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It's big enough, powerful enough, and has enough capacity for my needs. It's not impressive. It's not scary. It's not loud. It's not fast. It's a little pickup truck I use to haul stuff and as a second car. I've had it now for just over six months, and just recently filled the gas tank for only the second time since I bought it.
Pickups are useful. They are utility vehicles. Trying to make them more than that is pure vanity.
It gets down the road - eventually. I'm never in a hurry, however, to get to the landfill or the yard waste composting site, the most common destinations for my Ranger. I never worry about it getting dented or scratched or about rust in the Winter. It already has plenty of dents, scratches, and rust.
I did just order a set of loading ramps for it, though. I have to take an old washer and dryer to the scrap yard, and they're too heavy for me to lift into the bed by myself. So, I'll just roll them up the ramp on my two-wheel hand truck. I'm going to hide the ramps though, to keep my neighbors from asking me to help them move their junk more often than they already do. 
I don't think you realize how big Center Consoles have gotten, they can go for over a million dollars and have 4 big outboards on the back.
The Yellowfin 42' for example weights 15,000 lbs.
There was one for sale in my area about 20 years ago. I toyed with the idea of buying it, but didn't.
Coincidentally, someone shot the extended cab side window with a BB gun when I parked it on the street. Related? I'm guessing so. It's parked back in the driveway again.
Fortunately, the window didn't fall out. It just shattered into those chunks, which remained in place. So, I covered it completely with 3M clear packaging tape to keep the chunks all together. I never look out that window anyhow.
here is S. Alabama, they wont be using a bb gun. 
Isn't that a capitalist principle? 
Maybe oil companies losing profits due to electrics and hybrids are pushing car companies to make bigger gas guzzlers. 
Bigger trucks make it harder to see around them in traffic and in parking spaces.
It's mileage is not great, but I do generally only use it for around town hauling. My car gets 35 mpg at least. Ranger has no rear seats. On one memorable occasion, I ended up with two other adults and a labrador retriever in it---due to poor planning
We were crammed hip-to-hip with Charlie the dog standing and straddling us, head out passenger window and butt directly in my face. Thank God it was a relatively short trip.
think that gas is going to be $2 a gallon forever. When it gets close to $4 again, as it will, they will be the first ones bitchin about it.
.... that so many people here on Democratic Underground do not realize how many women there are out there who absolutely love their pickup trucks. Wonder what they're compensating for? 🤔
I own a handgun, but it's a small handgun, so does that mean I'm decompensating for, well, you know?
... it suits our lifestyle and needs very well. Whether it's tent-camping, pulling our RV, stocking-up at Costco, bringing home wood from Lowe's, carrying pets, plants, mulch, feed, etc... we're glad to have them, and we aren't sending-a-message or compensating.
