With the advancements of features and comfort level of pickup trucks, they have become popular than cars among people for their work and everyday use.
Do Pickup Trucks Last Longer Than Cars? In general, Pickup trucks last longer than cars because of their durable body, chassis, and heavier engine parts. Other apparent reasons are fewer maintenance issues, powerful engines, and tougher designs, making them comparatively safer in road accidents.
I have conducted a survey based on feedback from thousands of car and truck drivers and conclude that truck drivers are more loyal and satisfied with their trucks.
Do Pickup Trucks Last Longer Than Cars?
The average expected mileage of pickup trucks in service is 1,50,000 miles to 2,50,000 miles.
However, pickup trucks are covering a million miles of distance and still working fine. So you will find 15-20 years old trucks in good shape on the road.
Trucks are powerful
Automobile manufacturers design pickup trucks by keeping in view their intended purpose for towing and loading applications.
It results in a rugged and versatile product, suitable for work and daily routine driving needs to transport your family.
Most cars have unibody construction that is the manufacturing of frame and body as a single unit.
While trucks have the body on frame construction, making them flexible to tow other vehicles.
Moreover, the bodies of trucks are solid to withstand stresses and wear during loading applications.
Pickups have forged cranks and pistons as compared to cast ones in cars.
They also have built-in or external transmission coolers, enhancing the service life of transmission parts during towing applications.
Moreover, trucks have heavier rear differentials to transmit power to the wheels. These heavy-duty parts make it durable and sturdier, making it more reliable than cars.
All-wheel drive
The primary purpose of trucks was for the transportation of materials during your work.
During that, they have to go off-road in areas with rough terrains.
Therefore, all designs and models of trucks are available with 4-wheel drive variants to apply equal power to all wheels on uneven or rough surfaces.
Moreover, they have better ground clearance than cars, making them secure from edges or bumps on the road.
Due to the lower ground clearance, cars are most likely to get damaged by any sharp objects or ground on rough surfaces.
Therefore, all-wheel-drive and better ground clearance protect the truck during off-road or outdoor applications, making them last longer than cars.
They can even cross small water puddles or muddy areas during unfavorable weather conditions.
Regular Maintenance
Regular preventive maintenance is the key to enhancing the serviceable life of a vehicle. Pickups are mainly used for work purposes and are a source of income.
Therefore, truck owners take care of them by regular oil and filter changes to keep them in good shape.
Unfortunately, the motivation behind this maintenance is lacking in cars that have the primary purpose for transportation that is money consuming.
Truck drivers have good mechanical skills
Truck owners are mostly professional drivers, driving them to earn their livelihood. They have basic mechanical skills to manage minor repairs.
Therefore, they spend more time on maintenance and better know their vehicle. But, on the other hand, cars have females or office-going male owners, and they don’t pay any interest in their car’s maintenance.
Truck owners share technical content and steps to resolve particular problems, while car forums have mostly non-technical content.
Before the situation becomes worse, this regular and timely maintenance increases the truck’s service life even more.
More power and versatility of the engine
Pickups have powerful engines with high torque to pull and carry lots of weight.
They have specific designs to do more work than cars, and truck owners rarely push to their maximum loading and towing capacities. Therefore, they remain in good form despite being used for their intended job.
Latest trucks are versatile in their functions, from a workhorse to a family vehicle.
They have improved cabin interior for enhanced comfort level and latest engine designs to have more torque and power ratings and better mileage.
In addition, with the introduction of hybrid and electric variants, they have reduced mechanical components and enhanced the expected life of the truck.
Fewer maintenance issues
Trucks have fewer maintenance issues because of their durable and good-quality components.
Therefore, I have conducted a survey regarding maintenance costs of trucks versus cars. The results were as expected in favor of trucks, with average annual maintenance costs for a 1-5 years old truck were $200.
While for a car from the same manufacturer in similar condition, the average price was about $500.
Moreover, pickups come with options of warranties to ensure timely maintenance and regular inspections to make them last longer.
Previous models of trucks have simple construction due to the presence of limited features.
As a result, their maintenance was simple and easy even for truck drivers themselves, and they seldom had to visit workshops for repair. Therefore, they have the matching performance specifications despite years of service.
Self-diagnostic computers onboard to detect faults at an early stage
The latest truck models have modern features like onboard diagnostic computers to monitor every parameter of the engine.
They have eased drivers’ workload by generating warning messages and fault codes in case of any abnormality. Moreover, they alert the owner when the truck engine is due for service.
This self-inspection and regular service messages enable truck drivers to check for errors and repair them before getting more significant.
Each component level fault has a specific code, and you can easily reach the root cause of the problem.
Fewer regulations for trucks compared to cars
The government puts fewer regulations on pickup trucks than cars to increase mileage and reduce emissions because of their operation in off-road areas.
Therefore, they have simpler construction than cars and fewer electronic gadgets to be faulty over time. Yet, despite these facts, trucks are safer than cars.
They have added safety features like airbags, automatic braking system, lane keep assistant, and blind-spot detection systems.
In addition, they have better road grips owing to their larger tires and safer handling at sharp turns and corners.
Moreover, they have tougher built, solid frames and heavier bumpers, making them safe in an accident.
They get minor damage due to their strength and remain protected from catastrophic destruction. In addition, because of the body on frame structure, they are easy to repair as compared to unibody cars.
Because of their durable designs, this built-in safety feature makes them remain intact for years despite facing road accidents.
Improved suspension system
Pickups have the intended purpose of traveling in all kinds of terrains, while cars have applications for on-road use.
Therefore, suspension systems for trucks have heavier and longer components than cars.
It will withstand the stresses of driving on rough terrains and carrying the weight of luggage in a truck bed.
Modern trucks have coiled leaf suspension systems on all four wheels to provide a comfortable ride with a specified loading capacity.
Which is the Most Reliable Pickup Truck?
According to an online survey conducted by Trucksauthority.com, Toyota Tundra is the most reliable truck. It has a basis on ratings from truck owners regarding their operation history from 2010-2020.
In 2016, a 2007 Toyota Tundra model reported had an operational history of about a million miles without major engine overhaul, repaint, and replacement of transmission parts.
It is a milestone seldomly achievable by any car during its history of operation. It indicates a better quality design of pickup trucks and the longevity of their service life than cars.
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