4x4 advantage?

I have been looking around for a larger vehicle for our business. Basically to haul boxes to freight forwarders. I really like the Suburban. Right price, great size, not too concerned about gas mileage. A LOT of them available here are 4wd. No real difference in prices, 2wd vs 4wd. I'm in SoFla, don't play in the mud or plow snow, so is there any reason why 4wd would be a good idea for us? I just don't like the idea of the additional gear and weight.

Nope, skip the 4wd, for on-road use in good weather it'll just be more weight and more stuff to break.

A minivan with seats out or Stow and go will give you more Sq footage of real hauling space over a Suburban as well as a lower load floor and significantly easier side loading via sliding door.

I understand the appeal of the minivan. I just don't like them, at all. Silly me, I know.

Okay, 2wd Suburban if only on road.

In reply to cwh:

For a business I would go with practical over liking them.

Edit: I just realized in true forum fashion that I completely ignored your question and gave you a different answer.

2WD is the way to go. Slightly better mileage (I know you said that doesn't worry you but it is a perk), easier to lower a little for better loading, and less stuff to break.

I actually have to say 4wd isn't that big of a penalty anymore even though I still find near zero use for it even around here. They just don't break like the old days.

I say buy what you like. You'll find parts for 4wd versions much easier then 2wd.

Would it make any sense to pick up a nice 4x4 , no rust Florida car and drive to the rust belt to resell?

In reply to cwh:

I am not sure that there will be a ton of mark up on a Suburban but there are lots of cars that you could do this with.

In reply to cwh:

Yes.

My buddy's dad bought an older square body 'burban 4x4 from FL and brought it back to PA. I think he said it was sold new in Alabama then driven to Florida. We couldn't believe how clean and solid it was.

I have not seen rust on any cars here. Except for recent arrivals from up North. What might be most likely to turn a decent profit?

I think the only thing 4x4 does for you during road driving is somehow make your genitals appear larger. At least, I think that's the sales tactic. Mine are fine, I drive a 2wd truck.

for a small business.. I would get the nicest E150 or small chevy van I could find, put the company name on it nice and neat, and go with that. You want people to have a nice impression of your company, and there is nothing like having a cargo van for moving freight

If you will sell it before it's totally clapped out, 4wd will have a higher trade in/ resale value.

Wife prefers a conversion van. Travel, camping, etc. Viable alternative. I really do not need any signs or ads as we do not sell to domestic customers.

Rob_Mopar wrote: In reply to cwh: Yes. My buddy's dad bought an older square body 'burban 4x4 from FL and brought it back to PA. I think he said it was sold new in Alabama then driven to Florida. We couldn't believe how clean and solid it was.

This - you could have a (relative) goldmine in an older 4x4 vehicle that's non-rusty. Even if it's well-used by the time you're done with it.

In your situation, 4WD only pays off if you EVER need it, and at resale time. Bring a rust-free 'burban up here with a for sale sign and people will throw money at your feet and clean your toe jam for you.

DrBoost wrote: In your situation, 4WD only pays off if you EVER need it, and ar resale time. Bring a rust-free 'burban up here with a for sale sign and people will throw money at yiur feet and clean your toe jam for you.

Awkward, but true. The toe jam bit, at least.

iadr wrote:

JohnRW1621 wrote: A minivan with seats out or Stow and go will give you more Sq footage of real hauling space over a Suburban as well as a lower load floor and significantly easier side loading via sliding door.

This is by far the best advice in the thread. Please reconsider not taking it. :)

I'll also add the 2014 T&C I picked up last fall totally kicks ass - going from hauling 7-people, to hauling lumber, etc. within 5-minutes(conservatively) is wonderful. It tows well, has plenty of power, & handles better than a vehicle this large should. At 18-months old and 58kmi it was 1/2 price of it's new MSRP too.

Vans of any sort do not hold their value. Compared to pickups, the Van is a steal.. compared to a Van.. a minivan is a steal. Nobody wants a used minivan (they don't even want new ones)

If you don't need 4WD, there is no advantage to owning a 4WD vehicle. There are, however, a lot more parts in the front end to wear out and be replaced though.

I'm pretty sure Chevy uses, or used to use, a torsion bar front spring in the 4X4 as well. The ones I've driven/rode in had crap for ride quality. This was in 90s era vehicles. The newer stuff might be better.

Full size or mini van is the answer here, but if you are really set on a Suburban, go for a 2 wheel drive one.

4x4 will effect your MPG. How much weight are you carrying? Would a Ford Transit connect or Chevy/Nissan equivalent work?

cargo weight and if you ever load/unload with a fork truck are against a minivan. Get a 4x4 suburban with barn doors, but even the tail gate version is doable if you need to load a skid with a fork truck.

the only minivan would be the old Astro that came as a cargo minivan.

cwh wrote: Would it make any sense to pick up a nice 4x4 , no rust Florida car and drive to the rust belt to resell?

In general, no. At least not on a vanilla vehicle. I used to do this when I lived in LA and drove to Ontario every summer. I would drag a trailer and try to grab a 30s-60s car from the desert states. I would then take it to Carlisle shows and sell them. The market isn't really great for that anymore...

rust belt folks are kinda desensitized to rust. In all my vehicle shopping here in PA, I usually look for the same vehicles in Atlanta, Austin, Florida, or somewhere else where I have a friend with a couch so I could fly and drive. The vehicles are usually 10-20% more in the south anyway, so if you bought a 10k burb down there, that same burb with a little bubble of rust up here is 8k. In effect, you would spend 10k, then bring it up here to a weaker market where you would get 9-10k for it. "rust-free southern car" doesn't have quite the allure for us as it used to as newer cars get better at not rusting.

As far as 4x4, skip it. I had an F150 4x4 when I was in TX, but it was simply because it was the right truck for the right price. It just happened to have 4x4. I think the only time it was in 4x4 was when I test drove it just to make sure it worked. 4x4 is mostly unnecessary even here in PA. 4x4 is not a snow or ice thing, its an offroad thing. AWD is nice for winter when you have a steep icy driveway, or need to get to the hospital with a foot of snow, but 4x4 is completely unnecessary unless you are off the road.

If you find one for the right price and it has 4x4, do it, but it will cost you 1 mpg, and there is more to fail. Its a whole extra prop shaft, two CV axles, electronic transfer case, additional tire wear and need for more frequent rotations, etc.