Reminds me of my Dad's situation years ago in Pennsylvania. He was the first in the area to buy a 4x4 pickup. Ford, of course. All his neighbors kept asking him why he needed it. Then, come winter, they would be calling him up to either pull them out of a ditch or up a hill so they could get home - or just to give them a ride where they wanted to go because their rigs were helpless.
I will never own a pickup without it. But then, where I live now, not too many paved roads. If I leave my house and drive due south it is exactly 102 miles before I get to the first pavement. And dirt roads have a nasty habit of washing out or getting really greasy during stormy weather.

 

You live in the southwest with no snow and you said yourself you don't go offroad. Unless it makes you sleep easier at night, 4WD is a waste of money in your instance.


You forgot to add that it is a $4k premium up front.

 

Resale value is better because it costs more to get into a 4x4 in the first place.

I think reselling the vehicle will be easier(wider purchaser spectrum) if it has 4x4.

 

If you get the 2wd get the electronic locking rear.

I live in Nebraska and bought the 4wd because we get snow and ice. I rarely need to use it unless I'm taking off from the stop sign going up the hill near my house. Then I turn it on until I get going ,then I'll switch back to 2wd.

 

I figured that was already understood.

Absolutely. When I traded my 05 in the first thing the dealer wanted to know was if it was a 4x4.

 

The original poster says on line one that they'd prefer a 4x4....Decision made, buy a 4x4, needed or not, they know what they want.

 

But I would also prefer a truck that is fully loaded, doesn't mean I need it. Haha. Just mostly doing a check on my choice. I could end up in Minot, ND and I would def want 4 wheel then.

 

4X4 for me, even in Florida. Towing my car trailer occasionally requires I use it if I end up parking on non paved areas. Lots of sandy soil can get a truck and trailer stuck pretty easy. I don't currently own a boat but boat ramps can also make you glad to have a 4X4.

 

I used to live in Flagstaff, at 7000 feet in the mountains, International Falls, MN and other areas with snow. If you're not familiar with Albuquerque, it's at 5000 feet and has some elevation changes. Contrary to what people who haven't lived in the region, it does snow in the mountains. Interstate 20 does get closed to winter driving conditions. However, that said due to the dryness of the area, snow normally will cleaned up and moisture on the roads evaporate quickly.

I had a 4X4 when in MN, where I was in charge of the TSA workforce at the airport. I was required to be at the airport no matter what weather conditions were, and the 4x4 was needed. When we moved to Flagstaff, the 4x4 was overkill, unless we were going into areas needing higher clearance than a 4x2 needed. In over two years, that happened only once, and even then a 4x2 would have been fine, just needing a bit of finesse and taking a bit more time. And I never needed 4x4 in that spot.

My '16 is 4x2. I don't need it as I don't go mudding in southern GA. I pull a 26 foot travel trailer with no issues and don't have the additional costs involved with maintaining the hardware for a 4x4. Less to break, less weight (300-400 pounds with the hardware), better tire wear, better fuel mileage (those some will argue that).

It's a difficult decision to make if you aren't really sure you'll need it. And one thing to keep in mind: as a friend in the vehicle recovery business (tow truck) said, " a 4x4 will get you stuck $250 to $1000 further than any other vehicle can and will." And having ridden with him on recoveries, it really is true.

 

Unless you plan to use it offroad, you don't need 4x4. Even when I did go offroad, I very seldom put my truck into 4wd. It was more fun to drive it in 2wd. If you lived in the great white north where it snows all he time, then yes. But not where you live.