>>>Goodness. We'd better ship some trailers over asap.
>>> I had no idea hitching things onto the back of your vehicle or using what we like to call roof bars was unknown over there.
>>
>>But the problem with a trailer is that you need a vehicle capable of towing it - which usually brings you back to square one.
>
>C'mon, I towed 200 bricks in a little trailer, and the capable engine was a 1,2 liter Škoda.

And the capable brakes were ? :-}

>Which actually brings another question - a typical small car is rated four persons, which is cca 320kg, plus 100kg luggage.
> So how come I've seen many of these trucks rated at only 350kg of payload? Huh? Shouldn't they carry at least two tons, given the amount of hardware invested in them?

I've got a 1.2 car and happen to have the registration document to hand. FWIW, max carrying capacity is 330kg. On the towing front it gives 800kg for braked trailers; 450kg for un-braked. 4WD's have their uses but here in the UK (as I suspect in the US) 90%+ of owners don't really need them. The only time we see one of the 'over-the-top' 4WDs around here it will be someone from the city visiting the countryside to try out their new green wellies.....

>>The most useful machine for me here is actually a quad-bike (sometimes with a small trailer) - gets to places where any normal 4WD can't even get close.
>
>I'm planning to get a trike, or a trailer for the bike. We'll see.
You mean of the pedalled variety ? Good luck with the 200 bricks :-}