Great thread. God willing I have 7 1/2 years of work left before retiring at 70. Gotta pay off a new or low mileage vehicle and pay off the house note during that time. Hey, money saved on a 2wd vs 4wd could go towards a motorcycle too.
Time is short.
Birdwatcher, regardless whether you go with 2 or 4 wheel drive you might want to give some thought to weatherproof, lockable storage / extra carrying capacity when you go truck shopping... IE - standard cab versus extended cab, four door cab and/or lockable rigid bed cover. Besides room for occasional additional passengers, the extra space in bigger cabs is a big asset in keeping stuff dry and out of the heat and cold, not to mention valuables/necessities out of sight and easy access to potential thieves which a lockable bed cover alone would still help accomplish with a standard cab.
