Two DD, can only keep one...

Mazda + snows + utility trailer should get you 90% of the functionality of the pickup.

I'm not even sure I'd buy the idea of selling both for a small SUV even if I could. I tend to get bored with boring vehicles. My Mazda handles the twisties and is pretty fun, has a nice sound system , sunroof and is a manual. It's not fast but the F150 with 302 sure wasn't!

ebonyandivory wrote:

belteshazzar wrote: when you "need" a truck, rent one.

My biggest concern is that I'm someone who NEEDS to get to work when no one else can. I was lucky to have my two days off for this blizzard. Mazda is the worst I've ever driven in snow bar none. Much worse than my two wheel drive Ranger ever was.

I run 365 days a year in my FWD econo box, snow tires FTW, BTW we are exempted from DOT rulings as we do medical transport.

Get winter tires and go -1 on them, for example 205/55/16 and a 195/65/15 are almost an exact match in diameter, but the 10 mm less width really helps in the snow.

My old FWD Golf could embarass 4X4's in the snow. Most 4X4 drivers never go to a dedicated winter tire.

Do what I did - keep the Protege and put a trailer hitch on it. The hitch (with a small trailer, obviously) has let us bring home a new (heavy!) woodstove, two wrapped pallets of insulation, sheets of plywood, a burn barrel, and random pieces of furniture. I don't miss having a pickup at all. Even lowered with a set of Eibachs, it's pretty much unstoppable in the snow with a set of Blizzaks.

Which one has less rust?

Keep that one. I berkeleying hate rust and do not miss living where they salt the roads.

Brett_Murphy wrote: Which one has less rust? Keep that one. I berkeleying *hate* rust and do not miss living where they salt the roads.

Mazda wins that too