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100% agree on the get a beater for commuting idea. I live in the rust belt and have long used a winter beater, the thought of my new truck covered in salt makes me ill. Different reason than yours, but same result. Keep the miles off the family vacation specialist and put them on something cheap to operate.

There is definitely a difference in rear spring stiffness. With the truck empty, you mainly notice it going over large bumps like speed bumps where the 3500’s second stage leaf comes into play. There have been some threads describing the spring differences. The springs could be changed over for way less than you’d lose switching trucks. You also could just remove the third stage springs, but that wouldn’t improve the ride when empty. Personally I would not want to tow a 6500 lb travel trailer with a half ton. I’m sure it can pull it fine, but handling characteristics, stability in windy conditions, and control in hard braking would all suffer. Plus I just like having plenty of payload margin rather than being maxed out and forced to use a weight distribution hitch.

Get a commuter turd-mobile. If not, great deals on the 2.7 Turdbromax. Brother in law gets 26 combined in his commuting and with 430tq and a turbo it won't have any extra difficulty moving 7,000 lbs than the DEF laden mini diesel. Towing with a half ton is going to suck because of the chassis and brakes, not really the engine choices. All of them can move 7,000lbs. Registration costs, taxes, insurance differences, DEF....etc might narrow down your fuel savings if you really did some precise math. I'm not trading my badass HD for a fragile half ton & going through all the swap hassle for $100/mo, but that's just me.

No brainer if it were me. Keep the truck you have. Your probably going to run out of payload on the 1/2 ton just like your Tundra. 150 miles a week commuting is not even worth talking about.

Another vote for the commuter car and/or keeping the L8T since you already have it. Side comment but that tundra only had a 1300 lb payload? That’s pretty useless for a truck especially when subtracting out occupant weight. I think I’ve had more weight in my beater Corolla lol

Keep HD get cheap step and fetch car. Thats what I do. I daily drive my 21 Corolla. Non hybrid and I still avg 35mpg. If it’s just freeway I get 40-42mgp and with my 3 peak snowflake tires I hook up fantastic in the snow it’s a non issue.

They should go hang around the food stamp offices

Its basketball season!

One year and 150 miles later, oil change.

I agree with the last post. Honda, Toyota and Mazda have great reputations for over 100K reliability. Drive the truck once a month until you need it. The car the rest.

Re-used original, no issues and switched to Amsoil no additive needed.

Yeah my 16 tundra double cab sr5 4wd had like 1,370