9 ms·
I always preferred sporty sedans. But then I became a (relatively handy) homeowner and a father. After I got my pickup truck with a crew cab, I couldn't imagine
by symfoniq 7y ago
I always preferred sporty sedans. But then I became a (relatively handy) homeowner and a father. After I got my pickup truck with a crew cab, I couldn't imagine not owning one, even though (as the title says) it barely fits in my garage.
I work from home and drive maybe 6K miles per year, so the fuel costs and emissions aren't a significant consideration for me. But there's something in the bed almost every weekend, and even when there isn't, there's usually a kid or three in the back seat.
If you don't have a family, or you automatically call a handyman when something breaks, I can understand why you might not want or need to own one of these magnificent vehicles.
But for many of us, these trucks are carefully considered purchases that solve a lot of problems.
- triceratops 7y agoI don't know if everyone that hauls stuff absolutely needs a pickup truck. MMM literally builds houses from the ground up without using one.[1] 1. https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/12/08/turning-a-little-car-into-a-big-one/ https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/12/08/turning-a-little-...
- Ididntdothis 7y agoI am not even opposed to pickups but the sheer size of a lot of them is just obscene. You could get most of the benefits from a much smaller pickup.
- floren 7y agoFor years, the only option for an even slightly small pickup was the Toyota Tacoma, which is still pretty hefty. The newly-revived Ford Ranger looks like it'll be ok, but I haven't had a chance to get up close to one yet for a proper evaluation.
- dsfyu404ed 7y ago>the only option for an even slightly small pickup was the Toyota Tacoma, The only option for people who turn up their nose at GM. They've been making the Colorado/Canyon continiously since they EOL'd the S10.
- fludlight 7y agoThe same argument is often made here about various programming libraries.
- lutorm 7y agoI, too, am a relatively handy homeowner and father, and we are finally upgrading our Prius to a ...minivan! The only thing I've come up with that we wouldn't be able to do with the minivan but with a truck would be fitting a refrigerator standing up. The load floor in a minivan is also a lot lower, making it much easier to load and unload stuff. Not to mention that you can comfortably haul people, too, which is most of the use. Which problem is it that you have to own a truck for?
- symfoniq 7y agoI own a minivan, too, as it's the only vehicle that the entire family will fit inside. Like the pickup truck, our minivan is an extremely versatile vehicle, but there's just no way I'm going to put loose gravel, wet bags of mulch, or trash bound for the landfill in the back of it. Furthermore, I sometimes need to tow a trailer, and minivans simply aren't built for this.
- throwaway9878 7y agoThat's what trailers are for. Minivans can absolutely handle trailers even if manufacturers claim they can't. Don't go hard on the gas, keep transmission temperatures down, have sufficient braking capacity. You can easily tell when trailer is overloaded if you have any reasoning skills whatsoever. The most important feature for trailers is trailer brakes, an easily retrofitted feature.
- symfoniq 7y agoIt is extremely easy to go over the tow and payload ratings for any minivan sold in the US market (and that's without getting into why vehicles with transverse engines make poor tow vehicles). Towing at or beyond design limits is more irresponsible than owning a pickup truck IMO.
- lutorm 7y agoI'm definitely planning to put that stuff in the van (but obviously not uncontained.) Doesn't a good floor liner solve most concerns in that area?