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I drive one every day that is owned by my employer and I'm amazed how many people fork over $50,000 plus the higher running costs just to utilize the truck feat

I drive one every day that is owned by my employer and I'm amazed how many people fork over $50,000 plus the higher running costs just to utilize the truck features once or twice a year, if that. You can rent a truck for a day when you need it and save a lot of money and emissions.

ethbro 6y ago
Absolutely. If you're not using your truck for truck stuff at least twice a month, it doesn't make sense. And unless you're using it more frequently than that, only a fuel efficient medium / small one makes sense. (Possible exception: infrequent long-haul towing for extended trips)
- gbronner 6y ago
  snowplow. Really nothing like it for clearing a lot of snow on a gravel road that is hilly.
- jupp0r 6y ago
  Space is also an issue. Try fitting a rear facing car seat into a crew cab Tacoma.
  - Gibbon1 6y ago
    The space thing is why I've always punted and bought full sized vans. Downside very limited availability of AWD or 4X4 vans in the US. Yes you can pay through the nose for an after market one.
    - jupp0r 6y ago
      I went the full size truck route because of the offroad capabilities and the ability to transport things in the bed (with shell) that you wouldn’t necessarily want in the cabin: second battery, porta potty, propane tank, jerry cans, fridge, ...
FireBeyond 6y ago
Right. I read somewhere a comment that you can go to Europe and (possibly exaggerated for emphasis) see Audi station wagons towing horse trailers at 100mph on the freeway. Here, you have someone who might move their single horse from summer pasture to winter pasture, and as a result, thinks that they "have" to have a HD3500 "dually".
- alistairSH 6y ago
  There are a few things that contribute to this oddity (never using light vehicles to tow in the US)... Speed limits. Americans generally refuse to slow down when towing. In most of western Europe, the speed limit is 20mph lower (give or take) when towing. In order to tow at a high speeds while maintaining stability, you need a long wheelbase and mass. Liability and fear of lawsuits. My 2017 VW Sportwagen is rated to tow 2000lbs in the EU. It isn't rated to tow AT ALL in the US. There are no mechanical differences that would impact the tow rating. If a consumer wants a vehicle rated to tow, they literally can't use a mid-size sedan or wagon in the US (despite the exact same vehicle being able to tow a small travel trailer, horse, or small powerboat without problem).
  - dakna 6y ago
    Volvo never played this game. The tow rating for small sedans in the US is as high as in Europe. While I don't max it out or come even close to the limit, I hauled plenty of loads with a small S60 and a Featherlite aluminium trailer.
  - lallysingh 6y ago
    Any differences in regulation w.r.t towing capacity between the US and EU?
    - wtallis 6y ago
      It's been a few years since I last looked into it, but my recollection is that in Europe (or at least the UK) it is normal to balance the trailer to put less tongue weight on the hitch, which means you can tow a heavier trailer but have less stability at highway speeds (which they compensate for by having lower speed limits when towing). In the US typical trailer loading guidelines recommend putting more of the weight forward of the axle(s) for more tongue weight, which usually means the trailer will not sway even at speeds in excess of what the trailer tires are rated for. In practice, a vehicle's safe towing capacity is usually not limited by the engine or drivetrain, but by the ability to stop the trailer safely. Brakes on the trailer itself help, but the big problem is that hard braking shifts more weight forward onto the hitch (trailer dive) and tends to lever the front wheels of the tow vehicle up, reducing their braking ability and in extreme cases eliminates your ability to steer while braking. A weight-distributing hitch counteracts this, but in the US light passenger vehicles are seldom rated for use with such a hitch. Towing at a lower speed also somewhat reduces this danger, by quadratically reducing the kinetic energy you need to shed in an emergency stop.
jupp0r 6y ago
I just bought one for offroad travel on weekends and maybe some overlanding. It’s completely impossible to rent a capable offroad rig for multi day trips and buying one is really the only option.
dasKrokodil 6y ago
>I'm amazed how many people fork over $50,000 Obligatory Money Mustache article: https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/04/28/what-does-your-work-truck-say-about-you/ https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/04/28/what-does-your-wo...
- rossjudson 6y ago
  The week after I bought my odyssey I stuffed a 1500 pound playset into it and took it home. Huge cargo space. We've beaten the crap out of it for 7 years without a single hiccup. Still in great shape.
  - Skunkleton 6y ago
    I had a coworker who daily drove a dodge caravan. If anyone gave him crap about it, this was pretty much the answer he gave. He was especially proud that a full size sheet of plywood could lay flat in the back.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
Skunkleton 6y ago
Buying anything other than a minimal sedan, minivan, or small suv goes beyond practicality and into emotionality for most people. I don't see a big difference between owning a uselessly oversized truck, a luxury sedan, or a sports car. They are all bad for your wallet, and bad for the environment. I think that trucks are exceptional because people who can't afford them convince themselves that they "need" them.

ethbro 6y ago

Absolutely. If you're not using your truck for truck stuff at least twice a month, it doesn't make sense. And unless you're using it more frequently than that, only a fuel efficient medium / small one makes sense. (Possible exception: infrequent long-haul towing for extended trips)

gbronner 6y ago
snowplow. Really nothing like it for clearing a lot of snow on a gravel road that is hilly.
jupp0r 6y ago
Space is also an issue. Try fitting a rear facing car seat into a crew cab Tacoma.
- Gibbon1 6y ago
  The space thing is why I've always punted and bought full sized vans. Downside very limited availability of AWD or 4X4 vans in the US. Yes you can pay through the nose for an after market one.
  - jupp0r 6y ago
    I went the full size truck route because of the offroad capabilities and the ability to transport things in the bed (with shell) that you wouldn’t necessarily want in the cabin: second battery, porta potty, propane tank, jerry cans, fridge, ...

FireBeyond 6y ago

Right. I read somewhere a comment that you can go to Europe and (possibly exaggerated for emphasis) see Audi station wagons towing horse trailers at 100mph on the freeway. Here, you have someone who might move their single horse from summer pasture to winter pasture, and as a result, thinks that they "have" to have a HD3500 "dually".

alistairSH 6y ago
There are a few things that contribute to this oddity (never using light vehicles to tow in the US)... Speed limits. Americans generally refuse to slow down when towing. In most of western Europe, the speed limit is 20mph lower (give or take) when towing. In order to tow at a high speeds while maintaining stability, you need a long wheelbase and mass. Liability and fear of lawsuits. My 2017 VW Sportwagen is rated to tow 2000lbs in the EU. It isn't rated to tow AT ALL in the US. There are no mechanical differences that would impact the tow rating. If a consumer wants a vehicle rated to tow, they literally can't use a mid-size sedan or wagon in the US (despite the exact same vehicle being able to tow a small travel trailer, horse, or small powerboat without problem).
- dakna 6y ago
  Volvo never played this game. The tow rating for small sedans in the US is as high as in Europe. While I don't max it out or come even close to the limit, I hauled plenty of loads with a small S60 and a Featherlite aluminium trailer.
- lallysingh 6y ago
  Any differences in regulation w.r.t towing capacity between the US and EU?
  - wtallis 6y ago
    It's been a few years since I last looked into it, but my recollection is that in Europe (or at least the UK) it is normal to balance the trailer to put less tongue weight on the hitch, which means you can tow a heavier trailer but have less stability at highway speeds (which they compensate for by having lower speed limits when towing). In the US typical trailer loading guidelines recommend putting more of the weight forward of the axle(s) for more tongue weight, which usually means the trailer will not sway even at speeds in excess of what the trailer tires are rated for. In practice, a vehicle's safe towing capacity is usually not limited by the engine or drivetrain, but by the ability to stop the trailer safely. Brakes on the trailer itself help, but the big problem is that hard braking shifts more weight forward onto the hitch (trailer dive) and tends to lever the front wheels of the tow vehicle up, reducing their braking ability and in extreme cases eliminates your ability to steer while braking. A weight-distributing hitch counteracts this, but in the US light passenger vehicles are seldom rated for use with such a hitch. Towing at a lower speed also somewhat reduces this danger, by quadratically reducing the kinetic energy you need to shed in an emergency stop.

jupp0r 6y ago

I just bought one for offroad travel on weekends and maybe some overlanding. It’s completely impossible to rent a capable offroad rig for multi day trips and buying one is really the only option.

dasKrokodil 6y ago

>I'm amazed how many people fork over $50,000 Obligatory Money Mustache article: https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/04/28/what-does-your-work-truck-say-about-you/ https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/04/28/what-does-your-wo...

rossjudson 6y ago
The week after I bought my odyssey I stuffed a 1500 pound playset into it and took it home. Huge cargo space. We've beaten the crap out of it for 7 years without a single hiccup. Still in great shape.
- Skunkleton 6y ago
  I had a coworker who daily drove a dodge caravan. If anyone gave him crap about it, this was pretty much the answer he gave. He was especially proud that a full size sheet of plywood could lay flat in the back.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

Skunkleton 6y ago

Buying anything other than a minimal sedan, minivan, or small suv goes beyond practicality and into emotionality for most people. I don't see a big difference between owning a uselessly oversized truck, a luxury sedan, or a sports car. They are all bad for your wallet, and bad for the environment. I think that trucks are exceptional because people who can't afford them convince themselves that they "need" them.