Long-bed vs Short-bed

We have a farmer that comes in that uses old minivans for farm trucks. Buys them cheap (because they don't hold their value at all) takes the back seats out and has a huge very accessible cargo area that keeps his buckets of oil and sacks of feed/seed dry. Runs them into the ground 5-10 years and then gets another one for a couple grand. Doesn't tow anything (has a old pickup for that) but he uses his old Caravan harder than most guys use their 3/4 ton trucks.

 

I hauled quite a bit of sheetrock in the utility trailer. I hauled some 16ft trim by having it go through the camper shell, through the sliding glass and into the cab.

 

In most parts of the world - Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe - the double-cab short bed pickup, whether Hilux, Ranger, Nissan or Mitsubishi, is the most common pickup and usually a work truck. In my experience, unless you have a very specific need, like hauling a bike or sleeping in the bed, a full bed is always too small and an empty bed is too big.

 

Long bed, need the extra room when I go to camp and carry stuff. Wish here in Canada we had the offroad with long bed as it's not available I had to purchase a sport model.

 

Sometimes I just dont want to hook up...LOL

 

DCLB - Dogs head out the back window, able to sleep in the back with my girlfriend and fits 6' cab over camper without tailgate down. I don't park in parking garages (too tall with the box on top), don't want to off-road aggressively with a 35k truck and have no judgment of anyone else's choice.

 

DCSB here. I wanted a manual and I personally think the long bed looks goofy so two birds.

I do get a kick out of those that say a SB isn't a "real truck". So you say that but think the LB is?

For "real truck" stuff I use a '16 long bed duramax so the long bed tacoma being more of a manly real truck than the short bed is pretty funny.

 

This is the exact twin to my truck. Access Cab is the best unless you need to haul more than 2 adults often, but I fit in the back seat of my AC just fine and I'm 6' and 210lbs. With the AC you get more bed space, more towing capacity and same wheel base as DCSB so it's just as maneuverable on the trails.

 

Reasons for the SB:
1. I don't plan on hauling much, and if I did I sure wouldn't have bought a mid-size "long bed" pickup. I would have been looking at full size trucks that can actually haul things with actual long beds.
2. I plan on going off road and a longer truck is not what I needed.
3. A long bed Tacoma looks like a flattened Dodge Ram from the side.

 

I use my Tacoma as a truck all the time and it works great, I haul lumber, building materials etc. All the time. It's definitely a truck being used as a truck, and I get much better gas mileage compared to the full size guys.

 

I dunno, I’m sorry but those long beds just don’t make it for me.

 

Put a topper on it and paint it black and-- WALLA! -- you have a hearse!

 

Or you buy a proper Commercial grade truck like an International Durastar or Freightliner M2 with a DT466 or Cummins ISB with an Eaton Fuller 6+1 MT if you're a very manly man indeed.

 

I’m not saying you “can’t”, but dudes on here act like because they bought a 6 ft box, 1/4 ton truck they got the big dick heavy duty diesel with a 30k pound towing capacity and haul trains...when really it’s just an extra foot of bed lol. As for the better fuel mileage, I have times that I get Chevy big block mpg out of my 1/4 ton 6 cyl Tacoma just driving it to work. At best, I get just a touch better than half ton truck fuel mileage. I also use my truck to haul stuff, but it’s not a full size real truck lol. I’ve heard them referred to as “ikea furniture haulers” and I think that fits them 100%

 

I didn't have a choice. As much as I really wanted a long bed, I absolutely will not drive an automatic. Unfortunately for me, Toyota only offered the manual transmission in the short bed. At least according to their web site "build your truck" when I was looking in late 2016 / early 2017.

 

But a 6 foot bed is so huge and it can haul all of their plywood and dry wall.

 

Exactly lol

 

This thread is turning into a penis length contest in the middle school gym locker room.

The Toyota Tacoma bed lengths are nothing to brag about.
Neither one are able to haul/carry anything anywhere close to what a full sized 8 foot bed can haul/carry.
So, it's really silly to even compare them.

 

IKEA furniture haulers... spot on.

I don’t see this truck through anything but my own perspective, to me it’s an on/off highway utility vehicle. That’s where it’s charm is to me, and it’s how I use it and why I bought it. So when I look at other peoples trucks and justifications, Its just not where I’m coming from, but I’m glad they are able to own a Tacoma. Someone here once said (paraphrasing) “yeah, well, I had a family, and this is the only way I get to enjoy a Tacoma, otherwise it would have to be an SUV.” And I though fuckin A Bro. I would have done the same thing, bought a double cab.

But I DIDNT have a family... I didn’t make life choices that cause me to kneel before the throne (wife and kids), so with a smirk I stand by my good natured ribbing about minivans. Honestly, I’m just glad you’re all in tacomas and not some fuck ass Chevy.

And the best config for ME is the short AND long. Long bed. 2 doors. DCLB is so fucking long it doesn’t even make sense. DCSB????? Shoulda just got a Subaru...



Also these are the writings of a real man. You don’t know me but you’ll just have to take my word for it. I’m not gonna lie on the internet.


Also I’m cool with not owning a “real truck” if that’s the case. Doesn’t bother me at all. My specific model is purpose suited to me. Coworker in a big ass DERGETRUK mentioned that on occasion, I just remind him that while he can tow 30 cows (that’s nice and all) his truck is just a giant fucking potato on the trails. So he can keep his real truck.

 

Maybe the guys with the long beds just have bigger stuff to put in them...