Dually Daily Driver??

[datedd]

Thanks for the candid replies folks! I've always liked duallys, especially the ones that are "slammed" (lowered) although impractical if towing a 5ver. I like the Fords the best because of their solid wide stance, and no rakes; horizontal all around unlike the other two ( not knocking them just preference) so I bet they corner like a Porsche since the stance is similar and therefore no issues with sway while towing.

I'm jealous of all you all, because I'm 6 months out before my HHR is paid for. Wife's rules: no rollover loans on the new truck!

Gotta wait lol!!

 

[mattpopp]

I went front a 2500 mega cab Dodge to a new f350 dwr. Unloaded, the Dodge was far superior in handling in corners only due to the Helwig sway bar I put on the rear. Loaded the Ford is far superior in sway control.

Dually is just another vehicle on the road. Simple and easy to drive. Some people are scared to daily drive them as others can't justify the cost in fuel if they have a long commute. I love my pickup and I will never own a vehicle that I can't daily drive. Even if I owned a 450 I couldn't justify the added cost of a 2nd vehicle to not daily drive the 450. I believe most people don't realize that a 2nd vehicle used as their DD is costing them more.

 

[rgwilliams69]

Yep matt, had that conversation with our second oldest son. He was unhappy with the commute fuel mileage/cost of his dodge truck, so bought a small car beater to drive back and forth to save money. Shared some math with him and just the liability insurance premium alone was eating up almost all of his potential savings, and that was without counting even basic maintenance. A little time with a calculator/spreadsheet can save a lot of wasted money if folks think about it. One other thing to note on daily diesel drivers is the ever increasing disparity of gas/diesel. Here in Illinois this morning gas dipped below $3 at $2.99/gal. First time in a long time I can remember it being that low. Diesel at the same station is $3.99. A full $1 difference per gallon, ouch!

 

[scottyb]

One other thing to note on daily diesel drivers is the ever increasing disparity of gas/diesel.

Yep, but you don't see many gassers pulling these heavy rigs. I happened to notice today that the Chevy Vortec with 4.10's can only tow 13500 with a GCWR of 20500. That's 10K less than the Duramax.

 

[datedd]

Yep matt, had that conversation with our second oldest son. He was unhappy with the commute fuel mileage/cost of his dodge truck, so bought a small car beater to drive back and forth to save money. Shared some math with him and just the liability insurance premium alone was eating up almost all of his potential savings, and that was without counting even basic maintenance. A little time with a calculator/spreadsheet can save a lot of wasted money if folks think about it. One other thing to note on daily diesel drivers is the ever increasing disparity of gas/diesel. Here in Illinois this morning gas dipped below $3 at $2.99/gal. First time in a long time I can remember it being that low. Diesel at the same station is $3.99. A full $1 difference per gallon, ouch!

Exactly where I'm coming from as the OP. I have owned multiple vehicles and the double "everything" is a pain. One vehicle for multiple tasks is the way to go. And a dually will give me more choices in 5vers.

 

[rgwilliams69]

Yep if you are going to single up on a vehicle for pulling your coach to camp and getting around while camped, Ford F350 is a great choice. I make excuses to drive mine I like it so much.

 

[caissiel]

We have a 4 cylinder standard Matrix that we bought new with 60k in 3 years. Wife drives it south for 6 months every year while I pull RV with F250. All costs twice as much on the truck and I plan to use it a long time. I never had one vehicle for last 20 years and buy trucks used at 1/2 price so I Don not need to do the math. Truck has 50k in 5 years and still good for 5 more years. Plus DW can have her freedom and be independent from me. We take a lot of side trips and enjoy the comfort of the small sport vehicle in our passion for sports like kayaking surffing and biking. No need for motorized fun machines yet and car can carry them. She also drives my truck as we use it in bad weather and to burn the fuel.
My first additional VW diesel paid our first RV in fuel savings.
And if one can afford a ton truck a car is a no brainier.

Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk 2

 

[porthole]

Daily driver for me. But hat has as much to do with the costs of owning a 2nd vehicle in Jersey.
Higher priced fuel, less mileage, double the toll rates for the DRW here. But it is a wash with the insurance and maintenance for a 2nd car. Besides, I like my truck

I park at the end of the lots, tend to back in whenever I can, and against a curb if possible. The DRW is a long truck and it overshoots most parking spaces. Whenever I can if a lot has plenty of room I just pull into the middle of 4 spaces.

Backing in makes it so much easier to leave the spot.

 

[boatto5er]

My wife drives our dually a lot. Never has a problem with parking spaces. Of course she knows to avoid notoriously tight locations. She may be an exception - she also can pull the trailer and has done so on interstates and back roads both. I still have to teach her how to back the trailer into RV sites, but have no doubt she can do that also.

 

[JohnDar]

We have two vehicles and it will stay that way. There's never been a time in the almost 40 years we've been married that we didn't have our own.

 

[mattpopp]

Me and the wife also have our own vehicles. But that wasn't the argument. It was owning the Dually to just tow the RV and having 2nd (3rd if you want to count your wife's) to Daily Drive in.

Our argument was it will cost more owning that 2nd (or 3rd, how ever you want to look at it) vehicle rather then sucking up the fuel cost and just drive you TV as your DD.

 

[Speedy]

Lower you TV costs by turning off most of the insurance, fill the fuel tank and don't drive it. Did that for two seasons and it saved a ton of money while driving a smaller car as a daily driver.

 

[rumaco]

My dually is a 2006 F350 Lariat and has 23000 on it. Drive it only when pulling and then it sits in controlled environment storage, waiting for the next trip.

 

[oscar]

I have been driving a Chevy Crew Cab 2500 Dmax short bed for the last three years, towing and as a daily driver. Wednesday I'm getting a 3500 dually crew cab long bed. I suspect that the added length and "girth" in the rear will make it non practical as a driver to a lot of places. So, I plan on getting a low mileage citizens transport in the 30+mpg category if it doesn't work out. The fuel savings (I drive 20K a year) will just about pay for the little thing, and it will save miles on the TV.....we'll see.

 

[Owenfamily]

My dually sits about three or four days a week without driving it to much. I did not get it to pull any trailer. I got it becase I wanted it. We had 4 trucks and one car and I let my ford 150 go and now I just have two work trucks plus the dually, then the wife as her go cart car. I call all cars a go cart becase it feels like your sitting on the ground when you get into them. Far as gas I don't get bad milage unless i get on just to blow the smoke for the aholes that like to tailgate or want to race off red light. I average around 15 miles when not pulling and it is stock for the time being. far as parking I park it where I want. I don't let the size get to me. I do back it in so no one will dig up the large fenders.

 

[oscar]

I do back it in so no one will dig up the large fenders.

Been driving mine for a few days now, and the above seems to make sense. I have been doing just that. Otherwise.....LOVE driving the monster around.

 

[JohnDar]

Bee driving mine for a few days now, and the above seems to make sense. I have been doing just that. Otherwise.....LOVE driving the monster around.

Actually, I back it in because I can't see squat backing it out! Might run over some rice-burner and never know it.

 

[oscar]

Actually, I back it in because I can't see squat backing it out! Might run over some rice-burner and never know it.

My 2012 came with a back up camera. The left third of the rear view mirror is the screen....works like a charm!

 

[JohnDar]

My 2012 came with a back up camera. The left third of the rear view mirror is the screen....works like a charm!

We've got one on the Equinox. Can't say I find it useful since it makes it look like there's a ton of room just before you hit something. And with my trifocals, I have to cock my head way back to be able to see it. Old school: look in the mirror, turn your head and look around, turn your head and look around again.

 

[jayandhisgals]

We have a F350 DRW Diesel and use it mostly for towing although it's the most confortable truck we've ever driven. Our F150 is the daily driver. Fuel and oil changes are just too high to drive the diesel everyday.