Help! Do I need a truck?

[Veinot]

So we are a newly active family and the old car isn't cutting it. I am due for another vehicle and I want something that is more suited to the activities we do. But I just cannot seem to pick between SUV or truck.
I like the truck because I can throw stuff on the back and go, muddy, stinky, don't matter. But I question it's security of the gear and if I really need a truck more than 10% of the time.
SUV you can lock it all up and keep it out of the weather but most won't fit 4 bikes without a rack/carrier. They are generally more money and not more efficent in terms of fuel. Those that are better on fuel just don't have the size or capability, those that have the capability are trucks with a SUV body.
We camped a lot last year and found the car challenging to get everything in it and I had to leave the bikes and realy felt I, and the kids, missed out on some good trails.
Other considerations are all season and daily use, this will be the primary family chariot and will need to be relatively comfortable on long multi hour drives in all weather conditions but mainly snow (deep snow). I know hardware stores deliver but road side and private sellers don't usually.
I really am working on "What I would like to do" and not "What I do do" because I have neither and am basing this on all the times I feel I missed out not having a larger more capable vehicle. Usually this is when the road gets too rough but there are a few times I thought "If only that fit in my car" or "if only I could tow that".
What were the ultimate factors in your overland vehicle decision between truck and suv? Are there some things I maybe overlooking or not considering between the 2?

 

[M Rose]

Having done both, SUV and truck, each has its own pros and cons... I found truck was great fo 2-3 people, but the SUV rocked when my family grew. You can get several different types of bike racks to carry them to the trails, which you would need to do regardless of truck or SUV.
So it boils down to this... how much comfort room do you need for Family Daily Driving Duties, and how much cargo room do you need for weekend adventure? Personally it sounds like you need a 1/2 or larger Quad Cab with a short bed box. Bit I could be wrong.
Test drive several trucks and SUVs and take the whole family with you . Find out what the family likes and doesn’t like from each. Then make your best educated choice.

 

[grubworm]

this is a tough question and there are just so many variables. i have always had a pick up because they are so versatile. the wife and i camped out of the back of my tundra and did well using the totes in the back and the back seat for our clothes, etc. when we take the 2 boys, we just got better totes to keep our clothes dry and the kids had the back seat. we got a small offroad camp trailer and really love using it and extra gear went in the back of the truck. we recently bought a shell for the tundra and now i have more room and protection for gear AND the ability to sleep in the back and be dry and better protected than in a tent. also with having a bigger pick up, i can pull several trailers i have. my wife has a jeep sahara and it is just too small even for just me and her and it wont pull the trailers that the tundra can. my tundra is also my daily driver, so having the versatility for that is also really nice. i guess my set up would be pretty close to having a 4X4 surburban as far as space goes. if i needed to carry bikes, i would get a hitch mount carrier, but luckily i don't carry them and don't have to worry about moving them to get access to the tail gate and shell door every time i needed in there. there are no perfect solutions, but i try to stay versatile so i can accomodate as many needs as possible. good luck...not an easy decision to make!
i almost feel that the more info...the harder the decision

 

[Veinot]

I have been looking at Quad/SuperCrew/Crew Cab trucks with 5.5ft beds in the 1/4 to 1/2 ton range or their SUV counterparts for the most part, with 4 doors. Most trucks I have driven or drove in have been as if not more comfortable than my car so I don't think there will be worries there. As for cargo, cooler, tents and other camping gear, over night bags (Some larger than others...), the bikes, that is a general trip back home. Exploring around the province not much in terms of cargo but we do need some rugged capabilities. Future considerations may include a camper trailer or a possible dual sport. I can drive the dual sport around my province to trails but would rather transport it to further destinations. How often not too sure; right now it is "If I had a XYZ I would bring ABC" lol.
It seems to cut and dry... I don't know I guess I am a bit worried about a truck in a small city during daily usage.
As for bike racks I figured this with a truck... I don't like racks or carriers.

 

[TexasGMG]

I just sold my FJ Cruiser and went back to a truck. The FJ was a nice vehicle, just wasn't worth a diddly at hauling stuff. I can't justify a dedicated off road vehicle, it has to work for me during the week.
I bought an extended cab and keep my tools behind the seat in a storage box I built. It works fine for us, but there's just the two of us and the dog. Wife metioned getting a camper shell, but as as far as I'm concerned if I do that I'm right back where I was with the suv.

 

[Veinot]

I just sold my FJ Cruiser and went back to a truck. The FJ was a nice vehicle, just wasn't worth a diddly at hauling stuff. I can't justify a dedicated off road vehicle, it has to work for me during the week.
I bought an extended cab and keep my tools behind the seat in a storage box I built. It works fine for us, but there's just the two of us and the dog. Wife metioned getting a camper shell, but as as far as I'm concerned if I do that I'm right back where I was with the suv.

I hear you, may as well get a camper trailer because you will need a trailer anyway to get back the lost bed space of the cab over. Unless you don't need it, I guess it depends on what you take. My wife asked about a truck camper if we get a truck and I figured that just killed the biggest reason for having the truck. Excepts for 1 situation where we want to camp at our friends camp then a truck camper would be the only option for bringing a camper. You'd never get a trailer there. But! The puker factor for taking a cab over.... eeehh... So my response was if we go to her camp we are sleeping in a tent, or the truck bed.
The other reason why I don't like the cab over campers is once I get to the camp site if I have to go get something or if I justwant to explore I eaither have to take the cab over with me or dismount it.
As for the FJ, we really like them but I figured they would be much like owning a jeep, really good for that one thing, terrible for everything else.

 

[grubworm]

Wife metioned getting a camper shell, but as as far as I'm concerned if I do that I'm right back where I was with the suv.

yeah, i kept going back and forth getting a shell and the wife really liked the idea, so i did it. i like it, but she's 5'2" and 110 pounds...i have 10" on her and double the weight...not easy going over a tail gate thru a small opening and not get dinged up. i was worried about storage never once thinking about how i was going to get in and out of it with the tailgate up

 

[MidOH]

Crew cab trucks have made SUV's mostly obsolete around here. 5-6 seats is plenty for me.

And the 250+ trucks tow and haul so much nicer. More ground clearance, locker friendly axles, often cheaper as well.

If you go the slide in camper route, you have to be real careful about eliminating cargo. Every time I see a cabinet full of dishes in a camper, I want to dump it out. Travel trailers are huge and cake to tow. But you have to drop them at a campground, and they are nearly useless for non-camping travel.

 

[JCWages]

I have been looking at Quad/SuperCrew/Crew Cab trucks with 5.5ft beds in the 1/4 to 1/2 ton range or their SUV counterparts for the most part, with 4 doors. Most trucks I have driven or drove in have been as if not more comfortable than my car so I don't think there will be worries there. As for cargo, cooler, tents and other camping gear, over night bags (Some larger than others...), the bikes, that is a general trip back home. Exploring around the province not much in terms of cargo but we do need some rugged capabilities. Future considerations may include a camper trailer or a possible dual sport. I can drive the dual sport around my province to trails but would rather transport it to further destinations. How often not too sure; right now it is "If I had a XYZ I would bring ABC" lol.
It seems to cut and dry... I don't know I guess I am a bit worried about a truck in a small city during daily usage.
As for bike racks I figured this with a truck... I don't like racks or carriers.

Unfortunately hanging bikes over the tailgate kills 90%+ of your bed space. You really do need a rack of some sort if you're carrying more than 1 bike and camping gear. :)

My old long bed Canyon.

 

[Veinot]

Crew cab trucks have made SUV's mostly obsolete around here. 5-6 seats is plenty for me.

And the 250+ trucks tow and haul so much nicer. More ground clearance, locker friendly axles, often cheaper as well.

Cheaper is a big plus...

 

[Veinot]

My old long bed Canyon.

Thats a nice rig....

 

[SquishBang]

I went from a mid-size SUV to a FS 1/2t truck. I even considered going back to a FS SUV at one point. We also have small car daily drivers.

Here's my input pro-FS truck:

-I bought a Nissan Titan with seating for 6. We needed it because we have a boat and the boat capacity is also 6 people.
-When we bought a house that needed substantial work, the Titan proved it's worth in weight of gold. Dump runs, throw any crap in the bed, doesn't matter. Scratch it, dent it, who cares? It's a truck!
-Towing is excellent, back in the early 2000's many FS SUV's couldn't match the nearly 10K towing capacity of my truck (times have changed, F-150's have even higher tow capacities) and during our home refurb we towed mini-excavators, 4 yard dual axle dump trailers, so useful. In this case, even a 250/2500 may be better!
-With a canopy/camper shell, it is 95% a SUV.
-If using like an SUV, the benefit is that your cargo (and any smells) are separated from your cab.
-With a camper shell/canopy, we can boondock with it.
-It seems more durable than an SUV. Being that the "cargo area" is a truck bed, nothing you throw into it will risk hurting it or creating a smell that needs to be aired out.
-More simple 4x4, more simple in general, seems to last a long time. Over 10 years of abuse and as reliable as a Camry
-even a "shortbed" FS CC truck is still longer, and more usable space than most SUVs this side of Excursion or Suburban.

Pro-SUV: ummm.....
-easier to secure cargo?
-all SUVs seem to come with AWD. Many FS trucks don't have AWD option, and I can say my truck could use AWD as in 2WD it can be a handful in the rain. You can't use 4WD as a substitute for AWD. My previous SUV had "Auto AWD" and that was skookum!


I wouldn't buy a SUV now. I have considered the new Armada, they are plush! But, I just can't give up the utility of my FS truck. I love it. If I need to drove a "smaller" vehicle with better MPGs I have other cars. Having a 6 seat crew cab with a canopy I can't see the value in having an SUV.

BTW, I am biased because we bought a great truck with virtually no market value (paid only $22K cash when it was 18 mos old and 20K miles on it, original MSRP $44K) and we offset the "cons" of truck ownership by also owning small cars in conjunction with our big, gas-guzzling truck.

Had we opted for a Toyota, even Tacoma, the buy-in would have been much higher and may have been difficult to buy a "daily driver". At the time I bought my truck, a similar year Tacoma was more expensive than my Titan, as was a Tundra. Even a GM or Ford would have been more, and maybe I would have needed to use it as a "daily".

 

[Veinot]

Looking like not too many reasons to buy a SUV. I am keeping my car if I find the truck too much to run. I don't think I will though, I only have a 4km commute. I think I am fairly justified in getting a truck.

 

[JCWages]

I went from a mid-size SUV to a FS 1/2t truck. I even considered going back to a FS SUV at one point. We also have small car daily drivers.

Here's my input pro-FS truck:

-I bought a Nissan Titan with seating for 6. We needed it because we have a boat and the boat capacity is also 6 people.
-When we bought a house that needed substantial work, the Titan proved it's worth in weight of gold. Dump runs, throw any crap in the bed, doesn't matter. Scratch it, dent it, who cares? It's a truck!
-Towing is excellent, back in the early 2000's many FS SUV's couldn't match the nearly 10K towing capacity of my truck (times have changed, F-150's have even higher tow capacities) and during our home refurb we towed mini-excavators, 4 yard dual axle dump trailers, so useful. In this case, even a 250/2500 may be better!
-With a canopy/camper shell, it is 95% a SUV.
-If using like an SUV, the benefit is that your cargo (and any smells) are separated from your cab.
-With a camper shell/canopy, we can boondock with it.
-It seems more durable than an SUV. Being that the "cargo area" is a truck bed, nothing you throw into it will risk hurting it or creating a smell that needs to be aired out.
-More simple 4x4, more simple in general, seems to last a long time. Over 10 years of abuse and as reliable as a Camry
-even a "shortbed" FS CC truck is still longer, and more usable space than most SUVs this side of Excursion or Suburban.

Pro-SUV: ummm.....
-easier to secure cargo?
-all SUVs seem to come with AWD. Many FS trucks don't have AWD option, and I can say my truck could use AWD as in 2WD it can be a handful in the rain. You can't use 4WD as a substitute for AWD. My previous SUV had "Auto AWD" and that was skookum!


I wouldn't buy a SUV now. I have considered the new Armada, they are plush! But, I just can't give up the utility of my FS truck. I love it. If I need to drove a "smaller" vehicle with better MPGs I have other cars. Having a 6 seat crew cab with a canopy I can't see the value in having an SUV.

BTW, I am biased because we bought a great truck with virtually no market value (paid only $22K cash when it was 18 mos old and 20K miles on it, original MSRP $44K) and we offset the "cons" of truck ownership by also owning small cars in conjunction with our big, gas-guzzling truck.

Had we opted for a Toyota, even Tacoma, the buy-in would have been much higher and may have been difficult to buy a "daily driver". At the time I bought my truck, a similar year Tacoma was more expensive than my Titan, as was a Tundra. Even a GM or Ford would have been more, and maybe I would have needed to use it as a "daily".

I LOVE Auto4wd in my Canyon. Pretty sure the Silverado/Sierra have it to. It's extremely useful in slick conditions and 4wd isn't a good idea.

 

[grubworm]

-With a canopy/camper shell, it is 95% a SUV.
-If using like an SUV, the benefit is that your cargo (and any smells) are separated from your cab.
-With a camper shell/canopy, we can boondock with it.

thats exactly what got me to get a shell for the tundra and i have a cargo basket on it to haul even more stuff or things i don't want inside, like a small LP bottle.

 

[SquishBang]

thats exactly what got me to get a shell for the tundra and i have a cargo basket on it to haul even more stuff or things i don't want inside, like a small LP bottle.

View attachment 143474

I really like the cargo rack on camper idea!

 

[Veinot]

I didn't think those truck caps could hold much in weight.

 

[Anak]

Who says you have to choose?

I have two SUVs and two trucks: Jeep Cherokee (XJ), Suburban K2500, Chevy C2500 pickup and Dodge Cummins dually 4x4. Lots of options to play with.

I will say the Jeep Cherokee is my favorite. It goes the most places. I like it for everything from ease of finding a parking space to its ability to navigate more challenging trails. And since bicycles were mentioned, yes, it is the one I choose when taking the whole family's worth of bicycles (family of 5). I use both a hitch carrier and racks on top.

On the other hand, if we are going long distances with the whole family then the Suburban is the answer. Much more comfortable for the long haul.

But, if I really need to haul something, well, the dually is where it's at. I moved about 20K lbs of stone last month. It was nearly 300 cut stone blocks. That would not have been feasible with an SUV.

Trailers should not be ruled out however. A trailer opens up options for an SUV. And I have trailers. Don't ask The Bride about me and trailers. I think I have 8 of them... But I still would rather use a pickup than hook up a trailer and drag it around. Trailers are for when I need more capacity than the pickup will accommodate.

 

[SquishBang]

I didn't think those truck caps could hold much in weight.

Depends.
Many truck caps can be ordered pre-configured for roof racks, which will distribute the load.
My Leer 100XQ was ordered with Thule T-rails, which means the cap is load rated.
If you just bolt 4 mounting points to the average fiberglass cap, the load capacity can be as low as 150 pounds total.
When a cap is built with pre-installed rails, the rails distribute the load and the capacity can be much higher.
Some caps have extra fiberglass or internal bracing for even higher loads.
You'll see many overlanders who install a RTT onto a fiberglass cap, which would be subject to very high loads.
But, you need to get a cap that is rated.

 

[Veinot]

Depends...
...But, you need to get a cap that is rated.

I bet they are pricy though; something to consider, should Google a few to see what I am in for.