No Country for Old Trucks

[atlaw4u]

Are truck based vehicles riding into the sunset?

Lawrence Ulrich - MSN autos - July 2008

Full-size pickup sales have fallen from 14 percent to 9 percent of the market in a matter of months, prompting Ford to announce a two-month delay in the launch of the 2009 F-150 pickup, citing a need to first draw down current inventory.

The market for pickup trucks and SUVs is like a sad, old country song right now. “If My Truck Could Run on Tears,” could be the lament of anyone with a cargo bed, thanks to four-buck-a-gallon gas.

Full-size pickup sales have fallen from 14 percent to 9 percent of the market in a matter of months. Buyers are fleeing to smaller cars, in what Ford sales analyst George Pipas calls the most dramatic market shift he’s seen in three decades.

Dealers and automakers are getting clobbered, with GM and Ford shuttering truck plants and Toyota and Nissan considering switching U.S. truck plants to build more efficient models instead. Sales of GM trucks and SUVs dropped 37 percent in May, and Ford announced a two-month delay in the launch of the 2009 F-150 pickup, citing a need to first draw down current inventory.

But while these are tough times for the real truck folks — contractors, landscapers and rural owners — there’s a silver lining to all this gas-price gloom. It’s suddenly become clear that many Americans can get along just fine without their three-ton, gas-guzzling friend. The myth of the pickup is dead. The SUV fairy tale is over. It’s a reality check, and ultimately that’s a good thing.

Haulin’ Hot Air? ... [Read More]

[Chuck]

Most ironic thing today, a mid-size pickup truck impatiently pased me and had a big "For Sale" sign on it.

[Shiba3420]

Thre might be a big plus side to those who actually need trucks that will follow the "death of trucks".....trucks might get back to doing a job; They don't need fancy leather or wooden dash, or DVD players, or most of the other junk that has found its way into modern trucks. Finally a guy/company will be able to get a simple machine that does what it has to without all the family accesories that exist in even the basic models.

Delta Flyer, that is funny; Would have been better if he passed you impatiently so he could be first into the next gas station, but you can't have everything.

[civic94coupe206]

its a great thing that many people are driving smaller cars because of gas prices, makes me safer in my 2000 pound civic.


I still remember a while back when I was in high school, I worked at an Asian Supermarket parking lot, there were many people who drove SUV's and Pickups, and the Pickup's bed was brand new. even the ones who were 5, 10 years old, the bed didnt have a scratch.

There was 1 customer who came every week to buy groceries, and every time he would put the groceries in the extended cab of the pickup, then put a 50 pound bag of rice/onions/potatos (always just 1 50 pound bag) and he would open the gate, put it on the gate, climb up to the bed, move the one bag to the corner and strap it down with some tough nylon rope or whatever he had, and climb back down, acting like he really need that V8 FULL SIZE DODGE RAM 2500 with a 8 foot bed to put a bag of rice on it, while acting "tough" and "macho". there was no scratch on the bed whatsoever.


makes me laugh and wonder every single weekend

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by Delta Flyer

Most ironic thing today, a mid-size pickup truck impatiently pased me and had a big "For Sale" sign on it.

Come to think about it, this is exactly what Paul Harvey mentions on his program.

[07mpshei]

The link to the forum board discussing whether trucks are "going out to pasture" is pretty entertaining.

My favorite quote: "As for slowing down to save gas. ..... LOL. Mine gets same MPG going 20 as going 80, towing not towing. Worst, thing I can do in mine is either start it, or idle it. The engine is a Dodge Magnum 5.9L V8 modified into a 390 stroker. the argument for aerodynamics and wind drag .... OMG!! Its a truck, it's not built aerodynamically!!! Its built to haul loads and tow stuff."

Idiots...

[alpha-dog]

I've read about a hybrid F-150. It's hydralic launch assist. It's being used on large trucks and is suppose to come out in 2009 of the F-150. Might make a big difference in truck sells.

[Radio_tec]

Originally Posted by Shiba3420

Thre might be a big plus side to those who actually need trucks that will follow the "death of trucks".....trucks might get back to doing a job; They don't need fancy leather or wooden dash, or DVD players, or most of the other junk that has found its way into modern trucks. Finally a guy/company will be able to get a simple machine that does what it has to without all the family accesories that exist in even the basic models.

Delta Flyer, that is funny; Would have been better if he passed you impatiently so he could be first into the next gas station, but you can't have everything.

It's ironic that I got my experience with using sticks from driving these vehicles you describe, Shiba3420. I drove them in my summer job stint working for oil refinery maintenance companies back in the previous oil boom of the late 70's and early 80's. They were basic trucks that did the job without all the appointments and luxuries of today's trucks. It will not be the death of trucks but rather the death of the truck as a commuter vehicle.

[Xringer]

Too many pages of comments to read. I stopped when I got to this one.

"As soon as gas drops back to $2.50/gallon trucks and SUV's will be back in currency, that's why GM was stupid to abandon this line of vehicle - the frenzy for high MPG cars is only temporary.

Duh, GM, you should know this."

---
That kinda cracked me up..

It does seem like many of those (non-working)PU owners that posted (about their 21 foot boats etc) seem to be living a little higher on the hog than most folks..

How many GPM does a 21 foot power boat get these days? I've never been in one...
(I do have an old windsurfer)..

[PaleMelanesian]

Trucks aren't going away. They are useful tools.

What is going to diminish, but still not disappear, is trucks being used as commuter cars and fashion accessories. We've seen this coming, and we're already seeing the start of the shift. See "May sales results".