Pickups
        |
| PICK-UP TRUCKS-BAKKIES |
         |
 |
 A pickup truck also pick-up truck, pickup, bakkie in South Africa, or ute an abbreviation of utility vehicle ,in Australia and New Zealand) is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area bed. |
 |
 |
  |
|
 |
In some cases, you may be able to find a Chevy S-10 for less than $5,000, which may be a good deal if it is not the four-wheel drive version. Some of the regular S-10s do last for quite a while, as long as you aren’t dealing with the four-wheel drive, so check the vehicle out carefully if considering a Chevy S-10 that is used. Also the GMC Sonoma gets poor marks when it comes to reliability later in the vehicle’s life, so steer clear of used Sonomas as well. |
  |
Mid-sized pick-ups When it comes to mid-sized trucks, the one that stands out above the rest is the Dodge Dakota Sport. This truck has a lot more space inside of it, and the driver sits high on the road, as opposed to smaller pick-ups in which the driver is closer to the ground.
In many cases, you should be able to purchase a used Dodge Dakota Sport for less than $5,000. Just be wary of the Dodge Dakota 4-wheel drive, which is different than the Dakota Sport. The 4-wheel drive version of this vehicle made Consumer Reports’ listing for repeat offenders when it comes to used vehicles. |
 |
The first mid-size pickup was the Dodge Dakota, introduced in 1987 with V6 and V8 availability to distinguish it from the smaller compact trucks which generally offered only four-cylinder engines. Its hallmark was the ability to carry a 4 ft × 8 ft sheet of plywood flat in the cargo bed, something which compact pickups could only carry at an angle. |
 |
For the 2005 model year, a new wave of midsize pickups was introduced, either as brand new nameplates (Chevy and GMC), or as an upgrade in size from the previous generation (Nissan and Toyota). While the Frontier, the Tacoma, and the Ridgeline are only available with 4- or 6-cylinder engines, since 1989 the Dakota has been available with a 4-, 6-, or 8-cylinder engine. The Mitsubishi Raider, new for 2006, was a rebadged Dakota with the same engine options. |
  |
Although the El Camino and the Ranchero were built with body-on-frame architectures, they were based on existing station wagon platforms, while the Ridgeline uses a spot welded sheet steel monocoque chassis in the same style as modern passenger cars. Trucks typically have either a tubular or channel rail chassis with a fully floating cab and separate cargo section to allow for chassis flex and prevent warping of the sheetmetal. The sheet steel in both of these sections is not a stressed member. |
 |
|
 |
A combination of the two styles, monocoque cab and engine bay welded to a 'C' section chassis rear is commonly used for trucks (such as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis cab), but has not been common in North America. For instance, when offered in Australia it is known as the 'one tonner' because it is rated to carry some 250 kg (551 lb) more than the all monocoque style. |
 |
|
 |
Coupé utilities and panel vans usually have an integral cargo bed behind the cabin with unibody or monocoque construction like automobiles.The design details of such vehicles vary significantly, and different nationalities seem to specialize in different styles and sizes of vehicles. |
  |
Large used pick-up trucks For the full-size category, we return once again to Ford. The Ford F-150 made Edmunds’ list for best large pickup. Also AOL Autos notes that many Ford F-150s can be found for less than $5,000, especially if they are from the 1990s. There really aren’t any full-sized pick-ups to watch out for specifically if you are purchasing a used one, but it is pretty hard to go wrong with a Ford. |
 |
A full-size pickup is a large pickup truck suitable for hauling heavy loads and performing other functions. Most full-size trucks can carry at least 1,000 lb (450 kg) in the rear bed, with some capable of over six times that much. |
 |
The bed is usually constructed so as to accommodate a 4 ft (1.2 m) wide object, such as sheets of plywood, drywall, or other flat materials produced in that size as standard, with a bed able to carry 8 ft (2.4 m) long material available although in some cases this size is available only in combination with shorter cab options. |
 |
Most are front-engine and rear-wheel drive with four-wheel drive optional, and most use a live axle with leaf springs in the rear. They are commonly found with a V6 or V8 engine. In addition, a diesel engine is often an option. |
 |
The compact pickup (or simply "pickup", without qualifier) is the most widespread form of pickup truck worldwide. It is built like a mini version of a two-axle heavy truck, with a frame providing structure, a conventional cab, a leaf spring suspension on the rear wheels and a gasoline engine usually taken from the passenger car range. |
 |
|
 |
Other Japanese manufacturers built pickups for the American "Big Three". Isuzu built the Luv for Chevrolet, Mazda built the Courier for Ford the two companies would also collaborate on the Ranger, and Mitsubishi built the Ram 50 for Dodge. |
 |
It was not until the 1980s that Mazda introduced their own B-Series, Isuzu with their P'up and Mitsubishi with their Mighty Max; also at the same time, the American "Big Three" built their own small trucks for the domestic market: Ford with their own Ranger, General Motors with their Chevrolet S-10 & GMC S-15/Sonoma twins, and Dodge with their midsize Dakota. |
  |
Heavy Duty pickup trucks There are only three automobile manufacturers producing Heavy Duty pickups General Motors, Ford, Chrysler Group, and VIA Motors, and unlike fullsize trucks, these trucks are almost limited to the U.S., Canadian, Mexican, Venezuelan, and the Middle Eastern markets. Rarely and for a limited time manufacturers will sell these pickup trucks in regions where they are not officially sold, due to fuel consumption, an example is Australia. |
 |
They are usually priced at US$100,000 or more outside the regions where they are officially sold, due do import taxes, safety regulations and in some cases converting the steering wheel to the opposite side. Because of these truck's high-powered engines, all heavy duty pickups run on diesel. |
 |
The only Heavy Duty pickups on the market are the Ford Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado HD/GMC Sierra HD, Ram 3500, and VIA VTrux HD. |
 |
 |
Muscle trucks Several high-performance versions of trucks have been produced over the years. Besides the obvious big block equipped trucks, other notable models include: |
 |
Dodge: Warlock (1976–1979), Li'l Red Express (1978–1979), Midnite Express (1978), Shelby Dakota (1989), Ram VTS (1996–2001), R/T Dakota, and SRT-10 (2004–2006). |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
Standard bed The standard bed is by far the most popular type of pickup truck bed. Compact truck beds are generally 5 ft (1.5 m) long, full-size beds are generally 6.5 ft (2.0 m) or 8 ft (2.4 m)long. These beds offer significant load-hauling versatility, but are not long enough to be difficult to drive or park. |
   |
Long bed The long bed is usually a foot or two longer than the standard bed and is more popular on trucks of primarily utilitarian employ (for example, commercial work trucks or farm trucks). Compact long beds are generally 7 ft (2.1 m) long and full-size long beds are generally 8 ft (2.4 m) long. Full-size long beds offer the advantage of carrying a standard-size 4 ft×8 ft sheet of plywood, drywall or other material typically produced in that size, with the tailgate closed. Full size long bed trucks also have the advantage of being the standard vehicle to haul a Truck camper. In the United States and Canada, long beds are not very popular on compact trucks because of the easy availability of full-size pickup trucks |
  |
Short bed As mentioned above, some compact four-door pickup trucks are equipped with Short beds or super short beds. They are usually based on sport utility vehicles, the bed is either attached behind the cab, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac and SsangYong Musso Sports is an example of this, or built into an integrated assembly such as the Chevrolet Avalanche. Early very short bed trucks had only a regular cab. |
  |
Step-side Most pickup truck beds have side panels positioned outside the wheel wells. Conversely, step-side truck beds have side panels inside the wheel wells. Pickup trucks were commonly equipped with step-side beds until the 1950s, when General Motors (Chevrolet Cameo Carrier and GMC Suburban Carrier) and Chrysler (Dodge Sweptside) introduced smooth-side pickup beds as expensive, low-production options. |
  |
In 2004, DemocraticSenate candidate Ken Salazar campaigned with his green pickup truck; Salazar later won the election. Even President George W. Bush was seen cruising around his Crawford, Texas ranch in a white Ford F-250 while vacationing, sometimes with foreign heads of state riding shotgun, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Texas is sometimes called the "land of pickup trucks", even charging lower taxes on pickup truck registration agricultural use only than on other types of vehicle registration.Indeed, Texans have 14% of the pickups in the U.S., and automakers sometimes offer special editions of their pickup trucks, |
 |
With names like "TEXAS EDITION" and "LONE STAR EDITION", more commonly known as the "Big Horn" in other states. Many parts of the Deep South states and rural Mountain West states also have significant pickup truck cultures, high registration of pickup trucks, as well as similar Texas tax cuts on pickups. |
  |
JapanBefore late 1990s, many pickup trucks were built in Japan and can be registered as private or commercial vehicle, and also had been exported to many countries. But in the 1990s, the popularity for the pickup trucks in Japanese Domestic Market has been decreased in favour of sport utility vehicles, and increasement of the taxes (such as chicken tax and excise duty) for the pickup trucks. Many manufacturers had to drop them from the lineup. |
  |
For example, the Nissan Frontier was dropped from Nissan's JDM lineup, with Mazda and Toyota subsequently dropped the Mazda B-Series and Toyota Hilux from their JDM lineup. The NOx law also prevent the trucks from being imported to Japan. The only mid-size truck offered in Japan is the Mitsubishi Triton, which classified as SUVs by the government.But the kei trucks are still popular there, and has not affected by the decline of the trucks. |
  |
Australia and New Zealand In Australia and New Zealand, the term 'Ute' (short for 'coupe utility') is most commonly used to describe a pickup truck. The Ute is considered an Australian / New Zealand icon since the coupé utility was originally invented there by Lewis Thornet Bandt. In 1933 and were first built by Ford Australia in Geelong and were based on their 1934 V-8 Coupe. |
 |
A prior patent application in 1929 by James Freeland Leacock describes a vehicle which some people claim to be the first "Ute' but it does not comply with the accepted definition of a "Ute" and was never built anyway. |
 |
Holden and Ford are the two most popular Ute makers in Australia and New Zealand, with their best selling models only sold in Australasia. Australasia also has a big market for muscle trucks (see above) with the AustralianHSV Maloo being the fastest currently in production. |
 |
Australians define a "ute" as any vehicle that has an open cargo carrying space, but requires only a passenger car license to drive. This includes coupé utilities, pickup trucks and traybacks (flatbed pickup trucks). An example of the broadness of this definition is that anything from a Ford F250 XL to a Proton Jumbuck can be called a ute. |
  |
Thailand
As the world's second largest manufacturer of pickup trucks, aided by punitive excise taxes on passenger cars, pickup trucks have long been extremely popular in Thailand: between 1987 and 1996, 58 percent of all cars sold in the country were pickup trucks. |
 |
During 2011, despite the industry suffering from earthquake and tsunami in Japan and later followed by widespread severe flooding in Thailand, Toyota was the top pickup truck seller, having sold 121,888 units of the Hilux Vigo, followed by the Isuzu D-Max with 113,884 units in second place and Mitsubishi Triton in third place with 40,523 units. |
 |
Europe The largest pickup market in Europe is Portugal, where crew cab 4WD pickups have somewhat replaced SUVs as offroad vehicles, after a change in taxation removed light commercial vehicle status from SUVs. |
|
The introduction of more powerful engines in pickups, benefiting from variable vane turbochargers and common raildirect injection technology, have made these cars interesting prospects in the eyes of the public, and mid size trucks, like Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi L200 and Toyota Hilux are the top sellers in the pick-up scene. |
 |
In the United Kingdom pickups are gaining popularity fast on a low level.Through 2006 pick up sales have increased by 14 percent to reach a total topping 36,000, where overall new car sales are down by 4.2 percent. |
 |
The biggest sellers in the UK are mid size trucks like the Nissan Navara and the Mitsubishi L200. These are often seen as a lifestyle statement associated with surfing or other extreme sports. |
 |
In other parts of Europe pickups are only used for light commercial use. These cars are mostly cab forward types based upon vans as the Volkswagen Bus.A rather small number of compact pickup trucks is also sold. The Mitsubishi L200 is the top seller of these in Germany, with less than 2000 units per year. |
 |
Additionally, a few manufacturers had made pickups based upon rather small cars like the Volkswagen Caddy, which is derived from the Volkswagen Golf I. The only example of this kind left today is the Dacia Logan Pickup. |
  |
South Africa In South Africa pickups are commonly called "bakkies" "bakkie": singular. This is derived from the diminutive of the Afrikaans term bak - literally a bowl. |
 |
Pickups are popular in South Africa, the Toyota Hilux has been the top selling vehicle in the country for decades. Other popular types are the Isuzu KB series, the Ford Ranger and the Mazda B-Series and lately the new Mazda BT-50. |
 |
Larger types such as the Land Rover and the Toyota Landcruiser are also popular for the serious 4x4 user. The large end of the market is represented only by the Ford F250 which is available in limited numbers as a specially imported model. |
 |
|
| Used Pick Up Trucks - The best and worst used pick-up trucks - Small used pick-ups, Mid-sized pick-ups | |
 |
|
||
|
||
|
| |
|||
|
|
|||
