[Closed] Pick up truck as opposed to company car

Unless you need a pickup truck why would you want to drive something heavier, less fuel efficient, less refined...

Be careful, which one you choose, it needs to be on the HMRC list to be Tax efficient. Loads of people have got stung by picking the Ranger Raptor, and it's payload is only about 600kg and doesn't qualify. The Wildtrack is OK.

Are you a suburban gangsta?

I’ve got the Ranger Wildtrak 2.0 10 speed auto as my “company car”.
Sure, it’s less refined than a car, but it’s got all the toys, it very comfortable, and will easily let you “make progress”. It will also take you to places where cars can’t get, pull up to 3.5 ton and generally out a smile on your face.
One of the downsides is the lower speed limits on single and dual carriageways.
I’ve got a pull out tray in mine , which you can pull out pretty much it’s entire length to load stuff on . Also saves having to climb in the back to retrieve your wayward shopping . Looses a bit of height in the tub though
MPG is generally in the 28-30’s though on a run I can almost touch 40 when it’s unladen.

Are you a hairdresser?

Unless lugging hay bales or sheep carcasses, I don't see the point.

Pick up trucks - so last century unless you’re a farmer! Why not get something more friendly on the environment, more friendly on other road users, cyclists and pedestrians and also more friendly on your wallet. Unless it’s all tax deductible? In these times? I’m surprised you’ve got the brass neck!!

I don’t see the point.

Tax dodge

wheelsonfire1
Pick up trucks – so last century unless you’re a farmer!...

On the other hand a beaut ute...

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/holden/hsv-maloo-e3-ute-2011-review/

The Ranger is certainly a better ride than the likes of trucks from Nissan, Toyota and Mitsubishi, which are very choppy without a full load, for obvious reasons, but unless you’re going to be hauling significant loads, frankly, what’s the point? There are enough people on here who clutch their pearls and get a fit of the vapours the moment anyone mentions buying a modest crossover like a Qashqai, Kuga, Sportage or Evoke, or even my little EcoSport, let alone something like a Ranger! Sure, they’re impressive, but honestly, what place does a truck like that have in an urban or semi-urban environment where it’s biggest load is a monthly shop, or the camping kit for a week’s holiday!
We’ve got a few of them at work, and they’re almost as much of a pain to park as a Transit or a Vito or whatever, especially in standard parking bays.
Plus the rear seats don’t seem to have a huge amount of room, and the ‘boot’ is a big open space.

We’ve had/have them all, personally prefer the Amarok.

Great for work/towing/site along with kids/family/bikes/shooting.

Wife has a new Merc, I don’t do massive milage (22k ish pa) and given the choice I’d personally take the pickup every time. My Amarok has the same wheelbase as a lwb Transporter so easy enough to park although has the turning circle of an oil tanker. Usually see 32mpg if driven sensibly or mid 20’s if towing etc. All the bells and whistles etc.

I have a canopy/Bedrug on mine, great for transporting stuff/load space but I can’t leave anything in it as it would disappear. A roll top is more secure but compromises load space.

Ymmv but I’m on my fourth pickup and wouldn’t go back to a car or van. If you’re anywhere near Bolton and serious about a Ranger drop me a PM as we get some great deals from our local dealer that no one else can touch.

Happy ranger owner driver here. 63 plate 80k miles not had a single problem since a software update in the first few months of having it. Don’t have masses of driving to do but swallows up big trips easily. Wouldn’t go back to a van.

Think of the fun you can have in your pick up truck! You could go for the coasting record!!!

Had  4 pick ups now. In order of preference. Navara, Amarok, D Max, Hilux. Different generation/specs, so maybe not entirely fair. Currently in the Navara and it is really refined. A lot of hate on here for them but if they suit your needs then they really are great vehicles.

A lot of hate on here for them

For well founded reasons, up to and including them being more dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists in the unlucky event of a collision.

if they suit your needs then they really are great vehicles.

If.

I’m not against them for people who need the carry capacity or ability off tarmac, but if you don’t need either of those then they make no sense, more so if they’re only ever used in an urban environment.

What’s the likelihood of increased fuel use wiping out a big chunk of any tax saving?

Huge marketing research budgets have decided that these things need words like Barbarian, Warrior, Blade or Raptor slapped down the side of them in big letters. Doesn’t that tell you something about the target audience?

^this

It might spell barbarian but it reads walloper.

Round here, I can generally tell how much of a knob the driver is by how clean it is. It's the spotless ones you have to watch out for.

I had a Hilux for a few days at work before it was given to a different driver. Would have loved to keep it over my poverty spec van.

But, from someone who has driven LWB and Luton vans for both work and play for 17 years, it was a massive beast to drive in town. Bollards and little kids get lost below the bonnet, below par turning circle, huge bonnet (presumably they are have a long bonnet as the engine is above the 4x4 system and raised for ground clearance).

And I don't think this was the long version as the rear seats were comically small with literally no legroom, and the tray was super short in the back.

@johshvegas 😀

The primary issue that puts me off pick ups is the total absence of any security when carrying bikes. The load bed is too short so you end up with a tailgate pad that advertises the fact you have expensive, easily stealable toys even when not carrying them.

It might spell barbarian but it reads walloper.

And this is the secondary issue. Round here, if it’s not a young buck with an overinflated sense of self importance it’s an under age itinerant traveller looking to steal your stuff.

Cheaper than a transit Custom to buy. Nicer to drive.
Comparing std Limited spec on both, vans are silly prices at the moment.

@doomanic, they are all in white transit customs around here.

Pointless things. Massive, shit load bay, shit fuel efficiency, shit safety to others.

Mk1 VW caddy pick up is the exception. 😃

Wow, lots of hate and sanctimonious hand wringing on here (as per...). I wonder how many people dismiss pick ups for being too big and polluting yet drive round in converted vans and have their woodburners at home - this is STW after all (I'm guilty on both counts... 🤷🏻‍♂️).

I used to really want a pick up, but after driving a few LWB Hi-Lux with work I changed my mind as they were incredibly agricultural - I suspect newer pick ups won't be. Just test drive one and if you like it and the numbers stack up, make your decision based on that.

Sorry, I’ve not seen any ‘won’t anyone think of the children’ hand wringing, just lots of people pointing out that it’s a crap idea.

DOI: don’t drive a van, or an SUV for that matter.

I've always loved the looks of pick up trucks and landrover till I started to drive them for work 20 odd years ago. Great tools for a job, carrying kit and towing across fields, driving through floodwater, but I will be ****ed if I'd want to own one as a personal vehicle.

Pointless things. Massive, shit load bay, shit fuel efficiency, shit safety to others.

Mk1 VW caddy pick up is the exception. 😃

Yeah, because they're tiny, with a shit load bay, shit fuel efficiency and shit safety to the occupants. 😀

@TheDTs they always used to be, but pick ups seem to be making a push to be the pikey purveyance du jour round here.

Round here, I can generally tell how much of a knob the driver is by how clean it is

Yeah thanks, mine is cleaned quite often , you know, it’s always good to look after your kit .

For well founded reasons, up to and including them being more dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists in the unlucky event of a collision.

Mmmm , not going to make a vehicle choice based upon something that is a one in a million occurrence. Managed not to hit either in the last 30 years by being a safe and courteous driver. Doesn’t matter what you drive if you are a shit driver. The higher driving position , combined with various sensors, cameras , auto braking , collision detection etc make it, in my mind a better position to avoid these things in the first place. These things have come on a bit since the Top Gear Hilux you know 😏

The higher driving position , combined with various sensors, cameras , auto braking , collision detection

It's not as if you can only get those things in a pick up

I regularly drive a 2017 ranger pick towing a 1000 litre fuel tank of red diesel around the UK. I would rather have a Morris marina than a pick up.
We have a new one coming next month and hopefully it drives better than the current one.

It’s not as if you can only get those things in a pick up

You are correct of course, although you can also get a ton of steel, ton of chippings etc in there too.

Just trying to point out that some pickups are not the “massive dangerous chunks of metal” some people think they are

I have a pick up I use for towing and as a second car in the house

I agree with everything above.

Infact those saying they are now more refined.....that's a step backwards for a pick up . Utilitarian and easy to fix would be far better than a show pony tax wagon -most of which have cart springs out back and drive like they do

If I didn't need something that can tow the trailer I'd have a c1 or similar rather than a pick up.....

I’d be tempted to go the other way -take a normal company car for high mileage use with efficiency and comfort and keep a cheap and cheerful utility vehicle privately for weekend/holiday use when you’ll really benefit from it. Means two vehicles but if you can demonstrate that you’re not using the company vehicle privately you may be able to avoid any benefit in kind taxation as well..

Interesting comments as predicted and almost a marmite thread.

My last company car (A4 2.Tdi) was costing me £350 extra tax per month, couldn't tow a horse box (although no imperitive requirement) was shit in the snow and didn't carry much goods.

I don't care about environmental issues, a 2.0 diesel truck probably has less impact on the planet than a hybrid out together from all 4 corners of the globe and employing children to dig for raw materials for the batteries.

I don’t care about environmental issues

A barbarian might suit you quite nicely then.

EU Rangers are assembled in South Africa with parts coming from all over the world and don’t expect the Ranger to be any better in the snow than the Audi unless you switch the tyres.

If you want one get one, but don’t expect everyone to agree with the choice.

was shit in the snow

Winter tyres are your friend. Never had an issue getting about in a diesel Avensis; main problem was the other cars that were stuck.

I don’t care about environmental issues

Ok, so what about the agricultural suspension, the supertanker-esque turning circle, the fact that it’ll be about the same size as an LWB van and thus a PITA to park, the lack of load bed security and (due to size, weight and air resistance) the thirst like a furloughed single man in lockdown, which will probably eat any tax saving?

As @db says, if you want one, fill your boots.

@db I can assure you that it will be quite a bit better in the snow than a standard A4.

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geordiemick00
Free Member

I don’t care about environmental issues, a 2.0 diesel truck probably has less impact on the planet than a hybrid out together from all 4 corners of the globe and employing children to dig for raw materials for the batteries.

Ignorant and selfish in one neat package - how efficient of you.

Perhaps you should do some reading around hybrids and batteries rather than ignorantly spouting “probably has less impact”.

Also do you chose to forgo batteries in other aspects of your life? Phone? Laptop? Jump Starter? Bike lights? Ebike? Or is it just a convenient excuse to make your life easier and cheaper?

And to the chap up there who said “I don’t do much mileage - 22k PA”. You REALLY do. You do 10* my annual mileage.

Truckla?

My pick up does maybe 2.2k on a busy year.... Most of them towing a trailer.

If I did 22k in a year a pickup would be the last thing I'd be thinking about doing it in

ive been running various double cab pickups as company car for years.the gear I use and the sites I visit mean that I killed all my posh audi bmw merc estates.

good bits, you can fit over a 1000kg of stuff in one and tow 3500kg. modern pickups are fairly comfortable and well equiped, company tax is cheap, particualry if you have a fully expensed vehicle.good visabilty for driving, cam happily drive for 10-12hours get out and go straight onto a site job without feeling too knackered or like my lower back has imploded.

bad bits, too big for inner city driving, too tall for some multistory carparks, fuel economy isnt great, although to be fair the its as good asthe vw and ford vans in our fleet, ride can still be a bit bouncy when unladen.

usually do 40-50k miles a year in mine. would love something less planet killing but you cant have anything other than a diesel vehicle on a lot of my client site as otherwise they have a tendency to go bang like buncefield.

treat like a tool for a job, yes its a compromise, but if it works for what you need then go for it.

If you do get one. Make sure you pay extra for the B16 xxx , or BO55 xxx personalised number plates (where xxx is your name or initials) so that everyone knows that you are either big or The Boss.

Helps to assert extra dominance in case the large Barbarian, Warrior, Defender, Animal, Raptor or Ranger text on the side isn't effective enough.

So much negativity from people who have never driven/owned or required one. If these things are the devil reincarnated why are there so many sales? Perhaps individuals actually require vehicles of this type? We don't all live in suburbia (thank goodness) and drive exclusively on tarmac. Where a lot of you will be going on staycation, some of us live and work there year round. Often using these monsters to remove Prius etc from verges, fields, mild frosted campsites.  If you are after a witch hunt go look at the people who purchase hybrids for a tax dodge and run them on exclusively hydrocarbon power. How friendly is this to the environment? Or the latest lifestyle statement of owning a van, the same negative arguments could be directed here. People drive what they want/need to, what's the point in getting heated up about it? What are you going to be doing next, inspecting their bikes before a ride for environmental considerations and then telling them they would be better off with a/b/c. Live and let live. Flame away as expected.

My pick up does maybe 2.2k on a busy year…. Most of them towing a trailer.

If I did 22k in a year a pickup would be the last thing I’d be thinking about doing it in

Which pickup do you have if don’t mind me asking?

whasnt there a thread on here about a year ago started by a chap who’d swapped his mercedes for a truck but couldn’t fit his bike in the back and found it a bit rough going on the motorway.

Personally an land rover pick up.

But I spend enough time rumbling about in Hilux and l200 with work to have an appreciation that in reality all the fancy toys inside and a flash leather interior(only in the l200s we had ) don't make them ride any better or drive any better or fuel economy any better or cab space any better or bed any more secure.

The only worse vehicle we have to drive is a base model transit pick up that won't go above 60 without a tail wind - but it's much older

When your 5 up in a Hilux doing a 10hr drive across the desert bobbing about .... You begins to wish you were almost anywhere else than in a Hilux.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2791663/nissan-navara-safety-fears/

The black one is a colleagues. Still on the road . He cut it up and rewelded it and made it into a king cab with extended bed with coil overs. Solved all the issues basically made it what pick ups in the UK would be if they had a purpose more than a tax break

Trailrat, the first line of that Sun article is the best thing i think i have ever read in the sun.

Aye . The rust was brought about by a badly designed chassis accelerating the rust. But yes...it was an obvious news day.

If these things are the devil reincarnated why are there so many sales?

Fashion

So much negativity from people who have never driven/owned or required one. If these things are the devil reincarnated why are there so many sales?

Because they are a fashion/lifestyle statement, and the Owner needs to keep up with others of their ilk.
My boss bought one. He finally realised it was a really poor decision when he couldnt even fit some storage cases in the load area, so he called me in to take them away in my small van.
There are very few trades where these vehicles are better than a van. But, it isnt trades that are the target market anymore.

So much negativity from people who have never driven/owned or required one.

Not surprising if people are getting a more environmentally damaging vehicle just so they can pay less bik tax

Where a lot of you will be going on staycation,

You don't go on a staycation, the clue is in the name.

I've got a Navara as a company vehicle, I use the towing and off road capability, though. I had a Freelander 2 before which was better in every respect but the tax was horrendous. The Navara is big and a pig to park, but reasonably comfortable (the seats are the best I've ever experienced) and has all the toys. MPG is between 25-35 depending on usage. 40 would be possible if you avoid motorways and drive very carefully. Mine has the 190 bhp engine with a 7 speed autobox. I've done 113,000 miles in 3 years with no issues worth mentioning. It's not good for carrying bikes, though. One of those tailgate pads would be the way to go for non-ebikes, I reckon. I'm about to buy an e-bike however and will get a towbar rack.

We've got a Ranger (the reliable Mazda based one, not the T6 or newer pavement-princess, unreliable ones) as a family wagon/tow car/farm truck/4x4 and it is blood awesome at all of those. Don't think we'd ever be without one but as an mtb transporter they're utterly crap - give me a car with a rack or van any day, pickups are the worst of both worlds.

Infact those saying they are now more refined…..that’s a step backwards for a pick up . Utilitarian and easy to fix would be far better than a show pony tax wagon -most of which have cart springs out back and drive like they do.

100% this, I wouldn't dare put our kids in some of these tarty new trucks never mind use one how they're supposed to be. Can't see working on them being DIY-able any more either.

If these things are the devil reincarnated why are there so many sales?

Becausew shallow and gullible people are impressed with "Walloper" "Barbarian" written on the side of their vehicle.

No, don't do it. Honestly I tick all of your boxes and I would rather eat a lump of dogshit than have another pickup.

15yrs ago I worked for Ford main dealer and had a Focus Estate as my co car doing 120mls per day. I mountain biked all I could so my company offered me a Ford Ranger XLT (TOTR at the time) thinking this would fit in with my lifestyle. I tried one for a couple of weeks. The outcome was I offered my resignation if they forced me to take a pickup. It was planet damagingly bad on fuel. It was huge, it was heavy. It had a stupid seating position. I had to climb into it and bang my head. It wallowed into corners and it had no rear legroom. I didn't have a canopy on the back so I never ever used the back as its about as secure as a chocolate fireguard. All in all I couldn't give it a single positive unless I actually needed 4x4 toolbox.

So 15yrs later I am now driving a TOTR Mercedes X Class 250 pickup. Yes I know Nissan Nivara etc etc. The tax break is just about worth it until you find you get 29mpg average (That's common over 40 members of staff) so you are putting twice as much fuel in. I am at about break even over a car in costs. All of the above negatives are still present and I still think anyone who doesn't need a 4x4 toolbox is just trying to look like The Fall Guy. They are still hugely compromised in every department. They are horrible for the environment and I really cant see them making it past WLTP rules in the future.

Thankfully my replacement hybrid C Class is being built as its replacement. Lower tax whilst actually being somewhere near a reasonable day to day vehicle.

Further to my post above about my Navara - I have to say that if I would much rather have a 'normal' car if I didn't need the towing and off-road ability (although the tyres severely compromise that). Mind you, if it was choice between a van and the pickup, I'd choose the latter.

Welcome to Australia y'all. The most popular family car down here now. Mum will have a 2wd SUV behemoth for the school run.

Don't proper vans still have a similar reduced tax liability? I suppose if you need the rear seats, (though your kids may have to have lower leg amputations if you get the wrong pickup) that's a no-no, but in general a smallish van will do all the pickup stuff except serious towing and be a nicer and more economical vehicle to drive.

You could still put bit BARBARIAN/WALLOPER stickers and a private plate on it.

^Is that the new Mitsubishi Bampot or the Nissan Dobber? They've toned the plastic body parts down abit this year!

The only pick up I'd entertain would be something like our old lodger has. Nearly 20 year old Ford Ranger/Mazda b, looks like it's fallen down the stairs and has had the front end adjusted by hitting a wood chipper.
I helped him fix it and I used a club hammer to straighten it out enough to fit a headlamp from the scrappy.
In more recent times it was involved in a small crash and the at fault parties insurance wanted to write it off, they took some convincing that the damage was mostly pre existing.
Its still trundling about doing tree surgeon stuff now.

Pick-ups can be the perfect tool for the job so if you want one then go for it, a mate has a new VW V6tdi Amarok (to replace his transit) that's been fettled by Darkside Developments for 400+ bhp and over 600ft-lbs torque, he is a skipper on the fishing boats and regularly loads his pick up with a few tons of kit in the trailer and the cab is a very nice place to sit on for long journeys up and down the country.

I follow their YouTube channel, some impressive work on those Amaroks. I keep telling myself I need to pay them a visit.

I've got a D-Max currently and previously had a new shape Navarra (which I detested with a passion that I've never felt for any other car I've owned or driven in nearly 30 years of having a license!!).

I hate the fact it is so uneconomical, I can live with the handling and I love the practicality of it for regular off road use, working dogs, shooting, collecting logs etc. BUT if I didn't need the load carrying / off road ability then there's no way I'd own one.

a mate has a new VW V6tdi Amarok (to replace his transit) that’s been fettled by Darkside Developments for 400+ bhp and over 600ft-lbs torque, he is a skipper on the fishing boats

I thought the fishing industry was on the bones of it's arse and everyone is currently bending over for a repeat Rogering from the EU!

I had a Ford F150 in the states for a couple weeks, I enjoyed driving it but it was huge and completely unsuitable for the UK.

However...1978 Chevy K5 blazer...yes please.

For my job I have a fully expensed company vehicle that I expect to do 25-30k miles PA in (though will be little over half of that this year because of Coronavirus), I just have to pay the BIK tax... My brief was very open, as long as it came in budget and it did what I needed it to do, then game on...

I ended up with another VW Caddy Maxi (having owned one before)... WAY under budget, but I can actually live with it day to day, and get bikes in the back. I don't need more than 2 seats fortunately, nor do I need to pretend I go offroad. It's a 2L with the DSG box so it goes quite well and its relaxing to drive, and still does a real 45mpg average (as opposed to the 48-50 it can claim it does), has heated seats, parking sensors, Apple Car Play, Adaptive Cruise Control etc... It's more refined than a lot of cars I've driven!

The other week, my van had to go into the local VW dealership for the day, they game me a brand new 3L Amarok courtesy vehicle, same spec as some of my colleagues drive... In the 20 miles I drove it, from the dealership to my house and then back, I think I'd be looking for a new job if I'd had to have one of these as a company vehicle! Forgetting the useless load carrying capacity and the inability to store anything safely, I'm on about the driving experience here... It made my Dad's old 1993 Land Rover Discovery seem like a dynamic driving experience by contrast! Sure, it has every toy you can imagine, the seats are comfy and recline further than in my van... That's where the good points finish. The chassis was unfit for use on the road I'd go so far as to say! Driving it was a terrifying exercise in desperately trying to keep the thing on the road, every minor bump/catseye/pothole/camber change and it just wanted to fly off into the scenery. Combined with the incredibly lazy steering rack it has, you're fighting with huge amounts of steering lock at all times to keep it on the straight and narrow, mostly at speeds well below the posted legal limit! And as big as it is, you've got little room for error... Then there's the engine... It would feel overpowered with half as much power as it has, putting a 268bhp V6 in this truck is madness! Then I see that people are tuning them to 400bhp+... 🤦🏻 Absolute Death Trap!

I got back in my Caddy after giving the Amarok back and it felt like a tight little sports car afterwards, like comparing an MX5 or a Lotus Elise to a bloated SUV like an X5 or Q7 in full Cheshire Housewives spec. The receptionist at the dealer asked me how I got on with the Amarok, did I like it... I don't think she was expecting my answer of "thank god I only had to drive it home, and then back here, it's horrendous, please just give me my van back!"

I've driven a few pick-ups over the years - thought they were great for towing but nothing else - it worked but wasn't great. Used a couple for firework shows and it was multiple trips to move the kit due to lack of carrying space on the vehicle.

I don't need to use one anymore and glad I don't as everything is a compromise or impractical.

They are great as a tool for doing practical work (especially towing), otherwise, I think there are better vehicles. However, as a utilitarian working vehicle, they can work well.

Each to their own though...try and enjoy it, if you get one.

I thought the fishing industry was on the bones of it’s arse and everyone is currently bending over for a repeat Rogering from the EU!

He's doing ok despite the current shower of ****s in government, pretty much his entire catch is sent to france/spain once its been landed/processed and he's been pretty vocal about the transportation issues come 2021. Alister Jack (our tory mp in galloway) attempted to do a piece to camera on our harbour in town but my mate was on his scallop/queenie boat in the background and started throwing anything on deck he could get his hands on at him whilst shouting a few choice phrases regarding brexit and the tories in general (he's not a fan of either) - Jack ended up doing his piece to camera from a local tory farm which is probably just as well as my mate threatened to string him up from the boats crane if he didn't **** off