Which vehicle to commute in?

I never thought we could scare off @Cpl_Punishment but he’s gone. Either that or he’s looking for that KIA under a snow pile.

 

Many of you’s bring up great points such as life is too short to drive a Kia, the safety of a small car, etc etc. ALL excellent points. But again it all depends where the vehicle is commuting to. For example my drive into work entailed a street that if I went over 25 mpg I would scrap the undercarriage of my stock 5th gen 4Runner. When I had my Tacoma cigarette holes were burned into my Tonneau cover. I would be leaving work and find my tailgate down with guys “chilin” in the back of my bed. Along with all the trash (soda bottles/wrappers). My co-workers have had side view mirrors stole and had the windows broken for loose change.

I would love to drive my Tundra everyday but it would look like s&@! in two years. That TO me is worse than a vehicle not driven enough. Owning Toyota trucks is more like a hobby for me...no I am not afraid to use it. I am simply not going to kill it though. And it’s a real treat to drive it especially when my wife and children are with me.

Getting a commuter car or getting rid of a commuter car isn’t always a black and white answer...UNLESS the decision is SOLELY based on a financial standpoint.

 

Some of you's need to commute to a better job location.

 

...unfortunately that’s simply not possible without taking massive pay cuts

 

Legendary? The cream of the crop? The wisest of all choices? I agree.

 

I used to have a 1998 Honda Accord to commute in with my 2014 4runner as my fun vehicle. My accord needed brakes and tires which was going to cost a couple thousand so I decided to donate it to Red Cross and use the 4runner as my daily driver. It got totaled in an accident and I bought the tundra. I thought about getting a beater commuter car. I commute from Maryland to DC every day (40 miles each way). But, I figured if I spend that much time in the car I might as well like what I am in. So I daily drive the tundra knowing that gas consumption will be the drawback and have a smile on my face. Between the insurance and upkeep of the commuter car it’s basically a wash annually money wise.

 

I cycle during the summer!

Our building moved from closer to farther, but it is still within cycling distance (15k each way).

 

I commuted 150 miles round trip 5 days a week for 7 years. Started it in econoboxes while my trucks sat at home. I eventually realized that I was spending almost 4 hours a day in something I didnt enjoy driving. Kept my latest econobox incase of hard times and started commuting in my trucks. Figured if I died tomorrow I was not going to be happy that I had a nice shiny low mileage truck at home.

 

I just love driving, doesn't really matter what. Primary advantage of the Kia (other than fuel economy and not having to scrape windows in the winter) is that it's a manual. The ride in it had been getting rough shortly before I bought the Tundra but I suspect that's because it needs new tires.

Also, I can use my iPod in the Kia and have all my music instead of only what I can get onto 4 thumb drives in the Tundra.

 

Well I joined one Forte forum but it's boring compared to this one so I don't spend any time there. I don't think they have any off topic sections or anything like that, I don't see any need to mod my car (unless I could find a nice lip spoiler for it) and I don't feel like reading about the issues the later generations had.

 

I guess I need more sleep than the rest of you...

 

in all honesty your square bodies probably getting up there is valuable as your tundra now.

 

It would have been an easy decision for me to drive the Kia if I'd taken a job downtown or somewhere else like that but my commute is going to be all highway to a large industrial site, presumably with big parking lots since everyone else in Alberta commutes in full size trucks. But, since it's a short term contract, who knows where I'll be working next year?

 

I've got the same problem but it's not a dilemma I don't want to Drive the Tundra for work when I can drive my Acura to work unless I need a truck. The decision gets even easier when there's snow and salt on the ground the Tundra stays in the heated garage all winter so it doesn't have to meet the white stuff. My wife thinks it's actually kind of crazy but I have two four-wheel drives and I don't drive either one of them in the salt.

 

@Prostar 190 , it's worth more. It's a frame off resto with an lq9 6.0 ls swap.

 

I know it was worth more!
I have an '86 K10 that was a full frame off restoration with all new GM body and interior parts back when you could still buy them. Good luck putting your hands on a set of GM fenders doors or bed sides now.

 

2015 Honda Civic EX-L.

 

You must have beautiful skin.

 

Unfortunately, I'd have to park my truck on the street if I drove my car.

 

Sorry can't hit the like button on that one.

 

I did the math a slightly different way and it looks to me like it's better to drive the truck to keep the miles off the car. The only way for it to be better to drive the car would be if I didn't buy a battery or tires for it and if gasoline averages over $1.14/litre. But if I buy tires, it would have to go to $1.30/litre for it to make sense to drive the car. This is also heavily contingent on how much I think I can sell it for with 65k kms vs 85k.

The one thing I didn't incorporate was anticipated value at sale of the Tundra but my current goal is to keep the truck at least another 14 years so I anticipate the impact being minimal and Black Book agrees.

 

My commuter is a little 08 Mazda 3. 5 speed, even has manual windows. It’s fun to drive and easy to park. Been a great little car and if it gets beat up, not gonna cry about it. I used to commute 65 miles a day each way. Now I do a 35 mi each way commute in heavy traffic 2-4 days a week with TW. I take the tundra if weather is bad. I can do a week in the Mazda on a tank of gas (13 gal tank), 3-4 days w tundra (26 gal tank). I like driving both, but I think the Mazda is a throw away car, hence, it is the commuter.

Drive the Kia till the wheels fall off, you’re not gonna make any real money selling it and you won’t put miles on the truck or risk it getting damaged by a dumb driver.

 

I love my Toyota Tundra sr5 crewmax...I do alternate with my Toyota Prius for commuting. My commute is approximately 35 miles each way. For the past several years I have only about 50,000 miles on my 2016 crewmax I have been using a Prius since 2011 and have put over 200,000 miles on 2 Prius. My old commuter car is now my daughter’s car and my current Prius is now gets the bulk of the miles and my tundra gets my fun driving and my loading of stuff from Home Depot and Lowes. I would never get rid of my tundra unless it’s for my next tundra