Small pickup nostalgia and why they are gone

Macro-economics -->

Low oil prices, low tax rates, low inflation, a BOOMING economy, and rising American prosperity in the 1980's-1990's resulted in the demise of the small 2 door pick up.

On an aggregate level, the consumer demand for re-designed, better quality, full-sized F-150s blew away the demand for small Datsuns and Mazdas and the like. SUVs then appeared and GMC Suburbans and Ford Explorers and Dodge Durangos captured huge market share.

Fuel mileage and fuel economy were secondary, if not tertiary, decision criteria.

It's not that complicated.
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Well, that sucks.

Here's just a sample of other American influences: (Humor intended)

Ego induced
One-up, mentality
I'm gonna do what I want, mentality
Alpha male enhancer
How many add-ons can I put on this behemoth?

Don't ask me where I got these examples from...lol

EDIT: Capitalism

 

Daily drivers, the S10 turns 25 this summer. The Tacoma turns 2.

 

The video's explain this especially the 2nd.

 

Because we got fat lol ….

 

I’d kill for that 82 Toyota pickup!
Had one when I was young.
Back then we had no cell phones wouldn’t be my daily for sure.
Pleased with my 3rd gen for a daily definitely small trucks have gotten bigger and lots more tech. But the older trucks were built like a brick shit house!!!

 

Another influence has been the availability of long duration loans. Those smaller trucks were popular when a standard auto loan was 36 months.

 

And... rode and drove like such... (Pre-independent suspension).

 

Consumers also forget its not just trucks that have grown. Every few years manufacturers will release a new subcompact model because the model above also grew in size and weight.

Today's Civic is about the same size and definitely heavier than my 87 Accord which was roughly 2700 lbs and struggled uphill when loaded down with 3 of my buddies.

 

how many miles on that S10?

 

I remember shopping Tercels/Sentras/Civics/323s back in the ‘90s. They were all competing in the $9,999.99 category back then. No AC, rolling windows and no cruise at that price point. When you do the inflation numbers, you realize that basic transportation is still pretty cheap. In fact, the inflation adjusted prices haven’t changed at all and the cars are so much better it’s incredible. An SR5 V6 4x4 was $22k back then, or about $44k now, and half the standard equipment we expect hadn’t even been invented yet. At the top end, prices are insane, but it’s not much more than inflation adjustment for something down the trim level.

It would be cool if they made a 2WD 4cyl no-AC/cruise/power steering/power windows Tacoma with an am-fm radio for $20k but I wouldn’t buy one, and most people in this conversation wouldn’t either.

 

Car buyers these days are in a perpetual arms race because they want to see both over and around the vehicle that they are tailgating.

"drop back a few car lengths so I can safely see to pass? That's unpossible!"

 

yes they did but back then I didn’t care.
Our tacomas now ride nothing like those with independent rear suspension.
I still don’t care

 

230k, original engine and transmission.



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it looks exceptional for a northern Michigan truck!

 

~10 years prior when a Full size, fairly equipped, 4x4 pickup went north of 10 grand a lot of people were screaming they'd Never ever, pay that for a pickup...

 

My 98 Mazda B2500 2wd 5 speed cost about $11.5k, with A/C and a bedliner. Nothing else, not even a radio. Put in a nice Blaupunkt radio and some speakers. It was a great little truck, just what I needed at the time. With 4 snow tires and a couple hundred pounds of sand in the bed it was a blast in the snow.
That truck would be about $22.5k today accounting for inflation.

A base FWD Maverick is about $23.5k. The Mazda had a bigger bed, the Maverick carries 4 people and has more features and a much nicer interior.

What this means, who knows, but the price point is close enough.

If Toyota does a Stout in this price range I think they could sell a bunch of them.

 

a single cab Stout?

 

That would be cool, but I doubt we'll see that.