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Pickups Pickups - Archived Discussions Extended cabs OK for "real" people 
83 messages, Last post on Sep 12, 1998 at 5:41 PM
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Anything larger than a medium-sized dog will be uncomfortable in an extended cab minitruck. In three years, you'll have 2 kids making a major growth spurt, and a Ranger will be extremely tight, especially with the side-facing seats. You sound like a candidate for a full-size extended cab shortbed, if a pickup is what you really want. The other downside is, what to do if you're out with other adults? They DEFINITELY won't fit back there in a Ranger. I have 4 godchildren, and for the ones that are in car seats, the full-size extended cab trucks I drive were certainly adequate in terms of back seat space - the oldest is now 7 and he has more than enough room to be comfortable in back. You sound like you might be happier with a mid-sized wagon (Taurus/Volvo V70/Subaru Legacy). That will give you good backseat space, the cargo room when you need it, and much better ride and economy than the trucks will. Compared to the other types of vehicles on your shopping list, a pickup doesn't seem to fit your needs. I won't recommend pickups to anyone who won't actually use the cargo/towing capabilities regularly. |
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My recommendation would be an SUV if it fits into the budget. Even a low-mileage one that was just returned from a short term lease would be reasonably priced... and much more appropriate for two growing kids. I would NOT recommend a compact pickup with 2 children, period. |
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OK, I understand what you're both saying. I suppose I should clarify a bit. This would be my car (truck), which, during the week, would travel about 1 mile to/from park 'n' ride so I can take mass transit to work. We already have a car (97 Escort) which works well with the kids. The thinking was that we are wanting to start camping more, so with sleeping bags, tents, stoves, lanterns and other equipment, perhaps a truck would work. The other issue is price. I'm looking to stay under $20K, which I think leaves me out of the full size arena, unless I go with a stripped V-6, manual tranny Dodge, Ford, Chevrolet. Even if I add A/C and stereo, it's probably going to run in the low to mid 20's. Is this doable? What about the Dakota? Still not big enough for even short hauls with kids? Any advice, opinions, etc.? |
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michaell, I lived in South Dakota for about a year once upon a time. I don't remember it as being an especially expensive place, but maybe things have changed. I just paid about $20,000 in NJ for a Ford F150 XLT extended cab with what I thought had a lot of extras; that is, it has A/C, auto transmission, power windows & door locks, radio & cassette, etc. I certainly wouldn't classify it as a stripped-down model. It's only a V6, but it has 205 HP, and that's enough for me. It sounds to me like this is about what you want and what you want to spend. I could have gotten a Ranger with the same equipment for about $1,500 less, but I thought getting the F150 was well worth the difference. And I've admitted this before, that I expect a lot of others reading this have gotten what I got for less, because I didn't really go bargain hunting. Certainly not to the extent that others who have posted their shopping experiences have. |
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That sounds like a good price -- $20K for all those options. Is the truck 2WD? I'd have to guess that it is. What do you use the extended cab for? Stuff, pets, or people? Is the V6 you bought the SOHC 4.0L that is also found in the Explorer? The 205HP sounds about right..... |
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Motormouth, SUV's are a big waste of money and really serve no purpose to 90% of it's owners. Cars provide superior riding and handling as a person carrier. Wagons and vans provide enough space and economy. Trucks offer utility and practicality. What does a SUV offer to anyone that doesn't live in the mountains? SUV's are horrible with fuel mileage and really don't have much more room than cars. Vans offer more utility for families even still. I have grown tired of people buying these over-priced ego machines. An average Explorer starts at 28k! For that money, one can get an XL ext. cab F-150 with two grand to spare with all of benefits of owning a truck. Insurance is also higher on these SUV's. This is only my opinion. I hope I didn't come off as mean. My two pennies. |
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PS: Every time I visit Florida, all I see are these SUV's. WHY? The terrain is flat. Snow? no. The roads are in perfect condition and trust me, hardly anyone ever really goes off-roading in those things. Dealers have to be laughing every time someone buys one. |
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| The advantage of the SUV is that it has four doors, easy to park and can still tow a fair amount of weight. When I was a kid the family car could tow more than just 2000lbs. I would not even think of towing more than a 1000lbs with our camry. If truck manufactures would make a real four door mini truck (Im not talking about an extra cab with suicide doors), then the world would most likely see the end of SUVS. | |
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Rocles, I agree on a practical point, but I think most people buy cars with other objectives in mind. Functionality isn't the only one. Why do people buy Corvettes, when they could pay alot less for a Honda Civic? The Civic will get better gas mileage, it will be able to carry more people, and it will be able to carry a lot more stuff. And, of course, it's a lot cheaper. The Civic can operate fine at highway speeds and cannot accelerate up to those speeds in a reasonable amount of time. Unless you will be taking your Corvette out to the track on a regular basis, it's way more car than you need for everyday driving. Still, they have quite a following. Why do people buy Mercedes, BMWs, Lexus and Cadillacs when they could get a less expensive mid or large size sedan that will easily provide them with all of their needs on a functional level? I would venture a guess that very few people are matched with the car that best meets their functionality needs. A lot of car buying is a matter of preference and what you feel comfortable in. If you like SUVs and are willing to pay the extra bucks for them, more power to you. It's not likely to make sense to us pickup owners, but to each their own. |
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| I meant to say that the Civic CAN accelerate up to highway speeds at a reasonable rate. | |
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