New Ford Maverick mini truck

[Rick Potter]

I have pretty much decided to get the new Maverick mini truck, but I will wait until they bring out a plug in hybrid version. One thing that has bothered me is that it is assembled in Mexico, but if that is the only place making one, so be it. Yes I am aware of the Hyundai, but the bed is less usable for me.

What really finalized it was today at Costco. They had two new cars on display at the entrance. The first was a Mercedes sedan, a 300 something for well over 50K. I looked at the sticker and found it was made with a combination of Polish and German parts, and assembled in South Africa.

Next to it was a Volvo Polestar (the electric one) for well over 60K. Now I know Volvo was bought out by a Chinese Company a few years ago, but it still surprised me that it was comprised of mostly Chinese parts and assembled in Belgium. No mention of anything Swedish was on the sticker, which was behind highly tinted glass, and hard to see.

Suddenly Mexico is sounding more acceptable to me.

[Curt Harms]

As far as I'm concerned far better Mexico than the Far East. It doesn't look like there's a 4 wheel drive version though and 4 1/2 foot bed? I'd still have to rent a real pickup to haul lumber, or have a trailer but no place to keep one.

[Brian Elfert]

You're going to find it pretty difficult to find a new vehicle these days that doesn't have Chinese parts in it.

There is an all wheel drive version of the Maverick, but you have to get the optional Ecoboost engine instead of the hybrid.

[Stan Calow]

I was happy to hear that I would have two choices in new mini-pickups soon. I dislike the ongoing trend for pickups to get bigger and bigger each year. Even the new Ford Ranger is too big to fit comfortably in my garage. I fondly remember the days of the old Datsun mini-truck and the Chevy LUV, which were right-sized for homeowners, not working trucks.

I was car-shopping a few years ago, and every Ford I looked at (including the Mustang and Escape) was either made in Mexico or had significant Chinese parts (motor and/or transmission). Assembling cars & trucks in Mexico is how the "US" automakers get to keep referring to their vehicles as "Made in North America". They count on most Americans to not figure out Mexico is in North America. Researching at the time, I found out the vehicles with the mot US parts and assembly, were, in order: Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, and Honda Ridgeline.

Lets hope the chip shortage gets resolved.

[Bill Dufour]

My 2000 Ford ranger much of it was made in Mexico The seats, the dash wiring. The steel wheels came from Brazil. The automatic transmission has been from a French company built in France since the 90's.
The "new"ranger, actually a ten year old model, is 80-90% the size of a f150.
Bill D

[Lee DeRaud]

Hopefully the Maverick truck is a (much) better truck than the Maverick car was a car.
Same design team as the Pinto, as I recall...that's a bug, not a feature. :)

[Tom M King]

I replaced a front hub on my truck. I got the cheapest, Chinese one first. It lasted a couple of weeks before it started making noise. I returned that one, and upgraded to the Mexican one. No trouble with that one for a couple of years, so far.

[Jim Becker]

Hopefully the Maverick truck is a (much) better truck than the Maverick car was a car.
Same design team as the Pinto, as I recall...that's a bug, not a feature. :)

LOL....I'm laughing because that was my exact reaction when they originally announced the news about this new vehicle. Now my first spouse's grandfather owned a Maverick...with a V8 in it it seems. Nasty vehicle...


That said, this smaller truck could "scratch an itch" in the marketplace as it's been sometime since there were decent offers for small, functional pickup trucks and that was back in the days when an "import" was actually an import. Some of those older ones are still used on the large farms around here, sans license/registration as they are not on the roads at all.

[Frank Pratt]

I guess Ford is banking that most of the people that remember the original Maverick are dead.

[Tom M King]

Was it the Maverick that they put a 427 in? A guy that lives on the lake near us has a Mercury version (edited to add: Comet )of that Maverick that he takes to shows. Seeing a lot of old cars on the road makes me smile. This one just :rolleyes:

[Aaron Rosenthal]

My understanding is that Ford has changed it's focus: they no longer make cars to serve markets and are prepared to loose money. Instead, the "new" CEO convince the Ford family to forego breadth of markets, and instead look at profits.
The Maverick was not a good car, but aside from the name would you think its a return to the same vehicle? "Everything old is new again".
I'd also like to take a real close look at the Maverick if for no reason even my 2004 Mazda B3000 is larger than I need.

[Jim Becker]

Was it the Maverick that they put a 427 in? A guy that lives on the lake near us has a Mercury version (edited to add: Comet )of that Maverick that he takes to shows. Seeing a lot of old cars on the road makes me smile. This one just :rolleyes:
I think so...as I noted above, my first spouse's grandfather had a Maverick with a V8 in it.

[Myk Rian]

Hopefully the Maverick truck is a (much) better truck than the Maverick car was a car.
Same design team as the Pinto, as I recall...that's a bug, not a feature. :)
I worked at the Dearborn Ford Rouge plant for 35 years. One of our shop vehicles was a Maverick. We beat the living crap out of the thing.
Over rail lines throughout the 2,000 acres of the Rouge , and up to 6 men smashed inside, with tools, lunches, parts.
The suspension was totally destroyed in under 6 months. Fenders and doors all bashed up. It looked like it was parked next door in Detroit.

They bought us an econoline van.

I owned 3 '71 Pintos. Those 2000cm motors were terrific. They're still used for hot rods and such. I had my first one up to 120 going to work on I- 94 one time. It was still pulling but I was getting closer to traffic.

The problem with the Pinto wasn't so much the fuel tank, but after 150k or so miles, the unibody can start breaking off at the firewall. That's the front fenders, frame, engine and steering.
They were fun to drive.

[Kev Williams]

A 4-door truck with a 4'-6" long bed :confused: -at least there's a back seat to put groceries in if it's raining...

I love my Fords, but they're now 0 for 2 in the Maverick department :(

[Jim Koepke]

A 4-door truck with a 4'-6" long bed :confused: -at least there's a back seat to put groceries in if it's raining...

I love my Fords, but they're now 0 for 2 in the Maverick department :(

The short bed pick up truck is the new family car. The Ford F series leads in sales.

To me it is crazy to have a bed that can't hold a 2X4, sofa or a washer and dryer.

jtk

[George Bokros]

I have 2021 Ford Ranger super cab, must larger than the 2011 Ranger super cab I sold before purchasing this one. It is true the 4 door pickup is the new family car along side the SUV. A truck with a 5 foot bed like the 4 door super crew Ranger is not a truck, it is SUV with no roof over the cargo area. There were no super cab Rangers configured like I wanted in any dealer's inventory for my dealer to have transferred, had to order it. This was only the second vehicle in my 60 yrs of vehicle ownership I had to order.

I chose the super cab for two reasons.....I wanted the 6 foot bed and and did not need to haul people in my truck, I have a four door sedan for hauling people.

[Brian Elfert]

My understanding is that Ford has changed it's focus: they no longer make cars to serve markets and are prepared to loose money. Instead, the "new" CEO convince the Ford family to forego breadth of markets, and instead look at profits.
The Maverick was not a good car, but aside from the name would you think its a return to the same vehicle? "Everything old is new again".
I'd also like to take a real close look at the Maverick if for no reason even my 2004 Mazda B3000 is larger than I need.

Companies have a fiduciary duty to shareholders to make money for them. Ford can't really just lose money making cars as a community service. Some of the cars were killed off to free up assembly plant space for more profitable SUVs and trucks. Sedans were 22.1% of all vehicle sales in 2019.

The Ford family owns less than 2% of Ford shares these days.

[Jim Becker]

Ford made the decision to focus on what sells the best and in great quantities...pick-em-up trucks and SUVs/Crossovers are what the majority of the market wants these days. Other manufacturers have also scaled back on sedans/coupes, too, although not totally like Ford. The automobile business is market driven. Dodge is down to one sedan, one coupe, and an SUV that may be going in a different direction in next gen. Chrysler has one sedan and a mini-van. Chevy has one sedan, a bunch of SUVs/CUVs and trucks. Buick is pretty much SUVs and a wagon. GM...SUVs/Trucks. Caddy...the "sedan" is nearly dead in favor of multiple SUVs/CUVs and an SUV EV. Lincoln...SUVs/CUVs. Toyta/Nissan/Hyundai/Kia/Honda, etc., big focus on SUVs/CUVs/Trucks, although some sedans still available. Subaru...Legacy sedan is low volume and anything else other than the BRZ which is a joint project with Toyota is SUV/CUV/Wagon.

Even in the growing EV world, a big percentage of what's being produced currently or intended to be produced is in the SUV/CUV and pickup truck space. Yes, Tesla has a couple of sedans, but Model Y and Model X are both in the SUV/CUV space.

[Lee DeRaud]

Chevy has one sedan, a bunch of SUVs/CUVs and trucks.(cough)(cough)Corvette(cough)(cough)
Hopefully they won't do to that name what Ford did to "Mustang".

And then there's Porsche: the vast majority of their sales is SUV(-adjacent), but the company's image is still firmly planted in the 911 and its siblings.

(Re "SUV-adjacent": I rode in a Cayenne Turbo recently. You forget very very quickly that it's supposed to be an "SUV". :) )

[Bill Dufour]

Anyone remember the Subrau Brat pickup truck? For some reason it had a rear facing seat in the pickup bed out in the rain. I think there were limits on trucks imported from Japan.

[Tom M King]

Two seats back there.

[Jim Koepke]

(cough)(cough)Corvette(cough)(cough)

Don't forget the family man's Corvette, the Camaro.


Anyone remember the Subrau Brat pickup truck? For some reason it had a rear facing seat in the pickup bed out in the rain. I think there were limits on trucks imported from Japan.

It seemed the owners of the Subaru Brat felt the name applied to them. The way they drove, it is no wonder there aren't any on the road today.


I chose the super cab for two reasons.....I wanted the 6 foot bed and and did not need to haul people in my truck, I have a four door sedan for hauling people.

My vehicle does have to carry people. Another desired item is an 8 foot bed. 4WD is needed around here at times. Being able to carry a full ton load also saves me some trips.

Someone suggested renting instead of buying. Besides the hassle and not being able to rent anything around here with the above specs, it just seems worth it to me to not have to drive to pick up a truck when the mood hits me to pick up a load of something. Beside that, many of the rental places around here are closed on weekends.

U-Haul has trucks for 19.95 a day plus $0.99 per mile, OUCH!

jtk

[Jim Becker]

Anyone remember the Subrau Brat pickup truck? For some reason it had a rear facing seat in the pickup bed out in the rain. I think there were limits on trucks imported from Japan.
The Brat. Cult favorite. Enthusiasts are really hoping for a repeat and there have beens some interesting renderings supporting that wish, like a current one based on the Ascent. We even have a thread in the Ascent Forum that I participate in for folks to come up with odd-ball/bad names for such a vehicle. :D

[Rick Potter]

It is pretty obvious we all have different needs at different points in our lives, as well as geographical differences.

I have owned, in order (pickup wise), a '65 El Camino '68 Chevy C10, '71 Ford F250, '82 Mazda B2000, '87 F150 Short Bed, '98 F250, '2004 F250 Diesel..a lemon they took back, and the replacement '05 F250 Diesel that I still own. I have hauled, carried, pulled just about anything you can think of, but at this point in my life (78) the 5th wheel travel trailer is four years gone, and the old Mazda is what would fit my current needs.

My ideal new truck would be an extended cab Maverick with a six foot bed, but since the only one they will be building in the near future is the crew cab shorty, I will be buying that. My only needs are the usual shopping, occasional plywood, and this truck will take the place of my little car, and my F250. I will enjoy having my hound dog in the folded up back seat. The one thing I will miss is the large slider window on the back, which I use to haul 16' 2x4's in the current short bed F250.

About the Geographical reference...I am in SoCal, have solar, and will wait for the Plug in Hybrid version in a year or so. I also like to stay away from teething problems of brand new models.


PS: I have no doubt I could haul home the previously mentioned washer and dryer in this little truck. Nor would I have any trouble carrying a UniSaw back there.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Companies have a fiduciary duty to shareholders to make money for them. Ford can't really just lose money making cars as a community service. Some of the cars were killed off to free up assembly plant space for more profitable SUVs and trucks. Sedans were 22.1% of all vehicle sales in 2019.

The Ford family owns less than 2% of Ford shares these days.
Ford family still has a huge say in the running of the company.
Ford has abandoned markets where the profits were slim: fewer sedans and, and more F-150s. Much higher profits on the trucks.
They are abandoning 3rd world and marginal countries because the profits aren’t there.

[Jack Frederick]

I had a 3/4 ton 76 454 Chevy. Fabulous vehicle, but the gas gauge and speedo, going up a hill, worked absolutely in inverse proportion to each other. Chevy had just introduced the S10 and I bought one. Very much less truck, but much more economical. I planned things so my distributors could deliver at job sites and if I needed a big truck I rented. I miss the big truck still, but just couldn’t afford it.
As to the Maverick, the very name gives me the willies. In ‘74 while road tripping I was in Boulder as a front seat passenger, asleep at the time, tow others in the back seat, when the lady I was with drove her Maverick straight off a hair-pin at substantial speed. Airborne across the canyon into the Mtn. I went through the windshield and was stopped by the hood. Half in and half out we fell 35.’ Quite a ride. I made three trips up the Mtn with each person, flagged down a ride to the hospital. Dr said if I wasn’t in such good shape at the time it would have killed me. No Mavericks for me, but seatbelts? I like seatbelts.

[Jerome Stanek]

I had a 3/4 ton 76 454 Chevy. Fabulous vehicle, but the gas gauge and speedo, going up a hill, worked absolutely in inverse proportion to each other. Chevy had just introduced the S10 and I bought one. Very much less truck, but much more economical. I planned things so my distributors could deliver at job sites and if I needed a big truck I rented. I miss the big truck still, but just couldn’t afford it.
As to the Maverick, the very name gives me the willies. In ‘74 while road tripping I was in Boulder as a front seat passenger, asleep at the time, tow others in the back seat, when the lady I was with drove her Maverick straight off a hair-pin at substantial speed. Airborne across the canyon into the Mtn. I went through the windshield and was stopped by the hood. Half in and half out we fell 35.’ Quite a ride. I made three trips up the Mtn with each person, flagged down a ride to the hospital. Dr said if I wasn’t in such good shape at the time it would have killed me. No Mavericks for me, but seatbelts? I like seatbelts.

So your saying the Maverick saved your life.

[Warren Lake]

I think he is saying he was in very good shape and it saved his life and not the first time ive heard that before. So used to seat belts not sure I could drive without one. Truck is old so only has a lap belt.

Someone above said they put 16 footers in their pick up. How do you do that. Ive put 14-16 foot mahogany in the wally wagon and it works well just take the passenger seat out. The pickup would not be legal as the only way you could do it that I see is putting it in the sliding window which ive done once and told it was illegal, more so even if it was done it would extend way past the top of the tailgate.

[Stan Calow]

One of the Ford plants that makes F 150s is about four miles from my house. So we see tons of them on the streets. I remember an article in a business magazine that said the majority of pickups sold to consumers (not fleets) were sold to suburban cowboys who didn't use them for work or regular hauling. They like having a big ol' pickup with lots of room, just in case. Ford makes most of their profit overseas now, and plan for the world market. There is a market for the little trucks. Clunkers like the Pinto, Maverick and Vega, showed what happened the last time US makers tried to play catch up.

[Alex Zeller]

When I was much younger I would buy the late 80's Toyota pickups that had sheet metal damage, partially fix them up, play in the mud with them, and then finish fixing them to sell so I could repeat the process. I got quite good at it and usually turned a profit. A couple of years ago a friend picked me up in his Tacoma at an airport and I was amazed how small it felt. I get that the doors are thicker now because of the requirements to have crash protection but there's almost no room inside one and neither he nor I are big guys. That was on an 80 degree day, I can only imagine what a sub zero day with thick jackets on would feel like. The only way I would buy a Maverick is if I was going to drive it alone.

The mileage does look nice for the hybrid (but I suspect that the non-hybrid will get not much better than the F150). But the towing isn't that great and with the short bed it's going to compete with the Rav4 type of vehicle. The few things the Maverick's bed can do better can be offset with a small trailer if you don't need to do them very often. I'm sure those who want that size vehicle will drive demand at first but I'm not sure if sales in the US will be enough for Ford to continue to make it for very long.

[Jim Koepke]

I think he is saying he was in very good shape and it saved his life and not the first time ive heard that before. So used to seat belts not sure I could drive without one. Truck is old so only has a lap belt.

Someone above said they put 16 footers in their pick up. How do you do that. Ive put 14-16 foot mahogany in the wally wagon and it works well just take the passenger seat out. The pickup would not be legal as the only way you could do it that I see is putting it in the sliding window which ive done once and told it was illegal, more so even if it was done it would extend way past the top of the tailgate.

There is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which is mostly about commercial vehicles.

What is legal or not concerning vehicles is mostly regulated individually in each state. There are a few states where tarping a load isn't required. Some states are more aggressive in enforcing this. Fines for noncompliance may vary from nothing to very expensive.

Again the FMCSA has regulations for commercial carriers.

How much a load can extend out the back of a vehicle or beyond the front or sides for noncommercial vehicles is another vehicle coade regulated state by state > https://motorandwheels.com/truck-sticking-out-laws-per-state/

jtk

[Rick Potter]

Warren, it is easy to haul 16' 2X4's in my truck, and it is not a crew cab, or an 8' bed. As I said, my current truck is an extended cab, short bed (6'8") 2005 F250.

The slider window is 14" wide, and 16" tall. I put a rag or hunk of carpet on the bottom edge of the slider to avoid damage, and slide the 16 footers in from the back, centering them on the dash board, which also has a dash cover for protection. There is 6' from center of dash to window, 6'8" from window to raised tailgate, which leaves me 3 1/2' hanging over the tailgate. If you count the 6" bumper depth, the load is actually hanging out 3' which just happens to be how far CA law allows, without flags. I flag it anyway, no big deal.

The main concern is to keep the lumber from contacting the windshield, which is why I stop several inches away and tighten the load securely. I also only have a couple miles to go, so it is no problem. Theoretically, I could carry 24 16 footers this way, three wide X eight high, but I am just a do it yourselfer, and never had the need. I only carried 9 at a time for my use building stuff at home.

I also carried 16' 2X6's the same way a couple times.

The Maverick offers a small window but it is differently made. I guess it will be ok to carry 10' lengths of PVC pipe though.

Like I said. Different stages of life, geographic locations, and needs. It fits mine. I would bet money they will sell 100,000 of them in the first full year (2022). There is already an online Maverick Truck Club.

PS: About gas mileage. My 1971 F250 (390 engine) got 9 MPG. Empty, loaded with 2 tons of gravel, carrying 11' camper, carrying the camper and pulling an International Scout, IT NEVER CHANGED.....9MPG. That's consistency.

[Warren Lake]

thats how I did that as well, resting on top of the window frame and up to the dash. The wally it was all inside with maybe four feet hanging out with a red flag.

I dont have good tie downs on the truck. It had rails on it when I got it looks cleaner without them. 400 Small block 411 rear best ever 18 MPG and that is hard to do. More often towards 15-16 but its RPM dependent. I do sideroads at my own speed usually no traffic. at 1,800 RPM gas mileage is better. Could be at 1,100 RPM and still have enough torque. 2,200 RPM its sounding really nice but wasting gas at that point. Will get better when a 700R goes in with a 30 percent overdrive. Best on the wally was 27 MPG, 256 rear on that one. Our gallons are larger than US. Still thats good for a car that weighs the same as the pickup but then it is a car on a pickup truck frame.

[Jim Becker]

A large percentage of the folks buying small trucks or even full size with crew cab and short beds are not generally hauling long stuff. When they do throw something in the back, it's stuff like bags of mulch, etc.,...typical homeowner hauling. The 2000 Tundra I owned had the shorter bed...they were smaller back then, too, and that was with the extended cab with "suicide doors" so tiny people could use the proverbial back seat. I had a hitch receiver mounted bed extender that allowed for hauling longer things safely and always with flags. When I got rid of the truck after we adopted our daughters and bought an SUV, I acquired the 5x8 utility trailer I still use. I can put 16' material on the centerline and only have about 4' handing off the end while having no issues turning tightly.

[Warren Lake]

have a 16 foot car trailer. It took care of stuff when needed. Brought my truck home on it which was probably not ideal.

[Clifford McGuire]

Now I'm confused. They brought the Ranger back to compete with the Chevy Colorado, Nissan Frontier, etc. Where does the Maverick fit in?

So, Ford went from one consumer pickup model (F150) to three in the course of a few years??

[Joe Mioux]

I'm going to hold out for the four door Maverick station wagon

[Jim Becker]

Now I'm confused. They brought the Ranger back to compete with the Chevy Colorado, Nissan Frontier, etc. Where does the Maverick fit in?

So, Ford went from one consumer pickup model (F150) to three in the course of a few years??

They feel there is enough demand for a compact pick-em-up truck and also believe it's an opportunity to embrace electrification at a much lower price point at the same time. It could be a good international offer, too, because in many geographies even the Ranger/Colorado sized trucks are pushing the limits with size. It will be interesting to see if they go that way, too.

[William Chain]

this is all well and good, but um...has anyone tried to buy a vehicle recently? Lots are empty. No one can quote a build date or delivery date. We just bought a new SUV, and we ordered one to our spec in March. Still hasn't even been picked up for build yet. No build date. Since. MARCH. I called 15 dealers within 50 miles of my home. I located three vehicles that we could live with. None matched what we ordered, but they were close enough to live with. The lease on the old vehicle was ending (and the dealers are drooling over the resale on that, the miles are ultra low thanks to COVID work at home). The three dealers basically quoted prices that kicked my teeth in. There's no dealing. Only factory 'incentives' that are just paltry. The dealers are making out like bandits. We eventually came to a deal we could swallow and pulled the trigger. Upon pickup, there were exactly three new vehicles on the lot. Three.

I'll believe they can build the Maverick when I see it. I'll believe they can build the electric F-150 when I see it. Why bother taking orders if you cannot fulfill them? I get it, it is not the manufacturers fault, but the dealers are the ones making out like bandits here. Didn't Chevy just halt production again?

There is no cause for excitement for new vehicles when we cannot get a new vehicle.

[Warren Lake]

sounds like woodwork machinery

[Rick Potter]

That, along with waiting for the plug in, is why mine will be a 2023 probably.

[Erik Loza]

I guess Ford is banking that most of the people that remember the original Maverick are dead.

My mom had a Mustang when we were kids. She got rear-ended and that car was totaled. She then bought a Pinto (which was always in the shop). Imagine what would have happened if we got rear-ended in that thing.

Erik

[Brian Elfert]

There are a number of people who have commented that the bed is not big enough. Isn't that kind of the point of this pickup is that it has a small bed? I read complaints every day about 1/2 ton pickups and even the Ranger/Colorado being too big. This is Ford's answer to those complaints. Ford has three other lines of pickups if you need a larger bed.

Ford has certainly done their market research and has determined the vast majority of buyers are fine with a crew cab. A lot of regular cab pickups are sold to tradespeople. How many tradespeople would find a Maverick to have enough weight capacity if there was a regular cab and a longer bed?

[Rick Potter]

Hi Brian,

I just happened to watch a Maverick YouTube video last night that explained why it probably will not have a longer bed with a Super cab or regular cab.

Since it is a unibody, and the bed is attached to the body, it would have to be braced a lot more to be longer and carry the heavier loads people would expect to carry with the larger bed. See the original edition of the Honda Ridgeline with the massive 'sails' bracing the bed as an example. Chevy Avalanche is another example with the corner braces.

I remember the 1961 Ford F100 pickups had the bed attached to the body. By '62 they changed it because of cracks in the bodywork from heavy loads.

I can admit I have carried double what various trucks were rated...regularly. Ford is avoiding that problem from the start. Can't blame them. As was said above, if you don't like the short bed, they make bigger trucks.

Honestly, the one I don't understand, is why they don't make the smaller Transit Van into a single cab pickup with an 8' bed. That would be easy to do, and just right for tradesmen. Remember the Econoline pickup? The bed was over 8'.

[Jim Koepke]

[edited]
Didn't Chevy just halt production again?

There is no cause for excitement for new vehicles when we cannot get a new vehicle.

General Motors will stop making most of its full-size pickup trucks for a week starting Monday. It’s another sign that the auto industry continues to struggle with the year-long global computer chip shortage.

Large pickups and SUVs are automakers’ best-selling and most profitable vehicles. GM and other automakers have tried to keep making them, shifting their supply of available chips away from less popular vehicles.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/22/business/gm-pickup-truck-halt-chip-shortage/index.html

My luck must be pretty good. My new truck wasn't an order. It isn't exactly what was wanted but it does have all the important desires: 4WD, one ton capacity, crew cab and an eight foot bed.

While shopping at Lowe's the other day a person was drooling over it in the parking lot and told me it could probably be sold for more than what was paid for it due to the manufacturing problems with the supply chain.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

There are a number of people who have commented that the bed is not big enough. Isn't that kind of the point of this pickup is that it has a small bed?

That would be my contention, too. There are a lot of folks who would enjoy a compact pickup with a small bed just for utility. They are not looking for or interested in a "work truck". This is just like there are a lot of folks who want and buy small SUVs/CUVs. Their "hauling" heeds are more modest but the like the format. It's nice to have choices!

[Bill Dufour]

What happened to the little Indian made van/pickup that was going to run on compressed air? I think it was Ta Ta motors who bought Land Rover or some such.
Bill D

https://www.torquenews.com/1080/whatever-happened-compressed-air-car-anyway

[Chris Padilla]

this is all well and good, but um...has anyone tried to buy a vehicle recently?

Tried to buy a 2021 Honda Ridgeline at my stone's throw away dealer but said he had zero inventory until June/July (this was in April).

Found another dealer 10 miles away who had stock online. Got there and nope, real inventory didn't remotely match online and they had only 1 Ridgeline and it was a dealer demo with 400 miles on it--they had just gotten it in the previous night. Dealer said Ridgelines don't hang around long.
It was the wrong color (black...I wanted white) and it was the wrong trim level (Sport...I wanted Black Edition...3 levels above Sport) so I basically got the opposite of what I really wanted but I kinda needed it.
I like it but I miss all the bells and whistles I usually have. I'll drive it for a year or two when things settle down and then attempt to get exactly what I want.

That said, I sold my 2006, 110k miles, Double-Cab, Long-Bed Tacoma with horrible peeling clear coat but immaculate interior for 15k to a dealer. I posted it on Craigslist and had it sold in just under 2 hours! Paid 33k new in 2006. Amazing.

[William Chain]

This is close to my experience. We bought a vehicle in a different color and with a slightly different set of packages than intended, but the lease was up on the old car. I could have extended that, but it was now out of warranty, and needed a set of tires, new inspection, reg, all that, and who knows what else out of warranty. Might as well spend that cash on new. The dealers have everyone over a barrel and they know it. I really want to see a year from now when all the people are irritated at how they were treated by dealers come back for a vehicle and lots are stuffed.

I could sell our other car for near what I paid for it. The offers are pretty tempting. If we replace the other car, it would be for the electric F-150, which I have zero confidence they'll build or deliver on the timescale they say.


Tried to buy a 2021 Honda Ridgeline at my stone's throw away dealer but said he had zero inventory until June/July (this was in April).

Found another dealer 10 miles away who had stock online. Got there and nope, real inventory didn't remotely match online and they had only 1 Ridgeline and it was a dealer demo with 400 miles on it--they had just gotten it in the previous night. Dealer said Ridgelines don't hang around long.
It was the wrong color (black...I wanted white) and it was the wrong trim level (Sport...I wanted Black Edition...3 levels above Sport) so I basically got the opposite of what I really wanted but I kinda needed it.
I like it but I miss all the bells and whistles I usually have. I'll drive it for a year or two when things settle down and then attempt to get exactly what I want.

That said, I sold my 2006, 110k miles, Double-Cab, Long-Bed Tacoma with horrible peeling clear coat but immaculate interior for 15k to a dealer. I posted it on Craigslist and had it sold in just under 2 hours! Paid 33k new in 2006. Amazing.