Predictable Pessimistic Pundit Prognostication

[jhevil]

Big home, narrow garage door, increasingly wide vehicles.

This is another issue for me. I haven't been able to park a vehicle in my garage for more than a decade due to the vehicle's size. I have no intention on performing a full remodel and spend 10's of thousands of dollars to increase the height and width of the garage.

 

[tdm3]

Starting to think car and truck people don't even consider the privacy angle and have gotten so used to Silicon Valley era behavior that they don't see it as a negative value.

I couldn't agree more. I don't want or need a truck that tracks me or has a modem. I want a good truck, for a good price, from a company that actually acts like they want my money and appreciates it at the same time. I also want to be able to work on my own property and choose who else works on it. And it ought to be simple. It's a truck, not a phone, entertainment center or living room.

 

[tubes]

It's a truck, not a phone, entertainment center or living room.

This reminds me of peak 1970s lux-o-barges. Remember when the peak of a great car was thought to be riding around on mushy springs with a couch as your seat? It was a floating living room, complete with ashtray!

Then those persnickety companies like Honda and Toyota came along with something else. 60% the price, maybe 70% the size, and seats that felt more connected to a car that felt more connected to the road. Detroit persisted on, maybe taking a little bit of the stuffing out of the couches, but they weren't going to let a motorbike and mower company define a market, no way. Then that sneaky competition created Acura and Lexus. And guess what? They didn't bring the couches with them.

That was it. The era of driving on couches was over.

I bring this up to point out that if there are more of "us" out there, ready for a change back to sensible, right sized small trucks, Slate could start a revolution just as much as Honda and Toyota did with their Tercel and Civic. And in a bit of irony, it would circle right back to Toyota, whose Tacoma has just gotten Too Damn Big.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

This reminds me of peak 1970s lux-o-barges. Remember when the peak of a great car was thought to be riding around on mushy springs with a couch as your seat? It was a floating living room, complete with ashtray!

Then those persnickety companies like Honda and Toyota came along with something else. 60% the price, maybe 70% the size, and seats that felt more connected to a car that felt more connected to the road. Detroit persisted on, maybe taking a little bit of the stuffing out of the couches, but they weren't going to let a motorbike and mower company define a market, no way. Then that sneaky competition created Acura and Lexus. And guess what? They didn't bring the couches with them.

That was it. The era of driving on couches was over.

I bring this up to point out that if there are more of "us" out there, ready for a change back to sensible, right sized small trucks, Slate could start a revolution just as much as Honda and Toyota did with their Tercel and Civic. And in a bit of irony, it would circle right back to Toyota, whose Tacoma has just gotten Too Damn Big.

Your memory is correct!

Interestingly, Lexus TZ is claiming to be a "living room on wheels", so where we going again?

 

[E90400K]

Interesting. comments, but I didn’t watch.
thinking about my friends and neighbors and every one with a truck, regarless of size uses it as a truck. Must be a Paradise thing. Interesting conversation involving my friend who just got his Silverado Trailboss EV. A non truck owner remarked it was getting dirty. Owner remarked, “It’s a truck, supposed to be dirty” what the non owner didn’t know what there were several lengths Sch 40, 4” galvanized pipe in the bed. He also just bought a 7x14 dump trailer to pull behind it.

Yeah, I have to take issues with this whole "people-don't-use-their-trucks-for-truck-stuff" meme. I've owned a pickup truck nearly 40 years now and I use it for truck stuff, even the two "look-at-me" (cough cough) versions; my 1987 Ranger STX and my 2009 Hummer H3T. I throw shit in the bed, beat up the bed, and leave it dirty. All the people I know, do the same. Yup some have Brodosers, but still use them as trucks.

I'm going to use my Slate as a truck, let the Shark Scarring begin!

Both those dudes come across as asshats, IMO.

 

[dmon4u]

How does not having Power Windows or a Radio and only two Doors affect the Slate as a Truck doing Truck like things ?

I have watched many negative videos that start off with those " shortcomings " !

 

[RevMS]

How does not having Power Windows or a Radio and only two doors effect the Slate as a Truck doing Truck like things ?

I have watched many negative videos that start off with those " shortcomings " !

They don't. My 2005 Dodge with 300,000 miles on it has manual windows and I can count on one hand the number of times I've wished I could roll down the passenger window and wasn't able to.

Radios are certainly not a necessary thing but are nice ... I use Android Auto for music, talk radio, or Audible most of the time anyway.

The big Dodge has a back seat, but it's just full of junk and tools. I'll come up with another way of carrying what I need to do the truck stuff I do ... but I'm keeping the Dodge for heavy truck things. We've got the wife's SUV for carrying live cargo. If I didn't have those options I wouldn't be looking at a 2 door compact truck.

 

[dmon4u]

My only reply to those comparing it to EV cars is to ask " Where do you put the 4' by 8' sheet of Plywood in/on that EV car ? "

 

[jhevil]

How does not having Power Windows or a Radio and only two Doors affect the Slate as a Truck doing Truck like things ?

I have watched many negative videos that start off with those " shortcomings " !

I find that these shortcomings videos are the marketing equivalent of "negging" at a bar scene. These youtubers put negative comments on their titles and give middling reviews or hot takes because this negative press will generate more views. They aren't trying to be objective or give a thoughtful opinion. They are generating content that generates clicks that will generate revenue.

Youtubers can't say "Slate will fail immediately....." with a big thumbs down thumbnail on the title and then say it's because it has crank windows. We knew it was going to have crank windows - it was there to save costs and be simple, which are both core tenants of Slate.

I mean they can say it.

 

[AZFox]

The big Dodge has a back seat, but it's just full of junk and tools. I'll come up with another way of carrying what I need to do the truck stuff I do

I foresee a future with... Junk in your Frunk.

 

[JRay]

Funny how the small Ranger and Colorado etc etc aren't Full size Trucks ...but actually they are about the size of an old school Ford and Chevy

All I see with these in modern Monster Trucks and SUV's is fake plastic "Chrome" everywhere just trying to out do the Jones' next door. Or a Blackout Package of the fake plastic junk for an extra $5K

One thing I like about my debadged Tesla Model 3 performance.... its simple spartan interior, everything you need on one screen, all that other stuff is hyped up BS.

How about the Tesla direct to consumer sales model that all the dealerships hate !!! I hope dealerships lose their shorts - after all the markups and selling above list price shenanigans since Covid. Shouldn't be an awful experience to buy a vehicle

 

[Moe]

We should hopefully know no later than next week how many nonrefundable $300 pre-orders Slate has for calendar year 2027 right?

 

[E90400K]

I foresee a future with... Junk in your Frunk.

Much better than, "Funk in your Junk"...

 

[wa6qmq]

Junk in your Frunk or Funk in your Junk either one works for me, just like the fact that I can use it as a cooler
Also hoping for a lot more " nonrefundable $300 pre-orders" then posted here and a early deliver with cash

 

[AZFox]

Baloney Brian has struck again.

In this video, "Slate's Biggest Problem Isn't the Truck", the same "analyst" re-appears and reiterates his certainty that, contrary to Slate Automotive's assertion that each Blank Slate generates positive cash flow and break-even is 80,000 units, he's really sure they'll lose money on each unit sold and will rely on accessory sales to be profitable.