Went a Different Route on a new/used Vehicle.

It never hurts to have a backup vehicle. I try to keep at least 2 going at all times,, it sure cuts down on the mileage on 1 vehicle being driven all of the time. I guess in a way T5R , I'm like you ,, I've got plenty of vehicles,, but mine aren't as new as yours,,

 

2001, 2005, 2007, 2019, and 2020 now. I Would still rather drive the 2001 Big Red All this push button start and cameras and blah blah buttons and no gear shifters........... on 2019 and 2020 ain't my cup of tea

 

My trucks are working trucks so they earn their keep. Wish on my second Dodge that I had went with a low miles 2016/2017 instead of the 2019 but the crew that runs it loves it..... Personally I won't drive it other than to get it out of the way of one of the fords or Red. Fleet Insurance is only $947 per year with another $18 per truck added. Keeping the fuel tanks full, plates for trucks and trailers at $368 for trucks and $118 per trailer, general maintenance and occasional repairs, operating permits for the Counties we operate in that range from $125-$255 per year, $100-$150 inspection fees, and all the little Fees I am missing here that all seem to be due on July 1st are where the real wallet pain is and a whole big stack of cash that goes out the last week of June every year......... And we are not even in to State and federal taxes yet and paying the Dept pf revenue all of the sales taxes we collect for them. In the grand scheme of things the vehicles themselves cost very little.

The wife's truck and car are on a regular consumer policy that cost more than my fleet policy but no restrictions on where or what the vehicles can be used for and her truck can't pull any of the Corp trailers.

 

So I filled the box truck up and calculated the MPG this evening and it comes out to 11.17mpg pulling the Chuck Wagon. Not great BUT it eliminates the need for a second truck and support/stock trailer. And half of the miles driven were pulling pretty good grades in the Shawnee National Forest on 2 lane roads and a lot of stop and go through small towns. Red on the same routes was doing good to get 14-15 mpg those hills with a 8,000-10,000 pound trailer behind you really pulls the mpg down. I was a bit disappointed in the trucks V10 and power, it worked hard pulling some of the bigger grades that Red would not even break a sweat pulling. But the 24 valve Cummins diesel and the Ford V10 are two very different critters. But once you get all 10 squirrels wound up and running the ford gets the job done...... just have keep tossing them nuts LOL.

 

Don't know why I'm thinking of this but in all my vehicles I have fire extinguishers, mounted horizontally. (keeps them from packing up at the bottom. malfunctioning)
Don't know why Just seemed important.
Nice truck by the way. Best of luck with it.