Small trucks are back

[preppypyro]

I live in rural North Dakota on a farm and I drive a 2wd 99 Ranger. It’s many miles of gravel before I hit the highway. The “you need a big truck” thing is over rated.
I’ve driven Rangers for 15+ years and I can count on one hand how many times I wouldn’t have been able to get down a road. Those times, a 4wd 1 ton wouldn’t have been able to make it either.

Your conditions must be different than ours. I drive a 1 ton diesel (bought mainly for towing a backhoe) and my wife drives a half ton diesel, both trucks are 4 wheel drive.

There has been multiple times this year where her truck would not make it down our road, she had to come back and take my truck to make a trail.

Im not saying that a 2 wheel drive ranger won't work for you, but I gaurantee you it won't work near as well as a half ton or larger around where I live in the winter time. Each winter I pull two wheel drive trucks either out of the ditch or backwards down roads that haven't been immediately plowed.

Do all your neighbors drive 2 wheel drive rangers as well?

 

[IDGETKTFO]

I miss my old chevy S-10 might have been 1985 around there, man that thing got great mileage.

 

[jefferz]

Your conditions must be different than ours. I drive a 1 ton diesel (bought mainly for towing a backhoe) and my wife drives a half ton diesel, both trucks are 4 wheel drive.

There has been multiple times this year where her truck would not make it down our road, she had to come back and take my truck to make a trail.

Im not saying that a 2 wheel drive ranger won't work for you, but I gaurantee you it won't work near as well as a half ton or larger around where I live in the winter time. Each winter I pull two wheel drive trucks either out of the ditch or backwards down roads that haven't been immediately plowed.

Not sure why anyone would think I would bullshit about this either. I've lived rurally pretty much my whole life, spent a good time of my life driving semi trucks on and off road in all kinds of conditions before I became a teacher.

I stand by it.

I'm about 500km south of Saskatoon, there's not much difference in climate.

 

[preppypyro]

I'm about 500km south of Saskatoon, there's not much difference in climate.

You may be surprised. I am about 250kms north, and there is a huge difference.

 

[jlagman]

So I've never gone north of Biggar, so you may be right.

But I've spent a decent amount of time, in the last decade, living in a pretty rural settings and I keep hearing about this seemingly mythical part of Canada where only 1/2 ton trucks or larger can be driven in the winter, but have yet to find it.

The irony being that the people I usually hear it from (not specifically accusing you @preppypyro) are prairie city dwellers from places like Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, etc.

My former boss in Saskatchewan, did own several 3/4 ton, diesel trucks for his ranch, but commuted to work in his early 2000s, FWD Chevy Impala. I had another coworker that would drive her Toyota Echo to work and if the snow was especially bad, she would borrow her husband's RWD Mazda B2300 or AWD Honda CRV.

I actually ended up owning that Mazda truck for a couple of years and in the winter, I would throw bags of play sand in the bed. The reason I eventually "upgraded" to a 2004 GMC Canyon; which I still own, was to have a bigger cab so that my dogs could ride in comfort, in the cab, with me.

 

[preppypyro]

So I've never gone north of Biggar, so you may be right.

But I've spent a decent amount of time, in the last decade, living in a pretty rural settings and I keep hearing about this seemingly mythical part of Canada where only 1/2 ton trucks or larger can be driven in the winter, but have yet to find it.

The irony being that the people I usually hear it from (not specifically accusing you @preppypyro) are prairie city dwellers from places like Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, etc.

My former boss in Saskatchewan, did own several 3/4 ton, diesel trucks for his ranch, but commuted to work in his early 2000s, FWD Chevy Impala. I had another coworker that would drive her Toyota Echo to work and if the snow was especially bad, she would borrow her husband's RWD Mazda B2300 or AWD Honda CRV.

I actually ended up owning that Mazda truck for a couple of years and in the winter, I would throw bags of play sand in the bed. The reason I eventually "upgraded" to a 2004 GMC Canyon; which I still own, was to have a bigger cab so that my dogs could ride in comfort, in the cab, with me.

I may have to go back and recheck my posts as well. I don't want to make it sound like only a 1 ton 4x4 will survive on our roads. It for sure is more of a convenience thing. Two years ago my wife drove a grand cherokee diesel suv, and we made it work. Same thing applied though as when we would get snow and the roads weren't plowed, I would either have to go plow the road with our back hoe, or make a track with my 1 ton so she could get through.

In my youth I spent a ton of time in a ford half ton 2 wheel drive gas truck that was probably smaller than your canyon. I used to put a bunch of weight in the back and I made it work. When I was really small my dad had 2 wheel drive trucks (although never smaller than a half ton) and he made it work with tire chains.

But when our family got the first 3/4 ton diesel 4 wheel drive truck that we didnt have to chain up, boy there was no turning back!

We live in an area where people specifically come to from the south to come snowmobiling and whatnot. But I mean I have worked all over Alberta and I found my experiences to be the same regarding trucks. I mean have you ever driven up past peace river? Up to grande prairie or fort mac? The highways are one thing, but once a guy gets off of the highway, it is a different world!

To each their own though for sure. If you can make a smaller truck work, that's awesome! I do dig trucks and I have a few (including a 86 nissan) but I find that they all get parked and used in the summer and only the big ones come out in the winter.

 

[jlagman]

I may have to go back and recheck my posts as well. I don't want to make it sound like only a 1 ton 4x4 will survive on our roads. It for sure is more of a convenience thing. Two years ago my wife drove a grand cherokee diesel suv, and we made it work. Same thing applied though as when we would get snow and the roads weren't plowed, I would either have to go plow the road with our back hoe, or make a track with my 1 ton so she could get through.

In my youth I spent a ton of time in a ford half ton 2 wheel drive gas truck that was probably smaller than your canyon. I used to put a bunch of weight in the back and I made it work. When I was really small my dad had 2 wheel drive trucks (although never smaller than a half ton) and he made it work with tire chains.

But when our family got the first 3/4 ton diesel 4 wheel drive truck that we didnt have to chain up, boy there was no turning back!

We live in an area where people specifically come to from the south to come snowmobiling and whatnot. But I mean I have worked all over Alberta and I found my experiences to be the same regarding trucks.

To each their own though for sure. If you can make a smaller truck work, that's awesome! I do dig trucks and I have a few (including a 86 nissan) but I find that they all get parked and used in the summer and only the big ones come out in the winter.

There was plenty of winter time quading and snowmobiling down where I used to live too, but because it was all privately owned ranches, you'd only do it if you were buddies with the locals.

I'm not necessarily against big trucks; I just think most people tend to buy them for the wrong reasons and retroactively justify their purchases with things like, "winter" or "towing my boat twice in the summer". I think their "necessity" for the winter is borderline non-sense and I hear it most often from people who drive ploughed, paved, city roads in the winter.

I'll admit, I don't even consider myself a truck guy, but I own one because it's the more practical vehicle of the two I own; I can drive it year round and beating the shit out of it doesn't bother me. I don't have any big toys to haul and I can park it in my attached garage or normal parking spaces in the city.

We'll agree to disagree, though I don't think we're actually as opposed to one another's ideas as it may seem.

 

[preppypyro]

We'll agree to disagree, though I don't think we're actually as opposed to one another's ideas as it may seem.

We will have to agree to disagree, I'm a mustang guy anyways haha

 

[jlagman]

We will have to agree to disagree, I'm a mustang guy anyways haha

I own two GM vehicles right now, but I wouldn't consider myself brand loyal. Before my SS, I owner a Mitsubishi Evo X, which was great in Saskatchewan winters; but the windshield cracked within the first month of owning it, the wheels got chipped to shit and I imagine that thing gained weight every summer when the cold patch they'd use to "fix" the highways stuck and dried onto the chassis. Subaru WRX before that, when I lived in Ontario.

I do like having AWD or 4x4 in the winter, but winter tires will do just fine in ploughed, paved, Canadian city roads, in the winter.

 

[RollSonnenRoll]

Dayum.... that makes me hot inside.

J10's

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

I live in rural North Dakota on a farm and I drive a 2wd 99 Ranger. It’s many miles of gravel before I hit the highway. The “you need a big truck” thing is over rated.
I’ve driven Rangers for 15+ years and I can count on one hand how many times I wouldn’t have been able to get down a road. Those times, a 4wd 1 ton wouldn’t have been able to make it either.

As in ‘plural’? How many Rangers have you been thru in 15 years?

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

Owning a big truck has also moved into ‘luxury’ territory. Some of them are as nice or nicer than any luxury car you could buy. Gas is a motherfucker tho, and it’s one of the reasons I don’t drive mine all that much atm. As for the 4x4 discussion, imo better to have and not need than need and not have. The price difference between them isn’t enough to keep me away from them being that it’s narrow enough on stuff I’ve looked at, so might as well have it.


And for me, I’d go with a full size truck all day. Just love the bigger trucks, was always a car guy until I wound up with an 89 K5 Blazer that had big mudders and a lift.. being tall the cabin just felt right to me and turned me on to trucks in general. Sitting in a full size truck makes me feel like I’m in a vehicle that was designed for me.. while cars never quite have that feel.. even my classics still felt just a tad undersized after driving a truck like that. Oddly enough it’s one of the things I dig about my Challenger, even tho it’s a car (that’s driver-centric) it’s very spacious. Almost like a truck in a weird way.

 

[jefferz]

As in ‘plural’? How many Rangers have you been thru in 15 years?

I'm on my 3rd. I pick them up for under $5k and drive them until they cost more to fix than the vehicle is worth. The first one had a bad tranny after 180,000 miles. The second one had the clutch go out at 190,000 miles. I could have replaced the clutch in my shop, but I found my current one for $3500. They all had under 110,000 miles when I bought them.
I don't care if they have dents, scratches, or rust in the normal places pickups have, like around the wheel wells, cab corners, etc. I swap the rear end for one from a Ford Explorer. It gives you traction lok (limited slip) and 10" disk brakes. I've had great luck with the 3.0 v6's.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

I'm on my 3rd. I pick them up for under $5k and drive them until they cost more to fix than the vehicle is worth. The first one had a bad tranny after 180,000 miles. The second one had the clutch go out at 190,000 miles. I could have replaced the clutch in my shop, but I found my current one for $3500. They all had under 110,000 miles when I bought them.
I don't care if they have dents, scratches, or rust in the normal places pickups have, like around the wheel wells, cab corners, etc. I swap the rear end for one from a Ford Explorer. It gives you traction lok (limited slip) and 10" disk brakes. I've had great luck with the 3.0 v6's.

You own anything nice for yourself, or do you just not care about vehicles in that way?


I get having a utility vehicle, makes sense. But I gotta have something I enjoy too, but I’m also into cars/trucks for the experience as well as the practicality

 

[jefferz]

You own anything nice for yourself, or do you just not care about vehicles in that way?


I get having a utility vehicle, makes sense. But I gotta have something I enjoy too, but I’m also into cars/trucks for the experience as well as the practicality

I have a 29 Model A fully restored. Eventually I'll get around to doing some mods to it like putting in a flathead, taking off the fenders, and putting some steelies on it.
I've had many toys over the years, like a square body with a 396, Pinto with a 347, 5.0 Mustang, 57 Bel Air 4 door, etc. But I'm kinda over the fast stuff at this point.
I've been watching for an S30, but money has been tight lately. I'd rather wait a couple of years and pick up a nice one rather than buy a crappy one now that will require a bunch of work.

 

[Daverisimo]

Maybe so, maybe no. I don't really care. But I will never cease to be confused by boomers riding around in refurbished vintage trucks. They aren't nearly as aesthetically pleasing as most other vintage vehicles, and they don't have nearly the same work capacity as even the cheapest modern trucks. It's just boomer nonsense, and I hate it.

 

[jefferz]

The Hyundai Santa Cruz is selling well and the Ford Maverick is so popular that they can't keep up with demand, people are waiting over a year to get the truck they ordered.

Now they're not as small as the fantastic mini-trucks of the 80's, but it's still a step in the right direction, after decades of car companies making their trucks bigger and bigger, and more and more expensive, now maybe they'll recognize that there is a huge market for small inexpensive trucks.

In Mexico, you can get a Chevy Tornado.

 

[Kb7]

I would buy one in a heartbeat.

Toyota's one the biggest offenders of truck bloat.

Look at how much bigger they made the Tacoma since it first came out

I went from a 02 4x4 Tacoma extra cab and now own a 22 Tacoma double cab 4x4. The Body is bigger but the inside still feels as if I'm still in my 02 with just updated tech & gadgets. The seats are a problem, they're very uncomfortable, it's hard to find comfortable position while you're adjusting them, overall though they did increase in size & are considered midsize.

 

[ralphc1]

Oh maybe I was misinformed as I read many complaints that you could only get the smaller bed on the double cabs. A long bed and 4 doors would have been perfect.



Nice! Same year and color as mine, but I got the access cab. I like that while it’s just a bench back there that the doors open up, unlike my 1997 Ranger with the cab. I’m gonna stick with the Tacoma until it falls apart or I do.

It gets to be a problem of having too many different sizes. They can make a single cab with an 8 ft long box, an extended cab with a 6 ft long box or a crew cab with a 4 ft long box on the same chassis. A crew cab long bed requires a longer chassis. A longer chassis with a longer wheelbase changes the steering geometry so there are more components to inventory. Manufacturers tend to build what they sell the most of. The financial crisis in 2008 also caused sales to plummet and automakers had to close plants and drop lines of vehicles.