The Thailand Special Thread - New Developments/News

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Pulling into a busy roundabout is fun. Zero payload and a beige Camry with a dented bumper is pulling away from you.

Maybe it’s just me but I get a sore back driving these small trucks a lot quicker than I do driving anything else.

It’s still a novelty for me to drive one so I do enjoy it. However I wouldn’t want to drive one all day every day.

Depends on the seats I reckon, I got L4/L5/S1 bulged discs because I'm old and clapped out.

I don't like Falcon seats, not enough support, after 20 mins lower back dramas start and I get stiff (not where it counts)

Commodore seats are a bit better - more shapely

Ford Euro seats - mint no dramas, got Recaros in my daily.

Kenworth T610SAR - has a crap seat that's like a park bench on an air cushion, it's way too flat and it causes me drama

IVECO Powerstar - has a seat that's like a fat person Recaro, no back dramas.

It's not so much the vehicle but how much thought and effort in the ergonomics of the seat is the big one for me, tight seat like Recaros are mint

Wide open seat like the Falcons - trash.

[prydey]

When seated directly above the wheels there's only so much the seat and suspension can compensate for.

I grew up in a large family so the family car was Nissan urvan, Nissan nomad etc. Regardless of brand, all vans were the same back then.

Then Toyota came out with their space age Tarago and changed the driving experience completely. Now most people movers are the same, with the driving position behind the front wheel, similar to a car.

Even hiace eventually changed.

Cabover trucks are a bit harder to design for comfort but the larger ones have the cab suspended also and not bolted directly to the chassis.

N series, and the like might be a more capable tow vehicle but nowhere near as comfortable if you're lugging a family around as well. Not that I'm suggesting utes are comfortable. It's why I bought an Everest.

[prydey]

If you're setting up for a one off big trip (lap of Australia etc) then I think the small trucks should definitely be considered and for that purpose would be the smarter choice. Possibly better resale at the end as well, although utes are pretty good in that regard too.

For those who only tow a few times a year I don't think a truck is worth it.

[Citroënbender]

Having done Sydney to Cradle Mountain in an Urvan, definitely a Thai Special would be preferable for the same journey.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by prydey

If you're setting up for a one off big trip (lap of Australia etc) then I think the small trucks should definitely be considered and for that purpose would be the smarter choice. Possibly better resale at the end as well, although utes are pretty good in that regard too.

For those who only tow a few times a year I don't think a truck is worth it.

90% agree (hell just froze over),

If you're planning on the big lap with a big van where you've got the kitchen sink along, Jappo tray back truck is the tits for sure.

Anything where you tow heavy, the truck is the safe bet, notice how the ride massively changed when it was being used for work in the review.

But have another car you use as your daily, keep the Jap truck for towing heavy and running errands like tip/Bunnings runs, helping people move.

Probably wouldn't have my ACCO as what I get the family around in even though it fits all of us in it, but I'll take them on a Bunnings run in it

For the price of a 300 series you can get a new Isuzu N series and another new car as the daily no dramas.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Depends on the seats I reckon, I got L4/L5/S1 bulged discs because I'm old and clapped out.

I don't like Falcon seats, not enough support, after 20 mins lower back dramas start and I get stiff (not where it counts)

Commodore seats are a bit better - more shapely

Ford Euro seats - mint no dramas, got Recaros in my daily.

Kenworth T610SAR - has a crap seat that's like a park bench on an air cushion, it's way too flat and it causes me drama

IVECO Powerstar - has a seat that's like a fat person Recaro, no back dramas.

It's not so much the vehicle but how much thought and effort in the ergonomics of the seat is the big one for me, tight seat like Recaros are mint

Wide open seat like the Falcons - trash.

Here you go Franco, suspension Stratos comfy as.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by prydey

If you're setting up for a one off big trip (lap of Australia etc) then I think the small trucks should definitely be considered and for that purpose would be the smarter choice. Possibly better resale at the end as well, although utes are pretty good in that regard too.

For those who only tow a few times a year I don't think a truck is worth it.

In the last 20 years of doing so many big laps, the only small tray trucks I've ever seen towing vans belongs to workers who travel with the road gangs or maybe the odd circus, never really seen anyone else using them, it's either the usual dual cab utes, suv's crowd or the big Rams and Silverado's, oops nearly forgot the odd Unimog and the ever-increasing motorhomes.

[whynot]

Originally Posted by Itsme

In the last 20 years of doing so many big laps, the only small tray trucks I've ever seen towing vans belongs to workers who travel with the road gangs or maybe the odd circus,

While I haven't done the big lap (it is on my bucket list), I have been seeing a few tray trucks + caravan rigs the last few years transiting through Brisbane. Some serious money in some of those rigs.

An example of a fully kitted rig is the YouTube channel done by The Cartwrights. Dad, Mum and three (a recently a fourth) kids. They have an Isuzu NPS 4x4 towing a monster caravan.

https://www.youtube.com/@thecartwrights

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Itsme

In the last 20 years of doing so many big laps, the only small tray trucks I've ever seen towing vans belongs to workers who travel with the road gangs or maybe the odd circus, never really seen anyone else using them, it's either the usual dual cab utes, suv's crowd or the big Rams and Silverado's, oops nearly forgot the odd Unimog and the ever-increasing motorhomes.

True, most people who own table top trucks for recreation use them for, large slide ons, horse gooseneck, fifth wheelers or 4x4 earthship's and home conversions.

Motorhome wise the biggest appeal of the cab chassis is when it's worn out, you can build or slide on another body to suit your application.
This sort of took over from the small and large bus conversion which got to complicated once NHVS got involved plus the fact buses bodies tended to rust out with little options left to repair.

For average Joe, towing upto 2.5T the little utes are probably best but you'd have to be a bit of a dill to buy one to regularly tow something in the 3.5T range. Hence why as you say, see mainly carny's and trade towing with them more often.

Just because it can doesn't mean you should, and certainly not all the time.