Around this area it seems the pickup is the daily commuter. Lots of people drive 60 miles to Atlanta & many of those people use a heavy duty truck, 1 ton duallies, f250, fords, chevys and dodges as daily commuters.
Now these people put more miles on these big trucks than a taxi and most of the time these trucks are seldom used as a truck. They rarely carry anything more than groceries which is crammed into the back seat area. If they carry anything in the bed at all it is usually a few bags of mulch or potted flowers.?ÿ The beds of these trucks are usually unblemished from lack of use.?ÿ
Now I know some folks will say that the big truck is safer or the big diesels get "decent" mileage but I have had diesels before and will do so again but make no mistake they are very expensive to maintain and operate and?ÿ
It has always confused my why men cannot let go of this macho need to drive a huge truck that gets terrible gas mileage and costs a lot of money to maintain and avoid a fuel efficient car for long commutes.
My only conclusion is that they are hung like a Missouri mule and need the big truck to haul it all around.
Or, they are NOT "hung like a Missouri mule" and need the big truck to make up for it.
I can remember being offered better numbers and tax incentives to purchase a vehicle that far exceeded my needs like a 1 ton dually 4wd heavy duty hauler than the present Toyata Tacoma that has by far been the better fit for my driving and go most anywhere needs.
When it came to getting a vehicle for my wife that both was a dependable transport and carry all the kids needs too, I went with a Jeep Loredo that was built like a tank and provided a safer environment for them in the event of an accident.
That was a nobrainer choice for me in place of the lighweight Toyota Camry, Civic or Carola she had been recommended. In the event of a tbone or other major accident, the tank is your best place to be.
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I am back from being at the beach for a few days. It seems to me that motor homes and travel trailers fall into this category too. I saw all to many folks struggling to get into their trucks because it is too tall and they (the humans) are too big. But the Oregon beach was beautiful.?ÿ
I guess the major point I have is this, If all you are doing is hauling your a$$ from home to work why are men so averse at driving something that cost 1/4 to 1/3 as much and gets far better fuel mileage and cost far less to maintain.
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I guess the major point I have is this, If all you are doing is hauling your a$$ from home to work why are men so averse at driving something that cost 1/4 to 1/3 as much and gets far better fuel mileage and cost far less to maintain.
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Well I usually keep my nose out of my sons business but I had to tell him that his wife is an idiot for buying a 40K+ Dodge ram. It??s decked out with 4 wheel drive, navigation and all sorts of electronic goodies and big wheels and tires. Ya need a damn stepladder to get in the thing. My problem, financially speaking, is the truck will be used for a daily commute (90 miles a day) on Interstate roadways. I seriously doubt it will ever be ??off road?. All things considered it was a huge waste of money, in my opinion. But then again I??m an old fart with delirious opinions.?ÿ ??ÿ
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Well I usually keep my nose out of my sons business but I had to tell him that his wife is an idiot for buying a 40K+ Dodge ram. It??s decked out with 4 wheel drive, navigation and all sorts of electronic goodies and big wheels and tires. Ya need a damn stepladder to get in the thing. My problem, financially speaking, is the truck will be used for a daily commute (90 miles a day) on Interstate roadways. I seriously doubt it will ever be ??off road?. All things considered it was a huge waste of money, in my opinion. But then again I??m an old fart with delirious opinions.?ÿ ??ÿ
Hijack warning (with my apologies to OP):?ÿ It occured to me today (I am 48 yo) while helping my wife's mother install some new technology (Roku, BritBox, but I digress) that as we progress through life, more and more patience is required while interacting with others, especially our close family members.?ÿ First with our infants, then our toddlers, then our teenagers, then our aging parents, then our children again while they try to 'help' us to the finish line.
Carry on with your regularly scheduled programming.
Throughout the entire history of the American consumer and their love affair with automobiles?ÿI don't think there has been any indication anyone used?ÿlogic.?ÿ?ÿ I know several rural USPS contractors that log thousands of miles weekly on back roads of mud.?ÿ 99.9% of them don't drive pickups and most of their vehicles are of the variety that are probably easy on fuel consumption.
I've got a neighbor that has a 50K dollar Rubicon Jeep with huge tires in his driveway.?ÿ He manages the Best Buy here in town.?ÿ He probably thinks "off road" means taking side streets on the way home.
I had a woman at a gas station ask me about my truck once. She said she was thinking about getting one. When I asked ??why?? She replied, ??Trucks are tougher than cars and seem to last longer. Plus, if your car starts looking bad from scratches, dents, or age, people say - look at that woman driving that ragged old car. But if you??re driving a truck in the same condition people say - dang, thats a tough ole truck.? That??s been years ago and I still think about it. Lots of truth to what she said. Trucks do last longer, hold thier value well, and are more useful than an SUV for hauling wet or smelly things, lumber, gas or gasoline engines, dogs, surfboards, bicycles, fishing rods, and pulling utility trailers and boats, not to mention survey equipment. ?ÿCars are good for hauling people and groceries.?ÿ
I had a woman at a gas station ask me about my truck once. She said she was thinking about getting one. When I asked ??why?? She replied, ??Trucks are tougher than cars and seem to last longer. Plus, if your car starts looking bad from scratches, dents, or age, people say - look at that woman driving that ragged old car. But if you??re driving a truck in the same condition people say - dang, thats a tough ole truck.? That??s been years ago and I still think about it. Lots of truth to what she said. Trucks do last longer, hold thier value well, and are more useful than an SUV for hauling wet or smelly things, lumber, gas or gasoline engines, dogs, surfboards, bicycles, fishing rods, and pulling utility trailers and boats, not to mention survey equipment. ?ÿCars are good for hauling people and groceries.?ÿ
Well sure they are great for hauling things as that is whatb they are built for............but as a daily commuter they are a very terrible choice, unless you have more money than brains or are just a fool with his money.
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??Hijack warning (with my apologies to OP):?ÿ It occured to me today (I am 48 yo) while helping my wife's mother install some new technology (Roku, BritBox, but I digress) that as we progress through life, more and more patience is required while interacting with others, especially our close family members.?ÿ First with our infants, then our toddlers, then our teenagers, then our aging parents, then our children again while they try to 'help' us to the finish line.?
And here I thought it will be easy living after all the kids are finally gone. Wrong, they always want free babysitting, financial aid, or bitching about their spouse to SWMBO. (because I won??t listen to them). After that period has calmed down then we have my Mother-in-law in an assisted living facility to the tune of $6k a month. Her pension pays for $5K and guess who pays the rest?
Brad at 48 you are one year younger than my oldest son. He??s also a LS in FL and VA. As of today I am 68yo. I think I am ahead of Unc Paden.?ÿ Still raise hell at shuffleboard and Bingo games, especially if I had a doobie beforehand.?ÿ ? In June me and the old bag err SWMBO will have been married 50 years.
Buddy, you ain't seen nothing yet!?ÿ ??ÿ
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I guess the major point I have is this, If all you are doing is hauling your a$$ from home to work why are men so averse at driving something that cost 1/4 to 1/3 as much and gets far better fuel mileage and cost far less to maintain.
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The fact is, many people are remarkably stupid. This answer can also be applied to the following questions:
Why do people buy so much crap from those TV shopping programs? Why do people send so much money to televangelists who live in mansions? Why do people rack up so much credit card debt? The list of questions to which this is the answer goes on, and on.
Or it could be as simple as wanting one vehicle as opposed to two. I have a half ton truck with a small V8. It tows my camper 15 times a year and makes countless trips to the dump and hardware store. I live 6 miles from my office and could save about $400 a year in gas if I got a small commuter. Even 10 times that won't pay for itself. Buying, insuring and maintaining a second vehicle is expensive. Then there are the times you can't drive that commuter due to weather.
Yupp, some folks aren't very good at math or budgeting. Others just maje assumptions...
I married into a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire.?ÿ That car now has 219,000 miles.?ÿ The Kelly Bluebook value on this car is about $1500.?ÿ It gets 31 mpg.
I can't afford to get rid of it, because I drive it to work every day, 120 miles round trip.?ÿ At some point I guess she'll lay down on me, and I'll leave it on the side of the road somewhere.
I actually fall in the category of folks who use a 3/4 ton truck for truck purposes, pulling gooseneck stock trailers, flatbed trailers, dragging skid steers, I even have added air bags to help the truck ride smoother with a heavy trailer on the back.?ÿ What I have noticed is I am not into fancy stuff, but because of everyone wanting a pickup these days, even the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have fancy radios, back up cameras, carpeting, automatic headlights, power seating with heat and cool, powered movable pedals, powered running boards, and so on.?ÿ Can ya'll imagine how fast I break that crap??ÿ And how much it costs to fix it??ÿ I have to look hard to find a truck that is plain.?ÿ It is a major pain in the butt to drive 24 miles down a ranch road listening to a seat belt alarm, and then having to remember to unlock your door every time you put the truck in park when you stop to open a gate (at each mile, then again after you drove through the gate.)?ÿ But since people will pay the money for them, the automakers give them what the majority asks for, I suppose.
I actually fall in the category of folks who use a 3/4 ton truck for truck purposes, pulling gooseneck stock trailers, flatbed trailers, dragging skid steers, I even have added air bags to help the truck ride smoother with a heavy trailer on the back.?ÿ What I have noticed is I am not into fancy stuff, but because of everyone wanting a pickup these days, even the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have fancy radios, back up cameras, carpeting, automatic headlights, power seating with heat and cool, powered movable pedals, powered running boards, and so on.?ÿ Can ya'll imagine how fast I break that crap??ÿ And how much it costs to fix it??ÿ I have to look hard to find a truck that is plain.?ÿ It is a major pain in the butt to drive 24 miles down a ranch road listening to a seat belt alarm, and then having to remember to unlock your door every time you put the truck in park when you stop to open a gate (at each mile, then again after you drove through the gate.)?ÿ But since people will pay the money for them, the automakers give them what the majority asks for, I suppose.
First world problems!!!
In 2011 I bought a 2006 3/4 ton (gas) 4wd crew cab, 5 speed, with 62k miles,?ÿ for $17000. I use it on weekends and to pull trailers.
I just looked it up on KBB and the trade-in value for it now at 82k miles is $16873 and private sale $18708.
In 2012 I bought a 2012 Malibu new for about $17000.
At 48k miles KBB shows it to be worth $6500 trade in and $8900 private sale. So I lost about $10,000 on it for the use we have gotten out of it.
The 3/4 ton was the better investment.
James
I'm a big guy, I'm not interested in squeezing myself into some econobox. Trucks and SUVs are comfortable.
For me, at my point in life I look first at resale value. In this part of the world the #1 rig is the Jeep Wrangler, followed closely by the Tacoma. The #1 resale SUV is the CRV which my wife has (if you don't consider the Wrangler an SUV). The domestic pick-ups all hold their value especially as they age.
I got tired of putting lots of money in older rigs and then trade in one with 200K and get $1000 for it.
But I understand running a little outfit that gets good mileage as far as it will go. This part of the world snow and getting places, say up the mountain, is important, at least it is to me so I'm not interested in a car, only if I can afford to use it as a third vehicle and that ups the costs greatly.
