Utes are Useless

[Sprintey]

Some red meat for the forums:

"Utes are useless: They may be popular but modern utes such as the Toyota HiLux, Isuzu D-Max, Mitsubishi Triton, Ford Ranger and BYD Shark 6 seem less practical than ever before"

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-new...ux-isuzu-d-max

"Being the helpful brother that I am, when he needed to move house, I offered to borrow a ute (for strictly review-related purposes, obviously) and take some of the bigger loads — you know, like fridges, couches, desks, those sorts of things. Except, it quickly emerged that the tray in the ute was basically useless (sorry, there’s that word again) when it came to shifting bigger items, the tray was far too short. Even with the tailgate down and the load secured safely it would have been protruding too far behind the ute to be safe to drive.

But you know what could fit all the biggest items? My brother’s van."


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Generally agree with the author here. The tray sizes are too small. This is one area where the big US pick ups, and the tradey van market, improve on. Even SUV wagons are better for length and secure storage.


"Modern dual-cab utes effectively have a square tray, not perfectly square but pretty close, which makes it convenient for smaller and shorter items but challenging when it comes to longer packages. For example, the Toyota HiLux tray is actually wider than it is long, measuring 1645mm wide but only 1570mm long. The Triton I was driving when I had my epiphany had a tray that measures 1520mm long and 1470mm wide. As for the most popular ute, the Ford Ranger, it has various sizes of tray but measures 1464mm long and 1520mm wide in the popular dual-cabs."

And because I'm that person, I measured some of the defunct Aussie utes and can compare for you (and my longer items):

FG ute
length of tray 1800
width of tray 1370
diagonal 2262
(has wheel arch intrusions)

VS ute
length of tray 1790
width of tray 1450
diagonal 2303
(has wheel arch intrusions)

VS extended ambulance ute
length of tray 2370
width of tray 1450
diagonal 2778 - that's 9'1" in the old money!

XA to XH ute
length of tray 2134
width of tray 1530
diagonal 2625
(has wheel arch intrusions)

VU to VZ
length of tray 2193
width of tray 1477
diagonal 2622 - probably the winner in accessible to buy utes
(has wheel arch intrusions)

VE
length of tray1818
width of tray 1350
diagonal 2255
(has wheel arch intrusions)

** These are what I measured: go measure the ute you are interested yourself to be sure of the lengths you need, if you need to in future. This is my guide for comparison only.**


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Our young tradie has acknowledged that the smart purchase after his covid 4x4 tradiemobile will probably be a van. It's painful to admit, but we can see it will be so much better.

The amount of big US pickups we saw in our recent travels West and back are testament to the space, and GVM towing, advantages of the bigger ute.

[DFB FGXR6]

I've been saying this for years. What is the point of a work vehicle that can't actually be used for work purposes. So much so they end up towing the tools and materials on a trailer because they tray is virtually useless.

But.................how else do the tradies show off on the jobsite without an overweight, over styled dual cab with mud plugger tyres and a roof rack that never gets used. Oh, but some people say that these vehicles can double as a family vehicle on the weekends so that dadda can take Quinten to football practice twice a year, or go camping once a year. Meanwhile, you end up with a vehicle that is virtually useless for the remaining 363 days of the year.

Meanwhile, my "Ute" is not useless...........................







Actually, these body-on-frame four door's are NOT Utes, they are pickups.

[Citroënbender]

I’d prefer they were called utes, it’s far from my desire to see Australia adopt more Americanisms.

Article is deeply flawed in not giving measurements of alloy tray variants.

Furthermore, if the author was too stupid to realise in advance the error of his assumption, I’ll be blunt - he’s probably a **** removalist as well.

[simon varley]

there are also single cabs, and rap cabs, with significantly longer trays.

anyway - horses for courses right? why would you use a ute to move house? stupid idea. Even if you can fit the physical size of the things in the tray, it's still so small you'd need a dozen trips

[Citroënbender]

…why would you use a ute to move house?

If there’s no mad rush and the ute essentially costs very little - why not? People once concreted their own driveways and paths a few squares at a time using an old mixer; it was good enough. Similarly, you can do two or three loads an evening after work if it’s not too far, and the job is done in a week. That’s assuming two competent people, with a proper ute.

[kevino]

A single cab Ute….yes
A dc Ute take six months

[smoo]

As good as tits on a bull.
Even worse when half of them are now optioned with those useless electric roll back lids which severely compromise what can be put in there but I get they complete the look in that they are for the image.
Can’t load them up to the optimistic 1 tonne rating as most of that sits behind the rear axle pointing the nose to the sky.

The only benefit I can see a dual cab being over an SUV or wagon, is putting dogs in the back although they’ll cook in summer so only good for half the year. Or putting outdoor stuff in the tray that smells.

As far as Utes go, a falcon/commodore are superior in every way except payload.
Can get two bikes in there too, and load them by myself.

[FTE217]

Reading some comments fill me in the article is cooked but I beg to differ and agree horse's for course's as mentioned by one.
I am no tradie, no removalist, nor do I care about a pallet size fitting and all the other moaning about DC's.
It has ticked for my type of general use for over 10+yrs brilliantly.
Sure I'd like a inline 6 but generally it serves my purpose spot bloody on when I need to use it.
Pick up items from Joyce Mayne/Harveys/the countless nursery pick ups/bags of soil/cement/timbers/pots/ whatever SWMOB wish's and be it one or 2 trips who cares AND covers the many Syd to Noosa holiday runs and in between stopping at beachs drive the sand stop anywhere open the esky pop a tinny open a chardy for the Boss.
Carries the surfboards/fishing gear/golf clubs/beach gear/fold up chairs/table plus clothes with ease.
Can't be bothered getting rid of it I'll miss its practical use 110%.

[Rallye Sport]

Why not buy a trailer?
My 8x5 is as good if not better that any ute I'd potentially own. Cost a few grand to buy, tucks away into the corner of the driveway and costs bugger all to register and insure.
And for the other 99% of the time I'm driving a nice, comfy sedan.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Why not buy a trailer?
My 8x5 is as good if not better that any ute I'd potentially own. Cost a few grand to buy, tucks away into the corner of the driveway and costs bugger all to register and insure.
And for the other 99% of the time I'm driving a nice, comfy sedan.

Or the few times I need one, I hire it for $60 per 24hr.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by smoo

Or the few times I need one, I hire it for $60 per 24hr.

No one I know has to hire one anymore.
Bonus, they take the trailer for as long as they need and I don't have to help moving houses or lifting heavy things

[Interceptor]

I wouldnt consider a dual cab to be a proper ute, theyre a compromise between a kid carrier and a proper ute, with the side benefit of soooooo many people can salary sacrifice them for a tax break.

Whats embarassing, is the number of times I've seen single cab utes, both in Falcon/Commodore guise, and proper 4wd single cabs, on the way to the dump with a rickety old box trailer full of assorted rubbish or garden waste, all because they've either got a hard lid (commodores & falcons) or they're owned by wannabe weekend warriors with the insta worthy camping canopy setup, and are therefore incapable of functioning as a proper ute....

[swamp]

hi
Real utes have 1800mm x 2400mm trays
Local hire place has 1200mm high cages on 1800x 2400mm utes . These would carry alot

[kevino]

Removals
Just hire a 40 cubic metre medium rigid from Budget Hertz etc.
Job done.
No fluffing around.

[mad2]

not interested in owning a truck. wagon [when running) and a 8x5 trailor does me.

[ozrunner]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Meanwhile, my "Ute" is not useless...........................

Nor mine

[FTE217]

you guys got to look out being pulled up drug trafficking

[Citroënbender]

I’m more concerned about JD dropping a log in public!

[ozpacman]

Originally Posted by swamp

hi
Real utes have 1800mm x 2400mm trays
Local hire place has 1200mm high cages on 1800x 2400mm utes . These would carry alot

This is why I love my old Navara. 1800 x 2400 dropside ally tray that can carry heaps of gear. Also have a home made rack I can drop into the rear of the tray and another one that mounts to the bullbar. This allows the carriage of 6 metre lengths of material legally when required.

[Itsme]

Ute sales tell a different story, I will leave it as that.

[prydey]

These types of threads are all about those who get upset that other people don't think the same as them.

If you don't like dual cab utes then don't buy one. It really is very simple.

Judging others on their choices is also futile. Why let it bother you?

[Jack91]

It's funny, I don't think I've seen a new shape Ranger in single cab form, and when I see a px2 or px3 single, 4wd with a bullbar and muddies, it's rare and they actually look pretty cool.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Jack91

It's funny, I don't think I've seen a new shape Ranger in single cab form, and when I see a px2 or px3 single, 4wd with a bullbar and muddies, it's rare and they actually look pretty cool.

I'd have traded my PX MK II on the new model, but Ford went and deleted the low-ride suspension on the XL single cab chassis. So, you are forced to buy the high-ride.............which is absolutely pointless on a vehicle with 2WD. It's highly unlikely that these single cab work horses are being used where 4WD and high ride height are needed. And even then, its not like the "low ride" version was all that low anyway.





So, Ford, offer an XL single cab chassis with low ride suspension and the 3.0 V6/10-speed transmission, I'll buy one tomorrow..................in blue or red please.

Meanwhile, they sell 959 variants of the dual cab.

[Travesty]

Originally Posted by Itsme

Ute sales tell a different story, I will leave it as that.

This to a tee.

As for me, if the F-150 LWB with the 8ft bed was cheaper...

[smoo]

Originally Posted by prydey

These types of threads are all about those who get upset that other people don't think the same as them.

If you don't like dual cab utes then don't buy one. It really is very simple.

Judging others on their choices is also futile. Why let it bother you?

Not really, it’s simply pointing out the flaws of a compromised vehicle that excels at absolutely nothing despite the common herd mentality misconception of they’re the most practical thing going.

Macca’s sell a lot of burgers. Doesn’t stop them from been shit.

[CyberWasp]

I still can't work out what the over obsession is with people classifying dual cab utes into a category and what must and mustn't be done with them.

Mine would be in the show pony category. Size bigger tyres, slight offset wheel poke. Always clean clean and shiney. No tools on board...only me. Probably peeve a lot of people off, but you can't snap shot a person and their vehicle in the 10 seconds they drive past.

They are a Swiss army knife of vehicles. You build them how you want and use them how you want.

I don't know what the problem is.

Do people complain about Kia Carnival Owners if they are not full of people. Look at all the empty seats when there is only a driver in the car.
What about Mustang Owners who aren't doing 200km/h+. They are a fast car why drive them at 50, that is not what they are built for.
What about most hatchbacks if they don't have 4 people in them, they aren't using them properly either.

If this is the case 80% of the people going to work should be on motorbikes, but then you could complain about them, as they aren't carrying a pillion because the seat on some motorbikes allows for them.

Next people will complain about houses. Most houses have more bedrooms in them than people living there, so that is wrong also. People should only live in 1 bedroom apartments.

At the end of the day who cares. It is your money. You earned it. You spend it on what makes you happy. If it is a Dual Cab then good for you.

Also how many people do Dual Cabs employ when you look at sales, servicing, aftermarket ect. Would be a nice little niche.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by smoo

Not really, it’s simply pointing out the flaws of a compromised vehicle that excels at absolutely nothing despite the common herd mentality misconception of they’re the most practical thing going.

Macca’s sell a lot of burgers. Doesn’t stop them from been shit.

Again, if you don't want to eat a maccas burger, then don't.

A very basic concept.

[PG2]

Instead of pigeon holing cars, or utes and dual cabs for that matter, maybe we should start looking at cars in general and simply judge them on whether they meet our needs or not.

The wife's car is a dual cab ute and it is now our second one. She loves it. Admittingly, we have the Wildtrak with the roller cover but we treat it as a sedan with the biggest boot ever. It was never bought to lug cement in, it was bought to carry our two little lights of life (grandchildren) and all of their associate crap.

We can't think of another type of car that suits our needs better.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by prydey

Again, if you don't want to eat a maccas burger, then don't.

A very basic concept.

If people started saying something like

Macca’s burgers are the best going.
They are a healthy meal.
You won’t get better value for money.

Then expect blatant BS like that to get called out.
No different to this thread and the myth surrounding Thai specials which are used to justify dropping nearly 6 figures on them.

[Captain Stubing]

I think the point has been made, some people don't like modern utes, while others do.

We might leave it at that, I reckon.