If you're hauling and towing heavy 75% of the time, then by all means buy or keep the one-ton. But the OP implied those numbers are flipped for his use -- 75% of the time he doesn't need it.
Nobody really off-roads a tow rig, not by my definition of tow rig or off-road. Driving unpaved fire roads isn't offroading. What the mules do is offroad. So my suggestion was never to offroad a rental truck, but for the guy who tows heavy only on occasion to rent for those occasions and buy or keep based on the majority use.
I remember back in the day I had buddies that would talk about buying Duramax duallies so they could put their Harleys in the back and then tow their Mastercraft. They did it too, and the fifth wheels and the side-by-sides. My neighbor just bought a new GMC 3500 Denali to tow his 5th wheel and 4-seat RZR, replaced his older Dodge Mega-Cab.
Personally, I'm not retired yet, but I am enjoying being able to meet all my family's needs and being debt-free. I'm not here to judge anyone different. Some people can afford more pickup than they need. Others just want more than they can afford. In my experience, once you buy a vehicle that isn't going to make you money, it's just about impossible to get your money back without severe depreciation and loss on the resale.
