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I have a PT Cruiser and while I like it, I'd get another small truck in a heartbeat if I could. What did I do with my truck? I had a camper shell on the back and I used it to haul my telescope to overnight star parties. I camped in it when I did SAR, hauled home about a million bags (OK, I'm exaggerating here - slightly) of dirt to plant my first garden, I hauled home the huge dollhouses that won't fit into the back seat or trunk of any car, I spent 10 years running around to dog shows with all the junk you have to bring to those, including a large dog, and when I needed to, I even lived in it for a bunch of years.
I drove my first Mazda for 17 years, but my second one only lasted 4 years on account of someone who decided to pull out in front of me when I was only 20 feet away from him. I do know the mileage was actually better in my Mazdas than it is with my Cruiser. Sorry, OP, trucks rule.
I don't always get why most trucks now days are crew-cabs, I wonder why not just get an SUV if you're a family man? I have a single cab with an 8' bed which has come in handy so many times. I can fit almost anything in there without tying it down or needing a trailer.
Because a single cab doesn't have much room unless you use the bed for stuff. I've had 4 single cab pickups, and while I liked each of them, I always wished there was a little room behind the seat. So in 2000 I bought a new extended cab F250. MUCH better! I'm (or was) a photographer and normally carry at least $10K worth of camera gear in the truck. Before the extended cab, if there were two of us, that all had to go in the back (or in the 5th wheel camper if we were pulling it).
I opted for the extended cab in 2000 rather than the crew cab because I wanted an 8' box, and I didn't want a pickup THAT long! But that's about the time (2000) when crew cabs started getting really popular. When I get my next pickup, it'll be a crew cab dually. The back seats in an extended cab just aren't big enough for anyone other than kids. My son has a new F150 Titanium that's really nice. (Puts my old 2000 to shame!) His wife drives a new (thinking) 6-series BMW, and he has a new Vette, but they usually prefer the F150 for long trips. My wife and I always drove our F250 on trips. Her little Saturn, which was still pretty new when we bought the F250, has accumulated about 15K miles since 2000. Neither of us would pick it over the truck for long drives -- as long as I was driving. She never did drive the truck, partly because it had the 6-spd manual tranny.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eaton53
Colorado diesel can tow up to 7700 lbs. That's not a modest amount.
I'd call it modest. That 7700 pounds shrinks by whatever you're carrying in the cab, so if you've got a couple passengers, a tool box full of tools and other odds and ends in the bed, that'll shrink by 1000-2000 pounds. Even if you don't have anything but you in the truck, 7700 pounds isn't much of a camper. So the Colorado is pretty limited as a work/hauling truck or even for a family camper. Compare it to a "real pickup." An F250 will tow about twice that, and an F350 (1-ton) dually will tow up to 32,000 pounds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kynight
SUVs are very capable. The crew cabs with a short bed carry no more than the back of a full size SUV. The payload capacity on crew cabs are pretty bad as well. They can't hold 4 adults and a bed of gravel with out maxing out the payload.
Gravel is heavy! I used my old Toyota pickup to get a load of sand many years ago. The guy loading asked me how much I wanted. I told him to start dumping and I'd tell him when to quit. It didn't take much and that thing was dragging! I had to haul it about 4 miles home, and I don't think I went over 20 mph.
You're right that F150s don't typically have a huge payload (but more than nearly any SUV). You can order a "heavy duty half" that'll tow over 8 tons in some configurations, but then you lose that nice car-like ride and those fancy options we all want.
What do you care? Seriously. It's not your money. It's not your vehicle. So what do you care if people haul 2x4's or bricks or cases of water every day in their truck or nothing ever? You better never ask a truck owning buddy for help either!
I currently own a truck (and several cars) because I use it regularly for stuff that would be impossible or difficult to accomplish with a car. However, I can't imagine using a truck as my daily driver or only transportation. Too big, too slow, too thirsty, poor handling, etc. However, some people just like trucks. I like fast cars that handle well. Some people don't. That's why they make chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Not every decision in life is based on logic.
I'm with you on that through and through. This came up in another thread where the OP was wondering why he hadn't bought a full size truck sooner.
I have a compact, great handling, 400hp sleeper hatchback that is an absolute blast to drive. No truck I've driven has ever been fun or comfortable for me to drive on the daily. I love them as utility vehicles. Light off-roading on the ranch, or jobsite, or for just plain hauling things.
I'm planning on putting a ladder rack on my 97 ranger to really expand it's capabilities. I would sooner replace that motor than buy another truck. I just don't need all the bells and whistles for something I have no interest driving every day.
I think that's one of the most stupid buys ever, just to buy a truck when you are never going to haul or tow with it. But if you use the flatbed for the deer you just killed, that's ok. If you're just buying a Ford F150 Platinum 4x4 to look good and not use it, I guess that's your style but man is that a waste of @#$%
So why else would you have a truck if you don't use it for the reasons stated?
Back when I didn't know much about trucks, I was really shocked that the Ford F150 was America's best selling vehicle! Is that because many people live in situations like rural America [e.g. KY] where it's better to have a 4x4 truck?
Why do you assume that a person who buys a truck does not need a truck?
How about a person who buys a mini-van, or an RV, or a compact car, or a hybrid vehicle? Don't you think it's is up to that person to buy what he wants or needs?
Trucks really really really come in handy. My truck is down (fuel pump) and I really really really miss it. I'm not putting Mulch and dirt in my Cars...... I love my truck. And I'm a tree hugger
I don't always get why most trucks now days are crew-cabs, I wonder why not just get an SUV if you're a family man? I have a single cab with an 8' bed which has come in handy so many times. I can fit almost anything in there without tying it down or needing a trailer.
Because SUVs won't hold three bags of full body goose decoys, two carts, four blind bags and also four people at the same time.
What do you care? Seriously. It's not your money. It's not your vehicle. So what do you care if people haul 2x4's or bricks or cases of water every day in their truck or nothing ever? You better never ask a truck owning buddy for help either!
Nah, I was just making a comment on how stupidly illogical it is to have a truck when you don't use it for truck purposes. But man, some trucks do look so nice, you'd do the illogical thing and just buy it. I carry a camera around and when I see the best examples of trucks parked, I snap pictures of it for "truck pforn..." I don't mind at all that people do illogical things with their money... It's their money and they're entitled to use it for whatever they want. I just had to make a rant and talk about these things.
And what's a crew cab or single cab mean?
Well, if I was rich and had space for 10 vehicles, a truck definitely would be in my vehicle collection. A Ford and a Dodge. Haven't seen a sexy Chevy truck though.
SUVs are very capable. The crew cabs with a short bed carry no more than the back of a full size SUV. The payload capacity on crew cabs are pretty bad as well. They can't hold 4 adults and a bed of gravel with out maxing out the payload.
I wasn't suggesting loading the cab with people and SIMULTANEOUSLY filling the bed with rocks, gravel, or whatever. The point is that one day, you might need to pick up a load of fertilizer and then take the family out to dinner that night. If you can afford two dedicated vehicles, great. If not, you'll probaly end up with a crew cab pickup.
Because a single cab doesn't have much room unless you use the bed for stuff. I've had 4 single cab pickups, and while I liked each of them, I always wished there was a little room behind the seat. So in 2000 I bought a new extended cab F250. MUCH better! I'm (or was) a photographer and normally carry at least $10K worth of camera gear in the truck. Before the extended cab, if there were two of us, that all had to go in the back (or in the 5th wheel camper if we were pulling it).
I opted for the extended cab in 2000 rather than the crew cab because I wanted an 8' box, and I didn't want a pickup THAT long! But that's about the time (2000) when crew cabs started getting really popular. When I get my next pickup, it'll be a crew cab dually. The back seats in an extended cab just aren't big enough for anyone other than kids. My son has a new F150 Titanium that's really nice. (Puts my old 2000 to shame!) His wife drives a new (thinking) 6-series BMW, and he has a new Vette, but they usually prefer the F150 for long trips. My wife and I always drove our F250 on trips. Her little Saturn, which was still pretty new when we bought the F250, has accumulated about 15K miles since 2000. Neither of us would pick it over the truck for long drives -- as long as I was driving. She never did drive the truck, partly because it had the 6-spd manual tranny.
I'd call it modest. That 7700 pounds shrinks by whatever you're carrying in the cab, so if you've got a couple passengers, a tool box full of tools and other odds and ends in the bed, that'll shrink by 1000-2000 pounds. Even if you don't have anything but you in the truck, 7700 pounds isn't much of a camper. So the Colorado is pretty limited as a work/hauling truck or even for a family camper. Compare it to a "real pickup." An F250 will tow about twice that, and an F350 (1-ton) dually will tow up to 32,000 pounds.
Gravel is heavy! I used my old Toyota pickup to get a load of sand many years ago. The guy loading asked me how much I wanted. I told him to start dumping and I'd tell him when to quit. It didn't take much and that thing was dragging! I had to haul it about 4 miles home, and I don't think I went over 20 mph.
You're right that F150s don't typically have a huge payload (but more than nearly any SUV). You can order a "heavy duty half" that'll tow over 8 tons in some configurations, but then you lose that nice car-like ride and those fancy options we all want.
Weight placed inside the truck does not affect the "towing weight" as specified by the other poster. Weight placed inside the truck affects the LOAD carrying. You might be assuming that the 10-25% or trailer weight equals tongue weight and it doesn't in ALL cases. Many small trailers with very high tongue weight and many larger trailer with lower tongues weights.And yes, smaller trucks like the Colorado cannot carry as much as a 1/2-1 ton pickup; most people can figure that out just by looking at them.
However, the Colorado (and Canyon) are getting very popular for larger popup trailers, and mid size travel trailers and can do a very good job of pulling them and when not used better at getting around town in.
I seriously looked at one (Canyon) prior to getting my latest 16 Sierra last fall, and might have opted for it except for the cab interior space. I have two, over 120 lbs dogs, that take up and entire back seat and not sure they would have fit in the smaller truck.
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