pickup truck size

[Steppenwolfe]

It's because the average American has become pretty large and luxury laden (or at least laden with the expections of luxury in nearly every corner of their lives).
So, you need a 7 liter diesel powered land yacht, when a 1000 pound family of four wants every power adjustable seat to have individual climate control and a built-in movie screen/game console. Does any manufacturer offer built-in back and foot massage for pick-up trucks? How about front and rear refrigerators for snacks and soda? If they don't yet, just wait...


Of course there's also the class of American land owners, contractors and "farmers" that certainly don't want their trucks to be confused--god forbid--with those driven by the Hispanics who are actually doing work that requires a pick-up truck.

My last job in NC 3 weeks ago, my electrician (Hispanic) drove a pretty new King Ranch, my drywall dude (Hispanic) drove a really nice lifted, loaded, Lariat, and my painter (Hispanic) had a lifted Platinum 3 years old, with 22 inch rims. I think you need to rethink your assessment. These guys like NICE trucks...

 

[OzarkChris]

Absolutely, people should drive whatever they want. And as long as everyone else still has a right to their own opinion, some of those drivers are bound to be the butt of jokes about
the vehicle choices they make. There's seemingly no end to the chatter about Tesla drivers, for example. Certainly no one here would think of being so arrogant as to suggest someone shouldn't drive a Tesla... By the same token, if someone wants to spend $100k on a wanna-be Cadillac with a bed, that gets 15 mpg, in order to pick-up a few plants at the nursery on the weekend, so be it. More power to them, but I'll continue to laugh at them just the same.

I might just be that arrogant , I see a few Teslas roaming around every once in awhile when we head to a doctors office - 100+ miles away (as well as the push for all electric vehicles) but for me, I'd have to be that arrogant guy that tells myself (No one else - unless kin) not to drive a Tesla - BTW, do you actually drive a Tesla or does it drive you? I regress, anyway I have an issue being told I need to go all electric by those waving that flag. Let them try to live where I "choose" to live. The closest town (that has a grocery store, Walmart & tractor supply) has around 10k people in it. This town is right at 50 miles one way and to my knowledge doesn't have a plug-in "gas" station. For us to go to a decent sized city (over 100k people) it's over 150 miles one way - again to my knowledge, no electric gas stations. Maybe the Tesla can go 300+ miles on a charge, but heaven help you if you stray from a straight there & back trip. Guess you go hungry or pack dinner & supper. Most of the electric vehicles I've seen advertised have a whooping 50-100 mile range. Guess I didn't really need them groceries either. I currently have a non-plugin hybrid, not because I'm trying to save the planet, but because I'm a cheap ba$t#@% and enjoy that my Rav4 gets 40 mpg most of the time. As mentioned earlier my farm truck (81 F150 w/84 Mustang V8) takes care of the heavy duty "stuff" and I'm lucky to get 10 mpg with it. All of this distance, some might call inconvenience (not me) IS really worth it out here though, almost no crime, no street lights, no real pollution, no real litter issue (except from them big city folks - you can tell when most of what you see are fast food bags from 75+ miles away, no real traffic (unless you count the tractors going up & down the highway) and most full time folks out here are pretty much self sufficient except for staple supplies (flour, sugar, spices etc). We grow our own meat, we have a good garden that we put up parts of for winter and enjoy our simple lives.

Please don't get me wrong, if anyone wants to drive (or be driven by) a Tesla more power to 'em. I just don't like the idea when it's being crammed down my throat by folks that still think beef is grown as a steak already on a foam platter or chickens are grown without heads, feet or feathers in a plastic bag.

Oh, one more item before I climb off my soapbox. We ALSO don't have, want or need Uber, Lyft or Taxi's - can you imagine the taxi bill to get groceries out here? And stores, dominoes, etc around here Don't deliver, which suits us just fine!

 

[3930dave]

I think you are just at the mercy of the manufacturer. I tried to "retire " my old truck 2 years ago. I could not purchase or even order the type of pickup I wanted . A simple undressed everyday work truck. Small V8 or 6. Rubber floor mats , Vynal seat cover. I did want power windows and a manual transmission. No dealer had one and I could not order one even thru fleet purchase. They would sell all day long that which I did not want at twice to four times the price 40 - 80 thousand dollars. Go figure.

Some of the buying is nostalgia. Other people who want the same as you do have no choice but to buy a clean classic truck, if they are lucky enough to come across one.

I want the same as you, except crank windows. OK, maybe if it's old enough that the window regulators are made out of something other than tinfoil and dental floss, I'll consider a PW one .

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

My last job in NC 3 weeks ago, my electrician (Hispanic) drove a pretty new King Ranch, my drywall dude (Hispanic) drove a really nice lifted, loaded, Lariat, and my painter (Hispanic) had a lifted Platinum 3 years old, with 22 inch rims. I think you need to rethink your assessment. These guys like NICE trucks...

I know some guys here who buy more expensive trucks than they need to for business, largely for the tax write-off.

That ^ is way outside my snack bracket though....

Rgds, D.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Check this out... Way over the top... $$$$$$$$$$$

 

[3930dave]

Pick-up trucks. About any flavor you can imagine too. Arguing about which truck is the right one is like arguing about which ice cream flavor everyone should eat. The important thing is, people that want ice cream gets to enjoy whatever flavor they want.

Staying with the ice-cream....

If the change in my pocket, and my appetite, suit a small or medium vanilla cone, maybe with a few sprinkles on it, and I go to buy one and there is absolutely nothing available except 25 lb Banana Split Supremes...

While I could rush a 25# Banana Split somewhere in an insulated bag, and share it with 10 people..... my Sales skills aren't good enough to talk 10 people into dividing up a $100k p/u.....

I'm live/let live on most things, but IMO, there is less choice out there today.....

Rgds, D.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Ya 10mpg if you are lucky;new trucks mostly get double that.The small modern trucks are not that much smaller than full size and don't get much better mileage.

Well, I have a 70's model 3/4 4x4 and it gets a solid 19 mpg. If it had overdrive, Ive thought about adding it.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I've often wondered in recent years how is it that American (& foreign) full size pick up trucks have become so large, luxury laden, and overwhelmingly expensive almost requiring a 2nd mortgage to purchase. (i'm not talking about those who make a living from their pickups, just everyday owners who cruise the country, malls, & trips to Lowes...)

What is your take? this is observation only, we all have our preferences. I'm talking sheer size & price. I travel narrow dirt roads almost daily, & drive very defensively around blind curves knowing most current pickups almost aggressively consume 2/3 or more of the road while insulated with power & luxury. That's ok, but puts me at risk. Most of the time i just pull off to the side...

So has it been the result of 1) modern owners actually needing all if it? 2) or is it Americans love affair with bigger, better, & more technology laden? I also note that the size of the payload bed continues to shrink all the while. (some 4 full size door models can't even carry a sheet of ply)
Personally i feel both are true: we now use pickups for in a wider range of activities, & want having it packed into one large size. But dang, the price & size
Hey, just as a simple metaphor to compare: look at the vat sized drink tumblers now served @ fast foods. do we really need it?

On the flip side, i've also noticed that especially since '08 crash, Detroit has done an outstanding job of producing more fuel efficient & modest sized passenger vehicles...strange. So tell me about the big pickup truck size craze. Again, not dumping, just observing.
Apologize in advance if this seems like an inane post, but i'm blown away every day of what the full size pickup has now become. best regards

I have a 1970 3/4 4x4, no frills, just like I want things. Only one belt on the engine.

 

[Tony H]

I've often wondered in recent years how is it that American (& foreign) full size pick up trucks have become so large, luxury laden, and overwhelmingly expensive almost requiring a 2nd mortgage to purchase. (i'm not talking about those who make a living from their pickups, just everyday owners who cruise the country, malls, & trips to Lowes...)

What is your take? this is observation only, we all have our preferences. I'm talking sheer size & price. I travel narrow dirt roads almost daily, & drive very defensively around blind curves knowing most current pickups almost aggressively consume 2/3 or more of the road while insulated with power & luxury. That's ok, but puts me at risk. Most of the time i just pull off to the side...

So has it been the result of 1) modern owners actually needing all if it? 2) or is it Americans love affair with bigger, better, & more technology laden? I also note that the size of the payload bed continues to shrink all the while. (some 4 full size door models can't even carry a sheet of ply)
Personally i feel both are true: we now use pickups for in a wider range of activities, & want having it packed into one large size. But dang, the price & size
Hey, just as a simple metaphor to compare: look at the vat sized drink tumblers now served @ fast foods. do we really need it?

On the flip side, i've also noticed that especially since '08 crash, Detroit has done an outstanding job of producing more fuel efficient & modest sized passenger vehicles...strange. So tell me about the big pickup truck size craze. Again, not dumping, just observing.
Apologize in advance if this seems like an inane post, but i'm blown away every day of what the full size pickup has now become. best regards

I agree. Where is the basic pickup? Engine, cab and bed. Leather? Why, roof liner? Why? A farm pickup needs to be bare-bones for easy clean-out. Where can I get the simple workhorse? Siris radio... Paaaleez

 

[goeduck]

Check this out... Way over the top... $$$$$$$$$$$

Good grief. I could afford that truck but sure as heck would not waste my money on such a garage queen. Why would anyone that needs a truck?