I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately. I’ve kind of been in a “simplify my life” mode. And unfortunately, you good folk get to suffer because my wife hates it when I go into my vehicular existential crises rants and won’t indulge my ramblings... “Whatever you want to do, I support you. I don’t care.” she replies with raised eyebrow and a slighted head shake. Smart lady. And she does NOT care.
I’m almost talking myself into pulling the plug on everything — fleet-wise.
Here’s are the thoughts I’m up against:
- the longbed turns 39 years old soon. It’s really showing its age.
- the IS is a great car, but it hasn’t been cheap and I barely drive it
- the T100 will be cheaper insurance than either of the above vehicles
- the regular gas plus lower MPGs (T100) vs the premium gas and better MPGs (IS) makes the fuel costs a complete wash
- backseat in the T100 not much worse than the IS. Much less comfortable, YES, but not much less room.
- good affordable trucks are harder and harder to find as time passes
- the T100 also is very camp-able.
- I’d have extra cash after selling the IS
- I’m increasingly drawn to a “swiss army knife” vehicle as I age
- the acquisition of the T100 does not necessitate the sale of the longbed. I could keep it as a project car, use the bed as a trailer, hang on to it like a crazy person.
Here are the counter-arguments:
- having driven both long term at different times in my life, the IS is superior in EVERY way as a driver’s vehicle. They feel a decade apart (math nearly checks out).
- the devil you know versus the one you don’t. The IS has 95k miles and is fully serviced and smoother than butter
- I won’t get back every penny I’ve put into the IS. I’m not too confident I’d get 80 cents on the dollar. Not a unique complaint but the thought is there.
- I’m worried I will regret letting go of the IS. I foresee zero opportunity ever finding another an Sportcross in that good of condition. But I’m kind of a man of regret in general, so hmm.
- Will I camp enough to justify the purchase? I can bet with two hands I would certainly camp more, though...
Obviously, there’s a elephant in the room — well, more like a cricket. Why can’t I have both? When I was 27, my dream garage was — no joke - a T100 and an SC400. I also imagined living deep in the woods on a winding road to a house on top of the hill. Instead I moved from downtown Everett to downtown Everett. So stuff happens. When you consider I drive maybe 3,000 miles a year in my personal vehicles, owning a not-cheap IS plus a not-cheap T100, insuring them, and then just having them sit around isn’t a good use of money. But then it’s kind of a wash, because if I wait a long time and get a Tundra, it’ll just mean more money but later. There’s no good answer, I swear...
Well, anyway. Thanks for the listen.