Giving up the pickup truck?

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theplayer11
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by theplayer11 »

28fe6 wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 11:51 am I don't even see the advantage of a pickup for most work purposes. Except for towing, everything a pickup can do is done better by a van. The idea that pickup trucks are good "work vehicles" is marketing genius to exploit loopholes in federal transportation policy. This should be clear at this point, with the majority of pickups not being sold for work purposes but as generic transportation, exactly as intended by the carmaker marketing.

About the gas cans, I solved that problem by going electric for all my lawn care equipment.
You must not live in the country. List is too numerous of things I wouldn't want to carry in a van that I do in my pick up. not to mention convenience.
deikel
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by deikel »

lthenderson wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 5:12 pm
kcannon1 wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 4:12 pm The thing stopping me is not having that admittedly rarely used bed to haul things. I just used it this week to haul a bed full of compost. Is this “concern” common among truck owners? Part of me thinks it’s silly since I can have yard stuff delivered.
Get a hitch put on any vehicle of your choice. I can rent a trailer from U-Haul for a day for $20 including tax.
exactly this, much more cost effective and more versatile to boot
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Parkinglotracer
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Parkinglotracer »

It is great to read why all of us rationalize why we need to have car x, y or truck z. If you have to post and ask - I’d keep the truck. Trucks look cool.

In retirement We have a 2014 toyota sienna w/ V6 to tow our Boston whaler or a utility trailer - it can carry a large amount of people or stuff in any weather. It runs like a toyota. We also have an 2016 accord w/30K miles that runs like a top and is spending this summer down south on vacation. Third car is a 2011 lexus RX 350. It drives like a dream.


We have to have three cars in case one breaks. Lol. Wife is a bit embarrassed at times to drive the maroon van but since i used to travel faster than the speed of sound and blow stuff up i am secure enough in my manhood to drive it as it is the most practical vehicle on earth. Lol. Us Americans and our cars.
Oreamnos
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Oreamnos »

Parkinglotracer wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 4:32 pm Wife is a bit embarrassed at times to drive the maroon van but since i used to travel faster than the speed of sound and blow stuff up i am secure enough in my manhood to drive it as it is the most practical vehicle on earth. Lol. Us Americans and our cars.
LOL. We don't have kids, and are in our late 50s, so my wife doesn't understand my weird desire to own an AWD hybrid Sienna with enhanced ground clearance for road trips and backcountry excursions.... Carry everything, go most places in all seasons, do it cheaply, be able to sleep in the car if necessary, and be essentially invisible to cops. Just what I need.
hudson
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by hudson »

Oreamnos wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:31 pm
Parkinglotracer wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 4:32 pm Wife is a bit embarrassed at times to drive the maroon van but since i used to travel faster than the speed of sound and blow stuff up i am secure enough in my manhood to drive it as it is the most practical vehicle on earth. Lol. Us Americans and our cars.
LOL. We don't have kids, and are in our late 50s, so my wife doesn't understand my weird desire to own an AWD hybrid Sienna with enhanced ground clearance for road trips and backcountry excursions.... Carry everything, go most places in all seasons, do it cheaply, be able to sleep in the car if necessary, and be essentially invisible to cops. Just what I need.
My Sienna's bumper always hits the curb when I try to park. Ground clearance is slim to none. It wouldn't work on my favorite back country dirt road. A Tundra or 4Runner do fine on that road with some exceptions.
rockstar
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by rockstar »

DrChronzworth wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 12:24 pm Even high mileage F150s from 2000 in good condition are worth about 8-10 thousand dollars in today’s market - OP perhaps that can help with your decision.
My experience with used cars is that pickups are usually better maintained than sedans, so they hold their value.
Parkinglotracer
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Parkinglotracer »

Oreamnos wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:31 pm
Parkinglotracer wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 4:32 pm Wife is a bit embarrassed at times to drive the maroon van but since i used to travel faster than the speed of sound and blow stuff up i am secure enough in my manhood to drive it as it is the most practical vehicle on earth. Lol. Us Americans and our cars.
LOL. We don't have kids, and are in our late 50s, so my wife doesn't understand my weird desire to own an AWD hybrid Sienna with enhanced ground clearance for road trips and backcountry excursions.... Carry everything, go most places in all seasons, do it cheaply, be able to sleep in the car if necessary, and be essentially invisible to cops. Just what I need.
Not sure about the invisible to the cops thing but that’s between you and them! Our van carry’s so much stuff. I bought a $100 lift kit that has two bags that fit into the rear springs to raise the rear an inch or two when loaded and towing. Etrailer has some alternatives. My dad had a van too and it was so practical. I was going to put a Tacoma sticker on its back so it looked cooler. Lol.
iudiehard1
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by iudiehard1 »

I’ll never not own a truck as my primary mode of transportation so no help here!
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Cycle
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Cycle »

I had a truck when I was younger. Wasn't practical. Dumb and young. A 4x8 trailer that folds up will have way more room (got one from harbor freight). My daily driver now is waking and biking. My vehicle of choice for road trips is a minivan. When the kids are out of car seats I will just rent a car as needed through the local car share company, no more dealing with car drama.
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Living Free
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Living Free »

6bquick wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 12:12 pm
28fe6 wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 11:51 am I don't even see the advantage of a pickup for most work purposes. Except for towing, everything a pickup can do is done better by a van. The idea that pickup trucks are good "work vehicles" is marketing genius to exploit loopholes in federal transportation policy. This should be clear at this point, with the majority of pickups not being sold for work purposes but as generic transportation, exactly as intended by the carmaker marketing.

About the gas cans, I solved that problem by going electric for all my lawn care equipment.
Bolded part is demonstrably false. "some things", "many things", "most things", all acceptable and arguably factual statements. "everything", is neither.
Many of the 'truck' tasks I use my truck for I wouldn't want to do in a van. animals, manure, hay, feed, chemicals, fuels, greasy car/implement parts, dirt, gravel, mulch, I could go on but I think you get the idea. doable in a van, sure. but being separate from the cabin and hose-out-able, are excellent features.

as to whether or not it's "marketing genius" or not, I dunno. I agree with your point that for seemingly most p/u drivers, the truck itself is unnecessary and exceedingly so from a size standpoint. I'm hoping the Maverick's and Santa Cruz's can take the truck world by storm. But, I doubt they will.
So then maybe best would be a van plus trailer, right?
vested1
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by vested1 »

I think it depends on how much you use your truck. Up until the last two years I used the trucks I owned so much that not having one seemed foolish. When we moved 4 years ago to a rural area with no trash service it was my only way to get trash to the dump, and I did a lot of work on the 25 year old house we bought which required hauling a lot of lumber, sheetrock, etc.

We moved almost 2 years ago to a 4 year old house with almost no maintenance and a trash service that picks up everything. My newest truck (2012 Tacoma V6 4WD club cab with 112k) would sit in the driveway, looking pristine, but idle. I put about 500 miles on it last year. We're on a lake now with lots of wildlife, and since the truck wouldn't fit in the garage, I had to park it outside and keep the rodents from chewing up the wiring under the hood, and since it rains so much here, the driveway under the truck kept mildewing. When we decided to install pavers in the driveway I saw no sense in keeping the truck, so sold it to CarMax for 19k, 1k less than I had bought it for 4 years earlier. If I sold it privately I could have gotten more than what I paid 4 years ago, but didn't want the hassle.

I bought a small SUV to compliment the larger one we use for everything else. The larger RV, a Hyundai Santa Fe carries about as much as the truck did with the seats down, and when I get mulch, I get it in 50 pound bags. I installed weathertech mats in the Santa Fe that are virtually indestructible. The smaller 1 year old RV is 4 feet shorter than the truck was, and fits in the garage alongside the other SUV with room to spare. The new suv, a Hyundai Kona gets 30 mpg, more than twice what the truck got going downhill on the freeway with a tailwind.

In my mind, I was wasting a fantastic vehicle in the Tacoma. The gas mileage was horrendous, so driving it as an everyday vehicle wasn't a wise option. It sounds funny, but I would rather see the Tacoma owned by someone who will put it to good use. At 71, I wasn't doing it justice anymore. It's good to know that beast is out there doing what it was meant to do.
Last edited by vested1 on Fri Jun 09, 2023 6:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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snackdog
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by snackdog »

David Jay wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 4:26 pm A nice little utility trailer that will accommodate 4x8 sheets of OSB/drywall is all you need.
And you can rent a great utility trailer at U-Haul for $20/day. I have done it several times. They always have them available at the store a few miles from home.

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Grifin
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Grifin »

I sold my 04 F150 thinking the same as OP. Although extremely handy, it’s a lot of vehicle that goes underutilized most of the time.

On my new Bronco, I immediately installed a trailer hitch and plan to rent a lowboy trailer in the event I need payload. In the past 9 mos, haven’t had the need.

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Tubes
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Tubes »

Oreamnos wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:31 pm
Parkinglotracer wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 4:32 pm Wife is a bit embarrassed at times to drive the maroon van but since i used to travel faster than the speed of sound and blow stuff up i am secure enough in my manhood to drive it as it is the most practical vehicle on earth. Lol. Us Americans and our cars.
LOL. We don't have kids, and are in our late 50s, so my wife doesn't understand my weird desire to own an AWD hybrid Sienna with enhanced ground clearance for road trips and backcountry excursions.... Carry everything, go most places in all seasons, do it cheaply, be able to sleep in the car if necessary, and be essentially invisible to cops. Just what I need.
I'll see you guys that and raise you one. :D

I'm a 60 year old childless man. I just bought a used Odyssey from a private party. They had stick figure family stickers on it and a pink front license plate. I left it all on. When I go to Big Box Hardware, no thief is going to realize I have all my work tools in back. They may peak for a purse in the front seat, but won't find one.

I am plenty secure.

I needed this for hauling tools around to my volunteer jobs. It is incredibly versatile and practical. I like the fact it is rain proof, and I can occasionally haul stuff, including 10 ft. 2x4s. I also have back problems and like the lower stance of a mini-van. If I need an open bed, I can rent one for a few hours from Big Box Hardare. I've been on enough jobs as a passenger in the big trucks to realize that the high lift is not friendly to my body. But I understand why people want it. You do you, I do me.

When we are driving around and see some 60-something guy in a hot sports car, I remind DW that she married someone who bought a minivan when he turned 60. We have a good laugh.
6bquick
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by 6bquick »

Living Free wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 9:17 pm
6bquick wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 12:12 pm
28fe6 wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 11:51 am I don't even see the advantage of a pickup for most work purposes. Except for towing, everything a pickup can do is done better by a van. The idea that pickup trucks are good "work vehicles" is marketing genius to exploit loopholes in federal transportation policy. This should be clear at this point, with the majority of pickups not being sold for work purposes but as generic transportation, exactly as intended by the carmaker marketing.

About the gas cans, I solved that problem by going electric for all my lawn care equipment.
Bolded part is demonstrably false. "some things", "many things", "most things", all acceptable and arguably factual statements. "everything", is neither.
Many of the 'truck' tasks I use my truck for I wouldn't want to do in a van. animals, manure, hay, feed, chemicals, fuels, greasy car/implement parts, dirt, gravel, mulch, I could go on but I think you get the idea. doable in a van, sure. but being separate from the cabin and hose-out-able, are excellent features.

as to whether or not it's "marketing genius" or not, I dunno. I agree with your point that for seemingly most p/u drivers, the truck itself is unnecessary and exceedingly so from a size standpoint. I'm hoping the Maverick's and Santa Cruz's can take the truck world by storm. But, I doubt they will.
So then maybe best would be a van plus trailer, right?
maybe. likely a pretty individualized analysis. I pull my trailer with the truck. best of both worlds? we love our odyssey. excellent people mover. But, other than moving people, I can't recall a single instance in the last 10 years of driving a p/u in which I was doing something with the truck and thought, "man, I really wish I had the van". There are several instances, however, in which the inverse occurred. "dang it, we shoulda drove the truck."
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Jack FFR1846
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

vtMaps wrote: Wed May 17, 2023 1:52 pm I can't stand the odor of a gas can in a car or SUV, even with the windows open. I use my truck bed quite a bit, but if I had no other reason to have a truck, I would have one just for carrying the gasoline cans I use for mower, rototiller, generator, etc.

--vtMaps
With my supermarket gas points, I get the best advantage by filling 20 gallons. I put my 2" trailer mount rack on either my Wrangler or my Crosstrek and head to the gas station. Fill the vehicle then fill gas cans till I hit 20 gallons. No need for an open bed.

I'm another one with a small trailer. When it's stored between my garage and shed, I use it to throw bigger pieces of scrap steel. I tend to just keep doing this until I'm going to need it to do something else, then it's off to the scrapyard to collect a small pile of cash. Most of the time, I'm bringing brush to our recycling center where they process it into bark mulch free to residents or delivering 1/4 cord of seasoned firewood. Can I get a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood from a lumber center? Hahaha. I can almost put 2 pieces side by side and of course I can stack them up.

But I will at this time say to keep the truck you've already got. Why? Vehicles are stupidly expensive right now so you can drive the truck now and then and keep mileage off your other vehicle (I assume you also have a car). It's sort of how I use my 9 year old Wrangler 4 door that I bought new and now have 42k miles on it. It's mostly used for offroading and snow plowing but I'll take it out once every other week just to keep it going. So if you have the room and finances to keep the truck and it doesn't cost you a lot for registration, taxes and insurance, just keep it.
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WhiteTaila
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by WhiteTaila »

You can pry my 10th gen F150 from my cold dead hands. :D One of the best things I have ever done is keep my older truck.

Clean, well maintained old trucks are like gold... some just don't know it.

It has mechanical buttons, no beeping, no electronic fluff, easy to work on, it doesn't talk to me, it's off the grid, the backup camera doesn't ding dong and scream just b/c the ball is in the hitch and thinks you are running into something. :annoyed

It is simple.

All the new stuff to me is 100 steps forward, but so inconvenient.

Things will break, you will have maintenance... keep up with maintenance and extended maintenance items: change hoses, brake fluid, belt, etc.

If / when the transmission or engine dies, put a new one in.

Still way better than a new truck IMHO.

Now... what I would buy is a new truck with all the advances in engine technology, minus all the electronic features in the cab. I don't want sat radio, I don't want gimmicky touch buttons, I don't want anything connected to the Internet, no cameras, no beeping, no lane assist, no crap. I'll pay more for less features. :beer
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Tubes
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Tubes »

It really comes down to what you haul or need to haul, and possibly your clearance needs (city vs country).

Dirty stuff, bulky chippy stuff (mulch), tall stuff (appliances) are perfect for pickups. Frequency is also part of the equation. Once a year or multiple times?

OP mentioned music gear. Amps? How big? Tower speakers? Maybe, otherwise something with a cover might be more appropriate as it is easier to handle in the rain.
Longruninvestor
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Longruninvestor »

I love pickup trucks but sadly I have not owed one since 1998, the year my daughter was born and a minivan took over the slot in the family garage. I did acquire a utility trailer that same year and used it extensively for many years, but it was a pain in the neck to store and use. A few years back when it was time to replace the minivan I considered a truck but for a number of reasons went with an SUV. The old steel frame utility trailer with a wood deck was replaced with an all aluminum 5x10 trailer with a fold down ramp. It’s extremely light and I sometimes drag it around my large yard with my lawn tractor hauling whatever I need. Now a retired empty nester, I really appreciate that trailer. While it’s not as convenient as a pickup, the bed is larger and the trailer is significantly more versatile. The ramp allows me to drag or roll heavy things onto the bed which has probably helped me avoid a few muscle strains. The trailer obviates all the needs I have for a truck (I still want one, ha) but I don’t think a truck will ever replace that trailer. The non painted aluminum is more than content to sit outside in the rain, sun and snow 24x7x365.

A prior poster mentioned the cheap Uhaul rental options. Yes! Uhaul trailers are fabulous if you don’t need something regularly and can plan in advance. Additionally Uhaul’s covered trailers are a great option if you are hauling furniture and the weather is inclement.
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Tubes
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Tubes »

Longruninvestor wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2023 12:48 pm A prior poster mentioned the cheap Uhaul rental options. Yes! Uhaul trailers are fabulous if you don’t need something regularly and can plan in advance. Additionally Uhaul’s covered trailers are a great option if you are hauling furniture and the weather is inclement.
A friend and I worked on a project at nonprofit that required a bunch of wood. Friend owned a pickup and he said he'd get it. He came to the site towing the U-Haul trailer (same one as up thread) with his pickup! He said it was a little larger and easier to load and unload.
horste
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by horste »

stoptothink wrote: Wed May 17, 2023 6:32 am
Watty wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 4:53 pm
I finally got her to switch to new Ford Maverick Pickup. Part of this was to get the newer safety features.

They call it a small pickup but it is really mid-size, they have just made everything else so huge that it is only small by comparison. These are in very short supply and will usually sell for a large markup if you can even find one on a dealers lot. I order mine at MSRP last September and it just arrived a few weeks ago. They will not allow order again until July and when they do it will likely be for a limited time.

Hyundai also makes a similar size Santa Cruz pickup.
Can't gush enough about our Maverick hybrid. It isn't small at all, it's significantly larger than our VW jetta inside and the bed provides plenty of room for anything we want to take with us. In fact, the worst thing about it is parking, because it's a lot bigger than anything we've previously owned. We ordered a few days after it was announced in June of '21, got it in late April of '22. With ~6k miles on it (currently averaging 50.7mpg overall - not a typo), Carvana is willing to give us ~$7k more for it than we paid OTD. We didn't see another one for many months, but there are tons of them in our area now. But yes, you'll either be paying WAY over MSRP or be ordering and waiting a LONG time.
+1 (Maverick)

The vehicle has been great to me too. So happy I waited patiently.
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tetractys
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by tetractys »

David Jay wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 4:26 pm A nice little utility trailer that will accommodate 4x8 sheets of OSB/drywall is all you need.
Agree; but of course a hitch is required for the towing vehicle. And further if it's only going to be used periodically, renting the trailer is more economical.

I do this. Also my SUV fits 4 32 gal. upright cans in the back, and lumber rides atop, so most often a trailer is not needed.
ncbill
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by ncbill »

Tubes wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2023 1:02 pm
Longruninvestor wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2023 12:48 pm A prior poster mentioned the cheap Uhaul rental options. Yes! Uhaul trailers are fabulous if you don’t need something regularly and can plan in advance. Additionally Uhaul’s covered trailers are a great option if you are hauling furniture and the weather is inclement.
A friend and I worked on a project at nonprofit that required a bunch of wood. Friend owned a pickup and he said he'd get it. He came to the site towing the U-Haul trailer (same one as up thread) with his pickup! He said it was a little larger and easier to load and unload.
Yup, trailer hooked to my Suburban to haul loads I wouldn't want in the back of my SUV.

Otherwise love the weathertight space for moving goods, furniture, etc.

Minivan also works great for the latter, though with less cargo space.
Last edited by ncbill on Sat Jun 10, 2023 8:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
gwill1010
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by gwill1010 »

I own a pickup to pull a big camper, but I would much rather drive an SUV of any size and keep a small trailer in the back yard (if you have space) to haul stuff..
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pezblanco
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by pezblanco »

My 4wd tacoma pickup is the best of many worlds for me ... I can get into backcountry places for hiking/fishing/biking ... The ground clearance is more important for this than anything. It's a double cab so I have a reasonably large back seat area to put stuff under a roof ... and then it's a pickup so I can load up dirty stuff/wood/bikes ects in the back. I can put a topper on it and sleep comfortably in the bed on a camping trip next to a trout stream.

A 2wd minivan or an suv with a trailer are fine I suppose for people that stay mainly on paved ... I had a AWD Honda Element for many years and those are awesome vehicles ... more useful in town in many ways than my pickup. But, offroad they just don't have the capability.
Parkinglotracer
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Parkinglotracer »

Tubes wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2023 6:40 am
Oreamnos wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:31 pm
Parkinglotracer wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 4:32 pm Wife is a bit embarrassed at times to drive the maroon van but since i used to travel faster than the speed of sound and blow stuff up i am secure enough in my manhood to drive it as it is the most practical vehicle on earth. Lol. Us Americans and our cars.
LOL. We don't have kids, and are in our late 50s, so my wife doesn't understand my weird desire to own an AWD hybrid Sienna with enhanced ground clearance for road trips and backcountry excursions.... Carry everything, go most places in all seasons, do it cheaply, be able to sleep in the car if necessary, and be essentially invisible to cops. Just what I need.
I'll see you guys that and raise you one. :D

I'm a 60 year old childless man. I just bought a used Odyssey from a private party. They had stick figure family stickers on it and a pink front license plate. I left it all on. When I go to Big Box Hardware, no thief is going to realize I have all my work tools in back. They may peak for a purse in the front seat, but won't find one.

I am plenty secure.

I needed this for hauling tools around to my volunteer jobs. It is incredibly versatile and practical. I like the fact it is rain proof, and I can occasionally haul stuff, including 10 ft. 2x4s. I also have back problems and like the lower stance of a mini-van. If I need an open bed, I can rent one for a few hours from Big Box Hardare. I've been on enough jobs as a passenger in the big trucks to realize that the high lift is not friendly to my body. But I understand why people want it. You do you, I do me.

When we are driving around and see some 60-something guy in a hot sports car, I remind DW that she married someone who bought a minivan when he turned 60. We have a good laugh.
You are living my life. At age 62 my thirty plus year old kids pull the sun shades on the sides of our Sienna van if they ever have to ride in it. They borrow it often because they can’t fit as much stuff in the back of their infinity Q60? Suv, alpha Romeo , or Honda s2000 when they go to the dump.

My Sienna minivan is the most practical vehicle I have ever owned. The fact we bought it off Craigslist in Nov 2019 with 46K miles for 13K makes it a boglehead worthy investment. At purchase It needed 4 new tires, An alignment, oil change, and front and back brakes and rotors for the tune of $1300. Hasn’t needed anything other than oil changes for next 30K miles. Righteous.
stoptothink
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by stoptothink »

Tubes wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2023 11:49 am It really comes down to what you haul or need to haul, and possibly your clearance needs (city vs country).

Dirty stuff, bulky chippy stuff (mulch), tall stuff (appliances) are perfect for pickups. Frequency is also part of the equation. Once a year or multiple times?

OP mentioned music gear. Amps? How big? Tower speakers? Maybe, otherwise something with a cover might be more appropriate as it is easier to handle in the rain.
We bought our Maverick not even being in the market for a truck, it was simply the cheapest thing that met our needs. While definitely not a need, already been a few handfuls of times I was thankful we had a truck for our dirty camping, mountain biking, and snowshoeing equipment. Also two trips to the dump when we didn't have to borrow my mom's trailer (I HATE driving while pulling a trailer). Cheaper than a prius and near similar efficiency...if you can find one.
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Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Wanderingwheelz »

As long as you don’t mind driving with the rear lift gate up from time to time, an SUV can do just about everything a similar size pick ‘em up can do. Full size SUVs with lift glass are awarded bonus points, but we’ve downsized from our Yukons we have owned in the past now that we don’t have kids crap to haul everywhere. A few days ago I ran a tall store fixture to the thrift store with the gate up (it was a Crox display from 15+ years ago when almost everybody said they would be a fad lol) Would it have been easier with an open bed truck? Yes. Would it have fit in a Yukon with the hatch closed? Yes. Did my Mid-size SUV get it there without a problem? Hell yes! Vehicles are no different than everything else. There’s most always a workaround if one applies a little thought and creativity to a challenge.

Further reinforcing my view that a medium SUV gets it done? As business owners we forego the ridiculously generous 6,000 GVW tax law loophole for non-farmers that we used to get on our Yukons.
Being wrong compounds forever.
suemarkp
Posts: 1380
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2017 7:18 pm
Location: Somewhere in WA State

Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by suemarkp »

I've done this flip flop multiple times at different stages in my life. Done the van+trailer, full size pickup, and SUV+trailer (what I have now). I think my next vehicle will be a smaller pickup to replace the SUV. I bought the SUV because I wanted to be able to take 7 or 8 people places. The need for that has diminished, but who knows if a bunch of grand kids appear maybe I'll need that or a van again. We have another small SUV and I want 2 vehicles.

My current SUV has a hatch width of about 46" and a height of about 30" in the center. This make sheet goods impossible unless they are <6' long and can be tilted through the hatch to lay on the 49" wide seat backs. I've needed to get rid of furniture and appliances that just don't clear the 30" height. Most recent thing to deal with is a motorcycle that is also taller than 30", so onto the trailer they all have to go.

The trailers I've had have all been 4x8. I put sides on them so I can get dirt or rock or bark. The latest one though is just less than 4x8 with the sides on, so sheet goods require the taking the sides off or placing them vertically and diagonally in the trailer and trying to keep them upright. Pain in the butt. That small trailer is also hard to back up because you can't see it and being short it responds aggressively. If I get another trailer, it will be 5x10, so it has enough width and length margin to hold sheet goods. A tilt up ramp also makes it taller so easy to see when backing up. Buying a trailer also requires licensing it every year. I use mine more than 2-3 times a year, so it is cheaper and more convenient to have it than rent one. Renting one just adds to the inconvenience of dealing with a trailer. If looking to buy a trailer, look at Lowes and Tractor Supply, as last time I looked they had multiple choices in the 4-6' wide and 8-12' long range.

I think I'm going to do a Toyota Tacoma sized pickup when I get rid of the SUV in a year or two. I don't care if the bed gets dirty with rock or bark. Sheet goods and moving stuff should be easier, but as others have pointed out the bed is higher. Getting the motorcycle into the bed may take two people to push it up the ramp (this should be a one time problem, as I am holding the motorcycle for someone to get rid of it and I can't drive one). If the lawn tractor needs to be taken away for repair (which has never happened in the 10 years I've had it), that too could be difficult to get into the bed.I also want more towing capacity than my SUV has (5000lb max) because if I rent an excavator on a trailer from Home Depot, I'm really pushing the tow limits. The vehicle also needs to fit in my garage, so I don't want to go with a truck frame based SUV (Surburban/Tahoe) or full size pickup either. Also needs to be 4WD or AWD.

An AWD van plus trailer is a good combo, as the van will haul larger items than the SUV so I only needed the trailer for dirty stuff. But the choices of AWD vans that have doors that open for 4' wide sheet goods is more limited today it seems (loved my Chevy Astro AWD van).
Mark | Somewhere in WA State
Piehole
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2019 8:30 pm

Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Piehole »

Whenever I need a pick up truck, I head to U-Haul. About $30 gives you an all day rental. For the couple of days each year that I need a pick up truck, this is much cheaper than owning.
6bquick
Posts: 451
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2016 8:56 pm
Location: Round on the ends and hi in the middle

Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by 6bquick »

Wanderingwheelz wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 8:32 am As long as you don’t mind driving with the rear lift gate up from time to time, an SUV can do just about everything a similar size pick ‘em up can do. Full size SUVs with lift glass are awarded bonus points, but we’ve downsized from our Yukons we have owned in the past now that we don’t have kids crap to haul everywhere. A few days ago I ran a tall store fixture to the thrift store with the gate up (it was a Crox display from 15+ years ago when almost everybody said they would be a fad lol) Would it have been easier with an open bed truck? Yes. Would it have fit in a Yukon with the hatch closed? Yes. Did my Mid-size SUV get it there without a problem? Hell yes! Vehicles are no different than everything else. There’s most always a workaround if one applies a little thought and creativity to a challenge.

Further reinforcing my view that a medium SUV gets it done? As business owners we forego the ridiculously generous 6,000 GVW tax law loophole for non-farmers that we used to get on our Yukons.
This is so true. I wish more SUV's had flip glass in the rear like they used to. I suspect that eliminating it increases truck sales.. but that's nothing but a conspiratorial guess on my part.

and the workaround!! I drove a 2005 Baja for a few years. loved that little caruck (car-truck). with enough ratchet straps, you could move dang near anything in that. appliances, furniture, loose materials, lumber, etc. If I didn't need the towing capability of a full size truck, I'd love to get another Baja. There's something mildly invigorating about making something like that work. at least for me. a subtle sense of accomplishment, maybe.
If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall
Freetime76
Posts: 745
Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:26 pm

Re: Giving up the pickup truck?

Post by Freetime76 »

WhiteTaila wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2023 11:14 am You can pry my 10th gen F150 from my cold dead hands. :D One of the best things I have ever done is keep my older truck.

Clean, well maintained old trucks are like gold... some just don't know it.

It has mechanical buttons, no beeping, no electronic fluff, easy to work on, it doesn't talk to me, it's off the grid, the backup camera doesn't ding dong and scream just b/c the ball is in the hitch and thinks you are running into something. :annoyed

It is simple.

All the new stuff to me is 100 steps forward, but so inconvenient.

Things will break, you will have maintenance... keep up with maintenance and extended maintenance items: change hoses, brake fluid, belt, etc.

If / when the transmission or engine dies, put a new one in.

Still way better than a new truck IMHO.

Now... what I would buy is a new truck with all the advances in engine technology, minus all the electronic features in the cab. I don't want sat radio, I don't want gimmicky touch buttons, I don't want anything connected to the Internet, no cameras, no beeping, no lane assist, no crap. I'll pay more for less features. :beer
Exactly. Less sensors, less “optimized”…our mechanic once bought a new top model diesel heavy duty truck for hauling, which literally would Shut Itself Off on trips until it decided it was ok cooled down. Brand-spanking new. [Our (old) truck? It has no idea we are overloading it until a piston pops out of the hood. And we actually are selling that beast, for space and to get its expense off the books, and we replaced it already with another (old) work truck model. Happily, no takers, yet.]

That new truck does not exist, fortunately for us or we’d be buying :wink: . The rumored 2024 Ranger-esque $20K base price truck is bound to have a big touch screen poking out of the dash and a bed smaller than my Volkswagen’s. Maybe it’ll fit 3 hay bales…4 if you stand them on end :oops: . Or mayyybe it will have that little G-force bulls eye indicator, which one caused our business trip driver to TRY to get it to go over 1 G…resulting in a spin-around to the shoulder. All us passengers were silent, except for me asking the new dad in the back seat if he had life insurance. :shock: (he said yes, he did)


For the OP: keep it if you can afford the insurance and upkeep. You will want to take it out for a nice run periodically- sometimes finicky things get worse when it’s not a daily driver any more.
Please spell out new acronyms. Thank you.
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