• MumboJumbo@lemmy.world
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    8 days ago

    I think those short bed trucks are the absolute worst. If you genuinely need a truck, get one with a proper bed so you can use it for it’s utilitarian purpose. If you’ve got a short ass bed, you don’t need a truck.

    • bluewing@lemm.ee
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      7 days ago

      While my truck does have a short bed, it pulls my 24,000lbs/11,000Kg tandem axle tilt bed trailer just fine. Which is more important to me than hauling groceries or people with it.

      Plus the 4-wheel drive matters a lot when the roads have 6+ in/15cm of snow and it’s only 2 miles/1.7 nautical miles to the nearest paved and perhaps plowed road or when I need to drive down a logging road.

      ***The metric and navel conversion of measurements was done for those people living in Lubbock Tx.

        • bluewing@lemm.ee
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          6 days ago

          The nearest mall is a mere 50 miles away and I never go there. And yet I get painted with the same “fuck pickup trucks” brush right along with those that buy them as a mall cruiser.

          • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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            6 days ago

            Quick stats check and less than 30% of truck owners use their truck for truck things, more than 30% don’t at all, and the rest might once in a while. So 60%-ish plus basically use a truck as a daily driver and not for hauling, work, or towing.

            You are in the minority.

      • 🐍🩶🐢@lemmy.world
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        6 days ago

        Ok. Explain the Lubbock joke. I grew up in Odessa, but Lubbock had Orlandos with their delicious rum cake and the science museum. That was really the only reason for me to go over there and deal with driving through fucking Andrews County with all the drunks on the road. The only thing I miss from Texas is the food and sky.

        • bluewing@lemm.ee
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          6 days ago

          Lubbock is considered one of the most conservative cities in Texas. And the unit conversions from US Freedom Units are an indirect poke at their conservative values. I often do the same for smug metric system using liberals-- see the US miles to nautical miles conversion rather than kilometers.

          Remember kiddies: All measurement systems are made up scales by some random dude that thought it was a good idea at the time. No one of them is better than another.

    • tiramichu@lemm.ee
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      8 days ago

      People who buy these things don’t really want “a truck”

      They want a vehicle which aesthetically resembles a truck, so their super manly male man ego can be satisfied, but which is actually just an SUV with extra steps.

    • A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      Short beds and unibody designs are the worst fucking things to happen to trucks

      If you need a truck - and as a rural tradesperson, there are plenty of good reasons to need one - get something that’ll actually do the job.

      • VerPoilu@sopuli.xyz
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        8 days ago

        Rural tradepeople in Europe rarely have trucks. Vans do the job in the vast majority of cases, a trailer can complement when needed.

        • Gormadt@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          8 days ago

          Not to mention a van has the benefit of keeping the load dry

          Which depending on what you do and where can be very important

          • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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            7 days ago

            They also keep dirt and road dust off your tools and materials. Vans also conceal your cargo better than a bed which can prevent theft. Most vans are more fuel efficient than similar sized trucks. Vans are usually easier to drive and have better visibility. A big enough van can fit a small workshop in the back, that you can stand in and assemble parts.

            Vans are the better work/trade vehicles compared to trucks for most applications and that is a hill I will die on.

            • Blackrook7@lemmy.world
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              7 days ago

              I use a 4 door short bed truck, and here’s why. I need to pick up my kids half the days of the week. I don’t have a van anymore because I do demo work and I got tired of riding inside with the dust. I just build a wood rack if i need to haul more. I’d get a 4 door, long bed truck, which would be the best ever except it’s just too dang long to park. So when the kids aren’t around I fold up the rear seats and the tool boxes go in there. Is what it is. I long for the days when I drove a car with a toolbag in the trunk.

              • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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                7 days ago

                They used to make single cab trucks with a bench seat to fit 3 people total and it still had a full sized bed. If you’ve only got 2 kids that design would probably have been better for you, but they don’t make many of this style anymore.

        • A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
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          8 days ago

          I’ve got a work van (one of the smaller Ford Transits), but it’s just not capable of towing anything really. Trucks do a lot better on the muddy hillsides I find myself on frequently.

          FWIW I’m not arguing against you, I’m just saying in my personal case, I would be able to put a reasonable truck to good use. I don’t need a King Ranch or anything stupid like that.

    • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
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      7 days ago

      Yea, I want 90s single cab s10 like I had in college. Full bed, no electronic bullshit. normal size tires, didn’t have to climb into it. Everything I needed to haul lumber and tools around and nothing I didn’t. I could take the entire thing apart and put it back together. If someone would just make a truck like that again I’d be so happy.

      • MumboJumbo@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        I would love an electric version of that. Just an in town daily driver, capable of hauling lumber, projects, etc…

          • GeeDubHayduke@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            7 days ago

            “Best we can do is this easily hackable plastic junk that resembles a marital aid and hides the door handles when on fire. Oh, and you’ll need to buy a lifetime subscription, submit a hair and blood sample, and headshots of your first born… for science.”

    • Montagge@lemmy.zip
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      8 days ago

      They don’t make hardly any 8’ beds on mid sized pickups. Pretty much everything is 5.5’ which makes a trailer a requirement.

      • LANIK2000@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        I always have to laugh when I see a pickup with a trailer. The empty bed is always a nice extra touch. Like imagine paying an absolute shit ton on an expensive ass truck that eats gass like there’s no tomorrow, just to end up using a trailer anyways!

      • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        7 days ago

        Want to see something strange but interesting, check out the Telos Truck. Can fit an 8 foot by 4ft piece of plywood in the back, has 4 doors, and is the length of a mini Cooper lol. The look is strange, but at least it shows companies trying to shake up what people think of as utility

        • Montagge@lemmy.zip
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          7 days ago

          Holy shit, I have a new electric truck to keep an eye out for! That thing is perfect!

          • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            7 days ago

            Yeah, I wouldn’t need more than 250 miles, the upgrade would just add extra weight I don’t need. Also 30 minutes charging is fine.

            If I drive 100 miles, I am perfectly fine sitting down for an hour and having a meal.

          • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            7 days ago

            Yeah it looks better with the back covered, or I think it might look better without the back doors as well. One key difference there though is the microbus is 2 feet longer. I don’t need to go 0-60 in 4 seconds, seems a bit much for any vehicle, but that’s nice for some people lol

    • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
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      8 days ago

      Depends, I can still load my motorcycles or a quad or a snowmobile in a short bed with the tailgate open and I can still tow more than in a unibody SUV.

      It all depends on your needs.

    • stoy@lemmy.zip
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      8 days ago

      If you need a truck get VW Transporter with an aluminium bed that you don’t need to worry about the paintwork when loading/unloading

  • henfredemars@infosec.pub
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    8 days ago

    If I need a truck I’ll rent one from U-Haul. They’re not that expensive.

    Owning a truck? That’s pretty expensive for someone like me who just needs a small car to get around. Also avoids that problem.

      • ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works
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        8 days ago

        I find if I’m going far distances, home Depot is actually better. Around town U-Haul is usually better.

        Which is kinda ironic, as it’s inverse to what they advertise for.

        • LaLuzDelSol@lemmy.world
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          7 days ago

          Really? HD you get unlimited miles for $20, albeit only for 75 minutes. But if you just need to pick up something heavy you can’t beat that deal

          • ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works
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            7 days ago

            And a full day unlimited miles is only $130. Where uhaul truck 24hrs and 200 miles is $138. 500 miles $285.

            Stay in town though. Go ~40 miles and have it for a day. U-Haul is ~$60 compared to HD at $130.

        • exasperation@lemm.ee
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          8 days ago

          as it’s inverse to what they advertise for.

          Probably why they can charge the price structure they do, maximizing their profit for the most common use case they see.

        • TheDoozer@lemmy.world
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          8 days ago

          They also usually rent out equipment, like carpet cleaners, post-hole diggers, large drain snakes, etc. And relatively cheap for the one time possibly in your lifetime you need to use it.

        • __Lost__@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          8 days ago

          Yeah, that’s definitely the cheapest option if you only need the truck for an hour or two to carry something home. Actually I think it’s free if you are fast enough, just have to pay for gas.

            • curbstickle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              8 days ago

              There is usually a mileage bit on there too, its X miles for Y hours sort of thing iirc.

              Still can be relatively cheap BTW, just saying its not pure time as of the last time I did it. Which was to move a few slabs of butcher block for my desk, so that was about 4-5 years ago.

    • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      In this case their cargo that they claim they constantly need a truck for, doesn’t even fit in the bed because the bed is half the size a bed should be.

      • ohlaph@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        One of the main reasons I probably won’t buy a truck. Most beds are only 5 feet in the Tacoma world. My van has more storage space.

  • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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    8 days ago

    It’s partially the manufacturers’ fault. Good luck finding an 8’ bed without an extended cab.

    That’s their only option if they’re limited to the footprint of a smaller truck in their parking spot.

    • A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      I’m dying for a return to 80s style trucks but with hybrid/electric engines

      Please just let me have a functional, strong truck that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to drive

    • quixotic120@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      8ft bed can be optioned on basically every truck. People buying trucks just prefer the crew cab because the vast majority of them are never hauling shit

    • DarkSirrush@lemmy.ca
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      8 days ago

      You know you can order vehicles from the manufacturer ahead of when you need it, right? Yes, there are stupid laws/rules in place that require a dealership to be part of the process, but you can generally pick what you want in a vehicle.

  • nifty@lemmy.world
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    8 days ago

    To load up deer I shot after a hunt.

    Or I would if I hunted. Or had a truck.

    Seriously though, farmers and heavy machinery contractors legit need trucks.

    • stevedice@sh.itjust.works
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      8 days ago

      I don’t think anyone is arguing that people who need a truck shouldn’t get a truck. But regular people with trucks is every bit as stupid as driving around in a tractor.

      • uniquethrowagay@feddit.org
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        7 days ago

        Nobody who could use a truck uses a truck in Europe. Usually, a Van or something is the better choice. I don’t really understand the “american pick-up truck” form factor.

        • rustydrd@sh.itjust.works
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          7 days ago

          Here in Germany, I see pick-up trucks more and more, and they often have some company logo on them. They never transport anything either, and the only explanation I have is that they’re basically a “foreman’s car”, driven by people who no longer build things but want to feel like they do.

            • azl@lemmy.sdf.org
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              7 days ago

              Having moved server racks, copiers and other equipment from site to site, I am thankful for my (light) truck. Cargo vans are more popular in IT since they protect from rain and sun but a flatbed is certainly better than trying to put heavy, sharp-cornered things on fabric or leather in the back of a passenger car nearly the same size as my (light) pickup.

              • DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone
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                2 days ago

                I moved servers, racks, printers, etc between sites in the back of my Fiat 500. With the back seats down it’s just like a little delivery van.

              • VeganCheesecake@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                7 days ago

                I mean, it was parked in a driveway and looked pretty shiny, so I’d assume it’s the boss’s company car. I do get that even IT people need to move non-digital stuff sometimes, but I’ve only ever seen them do it in vans around here. But who knows.

        • stevedice@sh.itjust.works
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          7 days ago

          I see your point. If you need to regularly haul stuff, a van is usually a better choice for the average person but I’m skeptical that construction workers, farmers and small moving companies in Europe don’t use trucks.

          • uniquethrowagay@feddit.org
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            7 days ago

            Construction workers, farmers etc will use a van or a flatbed version of a van over here:

            Or if they need heavier loads, actual flatbed trucks:

          • SanguineBrah@lemmy.sdf.org
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            7 days ago

            Here in the UK, builders & farmers use flatbeds and movers use box trucks - exclusively working vehicles. Pickups are not practical for most jobs.

    • superkret@feddit.org
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      7 days ago

      Where I live, hunters use a Lada 4x4 or a Suzuki Jimny.
      Farmers use tractors.
      Tradesmen use vans.
      Heavy machinery contractors use flatbed trucks.

      A pickup truck just seems like the worst of all worlds.

    • Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
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      7 days ago

      I’ve generally seen deer hunters use one of those little tow hitch storage bed thingies for deer, both on trucks and smaller vehicles

  • SidewaysHighways@lemmy.world
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    8 days ago

    Mine is a smaller truck so it also has a little baby bed on the back, but it has allowed me to pickup a load of gravel and mulch. As well as haul garbage to the dump.

    But I’m not 10 feet off the ground with huge tires or blinding headlights, and nobody can hear me driving down the road.

    Just a little old Nissan to do the occasional dirty work

    • slingstone@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      Nissan hard body pickups were awesome. I had a 96 model, one of the last years they were made. If you’re going to own a truck, this would be one of the more responsible ones to own.

  • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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    8 days ago

    “warlock” LOL i can’t believe the shit people look at and say oOoOoOhHhH i want that!

    • ArtieShaw@fedia.io
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      8 days ago

      Holy shit. Warlock must be a thing with trucks? A year or two ago I was travelling to an unfamiliar city and the person at the rental counter couldn’t find my reservation. She asked, “the only vehicle we have available is a truck, is that OK?”

      Whatever. Fine. The flight was delayed and I need dinner and a drink. I’m not going to be picky about a 2 day rental on a business trip.

      Let’s just say that expectations were exceeded (in a WTF way) when I got out to space B29 in the parking garage and got my first view of The Warlock. It was pretty much this exact truck, but in a different color and with about 100 loose acorns in the bed.

      The Warlock did make an impression on our clients when I rolled up to their office the next day. The conference room was close enough to reception that I could overhear the #1 question of the day as employees drifted in or out: “who’s driving The Warlock???”

  • midnight_puker@sh.itjust.works
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    8 days ago

    I saw a lifted truck the other day, and not only did it not have a trailer hitch, it didn’t even have a spot where one could be installed. I don’t know much, but it seems to me that if you’re not using your pickup truck for hauling, then you shouldn’t even have one.

      • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        Who the hell wants to load bricks into a lifted truck? Even if using a forklift, its often better and safer to keep the load as low as possible. It also safer while traveling to have the load lower to keep the center of gravity lower, hauling bricks in a lifted truck is more dangerous than stock height. Lifts can also impact stopping distance, which isn’t something you want when you’re also ruining your sightlines with the lift.

        • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
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          7 days ago

          This man bricks!

          I dunno, I was just thinking extra springs to not bottom out with heavy load, also easier to pick up heavy items if they are already hip-high.

          (Like, I lift my husband from bed to chair, and vice versa, but I would really struggle to lift him from the floor.)

          Stoopid me.

          But not stoopid enough to buy a truck like that! A wheelchair-modified minivan hauls anything I need, and keeps it dry.

    • Voyajer@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      Generally if it doesn’t have a hitch receiver you can put a ball hitch on the bumper in front of the license plate, but those are rated for less weight and are useless if the truck is lifted sooo

    • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
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      8 days ago

      “didn’t have a spot where one could be installed”

      The hitch is bolted to the frame, if you don’t have one installed there’s no visual cue that you can’t install one

      Some people need a truck without needing to tow a trailer, I had a client that had a lifted one to go fill up machinery out in the woods, his bed was a huge diesel tank with a pump, would you have expected him to do that with a Yaris?

      • SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social
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        7 days ago

        A lot of people call the draw bar/ball the “trailer hitch,” so I took the comment to mean that the truck in question didn’t have a hitch/receiver mounted.

        • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
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          7 days ago

          and not only did it not have a trailer hitch, it didn’t even have a spot where one could be installed

          Oh no?

          The bit about you not knowing much was right though, I’ll give you that.

          Not everyone needs a truck to tow is my point so judge all you want, you don’t know what that person is doing with the truck outside of the little glimpse you took at it.

  • GHiLA@sh.itjust.works
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    8 days ago

    Kayak.

    get a van

    Get a life, it’s a 6cyl and makes 28mpg. Go fuss at an Acura TL for all the emissions I create.

    • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      I just throw my kayak or canoe on the roof of my car. My fuel economy drops a bit with it on the roof, but overall its a way better option for me than constantly guzzling gas plus the upfront costs.

      We aren’t just fussing over emissions, its also the bigger tires, the bumper height/pedestrian safety, the blind spots many trucks have, the increased space they take up in parking lots.