Kevin…I get your drift. I did have an 82 Mazda B2000 pick up and a couple of pre Tacoma pick ups. They were much smaller but they were still rated .5ton with a full frame. Though their motors were not particularly powerful, you could hang anything on the back and at least pull on it without fear breaking anything. Maybe a Subaru brat is what you’re looking for ?.
In my experience, the small trucks with the same rating rode hard and handled poorly. The big reason why all the trucks went midsize…ie. wider, was for handing safety. 1/2 ton in a small narrow truck proved to be really unsafe, and they were all rollover queens. I think they got bigger by necessity. The smaller ones felt very unsafe towing anything at 70 mph. They were better off road though in tight areas.
The problem with the Dakota wasn’t the Dakota. It has always been a decent truck, that you are right, didn’t modernize. But, It was the only intermediate game in town. Then came the Tacoma and Nissan midsize and others… Arguably , no one builds a better 4 or 6 cylinder midsize truck engine then Nissan and Toyota. That’s what Dakota and GM are fighting…Ford gave up midsize long ago…err never did compete.
All I’d want is something that could pull a trailer. As far as FWD, I don’t see a problem. Unloaded, pick ups have terrible rear traction, especially in the winter. The only thing that gets them by is the clearance. I remember driving behind one for about 20 miles on an icy freeway one morning-about every hundred feet the rear wheels would break away and slide and he’d have to correct it.
Yes I really wanted a new Frontier,but couldnt afford one,better milege and a lot more power and the local dealer really doesnt cut the best deals anymore.The Dakota was the best deal around,I like it but have to deal with its idiosyncries. Nothing really wrong with it if you keep it off interstate and dont care about the mileage,I guess what I want is packaging effiecency and it seems the big three arent good at that-Kevin
You’re right. I didn’t look past the first page of models and prices on Edmunds. The 3.5L Ecoboost costs $2095, while the Ram V6 is %500. Edmunds pricing is confusing. It never mentions the base 4.7L V8 and does not mention the optional V6; just the 5.7L V8. Both V6s are optional, and the Ram is much less expensive.
IMVHO, I don’t think the ideal pick up exists. There is no room for a fwd econo vehicle that you use for commuting that you double as an occasional pick up to do a little work. . Wait, there is ! It’s called a compact to mid size fwd car, capable of 35 mpg hi way with a utility trailer.
Any time you try to use a real truck (like a Dakota) as a comuter and Xpect great mileage and performance and handling, you’ll be disappointed. Anytime you use a fwd car as a commuter and need an occasion to carry 1000 lbs of trash or toys with ease, you can do it. Bing is right. A fwd vehicle without a load in the back is better then a rwd pick up without. But, if you are running around all the time that way, it’s time to re think your needs.
Kevin…we have found your answer. Example: Used 2006 Corolla, tow capacity 1500 lbs, hiway mileage 35 mpg
Aluminum Thule trailer with ramp, weight, 230 lbs. carrying capacity, 2000 lbs
Dagosa, I Have Been Doing That For Years, The Utility Trailer When Needed Thing, That Is. It’s Even Sweeter Since Several Years Ago Our State Lets Folks Buy A Permanent Trailer Plate For 75 Bucks.
What won’t fit in the Caravan (I’ve hauled a piano and double door refrigerator inside) I can hook up the trailer and go. I had a small pick-up once, key word: once. I wasn’t all that thrilled.
What won’t fit in the utility trailer will sometimes go on my really wide double PWC aluminum trailer (with permanent plate).
I will say that weather is a consideration. It depends on what you’re hauling and when. I guess a pick-up doesn’t change that unless it’s got a cap or cover.
Well Dagosa and gentry,since Iearned how to shorten long material I believe you are right(have to think outside the box) thanks-Kevin ( My tech is already obselete)
The Corvair pickup was well suited to delivery work where speed was limited. I drove a loaner from the dealer way back then and it handled much better than the standard pickup that it was replacing. My only complaint was the heater. It smelled of burning oil and occasionally smoke would blow into the cab from the defrost outlets. And as for speed, it felt 'squirrelly" above 45 mph.
Yeah like I said, the greenhouse that I worked at a little in the early 60’s had a Corvair van. That dark copper color trimmed with white. We had the Holiday gas station flower contract for Minnesota and Wisconsin so drove that thing from town to town. Two speed, four cyl. Punch it to the floor and wait 5 minutes for it to get up to highway speed. It was reasonably comfortable though. I was too young to drive then but my Dad did the driving. Maybe I was just volunteering then-can’t remember. They had a 58 Chevy wagon too same color scheme-and you could pull whatever you wanted to with that one with the auto 348 4 barrel.
All Corvairs did those things.
I was actually thinking of a modern interpretation, keeping the layout and updating the chassis, powertrain, and heater. I always liked that Rampside Pickup.
Dang it RK(sniff,sob) they already had something darn close-Our engineers used to be so talented,now they are so constrained.Have to give them credit they are making silk purses out of sows ears{now if Uncle would just leave them alone a little bit}-Kevin
The designers are still talented…but the managers won’t take risks. Harley Earl’s willingness to do something differemt and his cahunas are both gone. Sadly. Every Chevy has to have all the “design cues” that make it look like a Chevy.
Lee Iaccoa tells the story of when he was the design head for GM, he brough another maker’s successful new and radically differemt design in to show his designers. The GM CEO (which I believe was Bob Lutz, but I could be remembering wrong) came down and began putting postits on everything that violated the GM “design cues”. As Iaccoa tells it, there were some 70 stickers on the car. Iaccoa’s goal was to get his designers to stretch their imaginations. Bob Lutz’s goal was to be sure that every new design had all the mandated Chevy “cues”…so many as to be sure every Chevy looked the same.
CSA…Great to hear. I never pretend that there aren’t somethings a truck can’t do better then a trailer, like carry loads over rough roads or through narrow streets or as you say, loads more securely with a lockable cap. But, if you are using one so infrequently for that purpose and as a car instead, why not have a car like we do, with a trailer.
My dad had a 1966 Toronado when I was a kid. I think it was his favorite car. The dash was really cool too with the “rolling” speedometer and chrome “eyeball” vents as I recall…
For a truck, I think a small 4x4 (not AWD) with a turbo 4 banger and a full-frame would be the best combination for going anywhere, ruggedness, and power+fuel economy. Better rustproofing and safety features would be the best improvement for small trucks IMHO.