What Changed? Four Door Trucks Are Cool…

[Ingomike]

I saw an old International four door pickup truck in the cars thread and it reminded me there have been four door trucks for 70+ years, why the explosion in the last twenty that huge majorities are four door trucks. What made them cool after years of existence?

 

[shootersix]

Cause single dads need to take their kids to soccer practice too!

 

[indyartisan]

I saw an old International four door pickup truck in the cars thread and it reminded me there have been four door trucks for 70+ years, why the explosion in the last twenty that huge majorities are four door trucks. What made them cool after years of existence?

Air conditioning?

 

[printcraft]

You used to be able to ride in the bed so you didn't need a back seat...
With todays namby-pamby, pearl clutching world that has went the way of the dinosaur.
(I also drank straight from the garden hose.)

 

[xwing]

It certainly has changed in the last 10 years. You can hardly find any 2-door pickups anymore. I theorize it's because so many people have decided to treat pickup trucks like cars instead of like trucks. IMO, the important part of the truck is what you can fit in the bed, not the cab... And the 4-door trucks add nearly useless back-seat room at the expensive of the all-important bed of the truck.

 

[Leo]

There are no more full sized sedans. If you need to carry full sized American people, you are forced to use a truck.
( This shows the poor design of the CAFE rating systems that led to the loss of large cars. You cannot buy anymore usable sized 24 mpg sedans because CAFE demands higher, but I can buy a 4 door truck that gets 15. More of that brilliant wisdom found in Washington )

A second may be that the vehicles are so expensive, most people need a long payment schedule. Trucks qualify for longer payment terms at most financial firms. Private debt does not help a nation, only the financial firms.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

There are no more full sized sedans. If you need to carry full sized American people, you are forced to use a truck.
( This shows the poor design of the CAFE rating systems that led to the loss of large cars. You cannot buy anymore usable sized 24 mpg sedans because CAFE demands higher, but I can buy a 4 door truck that gets 15. More of that brilliant wisdom found in Washington )

A couple years ago I was talking to a salesman about this and he believed it was pretty much this.

 

[HoughMade]

Until relatively lately, crew cabs were only available on 1 tons, and then 3/4 tons much later. Then, they were usually available with 8' beds. Try parking that in a regular garage...even with a 6.5' bed. 1/2 ton crew cabs weren't really available until 2001/2002.

A 1/2 ton rides better and makes a much more comfortable family vehicle. With a 5'6" (or thereabouts) bed, it fits in a regular garage, if just barely.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Back in the day the truck was not looked at as a family vehicle. The 4 doors were on 3/4 ton and up trucks so that they could fit more workers in one vehicle. They also had extended cab 2 doors for this reason also.

Nowadays the truck is used as a family vehicle.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I think the Kenworth inspired Ram really put pickups in to pop culture, then the huge increase in ride quality from coils. Forced the other makers to compete. Interiors got nicer. SUVs moved up scale, the trucks the were based on profited as well.

 

[manifest destiny]

Maybe trucks are used more for pulling than hauling in todays traffic?

 

[BugI02]

I saw an old International four door pickup truck in the cars thread and it reminded me there have been four door trucks for 70+ years, why the explosion in the last twenty that huge majorities are four door trucks. What made them cool after years of existence?

More posers

 

[HoughMade]

I think the Kenworth inspired Ram really put pickups in to pop culture, then the huge increase in ride quality from coils. Forced the other makers to compete. Interiors got nicer. SUVs moved up scale, the trucks the were based on profited as well.

My Ram 1500 (DT) is pretty darned cushy, and it's just a Bighorn. The back seat has limo-legroom which means that my adult kids fit easily.

Pulls the horse trailer, hauls all my DIY stuff. It's all good.

 

[Leo]

I think the Kenworth inspired Ram really put pickups in to pop culture, then the huge increase in ride quality from coils. Forced the other makers to compete. Interiors got nicer. SUVs moved up scale, the trucks the were based on profited as well.

That "Kenworth styled" Dodge pickup really showed how out of touch I am on what style sells. When they first brought that truck to market, I commented "who would buy that goofy looking thing?" Then within a short time, it was the best selling truck they ever had and eventually Ford and GM used that as their styling influence.

The next time you hear me say "that will never sell", invest all you can, you will get rich.

 

[foszoe]

I need room for the dogs

 

[Old Dog]

Here's what happened in my life: 84 F150, 2 door, stick shift, 8 ft bed, kids car seat would not work.

92 F150 super cab, 2 dr., auto, short bed, kids fit in back seat just fine.

98 F150 super or extra cab, 3 dr., auto, 4X4, short bed, kids and dogs can get in by themselves.

09 Ram 2500, 4X4, crew cab, auto, 8 ft. bed. Kids all grown up but slide in camper fits and wife does not have to get out of truck to get in the cooler, or get her pillow or coat.

With cars shrinking yearly I had do things differently to keep the family going.

 

[Ingomike]

It certainly has changed in the last 10 years. You can hardly find any 2-door pickups anymore. I theorize it's because so many people have decided to treat pickup trucks like cars instead of like trucks. IMO, the important part of the truck is what you can fit in the bed, not the cab... And the 4-door trucks add nearly useless back-seat room at the expensive of the all-important bed of the truck.

I think this is true. As was stated the big comfy vehicles are few because of government interference.

 

[printcraft]

Until relatively lately, crew cabs were only available on 1 tons, and then 3/4 tons much later. Then, they were usually available with 8' beds. Try parking that in a regular garage...even with a 6.5' bed. 1/2 ton crew cabs weren't really available until 2001/2002.

A 1/2 ton rides better and makes a much more comfortable family vehicle. With a 5'6" (or thereabouts) bed, it fits in a regular garage, if just barely.

The 01 Silverado Crew I had was a heavy 1/2 ton, and a PIA to park.
It fit in the garage if you almost put the front bumper on the wall.

 

[Ingomike]

Maybe trucks are used more for pulling than hauling in todays traffic?

This is also true. There are trailers of all kinds everywhere, types that were not even available 50 years ago. Built in brake and lighting controllers, hitches, engine and transmission coolers were not as common back in the day. Seems likely todays trucks will pull more than they ever haul. Because they are so expensive and used for family as well as work using a trailer helps keep the truck nice. Avoiding things like chucking a piece of firewood through the back window. (Don’t ask!). LOL

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Tastes change. Full size sedans still exist, they don't sell that well. Just like stripper pickups, guys who complain they don't exist don't buy them anyway. We had a Taurus and it was a great car, not sales were junk and Ford discontinued them. 300C still exists but hasn't had any money put into development for years for the same reason. Station wagons are dead and buried because nobody wanted them. Sedans followed.

Crossovers are more a function of CAFE regulations, then trucks I think. Largely just sedans with slightly raised ride height. So few SUVs are truck based any longer.

Trucks are just so versatile. Plus lifestyle branding.