The Pick-Up Truck Thread

[Big Boy]

I think it would take me a long time to re-adjust. Last time I drove a manual, it was JD's old pick-up about 11 years ago. Even then, just a few months on it was a serious adjustment

[Dannie Boy]

I bought a manual car in the UK 2 years ago which was the first non-auto I’d had in the best part of 20 years - I think I adjusted within 30 minutes!!

There’s no doubt that driving an auto is a lot easier and allows you to concentrate on driving that bit easier, but I’ve never had a problem switching between either (hire cars in the UK were often manual 10+ years ago).


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[pharvey]

Oh come on, a proper car is always a manual - even my auto has "paddles"...

I was lucky enough to have been brought up in places with (private) areas where we could learn to drive way before the 17 years old (UK) threshold. I could "Double-Declutch" before I could undo those bloody Bra mechanisms.... Both of which I must add were an incredible experience!!

These days of motorway driving and stop-start-hill-starts make the auto the only option unfortunately..... But, it's never something you'll forget - I can switch Auto to Manual and Left to Right (driving!) quite easily - hell, the test will be next month when the LHG and I travel to Sicily!!

[Big Boy]

Of course, I used to have several different hire cars each week with work - mainly manual, and switching was never a problem. I just feel a gap of 11 years, and growing old could make it more of a challenge.

Mind you, manual to auto is the biggest transformation, especially when you depress the clutch on an auto. I think it's why seat belt were invented

[Nereus]

I could "Double-Declutch" before I could undo those bloody Bra mechanisms....

Tsk,Tsk, and you a married man!

I grew up driving tractors, then trucks and then boats! (and helicopters) No problem changing from auto to manual, but those bloody windscreen wipers get me everytime! Even going from RHD to LHD, has never been a problem, just those mongrel transposed wipers and traffic indicators!

[STEVE G]

I had a Toyota Hilux manual that I drove in Thailand for 18 years even though we had more modern automatic vehicles as well.
When I arrived in January, it wasn't insured so for five days I drove the automatic Isuzu. On the sixth day I sold the Toyota to a neighbour!
If you do a lot of open road driving a manual is fine but my daily drive is usually down the length of 88 into town and that is a lot of stop-start.
Another thing is that modern six speed automatics are a world apart from the old three speeds that were around in the eighties when I started driving.

[buksida]

It took me a while to adjust to the van in Japan which was an auto. We also did some hairy hills over there and I missed my gears!

As said though the modern automatics are pretty good now and I'd definitely have one if I needed to drive around traffic-clogged Hua Hin!

[STEVE G]

It took me a while to adjust to the van in Japan which was an auto. We also did some hairy hills over there and I missed my gears!....

We've had the Isuzu for two years but I hadn't driven it all that much so I only recently discovered that you can push the gear stick from "drive" over to the right and then select the gears up or down with the stick which is great for hills.
( Maybe I should have read the manual when I first bought it! )

[STEVE G]

This new BYD is going to make the average Japanese brand pickup look a bit pedestrian:

The PHEV version of the pickup is expected to deliver 490 hp from two electric motors and a 1.5-liter turbo engine
https://www.carscoops.com/2024/02/byds- ... er-mother/

[Dannie Boy]

This new BYD is going to make the average Japanese brand pickup look a bit pedestrian:

The PHEV version of the pickup is expected to deliver 490 hp from two electric motors and a 1.5-liter turbo engine
https://www.carscoops.com/2024/02/byds- ... er-mother/

That’s all well and good, but do pickup drivers really want/need nearly 500hp under their right foot - I’d have thought half of that would be more than adequate and make a significant financial saving in the process? It seems that these days, nearly all car manufacturers are trying to adopt the “mines bigger than yours” syndrome!!

[PeteC]

Indeed. I hope the Lao Khao racing brigade doesn't get their hands on them or our accident thread will quickly become more interesting.

The vehicles probably warrant a nasty photo sticker covering at least 30% of both doors that the driver is an extreme risk to himself and others.

[STEVE G]

This new BYD is going to make the average Japanese brand pickup look a bit pedestrian:

The PHEV version of the pickup is expected to deliver 490 hp from two electric motors and a 1.5-liter turbo engine
https://www.carscoops.com/2024/02/byds- ... er-mother/

That’s all well and good, but do pickup drivers really want/need nearly 500hp under their right foot - I’d have thought half of that would be more than adequate and make a significant financial saving in the process? It seems that these days, nearly all car manufacturers are trying to adopt the “mines bigger than yours” syndrome!!

Personally, I agree with you but it's interesting that BYD are getting as much hp out of a 1.5L PHEV as some US trucks manage with 6L V8s.

[Dannie Boy]

Almost every article about a new form of motorised transport wants to claim it has more power, faster acceleration, greater range etc, but in the process, prices are going up rather than coming down - all this hype about EV’s matching ICE vehicles in price may be true, but it won’t be at a lower level, just everything more expensive. Ok I know that there are a few exceptions (BYD being one of them), but the likes of BMW, Mercedes and the like are taking the pi**. Ok rant over

[PeteC]

The Bangkok Post "Motoring" section used to be pretty good with some insightful reviews of different cars, SUV's and trucks. NO MORE. There hasn't be an article published by them for months that hasn't been about EV's.

We do get an occasional photo like the below from time to time, but that doesn't really make up for anything.

c1_2746039.jpg (76.6 KiB) Viewed 763 times

[Nereus]

We do get an occasional photo like the below from time to time, but that doesn't really make up for anything.

It dosen't say how much a test drive is.