2wd vs. 4wd. Let's go!

[FordConvert]

I know I know, but let's beat it to death one more time for good measure. Here's my situation. Poor college student. Bought a 2004 ram hemi 4x4 with 3.92 rear end(that was an accident) anyways, I get a whopping 9.5 mpg city and 15 highway. Needless to say the truck sits more than it gets driven. I want a ram, I want a hemi. I also want better gas mileage. I see guys with 3rd gens and 3.55s getting 14-16 city and 18-21 highway. Which really adds up. Now my question is, does having a 2wd truck make a difference? I don't go off-road more than a gravel or dirt road and only maybe 2-3 times a year. Same with snow. Maybe 5" maybe 3-5 days a year. 85% of my driving is in town with the occasional 300 mile haul down i40 home. I don't plan to lift my truck or put it on large tires. I'm not opposed to leveling a 4x4 and some terra grapplers or something similar, I'm also not opposed to a 2/4.5 inch drop. I can find a 2wd cheaper with less miles and maybe newer in model years than a 4x4. 4x4 can be had for good prices but they are few and far between and generally sell very fast. So now that I have opened this can of worms, let the opinions and experiences fly!

 

[B-g-K]

21 highway empty is a stretch, even for a 4th gen with the 8 speed, and that's on the in dash calculator which is not perfectly accurate. Heck my 2013 pentastar says I average 24.3ish usually and hand calculated its actually 22.9. What I'm getting at is either stick to what you have especially if it runs good, and weigh the cost of going to higher gearing, like 3.55. A trade is risky, you don't know what you're getting into.

 

[FordConvert]

4ish mpg is well worth the risk of a trade to me. Especially in the city. That adds up overtime to some serious cheddar. And I can get a 3.55 either 2wd or 4wd(maybe) for what my current vehicle is worth.

 

[B-g-K]

Then take the plunge. I couldn't get away with not having 4wd. I use it all the time. Just last night my girlfriend got stuck in our slightly uphill driveway (its gravel) in her yaris in 3" of snow. Instead of waiting til I got home she kept trying and put it in the 3' snowbank lol. I just removed the snow touching the body and chained up and dragged it out, needed 4wd. Also need it when I do the occasional off road when hunting, etc. If you can do without then go for the 2wd. I just have a use for it, and would never want to end up wishing I had it and didn't

 

[FordConvert]

Certainly a concern of mine as well. Better to have a tool and never use it as the saying goes. On the other hand, I have friends with the 3.55 4x4 who claim 14-19...

 

[B-g-K]

If you're talking similar year, I think you're going to find not that big of a difference in mileage between the 3.92 and 3.55. Maybe 1-2 mpg on the highway, but around town it should be nearly identical.

 

[B-g-K]

Most people on here with the early 3rd gen hemis claim 10-14 mpg it seems. Kind of par for the course.

 

[FordConvert]

2006-2008 make any improvements? I know there's the MDS system, which nets about as much controversy as you can get haha. If I got a consistent 14 in town I would never complain again.

 

[B-g-K]

I can't speak from experience honestly, hopefully someone chimes in.

 

[Brakelate]

Living in SoCal, 4WD was a luxury, for when and where I wanted to use it. Out here on the UT/AZ border, it is almost mandatory (for my lifestyle).

You can put two wheels off on the shoulder and be stuck in this beautiful, but tricky powder blow sand in spots.

What you need to realize is that you are already "mated" to this truck. It is all the associated costs of getting out of it, and into something else that will rapidly cost you as much (likely, much more) than any mpg gains you will see in the short term of a couple years.

Instead of putting fuel in the tank, you will be paying off some dealership, bank, or private party a considerable amount in book value, cash up front as a down payment, then higher monthly payments on top of steeper registration, insurance and all of that just to get it where you are confident in it. Hell, the sales tax and registration fees alone will take you a long time to make up and "break even" in terms of a few mpg, meaning a couple bucks per fill up. Especially if you do not drive much. That will just take it longer to get back to where you started, as far as actual cash out of pocket.

Unless you REALLY took a step backwards in year, mileage and quality of the "new" used vehicle. Ironically, if you purchase even a newer compact car, due to the higher purchase price, it really sets you back from where you are now.

You either pump cash into your truck at the pump, or sign it off in a check at time of purchase and every month in terms of payments. You pay either way.

The only real way to truly save, is to drive less, drive slower, reduce your overall living expenses or..... make more cash. That will come in time, as you obtain your education and career goals. Until then, biting the bullet is the reality.

Many people don't consider overall cost of ownership and simply think reduced fuel costs and consumption is the answer. It is not.

I cannot tell you how many people I have known, who go buy brand new motorcycles to commute on to save money. They see the short term increase in fuel mpg, but never consider the radically increased costs for financing, insurance, tires and maintenance, as well as needed riding gear.

Had they bought even a mid sized car or truck, the overall cost per mile would have been the same, or likely much better over time.

Unless you had nothing, and were starting from scratch with a first vehicle purchase, I am afraid there is no real mind blowing way to get out of transportation costs now that you are on your way with this combo.

 

[rustydagger]

The only time I see 20 in my 2012 4x4 with 3.55s is when I spend an entire tank on the highway. Like 2 hour or longer road trips.
60 mile round trip daily commute at 65 mph yields 15-16 average.

I do think a 2wd would get better. To me it is also a matter of utility as well as fun. Drove around in the snow pulling people out because I could.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

 

[FordConvert]

Assuming I could swap this Truck for a 3.55 with no extra cash involved and paid in full (which I can do for what truck prices are in my area) getting 13-14 in town and 18-19 on highway yields a 16ish mpg average which is 4mpg higher than my 12ish average now. Since I mainly drive city consider this: 25 gallons x 9 mpg = 225 miles where as 25 x 13 = 325. That's an extra 100 miles per tank. If any hemi is truly capable of a consistent 13mpg, for minimal cost difference or maybe even saving some money if I bought a 2wd,

 

[Brakelate]

Regarding MDS and Gear Ratios;

I have a '07 1500 QC 4x4 Sport with the 5.7, which has the tow package's 3.92's and MDS.

Just picked up the Power Wagon Six months ago. Sounds like a huge difference on paper; 3/4 Ton, Crew Cab with 5.7, no MDS and what sounds like crazy 4.56 gears. In addition, it seems much larger, heavier and less aerodynamic than the older truck.


I honestly average a mere 3 mpg better over all, both city and highway in the older half ton with all it's electronic aids, better aeros, lighter weight, more road friendly gear ratio, etc. Under some conditions, loads and speeds the "bigger" truck actually gets much closer, and sometimes better mpg.

Running about 1000 miles a month in either truck, depending on your price per gallon, it only comes down to about a $45 a month difference.

Like I said, take the higher purchase price, down payment, taxes, registration, depreciation, insurance and all that crap and divide that over 12 months and see what it comes down to. More often than not, it will be at least a couple hundred dollars a month more, though because it is hidden, it will make you feel better than paying the $45 or so dollars at the pump as you watch the dollars and gallons click by.

Don't get stuck spending dollars to save dimes.

FYI, in one of my Mustang Cobra's, I went from 3.27 gears to 3:55's to 4:30's and on my same routine 120 mile daily round trip commute loop, I saw less than a 1.5 mpg difference from one extreme end of the spectrum to the other. Each gear change cost me about $550. This was for Drag Racing and Open Track performance, which did yield significant results. Had I been doing that purely for mpg, I would have thrown a truck load of money away for a miniscule return that would have taken YEARS and well over 100k miles to just get back to the "break even" point.

Same thing goes for the Diesel vs Gas debate. Unless ABSOLUTELY needed for towing or super high commercial grade annual miles driven, it simply does not make sense, unless they were rolling off the lot at exactly the same price. Then, it would come down to all the personal preferences.

 

[FordConvert]

Really appreciate all the replies guys, keep em coming.

 

[Sparkyy]

Everything that has been said in this point are all excellent points.

The one thing I just have to add though is do not get 4.7L thinking that 1L will make a big difference. In the end, you end up paying almost the same in fuel usage and have a weaker running vehicle.

I am glad I have my 4x4 as it has come in handy with all the snow we have had in this area this past winter. There were days that I would just have to be in 4 high to maintain descent driving.

Could 4x2 have worked? Yes, but I would have gone a lot slower than most cars were doing around here because I was rear wheel drive.

It all comes down to your area and how you drive. I believe Brakelate has said excellent points in this area in the terms of cost savings.

 

[Bigboytoys]

Going to play the devil's advocate here...I have a 4.7L and the 3.55 gears. I average about 16 city and 20 highway (and that is doing about 70 mph on the autobahn) so it is possible to achieve good gas mileage. The trick for me is to have supporting mods done (AirRaid intake, tune, exhaust work including Y pipe) and as weird as it sounds larger than stock tires (running 285/70r17s instead of the stock 245/70r17s, and yes, speedo has been tuned). Now I don't know if there is much difference between the 4th gen and 3rd gen 4.7Ls, and I also don't know if the fact that I have the 5 spd manual transmission has anything to do with it, but again, attaining decent mileage is possible with these truck. Also keep in mind that mine is also lifted 3" and has a bull bar on the front. so it is not the most aerodynamic vehicle out there...

 

[ms8091]

I have a 4th gen 4.7 with 3.55 gears and average 16 in town and 22-23 in the highway with stock tires and no mods. If I start mashing the peddle, that does change. For the most part, I drive 90-95% in town, so my average is around 16.5. Not bad for a 4x4 full size.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bloombloom88]

Before I started modding my 4.7 I averaged 15.5 city and got 20 on the highway. That was completely stock

 

[FordConvert]

Well, sounds like a may need to consider a 4.7L and not be as caught up on having a Hemi.

 

[DatacomGuy]

I have a 2WD hemi with the 3.55.

Wish i had bought a 4WD.. for resale, and i've needed it a few times.

I get 20ish on highway for longer trips. I average 14.5-15 in the city.