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No, they get a bad name because as a people mover, they feel tippy when traveling at high speeds or cornering, ride like crap, and they generally SUCK compared to a car or a minivan.
However, if you need to tow a trailer or carry large, heavy objects from point A to point B, then they are adequate to the task.
Unless you intend to take a corner at 60mph+ newer trucks do not feel "tippy". My truck actually feels well planted despite having solid front and rear axles. The ride is a bit more stiff than a vehicle with independent suspension, but still pretty comfortable. My F150 prior to the diesel trucks was actually very comfortable... so much in fact that it became our vehicle of choice for long distance traveling because the seating position didn't fatigue us.
You still fail to explain how they "generally SUCK" as compared to a car or minivan. They have more power, can carry more, and can comfortably seat up to 6 people. Many trucks now come equipped with almost all of the same features as a car or minivan as well. Captains chairs, navigation, leather, backup camera, lane assist, hill start assist, etc.... Tell me again how that makes them "suck" more than a minivan or a car.
The fact that we can choose to use my truck or our SUV as a grocery getter, sports gear/kid hauler, vacation vehicle, etc.. and then in turn tow a heavy load with them actually gets us the best of both worlds. The only thing that a small car has as an advantage over either of our vehicles are parking and fuel mileage. Neither of which are a concern for us because A) we both know how to handle the vehicles and B) we agreed that comfort and ability was a more important measure than mpg for us.
I can’t wait to a normal size car after having my explorer for not even two years. It’s just too big and not necessary. Sure third row is helpful about twice a year but that’s it lol. 20 mpg is not for me
I'm with you. I went to a C-Max from a Lincoln MKT. I'm much happier in the hybrid sitting in traffic than I was in the big Lincoln. Especially when it's now $30 every other week instead of $50 a week to fill. Easier in traffic, easier to park. Don't get me wrong, trucks have a time and place, and I'd have one as a spare sitting around if I could, but to DD one. No thanks.
No, they get a bad name because as a people mover, they feel tippy when traveling at high speeds or cornering, ride like crap, and they generally SUCK compared to a car or a minivan.
However, if you need to tow a trailer or carry large, heavy objects from point A to point B, then they are adequate to the task.
The bolded is factually untrue in my Suburban. It doesn't feel tippy, with it's huge swaybars and wide stance. And it rides great with the magnetic ride shocks. No, I'm not racing down twisty backroads, but at legal speeds it's fine.
And your second bit really drives it home, as I tow 9500 lbs regularly.
I have an PHEV for commuting and a sports car for spirited driving and occasional track use. (I've had sports cars and road race cars all my life, so I have a point of reference to determine what handles good or not).
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Even on a recent long road trip vacation we took the V8 pickup rather than our 4 cylinder CUV, it was just far more comfortable, and we had tons of room in the bed for luggage. We drove from the Seattle area well into northern California before needing gas, at 21+ mpg with a 36 gallon tank, the range is over 750 miles. We rented a condo so didn't have the trailer, but even when hauling it at 11 mpg still can go nearly 400 miles on a tank.
No, they get a bad name because as a people mover, they feel tippy when traveling at high speeds or cornering, ride like crap, and they generally SUCK compared to a car or a minivan.
Others have already critiqued this so I'll not pile on. I happen to disagree, but not every opinion is worth countering.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phlinak
However, if you need to tow a trailer or carry large, heavy objects from point A to point B, then they are adequate to the task.
This is an interesting word choice, adequate. By definition it means "good enough" but in many usages and contexts there's an inferred "since there's no better option." I may be reading too deeply into your word choice but that certainly feels like that's the case here: a very grudging recognition that a truck or SUV may actually be able to do something better than a car can do. That is, towing a heavy load of course.
Thing is, "adequate" is probably a very poor word choice here. As I said earlier in this thread, for normal, every day driving conditions, a large truck or SUV can do everything a sedan or other car can do GOOD ENOUGH. There may be concessions in mileage or handling* but as many have noted the mileage is a trade they're willing to make. As for handling, see below. But the inverse is not true: For pulling those heavy loads, a car cannot do what a truck or SUV can do AT ALL. Even for a driver whose driving consists mostly of daily work commute and whatever in/around town driving, but with a recurring need to be able to pull, a truck or SUV is the best of both worlds. I don't pull a trailer every day, but it is just often enough that the "rent a truck from Lowe's" option would be a significant PITA. How much sense does that even make when some of the time I'm pulling a trailer is for recreational purposes? Those rental trucks don't have room for the whole family, so that's not an option. What is an option is owning a vehicle that can literally do EVERYTHING I need it to do.
*I maintain the advantage in handling is being greatly overstated by those who don't like trucks and SUVs and suggest the perceived gap exists because many of them have not driven recent model trucks and SUVs. I even asked one member directly on this thread a few weeks ago. He did not answer.
Unless you intend to take a corner at 60mph+ newer trucks do not feel "tippy". My truck actually feels well planted despite having solid front and rear axles. The ride is a bit more stiff than a vehicle with independent suspension, but still pretty comfortable. My F150 prior to the diesel trucks was actually very comfortable... so much in fact that it became our vehicle of choice for long distance traveling because the seating position didn't fatigue us.
You still fail to explain how they "generally SUCK" as compared to a car or minivan. They have more power, can carry more, and can comfortably seat up to 6 people. Many trucks now come equipped with almost all of the same features as a car or minivan as well. Captains chairs, navigation, leather, backup camera, lane assist, hill start assist, etc.... Tell me again how that makes them "suck" more than a minivan or a car.
The fact that we can choose to use my truck or our SUV as a grocery getter, sports gear/kid hauler, vacation vehicle, etc.. and then in turn tow a heavy load with them actually gets us the best of both worlds. The only thing that a small car has as an advantage over either of our vehicles are parking and fuel mileage. Neither of which are a concern for us because A) we both know how to handle the vehicles and B) we agreed that comfort and ability was a more important measure than mpg for us.
IMHO, they SUCK because they handle like crap compared to a car.
I've driven pickups for work and I can feel the difference in terms of their center-of-gravity compared to a car and I hate it because it feels "tippy" to me.
If you're alright with it, then more power to you.
IMHO, they SUCK because they handle like crap compared to a car.
I've driven pickups for work and I can feel the difference in terms of their center-of-gravity compared to a car and I hate it because it feels "tippy" to me.
If you're alright with it, then more power to you.
Personally, I hate it but to each his/her own.
I would generally agree but you really need to define your "truck." Is it a dually with a stiff ride, broken AC, diesel fumes wafting through the interior while some loose 2x4s and junk rolls around in the bed or is it a bone stock 1/2 ton with AC seats riding on wide 20's just cruising down the highway. Both are trucks but 2 way different experiences.
The bolded is factually untrue in my Suburban. It doesn't feel tippy, with it's huge swaybars and wide stance. And it rides great with the magnetic ride shocks. No, I'm not racing down twisty backroads, but at legal speeds it's fine.
And your second bit really drives it home, as I tow 9500 lbs regularly.
I have an PHEV for commuting and a sports car for spirited driving and occasional track use. (I've had sports cars and road race cars all my life, so I have a point of reference to determine what handles good or not).
No, it's not factually untrue, it's very true because it has a higher center-of-gravity that becomes evident at any significant speed or evasive maneuver.
As I said to another poster, if you like it good for you, however I don't care for it and prefer the agility and crisper handling of a smaller vehicle that I can carve canyons in.
No, it's not factually untrue, it's very true because it has a higher center-of-gravity that becomes evident at any significant speed or evasive maneuver.
As I said to another poster, if you like it good for you, however I don't care for it and prefer the agility and crisper handling of a smaller vehicle that I can carve canyons in.
I HAVE a car for "carving canyons" and have owned many (most of my 130 cars have been sports cars or sport sedans). So I have a point of reference. It's not tippy, period. Wide tires, wide track, big swaybars and a fairly low CG (most of the weight is down in the frame, not up in the roof) see to that. The roll center is actually very low.
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