All You Need to Know About Buying a Truck

A truck is unrivaled in terms of versatility and utility. They are indispensable on any job site, ranch, or farm. When properly equipped, a truck can function as a snowplow, a camper, a firefighting vehicle, and more.

Trucks are still among the best-selling vehicles among automakers. And there’s no sign of that changing anytime soon.

This guide will teach you everything you need to know about trucks.

Reasons You Need a Truck

– Trucks have more carrying capacity due to their open cargo beds. They also keep their loads separate from the passenger area.

– Even the most powerful SUVs can’t usually tow as much as trucks.

– Trucks have a higher resale value than SUVs. Used trucks have historically outperformed old SUVs in terms of resale value.

– Modern pickup trucks are progressing in overcoming years of subpar safety performance.

Truck Frames

Trucks are constructed by manufacturers using a body-on-frame design. This design makes a truck’s structure more robust and flexible than a car’s. In other words, the body and frame are two separate components bolted together.

Trucks’ flexible frames allow them to maintain all four wheels on the ground, giving them better traction on rocky, off-road surfaces. However, that same flexibility results in a rougher ride and looser handling.

Truck Cab

Each truck manufacturer has its terminology for describing the layout of its cabins. Traditional two-door, two-seat trucks are referred to as “regular cabs” or “standard cabs.”

Some pickup trucks have two full-sized doors but only four seats. A smaller pair of doors, often rear-hinged, provides access to a cramped second row of seats. This configuration is helpful for those who occasionally transport more than two people.

Some trucks have 4-door, 5-seat cabins, just like sedans or SUVs. This configuration is ideal as a family car or for transporting crews to job sites.

Truck Bed

An open cargo platform called a truck bed is located behind the cab and is typically surrounded by three walls and a tailgate. The exposed bed is what distinguishes a truck from an SUV. Full-size trucks typically have beds ranging from 5.5 feet to 8 feet. Midsize trucks typically have beds that are 5 to 6 feet long.

Truck beds are no longer just open-top containers. Most include numerous movable tie-down points and electrical outlets. Some beds have lockable storage areas built into the sides or the base.

Truck Safety

Trucks today are far safer than trucks from a generation ago. Most pickups now come with technologies like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and others.

However, because of their higher driving position, they have more blind spots than passenger sedans. When turning, pickup trucks are more likely than cars to collide with pedestrians. These are crucial safety considerations if you live in a city or have small children.

Emergency braking systems that detect pedestrians can alleviate this safety concern, but they are still an extra-cost option on many trucks.