Pickup trucks are essential to the American way of life, especially in rural areas with little public transportation or major roads. They can also be a financial burden; pickup trucks cost more than other cars, and pickup drivers have higher insurance premiums because pickup trucks are seen as high risk.
#1 Myth: Pickup Trucks Are Safer Than Cars
A pickup truck is actually twice as likely to roll over in an accident than a car, making it one of the least safe vehicles on the road today. In addition to having less stable frames due to their weight distribution, pickup trucks are often driven aggressively by younger men who like the attitude they project behind the wheel of a pickup truck.
#2 Myth: Pickup Trucks Are More Dependable
The pickup trucks that are most popular in the United States – Ford, Dodge, and Chevy pickup trucks — are all manufactured by companies whose cars have lower than average dependability ratings. The Chevrolet pickup has as many engine recalls as any other vehicle sold in America today. And the Ford F-150 pickup is particularly susceptible to electrical problems, rusting frames, and leaking seals.
#3 Myth: Pickup Truck Owners Drive Them Harder Than Other Drivers
On average, pickup drivers drive them harder than others do. Because pickup truck owners view their pickups as personal vehicles more than just a car or SUV for getting from one place to another, pickup truck drivers often take their pickups off-road. The pickup trucks that are most popular with pickup owners – the Chevy Silverado, Ford F-Series, and Dodge Ram pickup trucks — all have average or below-average reliability ratings.
#4 Myth: Pickup Trucks Can Carry Lots of Stuff
Pickups are not exceptionally good at hauling stuff compared to other vehicles. They don’t carry as much cargo as SUVs or minivans; they can’t carry passengers like a sedan can; and pickup beds don’t fold down like the rear seats of an SUV do when it’s time to haul something big. In fact, pickup bed covers only open about half way.
#5 Myth: Pickup Trucks Don’t Break Down
Pickup trucks are plagued more engine and transmission problems just like any other type of vehicle on the road today. These pickup trucks also rust out much quicker as pickup truck frames are not protected by fenders so they’re exposed to all the elements their owners put them through including mud, gravel, water, and salt from winter roads. The average pickup truck wouldn’t make it 100,000 miles without major maintenance or repairs — a far cry from what is advertised and widely believed.
#6 Myth: Buy A Used Truck And You Won’t Have Any Problems With It
The fact that a pickup truck hasn’t required major work doesn’t mean it won’t in the future. It’s easy to spot pickup trucks with frame rust; just look for patches of gray primer on a pickup truck’s sides. But there are other types of rust as well, and pickup truck owners often don’t know where it is until it starts to leak or drip. In addition to picking up rust under the pickup bed cover and inside the wheel wells, pickup trucks’ frames are prone to rusting out in between the cabin and bed – right around the window openings. This type of rust isn’t always visible but can render a pickup truck unsafe.
#7 Myth: You Can Get A Decent Used Pickup Truck For Less Than $5,000
You can tell pickup truck owners that you’re going to spend less than $5,000 on a pickup truck and they’ll laugh in your face. If you buy a pickup truck that’s only six or seven years old, it will cost you more than twice that. That’s because pickup truck owners see their trucks as investments and take very good care of them. But a well-cared for pickup doesn’t necessarily mean the owner took care of the engine, electrical system, and mechanical components appropriately; so be sure to get an expert mechanic to check out every pickup truck you look at.
#8 Myth: Used Pickup Trucks Are As Reliable As New Ones
Pickup trucks last longer than cars but they do not last forever. Pickup truck owners will tell you that pickup trucks last a long time, but if the pickup was well-cared for and it’s several years old, its reliability may be compromised. There are tons of pickup truck myths about engines lasting forever.
#9 Myth: The Most Expensive Truck Is the Best One To Buy
If you’re looking for mechanical dependability and don’t mind paying more upfront for quality brands like Toyota or Honda , then by all means go big – only a pickup truck with an above average reputation. If you have very tight budget constraints and/or don’t care that much about vehicle dependability, check out pickup trucks with lower than average prices. Just know that pickup trucks with low repair costs are not as dependable as pickup trucks with high repair costs.
