2WD vs 4WD

[Veebyes]

Every so often I get to wondering what my 2006 Chevy might be worth, not that there is any reason to sell it, so I go hunting around online.

I must have a very rare one because 2WD crewcab longbox duallys are tough to find. If you live in snow country or do alot of dirt backroads then I can understand the justification for the 4WD. I'd guess that this is a small group.

Like the majority I am a summer traveler. Yes, I have driven in the odd snow shower but I have never seen a snowplow in action from my drivers seat. 7 years, 120,000 plus miles, all states, Alaska twice, stuck only twice. Both times stuck, once in a CG due to a very late season snowstorm & once on a hayfield at the Oskosh airshow after a night of rain & many tearing up the ground before me. Both times I got myself out.

So, all you people with your 4WD, really & truly how many times have you really NEEDED & used you 4WD to get yourselves out of a slippery situation while having your 5er on the back?

One thing I do carry is a decent tow rope, never used, just in case.

[rhagfo]

To those the say it cost too much, just like diesel, YES the upfront cost is there, BUT you get a very large percentage of that back at resale or trade in time.

I prefer both, and will spend my money the way I see fit (Personal Choice)!

[laknox]

Veebyes wrote:
Every so often I get to wondering what my 2006 Chevy might be worth, not that there is any reason to sell it, so I go hunting around online.

I must have a very rare one because 2WD crewcab longbox duallys are tough to find. If you live in snow country or do alot of dirt backroads then I can understand the justification for the 4WD. I'd guess that this is a small group.

Like the majority I am a summer traveler. Yes, I have driven in the odd snow shower but I have never seen a snowplow in action from my drivers seat. 7 years, 120,000 plus miles, all states, Alaska twice, stuck only twice. Both times stuck, once in a CG due to a very late season snowstorm & once on a hayfield at the Oskosh airshow after a night of rain & many tearing up the ground before me. Both times I got myself out.

So, all you people with your 4WD, really & truly how many times have you really NEEDED & used you 4WD to get yourselves out of a slippery situation while having your 5er on the back?

One thing I do carry is a decent tow rope, never used, just in case.

I'll never have a truck that's NOT 4x4. It's just too handy to have when you need it, whether towing, or not. We do a family boondock every year, and on the dirt road we go in to (a pretty good one for all but the last mile), it makes a noticeable difference in towing, especially if you hit some washboard areas. I'm talking 15-30 mph, max. When we hit the rougher patch, down to 4LO she goes and I just creep in. Don't =really= need it, just makes it easier to control speed in a couple steep spots. Wet/slick pavement or dirt, hit the button and you're a lot safer than with 2wd. Personally, I do not go looking for extreme 4wd driving, but if I want to drive up to an old mine or get off the beaten track, it's the only way to go.

Lyle

[jalichty]

We have always used 4WD vehicles to pull our FW, and boats. Never had to use 4WD to pull the FW but have used it in the snow and ice around here. Another reason for our 4WD is to put our boat into and pull it out of the lakes we fish in. If you get on a slippery ramp, or drop your rear reals off the end, 4WD is a Godsend. We once pulled a guy up the ramp at Jackson Lake late in the year after he launched a boat and dropped his rear wheels off the ramp, very low water, and didn't have 4WD. Just unhitched my GMC 4WD, hooked up to his Ford, and pulled him out quite easily, using 4WD. If my wife would have taken pictures of the GMC pulling the Ford out of the lake, GM might have given me a bunch of money for them, but she was too busy talking to the boat driver to do that. Oh well, our loss, but memories stay with us.

[_43]

Choosing 2WD or 4WD can depend on the type of truck for the conditions you anticipate driving in. A Chev Duramax with the Allison is VERY front end heavy! Consequently it doesn't take much for the rear tires to lose traction. Some might argue that a non-slip differential (positraction) can accommodate for slippery road conditions and 2WD is good enough. Not So!! My experience is that starting out on slippery surfaces (ice) the back end breaks free because both wheels are spinning and it's very easy for the back of the truck to slide sideways. Now, take a light truck like an old Tacoma with a four cylinder and standard transmission and watch what it can go through in 2WD. It's more evenly balanced front to back.

[ChooChooMan74]

If I didn't work for the railroad, and need to go to work in any and all weather conditions, I would consider a 2wd for myself. Less weight, less to go wrong. So far, I have needed 4wd twice since I owned it. Last year's big blizzard (and even I got stuck with 4wd due to high centering) and once on the beach, I got myself a little too far in the sand.

[avvidclif1]

richheck wrote:
Avvidclif1:

Just sold a 2005 f350 4x4 DWD and got an extra $3,500.00 being it was 4x4, I thought that proved it was not a bad investment back in 2004 when I bought the first truck, sure if you wait 20 years to upgrade there becomes a point of diminishing return on your original investment.

If you didn't read it my TV is a 2009.

[BillB3857]

Our driveway is an up-hill 16% grade. Gross combined weight of our rig is a little over 18,000 with a little over 2,000 pin weight. Without 4 wheel drive, the dual wheels on the back of the truck just spin. Putting it in 4X4-Lo, the rig will just idle up the hill. Very good control at low speeds.

[Lantley]

I imagine I need use 4x4 less than 10 times a year. More if we get a lot of snow which is rare in MD.
However when I need it there is no substitute. Its nice to push the 4x4 button and get out of a jam.
Unless it's due to snow I generally don't plan to use it. But circumstances can dictate that 4x4 is needed.
Due to wet grass, mud, steep incline etc.
4x4 allows me the freedom to not to limit myself to paved roads only.
That does not mean I need to go way off the beaten path,but It does mean I can drive across the lawn,up the wet grass hill,jump the curb,climb the steep loose gravel driveway or venture out in the snow without worry.
It's all about freedom and flexibility to leave the pavement if required.

[mowermech]

" But for winter, I install a pair of good BFG Commercial TA Traction tires (snow tires, really), and the difference is night and day."

THAT, plus some weight in the back (I carry six 70 pound sandbags), and you are good to go all winter long. I very rarely put the truck or the Jeep into four wheel drive. I simply don't NEED to!
IMO, it is ridiculous to use summer or "all season" (a joke at best, simply dangerous at worst) on snow and ice!
I run snow tires all year round on the truck and the Jeep.

[Snowman9000]

avvidclif1 wrote:

richheck wrote:
If you figure the difference in your future resale value, you are getting the 4WD for free, resale on 2WD is much lower than 4WD, usually the difference is more than the original 4WD cost.
Personally I would never be without 4WD, worth it's weight in gold when needed.

On my TV the difference between 2 and 4 wheel drive in resale is $600. The 4wd option is a lot more than that. Straight from the NADA website, look it up.

On a 2014 the 4wd option adds $3,190 to the price.

In Illinois, the resale difference is huge, and probably is enough to "get it free". My truck came from Texas as a used vehicle off lease. My dealer could not sell it. I bought it super cheap. $16,000 for 4 years old and 64k miles. So I won't lose too much, but someone did before me.

[Snowman9000]

I have a 2WD Duramax 2500 crew cab. With the fiver, I have to be very careful about the surface being driven across. Even wet grass can make it impossible to get moving. If I had it to do over again, I would buy a 4WD.

OTOH, we've never gotten it stuck. There have been some "oh krap" moments but I was able to keep moving and get out of trouble. In the snow, the truck by itself is worthless with regular tires. But for winter, I install a pair of good BFG Commercial TA Traction tires (snow tires, really), and the difference is night and day. If I wanted to run these for towing, I think the wet grass type situations would go away.

Bottom line, I personally would not trade the truck just to get 4WD, but if I bought another truck, I would get it.

[Likes_to_tow]

I have always bought 2WD simply because if it is snowing, I'm not pulling a trailer. In the 5 new pickups I have owned in the past 35 years, I have been stuck 3 times. The extra hardware of the 4WD is just another thing to wear out or break. Insurance is a little higher for 4WD simply because people use it to get in trouble both on and offroad. Many people believe 4WD means you can drive faster on ice and snow. Well you probably can use the extra traction to get more speed. However all vehichles, both 2WD and 4WD have 4WB (four wheel brakes) and in all the years I have lived on this country road outside of town I have seen far more 4X4's over the hill, on top of the guardrail or smashed up. This is simply because too many drivers think 4WD makes them King Kong and they drive in an over confident manner.

If I were replacing my truck today I would consider a 4X4 simply because I now park my boat in the back yard and it would be nice to have a little more traction. As far as pulling the 5th wheel I never need it nor do I pull into places that require it. So overall I would say 4WD is good if you actually have a need for it. Otherwise it does nothing for you and does not make your tow vehicle tougher or stronger. I overhead a guy buying a very large bumper pull travel trailer tell the salesman he had enough truck to handle it.....it was 4WD.

[richheck]

Avvidclif1:

Just sold a 2005 f350 4x4 DWD and got an extra $3,500.00 being it was 4x4, I thought that proved it was not a bad investment back in 2004 when I bought the first truck, sure if you wait 20 years to upgrade there becomes a point of diminishing return on your original investment.

[avvidclif1]

richheck wrote:
If you figure the difference in your future resale value, you are getting the 4WD for free, resale on 2WD is much lower than 4WD, usually the difference is more than the original 4WD cost.
Personally I would never be without 4WD, worth it's weight in gold when needed.

On my TV the difference between 2 and 4 wheel drive in resale is $600. The 4wd option is a lot more than that. Straight from the NADA website, look it up.

On a 2014 the 4wd option adds $3,190 to the price.

[richheck]

If you figure the difference in your future resale value, you are getting the 4WD for free, resale on 2WD is much lower than 4WD, usually the difference is more than the original 4WD cost.
Personally I would never be without 4WD, worth it's weight in gold when needed.