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mahina

(17,502 posts)
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:21 AM Jun 2014

Looking at trucks…nobody makes the small ones any more!

You used to be able to get a Chevy S10, a Ford Ranger, Nissan something or Toyota Tacoma small truck. No more. All big-a** beasts now.

Bummer!

Here, the big ones don't really fit in most parking stalls, plus they're more money, of course.

What they heck? I thought there was some mileage improvement required for the whole fleet from manufacturers?

Luckily, we're just in the exploring stage at the present. I'll hope they'll come back.

I'm looking…any history you have with those vehicles, I'm all ears. If you're looking to sell a safe and reliable one, even moreso.

111 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Looking at trucks…nobody makes the small ones any more! (Original Post) mahina Jun 2014 OP
I love my 2002 Tacoma - just two door, small "back seat" NRaleighLiberal Jun 2014 #1
Tacoma is on my short list for a new vehicle... Eleanors38 Jun 2014 #5
My brother PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #56
The old Hi-Lux was a wonderful thing. Eleanors38 Jun 2014 #109
There was one recall on the 2001 ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #103
My husband has a 2001 Tacoma ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #82
Good to know. I was thinking about Michelins for the Prius, mahina Jun 2014 #100
I just asked him to make sure of my info ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #102
Right? Whoa, I expected this thread to sink immediately. Thanks for your comment. mahina Jun 2014 #99
they also don't make station wagons any more. KittyWampus Jun 2014 #2
I have a little Kia Rio that almost looks like one Warpy Jun 2014 #10
The KIA Soul is something like a station wagon. MineralMan Jun 2014 #17
I remember how you *wanted* to help American workers when you bought that... Romulox Jun 2014 #18
It wasn't that simple, Romulox. MineralMan Jun 2014 #21
You acted just as I would have predicted. What I couldn't have predicted is your lack of shame Romulox Jun 2014 #24
Shame? Nope. MineralMan Jun 2014 #26
You enjoy rubbing mud in the eye of Labor. That's why you're a "Democrat", eh? Romulox Jun 2014 #27
Nice to see you again, Romulox. MineralMan Jun 2014 #28
Support of Labor is a CORE principle of the Democratic Party. Not a joke. Romulox Jun 2014 #30
It is. That's why the dealership services my vehicle. MineralMan Jun 2014 #31
Except US made vehicles are also serviced at local dealerships. So still, a net loss of jobs. Romulox Jun 2014 #32
I wonder what the percentage of DUers is who own imported MineralMan Jun 2014 #33
Now, the "everybody's doing it!" excuse. The point is, you GLOAT about your non support of Labor. Romulox Jun 2014 #34
The last "American" car I had PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #59
Odd... we experienced the opposite. Fawke Em Jun 2014 #67
To each their own....n/t PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #71
Labor exists only in the U.S.? LanternWaste Jun 2014 #39
"Labor" (with a capital 'L') has a specialized meaning in US political discourse. nt Romulox Jun 2014 #45
Romulox, I am totally narnian60 Jun 2014 #79
I boycott right left and center, walk the line in support, mahina Jun 2014 #105
I like the looks PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #58
Interesting looking, but a little swoopy for me. MineralMan Jun 2014 #65
I had the Scion xB PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #69
Being an old fart, the higher seating in those cubish cars MineralMan Jun 2014 #72
Off topic, but I heard a radio review of the Chevy HHR: "looks like it escaped from ToonTown". mahina Jun 2014 #106
There were still some HHRs available new when I MineralMan Jun 2014 #110
Yeah I remember that Union Scribe Jun 2014 #63
Where are the JOBS, eh? Romulox Jun 2014 #19
It would help if anyone could define what constitutes an "American" car. alarimer Jun 2014 #48
I feel the same about "American" IT workers. H1B visa holders work in America, too, after all. nt Romulox Jun 2014 #50
+1 PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #61
Ah the feigned confusion excuse Union Scribe Jun 2014 #68
We have a 2002 Kia Rio Cinco Worried senior Jun 2014 #89
Wow, and that's before Hyundai bought them out and redesigned the drive train! Warpy Jun 2014 #95
Thanks for that info. mahina Jun 2014 #101
who is they? snooper2 Jun 2014 #23
VW and Audi PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #55
Technically, they do; they just changed the name. kentauros Jun 2014 #75
I have a Saturn SW2... KansDem Jun 2014 #77
actually they make a lot of wagons now CreekDog Jun 2014 #83
I remember reading somewhere that all vehicle classes have grown dimensionally larger. Gravitycollapse Jun 2014 #3
We have a 2003 Ranger with 33,000 original miles. At this rate our 12 year old... Tikki Jun 2014 #4
Yes, they killed them off just as they killed off Camry and Accord Wagons.... NYC_SKP Jun 2014 #6
I have a 96 Toyota full size pu... HooptieWagon Jun 2014 #7
I love my 93 S-10! Liz_Estrada Jun 2014 #8
Do you need the open bed or to tow? politicat Jun 2014 #9
I put a recliner in my Soul. I unscrewed two bolts that held the MineralMan Jun 2014 #73
Eh on the anti-American. politicat Jun 2014 #78
Interesting. I didn't know that KIAs were union-made. MineralMan Jun 2014 #80
Both Kia and Hyundai. politicat Jun 2014 #84
I did some looking. I see that the union here struck MineralMan Jun 2014 #86
Yes. I've been heartened by the non-big 3 unions in the US. politicat Jun 2014 #91
I'm gonna drive my Ranger until it dies.... mike_c Jun 2014 #11
me, too. then buy another used one. KG Jun 2014 #12
Old Rangers never die, they just keep on getting rebuilt nolabels Jun 2014 #44
Lookie here jollyreaper2112 Jun 2014 #13
Good article. Explains everything. It sucks though NightWatcher Jun 2014 #60
Informative. nt LWolf Jun 2014 #96
Yup...I've been looking at 90's small trucks. ileus Jun 2014 #14
I never understood why anybody wanting a truck would want a small one. They B Calm Jun 2014 #15
My 1992 Toyota extended cab pickup with a camper top gets 31mpg on the highway. hobbit709 Jun 2014 #20
I've had numerous people offering money for my '93 IDemo Jun 2014 #38
I get weekly offers to buy my 96 T100. HooptieWagon Jun 2014 #42
Because many of us don't need as heavy a load. jeff47 Jun 2014 #41
It irked the heck out of me when Ford discontinued the Ranger. GoCubsGo Jun 2014 #16
Ford still sells the Ranger internationally, you can buy a new one in Mexico. Xithras Jun 2014 #98
Hey, trucks have to be big, so people can drive and park them like assholes. Paladin Jun 2014 #22
The Nissan Frontier and the Toyota Tacoma are still being made dr.strangelove Jun 2014 #25
Love my '06 Tacoma CRK7376 Jun 2014 #29
2014 Tacoma owner here. UncleYoder Jun 2014 #35
Thanks! mahina Jun 2014 #107
Just go and UncleYoder Jun 2014 #111
DUers are OK with pickup trucks now? IronLionZion Jun 2014 #36
This DUer is PsychoBunny Jun 2014 #40
Good for PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #64
That depends. kentauros Jun 2014 #76
LOL @ Toyota Pious A Little Weird Jun 2014 #81
I've always been okay with trucks for ohheckyeah Jun 2014 #85
Tacoma is still in production. The Nissan truck, too. Stinky The Clown Jun 2014 #37
I've owned a Ford Ranger, a Dodge RAM 50, MineralMan Jun 2014 #43
And it seems like every guy with a tool belt's got to have one of his own. Gidney N Cloyd Jun 2014 #46
Chevy is coming out with one in the fall sammytko Jun 2014 #47
Yes, I've noticed too. kiva Jun 2014 #49
Whenever I see someone driving like a complete asshole, it's usually behind the wheel of one aint_no_life_nowhere Jun 2014 #51
I'd be happy with an all-around-town electric small truck. hunter Jun 2014 #52
Chevy Colorado due out by fall Historic NY Jun 2014 #53
The Colorado isn't designed for people who actually NEED a truck. Xithras Jun 2014 #93
The important thing Turbineguy Jun 2014 #54
they also don't make smartphones with built in physical keyboards anyone pstokely Jun 2014 #57
Not so. There are several. Here's the Alcatel Sparq II MineralMan Jun 2014 #74
those phones are outdated, Droid 4 is over 2 years old pstokely Jun 2014 #87
Still available, though. MineralMan Jun 2014 #90
Big people like big containers. moondust Jun 2014 #62
Toyota and Nissan PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #66
VW truck may be back PasadenaTrudy Jun 2014 #70
Noticed That At Work ProfessorGAC Jun 2014 #88
Okay, I want something like this... hunter Jun 2014 #92
I'm on my 3rd Toyota. LWolf Jun 2014 #94
That's a deal. mahina Jun 2014 #104
Lucky? Sort of. LWolf Jun 2014 #108
I bought a Ford Ranger in 02. oneshooter Jun 2014 #97

NRaleighLiberal

(59,940 posts)
1. I love my 2002 Tacoma - just two door, small "back seat"
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:25 AM
Jun 2014

got 100K on it...hoping to have it another decade....you are right - today's trucks are too big!

 

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)
5. Tacoma is on my short list for a new vehicle...
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:37 AM
Jun 2014

Gets 24 mpg with a rather fat-4. I see it as a relative if the wonderful Toyota Hi-Lux: Long bed P.U. of 1/2 ton capacity, good clutch & gears, pulled an A.C., and got 27+ mpg.

Someone needs to re-think the pu into a flex-use vehicle.

PasadenaTrudy

(3,998 posts)
56. My brother
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 12:50 PM
Jun 2014

bought a used 2012 Tacoma and that thing is big! He had one back in the mid 80s and it was the perfect size.

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
103. There was one recall on the 2001
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 04:11 PM
Jun 2014

Tacoma. They checked the undercarriage for rust (there was none) and put a coating on it anyway. If there had actually been rust they were going to replace the frame.

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
82. My husband has a 2001 Tacoma
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:36 PM
Jun 2014

that now has over 200K on it. He loves that truck. It's been kept in a garage when he's not driving it and it still looks great and runs great. He's only had to change the break pads once and it still has the original clutch.

He only puts Michelin tires on it - he gets between 70K and 80K miles out of those tires.

mahina

(17,502 posts)
100. Good to know. I was thinking about Michelins for the Prius,
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 04:03 PM
Jun 2014

will definitely get them now. Thanks!

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
102. I just asked him to make sure of my info
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 04:09 PM
Jun 2014

and he said the Michelin tires on his truck finally need replacing and have 90K miles on them.

We can get the tires for about $800 which includes mounting and all that other stuff that I don't know much about.

I'd put them on my car but they would dry rot before I had 50K on them. My 2005 vehicle only has 38,000.

Warpy

(110,900 posts)
10. I have a little Kia Rio that almost looks like one
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:31 AM
Jun 2014

The hatchback is really convenient for shopping and quite a lot of stuff can be hidden behind the seats. The back seats fold down for more cargo room, the most of any little car I saw in 2006.

It gets 40+ on the highway and is fun to drive.

By the time my Ranger got traded in, it was old enough to vote and I was over it. If anyone is looking at used ones, pass up the 4 cylinder model, it was seriously underpowered. It really needed 6 cylinders here in the mountains.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
17. The KIA Soul is something like a station wagon.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:46 AM
Jun 2014

If you fold the back seats down, there's quite a bit of room.

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
18. I remember how you *wanted* to help American workers when you bought that...
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:51 AM
Jun 2014

But you didn't have time!

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
21. It wasn't that simple, Romulox.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:00 AM
Jun 2014

I bought the best car for my needs at the time, after doing the necessary research. Now, I can't drive anywhere without seeing a couple of them on the road or in the parking lot.

Today, I'd probably choose the Chevy Spark, based on the same needs. It's made in Korea, too.

My Soul now has 15,600 miles on it, and has been completely trouble-free for two years. I just sent the 23rd payment off yesterday. We seem to be putting about 8000 miles per year on the car. In retrospect, it remains the ideal vehicle for our needs, as it appeared to be at the time we bought it. Still over 3 years on its bumper-to-bumper warranty, too. We'll probably trade it in after the five years. What will we buy then? Whatever vehicle best meets our needs and budget.

And that's how I roll...

ETA: Thanks for the reply. I couldn't remember who was the other DUer with a screen name derived from Teen Aqua Hunger Force the other day. Now I do.

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
24. You acted just as I would have predicted. What I couldn't have predicted is your lack of shame
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:02 AM
Jun 2014

and self-awareness surrounding the issue.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
26. Shame? Nope.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:06 AM
Jun 2014

Self-awareness? Yup. I'm aware of my vehicle needs and budget, along with other factors. It's about time for the next routine service, too, so I'll have to drive up to the local dealership and let one of its employees handle that job for me. I could do it myself, but why bother?

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
28. Nice to see you again, Romulox.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:08 AM
Jun 2014

I replied to your other random post to me, too, over on another thread.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
33. I wonder what the percentage of DUers is who own imported
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:19 AM
Jun 2014

cars? I'm guessing it's about the same as the general population. People buy cars to suit their needs. That's what I did, too. I'll do the same thing the next time, but who knows what car I'll buy.

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
34. Now, the "everybody's doing it!" excuse. The point is, you GLOAT about your non support of Labor.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:20 AM
Jun 2014

Constantly.

PasadenaTrudy

(3,998 posts)
59. The last "American" car I had
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 12:57 PM
Jun 2014

was a 2000 Focus. Piece of junk. Never buying American again. Never had a problem with our Toyotas, Hondas, and Mazdas. Everyone I know who bought Ford cars quickly got rid of them. Even recently a friend returned her Ford lease car and got a Subaru. She's much happier with it.

mahina

(17,502 posts)
105. I boycott right left and center, walk the line in support,
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 04:13 PM
Jun 2014

but gave up after a lifetime of being a Chevy customer when the service department told me I was the only person who ever had a problem with the antilock brakes in my Blazer.

This was a long time ago, and the internet was entering the discussion. I showed them the thousands of crashes just like the one I got into as a result of the ABS failing. I really don't like being lied to by any company I've supported my whole adult life.

I understood that Toyotas are made in the USA in some cases, is that so?


PasadenaTrudy

(3,998 posts)
58. I like the looks
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 12:53 PM
Jun 2014

of the upcoming 2015 Mazda2. Just artist renderings right now, but it looks really cool! Search it if you get the chance. I have 2012 Mazda3 but I'd love a 2 with a manual for fun

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
65. Interesting looking, but a little swoopy for me.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:00 PM
Jun 2014

I like the boxy body of the Soul. The cabin is very spacious, and even rear seat legroom is very good. At one time, I owned a 1959 Austin Mini, and appreciated how much the boxiness of that tiny car benefited the driver and passengers. That and the wheel positions at the corners of the vehicle. The Soul and a few other cars have kept that space-providing design feature.

The Soul does it without actually looking too boxy. Some of the other box utility cars went a little too far with the boxy form, I think. And I think that Mazda 2 design goes too far the other way to suit me.

PasadenaTrudy

(3,998 posts)
69. I had the Scion xB
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:07 PM
Jun 2014

the first year it came out. Lots of room. After a while, the seating position got to me and I had to sell it. I also had a Nissan Cube as a rental in Santa Fe one year. I love being able to see out of the boxy cars so well, but I need to sit low and extend my legs almost straight out to be really comfy. The Miata is the best for that, but too small for my daily needs. Maybe I just need a whole fleet of cars for my moods lol!

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
72. Being an old fart, the higher seating in those cubish cars
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:15 PM
Jun 2014

suits me very well. I looked at the xB and Cube, but they were out of my very low price range. My wife and I also transport her 86 year old mother around a lot, and she simply cannot sit in low seated vehicles. The Soul's back seats are comfortable for her, and she sits easily in the car and exits equally easy, front or back. Not a simple thing for her at all. She owns a PT Cruiser, which has equally easy seating for her, but they discontinued that vehicle before we were looking. I would probably have considered one, though, had it been available.

At the time when I needed to buy a car right away, there was no new US made vehicle with the combination of features my wife and I needed, and at a price we could afford. Not a thing. We chose the Soul because it matched all of our criteria and had warranties that far exceeded those offered by US manufacturers for low-priced vehicles.

We've been happy with our choice. I still haven't seen anything I'd replace it with, and nothing anywhere near its $14,500 price. Too bad. When we have to replace it, we'll probably have to find something different, since I'm betting the Soul gets discontinued before then. At that time, we'll start our search for a vehicle that meets our criteria again.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
110. There were still some HHRs available new when I
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 07:54 PM
Jun 2014

was shopping. I read reviews and decided against the car. They were being discontinued, an there were negative reviews for the HHR.

Union Scribe

(7,099 posts)
63. Yeah I remember that
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:00 PM
Jun 2014

It filled the whole damn bingo card of excuses why posters don't put their money where their mouths are.

alarimer

(16,245 posts)
48. It would help if anyone could define what constitutes an "American" car.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 11:34 AM
Jun 2014

Chrysler is now owned by Fiat. Was owned by Daimler-Benz a while back. Ford used to own a controlling share of Mazda (33% according to Japanese law), but no longer does.

Most "foreign" car makers do make some models in the US. Most "American" cars have a significant number of parts made in other countries. Some models are actually built in other countries then, "reimported" here.

I'm just pointing out that it is incredibly difficult to define nowadays.

I'm not in favor of "buy American" automatically. Because a lot of it is junk (or even dangerous, in the case of GM and their failure to deal with the ignition issues that have actually killed people), boring, or simply unsuitable for particular uses.

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
50. I feel the same about "American" IT workers. H1B visa holders work in America, too, after all. nt
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 11:57 AM
Jun 2014

Union Scribe

(7,099 posts)
68. Ah the feigned confusion excuse
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:07 PM
Jun 2014

Like other excuses, it's phony. UAW.org/cars took me ten seconds to find. American union jobs. Walk the walk folks.

Worried senior

(1,328 posts)
89. We have a 2002 Kia Rio Cinco
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:01 PM
Jun 2014

Five door hatchback that is great (sorry made in Korea) but we only get about 34-35 MPH.

This week we finally had to put some money in outside of tires. Had to replace the brake lines, they were rusted out, replace some belts and replace the timing belt. Cost us 1290.00 but if that's spread over the 12 years we've had it I don't think it's too bad.

We don't drive like we used to; both retired so we don't put a lot of miles on but it has been a reliable car.

Warpy

(110,900 posts)
95. Wow, and that's before Hyundai bought them out and redesigned the drive train!
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:35 PM
Jun 2014

They had lousy reputations before then.

The only complaint I have with mine is that the tires were flimsy beyond belief.

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
75. Technically, they do; they just changed the name.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:08 PM
Jun 2014

They're called "crossover" vehicles now, and they're like a scaled down SUV.

Gravitycollapse

(8,155 posts)
3. I remember reading somewhere that all vehicle classes have grown dimensionally larger.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:27 AM
Jun 2014

And continue to get larger. But weight is actually plateauing or decreasing. This is due mostly to changes in the construction materials used and engine technology.

Tikki

(14,537 posts)
4. We have a 2003 Ranger with 33,000 original miles. At this rate our 12 year old...
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:37 AM
Jun 2014

grandson will probably be driving it when he turns 18 years old.

We just don't have enough reasons to drive it on trips.

Tikki

 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
6. Yes, they killed them off just as they killed off Camry and Accord Wagons....
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:41 AM
Jun 2014

....to literally force people into SUVs.

Then, when they brought back wagons they called them "crossovers" and jacked up the prices.

We had a Datsun and a Mazda that were that small size in the 70's and 80's, nothing like them now.

 

HooptieWagon

(17,064 posts)
7. I have a 96 Toyota full size pu...
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:46 AM
Jun 2014

a T100 model, which preceded the Tundra. Nice truck, and its smaller than the current Tacoma.

Liz_Estrada

(56 posts)
8. I love my 93 S-10!
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:54 AM
Jun 2014

Over 200k mi, lots of rust, but it runs and still gets decent mpg. (Plus it's a long bed.)

politicat

(9,808 posts)
9. Do you need the open bed or to tow?
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:58 AM
Jun 2014

In 2010, we were looking for a truck and I ran into the same problem. (I live in a place where the parking spots tend to be ummm... petite.) I ended up buying a Kia Soul, but looked at a Honda Element, a Nissan Cube and a Scion Xb.

I've got a total of 96 inches of linear feet if I lay down the front passenger seat and the split back seat, so I can carry lumber. Not plywood -- a 4x8 will not fit. With both back seats down, I've got about 60 inches. It's got about 25 cubic feet of cargo space with the back seats down. The only thing I've needed to rent a truck for was a recliner. I've put ikea couches (unassembled) and about half a kitchen in it.

The downside is very limited tow capacity -- I can use the small Uhaul box or a teardrop camper under 1500 pounds, but nothing more. The height is not open like a pickup. But I get 33-35 highway and 29-30 city (if I drive; partner gets 31-32/27-28. I think he has a lead foot.)

I've been really happy with it, and it fits 99% of my needs. It's also incredibly reliable. I've got just under 50K with no issues other than a squeaky rear window motor (recall, fixed.) And it parks almost everywhere, very easily. It is the easiest parallel park I've ever driven, and it's comfortable enough on long trips.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
73. I put a recliner in my Soul. I unscrewed two bolts that held the
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:55 PM
Jun 2014

back of the chair on and put it in the back of the car in two pieces. I found a leather recliner at the local Goodwill store for $9.99, in almost perfect condition. Our Goodwill prices all recliners at $9.99. What a deal. Almost all recliners are designed the same way, and allow the back to be removed. They ship them in boxes that way.

Careful about mentioning that you own a KIA Soul, though. Someone will call you anti-American.

politicat

(9,808 posts)
78. Eh on the anti-American.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:19 PM
Jun 2014

I grew up in a GM town. I've seen exactly how badly GM has treated its towns. They do better than, say, Walmart, and I am not dissing the UAW (who, despite problems, do an excellent job), but I've seen what off-shoring has done, and that is squarely in the big 3's ambit, not the unions' and not the municipalities.

GM has a deal with the town/county that no matter the conditions, the town/county will NEVER declare a weather emergency -- not for 6 feet of flood or 36 inches of snow in 24 hours or tornadoes running down the main street. (All three events have happened there in the last 18 months.) That's terrible for the people who live there. It's a level of corruption that literally kills.

Since I have GM family members, I am absolutely never, ever allowed to buy a Ford or Chrysler. That would get me disowned in 0.06 seconds. But I'm allowed to have not-American cars. Considering the entire GM side of the family has been complaining about the GM product line (not enough small, efficient cars, too many SUVs, WTF happened to the Caddy), if GM doesn't have an equivalent, that's okay.

Also, we're huge union supporters. My grandfather's opinion (and his is the one that counts) is that it's much better to buy a car that is 100% union made, even if the union is in another country, than to encourage the corps by buying something "American" badged that is actually 70% maquiladora/sweatshop made. (He really, really, really has issues with the maquiladora and Brazilian manufacturers.) Since Korean made Kias are 100% union made, and their unions have good benefits, conditions and competitive wages, he sees that as union solidarity. (But we're also more Wobblies than most. Workers of the world, unite!)

ETA:the recliner I bought was an electric and disassembly was... sketchy. I didn't want to break it since it is important that it actually recline. I didn't consider the $40 rental to be a waste compared to the cost of buying a second chair.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
80. Interesting. I didn't know that KIAs were union-made.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:24 PM
Jun 2014

Gotcha on the electric recliner. You're probably right. It wouldn't come apart easily.

I can always rent a U-Haul small truck for $20 for a day. I do that, when I need to.

politicat

(9,808 posts)
84. Both Kia and Hyundai.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:46 PM
Jun 2014

Their union is mandated by the Korean government, and the union was responsible for the exponential increase in quality between 1989 and 2001.

I love American Labor, but they've let the corps get away with murder over the past 30 years.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
86. I did some looking. I see that the union here struck
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:54 PM
Jun 2014

and got better wages, etc. Good for them.

My Soul is a 2013, and I'm impressed with the engineering design and fit and finish, too. Very neat engine compartment layout and so on. All lightweight materials, of course, and the sheet metal is thin, but that's become standard, I think.

Excellent value for the money, it seems to me. I see that the Chevy Spark is also being built in South Korea. GM seems to be exhibiting some Korean design features, too, in several models. It looks to me like the designers in Seoul are doing some innovative things. Apparently, KIA and Hyundai are huge sellers in China, as well, according to the Chinese born web designer I work with. He was there to visit his aging parents last year, and commented on that. He emigrated after the Tiananmen Square thing, and is now a US Citizen.

politicat

(9,808 posts)
91. Yes. I've been heartened by the non-big 3 unions in the US.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:16 PM
Jun 2014

I've watched UAW at the Lafayette Subaru and Toyota plants, and they're making progress. Maybe I'm too much a progressive, because it seems to me that entrenchment is rarely an agent of progress. If UAW can make progress in blood-red Indiana, they can do it anywhere. (And the Alabama work with Kia was astounding.)

nolabels

(13,133 posts)
44. Old Rangers never die, they just keep on getting rebuilt
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:59 AM
Jun 2014

My 99 four banger model i rebuilt once and only has 214k, runs good and probably could go another 150k or more before needing rebuilt again. As of now though, it just sits out back being ready for something that wouldn't fit in the trunk of the Honda.

ileus

(15,396 posts)
14. Yup...I've been looking at 90's small trucks.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 07:07 AM
Jun 2014

I don't really need to pull anything beyond a ATV/dirtbike or kayaks.

I could really use one for general stuff like plywood and 2x4's and x6's...So I've been keeping my eye out for a small S-10 or Ranger from the 90's

 

B Calm

(28,762 posts)
15. I never understood why anybody wanting a truck would want a small one. They
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 07:30 AM
Jun 2014

don't get very good mileage and have to work twice as hard when pulling a load. My hybrid 350 V8 crew cab 4 wd Silverado is getting 23 mpg.

hobbit709

(41,694 posts)
20. My 1992 Toyota extended cab pickup with a camper top gets 31mpg on the highway.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 09:56 AM
Jun 2014

and I don't need two or more parking spaces to park it either.
At a 136,000 miles it's just getting broke in.

It will haul anything I need to haul.

jeff47

(26,549 posts)
41. Because many of us don't need as heavy a load.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:46 AM
Jun 2014

I build furniture as a hobby. As a result, I need to haul 4x8 sheets, and 10' or longer boards back from the lumber yard. So I need something with an open bed, but the load is utterly trivial for either a small or a full-size pickup.

So I'd prefer a smaller pickup for the greater convenience of driving it around day-to-day, and the better gas milage a lighter vehicle can achieve.

Instead, I'm stuck with an F-150 or a 1500 as the smallest truck I can buy.

GoCubsGo

(32,061 posts)
16. It irked the heck out of me when Ford discontinued the Ranger.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 07:50 AM
Jun 2014

I wouldn't mind a little extended-cab pick-up, and the Ranger would have been my choice. Occasionally, I see a used one, but the prices are outrageous.

I used to drive small pick-ups at work. I wasn't crazy about the S10, but that was years ago. Dodge Dakotas were okay, too. I liked the Rangers. Since the GSA (federal govt.) provided the vehicles, we only saw trucks from the Big 3. But, my boss and her husband both drove Tacomas. They seem to be great trucks.

Xithras

(16,191 posts)
98. Ford still sells the Ranger internationally, you can buy a new one in Mexico.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:43 PM
Jun 2014

Ford chose to exit the compact pickup market in the United States and publicly states that the F series fits "all truck buyers needs". Clearly, based on Toyota's and Nissan's sales numbers, Ford is wrong on that one.

The current Ford Ranger, for sale in every country where Ford sells cars...except the United States:


Should I mention that it's available with an optional turbo diesel engine that gets over 30MPG?

Paladin

(28,202 posts)
22. Hey, trucks have to be big, so people can drive and park them like assholes.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:01 AM
Jun 2014

That's the way it seems in my part of the world, anyway......

dr.strangelove

(4,851 posts)
25. The Nissan Frontier and the Toyota Tacoma are still being made
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:04 AM
Jun 2014

That strange honda ridgeline thing, which is NOT a truck IMO but can be of use to some, is there too. Its way overpriced though. I had a Frontier a logn time ago and loved it.

I am an F-150 guy now though. Its never failed me. I have a 2002 with 150,000 miles and it just keeps going strong. My last one had 225,000 when I traded it in for the 2002. I would never get another truck now. You can get a small cab F-150 for a fair price. Good luck.

The Nissan Frontier I had was great though. It rusted out some, which was a problem with th eolder models, but I hear that was fixed.

CRK7376

(2,187 posts)
29. Love my '06 Tacoma
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:10 AM
Jun 2014

with the extended cab. Great storage space for my junk, now that the kids are too big to fit back there for anything other than a very short trip to the store....Have over 229,000 on it and still running strong. I would love to get the Tundra, but can't afford to own one and fill its gas tank. I will get another Tacoma sometine int he next few years I suspect. After driving 40 years worth of stick shifts, I think the next one will have an automatic transmission. I'm a wee bit tired of sitting in traffic jams with a manual transmission. Other than that, I love my Toyota Tacoma.

 

UncleYoder

(233 posts)
35. 2014 Tacoma owner here.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:22 AM
Jun 2014

I've been without a taco since I let Toyota give me 150% of the blue book for my 2000 with a 1/4" hole in the frame back in 2004.
My advice, get one.
There is a reason there are very few used ones available. We just won't give them up without a fight. (or a big pile of cash)
The news ones are so much nicer riding than any I have had (5 since 1986).
One final bit of advice, get the TRD package. You get all the goodies.

mahina

(17,502 posts)
107. Thanks!
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 04:26 PM
Jun 2014

You don't find it too big to fit in parking stalls? Maybe our stalls are all micro sized.

I'll look at it…mahalo!

 

UncleYoder

(233 posts)
111. Just go and
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 08:19 PM
Jun 2014

park it next to a new f-150. You will understand then.
Seeing as my heavy hauler is a 96 f-350, no I don't have any problems parking.
Plus, having a backup camera is sliced bread goodness.
If you can wait till almost end of the year, you can get a pretty good deal if the one you want is on the lot. 2% off invoice is about the best you can do.

IronLionZion

(45,250 posts)
36. DUers are OK with pickup trucks now?
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:23 AM
Jun 2014

There was a time when the torches and pitchforks would come after you for saying such a thing. They would smugly brag about their Toyota Pious or that they live in an urban area with great public transit or something to encourage you to hunt these pretentious DUers down just to steal their soy milk.

The Tacoma is pretty big now. The Nissan Frontier and Chevy Colorado seem be to somewhat normal sized, I suppose, but still bigger than the old Ford Rangers and Tacomas. A used Tacoma might still be in good shape. Those were built to last.

There are more options for smaller more efficient cars and SUVs, but it looks like they have decided to stop making small pickup trucks. My guess is its a combination of the outdated platforms were not meeting new safety standards for things like rollover protection and they didn't want to spend the R&D to develop newer safer small truck platforms when there isn't sufficient demand or high enough prices to justify it. Big trucks have a much higher profit margin and the wider platforms are less likely to roll. A narrow platform truck with a high center of gravity is risky.

Many of the small SUVs are on car platforms with low center of gravity.

GM has a concept for the future that looks like this: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/03/general-motors-eyeing-a-truck-below-chevrolet-colorado-gmc-canyon/

 

PsychoBunny

(86 posts)
40. This DUer is
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:41 AM
Jun 2014

It's hard to pull the boat, motorcycle or horse trailer without a decent size pickup truck. I do settle for a 3/4 ton, rather than the 1 ton dually, if that makes it better.

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
76. That depends.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:13 PM
Jun 2014

There are work trucks, where the owner has no trouble putting a load of manure or gravel in the bed (with or without a bed-liner.)

And then there are the dick-up trucks, that are bought and/or fixed up to be a status symbol.

ohheckyeah

(9,314 posts)
85. I've always been okay with trucks for
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 02:47 PM
Jun 2014

people who actually need them. We live rural and have many uses for a truck.

Stinky The Clown

(67,669 posts)
37. Tacoma is still in production. The Nissan truck, too.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:28 AM
Jun 2014

I just bought a two year old Suburban. I needed a big vehicle for hauling. With seats out it is as big as a full size pickup. With seats in it hauls 7 people.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
43. I've owned a Ford Ranger, a Dodge RAM 50,
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 10:57 AM
Jun 2014

a Chevy LUV, and an early Datsun pickup. At other times, I've owned a 1953 Chevy pickup, a 1954 International pickup, and a 1967 Ford. All were useful to me at various times. I didn't keep any of them long, though, and sold them when my need for a small pickup was over. Buying one when I needed it, then selling it when I didn't worked pretty well for me. Usually, I sold them for what I paid for them, or even made a small profit.

Most of the time, I don't need a truck. I will again soon, since I'm doing a bunch of major tree pruning. But, I'll just rent one, this time, to haul the brush to the city composting yard. I've been renting trucks in recent years, when I had a need for the cargo carrying features.

The last truck I owned was a used 1989 24' GMC box truck moving van I bought from UHaul to move to Minnesota from California. After we got here and moved in, I sold it to someone else who was moving somewhere. It all worked out very well, compared to other moving options.

Gidney N Cloyd

(19,780 posts)
46. And it seems like every guy with a tool belt's got to have one of his own.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 11:17 AM
Jun 2014

My street's lined with them and I know most of these guys aren't contractors.

sammytko

(2,480 posts)
47. Chevy is coming out with one in the fall
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 11:26 AM
Jun 2014

Called the Colorado. I think.

I was looking into getting a smaller truck also and ran into the same situation.

kiva

(4,373 posts)
49. Yes, I've noticed too.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 11:36 AM
Jun 2014

I've been looking for a small truck, thinking about the Toyota and Datsun pickups that were around in 80s and wishing there was something similar; they didn't have any sort of back seat, so even though they were small the beds were a decent size and they handled like a car...no more.

aint_no_life_nowhere

(21,925 posts)
51. Whenever I see someone driving like a complete asshole, it's usually behind the wheel of one
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 12:09 PM
Jun 2014

of those gigantic skyscraper-height trucks. People who tailgate, whose ego is so great they have to accelerate and cut you off to keep you from merging into their lane in front of them and who engage in road rage I've found usually are in one of those beasts. My apologies to you if you are a sane and safe driver in one of those. I'm not saying that everyone who owns one is an abusive driver. I'm saying that in my experience, abusive drivers very often are in one of these.

hunter

(38,263 posts)
52. I'd be happy with an all-around-town electric small truck.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 12:24 PM
Jun 2014

The trouble is it would have to go 50 mph not to annoy the other drivers who think that's what 35 mph speed limit signs mean.

That excludes the kind of maintenance vehicles one sees driving around college campuses and such.

Xithras

(16,191 posts)
93. The Colorado isn't designed for people who actually NEED a truck.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:31 PM
Jun 2014

GM has been upfront about the fact that the Colorado is a "lifestyle truck". It's also considered a midsized truck, and is larger than the Frontier or the Tacoma.

Turbineguy

(37,206 posts)
54. The important thing
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 12:44 PM
Jun 2014

is to have a trailer hitch/can opener that sticks out so that people can rip open their cars as the drive past.

Oh, and of course these for pedestrians:
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRoYOv47MUJVaEocScAvllcj-9CMtlZNiiBthNVg7TUHEtX4nDD

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
74. Not so. There are several. Here's the Alcatel Sparq II
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:58 PM
Jun 2014


You can find others that are currently available at this blog:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/best-qwerty-phones/#!3N6b9

NOTE: I don't sell smartphones, nor do I have any connection to those links.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
90. Still available, though.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:08 PM
Jun 2014

If you want a slide-out QUERTY keyboard, you can get one. I don't see the utility, frankly, of a physical keyboard on a smartphone, though. I have keyboards on my desktop, notebook, and Chromebook. I use those when I need to type something. My cell phone is a Blackberry, but I don't type on it, and only use it to make and receive phone calls. I also have a Kindle Fire, which I use for web browsing in the evening. Its touch keyboard works OK for things like DU postings, although I wouldn't want to write anything serious on it. I'm a touch typist, and really have to have a full-sized keyboard to be my most productive.

PasadenaTrudy

(3,998 posts)
66. Toyota and Nissan
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 01:03 PM
Jun 2014

are probably your best bets. I love toyotas but the seats are uncomfortable to me for some reason. Too stiff or something.

ProfessorGAC

(64,413 posts)
88. Noticed That At Work
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:00 PM
Jun 2014

The only smaller pickups are the old ones where the owner is driving them until the wheels fall off.

Everything here is so big that it's hard to back out of a space because i have to be 2/3rd of the way out of the stall before i can see if anybody is coming. So, just have to go really slow so they know i'm moving.

They definitely couldn't see me either. Couldn't even tell my back up lights were on because i'm dwarfed and i drive a mid-sized car.
GAC

hunter

(38,263 posts)
92. Okay, I want something like this...
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:27 PM
Jun 2014


http://www.parcar.com/for-work/mega.html

... and I want to live in a pedestrian and bicycle friendly city where both fast and fossil fueled vehicles are banned.

LWolf

(46,179 posts)
94. I'm on my 3rd Toyota.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:32 PM
Jun 2014

I had a '79 that made it 389K before my doofus high school son drove it into a bank and bent the frame. Last I heard, my ex BIL is till using that engine to run some of his equipment at his boatyard.

The second was a '94. I took it 250K, and turned it over to that same son when I got the current version. He kept it another decade, and just sold it a few months ago.

The current truck is an '04. I'll be turning 100K sometime in the next few months.

Each of these did all those miles on basic oil changes, and not much else. None of them ever left me on the side of the road.

The first truck had a valve job at about 350k, and brakes and 2 clutches along the way.

The second truck got new brakes, belts, hoses, and clutch at 150K, and and nothing else but oil changes until my son sold it last year.

The current truck? Oil changes and some shocks; I've worked it pretty hard.

I really like the long-lived reliability, and it's a good thing, because with the crash of the greater, and my personal, economy, I'll probably never be able to buy another. The newer Tacomas look bigger to me; more like street trucks. If I COULD buy another truck, I'd buy a full-sized truck if I had to go bigger.

Meanwhile, my little 4 cylinder Tacoma does almost everything I need. I've loaded and hauled a ton of hay home in the bed numerous times; it takes creative stacking and tying, but it does it. I've hauled several yards of dirt and compost; I've hauled a bed full of rocks too large for me to load and unload on my own several times. I've hauled pallets of landscaping stone. I've hauled big loads of firewood. The only think I can't do with my Tacoma is haul my horses, although it's pulled my empty horse trailer.

Because it's 4wd, it also gets me down a 300 foot un-plowed driveway and 2 miles of private dirt roads after snow storms without a problem. Since I don't have a tractor, it's dragged a harrow for me.

If I could afford to drive anything I wanted, I'd probably get a small awd hybrid for every day driving, a full-sized truck with 4wd for hauling horses and anything else, and getting through deep snow when necessary, and a small utility tractor for chores. Since that's not going to happen in this lifetime, that Tacoma does a decent job multi-tasking. If somehow I win the lottery, even though I don't buy tickets, and can do that, I'll sell you my truck.

mahina

(17,502 posts)
104. That's a deal.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 04:11 PM
Jun 2014

I'll come get it.

Horses, eh? Must be nice! We had horses in my valley when I was a kid, and I visited them on the way to and from school every day. They were so beautiful. I always wanted to have them in my life.

Lucky you!

LWolf

(46,179 posts)
108. Lucky? Sort of.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 04:33 PM
Jun 2014

I love them, but I don't have time for them and can't afford them. They are, though, the last of a line of horses in my family that was begun in the 1940s. They won't be sold, and I'm left to struggle to support them.

Still, I love them.

oneshooter

(8,614 posts)
97. I bought a Ford Ranger in 02.
Wed Jun 25, 2014, 03:42 PM
Jun 2014

Last year I bought a F-150 Crew Cab with Eco-Boost. I got a larger vehicle, which I needed, that got better mileage. It can carry/ pull more than the Ranger and my crew, all locals, can meet at my place and I have room to carry them. This saves them the cost of gas and I get them to work on time. My Ranger had 280,000 miles on it. I had replaced the engine and tranny a month before buying the new truck. I gave it away to some old friends who needed transportation.

02 Ranger 4.0L V6 16 town, 18 highway

013 F-150 18 town, 23 highway

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