Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use
by red-iron-pine on Friday June 23, 2023 @03:49PM
(#36451419)
> What about the old nimble 6'-bed Ford Rangers, Chevy S-10s, Toyota Pickups? Gone, replaced with monstrous lifted 4'-bed wannabe minivans.
those vehicles had horrendous safety records, and modern trucks are larger so as to allow for crumple zones. plastic shells, Styrofoam, and other improved materials allow them to be much larger but without being excessively heavier.
agree with your 4' bed and minivan comments, tho
> Why don't we have more specialized vehicles catering to small, passionate niches?
because large scale manufacturing, safety, liability, and hell just the plain ole logistics of getting stuff places means it's not cost effective. One-offs like the Rally Fighter go for 75k-100k and won't have support, warranty, or the build quality of brands like Ford or Toyota.
those vehicles had horrendous safety records, and modern trucks are larger so as to allow for crumple zones. plastic shells, Styrofoam, and other improved materials allow them to be much larger but without being excessively heavier.
agree with your 4' bed and minivan comments, tho
> Why don't we have more specialized vehicles catering to small, passionate niches?
because large scale manufacturing, safety, liability, and hell just the plain ole logistics of getting stuff places means it's not cost effective. One-offs like the Rally Fighter go for 75k-100k and won't have support, warranty, or the build quality of brands like Ford or Toyota.
https://www.classic.com/m/local-motors/rally-fighter/