Is it impractical to buy a COMPACT pick up truck now?

[stuka1939]

I am 31, have never had a NEW vehicle and have always had a car. Well, my Toyota Corolla has 171,000 miles on it and I will need a new vehicle soon.

I always liked pick up trucks and would love to get one. I am NOT talking about a full sized F-150, Dodge Ram, Chevy Silverado or Toyota Tundra.

I am talking about a compact 2WD, Regular Cab Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon or Toyota Tacoma.

I will NOT be using the pick up truck for work related things nor will I be lugging stuff around.

Gas mileage for these compact pick up trucks are still decent, 21-26 MPG on average.


However, my parents and others are saying it is impractical.

My Mom: "No girl wants to be picked up on a date in a pick up truck.

Other Comments: You can only fit two people, that is not very practical.

I am still hell bent on getting one. I want to hear from others who own pick ups or what they think.

 

[canadianmetalhead]

If you do alot of outdoor activities (biking snowboarding whatever) then i woudl say it is totally practical. Chicks love dudes with pick up trucks anyways, would be alot better than a corrola in my opinion . bottom line, go for what YOU want. If you want that pick up truck then go for it. It's your money. You earned it.

 

[stuka1939]

If you do alot of outdoor activities (biking snowboarding whatever) then i woudl say it is totally practical. Chicks love dudes with pick up trucks anyways, would be alot better than a corrola in my opinion . bottom line, go for what YOU want. If you want that pick up truck then go for it. It's your money. You earned it.

Thanks man. I would also BUY AMERICAN since pick ups are an American Icon.

General Motors makes the best looking trucks IMHO.

 

[SmoothTalker]

Are you going to use it for anything at all that you need a truck for, or do you just like the concept.

It is a bit impractical if you don't use the back, but if you only ever drive alone its not a big deal. Its just that you're dragging around extra mass for entirely no reason.

Your choice really.

 

[stuka1939]

Are you going to use it for anything at all that you need a truck for, or do you just like the concept.

It is a bit impractical if you don't use the back, but if you only ever drive alone its not a big deal. Its just that you're dragging around extra mass for entirely no reason.

Your choice really.

I won't be using it to haul stuff around, but it could come in handy.

 

[DoctorLW]

I had a truck. F-150. You can find more uses for a truck once have one, believe me. Very handy. Damn I miss that thing.

Girls love trucks too, I can't tell you how many comments I got when I had my truck. It basically screams manly. Although, I'm not sure about the compact ones.

Make sure you get an American truck.

 

[Jason#4]

get ready for all the "compensation" jokes...and people asking if you can help move their sh!t

 

[DoctorLW]

get ready for all the "compensation" jokes...and people asking if you can help move their sh!t

Never heard any compensation jokes. People will definitely ask you to help move their crap though.

 

[theunflushables]

Thanks man. I would also BUY AMERICAN since pick ups are an American Icon.

General Motors makes the best looking trucks IMHO.

The irony of it all is, all so called American vehicles are hardly even made here anymore. I live in Michigan and I know countless people who have lost their jobs because Ford, GM, and Chevy have all packed up and moved to Mexico. Detroit and Flint are pretty much ghost towns because they left. In downtown Detroit there are skyscrapers that are just sitting there vacant because when the big three left everything fell to pieces.

However, now so called foreign cars are built here. Hyundai has a plant in Indiana or Illinois. I believe there is a Toyota plant in Georgia and now, they're in the talks to bring a Toyota plant to Grand Rapids.

So, the question is: What's considered buying American? Buying from a car company that sends their work to Mexico effectivley costing MILLIONS of people their lively hood so a CEO can make more money? How about buying from a company that has created jobs here giving the working man a job?

As for buying a truck, yeah it may be impractical, but do what you want. If you want to pay more money at the tank then you would driving a fuel efficent car or a hybrid, thats your choice.

 

[Mr.Positive]

The irony of it all is, all so called American vehicles are hardly even made here anymore. I live in Michigan and I know countless people who have lost their jobs because Ford, GM, and Chevy have all packed up and moved to Mexico. Detroit and Flint are pretty much ghost towns because they left. In downtown Detroit there are skyscrapers that are just sitting there vacant because when the big three left everything fell to pieces.

However, now so called foreign cars are built here. Hyundai has a plant in Indiana or Illinois. I believe there is a Toyota plant in Georgia and now, they're in the talks to bring a Toyota plant to Grand Rapids.

So, the question is: What's considered buying American? Buying from a car company that sends their work to Mexico effectivley costing MILLIONS of people their lively hood so a CEO can make more money? How about buying from a company that has created jobs here giving the working man a job?

As for buying a truck, yeah it may be impractical, but do what you want. If you want to pay more money at the tank then you would driving a fuel efficent car or a hybrid, thats your choice.

Amen.

My Toyota Tacoma was built in the good ol' US of A. In Fremont California, to be exact, sweat and blood from american workers.

 

[Poonani Maker]

I own a Mazda B4000 (all the bells and whistles). It's low key (98% of this model are owned by men). The Bad thing about owning a pickup is everyone wanting you to help them move or haul off some metal to be melted down, and on and on. You're Always the goto guy for helping someone else move. They say, "Oh, He has a truck, can't you...? (do this, do that) for her, him, me?"

The constant asking of me to use my gas money and wear and tear on my truck in exchange for "I'll buy you lunch" at Chili's or The Black-eye'd Pea, is taking it's toll on me.

I work hard enough as it is in my regular job. I like to rest on the weekends.

 

[Bible_Belt]

I have 91 Nissan pickup with probably 250K miles, the odometer quit long ago. I keep it to haul stuff - motorcycles, dogs, and some smaller building materials occasionally. Women hate it.

Why would you want a car payment when you do not have one now? There are plenty of fun cars that you could just buy with cash. I like 90's tuner cars, and so do women: Nissan Z cars, Maxda RX7, Mits 3000GT, Supras. If money is a concern, get a naturally aspirated model; turbo is expensive. You have to keep a little money back for repairs, but you can have a fun car that women like for $3-4K that you paid in cash and not have a car payment. Leveraging away your future earnings to finance a depreciating asset does not make good financial sense.

 

[Michele l'Arcangelo]

what year is the corolla? 83-87? hatchback?

 

[A Warrior's Words]

My Mom: "No girl wants to be picked up on a date in a pick up truck.

Other Comments: You can only fit two people, that is not very practical.

I am still hell bent on getting one. I want to hear from others who own pick ups or what they think.

Good, stick to that. I own an '87 Dodge Dakota Pickup and it runs great. Something that I'd still like to do is put a bed in the back of the truck and actually have sex with a woman on it. (If anyone has any experiences with that.....)

I still get people wanting me to move their sh!t around but I tell them: "I'll have to charge ya'."

I've also taken and sold metal for money with it, so that was a great sidejob.

One thing I've noticed is that I've gotten women in other cars looking my way, so there is some truth to it being a "manly vehicle."

 

[stuka1939]

what year is the corolla? 83-87? hatchback?

2000 Corolla CE.

I bought it from a rental car place for around 12K and it only had 2,000 miles on it when I bought it.

 

[The Inside Man]

I really like the Tacomas. I have always like trucks and in my experience women like them more, they have more personality than an economy car. If I got a Tacoma and slapped a turbocharger on it it would actually increase the mileage and make it capable of hauling whatever you need, and obviously increased speed. All black with an 8" lift kit=my dream truck. And it would have better mileage than my v6 accord.

My parents also disagreed but I think if you still want a truck go with the v6, if you want more speed and power get a supercharger or turbo. Still cheaper than getting an f250 or an lux 4x4.

 

[TurboLover]

If I got a Tacoma and slapped a turbocharger on it it would actually increase the mileage and make it capable of hauling whatever you need, and obviously increased speed. All black with an 8" lift kit=my dream truck. And it would have better mileage than my v6 accord.

Care to elaborate how adding a turbo increases gas mileage if all else is equal.

Under vacuum its an intake restriction, and under load(boost) your using more fuel.

 

[Redsand426]

Nissan makes nice pickups.. both the titan and frontier are great trucks. The titan is zippy and fun to drive and I personally think the Frontier drives better than the Tacoma, but I like the looks of the tacoma a little better. If I were to buy a truck, I'd go w/ a 2005+ nismo frontier.

On the other hand though, gas prices are going up and maybe a truck isn't the brightest idea. Maybe you should swing the other way and get one of those "green" honda's that run on natural gas. $5 bucks to fill up your entire tank... imagine that.

@ Bible Belt.. I used to have a 91 nissan pick up too! It ran great until I plowed it into the back of a mini van! :cuss:

 

[Joe The Homophobe]

why would you want a pickup truck when gas is going to hit $7 a gallon in 2 years according to experts?? how are you going to sell it when the ___ hits the fan??

 

[MetalFortress]

My 97 Tacoma has almost 234,000 miles and still purrs like a kitten. It looks like crap in some ways (small front tires, big rear tires, bent rear bumper, cracked front bumper, left front fender dent) but the paint is still nearly perfect. It came with all stickers/badges stripped off the tailgate for a much cleaner look, and I pulled off the hubcaps since the steel rims are a shiny black color. Now it looks semi-clean, semi-crappy, instead of just crappy.