I rented a Ford F-150 from U-haul. It was $19 plus insurance and gas. That was the smallest truck they offered. I think in total, I paid about $90 after everything was done and hauled a bunch of stuff. Even if I had to do that 4 times a year, which I don’t, it’s still cheaper than buying a whole truck.
I actually just traded out of my F-150 for an all-electric crossover. Lemmy has informed me that this was a terrible move for the environment.
All cars are bad. The car you already own is less bad than a brand new car
I’d love an el cameno, or something similar. I’d like to be able to see something on the side of the road and pick it up while still having the car size and mpg
They’re making them illegal in a lot of states. Texas recently de-banned them but could reverse that decision at any time. They would be an ideal choice otherwise.
For all the people saying “I just want a small pickup to do x” I’ll point you to the recommendation at the end:
If you are only towing, off-roading, or hauling once a year, or never, it might be wise to consider a smaller vehicle, and rent or borrow a truck when you really need a truck. There are tens of millions of them out there. There are even amazing services like Turo or ZipCar out there that grant you access to a vehicle for just the time you want it, and may even deliver it to your door.
Have americans never heard of a trailer? It’s made for that exact use case and you don’t have to lug it around for years for the one time you need to use it. They are also super cheap to rent.
Annoyingly, many vehicles sold in the U.S. don’t have a tow rating except for large SUV’s and trucks. It makes it difficult to know if you can safely tow a trailer with your small crossover.
I owned a Honda HR-V a few years ago. In Europe, it was rated for around 1,500 lbs. In the U.S., they just slap “not recommended for towing” on it and tell you to buy something larger.
Exact reason why I really want to put a hitch receiver on my lil BMW z3. Half because it makes it more practical, and half because I just think it looks funny with a big trailer attached to it. Also I have hauled firewood with a trailer designed for a truck attached to a tiny Yamaha big Bear from the 80s. That if a lil 1 cylinder ATV can do that a 6 cylinder BMW z3 can absolutely haul a couch or two so long as there’s a spot to attach a trailer.
It’s not the go, it’s the whoah. You need hookups for brakes on the trailer itself, lights, turn signals. That’s to augment what you’re covering up with the back of the trailer, or the lack of mass in the tow vehicle, and the added weight in the rear can really stress the OEM brakes.
I want a small truck with a big bed so I can carry stuff. A Toyota Hilux Champ looks like my dream truck, but we can’t have nice things.
Hear me out. You actually want a minivan.
Or a cargo van if you’re feeling fancy. You can get cargo vans electric too. They aren’t nice, they’re definitely built to just haul stuff. But they’re really good at just hauling stuff.
If you’re looking for cheap find an old used minivan and lay the seats down. You can fit a lot in an old minivan. 4*8 sheets are not a problem for most.
Ok hear me out get a minivan and sawzall the back off turning it into a compact truck
Id put a /s if I wasn’t thinking of putting this on my bucket list
Until the thing you’re moving is 1 inch taller or longer than your van, sure.
If the goal is to regularly move furniture, and you want a standard height vehicle (not a tall box van), a pickup truck is more interesting.
(Vans are great though for many other jobs)
I mean, I’ve moved quite a bit in a mini van, you’d be surprised what will fit in there. There are very few things I haven’t been able to get in to the back of a minivan. Modern pick up trucks do not have the cargo capacity a minivan does.
And if you’re worried about it, cargo vans will absolutely be able to handle it. Just about anything you buy is going to be built to a size to accommodate shipping it.
And, any big box store will happily rent you a pickup truck should that need ever arise. 25 bucks for the few hours you need it, if you’re really worried about it.
