Pickups, anyone running one as a private car?
Discussion
I know that until recently double cab pickups were good value to run as a company car for tax reasons. I'm not in a job where this is an option but do like the idea of running a pickup as my everyday car. I tow a caravan and live in an area where snow can be heavy in winter so the abilities would not be wasted.
Anyone care to share experiences of this.
The Nissan Navara 2.3 seems to offer decent mpg and with rear coil springs would offer a fairly decent ride quality.
Is the lack of a boot a big deal?
Is a roll top or rear canopy best?
Any other drawbacks of note?
Anyone care to share experiences of this.
The Nissan Navara 2.3 seems to offer decent mpg and with rear coil springs would offer a fairly decent ride quality.
Is the lack of a boot a big deal?
Is a roll top or rear canopy best?
Any other drawbacks of note?
I've run American pick ups as a car but most of the European ones have drawbacks
Mostly - RWD only and can only use 4WD on mud and snow (so when it's patchy you're in 2WD)
Terrible fuel consumption, power and handling
The rear covers generally aren't water tight
You'd be better off with an SUV
Mostly - RWD only and can only use 4WD on mud and snow (so when it's patchy you're in 2WD)
Terrible fuel consumption, power and handling
The rear covers generally aren't water tight
You'd be better off with an SUV
I split from the former Mrs. ADJimbo five years ago and purchased an L200 - I wear a pinstripe suit for work and struggle to change a lightbulb - quite what ever lead me to that purchasing decision baffles me to this day. I assume a mid-life crisis.
If it’s genuinely needed then fine. They’re in no man’s-land. If you want 4x4 potential then by a 4x4. If you want child carriers, then by a SUV, if you need to shift stuff for work, then by a van.
I ran my L200 for eight months. I won’t be rushing back.
If it’s genuinely needed then fine. They’re in no man’s-land. If you want 4x4 potential then by a 4x4. If you want child carriers, then by a SUV, if you need to shift stuff for work, then by a van.
I ran my L200 for eight months. I won’t be rushing back.
I've posted this a few times in response to these type of questions.
For towing and all sorts of dirty work they're fine. I'd never have one as my main vehicle as they're impossible to park in many places. If it's on-street parking they are usually too long, and if you have to park nose-in to the kerb, the back end sticks out into traffic.
I'm on my second Toyota Hilux, but I'm a farmer, and parking isn't a problem as we have other cars.
For towing and all sorts of dirty work they're fine. I'd never have one as my main vehicle as they're impossible to park in many places. If it's on-street parking they are usually too long, and if you have to park nose-in to the kerb, the back end sticks out into traffic.
I'm on my second Toyota Hilux, but I'm a farmer, and parking isn't a problem as we have other cars.
Edited by sunbeam alpine on Saturday 7th June 21:02
I run a Ranger as my main car.
I love it. It's comfy, got some poke and cruises along.
As said, you have to be selective with your parking (I just generally avoid multi storey). Any other car park I reverse park and you can usually find somewhere where the rear overhang goes over the kerb.
You have to be mindful of speed limits, but 10 mph here & there really doesn't make much difference to a journey.
I average 27 mpg, but do a lot of short journeys.
LightweightLouisDanvers said:
The Nissan Navara 2.3 seems to offer decent mpg and with rear coil springs would offer a fairly decent ride quality.
Is the lack of a boot a big deal?
Is a roll top or rear canopy best?
Any other drawbacks of note?
Right, the later Navara with the springs is less sIs the lack of a boot a big deal?
Is a roll top or rear canopy best?
Any other drawbacks of note?
te than the earlier ones, but those road testers who said "car likes handling" can't have driven many cars.In general unless you have a good weight in the back to let the suspension sit properly, they're bouncy and skittish through the corners, and despite the 4WD the big tyres don't do a lot at the front either, especially on damp roads.
The lack of boot is something only you can answer, it is amusing watching people with these 5.3m things not be able to get IKEA stuff in that will go in a Focus, and none of the roll tops do anything unless you don't want your "happy it's wet" stuff to be vaguely protected, obvs the canopy has more space, but if, say, you want it for MTBing they usually only fit without the canopy on.
Other drawbacks, spec depending they might count as vans, ie when they get real heavy, the Tekna certainly did, so 60mph on dual carriageways or get fined (loads of people fall foul of that), commercial VED is more than your stock £195 for post 17 cars, and there are some cities where you have to watch for ulez, as despite meeting euro 6 some are chargeable "because commercial", like Bath I think, and insurance too where some like Admiral don't care and swap your NCB between car/ commercial, others don't, so you may limit who you can renew with a few years down the line.
And everyone thinks you're a
, and won't let them out at junctions, and will be aggressive. Or at least that's how I found people, but maybe it's just how I look and drive 
I had an Isuzu DMax Double Cab for a couple of years as a general use car. I enjoyed having it but wouldn’t have another. I had it during a period we moved house and it was actually less useful than you would imagine, other than taking bags of rubbish to the dump. It always felt light at the back and as wussy as it sounds, it was a pain to find the right parking space.
Disadvantages:
The back seats can be quite upright and have little leg room, so rear passengers can struggle to get comfortable on long journeys.
If you have a dog it'll be in the back seats with the kids.
The rear covers don't have good locks so people can break into them easily if they know you have luggage in there.
Easier to lose the rear end on wet roads than in an SUV
In most of the world, the manufacturers all sell their pick-ups as SUVs - Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest, Isuzu MUX, Mitsubishi Montero/Sport, Ssangyong Rexton.
In the UK, the Rexton and Mitsubishi Sport are the only one of these available... they are a good compromise between a pick-up and an SUV...
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/18543888
The back seats can be quite upright and have little leg room, so rear passengers can struggle to get comfortable on long journeys.
If you have a dog it'll be in the back seats with the kids.
The rear covers don't have good locks so people can break into them easily if they know you have luggage in there.
Easier to lose the rear end on wet roads than in an SUV
In most of the world, the manufacturers all sell their pick-ups as SUVs - Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest, Isuzu MUX, Mitsubishi Montero/Sport, Ssangyong Rexton.
In the UK, the Rexton and Mitsubishi Sport are the only one of these available... they are a good compromise between a pick-up and an SUV...
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/18543888
Edited by Matt_T on Sunday 8th June 19:22
Edited by Matt_T on Sunday 8th June 19:23
I was recently looking into trucks
Liked the look of them and the idea of biffing around in one.
The reality was that after driving the usual suspects they were all generally the same - sluggish, crashy, clunky and rolly.
I concluded I couldn't be arsed to have one for everyday driving
Plus I spoke to a few traders who reported that they were having a hard time selling them as they seem to be falling out of favour
Liked the look of them and the idea of biffing around in one.
The reality was that after driving the usual suspects they were all generally the same - sluggish, crashy, clunky and rolly.
I concluded I couldn't be arsed to have one for everyday driving
Plus I spoke to a few traders who reported that they were having a hard time selling them as they seem to be falling out of favour
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