Truck Double Standard

[whip]

Why are trucks and truck buyers held to a different standard than cars and car buyers? On this forum, and others, that's usually the case.
If someone buys a truck, and post about it, the comments are usually negative. Things like, "what a waste", "terrible fuel economy", "you don't need that big of a truck", and "you'll never use all of it's capability". If it's an upscale truck like a Raptor or King Ranch, the negativity usually is more.
If someone buys a sports car and post about it, the comments are usually positive. You rarely see negative comments on these threads. Fact is, a Camry will get a person to work for less money and use less fuel. Unless the driver is taking a sports car to a track, it's not being used to it's capability. Ironically, the higher the price, the more positive the comments seem.
So I'm curious, why do people view these two purchases, so differently?

 

[brandini]

You can still get decent mpgs in a sports car and it's more space efficient?

Dunno, grasping at straws here. If I had enough money to buy a nice fast car my daily would be a Volt or something similar.

 

[Garak]

I would agree. One get can far better fuel economy in a sports car than one can get in a big truck. And remember, there are enough people who go way overboard on trucks, and buy 3/4 tons and bigger without any clear use for them. Things like Mustangs, Camaros, and Corvettes have historically gotten far better fuel economy numbers than any truck on the market.

Don't worry, though, I do criticize people who go overboard with the options and/or trim level on their sports cars. A buddy had a Track Pack GT500 for commuting, and then wanted to do performance stuff to it. He never went above 65 mph, and usually far slower because he was afraid of paint chips and bugs, so what was the point?

 

[eljefino]

You can't make a corvette "roll coal"...

 

[Darwin1138]

I think the problem withpeople carriers, trucks and SUVs is that you buy them because you need them not because you want them. So if someone buys a truck, and someone said to him "what a waste" he can say "well yes mate, but I had no option since I need it for my work", and everyone can understand his position.

On the other hand if someone says "look I just bought this truck because I like the ways it looks although I don't have any use for it", that is totally uncool right there.

And I don't see anything uncool with a sports car, probably just the fact that you are announcing to the world that your naughty bits doesn't work anymore, but then again who cares if you can no longer have children, you have a sport car!!!!

 

[gman2304]

I know what you're saying. I posed a question a while back wondering what guys in European countries drove, as I had never seen an American pickup truck on TV or in a movie in Europe. The thread turned into an assault of the gas guzzling American pickup truck.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: whip
Ironically, the higher the price, the more positive the comments seem.
So I'm curious, why do people view these two purchases, so differently?


It is part of the "toxic syndrome" that permeates here from just a couple of the self righteous element that feels morally superior and have a need to "guide" the rest of us to salvation from evil. Whew.....need to catch my breath!

If you talk here of buying an enthusiasts type car (ie. Pablo's Subaru) people talk positively. I think they assume you are financially responsible enough to afford it and you require no explanation why you bought a "fun" car.

If you speak of buying anything else (an appliance type car/truck), AND you buy it new and/or finance it, then the zealots show up to make assumptions and guide you to better ways regarding brand choice, financial responsibility (financing is evil no matter how responsible you are or are assumed not to be), the evils of buying new vs. a depreciated, climate change, and on and on.

There are certain topics here that get derailed often because of a few sour apples in the group. It's extremely obvious.

Just my opinion.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: whip
So I'm curious, why do people view these two purchases, so differently?


It is interesting, isn't it, how some people believe that whatever metric they use to purchase a vehicle should be the same metric that everyone else uses. A common one is fuel mileage, yes. Space efficiency comes up often. You even hear the terms "ROI" tossed around. And heaven forbid, someone finances a vehicle. Woah...better get in before the lock!

I'll never be able to answer your question, because I don't understand it myself. It's ironic because this advice is usually dispensed unsolicited...and I'm pretty sure I know what the reaction would be if you tried to give these people suggestions on how to run their own lives.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

There's two different ends of the spectrum.

There's the person who legitimately needs a truck. He can't afford to pay cash so he finances a base model truck. A F350XL, we'll say. Good for him - he made a good choice and bought something reasonable.

Then there is a person who "needs" a truck. Commutes on the highway 20 miles to work, never tows a boat, never works on a house, never uses it as a truck. He finances a F350 King Ranch because he "needs" it.

I know someone who did that. Needed a "work truck" for his house, so he bought a high-end Dodge ... er "RAM" truck. Put a scratch in the bed hauling some furniture and freaked out.

Now he rents a truck every time he needs a truck even though he has a perfectly capable one for which he pays $500 a month.

If you want a high end truck and have the cash to buy it, why not?

 

[sasha]

If i want an svt raptor, ill get an svt raptor.

 

[MNgopher]

Yes, there is a tremendous double standard whenever a truck thread comes up here. More often than not, I can tell who wrote the post before I even see the name of the poster.

I don't pretend to understand the needs or desires of every poster on this board, and I have no expectation that they understand mine. Yet there are those who know the answers for everyone based on how they post.

It also is a tremendous double standard that because I don't use my truck at 100% of its capability every day, I somehow don't "need" it. Why isn't the same arguement then valid for "fun" cars? You don't use their top speed and handling 100% of the time, so that should be considered a excess, or waste, or affecting everyone else.

I own a truck. I offer no apologies for it. I don't need to explain it. Same as you don't need to defend purchasing a "fun" car.

 

[gman2304]

If the do gooders here will buy me a new truck and pay all the upkeep on it I'll drive whatever they choose....NOT! It's my money...I earned it ...and I'll spend it as I darn well please!!!

 

[mrsilv04]

My best friend has a hatred of pickup trucks, and he'll poke fun at mine every single chance he gets.

But why do I own one? Let's see... I build houses, I need a tow vehicle, my folks live on a farm which I help them operate... do I need to keep going? Not only is it transportation for me, it is a tool as well.

When I bought my Silverado, I chose the 'least' truck that I needed, to do what I needed it to do. I just didn't go out and buy a 3/4 ton, 4x4, Mega-Cab longbed, just because I could.

I purchased a sensible 1/2 ton, two wheel drive, extended cab, 6.5' box... but with a factory towing package and a 5.3 liter V8. I always figured that I could beef up the rear springs by slipping in an additional leaf up top (as I did on the Sierra), but I've never done it on this one.

And guess what? It has always done everything that I need to do, plus it still fits in a standard sized parking spot. Sometimes a little planning and a little restraint will go a long way.

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: Darwin1138
And I don't see anything uncool with a sports car, probably just the fact that you are announcing to the world that your naughty bits doesn't work anymore, but then again who cares if you can no longer have children, you have a sport car!!!!


ROFLMAO!!!

 

[DBMaster]

I have no problem with people buying whatever they want. I just don't want to hear them whine when gas prices go up!

You make your bed, you sleep in it. You don't answer to me for using more resources than someone else. This is still America. We waste more than just about any nation on Earth.

 

[Mykl]

Eh, if you're happy I'm happy for you.

I don't understand why someone would want a truck unless it is for utility, but I do understand what it's like to enjoy something for no rational reason. If you're willing to work X amount of hours of your life to own something, that's your business.

 

[gman2304]

We also give more than ' just about any nation on earth '!

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Personally I don't care what others think.

I own a 99 Dodge 3/4 ton that I use to pull my vintage tractors to shows, as well as doing other grunt work. I also own a 2006 Durango that we use exclusively for highway travel. If others don't like the reasons why I own them I really don't care and don't pay much attention. Everything is paid for and I don't complain about the costs associated with owning them.

For our daily drivers we have smaller, fuel efficient cars. It's a combination that works well for us, but may not work for others.

Originally Posted By: doitmyself

If you speak of buying anything else (an appliance type car/truck), AND you buy it new and/or finance it, then the zealots show up to make assumptions and guide you to better ways regarding brand choice, financial responsibility (financing is evil no matter how responsible you are or are assumed not to be), the evils of buying new vs. a depreciated, climate change, and on and on.

There are certain topics here that get derailed often because of a few sour apples in the group. It's extremely obvious.

Just my opinion.


That's quite the double standard you have. You freely post your opinion that takes the thread off in a different direction (the original poster never mentioned financing nor did he mentioned new vs used), all the while you are whining about others who do the same.

The thread is about double standards. At least you got that part right.

 

[IndyIan]

My only real beef with pickups used as luxo air haulers, is that they aren't designed to be accident compatible with cars. If they were made to be accident compatible, they would look stupid, and then only guys who really needed them would buy them. Lots of lives and gas would be saved.
That said, now that there is a 1/2 ton efficient diesel available, we might get one... And 90% of the time it will haul air, but the odd time it will tow stuff and haul bales and firewood, and if it looked stupid, that is fine with me too.

 

[KrisZ]

Repeat after me:

"Oil is bad! Everything powered by oil is bad! Electric is our salvation! Everything electric is good!"

Hatred towards trucks is just a stepping stone, once they are all but gone, that hatred will move to the next biggest "precious resource waster".