mad_machine wrote: not that anybody wants to do more work to a new vehicle.. but can you retrofit a 6 foot bed?
Yes. It's just a bolt on bed like all trucks - if you can find one in the right color it's probably $2000 at a junkyard with all the lights and everything in it. There is no reason for them not to offer the combination other than they don't and I could make one if we were talking about an '00 truck and not a '17 but this one is all new.
In reply to Huckleberry:
Weeks to pull the trigger? I need 9-12 months......
Huckleberry wrote:mad_machine wrote: not that anybody wants to do more work to a new vehicle.. but can you retrofit a 6 foot bed?Yes. It's just a bolt on bed like all trucks - if you can find one in the right color it's probably $2000 at a junkyard with all the lights and everything in it. There is no reason for them not to offer the combination other than they don't and I could make one if we were talking about an '00 truck and not a '17 but this one is all new.
Wheelbase on the long bed is 13" longer than the short bed. I'm doubting you can bolt on the long bed to the short bed frame. Looking at pictures all they are the same wheels back so it looks like all of the extra bed is between the cab and rear wheels.
If you want a small truck, Tacoma with the 5 foot box, manual, bed extender, and a tri-fold hard tonneau cover (Bakflip G2s are amazing) will do most things you need. It can tow 1500 lbs, so you could pull a PWC/small trailer carrying whatever no problem. Also, with the money you save, you could buy a really nice old BOF boat with a tow pack.
G_Body_Man wrote: If you want a small truck, Tacoma with the 5 foot box, manual, bed extender, and a tri-fold hard tonneau cover (Bakflip G2s are amazing) will do most things you need. It can tow 1500 lbs, so you could pull a PWC/small trailer carrying whatever no problem. Also, with the money you save, you could buy a really nice old BOF boat with a tow pack.
The Tacoma with a V6 and tow package can tow 6800lbs and has a payload rated at 1620 so, yeah, plenty of juice for anything up to a car on an open steel trailer.
In reply to Huckleberry:
Curses, Chrome is acting up again. What I meant to say was
G_Body_Man said: If you want a small truck, Tacoma with the 5 foot box, manual, bed extender, and a tri-fold hard tonneau cover (Bakflip G2s are amazing) will do most things you need. However, a Honda Element can fit a motorcycle inside the cabin, and has a rubberized floor. You can even get it with AWD and the stick, and you can get a 3" lift and a pop-up camper top for it. Even though the newest one is 5 years old, it's quite reliable, and still under $20k. It can tow 1500 lbs, so you could pull a PWC/small trailer carrying whatever no problem. Also, with the money you save, you could buy a really nice old BOF boat with a tow pack.
This is a weird thread.
It's like asking, "Blond with big boobs, or brunette with a shapely rear. Which should I like better?"
How the berkeley should we know? It's kind of a personal choice.
Huckleberry wrote:G_Body_Man wrote: If you want a small truck, Tacoma with the 5 foot box, manual, bed extender, and a tri-fold hard tonneau cover (Bakflip G2s are amazing) will do most things you need. It can tow 1500 lbs, so you could pull a PWC/small trailer carrying whatever no problem. Also, with the money you save, you could buy a really nice old BOF boat with a tow pack.The Tacoma with a V6 and tow package can tow 6800lbs and has a payload rated at 1620 so, yeah, plenty of juice for anything up to a car on an open steel trailer.
Not to split hairs but the payload is 1620lbs only if you get the 4cyl, access cab, 2wd. I looked at these for a while and I was somewhat surprised that 4wd, v6, quad cab, 5' box is only 1175lbs. Towing also goes down to 6400 for the same configuration.
In reply to kilgoretrout:
So, I guess the payload drops proportional to the increase in weight for the extra cab size at about 500lbs. That makes sense. The towing decrease seems to always go in lock step to adding 4x4 across manufacturers rather than adding sprung weight so maybe it's more to the torque limits of the driveline at full load or capacity of the braking system.
IMHO, in order to be useful as a 'truck', I want an 8ft bed. I want to be able to close the tailgate on my cargo... I'm also opposite from most here, as I like a manual for towing, but don't mind an auto otherwise. As has been noted, it's not a sports car.
The nicest 'car' I ever owned was an '05 F150 crew 4x4... but with a 5.5ft bed, it was pretty useless as a truck. At the time I was big into flying RC, and had to buy a cap and build some custom racks to make it useful.
I had to fill the back seat with the rest of my gear. It was nice to drive, though.
Well that was the long way of saying buy the longest bed you can live with.
SVreX wrote: This is a weird thread. It's like asking, "Blond with big boobs, or brunette with a shapely rear. Which should I like better?" How the berkeley should we know? It's kind of a personal choice.
No what he is asking is why can't he have a brunette with blond highlights, big boobs, and a shapely rear.
SVreX wrote: This is a weird thread. It's like asking, "Blond with big boobs, or brunette with a shapely rear. Which should I like better?" How the berkeley should we know? It's kind of a personal choice.
Read the first post and perhaps it will make more sense than just jumping to the end.
6ft auto, five ft is useless. And let's face it rowing your own in a truck isn't nearly as exciting as doing it in you pcar or a tuned bmw. You'll get ur clutch workout on the motos. I had a nissan with auto 5ft, that bed was useless my pilot with the seats down is more practical. I sold it, the back seat in that 4 dr truck would no longer fit my kids in it. Take your kids and have them climb into those back seats, you may need to look at a full size four door truck or go SUV with a small trailer for bikes. Not to mention the v8 resales better and milege is really close. And you know me and I know you, ur oldest wont fit in the back and the mrs isnt going to sit in the back seat.
Huckleberry wrote:SVreX wrote: This is a weird thread. It's like asking, "Blond with big boobs, or brunette with a shapely rear. Which should I like better?" How the berkeley should we know? It's kind of a personal choice.Read the first post and perhaps it will make more sense than just jumping to the end.
I read the whole thread. It's a weird question. It's totally a matter of personal taste.
...or whining about what can't be had. 
In reply to SVreX:
I prefer the term "Rant" to "Whine" but yes. THat :)
I did call a junkyard to see what a 6' box goes for and I can snag one with lights, wiringe harness, backup camera and all for about $1500 give/take. So... assuming I can sell a brand spankin' new 5' box for about the same... I might be able to shut myself up for the cost of picking it up, a couple hours wrenching and so on if I can find a color match.
If you can't join them, beat them.
Brunette for sure.
Enyar wrote: Brunette for sure.
There is just something about a green eyed brunette. If she has a shapely bottom, that's just gravy.
In reply to Huckleberry:
You're right. "Rant" is a much better word! I stand corrected, and promise to do better in the future!
Sounds like you may have a winning solution there!
The answer turned out to be V6 crew cab, 6 speed manual, short bed, TRD Off-Road (LSD, locking diff, Bilsteins, skid plates) with tow package. The roof rack gets installed Tuesday. My first new vehicle purchase since a 1996 Honda VFR-750. (wife's car not withstanding - it's for her business and I don't use it)
First order of business... black out that grill.
That thing is sexy.
Pictures of the motorcycle in back?
Huckleberry wrote: In reply to SVreX: I prefer the term "Rant" to "Whine" but yes. THat :) I did call a junkyard to see what a 6' box goes for and I can snag one with lights, wiringe harness, backup camera and all for about $1500 give/take. So... assuming I can sell a brand spankin' new 5' box for about the same... I might be able to shut myself up for the cost of picking it up, a couple hours wrenching and so on if I can find a color match. If you can't join them, beat them.
so the 6 foot bed fits?
In reply to mad_machine:
Ofcourse not. Naturally the extra foot comes in front of the wheel well and not behind it so swapping them would require extending the frame.
But, last week I needed a truck and had to borrow my BIL's Ford Raptor with a 5' bed. I got two 8' wooden crates with 400lbs of steel roll door on a pallet along with all the install hardware in there and drove it home 40 miles on bumpy roads. I figure if I managed that without losing it - I really can do without that extra foot 99.9% of the time. And I really wanted the manual. And the shorter wheelbase fits in the garage by about 9". And it looks better.
Worse case scenario here is I regret it someday and have to sell the truck with the highest resale value overall for 12 years running. So... I said berkeley it. I do what I want. 
Driving 40 miles in a Raptor? That's one tank of gas.
Be careful, newer pickups don't have the robust tailgates of the past. Read up on the weight ratings of the tailgate for your choice before you assume it will support what you want to haul.
You'll need to log in to post.
