Why Crew Cabs took over the light truck market.

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher) 05/06/2016 at 09:40 • Filed to: Truckyeah!

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This is a cheap, simple, honest truck ... with four doors and six seats (five of which are quite comfortable).

A great many, if not the majority, of 1/2 ton trucks sold these days are crew cabs. This has been the source of much consternation from folks who insist, “All trucks should have a regular cab and an 8' bed,” or, “Trucks are for hauling stuff, not people.” These folks are the spiritual twins of old people who say things like, “I remember when this was all farm!” Times change grandpa, deal with it.

Let me just get this out of the way. Crew cab trucks are great. They let you haul lots of people AND lots of stuff. Most vehicles can haul lots of people OR lots of stuff, but AND is better than OR. It just is.

Now, I’m no hater of a good old fashioned regular cab, 8' bed truck. If I had more money and more space, I’d get one of those too. I dream about square body Chevy trucks, and I will have one someday. My dad is a contractor, and when I was a kid, that’s what he drove. Regular cab, 1/2 ton, 4x4 Chevy trucks, with a tool box and a snow plow. I spent a lot of time in them, they’re great. You know what they aren’t? Comfortable. The cabs were cramped little hot boxes.

Square-body parts! I’m currently working on a custom of my dad’s first truck, an electric blue ‘79 Chevy K10 long-bed.

Who cares about comfort, you say? After all, it’s just a work truck! Well, if you’re in your truck for hours a day, every day, why wouldn’t you want to be comfortable? Enter the extended cab. Extended cabs have been offered for a long time, but it was in the early 90's that they really started to get catch on. In ‘95, that’s what my dad stepped up to. Still a 1/2 ton Chevy 4x4, but this time with an extended cab and a 6-1/2' bed. Dad added a ladder rack to the new rig for hauling longer things, but this time he also got ... huzzah ... factory air conditioning! (Remember when aftermarket air conditioning was a thing? No? Damn I feel old.)

Dad found this layout to be the sweet spot for him. The extended cab allows for more leg room, the ability to haul extra people occasionally, and most importantly, lots more dry locked space for tools. He later tried a crew cab with a 6-1/2' bed, but found it unnecessarily big. He then tried a cargo van, but found it too uncomfortable and noisy. He went back to the extended cab, 6-1/2' bed truck and is very happy with it.

So why did the crew cab take over light truck sales? Well, there’s one thing my dad never had to contend with in any of his trucks, modern car seats. When I was a little kid, if I went anywhere in my dad’s truck, they put me in the middle of the plaid bench, slapped the lap belt over me, and headed out. You can’t do that today, anymore than you could get away with all the times I sat on an upside down 5-gallon bucket in the back of my uncle’s cargo van (I shudder to think about what would’ve happened to me had we ever wrecked, I was surrounded by heavy sharp unsecured tools).

Modern car seats are ginormous! Have a kid in a rear facing car seat? Well if you need to haul that kid, and another adult, then you’re going to need a crew cab. Unless that adult is: A) A little person, or B) Has no legs.

Which circles me back to the answer. Crew cabs took over light truck sales, because most moms these days have to work. I would love to be the cool dad who drives a Camaro, but I make at least 50% of the runs to and from daycare, so that shit ain’t gonna work. Same deal with a regular cab truck, not gonna happen. If I’m gonna have a truck, it’s gotta be a crew cab.

And you know what? It’s awesome! If you can’t deal with the fact that crew cab trucks have their place, then you are being very closed-minded. Go yell at a cloud, old man.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 09:50

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It’s the natural extension of the SUV stigma + takeover of the SUV market with unibodies, reduced need for over a 6' bed, and a limited market for full size sedans that can be used for towing/etc. well. Why not at that point get what is basically a HUGE sedan which can do everything and has an open trunk? Why get a “standard” style SUV?

What I’m saying is, sure it’s expensive, but for a lot of America that’s even remotely rural, this is the Swiss Army knife that does it all in one vehicle.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 09:53

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Yup. Even the “work trucks,” of today have decent amenities. Comfy seats and good air conditioning mean that it isn't a chore to actually drive the truck from job site to job site.

Nibby > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 09:54

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I like having the 6'4" bed instead of the 5 foot one if I got a crew cab.

More dead body storage and can still carry 5 live humans with me.

shop-teacher > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 05/06/2016 at 09:55

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Exactly. I’ve even referred to my truck as a sedan with a giant trunk before. My truck isn’t the best tool for anything, but there are so many things I can and have done with it. It’s been reliable as the day is long the whole time, too.

I do hate how expensive trucks have gotten though. I bought this one brand new for under $22k out the door. Things have changes a lot in the last decade.

LongbowMkII > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 09:56

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Or you could just get a minivan.

shop-teacher > Nibby 05/06/2016 at 09:58

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Mine is 5'-8", which at the time was the only bed choice for a 1/2 ton crew cab. My next truck (whenever that is, not soon for sure) will have a 6'-6" bed. I like that those are long enough to haul a 10' stick of pipe without flagging the load.

Dru > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 09:58

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What I want to know is why aren't there more crew cabs + long bed? It seems you have to relegate to the short bed (in a case where MFR's only have two sizes) if you want the crew. What if I want to haul all of the people and all of the stuff?

bob and john > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 09:58

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meh. give me an El camino or a HSV maloo on bags so I can load my motorcycles easier, adn I’m a happy camper.

Party-vi > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 09:58

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This is bullshit tho because I’ve never sat in the back of a crew cab that was comfortable. Until I can get the same seat recline in a fullsize truck that I can get in a sedan I won’t be getting a crewcab.

shop-teacher > LongbowMkII 05/06/2016 at 09:59

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I absolutely could, but I don’t want one.

dogisbadob > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 09:59

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The Lincoln Blackwood was ahead of its time. The bed was made extremely useless, being coverted into a big trunk instead. The first tall luxury sedan.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:00

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I agree 100% with this article. I remember being strapped in with that middle seat belt in my dad’s regular cab 80's chevy....and the times both my sister and I were crammed into the “middle seat” together.

We were so happy when he got a new truck and we could each have our own seat (which was a 96 2 door yukon).

The idea of owning a completely separate vehicle just for work purposes isn’t practical. If it’s a business and all it does is tow/haul without it being your actual daily driver then sure, but if you use the same vehicle to drive your kid to daycare or even to soccer practice on the weekend, you need the backseat, you just need it.

Dru > Dru 05/06/2016 at 10:00

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Ram Mega Cab Long Bed for your time

OPPOsaurus WRX > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:03

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I had an Explorer Sport Trac, 4' bed. It was great for the DIY guy, easy for hauling a bike around, and I could fit the 2 car seats int he back. Then when I need to, I could throw 1000 lbs of plaster dust in the back to go to the dump or just a couple weeks of trash without worrying about the interior.

Urambo Tauro > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:03

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I think the rise of crew-cab/short-bed trucks has a lot in common with the rise of crossovers.

Most consumers seek a one-size-fits-most multipurpose vehicle, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m still a bit of a snob against trucks that don’t have an 8-foot bed, but you gotta admit that most users simply don’t have the need to haul around full sheets of plywood with the tailgate closed. A smaller open cargo area is still very useful, and the strategic use of ratchet straps can keep it all together during transport.

I don’t think that long-bed trucks will ever go away, though. They’re still great for contractor-types, company fleets, and old-fashioned stick-in-the-muds like me.

Textured Soy Protein > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:05

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I’d say that the majority of crew cab trucks are bought because the person driving the truck wants to both drive a truck and have a functional back seat. They don’t actually use any of the trucky features, aside from maybe putting the occasional load of mulch in the bed, but they get to drive a truck while still having a back seat.

Me personally, I’d never do that, because I get no enjoyment from driving a big large vehicle if I have no use for its big largeness. But I have no ground to stand on criticizing other people’s somewhat-irrational vehicle choices, because I’m now on my second silly turbocharged BMW coupe with a worthless back seat.

At least I use my turn signals!

LongbowMkII > Dru 05/06/2016 at 10:05

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Because most crew cabs are glorified sedans and CC+long beds are obscenely long.

Gone > Party-vi 05/06/2016 at 10:06

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Ahem...
Dodge MegaCab

Toyota CrewMax

shop-teacher > Textured Soy Protein 05/06/2016 at 10:07

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That’s a reasonable way to look at it.

jjhats > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:07

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fuck crew cabs. I saw one of these and was kinda shocked/weirded out by it because it looked so strange and foreign. trucks were meant to have 3 seats.

shop-teacher > Party-vi 05/06/2016 at 10:08

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Nobody has ever complained about the back seat comfort. I’ve taken a few long road trips in it with my friends, and believe me they are not the type to hold back their opinion. Maybe you’re just really picky?

Party-vi > Gone 05/06/2016 at 10:09

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Toyota is cheating, but I do like that Dodge Megacab setup.

Tekamul > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:09

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Or, you know, get a car, a hitch, and a trailer.

It costs less, doesn’t damage an already depreciating asset, returns better gas mileage and a better ride.

But that’s not manly enough.

Party-vi > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:10

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I’ve had long road trips in the back of a Silverado Crew Cab and that shit sucks.

shop-teacher > Dru 05/06/2016 at 10:10

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You can get those, if you step up to a 3/4 ton truck. The thing with those, is you’ve really gotta want it, because those are some long ass trucks that are not easy to park. I think that’s why you don’t see that many of them.

Dru > LongbowMkII 05/06/2016 at 10:11

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I WANT OBSCENELY LONG.

ALSO, THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.

NinetyQ > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:11

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So, I suppose you could classify me as one who doesn’t really get the extended cab thing. But the problem isn’t that it exists, which is what you’ve justified with your article. It’s the market share. Surely 50% of truck buyers (and there are SO MANY truck buyers; too many, really) don’t *actually* need either the extended cab or the truck bed. In which case, there is very likely a vehicle out there that suits their needs better.

For instance, my neighbor had an extended cab F-150 (until it burned to the ground inexplicably), and I think I only ever saw a lawn mower in the bed of his truck like once or twice. Any crossover SUV, or even a mid-size sedan, could have easily covered that need. Trucks are just so unnecessary considering the gas mileage they get and the comfort you sacrifice (unless unnecessary bigness in the interior is “comfort” to you).

Just not my thing. And I think they probably shouldn’t be nearly as popular as they are if people really just use their heads when making car purchases.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Party-vi 05/06/2016 at 10:13

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You been in a modern Ford crew cab? Those things got like 4 feet of leg room. Also my Father in law’s got an old F-350 King Ranch, back when they still had real saddle leather. Those seats are comfy.

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro 05/06/2016 at 10:14

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That’s a good way to put it, and that’s exactly what my truck is to me. It’s not the best tool for anything, but it’s good at so many things I can’t imagine not having it.

As nice as it is to be able to close the tail gate on a load of plywood, I’ve never had a problem with putting the gate down and strapping it in. It’s not like I’m hauling plywood every day or anything. I agree, the long beds will never go away, nor would I want them to.

-this space for rent- > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:16

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Goddamn car seats. When my son was little everything fit in an A2 Jetta.

Dru > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:16

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Makes sense. Also, you might not be able to use the same frame for CC, short bed as CC long bed, so theres that.

shop-teacher > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 10:17

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Exactly. I know some people drive enough, that it’s worth it to them to have a separate car for the day to day and a truck for hauling purposes, but I don’t drive nearly enough for that. Even when gas was $4+ a gallon, it’s cheaper to just buy some more gas than it is to buy insure and maintain even a beater.

shop-teacher > jjhats 05/06/2016 at 10:18

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I love those trucks too, but crew cabs have their place. It’s not in your driveway, fine. Deal with the fact that other people have different needs than you.

Party-vi > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 05/06/2016 at 10:19

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I’ve been in a 2014 F150 Crewcab and it still sucks ass. Legroom is fine and dandy but I feel like my back is against a wall.

shop-teacher > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/06/2016 at 10:19

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Exactly!

shop-teacher > Tekamul 05/06/2016 at 10:22

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Because heaven forbid I should drive what I want?

Did you even look at the truck? Do you see anything that says “Look at me!” on that truck? Please tell me, where is the giant lift, the stupid rims, the giant tubular bumpers, the train horns, the truck nuts, the stickers, the flashy graphics? Oh wait, it’s just a completely innocuous silver truck that nobody looks twice at. Get over yourself.

shop-teacher > dogisbadob 05/06/2016 at 10:23

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I’ve said the same thing a few times. They should try selling it again.

shop-teacher > bob and john 05/06/2016 at 10:24

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I loves me some El Camino! That’s another bucket list vehicle for me. Can’t put my kids in that one either though, so I can’t daily one of those.

dogisbadob > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:25

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Yeah, I like it more than I should. It would most likely be called the MKB if they actually considered making it again

Ash78, voting early and often > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:25

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“Because most moms these days have to work.” Thank you for saying “have to” and not “want to” because that’s the reality of the middle class these days. I won’t defend unions much, but they did help breed a few generations — whether you were union or not — where it was still possible for the mom to handle all the kid/home duties, while dad could earn the wages. As wages slowly stagnated, it became necessary for moms to start working (contrary to popular feminist belief, the surge of women into the workforce in the 70s and 80s didn’t really have much to do with empowerment as much as necessity). With home prices still well beyond inflation and wages today, the whole idea of a two-income household has become the norm, even among people who could probably afford their lives just fine on one income. To each their own — no rant or judgment here, but let’s not be mistaken about why it seems like everybody has to work these days...anyway, great writeup and I've always loved crew cabs. They were so forehead-slappingly obvious to me, I can't believe they didn't catch on sooner.

shop-teacher > -this space for rent- 05/06/2016 at 10:26

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Seriously! My mom refused to own anything with even four doors, because, “They’re ugly!” I was 16 when she got her first four door vehicle, and she only got that because she had become a realtor, and needed a vehicle that clients could ride in.

shop-teacher > Ash78, voting early and often 05/06/2016 at 10:28

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Amen! We could survive without my wife working (and her company isn’t doing so well, so that could happen), but we’d be brooooooooke. And forget about ever paying for college.

shop-teacher > Party-vi 05/06/2016 at 10:29

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Like I said, you’re just really picky. Which is fine, don’t get a crew cab. I’m not trying to sell one to anybody, just saying they have a place in the world.

TheRealBicycleBuck > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:29

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Same reasons I replaced my extended cab truck with a hatchback - more room for the kids. Except my kids are teenagers.

Ash78, voting early and often > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:31

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We like to think of it as my wife “taking a few years off” while the kids are young — she’s itching to get back into it, at least part time, to help with expenses and maybe save for college like you said. We’ve got a decent retirement nest egg that we could tap for college, but I’m already planning to work until I die either way. :D

shop-teacher > Dru 05/06/2016 at 10:31

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I think a 1/2 ton crew cab with a long bed would be rather ... floppy. I wish GM still offered quadra-steer. A crew ab long bed, with 4-wheel steering would be the shit!

shop-teacher > NinetyQ 05/06/2016 at 10:35

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I’m certainly not trying to convince anybody to buy something they don’t want. If a truck isn’t your thing, that’s cool. I like trucks (as well as cars!), and I don’t see anything wrong with buying what you want. While the extended cab may not be necessary, they hold their value a lot better than a regular cab, so the extra price comes right back to you when you sell it. Even more so for a crew cab. 10 years and 110k miles later, my truck is still worth about 50% of what I paid for it.

shop-teacher > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/06/2016 at 10:35

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Whatever works for you!

shop-teacher > Ash78, voting early and often 05/06/2016 at 10:37

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Working is good for your health anyways :)

My grandpa worked until he was 87, and not because he needed to.

MUSASHI66 > Ash78, voting early and often 05/06/2016 at 10:45

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If a family has a kid, or more than one kid, the cost of day care needs to be calculated into her earnings (or his, I have no problems with dads staying home and moms making the money). I presume it doesn’t cost the same all over the place, but my best friends have their one kid in a day care, and it costs them $1500 or $1800 per month. She is a lawyer, so it makes sense for her to work, but for someone with a job that pays less, and maybe has two kids in daycare, I would think twice about working if I was the mom.

Even at $1500 per kid, two kids would require a minimum of $36000 per year after taxes. Average income for a family in Colorado is around $54000. At a certain point, being able to stay at home, take care of the kids, household, making dinner etc. - plus the satisfaction of seeing your kids grow up instead of hearing it from the day care people can make it worth while to be a stay at home mom/dad.

Dru > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:47

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Until the $800 sensor goes bad and you let that feature go.

WiscoProud > NinetyQ 05/06/2016 at 10:53

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I’m on the fence with pickups. While I wouldn’t be hauling stuff even weekly, I would use the bed probably better than a dozen times a year, for firewood, hunting, being at the cabin, moving stuff, etc. Yet, I have a hard time with the sheer size of them. I have a Land Cruiser 100, which is not a small vehicle, and yet its dwarfed by modern pickups. I love my FILs Ram, but I just can't picture commuting in it.

TheRealBicycleBuck > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:53

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The other contender was a quad-cab Tacoma. Then I realized that a) I could still keep my truck for hauling duties; and b) I always wanted a fast car. Bingo! Best of both worlds!

If I’m forced to reduce the fleet, I will probably go to a quad cab truck.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 10:59

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I still remember when these came out. This F150 is the trucks that made crew cabs mainstream. Before that you saw crew cabs almost exclusively on 3/4 - 1 ton trucks with a 8 foot bed and was made to carry a crew (jeez I wonder where they got the name from).

Now 15-ish years later 70% of half ton trucks are crew cabs.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 11:02

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YUP

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Party-vi 05/06/2016 at 11:07

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Sounds like you just need to get better at calling shotgun

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Gone 05/06/2016 at 11:07

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wow that megacab is pretty awesome

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 11:14

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Back in the day we had a 82 F150 regular cab. we would sit four wide in there. Dad driving,me and my brother in the middle and mom in the passenger seat. The truck was also manual so me and my brother would shift for dad all the time. good times were had.

Party-vi > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 11:16

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OK BUT THEY HAVE NO PLACE IN MY WORLD

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 05/06/2016 at 11:16

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Yeah man, our parents would be in jail if they tried to pull this stuff today.

Party-vi > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 11:16

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Sounds like you need to get better and shutting your mouf.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Party-vi 05/06/2016 at 11:18

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Party-vi > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 11:20

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listen here you spiceially-challenged little shit.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Party-vi 05/06/2016 at 11:24

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Pickup_man > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 11:26

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I love crew cab trucks, but the thing I hate about the growing popularity of crew cab trucks, is the short 5.5' beds that come with them. They’re just so little that you can’t seem to haul anything in them. If it works for the owner, great, it just seems odd and frustrating to me that someone would buy a vehicle that has the potential to haul large amounts of stuff, then handicap it by giving it such a short bed. Personally I feel like a 6.5' bed is the perfect sweet spot, and agree that an extended cab 6.5' bed truck is the best combination for an all-rounder, room for people, room for stuff, not too big to be overly difficult to maneuver.

It’ll be a while before I can afford to buy a new truck, and I’m very torn between an extended cab, or a crew cab. I don’t have kids yet, so an extended cab would be plenty big for years to come (minus the inevitable car seat part) and I would like a more maneuverable truck. On the other hand, I live in rural South Dakota, and don’t make it to the metropolis of Sioux Falls often, and even when I do there aren’t many places outside of down town where a long truck would be a pain. Plus it would be nice to have room for my adult friends if we ever decide to take my truck anywhere. Regardless of what cab I end up with, I guarantee you that I won’t have a truck with a bed shorter than 6.5'.

vicali > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 11:30

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We had a 72 F150 Sport custom, Dad went to the junkyard and got two more lap belts for the middle seat so my brother and I could buckle in.. We called it the hotseat because the middle section was black leather and was always cooking hot..

These days the kids ride in the back of the dclb, they have their own seats, loads of room, their own doors, windows, room for stuff..

Pickup_man > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 11:34

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Same here, I grew up with a regular cab ‘89 F-150 and we pretty regularly rode with four in the cab. I remember sharing the middle lap belt with my sister, and having to pay attention to not get in the way when dad was shifting (stick shift FTW). When I was ten dad bought an extended cab truck (which I still drive today) and it was great, it was like we had our own little world back there.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Pickup_man 05/06/2016 at 11:37

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The 4 across thing was only difficult because my mom drove the typical wood paneled 80's minivan so we would go from ALL THE ROOM to zero room.

Pickup_man > Dru 05/06/2016 at 11:39

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Yeah, each configuration is on it’s own frame.

When it comes to half tons every manufacturer offers a crew cab 6.5' bed option, but you need to step up to 3/4 or 1 ton trucks to get the full 8' bed, like others have mentioned, except at one point Toyota offered the Tundra with a crew cab 8' bed.

NinetyQ > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 11:39

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Well, sure. But my point was that for some people it makes sense, but not 50% of truck buyers. And not even close to 100% of truck buyers actually even need a truck at all. I see it everyday here in small town, Indiana. People just drive trucks as some sort of status symbol. They’d be better served spending that money on a car that’s actually cool if that’s what they’re going for, or a more practical sedan/crossover if they just need some occasional utility, but mostly just hauling family around. My gripe is that people are just buying trucks because they want one; not because they’ll ever use it as a truck. I get that they’re free to do what they want, but it’s annoying because they’re so massive on the road, make it less safe for car drivers like myself, and also waste gas without much reward (unlike a muscle car, for instance).

NinetyQ > WiscoProud 05/06/2016 at 11:42

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Yeah, there are legit needs like that. Hunting is probably hard to do without a pickup. But for myself, I’d just have a cheap beater pickup for the bare necessities like that, and then a non-pickup vehicle for everything else. Or have the ability to borrow one. It’s the rise of commuter, luxo-pickups that draws my ire.

Pickup_man > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 05/06/2016 at 11:47

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Full disclosure: I’m a jelly bean Ford lover and these are one of my favorite trucks. I’m really tempted to have someone custom build me one of these with a 6.5' bed, the 3.5 ecoboost, and the new six (or now ten!) speed trans for my next truck.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Urambo Tauro 05/06/2016 at 11:51

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My truck (which was never available with an 8' bed, because small truck and 4x8 doesn’t actually fit between the wheel wells) has a pretty cool, yet dead simple, system for handling 4x8's. The cables that support the tailgate have 2 sets of clips on them. when you need to carry 4x8 anything, you undo the main clips and use the second set. This holds the tailgate level with the top of the wheel wells so the 4x8 can just sit across the top.

Not the sort of thing I use much, but it’s pretty cool. Most of the time I find it’s more dirty or heavy stuff rather than bulky stuff, and since you can use the missing bed space for a couple extra humans it makes perfect sense to me. Show me another vehicle besides an SUV that you can get 4 guys and 4 hockey bags into. Comfortably. Of course an old ‘Murcan wagon springs to mind, but we don’t have those anymore :(

Pickup_man > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 11:51

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I’m not sure why we took the pickup as often as we did, maybe I just remember it more because I loved riding in “dads truck” but the whole time we owned it we always had either a four door car, a Blazer, or a dustbuster Chevy Lumina as other options.

Nothing > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 11:54

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You won’t convince anyone here. I love my trucks. And I love my cars. I always plan to have 1 of each.

M54B30 > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 12:01

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Can confirm car seats are crazy big. My two year is still rear facing and his Diono Radian comes about 3“ past our shoulders when it’s in the middle of our 530i. Same in our Montero. It’s flush with the back of the front row in our Corolla but it’s a smaller car seat in there.

WiscoProud > NinetyQ 05/06/2016 at 12:03

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Cheap gas has made SUVs huge too. We had a rental expedition XL last fall thanks to a free upgrade, and it astounded me how big that thing was. Unless you legit need to take 8 people off road regularly, there was no need for it. I’m actually considering getting a Colorado diesel in a few years once my truck has run its course, but even that is damn big.

M54B30 > NinetyQ 05/06/2016 at 12:04

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I agree, but I would buy a truck just in the off chance I’ll need it. But I’m also weird and find them comfortable - I live in a really desolate part of the US so big wide comfy seats are what I’m looking for in my next car. I won’t get a truck because it doesn’t make sense to cram kids and dogs in a small space for long drives, but the Sport seats in my 5 Series that are sooooo cool on twisty roads get old when you’re 15 hours into an 18 hour trip.

Shift24 > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 12:04

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And the vehicle that started it all? Chevy Avalanche.

Think about it, the Avalanche was marketed as an every day truck, great for hauling kids, weekend toys, rear seat fold down to extend the bed, and more comfortable than regular trucks. No other truck was like it at the time. Sure ford had dual cab but so did chevy (mainly k2500) and they really were not selling. Avalanche comes along wins awards and sells like crazy. This then changes the market after the Rams did in 94. Ford comes out with the Explorer Sport track and Honda has the Ridgeline. All considered toy trucks which is what dual cabs are now. Though GM did put a 8.1L big block in the Avalanche so it wasn’t always a toy

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 12:14

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i want a crew because the extended cab i have doesnt fit adults in the rear very well and a short bed still fits my ATV in it just fine

shop-teacher > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 05/06/2016 at 12:18

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Makes sense to me!

shop-teacher > Party-vi 05/06/2016 at 12:19

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Now that is totally reasonable!

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 12:19

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also i want diesel just cause u know murica. even tho i dont tow much at all haha. love my 7.3 tho

shop-teacher > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 12:20

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Yep. Especially the time my mom drove me and all my friends to the park while we were riding in the bed.

shop-teacher > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 05/06/2016 at 12:21

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I have many fond memories of sitting in the middle of my Dad’s ‘79 K10, which was also a manual. By the time my sister was around to do the four wide thing, my dad had an ‘88 K1500 with an automatic though.

shop-teacher > WiscoProud 05/06/2016 at 12:23

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Pickups aren’t for everybody. Sounds like you’d be better served by getting a utility trailer.

shop-teacher > NinetyQ 05/06/2016 at 12:24

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I get that, but I don’t see the problem with getting a truck because they want one. Yeah, they could get, “a car that’s actually cool,” but that’s just you imposing your tastes on them.

WiscoProud > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 12:25

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Pretty much. Just need to find a nice ex-military trailer and I'll be all good.

shop-teacher > MUSASHI66 05/06/2016 at 12:26

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The daycare thing is a tough row to hoe. We pay $800/month/kid, so with two kids in daycare, it’s still more than our mortgage payment.

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 05/06/2016 at 12:28

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I always loved that cable system for the Colorado. I damn near bought a regular cab Colorado when I was single, and that was my favorite feature.

shop-teacher > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 05/06/2016 at 12:32

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Yeah, Ford really hit on something there. Didn’t take long for GM to get in on the game either. Back when I bought this truck, I was all set to sign the papers on a regular cab/6.5' bed truck, but they had this one on sale for a mere $2k more. I was single, so I certainly didn’t need a crew cab at the time, but $2k for an entire back seat was a no brainer. Now 10 years later, I feel like a genius. Not only do I not need to buy another truck, but this one is easily worth twice as much, if not more, than what that regular cab would be worth today.

shop-teacher > Pickup_man 05/06/2016 at 12:36

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I agree with you on the bed. When I got mine, a 5'8" bed was the only option for a 1/2 ton with a crew cab. It works fine, but the 6.5' bed really is the sweet spot. Those are long enough to haul a 10' stick of pipe without flagging the load, but the 5'8” bed isn’t. My next truck, which won’t be any time soon, will have a 6.5' bed.

If you like to keep your vehicles a long time, I’d recommend getting the crew cab. Otherwise when you do have to do the car seat thing, you’re going to need to get a new truck. While they do cost more, they hold their value better, so that money comes back to you in the long run. I was single when I bought this truck, and was actually all set to buy a regular cab. i was about to sign the papers when the salesman remembered they had this crew cab on sale. It was only $2k more than the regular cab, that was a no-brainer for me.

MUSASHI66 > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 12:37

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This is why I miss small town, old world mentality where grandparents would take care of the kids for free. I grew up with my grandma - no daycare or kindergarten, and half my neighborhood was like that. Fun times.

shop-teacher > Shift24 05/06/2016 at 12:37

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I loved the Avalanche, and would’ve loved to buy one, but I couldn’t afford it. My normal crew cab truck cost me less than $22k out the door, brand new.

shop-teacher > Nothing 05/06/2016 at 12:38

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Same here.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Pickup_man 05/06/2016 at 12:54

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Yeah that’s why I was in the pickup. He had the classic chrome roll bar in the bed, chrome diamond plate running boards and rear bumper, yellow lights on the roof (for when he was plowing) and even a legit Air Horn with string to pull. You’re damn right I wanted to ride in “dad’s truck”. I used to climb all over that thing.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > shop-teacher 05/06/2016 at 12:54

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We’d all be in “protective” custody

Pickup_man > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 05/06/2016 at 12:58

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Ours was a simpleton grey 2wd F-150 with the 300 six and a stick. A lot of my love for it came because it was dads screw around truck. Instead of taking the driveway he would turn early, and just go right down the ditch. I remember a lot of snow donuts in that truck as well. Everyone wondered where I picked up the same habits when I started driving. /s

phobos512 > Shift24 05/06/2016 at 13:01

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-Se…

The Ford F-150 Supercrew came out a year before the Avalanche. It was announced in 2000 for MY2001 whereas Avalanche announced late 2001 for MY2002.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Pickup_man 05/06/2016 at 13:10

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haha, my dad’s was designed specifically to match his drag car. he was a semi-pro drag racer when I was a kid in the 80s. Same wheels on the truck, trailer and car, same bright red paint. It was everything a kid in the 80s could dream of.