The Pickup Truck - Nowadays' Full Size Four Door Sedan

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Originally Posted by carviewsonic
I have always had a hitch on one of my cars, and a utility trailer. I can haul almost anything a pickup can, and get the fuel economy of a car (and a trunk) the rest of the time.
I have a 5' by 10' utility trailer with a 6K lb. mobile home axle-when pulled behind my GMC I can haul almost as much as a small moving truck!
 
Originally Posted by Trav
For me this is the only pickup truck I would own.
1 ton rear axle 10-12 leaf springs, 3/4" marine plywood replaceable bed floor, short wheel wells and a 8'6" bed, 402 big block make for a real truck not some rolling joke.



I saw it's cousin for sale recently, some sort of camper package but the same vintage in that odd mint green color.
 
Originally Posted by carviewsonic
I have always had a hitch on one of my cars, and a utility trailer. I can haul almost anything a pickup can, and get the fuel economy of a car (and a trunk) the rest of the time.


LOL I guess that is why I don't have a pickup truck...(at least not yet). I firmly believe in all of the added things a person can have to gain utility from a vehicle, be it a car, or a motorcycle. My snowbear trailer is worth more than most of my vehicles - and I might add that the hot dip galanizing goes a long way to giving it mucho longevity.

E.g. I have added a nylon loop (captured under a bolt) - i.e. under the forward-most bolt-on fender bolt - so as to allow me to transport a long ladder, etc., on my 2 door Honda Civic EX (Si in Canada, BTW). The roof rack I have has a stability / strength enhancing tie-bar between front and rear rack bar (one on ea. side) - and despite being a short roof, my roof rack is [censored]-for-stout. With one nylon loop per side (at the front of the vehicle), a tow-hook loop at the rear - I can snug down my roofrack load so it is tight as a drum. Going no-where. Lots of tomfoolery to make this happen, but I do still have a bunch of utility there.

Oh, I have the '79 VW window van (currently off the road) due to my perverse love affair with aircooled VW's / Porsche's. No apologies for that
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Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
Then of course you could always buy a Honda pickup (name slips my mind) with its built-in trunk and fancy dual action tailgate. Me, though, I just think that one of the Big Three pickups makes for the most durable vehicle there is, compared to one of the non domestics. YMMV ☺.


Been driving Ridgelined since '09.
I think they are the best daily driver
cross between car/truck when you need
to haul things and passengers.
 
Originally Posted by d00df00d
Three critical problems with trucks-as-passenger-cars:

1. Height
2. Weight
3. Suspension and tires aimed (in part) at hauling/towing/off-roading

All of those together mean they'll always ride worse, handle worse, use more fuel, have worse active safety, and cost more to buy and maintain than comparably engineered cars.
It's true, but I think mid sized trucks are close on fuel economy, 90s S-10 2.2 2WD 5 speed is what I am probably going to buy to max out the MPG. I think trucks have closed the gap on cars in terms of ride quality and fuel economy, they have definitely sacrificed hauling/towing/offroad for comfort and fuel economy in the past ten or so years. Other than half tons, you are 100% correct.

Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT

No immediate plans to buy a truck - but I have always been interested in them and I believe a loss leader Work Truck - WT - optioned really "plain and simple" constitutes great vehicle value. I have to say that I am struck by how much more a 4-door (or for that matter, more-so, a crew cab) is compared to a regular cab. Mfrs know what will sell and what will appeal to folks. The regular cab WT, with V6 (I am talking Chevy / GMC here) in a 4X2 configuration is great value, and is in my mind very durable.
Everyone says they want those trucks, but when it comes down to it the extra $8-10k is probably worth it between the increased utility and much better resale. Those type of trucks are all over the used market because no one wants them anymore, they are not a good value at all unless you buy it used or use it as a work truck.

Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
For now, just a 4'6" X 94" (+ drop front) hot-dipped galvanized Snow Bear trailer for my needs, plus a Sport Rack roof rack for my 2 door Honda Civic (EX).... and son-in-law with a Dakota hehe.

Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
LOL I guess that is why I don't have a pickup truck...(at least not yet). I firmly believe in all of the added things a person can have to gain utility from a vehicle, be it a car, or a motorcycle. My snowbear trailer is worth more than most of my vehicles - and I might add that the hot dip galanizing goes a long way to giving it mucho longevity.
Get a room! I have never seen a man so proud of the surface treatment on his trailer! I'll bet it would rust here within two years!

Originally Posted by RichR
Been driving Ridgelined since '09.
I think they are the best daily driver
cross between car/truck when you need
to haul things and passengers.
I work in construction and the only people who drive Toyota/Honda trucks are either foreigners who think domestics are beneath them or soyboys who can't swing a hammer "Contractors"
 
A lot of consumers want a pickup for their second but also need the capacity to pick up the kids from school or whatever. Thus the demand for crew cabs.
 
Id rather have a mid sized 4 door pickup than an SUV, and Id rather have either than a sedan.

My ridgeline has pretty much everything any 4 door car or SUV has - plus a bed and some towing capability.

If I were forced into having one vehicle it would be a 4 door pickup.

UD
 
Originally Posted by RichR
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
Then of course you could always buy a Honda pickup (name slips my mind) with its built-in trunk and fancy dual action tailgate. Me, though, I just think that one of the Big Three pickups makes for the most durable vehicle there is, compared to one of the non domestics. YMMV ☺.


Been driving Ridgelined since '09.
I think they are the best daily driver
cross between car/truck when you need
to haul things and passengers.


Agreed.
Ridgeline is a very versatile and comfortable platform.
Im quite pleased with mine.

UD
 
The truck in my signature is likely my last. Getting too expensive and I'm getting cheaper as I get older (and smarter) Next vehicle will likely be an Accord or a Camry.
 
Depends on what you do … hauled my old washer, dryer, fridge, and freezer down to my camp when getting new stuff for the main house … a 300# iron fireplace I moved alone … all kinds of treated lumber, pier posts and roofing tin etc …
1st load in the new truck was a hand me down leather sofa hauled 150 miles to my son …
Need a clear tailgate myself …
 
Have you seen the Diamondback covers? They are solid aluminum, open like a trunk, lock securely, can stack cargo on top if needed. Makes the Trucksedan possible. I might order one someday but they do cost a lot.
 
I looked at the Diamondback website -- and I had seen them before. They comprise a gullwing toolbox in front, and a toneau cover in back. The rub, though, is that you would have to use a receiver tube step - to be able to gain access to the "trunk". The top of the tailgate is a bit of a hindrance. Having said this, the Diamondback probably has the most utility... compared to the two-plane lid I mentioned.

Certainly the Diamondback appears to be very high quality.

Thx.
 
Originally Posted by Trav
For me this is the only pickup truck I would own.
1 ton rear axle 10-12 leaf springs, 3/4" marine plywood replaceable bed floor, short wheel wells and a 8'6" bed, 402 big block make for a real truck not some rolling joke.




It would be interesting to compare all specifications of your "dream truck" compared to "just" a half-ton today. My guess-is today's half-ton is far more capable-than the one pictured. Not to mentioned comparing it to a one ton truck today. I like my truck better-no offense.


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I'm not following on why you can't put the tail gate down? Front tool box is optional. The diamondback gives you two doors plus a tailgate, or if you want the tool box style its 3 doors plus tailgate.
 
The Colorado started outselling the Commodore...the Commodore died (well it's back, now a front drive hatchback).
4WD ute with a shell has been my family "car" for a decade and a half now...suits us just fine.

Haven't seen anything that indicates the maintenance costs are well over and above a station wagon, and as to handling, we are on two of the main thouroughfares out of Sydney, and always being held up by "normal" cars with Sydney drivers in the twisty stuff.

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Originally Posted by AZjeff
I saw it's cousin for sale recently, some sort of camper package but the same vintage in that odd mint green color.


They had the camper special and the longhorn. These were real trucks, the frames on these truck were massive, after 40 years in the salt belt the few I still see are still in good shape, I never saw one broken. With a 500lb steel plate in the bed for the winter they rode better than empty. You can load a longhorn with sheet rock and plywood up to the rail and still not bottom it out, the steering does get a bit light when you go over a bump but at least you can close the tail gait.

If GM made a new version of it (without tarting it up) I would buy it today.
 
Like said, the sky is the limit in terms of aftermarket accessories to trunk-a-fy your truck bed. Tons of money in that market given probably 8 out of 10 pickup truck owners only use their pickup as a 4-dr sedan like the OP suggests in the title. I'm guilty of it too, although the 6.5ft bed on my Ram 1500 is mostly stock. It came with a weathertech mat when I bought it and I added an ultra high quality $125 ebay roll-up tonneau cover. I didn't even know my tailgate locked with the doors until after about month of ownership. In 6mo of ownership, the only cargo I've hauled that would have been inconvenient with our minivan was hauling a set of four 17" truck tire/wheels about 7 miles to home. LOL.

My truck is essentially a big 4dr, 4x4 sedan. It handles nice, isn't awful to park and rides like a big old Buick. I don't feel real guilty about it because it is pentastar V6 powered and I'm still averaging 23-24mpg tank/tank, which is consistently better than any minivan or smaller SUV we've owned.
 
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