why are there no small pickups left in US market new? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JB3 · #1 05-02-2012, 02:45 PM

My GF is getting tired of her old benz and was interested in maybe grabbing a small pickup instead, so she could carry stuff in an external bed, and also have 4wd.

We were doing some research, and I was completely surprised to find that there won't be any smaller pickups available new anymore in the US. The Ranger was the smallest of the bunch, and its been discontinued this year.

Other pickups like the Colorado, the Frontier, and the Tacoma, are WAY larger than their original models, full pickup size for the Frontier IMO. I used to own a nissan HB, and I could basically park that thing in the bed of a frontier.

Those are all too big for her needs, so if she wants a small maneuverable pickup she has to go used without a factory warranty.

It seems from what I was reading that no one is offering things like the S-10, or Ranger, or HB, or just the toyota truck anymore in the US. They are all way larger and way less utilitarian. My friends frontier is less maneuverable than my 89 dodge D-100 that I used to own a few years ago, but with a way smaller bed.

spdrun · #2 05-02-2012, 02:49 PM

Because Americans are getting "wider" and have a hell of an inferiority complex to boot. It's not about the utility, it's about sitting above all of the peons in their sedans. In fact, high pickups decrease utility since you have to lift items higher.

There's one low "pickup" available still. Take an MB Sprinter Cab Chassis, bolt on a pickup or stake bed.

Aquaticedge · #3 05-02-2012, 02:50 PM

Declining demand when everyone was looking for larger everything killed them off :/ fwiw ranger is a decent truck if you can get used to the lower doors in there... I've had mine a month and still struggle with that

JB3 · #4 05-02-2012, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquaticedge

Declining demand when everyone was looking for larger everything killed them off :/ fwiw ranger is a decent truck if you can get used to the lower doors in there... I've had mine a month and still struggle with that

lower doors?

Jim B. · #5 05-02-2012, 02:59 PM

Merkins like things to be BIG.

Big houses, big meals, big boats, big tits, big cars, big televisions, big dogs, big planes, big swimming pools, everything BIG.

THE OTHER REASON:

The Japanese have a LOCK on the small pickup market worldwide.

JB3 · #6 05-02-2012, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

Because Americans are getting "wider" and have a hell of an inferiority complex to boot. It's not about the utility, it's about sitting above all of the peons in their sedans. In fact, high pickups decrease utility since you have to lift items higher.

There's one low "pickup" available still. Take an MB Sprinter Cab Chassis, bolt on a pickup or stake bed.

Im talking more about small vs big vs high and low. an MB sprinter cab and chassis is still a large pickup with a stake bed. You can do the same thing with econoline or savanna cab and chassis vans as well.

Those are all still full size van variants.

MBeige · #7 05-02-2012, 03:22 PM

A crossover 4WD still has the same ability to haul stuff when the seats are folded, still has 4WD and not too high to be unsafe.

Or get the best-condition used small pickup available and keep it.

spdrun · #8 05-02-2012, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

A crossover 4WD still has the same ability to haul stuff when the seats are folded, still has 4WD and not too high to be unsafe.

Or get the best-condition used small pickup available and keep it.

Which leads to another peeve of mine. Why so many "crossdressers" and not so many wagons in the American market? Seriously, Americans have issues with driving vehicles that make them look less than tough. Must be over-compensating...

Simpler=Better · #9 05-02-2012, 03:30 PM

Rangers are amazing. I did terrible, terrible things to my '93 2wd and it kept taking the beating (until I threw the serpentine on the highway and cooked the headgaskets-my fault)

Pick up a used Ranger-I got my '98 for ~$2k, threw $1k at ball joints, brakes, batt/alt, and fluid changes. Nothing else.

MBeige · #10 05-02-2012, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

Which leads to another peeve of mine. Why so many "crossdressers" and not so many wagons in the American market? Seriously, Americans have issues with driving vehicles that make them look less than tough. Must be over-compensating...

Most crossovers are tall wagons. I've never looked at crossover vehicles as being tough.

SwampYankee · #11 05-02-2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

My GF is getting tired of her old benz and was interested in maybe grabbing a small pickup instead, so she could carry stuff in an external bed, and also have 4wd.

We were doing some research, and I was completely surprised to find that there won't be any smaller pickups available new anymore in the US. The Ranger was the smallest of the bunch, and its been discontinued this year.

Other pickups like the Colorado, the Frontier, and the Tacoma, are WAY larger than their original models, full pickup size for the Frontier IMO. I used to own a nissan HB, and I could basically park that thing in the bed of a frontier.

Those are all too big for her needs, so if she wants a small maneuverable pickup she has to go used without a factory warranty.

It seems from what I was reading that no one is offering things like the S-10, or Ranger, or HB, or just the toyota truck anymore in the US. They are all way larger and way less utilitarian. My friends frontier is less maneuverable than my 89 dodge D-100 that I used to own a few years ago, but with a way smaller bed.

Is the Colorado really that much bigger than an S-10? I had an S-10 Blazer (P.O.S.) and, against my better judgement at the time, bought a couple Colorado's for two of my sales reps. The interior width, including space between the seats, seems about the same. They are noticeably smaller than the Nissan Frontier and the Dodge Dakota.

They've held up surprisingly well. Both extended cabs, both 3.7L I5, one is 4x4. The 2WD averages about 22mpg, the 4X4 has been a tick over 19 (both do a lot of highway driving, average 500 lbs. of payload). The one real downside is the bed is only 5.1' (although it does keep the overall length down for maneuverability). It's too bad they didn't offer a 6-6.5' one.

The early reviews weren't overwhelming, but my experience with them has been positive. My customer service rep. has a 4x4 extended cab one she also uses as a farm truck that has also served her well.

tbomachines · #12 05-02-2012, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

Is the Colorado really that much bigger than an S-10? I had an S-10 Blazer (P.O.S.) and, against my better judgement at the time, bought a couple Colorado's for two of my sales reps. The interior width, including space between the seats, seems about the same. They are noticeably smaller than the Nissan Frontier and the Dodge Dakota.

They've held up surprisingly well. Both extended cabs, both 3.7L I5, one is 4x4. The 2WD averages about 22mpg, the 4X4 has been a tick over 19 (both do a lot of highway driving, average 500 lbs. of payload). The one real downside is the bed is only 5.1' (although it does keep the overall length down for maneuverability). It's too bad they didn't offer a 6-6.5' one.

The early reviews weren't overwhelming, but my experience with them has been positive. My customer service rep. has a 4x4 extended cab one she also uses as a farm truck that has also served her well.

They're only slightly bigger, at least the standard cab standard bed ones. We had them for delivery vehicles back when I worked at the parts store, so I was able to see and drive them back to back (side to side? Whatever) they'd kick the s10s in a race too

Aquaticedge · #13 05-02-2012, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

lower doors?

I say it's lower... I'm a bit taller then the truck and have managed to smash the top of my head a few times.... Lost more blood through my scalp because of it this year then the last 2 years combined

spdrun · #14 05-02-2012, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

Most crossovers are tall wagons. I've never looked at crossover vehicles as being tough.

If I wanted to drive a tall vehicle, I'd apply for a job at f**king UPS. They appeal to the scared little bints who "neeeeed an SUV because it's saaaaafer if they get raaaaan off the road by a big truuuuck." (while flapping their yap into a cell phone).

MagnumPI · #15 05-02-2012, 04:07 PM

No More Compact Trucks… For US | Eric Peters Autos

"CAFE is about fleet averages, which are measured based on annual production totals. So, the more of a given vehicle that gets less-than-par MPGs (35.5 MPGs by 2016) the lower a car company’s overall fleet average CAFE score. By getting rid of the Ranger, Ford will produce fewer trucks overall that don’t make the CAFE cut, which will help float the final number.

Ford is not going to drop the F-truck, a best-seller. But the merely ok-selling Ranger is expendable."