More Truck Options
October 30th, 2008Procrustes’s Truck
I got another truck question. Is a long bed worth it, or are the parking and turning-circle problems such a pain it’s better to have a regular bed?
Procrustes’s Truck
I got another truck question. Is a long bed worth it, or are the parking and turning-circle problems such a pain it’s better to have a regular bed?
October 30th, 2008 at 2:38 PM
If you’re going to do serious hauling, a long bed is definitely worth it. By serious hauling I mean you stop writing and start hanging drywall full time and calling yourself Manuel Labor.
If you’re going to do weekend warrioring you will do just fine with a 6′ bed, becuase with the tailgate down you can still lay an 8′ panel flat, and with a couple of boards for support, carry 4×12 sheetrock. it will haul an air compressor or a table saw or a bandsaw, it will haul large trees (or a large load of trees) home from the nursery, and it will do well with other tasks, and be easier to park.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:06 PM
How good is your depth perception? I am quite serious. I think that long beds are a pain, but I put up with it. I know people with better depth perception who have no issues at all.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:10 PM
One aside — while a one ton is better, the ride will be harsher. A 3/4 ton can always get air bags added for load-levelling (and you need to add an air compressor to it anyway) (you know that you do). So while the temptation is there for a crew cab long bed duallie, I would suggest a long bed extended cab 3/4 ton.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:27 PM
Unless you intend to spend a significant amount of time hauling full-size sheets of plywood or drywall, avoid the longbed. It’s just not worth the parking hassle, unless you factor in the exercise benefit from walking in from the far reaches of every parking lot you use, since that’s the only place to get pull-through parking on a reliable basis.
Forget ever being able to park in a parking garage with a long-bed, and parallel parking is somewhat problematic as well.
If you absolutely must haul oversize items, rent a lowboy trailer. It’s better on your suspension, and easier to load and unload than out of a truck bed.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Um, it’s not a “Long Bed”. The 6′ bed is a SHORT bed ;=)
Kidding aside, if you aren’t going to haul with it 3-4 times a week and/or tow a large trailer, stick with the short bed. I drive Crew Cabs w 8′ beds for my business. They are a royal PITA to park in a normal parking lot and forget about parallel parking. Invariably my friends think they are cool until I loan them one to use for the day.
A single cab w. 8′ isn’t nearly as bad.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Our Dodge has the short bed, and I really wish it was a regular size. I don’t think I would get the extra long bed. I have heard from friends that they tend to have suspension problems.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Never regretted the short bed (on third truck). More than often I’ve had 8′ stuff in the bed with the tailgate down – no big deal. That’s what straps are for.
I get cross-eyed looks and am often flat out denied when I try to park in Philly as they think the truck is too big (despite the already parked avalance/excalade).
October 30th, 2008 at 5:37 PM
I’m now driving the first long-bed truck I’ve had in a long time. It’s a full-sized F150, extended cab.
It takes a ten-acre field to turn this thing around and parking in most normal parking lots is frustrating. Forget parking it downtown.
I hope I never again own a long-bed pickup.
October 30th, 2008 at 6:07 PM
I have the F150 extended cab with 6 foot bed. Don’t want anything longer, I have friends with long trucks and they just don’t go places because of the parking troubles. But then again, most places that you want to go with the truck(lumber yards etc) are places that have room for large vehicles any way. Drive the car to the movies.
October 30th, 2008 at 8:13 PM
My pickup is a ’92 F-150 with a 302 V8, extended cab, standard 8′ box. Not much different from driving any other vehicle. My previous pickup was a ’72 F-250 300 CID 6, standard cab, 8′ box. I wish I still had it. That old six had more power than I ever needed.
Since a heater is now standard equipment, the only important options as far as I’m concerned are power steering and power brakes. Anything else is simply wasted money. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Gerry N.
October 30th, 2008 at 10:27 PM
A regular cab pickup with an eight foot box is basically the same wheelbase as an extended cab with a six foot box.
Once again- it’s the mission that defines what you want. I drive an extended cab because I don’t have a car, and I like the extra space for hauling groceries and other things out of the elements. If you don’t need the interior room, just get a regular cab.
A regular cab with a short bed will be pretty nimble, but you can run out of room in a hurry.
October 30th, 2008 at 11:20 PM
I read 8′ bed with xt-cab and wonder what they were thinking of. An 8′ bed with single cab (do you really want to haul 4 people in your truck?) has suited me fine for years. No big deal to park. I often look for “pull-through” parking spots and a little walking never hurt me. Had a 68 f-150 with a 390 and manual that would pull a house off it’s foundations.
What I like about an 8′ bed is hauling 4×8 sheets in the rain with a tonneau cover and I don’t have to rush to unload it. Another year, I’ll be looking for a 2000 f-150. i can only take driving around so much rust for so long.
October 30th, 2008 at 11:32 PM
Remember that you won’t be able to haul any materials on a low boy behind your truck if your Bobcat is on that trailer like it should be.
You’ll get used to whatever length truck you buy and then you’ll make fun of everybody else just as you should.
After all, it’s just a pick up. Not like it’s a five ton dump or anything. You’ll still be looking up at real trucks as they drive by giving a friendly blast on their air horns as they admire that handy back hoe attachement. http://www.bobcat.com/attachments/backhoe
October 31st, 2008 at 12:05 AM
It depends on what you are going to use it for. I chose an F250 diesel 4×4 extended cab with the full length bed and the towing package. It is a lot of pickup, but once I got the hang of it I don’t have any issues in parking lots, downtown, parking garages provided they have height clearance or anywhere else. It just takes a little thinking.
My pickup works for a living, it isn’t a commuter or show truck. I commute on my motorcycle or in my compact car, the pickup is only used to haul things either in the bed or towing a trailer or both.
If you want a grocery getter with a big “trunk”, get a compact pickup with a 6′ bed. do get the extended cab in any case, the extra space inside the cab is a nessesity IMAO.
October 31st, 2008 at 8:50 AM
Whatever you get make sure the bed is long enough for your bike. I have a Ford Sport Trac and the bed is just the right size to carry my scooter. But I also have a back-up, a Ford Ranger. Both are 4.0’s