pickup truck size

[ZTMAN]

I learned to drive on a 1972 Plymouth Fury. The monster was 18 feet long. My current f150 super crew is slightly smaller.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I feel like I have the perfect truck. 2002 F150 6 cylinder auto, 8 ft. bed, manual windows, manual locks, no carpet. Bought it at 3 years old in 2005 with 15k miles on it and matching topper for $9,200 cash. It got 22-23 mpg highway and I've put 130,000 miles on it.

 

[Cougsfan]

My '96 Dodge 1 ton 4X4 is the truck I will own for the rest of my life. It's diesel is before all the electronic controlled diesels, and before all the emission controls ... I won't say it is the best truck ever made, but it rates right up there. It is a just a tough old, reliable truck that will last at least 300,000 more miles. (I only have 230,000 miles on it) In 2018 I bought a new Toyota Tacoma because I wanted a small truck. It took a while for it to dawn on me it wasn't so small after all, it was a gas hog, it was just too fancy to use as a real truck. I quickly came to view it as a Yuppie truck. It lasted 6 months before I sent it down the road for someone else to own.

 

[oosik]

I've had a smaller truck ( Toyota Tundra ), a standard size ( Ford F-150 ) and now a larger one ( Ram 2500 Power Wagon ). I liked them all and each had/has their place & function.

The Power Wagon ( Taco Wagon )'s place is purely FUN. Very little work - a whole lot of play/fun. At 79 I'm reliving my youth.

 

[check]

I've had a smaller truck ( Toyota Tundra ), a standard size ( Ford F-150 ) and now a larger one ( Ram 2500 Power Wagon ). I liked them all and each had/has their place & function.

The Power Wagon ( Taco Wagon )'s place is purely FUN. Very little work - a whole lot of play/fun. At 79 I'm reliving my youth.

Good for you, oosik! Just bought the wife a brand new Toyota 4runner for the same reason. We ain’t gettin’ any younger, so we are starting the splurge on things a bit.

For me, its a 2016 F150 XLT Supercrew with the 302a XTR package and the 5.0 V8, but only a 5.5 bed. Why the Supercrew? For the dog crate! (See the window sticker below - didn't pay anywhere near that much for it. Leased it for 2 years and then bought out the lease for $31k CDN, or about $23,000 US. And I could sell it for more than that today.) I do use it a lot as a truck. But I love the ride! And being able to call and answer the phone with just my voice and using the truck speakers is an amazing feature and much safer!

 

[John0829]

I was at NAPA yesterday driving the the old war wagon a 92' GMC 3500 4x4 dually with flatbed and parked next to a new Colorado, it was every bit as big as the old truck if not more, it was definitely higher off the ground. My Tundra sits higher is longer and takes up more room in the garage than the old truck, it also rides and gets better mileage even when towing but I am in the old truck more because the Tundra is to nice to use for work or beater tasks. I suppose it is possible to order one but you seldom see "WORK" trucks being offered by the manufacturers like years ago when they actually advertised work trucks (plain, rubber mats, manual widows, etc.), now it seems all the ads are about the "bells and whistles".

 

[BravoXray]

I suppose it is possible to order one but you seldom see "WORK" trucks being offered by the manufacturers like years ago when they actually advertised work trucks (plain, rubber mats, manual widows, etc.), now it seems all the ads are about the "bells and whistles".

The dealers don't make near as much on a "WORK" truck as they do on a maxed out Platinum or King Ranch F150.
I'm going to drive my '06 F150 XLT 4.6l 2wd standard cab, 8 foot box until it falls apart or I die, whichever comes first.

 

[scaredychicken]

I'm completely happy with my 1993 Chevy Silverado C2500 ext cab 2 door, 6.5 ft box (would prefer 8 ft box), 350 cid V8, has 156,000 kms / 97,000 miles ... bought it 5 yrs ago. I drive it daily, but not insured in winter months.

Not a Squarebody, but I'm told that these (OBS old body style) are becoming popular again, more $$$

Like a Rock: Why the '88-98 Chevy & GMC Pickups Are Becoming True Classics

Are these beloved pickup trucks from the 1990s ready to explode in value? We take a look.

www.drivingline.com

I chose to (finally) be able to buy NEW, my 2018 Kubota BX23S package. Love having a tractor, so having an almost 30 yr old truck is fine with me.

 

[mikester]

A pickup truck isn't full sized unless it has an 8 foot bed and takes a full sheet of plywood. The ones with 4 foot boxes are just SUV's with a rumble seat.

 

[RalphVa]

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

Our most liked pickups have been the 1984ish Dodge Rampage and the 1996 Toyota Tacoma. The present 2005 Tacoma that we got back around 2008 has had only about 6-7k miles on it because we DON'T LIKE TO DRIVE IT. We liked the Rampage and earlier Tacoma. Toyota just kept making the T100 and renamed it "Tacoma"

Give me a pickup with radio, AC, heat, power steering and brakes and roll u/down windows and be able to wash the roof without climbing onto something. That was the Rampage and earlier Tacoma.

 

[Bearsixty7]

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.

10mpg?? More like 14/18. We had an '83 K20 4x4 that got 13-14mpg on the farm usually hauling hay and/or pulling a trailer up and down the Missouri hills. Never really drove far on the highway, might have got 16-18 empty.

 

[jpolcyn]

I love my big f350 with all the luxury gizmo's it has. With all the idiots on the road today i feel much safer in a tank then a matchbox car.

 

[kaktovik]

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

This was all driven by government, and specifically, the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency) standards. Manufacturers not only had to offer higher mileage vehicles but it was based upon sales. If CAFE was 20 MPG and people wanted to buy 15 mpg Cadillacs they had to sell an equal amount of Chevy Vegas at 25 MPG to make it up or pay the governent. Vehicles above a certain GVW threshold were exempted. That's why Chrysler came out with the Minivan in the mid-80's which doomed the American station wagon. SUVs and trucks also got a carve out. CAFE is why windshields are so flimsy...weight. Plastic has replaced steel. Spare tires are not real spare tires.
CAFE was designed to reduce oil consumption because the government said we were running out of oil and too dependent upon others. Same with the 55 MPH highway speeds that were once national.
Now, we have plenty of oil but they want to go all electric.

 

[Varmintmist]

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.

12. City, highway, empty and overloaded. A new truck that can do as much as it will get 15. A grocery getter will get twice as much.

 

[jjeff]

Bought a 2016 Sierra 4x4 2500 double cab long box with the 6.6 dm gets 20mpg in summer empty very few creature comforts besides cloth seats, 7" screen, snow prep package, 18" steelies, marker lights, tow package even has a floor shifter for 4x4. Searched high and low, bought it out of state, paid less than most well equipped 1/2 tons. couldn't be happier. Before this owned a 94 GMC 3500 baby dump, only had an am radio. The old 350 got 12mpg loaded or not. Was a Great truck until a snake fell on my head from the cross member when I was checking the oil. I hate Snakes.

 

[Alan46]

We love our Ford 2014 350 SD crew cab Lariat 4WD long bed w/85,000 miles. We use it to tow our 38' 5th wheel. Plus it's also our family vehicle, my wife has a 2015 Jeep Wrangler, that's her baby only 23,000 miles still has the original air in the tires

 

[Bearsixty7]

All my pickups over the years have had an 8' bed (why have a pickup any other way??).

'91 C10 4.3L 2wd 5spd manual reg cab. Scotsdale?? (While in Santa Clara CA.)
'97 F250 7.3L 4x4 5spd manual Extended cab. XLT (Buda, TX)
'02 F250 7.3L 4x4 6spd manual Extended cab. XLT (Buda, TX)
'06 F350 6.0L 4x4 Auto CrewCab XLT. (Wylie, TX)
'19 F350 6.7L 4x4 Auto CrewCab Lariat Ultimate (Close to a Platinum trim). (Wylie, TX)

Each one was way better than the one before it. The '19 is the nicest and fanciest truck I have (and probably ever will) own. It rides so nice empty or loaded, just squats more than the '06 due to softer springs (so more people wouldn't complain I suppose ). It has plenty of power and tows the 15K Toy hauler with ease and confidence. So many features that make it a dream to drive and it does get better mpg's than the '06 empty and slightly better when towing the same trailers.

 

[Dan Caton]

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 think they are appealing to the suburban cowboys, who have little need for a pickup but want it and want all the luxuries.

 

[AGTtactical]

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

"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."

My take? You sound jealous because it sounds like you can't afford one (you asked...I'm being honest). Besides, anyone driving a smaller car than your medium sized pickup could say the same thing about your pickup. The weird thing is you seem bothered by other people's choices. If people spend a lot of time in their pickups, why do you care if they splurge on some creature comforts, especially if its not used full time doing pickup duties? In fact, lots of people need a pickup occasionally, but like the luxury items they will benefit from every time they drive it. That seems logical to me. Your question is like asking why does someone need a luxury car, or a big car, or a minivan, or a $100,000 sports car. I use my truck on my farm...and need a Diesel 3500 dually to move my equipment around. I buy the all the bells an whistles too...because I spend a lot of time in it. The newer expensive safety sensors are really worth the money. Sure, trucks seems expensive, but it depends on how you look at it. There is a lot more steel and raw materials in a 7000 pound pickup than a 3000 pound car. On a per pound basis, pickups are pretty cheap. They are also cheaper from a functional standpoint. There is very little my wife's car does that my truck can't do also, but there are MANY things my truck can do that her car can't remotely accomplish.

I'd suggest putting your energies into earning more money so you can buy a nice big truck too, instead of worrying about what other people buy and being annoyed about it, as you clearly are.

 

[Alan46]

I think they are appealing to the suburban cowboys, who have little need for a pickup but want it and want all the luxuries.

Hey Dan who you calling a suburban cowboy?️