“The S-10 and Ranger were never more than meager offerings to compete against the Japanese pickups”
Have you priced used Rangers and S10 trucks, versus Tacomas . . . ?!
As far as pickup trucks in Europe . . . when I lived in Germany, the only pickups were imported gray market trucks.
Mercedes-Benz always built a few stakebed trucks, but these were strictly speaking NOT pickup trucks, and they were extremely utilitarian . . . not to mention that they were too expensive, unless you could write them off as a business expense.
I haven’t lived there in 15 years. Perhaps things have changed in the meantime . . .
“The S-10 and Ranger were never more than meager offerings to compete against the Japanese pickups”.
@Rod Knox–
Before the Chevrolet S-10 and the Ford Ranger made the scene, Chevrolet marketed a truck called the Chevrrolet LUV and Ford had a little pickup truck called the Courier. I think these vehicles were made by an Asian manufacturer and Chevrolet and Ford put their brand names on these trucks. Chrysler also imported a little truck and put the Plymouth name on this truck.
Apparently there was a market at that time for little pickup trucks or GM, Ford and Chrysler wouldn’t have bothered.
@MikeInNH
"It’s amazing to me that a conservative would put the blame on the Feds for…"
I think you are jesting to make a point ?
After all, that’s just what conservatives I know always do. Just fill in the blank for what Feds are to blame for…over regulations, de regulations, any regulations, bad weather and chem trails . I am dead serious. Have heard it all.
@Triedaq
Yes. There was a market for these little trucks. As long as they were two wheel drive, they were economical, convenient and rode decently. They were like a cheap red neck sports car with a big trunk. A friend had a couple of Couriers and liked them. I had a Mazda B2000 and liked it. But the ones we had were woefully underpowered if you carried much of a load. When they put bigger motors in them, they were no longer very economical. When you bought one in 4wd, they liked to roll over. Great for third world countries like Maine. But, once we got a few paved roads, they couldn’t keep up.
My reference to European pickups might have better been pickups other than US marketed models, @db. But utilitarian is a high highly regarded asset to me and whatever they were called the VW open bed trucks were quite useful in there day.
And an S-10 that I bought for $4,000 in 1994 brought $1,500 a year ago with 200,000 miles on it. I wish I had it back.
I prefer a minimalist, utilitarian vehicle. Not quite as minimalist as a traktor/wagon though. It’s unlikely there is much market for the type vehicle I would prefer.
Often new models are only available in more expensive configurations so the maker can get paid back quicker. Maybe by 2017 or 2018 Chevrolet might bring out a base model in a regular cab.
I think the market might still be there. An auto parts store in my area used these little trucks to deliver auto parts to independent shops. I am sure that there are other businesses where the size of the truck would be great. For non-commercial uses, a little truck might make a great second vehicle. When I had five acres and a house out in the country, such a vehicle would have been useful to me. We had a horse at the time. I had limited funds after purchasing the ground and having a house built, so I purchased the only truck I could afford–a 1950 Chevrolet 1 ton for $115 (this was in 1972). About the time I was going to buy a little truck that would have been much more useful, I found myself alone in the world as a single parent and moved into town. Even in town, the small truck would have been useful as I got a very good buy on a house close to my job that needed a lot of work. The little truck would have been great for hauling the building supplies that I needed.
One of the problems with smaller trucks, along with a plethora or others including size and comfort, was their small bed size that did not handle building supplies including 4 by 8 sheets (had to sit on wheel wells) as well as mid size, which could also give you an extra and crew cab. Standard cabs are poor sellers now and extending the cab and keeping a decent size bed automatically puts you in competition with mid size trucks. The Ranger was as minimal and small as most say they want…they stopped selling in great enough numbers.
I never had a problem hauling building supplies. Yeah, 4X8s had to sit on top of the wheel wells and with the tailgate down. So what? It beats the heck out of having to load them on a bed 4ft off the ground!
My own theory on why compact pickups didn’t sell well enough to stay is the “mine’s bigger than yours” theory. Suburbanites competing with one another for the biggest truck.
I can tell you why the Tacoma got bigger. Bigger trucks were selling better, look at the f150. Plus, the original Tacoma was able to share two of the three motors with the first Tundra; the 2.7 and 4.0. It rode better and was really not that much bigger in standard cab form then previous. I had all of them, I know. Compare them. Not a heck of a lot bigger then a Ranger in standard cab.
But, customers were clamoring for extra cabs and crew cabs. That’s where the increase size mostly is along with 4 wd raised platform. They are useless in a small truck and the larger Tacoma was the minimal accepted size. They are not going back to a smaller ladder framed truck where present truck motors just don’t fit and the cost to make them as safe and handle without the rollover problem they had in 4 wd would be astronomical, and the can’t offer extra passenger accommodations. I know most of you singles and now two people family guys with kids gone here clamor for the days of these small trucks in 2 wd and the topic keeps coming up, over and over again.
But two things. First, the 4 wd market drives the design of these trucks as they must also accommodate that drive train. A new drive train would make the development cost on a vehicle that as yet, no one really wants in great numbers. Secondly, the 4 wd versions would be nearly like Suzuki SUV of old in rollover safety just like they were…, you will only see little truck versions of small SUVs in AWD platforms.
The old tiny trucks stunk.
If enough of you were truly a buying factor for these little things, the Ranger would still be on the market. It stunk too…and too few wanted them.
I do think that the return of the smaller truck is to increase fleet mileage. It isn’t a good money making decision. Ford and Chevy/GMC made the good decision when they got out of the small pickup market.
I am wondering if Ford and GM read the minivan market the same way they read the small truck market. I owned two Ford minivans, an Aerostar and a Windstar. When Ford stopped manufacturing minivans, I bought a Chevrolet Uplander. When GM got out of the minivan market, I went to a Toyota Sienna. The Ford and Chevrolet dealers thought I should step up to an E-150 or a 1500, but those minivans were too big except for the occasions that I have passengers and their instruments with me. Had I gone to a full size van, I would have had to purchase a compact car for my around town use. I didn’t like the idea of insuring an extra vehicle or having an extra vehicle in the driveway. When GM stopped making the Uplander, don’t try to put me in a Traverse because I need the sliding doors. If a want a small pickup truck for its maneuverability, don’t try to sell me a Silverado. I am the customer and I know my needs. I’ll buy from the manufacturer who makes a vehicle that fits my needs.
Jt, there were a couple of these for sale a year or two ago right around the corner from me fully registered. One had a crew cab, the other a dump bed. They were both 4WD. I thought they were cool. If I’d have had the spare cash I just might have looked into them for those tripe to the hardware store… and the dump.
There were zillions of tiny trucks of all configurations in Okinawa and Guam when I was there. They’re perfect for those environments.
In Afghanistan, on the other hand, they take oversize trucks, overload them terribly, and decorate every square inch of them with paintings, beads, bangles, and bells. My son sent postcards with photos of the trucks when he was there, along with written descriptions.
I’d be about the poster child for a capable mid-size truck. I use the truck for business…handyman, lawncare, landscaping, etc. I also go scrapping in it, too. I have to parallel park it at home and at several job sites, so I need something that fits into a standard-sized parking space.
That would rule out a small truck…I need to fit a 4’X8’ plywood sheet, a pallet, and fit a “one yard scoop” down at the landscaping co. Also, my parking situation almost requires a standard-cab, and despite being married w/o kids, I need to at least be able to squeeze 3-abreast at times.
A good midsize, from a fleet preferably, would be my ideal vehicle. BUT…landscapers and scrappers DON’T buy new trucks, as a rule…it’s the second or third owner who really “works” the truck. Right now I run an F 150 shortbed.
One thing a mid size can do according to friend and his wife, is take cross country trips more economically then a full size, which they also have and much more comfortably then an older smaller one. These things are used for both commuting and work and though the rides are nothing to right home about, they serve much better at highway speeds then my old Mazda B2000 and Couriers. A cap on the back stuffed with luggage and still capable emergency sleeping quarters and with the extended cab you pretty much have an ideal vehicle for that purpose. The seats are bigger with room to recline and stretch out but not so large as to make things out of reach in the cabin which is a complaint of many of the behemoths in Tundra, f150 and Sliverado. My 4 Runner is an SUV off a mid size truck and it’s ideal size and performance compromise for nearly everything.
You put a new as promised direct injection near 200 hp four or small six in a mid size , you get mid 20s plus economy and performance full size trucks or small can only dream about. Ie. 5000 lb tow capacities and you can still fit in the local car wash without taking off a side mirror. I see little reason to go back to weener trucks with cookie cutter, low capacity tires and wheels and struggling motors and accommodations.
Ford and GM understood that loyalty to domestic brands would give them a guaranteed base....
That was a very very dumb move by GM and Ford because my GMC S-15 is the main reason I did NOT buy another GM product. I put more money into repairs of that GMC S-15 in 100k miles then my next three vehicles COMBINED with a total of close to 1 million miles.