Spyder as a Primary mode of transportation

[Rukpub]

I am considering selling my vehicle and using my spyder as my everyday vehicle. I just want to know is anyone using their spyder as their primary mode of transportation?

[Peter Aawen]

I do live in a different part of the world, & I do have a couple of other somewhat 'specialised' vehicles that get used (only) when circumstances demand, so for all my 'day to day' vehicle use/needs, I use my 2013 Spyder RT Ltd.

It's Absobloodylutely fantastic, altho I find when estimating travel times, if you are going to stop anywhere you need to factor in 15-30 mins of 'Spyder time' for each stop, cos you will attract a fair bit of attention & all sorts of questions!

And when I have my 'Support Animal' with me (most of the time) I hafta add another 15-30 mins for each stop, & keep any eye out for other drivers suddenly noticing him & then trying to get a better look!! All cos he attracts just as much attention as the Spyder!! Here he is, getting ready to hit the road.... he's got his harness & coat on, but he hasn't got his doggles on yet, he prefers leaving them off until we are moving!

[tehrlich]

I am considering selling my vehicle and using my spyder as my everyday vehicle. I just want to know is anyone using their spyder as their primary mode of transportation?

It evolved into my daily driver after about a week of me owning it! I still have a truck for the things I need a truck to do.

However, I can do most things with the Spyder. There is just more pre-planning, like checking the weather daily, knowing exactly when and if I need to pick up one of my boys, etc.

I wear complete protective gear. I made a commitment to do so. I also have a complement of top-of-the-line rain gear that stays in the storage compartment at all times. I also keep a tire repair, compressor, battery charger/starter, tire gauge, extra sunglasses, hat, etc.

I would hesitate if you had to fight traffic a lot. Not just for safety, but for the fact you could be sitting in a downpour or even worse: beating down sun and you can't move. My commute hits minor traffic.

[tobor9]

My wife(SDM) and i sold our cars over a year ago and use only our 2 RT's('14 RTL and '15 RT) and have not had a problem so far,we have a trailer when shopping at Costco or Lowes etc)

[PaladinLV]

Pick me coach!

AJ

I am considering selling my vehicle and using my spyder as my everyday vehicle. I just want to know is anyone using their spyder as their primary mode of transportation?

[CarolinaSpyderRyder]

I ride the Spyder way more often than I drive the car.

[ThreeWheels]

It really depends on your life style, and you haven't offered any details on that.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say, in general, I think it would be pretty foolish to get rid of your car.

It's great to ride the spider as much as possible, but shopping at Home Depot bringing home 50 lbs of cement becomes difficult.
Taking the garbage to the dump is uncomfortable.
Taking the grandchildren to a baseball game becomes a challenge.
Going home from the hospital, in the rain, after a colonoscopy becomes a difficult task.

To be sure, none of these are insurmountable. You could plan to rent a vehicle as required. Nevertheless, relying on a Spyder, (or any open air recreational vehicle for that matter) as a sole source of transportation with no backup seems suboptimal.

Just my opinion, but you asked.

[Grandpot]

It really depends on your life style, and you haven't offered any details on that.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say, in general, I think it would be pretty foolish to get rid of your car.

It's great to ride the spider as much as possible, but shopping at Home Depot bringing home 50 lbs of cement becomes difficult.
Taking the garbage to the dump is uncomfortable.
Taking the grandchildren to a baseball game becomes a challenge.
Going home from the hospital, in the rain, after a colonoscopy becomes a difficult task.

To be sure, none of these are insurmountable. You could plan to rent a vehicle as required. Nevertheless, relying on a Spyder, (or any open air recreational vehicle for that matter) as a sole source of transportation with no backup seems suboptimal.

Just my opinion, but you asked.

[hecoon]

I sold my wrangler over a year ago. use the 09 phantom every day its not raining.

have a 2014 ram if I need to haul anything

usually take the ram for supper

65k and still running strong. love the spyder

later going to ride the spyder to st Augustine for breakfast

[bodymanpainter]

The wife and I both use our Spyders for our primary mode of transportation
but we also have a 2015 Ram for when we need to haul heavy stuff and if
the weather is really bad, so I would recommend keeping the car if you can and
riding the Spyder as much as possible. Just my opinion.
Toby

[ARtraveler]

My 2013 car has 14,500 miles on it. My two 's, 2011 and 2014 have a total of 45,000 miles on them. I guess I drive the 's more than the car. Greetings from Alaska.

[WA5VHU]

I got a really sweet deal on my 2013 RS, bought late 2015 with 530 miles on it. Bought it from the grown daughters father (daddy!). She had bought it as her only means of transportation, lives in the hills of WV just south of Martinsburg. Didn't work out for her so daddy bought her a BMW car, daddy then paid off her Spyder and sold it cheap to me. He told me she said she didn't like the way the helmet messed up her hair.

Personally, I would want to have access to a 4-wheeler cage, even down south, where it never rains a toad strangler, never hails, snows or ices up, and never gets cold. YMMV.

[DDT]

I can't imagine only having a Spyder in Ga. We can get some very nasty winters and summers.

[ruralgirl]

My truck has felt so neglected since our weather broke enough for me to ride my new Spyder that she refused to start last week. I adore my F250 and need her for our rural lifestyle and 6 months of rotten weather, but she's not my errand runner anymore. I agree with others, however, that you shouldn't sell your vehicle. Too many weather, cargo, and passenger situations to be left without a covered wagon.

[daveinva]

The Spyder isn't my only mode of transportation-- I also have a Honda motorcycle.

That said, I wouldn't rely on the Spyder alone if I didn't have my GF's SUV parked in the driveway for the shopping trips. It's easy enough for *me* to commute and run light errands on the bikes, but it's tough on a household.

[blacklightning]

I have too many vehicles that I drive right now, but cannot decide what to cut down on. I just had my car inspected last month (2006 ford roush mustang) and only aquired 1,009 miles in the past 12 months. I also have a 2002 ford lightning that I managed 957 miles on last year. But I logged in 9,000 miles on my spyder and about 6,000 miles on my suzuki.
If it was to come down to it, I would part with the mustang, but a man with a home can always use a truck. Just Saturday the wife and I were at Lowe's and picked up a 5'-0" window blind and a 36" wide replacement screen door. The blinds fit into her Maxima, but we had to go home to get the truck to haul the door home. I smiled at her and said "now do you see why I say we need to keep the truck"

[IGETAROUND]

I do live in a different part of the world, & I do have a couple of other somewhat 'specialised' vehicles that get used (only) when circumstances demand, so for all my 'day to day' vehicle use/needs, I use my 2013 Spyder RT Ltd.

It's Absobloodylutely fantastic, altho I find when estimating travel times, if you are going to stop anywhere you need to factor in 15-30 mins of 'Spyder time' for each stop, cos you will attract a fair bit of attention & all sorts of questions!

And when I have my 'Support Animal' with me (most of the time) I hafta add another 15-30 mins for each stop, & keep any eye out for other drivers suddenly noticing him & then trying to get a better look!! All cos he attracts just as much attention as the Spyder!! Here he is, getting ready to hit the road.... he's got his harness & coat on, but he hasn't got his doggles on yet, he prefers leaving them off until we are moving!

Peter, I knew there was more reason to like you than tour great posts; you've got a great animal also!!!

Al in Kazoo

[wyliec]

If I remember correctly, groundeffect (a member here) from Newfoundland only has a spyder, and rides all/every season long; no hiding from bad weather. My hats off to him, and anyone else that only has the spyder that rides every season, rain, shine, or snow.

[H.L.Spyder Guy]

I have used my spyder for my primary vehicle for the last 3 of the last 4 years. It's a blast, don't get me wrong, but it's still cheaper to maintain my 4 x 4 truck than do maintenance on the spyder! Thankfully I'm able to turn my own wrenches and do not have to bring it in for service. I usually went through 2 rear tires, a set of break pads, numerous parking brake adjustments, a set of plugs, fuel filter, and 5-6 oil changes. I enjoy riding my spyder even more now, because I'm servicing it less, because I have to take the cage to the airport to fly out Monday and return on Friday. 41,000 plus smiles!!

Just do whatever works for you! Just my opinion.

P.S. More than an inch of snow or ice tends to be a problem

[Bfromla]

Ride it as much as you like makes daily errands more fun & can keep you from overloading yourself with unnecessary extras (grocery store) but yes keep a back up vehicle for the ever unknown events that pop up. Fyi i rather carry the lawnmower gas in back of my truck than in my spyder frunk ( it fits but i rather not).


I wasn't there but I still care! POW /MIA VETS

[flaggerphil]

In the past I've used a motorcycle as my primary means of transportation but I also had a car for backup whenever the weather got really bad. And that was when I was much younger.

I'd wait to get rid of the car until you know for sure that the Spyder will do for you even when the weather goes really south or you have to do some heavy shopping.

[finless]

I use my Spyder every day for my commute to work which is 64 miles round trip. I have been since July 2013.

However I keep a car for when it is raining heavy and other things I cannot use the Spyder for.

As a commuter my Spyder has been great!

Bob

[Smokinspyder]

In the summer time the Spyder is my main mode of transportation. But unfortunately we get snow in Chicago... sometimes.