What happened to regular cab pickup trucks?

This is just a rant. There's nothing I can do about it. If you're under 30, don't bother reading.

This week I decided to go look for a new work truck to replace my 38-yr-old Chevy C-10 that I've had for 21 years. It has a regular cab that seats 2-3 people in front, and an 8' bed with a camper shell. All sorts of thing can be put in there: a 4x8 sheet of plywood, a 4x8 piece of drywall to keep out of the rain, a stack of 2x4s, my 8' step ladder, or a crapload of tools. I can park at Home Depot or a restaurant and be reasonably comfortable that the stuff will be there when I come back. It will fit in my garage.

Since 1987 I've wanted a Toyota (my best friend at the time had just purchased a new SR5), so I had that pre-decided. My Chevy is a stinky-gashog piece of junk, and I vowed never again to own a Chevy. So off to the Toyota dealer I go, and they had a line of new trucks as far as your eye could see.

Unfortunately for me, they were all those SuperJumboExtendedMegaCrew Cab pickups with a short bed. Now, I'm not trying to piss off anybody here that owns one, but when I first saw one of those in 1999 (my neighbor bought one) I quietly said to myself: "That is the stupidest truck I've ever seen!" I suppose if you want to take the family/kids to the beach and throw a cooler in the back, it would be fine.

But I wanted a work truck. When I asked the salesman (I think he was under 30) if he had a regular cab with an 8' bed, he said "No, we don't have anything like that." I said, "You know what I'm talking about, right?" He said, "I think I saw one once." "Well, let's get on the computer and see if another dealer has one, so I can sit in one before I buy it."

Turns out there is NOT ONE sitting on any lot at any dealer in the state of Washington or Oregon!

After two days of disbelief, I resigned myself to the fact that I'd just have to order one, and not be able to sit in it first. So I go to Toyota's site and see that you can "build" one. Great! I can study and pick out all the options I want without some salesperson breathing down my neck.

Nope, you can't do that either. The way it works is, you "build" your dream car on paper, and then they go try to find one like that already "built" in your region. With all the choices/options available, that's nearly impossible. To me, it's just a computerized way of doing what we used to do on a napkin, and a misleading marketing ploy by Toyota.

I just can't get over that I'm the only one who wants a regular cab truck with an 8' bed. Well actually, I did find one other person:

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curb...lassics-what-happened-to-regular-cab-pickups/

The Times they are a'changing, and sometimes that SUCKS!

I intended to replace my '84 GMC this past winter and ran into the same problem. The only regular cab full size bed pickups available were the stripped down, white "work" models.

Of course you can order one and lose half the discounts for on the lot models as long as you're willing to pay for packages that include all sorts of crap you don't want in order to get simple option that you do want.

I still haven't bought one.

At least in the UK it was a tax thing, you could buy a crew cab that would seat 4 or 5 comfortably and write it off against tax as a work vehicle, but have in effect a family car.

That is exactly what I did.

I have three regular cab pick-ups. Buy a Ford.

Here's a European ford (in reality a rebadged Mazda)
I've had two Toyota regular cabs but now I'd never go back, use a trailer if needs be.
This thing will tow a mini digger all day, get you out of a spot with 4wd, plus take me and my wife and all her luggage back to the UK like an estate car (shooting break?) and it cost buttons (not very much in English) maybe 3000 US bucks.
Bit of a toy compared to US trucks but economy is a big deal in the rest of the world.

squisher said:

I have three regular cab pick-ups. Buy a Ford.

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bingo. Any of the big three US makers will have what you're looking for. Don't know that I've ever seen a full size Yota w/ a regular cab either. . .

My 06' Ram is a crew cab with an 8' bed, no carpet, and no power windows. I really like having the extra storage space that is lockable and dry.

Our farm truck is an '05 Crew Cab 8'. It's a blast to park in a parking lot with it.

Especially nowadays, now that they try to fit 100 cars in the space of 90.

Dave Shepard said:

Our farm truck is an '05 Crew Cab 8'. It's a blast to park in a parking lot with it.

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I drive a single cab F250. Im only 30. I like extended cabs and the like but I wanted a lighter truck, with a short wheelbase. I often wish I had an extended cab, and if I cared enough I could trade in on one, but I'll run this one into the ground first.

My next one will probably be... I miss our crew cab Dodge. Thing was like parking and turning the Titanic in town and god forbid you had a trailer behind it. But I really miss having the seats.

Squish,
I'm off to the Ford dealer. What models and years are yours?

We just purchased two new regular cabs ...Fords not problem

I have am 08 f250 diesel long box reg cab. Better fuel economy than gas f150. I like it but wish we cld get Japanese diesels here. I bet a Toyota diesel pickup is unbeatable.I suspect some non tarrif trade barriers are keeping them out of the US and the Canadian market is to small to justify north american distribution.

U.S. emissions have a lot to do with it, too.

My father in law's diesel Hilux toyota in New Zealand is a blast! Wish we could get them here, but they said the small diesels dont make emissions in the States. The US has always wanted to burn twice the fuel in order to meet a silly number of polutants, like oxides of nitrogen and such.

A diesel Hilux would be cool.

Dave Shepard said:

U.S. emissions have a lot to do with it, too.

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Just found this article today:
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2013/04/is-the-regular-cab-pickup-doomed.html

bstewert said:

Squish,
I'm off to the Ford dealer. What models and years are yours?

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Mine are older, 87, 92, and 99. The 87 is a lariat, and the 92 is a xlt, the 99 is a xl. I've looked around a bit at new ones and seems you'll have a harder time finding a loaded up reg cab but they're around. I do all my own wrenching so prefer the older iron. Can't wrap my head around the price of new.

The Hilux is about the most popular work truck here but you can get just about anything. [If you've got the money]

I remember a guy on AS had a Toyota Tacoma, much the same I think. Time sure gets away, looks like they don't make them like this any more.

bstewart, let us know what you find at Ford!

First read this, then I'll tell you what happened at Ford. It narrates much of my sentiment about the newer trucks:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/01/why-ill-never-buy-a-new-pickup-truck/


Last night I cruised a certain street in town. It had at least! 25 used car lots, many right next to each other, PLUS new dealerships, strung out for about 5 miles. I went after 8:00 pm so I could walk the lots without being harassed by salespeople. My conclusion is this: the regular cab truck with 8' bed is just about extinct. And never mind the regular cab part, the 8' bed is just about dead. Sorry, I just don't get it.

On the new truck lots, Chevy had one, Dodge had one, GMC had none, Nissan none. On the used lots, I couldn't find a single RC/8' bed truck!!!!!!! Not one. Nada. Zip. I must have been living under a rock for the last 15 years. Eight-foot bed? Hardly any. At one place a guy was working late. When I told him what I was looking for he shook his head and said: "Ain't gonna find it." Then he said, I do have one 8' bed. I ran over there, but it was one of those mega-cab long boats. He said they just got it in last night and it will be gone tomorrow. He said the contractors are hauling trailers. Sorry, but that long-john setup is not for me.

Now to Ford. They are the only brand that has anything to offer. I went twice, once alone and once with the wife. On the first visit I had the typical pushy salesman that kept demanding to know when I could bring in the wife for "approval." But I did see two truck possibilities. On the second visit (with the wife) we were quickly accosted by two salesmen, but I was prepared! I told them I needed to talk to the head sales manager FIRST, before I talk to them. After a short argument, they left us alone.

First truck was the F150. It's so tall, she says. How am I going to load stuff? I'm older and not as strong now, and I was never that strong to begin with! I'm always loading something big by myself; pressure washer, lawn aerator, this week it's a big broken barbeque. Next we go to the F250. The bed is lower and the sidewalls are shorter! This is my truck!

No wait. Most of my driving is to Home Depot, supply houses or bidding jobs. Gas mileage on that truck sucks! So bad, it is exempt from listing it on the dealer sticker. Not the truck for my needs.

Guess I'll go back to my rock.

I wonder if you got out of the populated areas and got more rural, you might have better luck. Short bed pickups are hard to find in my area, regular cabs are too, though. I have good luck buying used.

That's a good thought. For new vehicles, dealers can view other dealers' inventory, but not so with used. Even one Toyota dealer can't see what another Toyota dealer has on the used lot.

I'm really looking as I drive around now. 99% of the time I see one person in those mega crew cab boats, and nothing in the bed. Seems it has become just a commuting vehicle. Especially with Toyota. Ford seems to be the truck for actual working guys. Wonder what's up with the front grill on all these trucks. Looks like a contest to see who can make the angriest-looking animal. I give it to Ram on that one.