European pickup trucks

[01rangerxl]

Pickups are niche vehicles in Europe, but they are there.

On another board I was on, there was a wealthy member from France who imported a new Silverado, then replaced that with a new F-250. IIRC, he had a slide in camper. He posted pictures of French car shows where there was a pretty decent showing of very American vehicles, even things like Dodge Dakotas.

I used to browse the European eBay Motors sites, and there were always a decent number of American pickups listed. These were trucks that were already in Europe. Dodge Rams seemed to be the most common.

 

[kb01]

The only pickups I've ever seen when visiting family have been the modified Ford Explorers. Most people seem to have hitches and rent a trailer when needed.

I suspect most people would find the idea of owning your own pickup truck kind of confusing and it would be viewed like driving around in construction equipment.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

Bullet-proof windows in ambulances? I know this is Israel, but I'm still shocked.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Pick up truck is a joke. You can use hatchbacks/wagons/vans and still carry lots of stuff inside. If it doesn't fit inside, then you can tow with almost any car. American pickups are symbols of wastefulness. I'm not even going into redneck stuff.

 

[supton]

I tried moving my small camper with my Jetta and came to the conclusion that it was not wise. I had already replaced the clutch and wasn't about to burn out a clutch for occasional towing. FWD also is a joke when you load down the rear and then have to drive up a hill. Dragging the hitch also kinda lame. I seriously contemplated replacing the transmission with a gasser unit (going from a 3.4:1 final drive to a 4.3:1) and installing a lift kit, but decided against it for a number of reasons.

I may have overkilled my "needs" with a PU and I still love my FWD wagon: but the PU does things w/o any effort that would just nuke my car.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: supton
I tried moving my small camper with my Jetta and came to the conclusion that it was not wise.


yep, you have to know your limits for sure.

 

[Number21]

I still don't get it. You guys act like everybody in Europe is poor. My F350 gets 16mpg and I'm at WOT all the time. The Brazilian version gets a 3.9L Cummins and probably gets more than 20mpg. What would be wrong with that? No, I don't need an F350 to get groceries, but, I do need it for other things and it would be much more wasteful and expensive to just leave it parked and drive a second smaller car.

How do people tow large trailers, boats, or RVs? What do they tow cars with? Does nobody go camping in Europe? Nobody owns a boat? Just because a car might sorta do those things doesn't mean it's the right tool for the job. What about commercial vehicles? People that WORK for a living? I certainly wouldn't want to build a house with a Sprinter. Or do anything a farmer might do. How do they move horses and cattle? Nothing has a 5th wheel?

I sell vintage Mercury outboard motors and parts for a living and I'm constantly sending things over to Europe. Those things drink fuel like it's 1973 and you need somehthing to tow them with. I'm crating up a 150hp inline six with three carbs right now for the Netherlands, it easily burns 18 gallons an hour at WOT...

 

[Number21]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
If it doesn't fit inside, then you can tow with almost any car. American pickups are symbols of wastefulness.

That is so entirely wrong. There are LOTS of things that you can't/shouldn't tow with less than a large pickup truck. That's like saying big rigs are "symbols of wastefulness". Just because YOU don't need one doesn't mean nobody else does.

 

[thr_wedge]

One of my worst automotive decisions was selling my truck shortly after buying my first house. I'll never understand why I did that. Remodeled every room in that house , wrecked the interior of one car, rented trucks a lot, had to take time off work to coordinate deliveries ( plus fees) and generally regretted it.

I am sure people that dislike pickups have some very smooth home improvement projects without one. Have fun hauling 1000 lbs of dirt in your car. Or go to uhaul on a Saturday and spend $100+ on a truck (it is fee and miles and gas). The uhaul trip adds at least an hour to 90 to the whole ordeal too.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: thr_wedge
Or go to uhaul on a Saturday and spend $100+ on a truck (it is fee and miles and gas). The uhaul trip adds at least an hour to 90 to the whole ordeal too.

Depends on how often you do it. Most people don't constantly remodel their homes. If you only need it a few times a year, it is still cheaper to just rent a truck from Home Depot or some other place. In addition, if you spend something like $200 at HD, the truck rental cost is heavily discounted.

In the end, several rentals may cost less than registration/insurance/maintenance/repairs on a truck for a year. Also, my driveway/garage is not going to be occupied by it the rest of the year.

Now, if you also use that truck for work, then it's obviously a completely different story.

 

[thr_wedge]

It's the extra 90 minutes that's worse than the rental fee. Someone that is doing one small project can eat that time lost. When you are doing the whole house, landscaping, and need to add on extra time every weekend it isn't cool.

Does everyone need a truck? No but if you do need a truck going the rent borrow trailer route gets old real fast.

 

[Number21]

I just rented a truck from Budget last month, the experience was horrible. They ended up adding 150 miles I didn't drive and the truck leaked in a rain storm. It took me a good solid 2 hours to rent the truck and another 2 to return it and argue with them.

I've rented a lot of uhaul trailers and the experience isn't much better.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Pick up truck is a joke. You can use hatchbacks/wagons/vans and still carry lots of stuff inside. If it doesn't fit inside, then you can tow with almost any car. American pickups are symbols of wastefulness. I'm not even going into redneck stuff.


Really?

If you can tow with almost any car. Find me the one that does this, not just moves it but does it safe and stable rolling down the interstate.

You are not very friendly Mr. Jacek.

Your blanket statement sucks.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Pick up truck is a joke. You can use hatchbacks/wagons/vans and still carry lots of stuff inside. If it doesn't fit inside, then you can tow with almost any car. American pickups are symbols of wastefulness. I'm not even going into redneck stuff.


Really?

If you can tow with almost any car. Find me the one that does this, not just moves it but does it safe and stable rolling down the interstate.

You are not very friendly Mr. Jacek.

Your blanket statement sucks.


Well, when I see pick-ups on the road with one person commuting in them, they don't seem to pull these monster trailers behind them all the time. Now, why would you want to have such a monster trailer in the first place?

BTW, maybe I'm not friendly, but you are clearly angry.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: Number21
I still don't get it. You guys act like everybody in Europe is poor. My F350 gets 16mpg and I'm at WOT all the time. The Brazilian version gets a 3.9L Cummins and probably gets more than 20mpg. What would be wrong with that? No, I don't need an F350 to get groceries, but, I do need it for other things and it would be much more wasteful and expensive to just leave it parked and drive a second smaller car.

How do people tow large trailers, boats, or RVs? What do they tow cars with? Does nobody go camping in Europe? Nobody owns a boat? Just because a car might sorta do those things doesn't mean it's the right tool for the job. What about commercial vehicles? People that WORK for a living? I certainly wouldn't want to build a house with a Sprinter. Or do anything a farmer might do. How do they move horses and cattle? Nothing has a 5th wheel?

I sell vintage Mercury outboard motors and parts for a living and I'm constantly sending things over to Europe. Those things drink fuel like it's 1973 and you need somehthing to tow them with. I'm crating up a 150hp inline six with three carbs right now for the Netherlands, it easily burns 18 gallons an hour at WOT...


Boat towing is not something you see a lot in Europe. Boats usually seat in marinas and unlike in USA, they are wealth status symbols.

Safe towing can be done with small cars if one uses low speed and common sense. I used to use Subaru to tow a 3500 lbs boat/trailer rig (with trailer brakes) and never had a problem.

BTW, using a pickup doesn't automatically make towing safe:

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Pick up truck is a joke. You can use hatchbacks/wagons/vans and still carry lots of stuff inside. If it doesn't fit inside, then you can tow with almost any car. American pickups are symbols of wastefulness. I'm not even going into redneck stuff.


Really?

If you can tow with almost any car. Find me the one that does this, not just moves it but does it safe and stable rolling down the interstate.

You are not very friendly Mr. Jacek.

Your blanket statement sucks.


Well, when I see pick-ups on the road with one person commuting in them, they don't seem to pull these monster trailers behind them all the time. Now, why would you want to have such a monster trailer in the first place?

BTW, maybe I'm not friendly, but you are clearly angry.


What makes you think I am angry? Because I called you out on a blanket statement with a little humor thrown in?

In case you were wondering the truck is an 02 with 35,000 miles on it. Guess what it does? Tows, goes to the dump, goes to Lowes, goes to home Depot. It is paid for and I have a daily driver.

Really none of your business why I have a big trailer but if you must know. 2 kids, 2 dogs, and generally 2 of my friends kids camping make it tight. We camped over 70 days last year to include a trip back east. We spend a lot of time in it and when it rains it nice to have the space.

Some people like to burn their fuel in other ways, flying, cruises boating etc. We like to camp for our vacations.


Is it really any of your business what I own? Who are you the vehicle police?

You still didn't answer my question.

 

[gman2304]

Friendly, My Nissan 4x4 gets 23 mpg hwy and 20 city and will haul a half ton of mulch a lot easier and is more practical for the job than your Prius!

 

[ls1mike]

I wasn't trying to be well a d bag, but I don't understand why people feel they have the right to dictate what people drive.

I suppose I could bet by with an Omni to get to and from work. I don't want to. I sure don't want to be judgmental about people based off what they drive. Which some folks seem to do.

At any rate. Europe is different. Smaller roads, not a lot of big open interstates like we have here. Their trailers are built WAY different than ours. There tongue weights are very low compared to what we have here. They are light too. Some of the newer models here are starting to get nice and light.

My big guy is under 7500 lbs on the scales loaded. Tongue weight is 680 lbs. Half ton towable. I had the 3/4 ton when I had my old 5th wheel, plus it was a good deal.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: kb01
The only pickups I've ever seen when visiting family have been the modified Ford Explorers. Most people seem to have hitches and rent a trailer when needed.

I suspect most people would find the idea of owning your own pickup truck kind of confusing and it would be viewed like driving around in construction equipment.


I see them as i believe most Europeans do as construction, moving equipment or working vehicles, i certainly wouldn't want one for a daily driver.
I could care less if someone else drives one though, i'm no hater. I just don't see much point in driving around a huge vehicle totally empty much of the time but to each their own.

 

[javacontour]

You have obviously not seen an episode of Top Gear.

First off, they don't have massive caravans (the British term for a camper.) They tend to tow them with vehicles that have a four cylinder diesel engine. Maybe a small SUV or even a Range Rover.

Is it really camping if you have a 30' trailer with a furnace, A/C and a large flat screen TV.

I would ask those with massive RVs the same question. Do you ever go camping. Because pulling up in a smaller version of your home really isn't camping, is it?

Originally Posted By: Number21
I still don't get it. You guys act like everybody in Europe is poor. My F350 gets 16mpg and I'm at WOT all the time. The Brazilian version gets a 3.9L Cummins and probably gets more than 20mpg. What would be wrong with that? No, I don't need an F350 to get groceries, but, I do need it for other things and it would be much more wasteful and expensive to just leave it parked and drive a second smaller car.

How do people tow large trailers, boats, or RVs? What do they tow cars with? Does nobody go camping in Europe? Nobody owns a boat? Just because a car might sorta do those things doesn't mean it's the right tool for the job. What about commercial vehicles? People that WORK for a living? I certainly wouldn't want to build a house with a Sprinter. Or do anything a farmer might do. How do they move horses and cattle? Nothing has a 5th wheel?

I sell vintage Mercury outboard motors and parts for a living and I'm constantly sending things over to Europe. Those things drink fuel like it's 1973 and you need somehthing to tow them with. I'm crating up a 150hp inline six with three carbs right now for the Netherlands, it easily burns 18 gallons an hour at WOT...