Without putting too much bias in this I wanted to do a quick informal survey of the greatest car community around.
So trucks.
They are the most popular vehicle sold, factually speaking. Statistically, it’s very likely that many of these vehicles are bought purely by preference and not by need. The truth is that most people that buy trucks probably don’t, strictly speaking, “need” one. That being said I wanted to take a quick poll on people’s actual impressions of trucks and their buyers. Whats the breakdown in the buyers, or the perception of breakdown.
i.e. Who do you picture as the buyer of a mid sized truck? Half ton? Full size? What do you think of an expensive trim truck and their buyer versus a mid level trim? What are you opinions on off road truck buyers?
Also I want to know where you are and what you base these perceptions on (if you are in sales, let me know, if you are a truck buyer let me know, etc)
I’m just curious what the sentiment around trucks is and how it matches to region and circumstance.
I’ll start but try and not skew the results too much. I live here.
Utah is semi-rural and semi-urban, we drive an above average miles per capita and have a huge variety of lifestyles and climate but are historically traditional and conservative. Trucks are VERY much a thing here. People have RV’s, off-road toys, boats, horses and other outdoorsy type things. To say nothing of ranching, oil and mineral extraction, construction and other heavy labor uses. That being said I think a lot of people buy trucks just because they want one.
My brother in law is a great example, he grew up on a farm in Idaho and always wanted a truck when he grew up, so he bought one. What does he do now? he works for an insurance company. He doesn’t own a boat, he doesn’t have an RV, he doesn’t go off-road...he just wanted one. He bought a well equipped f150 and has a leveling kit. He’s a mild mannered and excellent dude that I wouldn’t in the least classify as a bro.
Trucks for him growing up were both functional and aspirational and they represent a large part of what makes him who he is. He doesn’t “need” one and he keeps it clean and nice and just drives it to work.
I also know several people who have HD trucks and daily them, but who actually have a real need for a vehicle that is both very nice to be in and very functional and I understand their choice.
I also own 2 gas guzzling off-road vehicles that I try and keep clean but that serve my needs and wants very well.
So what are your thoughts on the mater?