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Strange how so many on the political extremes believe American companies are somehow beholden only to US regs. Given the global market for vehicles, and the global platforms they are built on, designing a car for America only means that they would/could sell none elsewhere in the world. Exactly why GM is in such a pickle.
My City Express and the earlier mentioned Transit Connect were designed for Europe and Asia and then brought here. Manufacturers do it all the time.
I had a Ford C-Max which was also originally designed for Europe. It's far easier to design one vehicle with some changes for various markets than a different vehicle completely for each market.
I personally would rather rent a medium duty box truck from U-Haul to haul a bunch of materials from home depot
The logistics of that suck, though. The truck has to be available when you want it and not out for someone ELSE using it, you have to leave your car there or have someone drive you to Home Depot to pick it up, then you have to hope your project can be done in the allotted time and get the truck back and pick up your car or have someone follow you AGAIN to get home. Having my own truck, I can do the runs when I want to, based on MY schedule and the weather, and don't have to rely on other people or a truck being available. AND I get to use it as often as I want, (and if you have one, you tend to use it a lot more than you might think). For me, that means towing my travel trailer a couple weekends out of every month.
Yes, full-size pickups and Suburbans can obviously haul these items.
However, how much more often do people need to do a dump run, pick-up some firewood, bags of mulch, or handle any other myriad of smaller jobs where a small truck would do quite nicely or even better than a larger truck?
Did you miss my post on all the mini trucks I've had? I'm not arguing against mini trucks, I'm arguing against station wagons being as good as trucks for hauling plywood and sheetrock and large items, which is what the post I was responding to was implying. And he was also saying that homeowners NEVER got those things, only contractors. Which is blatantly false.
The logistics of that suck, though. The truck has to be available when you want it and not out for someone ELSE using it, you have to leave your car there or have someone drive you to Home Depot to pick it up, then you have to hope your project can be done in the allotted time and get the truck back and pick up your car or have someone follow you AGAIN to get home. Having my own truck, I can do the runs when I want to, based on MY schedule and the weather, and don't have to rely on other people or a truck being available. AND I get to use it as often as I want, (and if you have one, you tend to use it a lot more than you might think). For me, that means towing my travel trailer a couple weekends out of every month.
It isn't nearly that bad. Generally a deck isn't built on the spur of the moment. No one has to follow me. Over to U-haul. Leave the car. Take the $19.99 small box truck. Load it up. Unload it. Take it back $30 and get in your car and drive home.
I've done it more than once when one of the kids is moving.
Manufacturers make more money on big vehicles, that's why they are always pushing them.
And the "same" model over the years in each category has gotten bigger, and bigger, and bigger. Vehicles compared to just a few years ago, certainly no more than a decade ago are mammoth to the point where some roads, and many parking spaces are not wide enough.
It isn't nearly that bad. Generally a deck isn't built on the spur of the moment. No one has to follow me. Over to U-haul. Leave the car. Take the $19.99 small box truck. Load it up. Unload it. Take it back $30 and get in your car and drive home.
I've done it more than once when one of the kids is moving.
I've built a deck or two. I've hauled it in my own truck, as renting a truck is not always convenient or available when the weather finally aligns with your plans. One run to get the concrete pilings and basic framework and another to go get the decking planks themselves. Loading and unloading each trip takes much of the day by itself when you're doing it by yourself. That means it takes multiple weekends to get the job done and multiple rental situations. I'd rather just head out from the house on my own schedule, get what I need and get it all done around MY OWN time, without multiple trips to the rental counter taking up my days. And again, if you have one you tend to use it way more often than you think. I've towed project cars home and picked up large car parts with it. I tow my travel trailer with it. AND I do dump runs and the like, plus it's the dog car that we carry the dogs around in to the vet or dog park as it's got the better back seat for it (the Volt is not usable for that, neither is the BMW convertible).
I've built a deck or two. I've hauled it in my own truck, as renting a truck is not always convenient or available when the weather finally aligns with your plans. One run to get the concrete pilings and basic framework and another to go get the decking planks themselves. Loading and unloading each trip takes much of the day by itself when you're doing it by yourself. That means it takes multiple weekends to get the job done and multiple rental situations. I'd rather just head out from the house on my own schedule, get what I need and get it all done around MY OWN time, without multiple trips to the rental counter taking up my days. And again, if you have one you tend to use it way more often than you think. I've towed project cars home and picked up large car parts with it. I tow my travel trailer with it. AND I do dump runs and the like, plus it's the dog car that we carry the dogs around in to the vet or dog park as it's got the better back seat for it (the Volt is not usable for that, neither is the BMW convertible).
Yes, you would rather and there is nothing wrong with that. Others would rather not bother with a truck for a handful times a day they may use it.
On top of that, not everyone can afford multiple vehicles like you can. My van has no backseats. If it was the only vehicle we had, I could not have made this choice. I would go rent the U-Haul.
And the "same" model over the years in each category has gotten bigger, and bigger, and bigger. Vehicles compared to just a few years ago, certainly no more than a decade ago are mammoth to the point where some roads, and many parking spaces are not wide enough.
That’s what a majority of Americans want big pickups and SUVs so that’s what they are building. There might be a market for mine pickups but not enough for them to make them here in the USA. That’s why they will import them from Europe were they make them for that market or Latin America assembly plants were they are made for that market. But they won’t retool a American or Canadian assembly plant to make mini pickups. It’s a niche vehicle made for smaller roads. It’s like FCA dealers that sell Fiat 500 they are made in Tychy, Poland and Toluca, Mexico. They are also a niche vehicle that will no longer be sold here because of weak sales, Americans want large vehicles and that’s what is selling.
And the "same" model over the years in each category has gotten bigger, and bigger, and bigger. Vehicles compared to just a few years ago, certainly no more than a decade ago are mammoth to the point where some roads, and many parking spaces are not wide enough.
True, and I don't like this trend.
Looking at old garages around town and they're so tiny! Nothing but the smallest cars these days would fit.
There's an all spring/summer demolition/construction project going on at the end of road where we live. About 90% of workers are commuting here in enormous diesel pickups. I guess it's the rig to own when you're a blue class man these days. Actually there's one woman too. I think she has the biggest truck of all.
Looking at old garages around town and they're so tiny! Nothing but the smallest cars these days would fit.
There's an all spring/summer demolition/construction project going on at the end of road where we live. About 90% of workers are commuting here in enormous diesel pickups. I guess it's the rig to own when you're a blue class man these days. Actually there's one woman too. I think she has the biggest truck of all.
If you don’t like the new trend than don’t buy one it’s your choice there’s plenty of people who will buy them.
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