75% of truck owners tow 1/year or less?

[WM75Guy]

Here is the article that is the source of the meme:

Many Pickup Owners Admit They Don't Actually Need Trucks

A report on bigger, more dangerous trucks features interesting survey data

www.insidehook.com

As expected, a hit piece from people who don't think you should be allowed to buy the vehicle you want because, in their opinion, you don't need it. You know, the kind that drive a Prius then ask to borrow your truck to move.

Definite bias in their article and in the original study. If you read the original study in Axios it only dealt with Ford F-150 owners.

 

[grsthegreat]

No, my Dad made that trailer in 1968 from scrap metal and parts from a wrecked Morris Minor. He would be ASTOUNDED to know that it was still licensed and in daily use 56 years later. He passed away in 1992, but I smile every time I use it, knowing what a kick he would get out of knowing I was still using it.

Thats so funny. My friends trailer looks exactly like that. Next time ill try and remember to take a picture of it.

 

[dodge man]

I read part of the article and quit. It said pickups are bigger and heavier and hitting pedestrians with more force. I’m not sure the weight of a vehicle has a lot to do when you hit a person. A Prius can kill someone just as easily a dually pickup.

 

[Yander]

So, I saw this just a minute ago. No idea were it's from, or if it's just made up, and if accurate, what they are considering a "truck", is a Rav4 considered a "truck", when it's really a station wagon?

Sure, I do know most people don't haul that much, but...

75% of truck owners tow a trailer 1/year or less

70% go off road 1/year or less

35% haul something in the bed 1/year or less

I am a light truck user, and have went at one point, like 4 years without a truck at all, using a cheap small SUV, a Toyota Highlander, and frankly towed a trailer with it more than many guys with a 3/4T. I've also used wife's Durango to tow a back hoe during that time.

I now am back to having a 1/2T, and probably tow a trailer generally around 6-8/year; and I would guess haul something in the bed larger then would fit in a car trunk something like 30-50/year. If we count having some old oil jugs, tow straps, and general junk in the bed, I'm 100% using the bed.

Anyway; does the picture/meme/whatever seem remotely right?

I will admit, I like my Ram 1500 crew, 4x4, 6'8" bed; but 80% of the time, something like a Canyon/Colorado/Dakota/Ranger would work for me. The funny part is, probably 2-3 times per year, I find I wish I had more Payload capacity (never really more towing) than my Ram (full pallet of quickcrete, block, ect).

Heck, kinda turns my pride a bit, but if forced too; I could probably get by with a Maverick and trailer most of the time (not that I want too)View attachment 1345835

Not sure what they mean by going off road either? We talking going wheeling; I don't in my truck anymore; but if we talk loose/wet dirt roads, boat ramps, and other non road surfaces, not sand/mud pits, who's staying on a road surface all year?

If you don't go offload at least once a year your ***** goes soft, so they say! Not sure, I haven't tried not going off road in a year yet!

 

[Yander]

If you don't go offload at least once a year your ***** goes soft, so they say! Not sure, I haven't tried not going off road in a year yet!

Apparently P E N I S is blocked here.

 

[paulsharvey]

If you don't go offload at least once a year your ***** goes soft, so they say! Not sure, I haven't tried not going off road in a year yet!

Really depends on what we are calling off road. If I said I'm taking my truck off roading, I think dry lake bottom, sand pit, clay pit, or squeezing a fulled sized truck down ATV trails. Have done all of that when I was younger with a 2500HD, now, I dont in my truck.

But, if by Off roading, they mean what I would call normal use, dirt roads, muddy WMA fire roads, a pasture, or backing a boat into a lake without a ramp; that's different.

 

[Oaktree]

Not me….im off road many times a month. Mind you, its mostly work related.

Same here. I work on communications equipment, and a lot of it is at cell sites with "interesting" access roads. Semi-retired now, so it's only a couple times a month, but still often enough that I need something capable enough to get me there.
Hauling stuff with it fairly often too. Towing? Once in a while but not very often. When I do it's just a snowmobile or ATV trailer.

 

[ultrarunner]

Thats so funny. My friends trailer looks exactly like that. Next time ill try and remember to take a picture of it.

My trailer very similar and used all the time.

 

[LittleBill21]

I personally am not a fan of pickup trucks, They serve very limited purpose. Short of heavy towing, or trade work, or utility bed or manhood insecurity . I see 0 benefit over a large suv or van, if not needing offroad van's are so much better, everything enclosed, not flying around and I don't need a ladder for the new one to get into the bed.

I use multiple trailers and suv's all my life, even car's, and pickups are worthless on real off road trails unless you throw over 2000 pounds in the bed, and cut it in half. I sent enough coolers over the tailgate that my girlfriend now uses 4 ratchet straps.

I use to tow atv's with car's. One of them was a chevy cavalier, within a year I had to give it up. No pickup truck would let me pass. They would be doing 55, I would go by at 70. As soon as they saw the trailer, it was over they now had to go 80 to prove themselves. It happened so many time per trip ( I was going weekly) it became exhausting. I need 4x4 so it was short lived, but was it annoying.

 

[LittleBill21]

Only photo I could find.

 

[Hay Dude]

To each his own. A van would be useless for me, and you get those funny stares from people who seem to think van drivers are up to no good.

 

[LittleBill21]

To each his own. A van would be useless for me, and you get those funny stares from people who think van drivers are up to no good.

Bud, your like what 1% of people that do what they do. We are talking typical people here.

 

[Hay Dude]

Bud, your like what 1% of people that do what they do. We are talking typical people here.

Probably less, littleBill21, (I’m HayDude, not “bud” but all good).

I think a lot more people prefer pickups to vans.
Most people have good reasons. Vans are harder to find with 4WD, visibility is worse, terrible off road or snow, usually power is lower, limited to bumper towing.

But there’s a few van ad”van”tages.

 

[LittleBill21]

Probably less, littleBill21, (I’m HayDude, not “bud” but all good).

I think a lot more people prefer pickups to vans.
Most people have good reasons. Vans are harder to find with 4WD, visibility is worse, terrible off road or snow, usually power is lower, limited to bumper towing.

But there’s a few van ad”van”tages.

Sorry,

I did mention 4x4 is not great. Lot of van's can have hitches. my GF's is 1k Tongue 7500 or 10k towing.

 

[Hay Dude]

Sorry,

I did mention 4x4 is not great. Lot of van's can have hitches. my GF's is 1k Tongue 7500 or 10k towing.

Yeah that’s pretty light.
Plus no gooseneck capability.
Plus it’s a mess to haul firewood, mulch, sand, or other aggregates.

I’d say PU’s outsell vans like 100 to 1? But I DO agree with you many PU owners never use their 4WD or carry anything. It’s like a “anti-geek” symbol.

 

[Jstpssng]

Not surprised at all. When I bought my last pickup, I first looked at used models. I went to several dealers and the beds of ALL the trucks I saw were like new. No rust or dents, and very few scratches in the paint. I asked one of the salesman if they repaint or touch up the beds. He laughed and said they don't have to. 90% of the trades they take come in looking like this.

Do you mean like mine?
I've had my Colorado 4 years and need it to last for 16 more. You're darned right I am careful what goes into it and how I strap it down.

Anything like firewood or gravel goes into my dump trailer. So yeah, with a little soap, water and elbow grease this would look like brand new

 

[Hay Dude]

Do you mean like mine? View attachment 1345979
I've had my Colorado 4 years and need it to last for 16 more. You're darned right I am careful what goes into it and how I strap it down.

Anything like firewood or gravel goes into my dump trailer. So yeah, with a little soap, water and elbow grease this would look like brand new

Well, you better get those tools strapped down and that tool box closed. I got DOT’d with crap unsecured in the bed like that and that miserable cop chewed my left ear off.

 

[paulsharvey]

Someone above I think, missed what I think may be the biggest advantage of truck bed vs van/suv (not talking trailers at all), nasty stuff. You don't feel bad with a couple yards of mulch in the bed with a tarp; or manure or 5 gal buckets of oil. Those kinda things such in a van/suv.

Now, I know everyone says they would buy X, until it's actually available and all that; but I do wish US market would have some higher Payload medium trucks. Yep, the Ranger can tow 9000 lbs; but some of the foreign medium trucks have bed payloads over 2000 lbs, which too me, would be great. I would take a 2000# bed/6000# trailer ability over a 1000# bed/9000# trailer

 

[paulsharvey]

So, I actually started a thread on here about 2 or 3 years ago about soft bed covers, specifically for a trip. I have had that soft cover on, and down most od the time; although I certainly have had it folded up plenty too. Even smallish/light stuff, like house hold trash to the dump; you got rotten nasty/juicy stuff, with crawlies; I'd not prefer to have that in an SUV.

Someone mentioned deer; about 6 years; youngest daughter got a letter home from daycare, get shot xzy by Monday or she gets kicked out. So, I get stuck taking the morning off, and taking her in. Hit a deer just outside of Gainesville FL in the Highlander. Pull over with 4-5 year old daughter, cut the deers throat, and throw it in the back of the SUV, run it home and drop it in the shade and run her to Docs. I'm apologizing for being late, and tell the nurse we hit and deer; and daughter goes "daddy cut it's head off" to the nurse. I shrug, and say "well"...

 

[4570Man]

To each his own. A van would be useless for me, and you get those funny stares from people who seem to think van drivers are up to no good.

I like vans. They’re great for carrying tools. The downside is no 4x4 and they tow bad.