the numbers! Combined, there were 1,278,941 pickup trucks sold in the United States during the first half of 2016, and nearly all makes showed positive growth. In comparison, 1,111,344 midsize sedans were purchased over the same period, while showing an overall downward trend. There may be just one other automotive market segment with sales numbers that challenge trucks: the compact crossover segment. These lifted AWD wagon-looking things are the craze in recent years.
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
I immigrated to the United States from Russia in 1992 and came straight to Colorado. This is the land of opportunity and freedom. There are very few countries in the world where any person can go from nothing to a self-made succes s story. The United States is the best environment for promoting innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit. All it takes for success is hard work.
My American Dream is here and it’s still evolving, and pickup trucks are at the center of it all. I began towing trailers and truckin’ as a regular consumer in the early 2000s. Now, trucks are my life, and what a great life it is!
Andre Smirnov and Mr.Truck (Kent Sundling)
So why do pickup trucks kick ass? Why are they so popular? Why are we so crazy nuts about them? Here are the top five reasons why trucks rule!
5.
Tax Benefits
This is perhaps the least understood of all the reasons. It applies to vehicles that are used for business purposes. Vehicles with Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 6,000 pounds and less than 14,000 pounds are eligible for the largest tax deduction in accordance with Section 179 (Note: details available here:
http://www.section179.org/section_179_vehicle_deductions.html).
There is a requirement that the miles driven in the vehicle for business purposes constitute at least 50 percent of all miles. Commuting to work does not qualify as business use. Guess what? All Class 1 (half-ton), Class 2 (three-quarter ton), and Class 3 (one-ton) pickup trucks are within this weight range and qualify for a tax deduction. Cargo vans and some shuttle/passenger vans also qualify for this. This can even be attributed to used trucks, but at a lesser deduction. Unfortunately, midsize pickup trucks such as the Toyota Tacoma and the Chevrolet Colorado do not qualify for the maximum deduction.
Please consult with your tax attorney or CPA for specific details on how this may apply to your case.
GVWR is the maximum weight your truck is rated to carry (without a trailer in tow). This is the empty curb weight of your truck plus all the people and cargo in it. The GVWR rating for your specific truck can be found on a card that is mounted inside the driver’s door jam.
4.
Off-Road Capability
Pickup trucks may not be the ultimate off-road vehicles in the world. This title goes to the body-on-frame SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz G-wagon, Jeep Wrangler, and Land Rover Defender. However, pickup trucks are no slouches when it comes time to leave pavement and explore the world.
These trucks are adorned with well-known and respected off-road designations: Nissan PRO-4X, Toyota TRD Pro, Ram Rebel, Ram Power Wagon, GMC All Terrain, Chevrolet Z71, Ford FX4, and the Ford Raptor.
All pickups can be equipped with specific off-road hardware for tackling serious terrain. This includes underbody skid plates, differential lockers, two-speed 4x4 transfer cases, ample ground clearance, off-road biased tires, and sophisticated terrain management systems that adjust traction control, antilock brakes, and other systems for optimal off-road performance.
In fact, the 2016 Ram Power Wagon is equipped with electrically locking front and rear axles, a disconnectable front sway bar that allows for greater axle articulation, skid plates, beefy Goodyear Wrangler tires, and a factory-installed winch up front. No wonder it won TFLtruck’s 2016 Gold Hitch: Best Off-Road Truck Award. More on this in a later Chapter.
3.
Manufacturer Rebates
The automotive world is highly competitive, but the pickup truck segment is even more so due to closely matched products and an overwhelming variety of options. Pickup trucks have a large profit margin baked in from the start. Truck manufacturers often dip into the profit margin with sizable rebates on new trucks in order to gain a competitive advantage. The consumer is the winner. Enough said.
2.
Great Value
You get a lot more metal for your hard-earned dollar. A truck can perform many functions. It’s a Swiss Army knife in your toolbox of life. You could be a one vehicle household if you owned a pickup, but it will be difficult to complete all your projects and activities if you only own a sedan. You can enjoy the benefits of an open bed to carry bulky items, a large cab to carry your favorite people, a robust 4-wheel drive system for rough weather or off-road adventures, and a towing capacity to move some heavy trailers. You get an awful lot for your money with a truck.
1.
‘Merica
How do you define the American Dream? It is a land of opportunity and freedom. All you have to do is go out there and grab your piece of the dream. Take it by the horns, wrestle it down, and reap the rewards of your hard work. And what better way to do it than in a pickup truck?
Most small, medium, and large businesses own pickup trucks in their fleets. Most contractors and do-it-yourselfers use pickups to get the job done. If there is an opportunity out there, the pickup will help you seize it. Trucks don’t have to be used for work.
Those who work hard play even harder. The pickup is once again there to assist. Whether it’s getting out of a neighborhood after a major snow storm to go skiing, helping a friend move, traveling to a remote location for a weekend of camping, towing a fishing
boat to the lake, or having a fun tailgate party, a pickup truck is your friend.
Trucks will even handle extreme or unusual circumstances: delivering supplies to a flood-stricken area, helping take people to safety after a natural disaster or a man-made crisis. Pickups are very proficient at carrying people and/or cargo, and trucks are getting ever better at their task.
M923 Military 6x6 5-ton Truck
Crew cab trucks are the most popular kind of pickups sold. They serve as a family hauler and a job-site worker all in one. They offer the ability to transport five people (six people in some cases), and there is a truck bed behind to carry any cargo or whatever junk you choose.
Mr. Truck: Whoa Andre! Easy there! It’s much simpler than that. Truck owners don’t take orders. We are our own bosses! If our trucks cannot do something today, we will modify them to get the job done tomorrow. It is the essence of the independent and free American spirit. You cannot put
