[wita]

My six vehicle fleet of four wheel vehicles, are classified thusly: five are rear wheel drive V-8 engine driven vehicles one of which is four wheel drive if activated.

Only one is all wheel drive four cylinder SUV. It is not clear if the SUV has better winter abilities than the much older Ford Crown Vic former police car. The Crown Vic certainly warms up in winter much faster, and is extremely stable on snow and ice.

Three are stick shift, two five speed one four speed.

Hopefully I can live with the vow of NO electric vehicles in any stable of mine. Consider how many times you would have been stranded if your vehicle behaved like the power company. Surely there isn’t anyone here who has not suffered multiple power outages summer and winter in your location?

[P.O.E.]

I went the SUV route after the third child (no more room on the bench seat of the ol’ Chevy C10), and for carpooling to work.

Most embarrassing moment: Taking the kids to the mall in the SUV, Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” came on the radio, so I turned up the volume. My daughter turns to me and says “Really Dad? You’re driving a mini-van.”

[Myrddin]

I preserved the life of my 1999 F150 with 5.4L V8 by doing 99% of my commuting around San Diego on a motorcycle (Kawasaki Versys, Harley Sportster, Harley Fat Bob). 20,000 miles on each of the bikes. I added 30,000 miles to the F150 odometer in increments of 1850 miles in round trips between San Diego and Pocatello...towing a trailer with a bike to San Diego. I purchased the F150 used with 22500 miles on the odometer in 2003. It is almost 2023 and the odometer has not passed 64,000 yet.