If I'm even questioning if I'm crazy, then I must be at least a little, right?

Here's the deal: I have a 2003 F150 SuperCrew FX4 that is in great shape and I use it as my daily driver (5 miles each way) and tow vehicle. We trailer boat, but usually most of our trailering is about 10-15 miles round trip from dry storage to one of our preferred ramps. The drive from our house to the strorage unit is about 50 miles one way. We usually make at least one longer towing round trip of 1000-1200 miles a year to a new lake plus a few shorter 150 mile trips to some other lakes thrown in every now and then. We also visit family in Texas and Maryland once or twice with the dogs but not the boat in tow.

When boating, our two larger dogs always accompany us in the cab with the rear seats folded down. Usually not a problem for the four of us (admiral, the dogs and me). We often throw luggage and gear in the bed - no cover on the bed, so have to keep an eye on the weather. Well, the Admiral is preggers with our first. I'm concerned there just isn't room in the cab for us, the dogs, a car seat and future FM, and associated gear. I've thought about getting a shell, but its just too hot for the dogs come July and August. I've been thinking a lot about switching to an SUV like an Expy.

After hearing a story on NPR about the incredibly low trade in values dealers are now offering folks with SUVs, I've been thinking even more about trading my truck. A few news stories say trucks are holding their value better than SUVs. KBB gives it a trade-in value of ~$12K, but I think KBB values are lagging what is really happening. I own the truck free and clear. I figured with the values of SUVs falling off precipitously, there might be a real good deal out there.

Part of me really wants to keep the truck because I like being able to fill the bed with mulch, put a lawn mower in it, haul stuff to the dump or from Lowe's or HD. The other part of me wants to be able to comfortably accomodate our growing family and still tow the boat. There is a third part of me that says, this is all just crazy. So, who wants to examine my head and spend my money??

I have had severla Expy's and loved them all. The 2007 and newer ones have a 6-speed tranny that gets much better mileage than the older ones.

Do you have room to get the Expy and a "vintage" around-town PU?

Yeah, I'm really only considering the '07s or newer because of the 6 spd. The main advantage of going to the Expy over the F150 is the additional 'enclosed' space. Fuel milage differences for most of my driving won't be significantly different, but I'll be happy with whatever improvement there is.

Troop, are trade-in values for SUVs really off 50% from values published in KBB as the NPR story stated? It would seem the re-sale value should follow accordingly, but a quick look on AutoTrader and Cars.com doesn't support that rationale in most cases.

Not really. Can only get the Admiral's car in the garage with my truck relegated to the driveway. Only one parking space in the driveway. I'll probably pick up a utility trailer for hauling stuff if we go the SUV route. But, no place to really put the trailer either.

I heard the same NPR story Waterdog. They interviewed a guy who owned an Excursion and had 5 kids. He was bummed he was getting offers of 8-12k on his vehicle when it was near 50k new (he did not buy new, but newly used) just a few years ago. When asked why he bought an Excursion, which is bigger than an Expedition, he said he had "no choice" with 5 kids. He never mentioned (or that clip was cut) towing a boat, dogs, etc. Just the 5 kids. He can buy whatever vehicle he wants but "no choice" rubbed me the wrong way. First, my Ody minivan seats 8. Second, if he had "no choice" 2 years ago, how is it he is trying to trade it in for something more fuel efficient now? Unless a couple of kids went off to college, which was not mentioned, how is he ever going to manage even if he could trade in the Excursion for a price he liked? Like I said, buy whatever you want NPR dude, but don't say...ooh, it's not my fault, I had no choice. The only thing that changed is the price of gas...just say so!

Ok, sorry for the side-track that story just stuck in my head. That all being said I have an SUV too. I bought it b/c I liked it, wanted AWD for the snow in IL and to tow the boat. I also put very few miles on it so the gas mileage isn't a big deal.

WD, w/ the Expy you can always throw a tarp in the back and still haul your mulch. I think an SUV makes sense in your case since you need a larger vehicle to tow your boat anyway, so it just gets down to which one meets your other needs best. You're not making a bad financial move like taking a big depreciation hit on your truck to buy a now popular gas sipper...its a lateral move or like you say, if trucks are holding value more, even better.

Just found the audio clip of the NPR story and listened to it again. I had missed the first part of it that revealed what SUV he had and why. Sounds like his wife has an Expy. I always consider the National Propaganda Radio bias with these stories. And I got a laugh out of the radio host's (Steve??) non-biased commentary on an Explorer being a tank, the Expy being a behemoth and the Excursion being the Queen Mary (or whatever he implied/said).

The main thing that piqued my interest was the low trade values should equate to lower retail values. Increased supply, less demand.... I don't want to buy new.

I've heard that some dealers in the mid-west are not even accepting SUVs for trade in.

So if you ever decided you needed one, I would think now would probably be the best time ever to buy one. Heck, they'll probably quit making them in a couple of years.

I've heard that is the case with some dealers around here, too. Don't know of any specifically, but maybe I'll go hang out in front of a few dealerships with a sign that says, "Cash for your nearly new SUV".

I,ve been watching the SUV market very closely since March. No doubt prices on used 2006's are down 15% since then.

As long as your commute is of the shorter varity, you will love the Exp!

We have a Focus for short trips to the store etc... this helps the over all fuel bill...

But nothing can replace the big road trip Exp, I flat love this SUV out on the open highway...

Maybe just put a shell on the bed of the truck for the enclosed space and keep it. Just a thought....

Kind of related in that I've been considering buying a gas guzzling Tundra to tow with (no commute, work from home, but probably still crazy). Anyway, saw an 08' on craigslist with 4K miles. Looked to be an SR5, so their mid-range truck. $19,900. He says he paid $27,500. Ouch! I contacted the guy and he sold it in one day. I've seen a few where they want what the owe the bank. Doubtful that is going to happen.

You could go the shell route and keep the windows open for ventilation. ANother thought is to keep the window from the truck to the shell open for the A/C to go thru.

I have a Super Crew and love it, the expy will only give you the conditioned covered back area and a cap with the window open can provide the same for less money.

please stop calling it an "Expy" This name diminishes any "man value" possible left in full size SUVS.

An Expy sounds like something one drives to Crate and Barrel to buy linen and drapes.

Sorry for the diversion . . .

You could even get a small RV A/C for the topper.

We bought a 2001 Expedition 2 months ago and love it so far. Gets virtually the same MPG as our minivan did (18.5 vs 19). Doesn't pull the boat as well as my F-150 did due to different gears, but i can live with that so I don't have an expensive truck collecting dust 20 out of 21 days.

That's what the Admiral suggested! And its the most logical/economical.

I've thought about a sliding front window in the topper, but I don't think the truck a/c could blow enough air through the sliding rear window to keep it cool enough for the dogs. No rear seat air ducts to rig something up with either.

Remember, its a wet heat here.

I like to take my truck to Pottery Barn and then eat at a soup and salad place afterwards.

I'm with the "topper" crowd. Mark (harbor owner) got a fully carpeted (read: insulated!) topper with matching bed carpet for his Nissan pickup. Not '70's shag rug either, it's very soft, very short pile stuff, real comfy. The windows are tinted, too. The bed area actually stays cooler than the cab, and is no problem to keep cool while driving...

A man should always have a truck

I echo the idea of a cap for the bed. Or, a waterproof toolbox for your luggage and stuff and then the dogs could ride on it with their heads above the cab and tongues hanging out See that all time.

If you go with a cap for the bed, an RV style vent with Maxx Air to help with ventilation.

I like the Expy approach. Rent a truck from Home Depot for $20 if you have to haul crap. It's not like you're going to have time to do that every weekend anyways.

No space for even one of these folding types ?

BTW, I'm with the topper crowd. You could modify that topper so that you can get adequate ventilation for your hounds.

I LIVE that expression. Have had a truck to drive since getting my license at 16 (with only about three years total in the past 40 of NOT owning a pickup).

My current reasons are work-related, of course. I NEED 15,000# towing capacity and the ability to haul tools and equipment on a near-daily basis, so my situation can't be compared to yours. But there have been many times when the versatility of the pickup made the decision for me.

Had a Tahoe. Nice car for a station wagon. Woulda preferred a classic Oldsmobile custom cruiser and enjoyed the extra two seats.

I'll keep the truck. Mine's 13, has 190,000 miles on it, gets 12 mpg on a good day, and does ANYTHING I ask of it. FWIW, YMMV.

This is only my experience and maybe the 6 speed is better in the Exp. My 06 Explorer has been in the shop 5 times for shifting issues with the 6 speed transmission. The issue can not be fixed by Ford and if you check the web you will see others with the same issue.

Unluckily for me Illinois has a terrbile lemon law.

When a tornado passed by me a few weeks ago I was hoping to get the Ford in it's path.

The explorer tranny is a completely different beast than the Expedition. Unfortunately, the Explorer doesn't have the greatest reputation when it comes to transmissions in the 5R55W/N. It is supposedly a derivative of the C3 family, the transmission that powered the Pinto. Not sure what family the Expeditions 6R80 comes from, or if it even has links to an older trans. The 4r70W in the previous Expeditions/150s were linked to the C5/AOD.