets not getting 4x4

[Willwork4truck]

If you are doing that crap you need buddies and winches.

or just lay off the beer...

 

[Aseras]

or just lay off the beer...

When you are that stuck what else are you gonna do?

 

[Willwork4truck]

When you are that stuck what else are you gonna do?

More beer?

 

[Jako]

I currently have a 2wd Ram in Cleveland, Ohio and glad I have it. This truck stretched my budget enough and I enjoy the lower payment, better MPG, reduced maintenance and higher payload.

I have a short drive to work on main roads the are quickly plowed and I find that 2wd is just fine for me. I see just as many 4wds stuck off of the highway as I do Fwds and 2wds.

I enjoy the 2wd accurately telling me to slow down rather than a 4wd accelerating like normal and then when you try and stop or turn you find out the road conditions are worse than you expected.

With all of the electronic aids on modern trucks, I think a 4wd is only necessary if you live somewhere very hilly or in the mountains, or if you want to go off-road. Other than that, it's fine if you want it, but I don't think 2wd trucks are as terrible as many people think.

I just tried backing into my driveway with just 2 wd, it was a test and 2 wd failed, 4 wd went find. Not a big driveway but does have a steep pitch. I understand your post about 2 wd, but 2 wd may require a little more shoveling and definitely limits my parking (unless I shovel).

 

[JJRamTX]

Thats the one reason i contemplated getting 4x4 then a friend that has a boat told me about the 2 happiest days in a boat owners life. Still want a Midnight Express though

I have been a boat owner since 1994 and this is boat #6 and that is partly true if you don't know the brand and also don't do most of your own maintenance/repairs. I do almost all my own maint but parts are also another story in expensiveness $$$

 

[BobK]

This is my first truck and had AWD vehicles before, but I would never even consider getting a truck without 4WD. Being in upstate NY we get our share of snow and I actually survived with many 2wd cars but just never went out when the roads were bad, and once plowed they are fine. But even just getting the cars out of 12" of snow when clearing the drive was often a hassle. Feel like nothing is a problem with the 1500 4WD and much safer driving in the snow. Cant imagine not having it now.

 

[jdmartin]

Lots of reasons to like a 4x4... It's just not as necessary as some would think.
Full disclosure, I've owned mostly trucks since 1974, and more have been 4x than not, yet I have plenty of reasons to not own one, all terrain/climate or job dependent. Resale is better, I agree.

Parts complexity, increased service requirements and a bit lower mpg's (and payload) are the cons. Anyone who doesn't think that they are more costly to own obviously never had or heard of codes being thrown saying "service 4x4 system" that end up costing the owner $1-2K.

My 2015 F150 (I only owned it a year and a half) never saw the front end engaged. Never. The current 2019 Ram 1500 is now 21 months old, same thing. All depends on what the truck is primarily used for.

One other advantage for the 4x2 is not having such a tall truck that you have to use a step assist to get up into the bed... Long gone are the days of reaching over the side to get something unless you are like 6'4".

I still think that the GM G80 rear diff (it's an Eaton, right?) is the type of mechanical locker that all three domestic brands should have. Nice and simple, no unrealistically low engagement speed limits, no electronics to futz up.

The YT vid below is actually a 4x RAM yet he shows at the 2:00 mark why having a rear locker would have likely gotten the truck out:

RAM 1500 Open Differentials SUCK Off Road (You'll Get Stuck) | Real World 4x4 Testing​

I have a locking rear as well and it is exactly why.

 

[TBfshr]

I have a 4X4 and my previous truck did too. I only had my previous truck for 2 years and only engaged the 4X4 once on a slippery boat ramp but didn't really have to. I like knowing I have it if I need it and the kid in me wants to go off road but where I live there are not any places I know of and I really don't want to tear up my 60K truck.

 

[BowDown]

 

[Willwork4truck]

View attachment 83203

Oh man that would suck...

 

[Techna]

My 4th gen is 2wd and I never needed 4wd with that truck. I did own a Jeep that was quite off pavement centric (flexy lift, MTRs, lockers, winch, armor, etc), so that was always in reserve. The only time I needed the Jeep’s capabilities was for rescuing others or when I intentionally put myself in a position to need them for fun. Though I live in a somewhat rural area and vastly prefer outside activities to (most) inside ones, I had to admit that I just didn’t need 4wd. I sold the Jeep because it just sat most of the time. When it was time to buy a 5th gen Ram, I told myself... no, admitted to myself, that buying a 4wd truck would be mostly for vanity’s sake.

So I bought a 4wd.
And I leveled it and installed 35s.
And am planning a proper lift.


And have no regerts.

 

[highgear2005]

Only thing worse then a 4x2 truck is a motorcycle in the winter! I seen a guy last week on a bmw and the roads where covered in snow


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[Willwork4truck]

Only thing worse then a 4x2 truck is a motorcycle in the winter! I seen a guy last week on a bmw and the roads where covered in snow


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Ha, I rode a street bike for 3 years all year round in Colorado. A bit tricky on snow but hey I was in my 20’s and dumber than even now.

 

[Jako]

Only thing worse then a 4x2 truck is a motorcycle in the winter! I seen a guy last week on a bmw and the roads where covered in snow


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BMWs ride all year. Live in NYC, have 3 BMWs, I think the coldest was 15 degrees. I did however avoid snow falls and black was a concern with warm days and freezing nights. One year used the car only 7 times to get to work. Never a problem. I was still commuting via MC till 61 1/2, motorcycles do have some advantages.
My brother used his 70 Triumph exclusively to commute to college, that was in his youth. Can't get him on the MC today for the most part. He is smarter than me.
BMW R1200GSA and similar are built for continental crossings.

 

[Scram1500]

The Rokon doesn't mind the snow, it doesn't mind anything

 

[Silent Bob]

Salesmen will often try and talk you into four wheel drive because of the resale value. The truck will be worth more when you sell it but never equal to the extra you paid. Maybe if you sold it in a few years but probably not.

I had a 1999 Ford F-150 4x2 for 10 years. Only two times did I need four wheel drive. One time I could not get up a steep slippery driveway, wheels just spun part way up. The second time I parked a bit to close to a ditch on a hill and could not get out. My passenger got on the bumper, bounced and I was out.

So the first time I had to walk up a driveway, no big deal. The next time I would have been stuck without a second person with me.

For 10 years 4x4 would have been mostly useless for me.

Keep in mind that I only drive on pavement with the occasional dirt or gravel driveway and on the rare occasion I took it out in the snow I had four bags of sand in the back for weight. Mostly it stayed parked in snow unless the main roads were mostly cleared.

I have had a 4x4 for some time now and the only difference for me is that I will drive in snowier conditions than when I had my 4x2.

Pros and Cons Below

Pros of AWD/4WD​

Better acceleration: An AWD or 4WD vehicle can accelerate better than a two-wheel-drive vehicle in inclement weather. "The advantage provided by AWD is mainly in the acceleration, as the traction needs will be equally distributed among all four tires," says Cyrille Roget, a spokesperson for Michelin North America. On a car with front-wheel drive, "the need for traction will be transmitted only on two tires," adds Roget.
Helps with traction and towing: A 4WD truck's improved traction can help if you are towing from a wet, steep boat ramp, says Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing for Edmunds. Similarly, if you go camping off-road in dirt or in sandy areas, a vehicle with AWD or 4WD will reduce your chances of getting stuck. But you don't need these systems if towing on dry, paved roads and camping in developed spots are your thing, says Edmunds.
Improves dry handling: This benefit applies only to AWD vehicles with torque vectoring. The AWD version of the Acura TLX is one example. Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) distributes torque to all four wheels, using a pair of electromagnetic clutches to freely regulate torque distribution between the rear wheels. This system is one of the rare cases in which AWD can help with cornering.
Added resale value: Your vehicle may be worth a bit more if you live in an area where trucks are popular, like Texas, or in a place with harsh winters, like Colorado. People are willing to pay a premium for vehicles with AWD and 4WD, says Richard Arca, associate director of vehicle valuations for Edmunds. If you look at the depreciation curve for these cars, value dips initially, but then the cars regain their value after a few years, Arca adds. But if you live in a place with milder winters, like Southern California, there will be less demand for AWD and 4WD vehicles, and buyers won't be as willing to pay for the feature.

Cons of AWD/4WD​

Added cost: The cost of an AWD or 4WD system can range from $1,300 on a Honda CR-V to about $3,500 on a Ford F-150. You'll also have to factor in slightly more for gas because the vehicle's rated fuel economy will be slightly lower.
Lower fuel economy: The AWD and 4WD components weigh more and place a higher load on the engine. These factors will decrease fuel economy by about 1-2 mpg. It may not seem like much, but this is a 5-10 percent decrease in trucks (4-9 percent in cars and crossovers) and can add up to a couple hundred dollars in a year.
More maintenance: The differentials on AWD and 4WD vehicles require oil changes. And though the differential fluid doesn't need to be changed as often as the engine oil, it is an extra maintenance item to account for. These oil changes range from about $40 to $150. If something goes wrong with the differentials, they tend to cost more to repair than with a 2WD vehicle.
False sense of security: It is easy to be lured by an automaker's advertising and think that having AWD means you can drive in the snow or rain as easily as you would in dry conditions. But the truth is that AWD and 4WD help only with acceleration and traction. Braking distances and handling will be the same as with a 2WD vehicle.

Focus on Good Tires​

Ultimately, your vehicle's tires can be more important than the number of wheels being driven. For example, the Audi S5 is an AWD car, but it's not a great idea to take it for a ski trip straight from the dealer's lot. That's because the S5 comes standard with summer tires that wouldn't do well in the cold.
Here's another way to think about it: What would perform better in the snow? A front-wheel-drive car with winter tires or an AWD car with all-season tires? Michelin tested this scenario in a study a few years ago. The FWD car with winter tires outperformed the AWD car in nearly every test. The AWD vehicle had the edge in acceleration, but when it came time to hit the brakes, its braking distance was significantly longer than the FWD car's. Of course, if the AWD vehicle had a full set of winter tires, it would be the hands-down winner, but it goes to show the importance of good tires.

Don't Buy a 10 Percent Car​

People sometimes buy an AWD or 4WD vehicle for the occasional off-road outing or ski trip, while 90 percent of the time they'll be using the vehicle on paved roads. These drivers would be better served by renting a car for their ski trips. This route will save them money on the price of the car and in lower fuel costs.
Wherever you end up, make sure you take the time to weigh the pros and cons.

www.edmunds.com/car-buying/do-you-need-an-all-wheel-drive-or-four-wheel-drive-car.html

 

[Willwork4truck]

The other cost comes with awd, most makers will tell you that all 4 tires have to match in treadwear and type.

I cut a sidewall and due to the tires being over 50% worn, ended up having to get all 4...

 

[silver billet]

Agreed with @Silent Bob, don't buy a 10 percent car. Get one with 4x4.

It's a truck, but I can't imagine buying anything these days without AWD/4x4. You can't always plan when you're going to need it.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Don't buy a 4x4, period. End of discussion.



Get a 6x6 instead!

 

[mikeru82]

Salesmen will often try and talk you into four wheel drive because of the resale value. The truck will be worth more when you sell it but never equal the extra you paid. Maybe if you sold it in a few years but probably not.

True, but depending on your region, it might be much harder to find a buyer who doesn't want 4x4 when you're selling a truck. I know this first-hand. Not really a factor if you're planning on trading in.

The other cost comes with awd, most makers will tell you that all 4 tires have to match in treadwear and type.

I cut a sidewall and due to the tires being over 50% worn, ended up having to get all 4...

I found that out the hard way with my Audi a couple years ago. Cut a sidewall while driving at 60 mph, so the tire was unrepairable. Had to replace all four tires because they were right at 50% worn. That was an expensive day I hadn't planned on LOL. Even so it's not enough of a reason for me to not get 4WD or AWD.