Midsize pick-up or….

It has been a few weeks and who doesn’t like a good “what vehicle should I buy” thread!

Hoping I had more time, but my daily driver needs replacing. Currently have a Exploder V6 4.0 (body on frame). Daily commute is 35 miles of county roads roundtrip. Boat is a 16.5′ deep V, let’s say 2,100lbs. Lot of local trips with a few longer trips each year to the north woods. I don’t tow anything else. Hauling ice fishing gear and summer camping gear is a big consideration, an SUV has its pro’s and con’s for this.. my middle seats seem to stay folded down all winter due to the ice gear. Usually walking until safe to drive or plowed roads. Some grouse hunting and driving back woods roads up north. No kids, just some dogs.

Shopping used and want to stay at $30k or less, $20k would be great LOL. I could stick with an SUV, but seems the options I like are limited these days, Grand Cherokee and the expensive$ 4 Runner stick out the most to me. I always told myself my next vehicle was going to be a pick-up and that’s what I’ve been primarily looking at lately.

Here’s the catch- I got one of those genius 3 stall garages that is only 20’ deep minus drywall. Others in the neighborhood park their full-size pickups outside year-round, some say select models fit if you hit the drywall each time you park, yikes. Maybe I could angle it into the third stall on bad winter days, but daily that would be a pain backing out with the wifes suv next to it. After this last winter that does not sound fun, which has me looking at mid-size pickups. Mostly looking at the Colorado, Canyon, Tacoma (again $$) with the hard to find “crew cab” 6’ bed option. The standard 5’ bed I doubt would work well with ice fishing, other gear, yard work stuff etc, my hub shack is 6’ long collapsed.

Anyone running one of these and care to share their real-world, IDO experience? If I bit the bullet of parking outside year round I’d favor a f150 Crew cab 5.5’ box. Plenty in the $20-25k range. Anyone else sacrificing the pleasure of parking inside the garage they paid for, for a full size? Looking past all the heckling I would get from friends; I feel a mid-size could fit my needs. Appreciate any advice… I probably need a ¾ ton lifted RAM long bed huh?

We only have a 2 stall garage and my wife has to park outside in the summer when the boat is in the other side. A colorado or canyon would be a good choice and the price point should be where you want to be. They did just completely redesign it for 2023 and they are a little bit bigger. I dont personally own one I have a full size Sierra.

If your confident in who you are, I’d look at a Honda Ridgeline. Sure they are ugly, and nearly everyone that isn’t a Vegan in Birkenstocks likes to make fun of them, but they run forever and can be found relatively affordable. If you go full size, get a 6.5′ bed, you’re parking outside anyway may as well have a more usable bed. FWIW my Ram Crew Cab w/ a 6.5′ bed barely fits in our 23′ garage.

CaptainMusky wrote:

We only have a 2 stall garage and my wife has to park outside in the summer when the boat is in the other side. A colorado or canyon would be a good choice and the price point should be where you want to be. They did just completely redesign it for 2023 and they are a little bit bigger. I dont personally own one I have a full size Sierra.

We keep the boat on the side of the driveway in the summer. 3rd stall has a work bench, mower, snowblower etc. I don’t mind parking outside most of the year if needed, winters annoying.

10klakes wrote:

Here’s the catch- I got one of those genius 3 stall garages that is only 20’ deep minus drywall.

10klakes wrote:

Anyone running one of these and care to share their real-world, IDO experience?

My third garage stall is also recessed and is shorter than my main 2-stall garage. My boat sits in the 2nd stall all year, and my wife demands that she gets to park in the first spot of the main stall, so I get the third stall, which will not fit a full size truck. I had an F-150 and it would not fit.

I traded it in last August for a Ford Ranger Supercab with trailer towing package. So far, so good. The max towing capacity is 7500 pounds. It drives like a scaled down F-150. Obviously I would have kept my F-150 if it had fit in the 3rd garage stall. All the other houses in my neighborhood are exactly like this, with the third stall being recessed. Its stupid.

I have a 17.5 foot aluminum boat that I tow with my Ranger. No issues. My boat/trailer weighs about 3000-3500 pounds with gear. I can haul 4 full size adults in it with the supercab version and I get 21-24 mpg depending on the situation. Milage does decrease when towing, but not by much, as my boat/trailer is not super heavy.

I think you would be perfectly fine with a Ranger, Canyon, Colorado, Tacoma, etc with that size boat. I would just make sure of length specs of the truck before hand so it fits in your garage. My Ranger only has a 5 foot box though. I could put the tail gate down and use straps if I needed more length. In your case for ice fishing space, you could do the same, although not ideal.

One item that I do not care for when I downsized is the size of the fuel tank. Full size trucks have much bigger tanks, whereas the mid-size trucks have smaller ones. The increase in mileage makes up for it, but I wish the Ranger had a bigger fuel tank.

When I was getting an oil change last month, the Ford salesman told me there is a 4 month waiting list for a Ranger right now. They have half a lot full of F-150’s they can’t sell, but can’t get any Rangers for months out.

Gim would your wifes vehicle fit in the third stall? If so tell her to pound sand and you get a real truck LOL

Have the same garage as you and have a 2015 Colorado. I have had nothing but good things to say about it. I would buy another one if I could afford it right now – I liked the 2015 re-design but the new ones are even cooler. Would have no problem pulling your boat.

90% of full size trucks on the road are grocery getters or something used for “towing” a utility trailer or boat that is 16′ long and weighs a couple thousand pounds. They do handle 2″ of slush on the suburban treated roads like mad though! It hurts peoples’ ego to admit it, but it is often the truth.

I think you are in the right mindset searching for something that works for you. I personally could never get over how ugly the Honda Ridgeline is, but as mentioned they get solid reviews and are deemed very reliable. The new Ford Ranger seems to be well-liked by the 2 older gentlemen I know locally who have one. My wife loves her Jeep Grand Cherokee but they do NOT have nearly the space some would think they do…hence why she’s looking for something else. You’d be hard pressed to even get ice gear in one with the back seats folded down. The Tacoma is well-liked and gets great reviews but they come with a similar price tag to a half-ton truck.

We have an attached 3 car garage at the new build, and even with a 27′ deep double stall and 25′ deep third stall I am angered that I didn’t go larger. The wife didn’t want the house to appear to be “all garage” though, so this was as far as I went with the draftsman. With what people spend on boats nowadays, a viable storage option is becoming more of a necessity. One of my best friends lives in the TC suburbs with a nice starter home, 2 car garage, and his 19′ $65k boat sitting outside in the driveway. That’d be a no-go for me spending that kind of $$$.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Gim would your wifes vehicle fit in the third stall? If so tell her to pound sand and you get a real truck LOL

It does fit, but I risk sleeping in the dog house if I go that route.

buckybadger wrote:

One of my best friends lives in the TC suburbs with a nice starter home, 2 car garage, and his 19′ $65k boat sitting outside in the driveway. That’d be a no-go for me spending that kind of $$$.

That would be a no-go for me too. Way too nice of a boat to sit outside.

BigWerm wrote:

If your confident in who you are, I’d look at a Honda Ridgeline. Sure they are ugly, and nearly everyone that isn’t a Vegan in Birkenstocks likes to make fun of them, but they run forever and can be found relatively affordable.

I was in a similar spot a few months ago and landed on a ridgeline. I am very confident in who I am and at least if anyone sees me parked at a wma they will think im some bird watcher the price of used is high on them though. Plus used car interest rates are high as well. It might be worth considering new since they are offering some decent rates through honda. I havnt towed much with it yet but 2100 lbs should be 0 issue.

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CaptainMusky wrote:</div>
Gim would your wifes vehicle fit in the third stall? If so tell her to pound sand and you get a real truck LOL

It does fit, but I risk sleeping in the dog house if I go that route

Just tell her she could use the extra exercise in her old age. Probably get the whole garage to yourself after

Onthewater wrote:

It does fit, but I risk sleeping in the dog house if I go that route

Just tell her she could use the extra exercise in her old age. Probably get the whole garage to yourself after
Not only would he be in the doghouse, but he’d have 2 black eyes!

BigWerm wrote:

If your confident in who you are, I’d look at a Honda Ridgeline. Sure they are ugly, and nearly everyone that isn’t a Vegan in Birkenstocks likes to make fun of them,

I’m in a similar situation. I’m going to make my current auto last till next spring, then its time for a new one. I’m going to look really hard at both the Chevy Colorado ( Yep a lifetime ford owner said that ) and the Ford Ranger. To me they both look great and the reviews on both seem fairly good. I really like the look and style of both. I do like the fact that the Chevy has a slightly bigger engine ( 2.7L turbo VS the 2.3L turbo ) It also has 40 more HP and 80 more Ft. Lbs. of Torque. All while having almost the same gas millage ratings. To me both look like they will serve my purpose well.

In the market also but going Tahoe. They have been perfect for all the outdoor activities I do. I do not really haul anything needed for truck bed. Bow hunt trips to NE public land fit two guys with all gear tree stands and coolers added hitch haul if needed.

All ice gear inside. Fit’s my double car garage never an issue with pulling the boat.

Hoyt4 wrote:

In the market also but going Tahoe. They have been perfect for all the outdoor activities I do. I do not really haul anything needed for truck bed. Bow hunt trips to NE public land fit two guys with all gear tree stands and coolers added hitch haul if needed.

All ice gear inside. Fit’s my double car garage never an issue with pulling the boat.

We have a beautiful fully loaded Tahoe hitting the market soon if your looking used low millage

Things likely have changed with newer models but I had a 2005 Ranger with the 4.0L and almost identical mpg as my Ram 1500 with the 5.7L. Doesn’t sound like mpg is your first concern but it annoyed me when driving a “small” pickup and flipping the same gas bill as a full size

CaptainMusky wrote:

Not only would he be in the doghouse, but he’d have 2 black eyes!

Haha, probably not far from the truth.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Gim would your wifes vehicle fit in the third stall? If so tell her to pound sand and you get a real truck LOL

funny how the goal posts of what is considered a “real truck” have changed over the years. When looking at the new Rangers compared to my first truck, a 1995 F150, the Ranger has more HP and torque, has a larger wheelbase, gets better MPG, and is light years ahead in terms of creature comforts.

The current models of rangers/tacomas/colorado/canyon/etc are better than what 1/2 tons used to be. The Rangers/Tacomas/etc are more than adequate for a lot of people.

As previously mentioned in this thread, the majority of 1/2 tons these days are glorified grocery getters.

Nodakk wrote:

Things likely have changed with newer models but I had a 2005 Ranger with the 4.0L and almost identical mpg as my Ram 1500 with the 5.7L. Doesn’t sound like mpg is your first concern but it annoyed me when driving a “small” pickup and flipping the same gas bill as a full size

Ya I have never understood why those smaller sized trucks do not get better mileage than they do. My old ranger got about the same mileage that my current F-150 does. The new ones are not muck better. The 2.7L turbo Colorado is listed at 20 Cith, 25 Hwy. and 21 Combined. The 2.3 L Ranger is about the exact same.

Gitchi Gummi wrote:

As previously mentioned in this thread, the majority of 1/2 tons these days are glorified grocery getters.

Name any SUV or Truck that isnt? The most offroad that jeeps ever see is backing over the flower garden when backing out of the driveway.

fishthumper wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Nodakk wrote:</div>
Things likely have changed with newer models but I had a 2005 Ranger with the 4.0L and almost identical mpg as my Ram 1500 with the 5.7L. Doesn’t sound like mpg is your first concern but it annoyed me when driving a “small” pickup and flipping the same gas bill as a full size

Ya I have never understood why those smaller sized trucks do not get better mileage than they do. My old ranger got about the same mileage that my current F-150 does. The new ones are not muck better. The 2.7L turbo Colorado is listed at 20 Cith, 25 Hwy. and 21 Combined. The 2.3 L Ranger is about the exact same.

And I get 18-22mpg out of my Ram 1500

buckybadger wrote:

his 19′ $65k boat sitting outside in the driveway. That’d be a no-go for me spending that kind of $$$.

Oof, I couldn’t do that either. My boat sits out in the summer but it was only $11k, which was a steal.

ThunderLund78 wrote:

Have the same garage as you and have a 2015 Colorado. I have had nothing but good things to say about it. I would buy another one if I could afford it right now – I liked the 2015 re-design but the new ones are even cooler. Would have no problem pulling your boat.

Awesome. Do you ice fish at all, if which bed do you have and how is it?

CaptainMusky wrote:

Name any SUV or Truck that isnt? The most offroad that jeeps ever see is backing over the flower garden when backing out of the driveway.

I’m not sure what your point is. My point was that today’s “ranger” size trucks are more than adequate in terms of what a 1/2 ton has historically been able to do unless you’re in the minority where you need additional towing and hauling capacity above what the “ranger” size trucks can reasonably provide. At the same time, they get a lot of flack for not being a “full size” truck (ie your post above).

fishthumper wrote:

I’m in a similar situation. I’m going to make my current auto last till next spring, then its time for a new one. I’m going to look really hard at both the Chevy Colorado ( Yep a lifetime ford owner said that ) and the Ford Ranger. To me they both look great and the reviews on both seem fairly good. I really like the look and style of both. I do like the fact that the Chevy has a slightly bigger engine ( 2.7L turbo VS the 2.3L turbo ) It also has 40 more HP and 80 more Ft. Lbs. of Torque. All while having almost the same gas millage ratings. To me both look like they will serve my purpose well.

Thanks everyone for the insight.
Gim, fishthumper- The Colorados I’ve been looking at have the v6 3.7L. The new rangers and colorados look BA. Check out the 2024 tacoma photos that got leaked yesterday! Wow.
With the rangers not being released until 2019, used stock is very limited.

It’s not your Fathers Maverick,,,,,

HRG

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I have a 2017 Colorado and it pulls my 18.5 Alumacraft no problem, doesn’t even feel jerky. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one again except my kids are in their teens and it’s tough to haul more than 3 others around

Ive had mid sized trucks, SUVs and full size trucks. All of them met my needs which included hauling a 17.5 3k fishing boat. Currently have a full size but thats primarily because I have a wife, 3 boys and 2 dogs. Once the family is grown and it might be time for something new I would definitely look at a midsized again but of the gas mileage is the same, as is often the case, may as well go bigger