Rangelus

I answered what was going to be your followup question.

You are wanting me to answer with some large number, and then you will point out if I had a ute I would save all that money! I could do all the things with one vehicle!

Except I wouldn't. I wouldn't drive a ute to work, because I don't need it and it wastes fuel. It would sit at home just as much as my SUV, and more in fact because they are less comfortable for taking the whole family on a trip. I can't get 7 in a ute, but I can in my SUV.

So my point is, even if a ute could do hauling and commuting, it would cost me just as much because I would still have two vehicles.

I'm really not. Typing replies does not mean I'm angry. I think you are pushing your expectations on me here mate.

Nope, it's large but not "big fuckoff", it's pretty normal. Double cab utes actually don't have that much space, unless they are an enormous American style pickup.

And again, don't mistake disagreement with anger. I'm not raging at you for wanting a ute, I'm voicing my opinion that they are, in most cases, silly.

If I had a ute, I wouldn't drive it to work either, so I don't know what your point is.

I'm not outraged mate. I'm capable of having an opinion without being angry.

That's your prerogative mate. I just personally don't see the point. Plenty of cars will haul boats, vans have a larger cargo space, etc. In fact, my SUV has as much boot space as my mate's ute, the only difference is he doesn't mind chucking dirt in there, where as I'll use a trailer on the rare occasions I need it.

My whole point of all of this isn't that utes are useless and should be banned or anything, but that they are in most cases not the best vehicle for the job, and people chose them to feel manly or whatever, not because they need one.

Of having large vehicles on the road? Sure, I never claimed I wasn't. But I tend to only use it for long trips with the kids, hauling a trailer or going somewhere I need AWD. The rest of the time, including to and from work, I drive a hatch back that uses 20% the fuel and easier to park.

I personally know two tradies with 4WD vans, and of the builders who worked on our house back when we were building, half had 4WD vans.

Sure, it's just as easy. But then why have a ute with a canopy when a van can hold more cargo, and has a bigger roof for long items like ladders, pipes and wood? And even if we say a canopy is great, most of the actual tradie utes I see don't have any bed cover. The ones with canopys are invariably white collar workers.

Just today, I saw 5 utes with signwriting on my morning commute. One was a landscaper hauling bark, fair enough. The others were a engineer, an farm insurance company, an electrical wholesalers and a power tool salesman. They sure needed those utes didn't they?

And if you’re self employed, you can do whatever you want with your work vehicle.

Of course, although you have to be careful about how to claim the gst and tax on fuel etc. You are supposed to track work-related use separately.

Most tradies are not self employed though. I rarely see sparkies, plumbers or builders driving in their company vehicles during the weekend. I have a sparkie mate, and he's the only one in the whole company who is allowed to use his van for personal use, all the others aren't (except the boss of course).

No, not really. I'm quoting something I saw on reddit and found funny. Feel free to ignore it.

But honestly, a lot of the time people seem to make ute ownership a personality trait. I used to want a ute. Then I grew up, and so now when I needed a work vehicle I got a van.

Other vehicles are more comfortable, safer and can haul just as well or more. I personally haul a trailer using my SUV, and it does the job fine. It could haul a boat no problem (I don't have a boat, obviously). There is no reason for a ute to haul a boat.

Plenty of tradie vans are 4wd and have decent ground clearance. And their tools won't get nicked out the back.

Oh and don't forget, plenty of places don't allow you to use your work vehicle during the weekend anyway.

Sure, as I said they have their place. But does a mum need one to drop her kids off at school? Does an accountant need one to meet a client?

We aren't talking about tradies or people towing boats (there are better towing vehicles btw), we are talking about all the spotless rangers and hiluxes clogging up city streets.