Standard Bed, Long Bed, Regular Cab, Extended Cab -- What Type Of Truck Should You Get?

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If you're debating the purchase of a new (or new to you) truck, you may be amazed at the options now available to you. While truck owners were once limited to two or three model options, both the number of truck models and the variety within these models continues to grow. You're now faced with cab options from a regular two-seat cab to a crew cab with two extra-wide rows of seating.

You'll also need to choose between standard beds, long beds, and extra long beds, as well as the engine sizes needed to haul these beds. Read on to learn more about your options when purchasing a new truck, as well as help in evaluating which sizing options are most important to you.

What size bed will you need?

Whether you're purchasing a truck to do some heavy-duty hauling (like towing a camper or ferrying construction materials) or just want a versatile and high-powered vehicle, bed size is important. Most truck manufacturers today make both a standard bed and long bed model, while a few also make an extra-long bed. Standard beds generally run about six and a half feet long, while long beds can be seven to eight feet or more. Long beds are often substantially wider than standard beds, with widths ranging from five feet to nearly six feet wide.

Keep in mind that standard beds can still be converted to longer beds when necessary. If you think you may need a long bed truck occasionally but your budget can only accommodate a standard bed, you may be able to save yourself quite a bit in depreciation costs on a larger vehicle by going with the less-expensive standard bed and simply buying a bedextender or making another modification to allow you to haul and tow extra-large items.

What size cab will you need?

While browsing cab sizes, you may feel a bit like Goldilocks -- some cabs are too small, some are too big, and some seem just right. However, your cab needs today won't always match your cab needs for tomorrow, so it's important to keep versatility in mind when weighing your choices.

Generally you'll have three options:

• Regular cab trucks are fairly utilitarian models that either have a single row of seating or a small "jump seat" or two behind the main row of seating. These trucks generally have two doors only.
• Extended cab trucks can have two doors or four doors (with slightly smaller back doors) as well as two full rows of seating within the truck. These back seats can be relatively small, and may be comparable to the back seat size of a sedan.
• Crew cab trucks have the largest cabs of the group, generally with four full-sized doors and a spacious back seat. Some trucks allow this back seat to be folded down or removed to allow room for additional cargo hauling. Some manufacturers have added a fourth option with second or third row seating to provide the truck with the same seating capacity as some SUVs.

If you're only hauling enough passengers to justify an extended cab once or twice per year, you may be better off to simply rent a larger truck or vehicle for those times rather than pay the extra price to purchase an extended or mega cab truck. However, if you'll be hauling children or other young ones for a good part of this truck's life, it's worthwhile to invest in a vehicle with a full back seat. In fact, most manufacturers and safety experts strongly discourage installing an infant or booster seat in the front seat of a truck.

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13 May 2015