Small pick up trucks
 

Have you wondered why nobody offers a small pick up truck anymore? They will lie and tell you that there’s no demand. Every year trucks get bigger and bigger even if they have a 5’ useless bed. They are also priced out of reach for a lot of people. No more basic small regular cab pick up with a 6’ bed that the majority of people could afford.
I own a 2011 Colorado regular cab short bed. I no longer need a big truck but I still want a truck. Now it needs to last forever because of the convoluted CAFE rules that all manufacturers need to follow. The basic formula is, wheelbase times track divided by 144 to give you the trucks “footprint”. Plot that against the graph below and you’ll see why small trucks no longer work. My Colorado footprint is 44.4. In 2023 that would be required to get about 41MPG. It gets about 20.
The bigger the footprint, the lower the MPG requirement.
It’s wrong!

Another point that demonstrates that lawmakers don't have a backround to enact all laws. Anything that is operating smoothly will be rendered a mess with gov't oversight. If the gov't had to operate as a business, they would be bankrupt within 6 months.

The great Ronald Regan quote, "I'm from the US gov't, and I'm here to help you"...........LMAO

I've often wondered why all the newer trucks have acres of passenger room, with a bed that is about the same size as a 1960s full size passenger car trunk.........:confused: My 71, and 1976 Grand Safari SW could at least hold 4X8 pieces of sheeting with the tailgate closed.

Thanks for making that known.

Find an older ‘80s or ‘90s Toyota small pickup, search in one of the southwestern states for a rust-free example. Plenty of parts are available for them and they run forever.

Don’t rule out buying a good used small pickup, otherwise you might be waiting a long time until things change and they start producing small trucks again.

I have a very old ‘66 VW pickup that’s powered by a 50 hp 1600, it’s not very freeway capable by modern standards. Around town it will haul a ton plus no problem (1 ton factory rating) with a bed that’s almost 9’ long, completely flat and 5’ wide. Currently waiting on new a 2180cc engine ($8k) that will almost triple the stock horsepower and make it freeway friendly. Cruising 65 or 70 is about as fast as I want to drive it, having the ability to climb freeway grades without downshifting into 3rd and going 45 mph will be awesome.

Very happy with my "new" shop truck, which my Dad bought new in 1998; a Ford Ranger.

I would be delighted had he waited until he could have got the 4.0 engine versus the 3.0.

I'm with B-Man on this one; lots of good used small trucks out there.

And thanks for sharing the "formula"; makes almost as much sense as what is called "taxable horsepower" ;) It really WAS quite accurate in 1911 ;)

Jon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azI3...st=WL&index=17

I have to carry a big stick and beat people away every time I drive my mid 80's Toyota truck, I'm just waiting for some idiot to steal it at this point. Everyone keeps haggling me to buy it. What can I purchase today that averages 30 MPG (would get 36 MPG on the highway in the 55 MPH days) with a 7 foot bed that's low to the ground making it incredibly easy to move large items myself? Yeah, nothing.

I also can't stand the short bed trend going on. WTF am I going to do with a 4 or 5 foot bed? Anything smaller than a 6 foot bed is just useless. 7 foot beds need to make a comeback with smaller trucks.

Finding parts for these trucks is not exactly easy anymore. Good luck trying to find an Air Flow Meter, Auxiliary Air Valve, Ignition module, and other electrical parts/sensors. I stocked up over 20 years ago by wandering through junkyards and purchasing brand new genuine Toyota parts for cheap on Ebay with the foresight of knowing it would lead this so I'm good but a new owner would be up a creek if something failed.

I already have a small truck which is working fine, 145k. I just thought that it might be nice to get a new truck and wanted to know why there are none.

I may replace it one day with an old truck. ‘50s or ‘60s short bed. For now, I’m good.

If you find one, don't bring it up north unless it's a summer only truck.

I had a 1985 SR5 extended cab. It ran very well, but the frame and box were toast in short order in snow country. And the replacement body parts weren't any better - in 1991 one of my coworkers slid into my truck and took out the driver's side box. Had the whole truck repainted and the whole box side replaced, but that rusted out too.

I had to put a sheet of 3/4" 4x8 plywood in the box to make the truck functional - otherwise anyone walking in the bed or anything heavy would fall through what was left of the floor.

Ended up donating the truck to the Rawhide Boys Ranch (Bart Starr's camp for problem young men) for the tax deduction.

I had a ‘91 Mazda B2200 I loved. It got 30-32 mpg on the highway (five speed), could carry anything I could get into the bed and the cab was roomy enough for my NFL defensive tackle body. It made it through three Wisconsin winter before body rot began to appear. I loaned to my nephew shortly after we moved back here to IN the first time (2007). He totaled it in a car accident. I kept it for awhile while I located the parts to repair it, but could not find a serviceable core support. Mazda quoted me twenty-six weeks to get a new one from Japan. I then chose to scrap her. The last time I saw her at our local Pull-A-Part nothing was left but the rust out core support and the frame.

The number 1 selling vehicles in NZ (and Australia too I think) are 'utes'. These are very much a small truck. For the most part they are all 4 door and most are diesel - they include the Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton etc. Ranger here;

https://www.ford.co.nz/showroom/futu...en-ranger.html

Fullsize trucks are available here, but not very common. A Ram1500 Express starts at $99K

https://www.ramtrucks.co.nz/

1980 GMC single cab/8 foot box for me. I remember when it was a “big” truck. Now it’s seems like a small truck compared to what they’re pumping out today. My only requirement of a truck is an 8 foot box and a tow hitch. Bonus if it’s a manual transmission.

I made one of my full size truck relatively small...

I think one of the smallest new pickups is a Ford Maverick. They were $19,999.00 in 2022. Very stripped down for that price and I think a 5 1/2' bed. But a small pickup none the less. Hybrid gasoline power plant standard. Nearly 40 MPG. If you feel you need a new pickup, that's one of the only choices.

My last truck was a black ‘01 GMC short bed fleetside. Dropped 4/6.

Same here. 2 days ago I sold my '96 GMC Sierra standard cab short box. In Michigan those trucks have turned to dust, but I bought this from Texas 8 years ago, nice truck that everyone wants to buy. Easy sale on the first day of the ad.

Speaking of small trucks, I just bought a new Ranger 4X4 extended cab with a 6' bed. 2023 is the last year for a small cab Ranger from Ford. That leaves Toyota and Nissan as the only small truck, small cab builders next year. I really wanted a new full size standard cab/short box 4X4 but none in stock within 500 miles and a 4-6 month order time.

Coworker has a new Maverick. Loves it! I've ridden in it a handful of times, I kinda like it.

only new vehicle ive bought is an 01 S10
still have it.

I think what this guy is saying is closer to the facts. The dealers do not make a lot of money selling small trucks they make money on larger truck sales. The dealers have marked trucks up so high people can not afford them or willing to pay 100k. That is all dealers Chevy Ford and Dodge with dealer markups it is insane what they are asking for vehicles.
Speaking of trucks look at this beauty I had seen at a garage sale
https://youtu.be/8uAX0oWRW7c
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...4&d=1689092683

I don't know about dealers in your area, but my local Chevy dealer doesn't have a single truck with a dealer markup. All are discounted off sticker, with most of them having 4 - 5,000 off.

Pricing after advertised discount ranges from $48,000 - 73,000.00.

That said, I would like to see a smaller, less expensive option before I'd buy another truck.

My man!

Mine is a 2000 with a 5/7. Rides better than a stock height truck lol

I've never had a use for a small truck but from the replies here it sure seems like people want them.

I need a truck that hauls and will tow 10,000+ lbs. up mountain grades without strain (which is why it's a Duramax). That's really the only reason I own a truck. Otherwise it just sits in the garage for months at a time. It's paid for and not going anywhere.

It's going to have to last me a lifetime now given what I've seen for prices lately. In fact a friend is getting ready to pull the trigger on a new Duramax crew cab 4x4, basically just like mine but brand new, and out the door he's paying $105,000 That's just crazy!! I don't know what his payments will be but I know his tags are going to be $2300 a year :eek: Not to mention insurance.

Gotta be rich to buy one now.

I miss the days of the ole smaller nissans/toyotas, and more importantly the Jeep Commanche
the 89 Commache 4*4 long bed i had was so great
I have had an 08 Ridgeline, it was ok, GREAT daily use, sorta of like a 4*4 version of an Accord
traded in for the 2018 Frontier which i love, perfect daily use
I have been asking all the Honda dealers i got into to what's the status on the Type R Rdigeline...... that looks sweet
but you are right, trucks are so oversized and so F'n expensive.
i have NO clue how so many people around here have dually deisels and their 40'+ trailers.....
some people must be making a ton of money
what's it cost now for a truck, 60k+. meaning ones that can easily tow 7500 pounds without spnning massive RPMS and having horrible gas mileage

Since trucks are so expensive, and so FREAKING large (garage space will be an issue for me) i am looking at the Acura MDX/RDX next and then get a small aluminum trailer.
i don't really need a pickup, and if need to haul fuel just around, i can maybe just use one of those hitch baskets.
and then enjoy a nice luxury SUV

I put 100k on that one before I dropped it. My ‘93 I ordered new while working at the dealer and dropped it 4/6 at the dealership on the weekend before driving it or even taking the plastic off the seats. 3 miles on it. That truck was my favorite.
Towed good too! Pic from NED.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...4&d=1689100276

Small trucks
 

Out of all the historics I either own or maintain, this one here is my #1 fave. Bench seat 5 speed a/c no p/s.

We had a similar (brother?) Ranger 4x4 that 2 of our 3 sons drove in high school. It was finally relieved of duty with more than 200K miles of abuse in snow, off-road, and I'm sure a few ways I didn't know about. It kept on ticking and was both easy and inexpensive to repair.

One day I'll own an El Camino. Not so sure if that counts as a truck though...

My son has been looking at El Camino's for about a year off and on now. He's been wanting one just hasn't found exactly what he wants yet. Eventually he'll have one.

Not a pickup but still an S10. My baby Blazer has been a good rig and it's a shame there's no reasonable replacement for it.

Man that's cool! Sharp looking truck and GTO.

It's crazy how NED basically looks the same today. It's like a step back in time, and it's awesome.

Love the VW truck . Nice ones like that are hard to come by.

Most of them were worked to death and junked, not too many have survived and the ones in nice shape that were actually taken care of are few and far between. I’ve owned this one since 1985 and have known its whereabouts since 1976 when a friend in my high school auto shop class first purchased it.

The 1950 - 1967 split windshield VW buses and their variants are highly valued and sought after these days. The value of my rust-free ‘66 Velvet Green single cab pickup is probably somewhere in the 40 to 50k range now. They’re quite versatile and can carry many things that other conventional pickups can’t. There’s a huge storage compartment under the bed (called the treasure chest) that’s accessible by one or two hatches depending on how the truck was optioned.

Last weekend I built a platform and bolted it down to the bed using the factory provided hold down points usually used for the original bows and canvas. I need to transport my 1957 bug body about 40 miles away to get some sheet metal work done on it, the platform allows me to have something to tie it down to and protect the bed floor.

My little pick-up is an ‘01 that I inherited from my father 5 years ago. It now has 60k miles on it. A few months ago I retired these wheels and tires and wheels for satin black 1969 Rallys and newer T/A’s.

I've enjoyed a number of early Rancheros. My son now has a '64 that I built as a mild custom in 1972. It's appropriate that he own it, since he rode in it before he was born- when the pregnant wife and I drove it to Memphis for the first annual (1972) Car Craft Street Machine Nationals!

Cool, Jack!


Did you ever go to the ones in DuQuoin IL?
Went to a lot of them plus the ones in Springfield IL.


:)

It just goes along with the death of cheap cars. Right after high school in 2003 one of my buddies bought a brand new off the lot S10. Which at the time seemed crazy, one of my broke friends buying any kind of new car. But it was late in the year so the sales were on, he bought a 4 cyl, 5 speed manual, standard cab that didn't even have carpet. I think the price out the door was like $7500? I could be off on that but it was cheap. He might still own and drive that truck, I haven't talked to him in a while but I know he still had it a few years ago. He was a bit neurotic and took immaculate care of that truck. Funny story: he became a big pothead somewhere along the line, which I don't care about, but he became uncomfortable hanging out with me because I didn't smoke. Like I said, he was always a bit strange.

Anyway, eventually the big 3 said they make more money selling one Escalade than they do several cheap vehicles. Analytics won the day.

Also, and this may have been said earlier, Ive read that automotive companies cheat emissions laws by making vehicles, especially trucks, larger. Which is dirty, no pun intended.

Yep, I have a 22 maverick hybrid. Closest thing to my old ranger I used to have. Can handle 20 sheet of plywood or drywall and the bed is low enough for someone getting older. Only limitation on the hybrid is the 2k towing, but that was my 4cyl ranger as well. Hopefully the mavericks success will spur other car manufacturers to go smaller.

Funny to see another air cooled VW guy on a Pontiac forum. I've been playing with those for years, son enjoys driving his 65 bug and is currently building a 2276 for it.

There is a fella in town that daily drives a VW truck just like yours pictured. I see it sitting outside a local business every day and catch him tooling around town occasionally. There are also at least 3 of those things I've seen restored that hit local car shows around here. They are very unusual but gaining in popularity. Typical to see more VW's out here in the desert South West.

To me it makes more sense to keep these old cars running and use them as intended. Way more cost effective than buying something new. Maybe for those that want a small truck it might make more economical sense to search out a nice small truck from the 80's or 90's, even if it seems expensive to buy a well preserved one, it's still cheaper than buying anything new off the lot and may be the route you have to go if there are no current offerings.
I haven't searched but there has to be some nice S-10's out there on the market.

In 1998 I ordered a GMC Sonoma (S10) with the V6, five speed manual, tow package, HD suspension, long bed and something like a 3.73 Posi. It was an outstanding truck. Ended up selling it about three years later because I needed something bigger for towing. Sold it to a guy a state or two away. He actually contacted me about a year after he bought it to tell me it was one of the best trucks he's ever owned.

Here is a tiny photo of it in 2001. Drove it all over the northeast to motorcycle races.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...9&d=1689172509

that is the coolest VW i have seen BMAN. are those in the unobatainum price range like the VW windows vans?

Glad you like it, it’s probably the one vehicle I’ve owned that gets the thumbs up more often than any of the others.

Values depend on condition of course but especially on what body style and the older ones are worth more than later years.

The 1962 Turquoise and White Deluxe Samba (known as a 23-window) pictured next to my truck was getting ready to go onto the transporter to a buyer so we took a few pictures with them together. Both were restored by my friend Greg about 25 years apart. The Samba sold for just a little under 160k and I think he left about 20k on the table. My truck should sell for 40 to 50k but it’s not going anywhere while I’m still on the topside of the grass.

The red 1967 Karmann Ghia was bought new by the father of one of my childhood friends and would likely sell in the 50k range, again it’s not going anywhere, major sentimental value.

Hagerty's publication had an article about the new rules and the resulting jump in prices for the small pickups a few months ago.
I've got one of the last. 2002 regular cab, short bed, 5-spd Tacoma. I call it my little quarter horse. 310,000 miles and 27mpg and runs like a sewing machine.
I'm thinking about getting a camper shell because there is no room for carrying anything inside but it tows my little 11 foot bass boat just fine.

Sent from my moto g stylus (2021) using Tapatalk
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...45381d6816.jpg

There's always the argument about which trucks are the best but that pickup there, are amongst the best on the road no matter what people say. Toyota's are always my first choice.

The year before I graduated from high school (1969) I worked in the service department of a Datsun/Jeep dealership. The Datsun factory rep was a pretty cool guy to talk with.

One time during these BS sessions he told us about an oil drilling company from the US that was working in the midlle east having tried ford and chevy trucks out in the oil fields, and how they just didn't last. Someone got the bright idea to try Datsun trucks over there, and they were amazed that the little Datsuns held up 2-3 times longer than the ford, or chevy trucks did in that harsh environment. The payload was lighter, but of course they probably overloaded them to haul the same things. That was my first exposure to Japanese built, engineered trucks, and I paid attention to that little bit of information.

To contradict that glowing report of Japanese trucks, my father worked in the truck garage of a local chevy dealership, and they sold the Mitsubishi built LUV trucks, they were just a rolling pile of crap. The engines were always failing in them, and being an an OHC design were a real pain to work on. In the rust belt they, like may Japanese cars, and trucks of the era just rotted away in a few years. Holes so big in the sheet metal you could toss your hat through one, and not hit the side of the hole.......:eek:

I can't say much bad about Toyota, because my wife's Vibe bought new in 2008 has nearly 350,000 miles on it, and has only required preventative maintenance items in all that time. In the last 2 years she's driven it from Ohio to Alabama, and back 3 times, never missed a beat.

:2cents:

I love my 2018 Chevrolet Colorado Z71, crew cab, short box 4X4. It has the 3.6 V6 and the 8-speed auto trans. I bought it new in 2018 and will probably be my last new vehicle. I can haul drywall and plywood. I made a rack that supports it level with the wheel well and leave the tailgate down, with a strap to keep them all in the bed. I pull a 5,000 lbs. travel trailer and drive it every day. It is very comfortable and gets decent mileage. I drive a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado for work and love when I get back into my Colorado. I would have loved to have bought a 6-foot box but the 5'2" short box was all I could find. Back then I wanted a first gen Colorado, but I couldn't find one with lower miles and for a decent price. When the Colorado came back out in 2015, they were crazy hard to find. It took 3 years until you could even find one on the showroom floor. I initially looked for a 2015-2018 used but the prices for a 30,000-mile truck were only a couple thousand dollars less than a brand-new truck, so that is what I did. I don't regret it at all. I love driving it, it handles well and has surprisingly good acceleration. Fuel economy ranges from 17-21, in the city to 20-25, on the highway. There are lots of them around here and they seem to be quite popular.

I had a little 4 speed LUV truck in the late 80's. The body was so rusty that about two feet of the rocker panel fell off one day when I shut the door. It was 'carved' out of Bondo over rusty sheetmetal. The brake lines even rusted and sprang leaks. As I recall though, the engine was Isuzu and I had no problem with the drivetrain. This would have been something like a '78 model or thereabouts..
No matter though... You are right about the Mitsubishi. We bought my wife a Mitsubishi powered Dodge Caravan. When it hit 100,000 miles it started smoking like a train. I used to see them all over and I could tell immediately which ones had the optional Mitsubishi engine. They all smoked.

The Chevy LUV was built by Isuzu, one of my friends had a 1976 and it was pretty much trouble free. I borrowed it for a road trip up to Washington state in 1983 to buy a 1956 VW panel bus and flat towed it home without any problems.

Mitsubishi was building the Dodge D-50 mini trucks, the Ford Courier was a Mazda.

The Datsun and Toyota mini trucks were all the rage back in the mid to late ‘70s, they sold like hotcakes back them. A lot of high school kids had them, they were more popular than muscle cars at the time. Partly because of the recent high gas prices and because they were so utilitarian.

Such a shame they’re not producing these great entry level mini trucks anymore. :(

Meh, not a fan of the foreign stuff so doesn't bother me they aren't produced.

What I find ironic is how more people than I've ever seen before complain about their foreign parts, horrible this and horrible that, but so many will praise about their foreign vehicle sitting in the driveway? :confused:

Good is good I guess.

People complain about horrible foreign parts, because they tend to fail and be worse than USA made parts. The draw being that they are cheaper and readily available.

I don't think you can say the same about Toyota trucks. They get praised because they have a reputation for being very good. Plus they are in the same price range as its domestic rivals. So any quality discrepancy doesn't come with a price difference.

So its not the same thing.

Also, Im pretty sure several "foreign" manufacturers are actually heavily made in the US. Again Toyota pickups specifically I believe are more USA made than their domestic counterparts. What do I care where the trillionaire lives at the top of the company? I don't care about that guy. If the plant is here creating decent jobs for Americans Im good with that.

Most of the companies in general are Japanese that we are talking about. As someone who works in Process Improvement, much of what we do is modeled after Japanese (Toyota Specifically) workflow models. So once again, comparing cheap chinesium reproduction parts, with Japanese manufacturing is not the same thing.

Foreign is foreign to me so one is no different than the other in my eyes. I was never one to complain about foreign parts I just find it ironic so many here do but love their foreign vehicles.

For me I'm just happy that parts are even produced for our 50 year old cars whether they come from over seas or not. Without that most of these cars would now be nothing but a storage unit. So we deal with what we have, modify if necessary, and move on.

Foreign doesn't bother me if the vehicle is top of its class mechanically, well built, & works for what I need it for. I'm a strong believer in purpose built & purpose usage vehicles. Also have zero interest in fighting the battle of driving a very collectible low production 50 year old Pontiac musclecar as a "driver".