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I have a Ford F-150 (14 gen) and the front is so huge I need to step on the front grill guard to reach anything inside the engine compartment. It is all around

I have a Ford F-150 (14 gen) and the front is so huge I need to step on the front grill guard to reach anything inside the engine compartment. It is all around an unreasonably sized vehicle. My excuse is that (a) I do use it for home improvement stuff and for hauling stuff around and (b) I work from home so no commute. But for most people who do not work construction this is an insane daily driver.

Aaargh20318 9mo ago
> I do use it for home improvement stuff and for hauling stuff around I don’t understand this argument, as they seem incredibly impractical for that. There is very little space for ‘stuff’, there is only the uncovered bed which is relatively small. The bed is also at an awkward height so very impractical to get stuff in or out. Since the bed is open, you always have to take all your ‘stuff’ out, you can’t leave tools in there or anything of value or it will get stolen. If you put a hard cover on. it leaves even less space. And since a large part of the vehicle has no roof you cannot have a roof rack. You do not see these used by people in construction or other trades here in Europe. They use vans. An (extended) van has an ungodly amount of lockable storage space, easily accessible with side and back doors, with a floor at a reasonable height and if that isn’t enough you with a roof rack you can strap a lot to the roof as well. I really don’t see how something like an F-150 is more practical for ‘hauling stuff’ than something like a Mercedes Sprinter. I did look up some numbers (used the most capable configuration I could find for each of the vehicles): Max bed length for an F-150: 247cm Max cargo space length for a Sprinter: 481cm Bed/cargo width: F-150: 126cm, Sprinter 178cm Bed/cargo height: F-150: 54cm, Sprinter: 200cm Max. payload capacity: F-150 : 1106kg, Sprinter 1477kg for the extra-long version, 2447kg for the long version.
- bluedino 9mo ago
  You can fit a full size dresser in the rear sat compartment in the crew cab models (the most popular model)
- IgorPartola 9mo ago
  Have you ever loaded drywall into a van? It is not fun. A truck bed is sized to load it perfectly. Strapping down lumber is also simpler. Lastly with nothing above the truck bed you can carry much taller things than in a van. It isn’t the only way but yes a truck is very practical. That’s why they are used so much in the US. The difference between the US and the EU isn’t just arbitrary either. In the US gas (sorry, petrol) is a lot cheaper, roads are bigger, wider, longer, and sometimes you need to tow a large trailer. I tower a 3 ton excavator with my truck to build my home office.
  - blackguardx 9mo ago
    Loading drywall into my minivan is a lot easier than a truck. I can fit whole sheets and close the back gate so I don't need to strap them down and they are protected from the elements.
    - IgorPartola 9mo ago
      How about gravel? Fill? A yard of mulch? Manure? Construction debris?
      - LeChuck 9mo ago
        Indeed. When is was remodeling my house, I bought an old van for €2000,- (the successor to the C15, actually) * I had no compunction to fill it with debris, earth, sand etc. but that’s not something your European tradesman does. He uses a separate trailer. * https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/2005_Citroën_Berlingo_%28M59_Series_II%29_van_%2822257630722%29_%28cropped%29.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/2005_Cit...
        IgorPartola 9mo ago
        OK but I do not live in Europe (though I am originally from there). You are trying to convince me that there is no possible utility that a pickup truck can have where I live, despite you having no experience with it. I am telling you from personal experience that it does have utility while also having had experience with using cars, vans, trailers, and delivery services. What makes you so convinced that your lack of experience makes you correct and my years of experience makes me incorrect?

Aaargh20318 9mo ago

> I do use it for home improvement stuff and for hauling stuff around I don’t understand this argument, as they seem incredibly impractical for that. There is very little space for ‘stuff’, there is only the uncovered bed which is relatively small. The bed is also at an awkward height so very impractical to get stuff in or out. Since the bed is open, you always have to take all your ‘stuff’ out, you can’t leave tools in there or anything of value or it will get stolen. If you put a hard cover on. it leaves even less space. And since a large part of the vehicle has no roof you cannot have a roof rack. You do not see these used by people in construction or other trades here in Europe. They use vans. An (extended) van has an ungodly amount of lockable storage space, easily accessible with side and back doors, with a floor at a reasonable height and if that isn’t enough you with a roof rack you can strap a lot to the roof as well. I really don’t see how something like an F-150 is more practical for ‘hauling stuff’ than something like a Mercedes Sprinter. I did look up some numbers (used the most capable configuration I could find for each of the vehicles): Max bed length for an F-150: 247cm Max cargo space length for a Sprinter: 481cm Bed/cargo width: F-150: 126cm, Sprinter 178cm Bed/cargo height: F-150: 54cm, Sprinter: 200cm Max. payload capacity: F-150 : 1106kg, Sprinter 1477kg for the extra-long version, 2447kg for the long version.

bluedino 9mo ago
You can fit a full size dresser in the rear sat compartment in the crew cab models (the most popular model)
IgorPartola 9mo ago
Have you ever loaded drywall into a van? It is not fun. A truck bed is sized to load it perfectly. Strapping down lumber is also simpler. Lastly with nothing above the truck bed you can carry much taller things than in a van. It isn’t the only way but yes a truck is very practical. That’s why they are used so much in the US. The difference between the US and the EU isn’t just arbitrary either. In the US gas (sorry, petrol) is a lot cheaper, roads are bigger, wider, longer, and sometimes you need to tow a large trailer. I tower a 3 ton excavator with my truck to build my home office.
- blackguardx 9mo ago
  Loading drywall into my minivan is a lot easier than a truck. I can fit whole sheets and close the back gate so I don't need to strap them down and they are protected from the elements.
  - IgorPartola 9mo ago
    How about gravel? Fill? A yard of mulch? Manure? Construction debris?
    - LeChuck 9mo ago
      Indeed. When is was remodeling my house, I bought an old van for €2000,- (the successor to the C15, actually) * I had no compunction to fill it with debris, earth, sand etc. but that’s not something your European tradesman does. He uses a separate trailer. * https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/2005_Citroën_Berlingo_%28M59_Series_II%29_van_%2822257630722%29_%28cropped%29.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/2005_Cit...
      - IgorPartola 9mo ago
        OK but I do not live in Europe (though I am originally from there). You are trying to convince me that there is no possible utility that a pickup truck can have where I live, despite you having no experience with it. I am telling you from personal experience that it does have utility while also having had experience with using cars, vans, trailers, and delivery services. What makes you so convinced that your lack of experience makes you correct and my years of experience makes me incorrect?