My first question is do you really need a PU? I have driven two different Toyota PU for 35 years. Both had shells which made them versatile but more recently moved over to a Land Cruiser. Which I like better because then everything is nicely sealed up. Had I been able to afford it at the time my second PU would been a LC. With a LC I can take out seats to have lots of room. I bring this idea up as Forerunner might be reasonable option.
Pickup truck with a locking bed cover or camper shell > *.
You get the security of a SUV (your stuff locked up and away from prying eyes) and you can toss wet and/or nasty stuff back in the bed. I’ve hauled plenty of stuff with my truck that the average person is never going to put in the cab of their vehicle.
A mid-sized truck would be a great daily driver. It avoids the only downside of a full-size truck, which is that they’re too damn big at times.
On a side note...I jump-started my dive buddy’s late model 4Runner with my Ram on our last dive outing.
I had an 80 series LC years ago. My brother had a 60 and a 100 series. For the money...if you can find a 100 series that was well maintained, they’re great vehicles. The only thing that would keep me from buying another LC is the maintenance cost though. Ex. You buy a 2004 100 series...you’re still doing maintenance on a $55k+ vehicle.
The main thing is, with any truck you buy, if you're diving in the sea, be sure to rinse your gear really well before tossing it in the bed. No truck....any brand, will stand up to salt water.
I rinse and hose everything off very well. Pro tip if you have an extended cab or crew cab truck:
- Have lots of bungee cords or some 550/parachute cord on hand.
-String it from side to side and fore and aft in rear passenger area. ex. Garment hooks, headrest posts, “oh ****” handles, etc.
-Hang up dive gear. Crack windows and drive.
By the time I get home from my quarry dives (about 2.5 hours), just about everything is dry or just a bit damp (dry enough that you can hang it up anywhere when you get home and not end up with a puddle).
When I was doing ocean dives down in Florida, that’s what I did. When I was done and heading home, by the time I got to the hotel, everything was completely dry and able to be put in the storage box.
