Our current daily drivers are as follows:

2009 F150 XLT FX4 148k miles
2016 Gen2 Sequoia Limited 145k miles

Utilization

F150 is my daily driver. I work downtown Houston, live in Cypress, but I only really drive to the park and ride. I have averaged about 8,900 miles a year since owning. In frequent bed usage, but when needed it is really needed (trips to the ranch etc). Tow an Inboard/direct drive ski boat during the summer.

Sequoia is her daily driver. Mostly up to the kids school and around to town. We make several cross state (San Antonio area) and cross country trips a year to Virginia. The third row is almost never used, third row is always folded down, but the storage space is used very often. Because we do long trips with this vehicle the entertainment package comes in very useful. Improved gas mileage over the 5.7 would be nice too. We also have a smaller overland trailer we pull for camping trips.

Both vehicles are paid off and we dont need to upgrade but I am at a point where I have done well enough to not drive a 16 year old hand me down truck. My kids are 9 and so I want a plan to evolve what my wife drives into the age of my kids and their activities, etc.

Help me come up with a strategy and vehicle options that will fit our needs considering the current utilization.

I've been looking at new King Ranch F150s for me. But I also contemplate getting her a new vehicle and driving the sequoia for a little bit.

Maybe like a Highlander to 4Runner. You can get a small third row in those and I think they lay flat as well. Both would get better gas mileage, and in 7 years the kids can drive it. they are smaller, but big enough and easier to park in the city. You can take the Sequoia and replace later, so that you are staggering car replacement.

We have a 2017 Sequoia and I think it will go forever. New Sequoia would be an option, but they really messed up with it for having third row down and using storage. I think the 4Runner may have more storage.

FYI: As the kids got closer to driving, I think we were carpooling more kids around, so a third row may still be nice to have. Parents less particular about picking their own kids up or dropping them off all the time.

We were in the same boat 7 years ago with a 7 and 5 year old and bought the 4runner with plans to make jt their car when they start driving. You get a reliable 7-10 year old "beater" that you know the full history of.

4runner has plenty of room for 2 kids. The third row is nice in a pinch, but we don't use it much.

Get whatever truck you think looks the best or whatever you get the best deal on. They all have some sort of issue. For an SUV I would get a 4 Runner, Land Cruiser, or GX550.

My plan as of now is to drive our 2012 Highlander for another 3-4 years and likely move into a 2024 4Runner (last of the old school years).

My plan for our 11 yo is to have him get a job and figure out his own vehicle LOL (sorry not sorry).

Edit: The stars have spoken. The OP can throw it in a LLM himself if he wants the feedback.

2022-2024 Lexus GX460?
Or GX550 depending on budget.

Gas mileage is 17-18mpg on the highway at 85mph.

Has apple carplay and a decent stereo. Toyota drivetrain and good reliability. Comfortable and quiet. Middle seat can be bench or captain chairs and comfortable for adults or kids of all sizes. Third row exists if you need to haul extra kids (or adults for a short ride. I fit but it's not really comfortable for a road trip). Fold down the third row and you have the interior storage space you need.

A used 460 would be in good shape but already had its depreciation hit. A 550 can be configured however you want.

Naveronski said:

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2022-2024 Lexus GX460?
Or GX550 depending on budget.

Gas mileage is 17-18mpg on the highway at 85mph.

Has apple carplay and a decent stereo. Toyota drivetrain and good reliability. Comfortable and quiet. Middle seat can be bench or captain chairs and comfortable for adults or kids of all sizes. Third row exists if you need to haul extra kids (or adults for a short ride. I fit but it's not really comfortable for a road trip). Fold down the third row and you have the interior storage space you need.

A used 460 would be in good shape but already had its depreciation hit. A 550 can be configured however you want.

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this and the other comments are great. But would you replace my truck in this instance and go without the bed? Effectively two of the same purpose vehicle?

I'm looking for "keep the truck since you do t drive it much and upgrade the wife's car while it still has some trade in value" or "sell the truck and take the sequoia and buy the wife a telluride" or "buy the truck you want now since you can keep it 10 years, then upgrade the sequoia in 3 years or so"

Idk

Sell your truck, or leave it at the ranch.

You said you use the bed but didn't say how, and u-haul trailers are a much better value proposition than unused unsecured bed space that is open to the weather.

You take the wife's Sequoia. She gets the nicer newer GX.

Naveronski said:

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You said you use the bed but didn't say how, and u-haul trailers are a much better value proposition than unused unsecured bed space that is open to the weather.

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For the OP - you can probably live without the bed and when you do need it, you can rent a U-Haul truck or whatever meets your needs.

Anything I would need to tow, I can do with either my Expedition (tows like a dream - I'm not pulling a travel trailer or horse trailer or anything like that) or my Jeep Wrangler for smaller jobs. I took a U-Haul 6'x12' from Galveston to Los Angeles via I-10. My Expy towed a U-Haul 6'x12' from Denver to Los Angeles on I-70 / I-15 great (twice).

The last major truck bed job I needed was disposing of about 2 Tons of jackhammered up concrete from my backyard in Los Angeles. I was very happy to spend $35 for the day to rent a U-Haul truck to haul off the concrete to the recycler in Sun Valley. I wouldn't want to do that to a 1/2 ton truck that I owned.

Ragoo said:

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My kids are 9 and so I want a plan to evolve what my wife drives into the age of my kids and their activities, etc.

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Two kids I assume so, I'm assuming that you're not looking for a single vehicle that you can pass down when they start driving in 7 years.

Two paid off cars. I'm not going to go all Dave Ramsey on you but, there's a lot of value in no car payment.

If there's something pressing - some new feature that you think you're missing out on, it sounds like you're in a position to pursue it.

The main differences between 2009, 2016 and now would be things like additional airbags and screen real estate. I suspect engines and reliability would actually be worse due to all the emphasis on mpg improvements in newer models.

For those cross country trips to Virginia, you could rent a car. I've got a friend who does this to keep the miles off his vehicle. Owns a mini-van but rents a mini-van for trips - I don't get it but... hey, not my problem.

In summary, my contribution is to figure out the main reason why you want a new vehicle. What is it that you're really trying to achieve? If you can answer that, the rest will fall into place.

Keep both cars
Give them to the kids to drive when they're driving age.

Save your money in the meantime, and get a new truck and SUV when the kids start to drive. Get all (or most) of the options as a reward for saving money.

If the kids prove to be responsible and get through the 1st year of college without a wreck, sell the beaters, give them the 2 newer cars and upgrade yourself again. Move mom into a smaller SUV but upgrade her to a Lexus or Acura.

You have a pretty ideal mix of utility in your current vehicles. What Hollywood said would be my advice - do some soul searching about what it is you really want and why. If getting a newer vehicle is a reward to yourself for your hard work and ability to afford it so as to not drive a 16 year old truck every day, then that's your reason.

I have a 2008 F150 as a third car, and we use the crap out of it with my wife's reselling and estate clean out business. Routinely taking large metal loads to the recycler, moving stuff around. It is an extremely useful tool for us to have access to. I previously DD'd a newer Denali until it was stolen. It was fine, but it was really a crappy commuter - hard to park in the garage, didn't utilize the covered bed nearly at all, etc.

If I were you, I would absolutely keep the Sequoia as a family hauler and tow vehicle. The truck upgrade should be aligned with your priorities. Luxury commuter, offroad capability, ranch or camping capability, additional family hauler, midlife crisis 2 seat sport car....

Porsche there is no substitute.

If Telluride is on the list, that's a good option. Bought my wife one this year and she freaking loves it. We got the X-Line to give it some level of off-road capability since we live on the coast. For beach and high water.

Damn nice on the inside.

People like their Tellurides.

I guess I'm in the minority but I hated the Telluride I rented in CO this October.

I got it as it was 7 passenger and my parents, who drove up vs us flying, wanted to go in one car.

I'm tall. My dad is same height but bigger, 6'6", but I had trouble in the front seat. He couldn't get the passenger seat back enough to fit in and there is a large lip on the bottom of the door making getting hard.

Ended up driving my dad's car, VW atlas, in RMNP, instead of my rental. The auto driving feature was nice but can't wear sunglasses with it. And the cruise control would work just as a set speed. Had to have eyes for the camera.

So it was either drive in super sunny weather with no sunglasses and drive comfortably or drive with sunglasses and have to foot drive everywhere.

~egon

All I'm reading are tall people problems.

Get yourself another truck. The second you don't you will regret it.

That sequoia will last another 100K miles easy. Keep it.