Thursday, November 20th, 2008
There is just something about that bow-tie. Chevrolet trucks have long gained a reputation for being sturdy and dependable. This does not only reflect on their pick-up trucks and SUVs but on their semi trucks and other heavy duties as well. From the Kodiak to the W Series, the boys behind the bow-ties really know how to manufacture a truck that is as nice to look at as it is thrilling to drive.
Light and medium duty trucks are available in a wide range of styles, colors and even manufacturer’s brands. If you have never driven a particular brand then you may not have a preference. Of course you probably know about Ford trucks, Freightliner trucks, Peterbilt trucks and all the others, but there are many truck drivers who simply will not drive anything but a Chevrolet truck. Of course there are also people who will not drive anything but a Chevy car or SUV. Beginning to see a pattern here?
If you know the Chevrolet brand then you definitely know that it stands for quality and service. This is true whether you are referring to the smallest car or the most heavy duty truck. There really is something in a name, and the bow-tie symbol represents a name that stands for one of the most stellar reputations in the history of automobiles. Whether you drive a small commercial truck or one of the biggest and baddest rigs on the road, there is absolutely no denying that when you see that bow-tie you think of quality. Why else would they be one of the very top automobile and truck manufacturers in the world for so many years in a row?
It is because of quality. If you are planning to purchase a commercial or heavy duty truck, then this is a brand that you should definitely consider. The trucks are manufactured with the highest quality and safety standards in mind. If you are setting up your own trucking business or are considering becoming an owner/operator then you definitely want a truck that you can depend on for traveling without costly repairs. Remember the bow-tie. Chevrolet trucks are popular for a reason. They are good trucks. Companies and drivers depend on them to transport their cargo without incident and they deliver more than what they promise. When you get ready to purchase your new truck remember - the power of the bow-tie compels you.
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Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
Chevrolet Silverado was named Truck of the Year for 2007. Said commendation is given by Motor Trend magazine, one of the oldest automotive magazines still in circulation. With said award, Chevrolet expects more brisk sales in the months.
The automaker is now using said commendation in their advertising campaigns. It can be recalled that Motor Trend also named Toyota Camry Car of the Year. Said car belongs to the hottest-selling car in the United States. Moreover, Chevrolet expects that Silverado will also get the hype and performance of Camry with regards sales records.
Chevrolet Silverado is the counterpart of GMC Sierra. Sophisticated parts for a Chevy truck are incorporated to Silverado to produce a powerful pickup trucks. Silverado and Sierra are essentially identical. However, the redesigned version of Silverado is made tougher. In the past 2 years, the automaker has spent over $200 million on machinery and facilities to produce the pickups at its Fort Wayne, Indiana plant.
Silverado outshone 3 other GM contenders - Chevrolet Avalanche, Cadillac Escalade EXT and GMC Sierra. Another worthy truck for the title is the Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Avalanche is a 4-door, 6-seat sport utility car truck. Escalade is a full-size luxury SUV introduced by Cadillac for the model year 1999. The third generation Cadillac Escalade parts boast performance and reliability. Ford truck performance parts, on the other hand, made up Explorer Sport Trac. It is a midsize SUV with a pickup truck bed. These pickup trucks create tight competition in the segment they are in and for Silverado to emerged as Truck of the Year over other credible vehicles is a great privilege.
Motor Trend said that reliability and fuel efficiency are the factors that made Silverado win. “The Silverado impressed us most of all because it is a great reworking of an iconic American vehicle,” Motor Trend editor Angus MacKenzie said in a news release. “The Chevrolet pickup truck has been a part of the American automotive landscape for decades.”
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Wednesday, November 12th, 2008
Old Chevy trucks are easy to find all over North America and in fact all over the world. For instance, our own 1954 1/2 ton pickup came from Brazil… It is also easy to find anything you need for these trucks in the classic truck parts market.
The first model of Chevrolet truck was made in 1918, about two years after the company became part of General Motors.
At first they were mere automobiles with a bed in the back and didn’t carry much weight. Naturally they were extremely useful specially in the rural areas of the country, but they couldn’t be considered real “trucks”. By 1931 Chevrolet began to offer their pickups in two different wheelbases, with single or dual rear wheels. In the 1930’s Chevrolet built some beautiful trucks of which there are many wonderful restorations to be found.
Right after World War II, General Motors produced a series of pickup trucks for sale they called “Advanced Design Cab” trucks which had many improvements over previous models.
The “Advanced Design” series included the GMC pickup trucks which were virtually identical to their Chevy siblings, with only minor changes to the front grill and the dashboard. This series came out in 1947 and lasted for almost eight years. The last model of the series was produced in 1955. In that same year GM came out with a completely redesigned truck which is considered to be one of the most beautiful of the classic Chevrolets.
The Advanced Design may be the most popular series of old Chevrolet pickup trucks to be found today. The models didn’t change much from Chevrolet to GMC and from 1947 to 1955. Today most of the classic Chevy and GMC trucks in America are of the “Advanced Design” variety and it’s not hard to find an old Chevy for sale. Beautiful restorations of these old Chevy trucks are found everywhere.
Among the many places where you can find parts for old Chevy trucks one of the biggest and most respected is Jim Carter Classic Truck Parts, located in Independence, MO, just outside Kansas City. They have catalogs for Chevy and GMC pickups made between 1934 and 1972 and they also have a huge junkyard full of old Chevy trucks.
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Monday, November 10th, 2008
From the time Ford debut in 1948, Ford continues to build on its 31 consecutive years of truck dealership. And more then 33 millions F-Series trucks around the world Ford has been sold. At present, there are more F-series pickups on the road with 250,000 miles than any other brand. Besides being America’s favorite truck, it has also been the best-selling vehicle for 26 years in a row.
The Ford’s F-Series pickup can now be purchased or lease a 2008 model year pickup for the same price Ford employees pay. Ford Motor Company is offering its Ford pickup truck customers the opportunity for the America’s best-selling and most capable truck for 31 years. Ford’s Employee Pricing Program begins June 3 and runs through June 30 and will be available on 2008 model year F-Series, including F-150, F-250 and F-350.
Ford general marketing manager John Felice says: “Customers have made F-Series America’s best-selling truck for 31 years because it gets the job done. Now, we’re offering even more value on our hard-working trucks, The Ford Employee Pricing Plan on 2008 model F-Series is a great deal with a clear, compelling message that shows customers how much we value their business.” In more than 3,600 Ford showrooms across the U.S. will be eligible to receive the highly prized discounts pricing. Except the Harley Davidson and chassis cad models, all 2008 model F-Series will be sold at employee discounted price and cash incentives.
The participating truck dealers will have a supplemental window sticker for 2008 models F-Series outlining the MSRP, the employee discount and applicable cash rebates, beginning on June 3. And it will be advertise through print, television, radio and Internet ads featuring the employees who build Ford F-Series pickups.
At the Ford dealership the 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty Truck builds with a bold new auto body parts exterior design, a finely crafted, functional and capable auto body parts interior and an all-new 6.4-liter Power Stroke clean diesel engine. The new features for 2008 Super Duty also lead the segment in innovation. An industry-first fully integrated Tailgate Step provides simple access to the truck bed. An industry-first stowable bed extender offers customers a convenient means of adding cargo-hauling flexibility. Industry- exclusive Power Scope tow side mirrors, power-fold and power-telescope to enhance the towing experience.
More than 60 unique F -150 models, Ford expanded its already unparalleled lineup in the 2008 model year, a wheels and Stripes Package on the STX and the first-time availability of an XL SuperCrew with either 5.5- or 6.5-foot Styleside box. In addition, a special Chip Foose edition of the F-150 is offered late in the model year.
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Thursday, November 6th, 2008
The 1987 Chevy Truck or the Chevrolet Trucks were manufactured by the Chevrolet brand under the General Motors Corporation. General Motors, GM in short manufactures cars and pickup trucks under various brand names such as Buick pickup truck, Cadillac pickup truck, Chevrolet pickup truck, Hummer pickup truck, Opel pickup truck, Pontiac pickup truck, GMC pickup truck etc. The earliest model of pickup truck designed by Chevrolet dates back to 1924. The full sized Chevrolet pickup trucks are known as C/K and they were manufactured in between 1960 and 1988. The trucks were revamped after that to design more powerful and fuel efficient models.
The Chevy trucks had minor changes in them from 1973 to 1980. After dip in sales of pickup trucks in late 70s the Chevy Truck were massively rebuilt from 1981 to 1988. The fuel economy was increased without reducing the load carrying capacities of the trucks.
This was obtained by designing better aerodynamics for the trucks, shedding extra unwanted weights and increasing the efficiency of the engines. The wind tunnel was reshaped and redesigned to make them more slippery. The compression ratio of the engine was raised to 9.2:1 which the highest in the Chevy Truck engine in ten years.
As a means to fight back the heavy competition in the market from Ford motors the engines were implanted with Electronic Spark Control and with four barrel carburettor to ensure best performance. New aluminium transfer case was fitted in the Chevy Truck so that drivers can change from 2nd to 4th gear at even 25mph. After the K10 and k20 models of the Chevy Truck in 1981 the S10 model with a shorter wheel-base was launched in 1982. The S10 went on to get redeveloped and added with newer features through 83 to 87.
From 1982 onwards the 6.2 litre diesel V-8 engine was made available on all models of Chevy Truck. 1983 onwards the Cab models of the trucks were extended in response to the steep competition with Ford who have been offering an extended cab with the trucks from a long time. New additions to the Chevy Truck models were 2.0 litre 83 hp four cylinder engines that became prominent in 1984. New Sports Suspension was added to the S-10 trucks in 1984. The suspensions were gas pressure shocks that were tailored and installed on all four wheels.
Very minor changes were made to the Chevy Truck in 1985 and 1986. The changes were mostly non technical and were in the design of the cars. The 4.3 litre V-6 engine was the new offering in 1985. The front grill was redesigned in all the models in 1985 to give the cars a new look. In 1986 the S-10 was given a throttle body fuel injection system. 1987 was the last year when the light model of the Chevy Truck was designed hence no changes was made to the cars as the new era of heavy pickup truck started from 1988
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Sunday, November 2nd, 2008
Most people who buy pickup trucks are interested in the ability to haul cargo easily. Many are farmers, construction workers, movers, or otherwise. But how many times have you been speeding down the highway or interstate only to come up on a pickup truck and realize that the driver has not properly secured the cargo he or she is carrying? Unsecured cargo has been the cause of many fatality and non-fatality accidents, and these accidents were completely preventable.
What is the best way to secure cargo in the bed of a pickup? Here are some tips.
For only $60, Isuzu sells a Bed Web Net made of a tough elastic material and designed to stretch. The mount hardware is included and installation is easy. The net keeps cargo from flying out or sliding out of the back even during hard stops or fast turns.
Buy a bed extender. Designed for the Isuzu truck, the Bed Extender, made of steel, retails for well under $300 and gives pickup owners additional truck bed length. This particular bed extender has the ability to swing in to provide a contained cargo area as well.
Bed Covers work well too. Many pickup models also can be accessorized with bed covers that not only keep cargo inside, but help to hide it and prevent theft as well.
Cargo Sports Bags are another option. These are often used in SUVs as well and do an excellent job of keeping smaller items from rolling around or flying out of pickup truck cargo beds.
It’s also important to keep in mind that using these precautions, as well as others will protect the cargo itself. When hauling cargo, it’s important to drive more cautiously than normal and make slow, steady turns. The added weight of your load can make turning more difficult and brakes may not respond as quickly or efficiently as when driving without cargo.
Every pickup truck has cargo weight guidelines. It’s extremely important to obey these guidelines. While it might not be simple to actually weigh the load you plan to haul, it is better to err on the side of caution if estimating. Hauling additional weight beyond the manufacturer’s guideline can significantly increase your chance of an accident or damage to your vehicle. There is also a chance you could be ticketed by law enforcement for hauling a load heavier than your pickup is designed to carry.
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Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
If you’re in the market for a pickup truck for sale because you need a pickup, that is… you’re going to put it to the test and need something tougher and roomier than an SUV, it’s important to take a look at the warranties on competing models. Truck warranties cover four aspects of the vehicle: Basic Warranty, Drivetrain, Rust, and Roadside . comparing four popular trucks with regards to each of these warranty components: Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tacoma, Isuzu i-370, and the Ford Ranger. Here’s what they found out:
Basic Warranty. Three years of coverage or up to 36,000 miles is the industry standard and covers the average lease, making all four candidates dependable with the Dakota, Ranger, and Tacoma coming in on par. The Isuzu i-370, however, comes out ahead in this category, with the Isuzu Basic Warranty covering three years or up to 50,000 miles. This is important if you do a considerable amount of driving or hauling and plan to put on more than 12,000 miles a year.
Drivetrain. This is the biggie because engine components are expensive to replace and quite frankly, you can’t continue to drive the truck if they aren’t functional like you could with most exterior component failures. Isuzu proves superiority in this category as well with 7-year, 75,000 mile powertrain coverage. The Tacoma and Ranger lag significantly with their 5-year, 60,000 mile warranties, and Dodge truck brings up the rear with its considerably inferior 3-year, 36,000 mile coverage.
Rust. Now this may not mean a whole lot unless you live in an area of the country where the seasons can be less than friendly on your car, or if you tend to do a lot of city driving on salted streets in winter. If either of those situations apply, rust prevention should be a priority. In this arena, all four vehicles run neck and neck with Isuzu’s corrosion limited warranty slightly more impressive than the others. Dodge offers a 5-year, 100,000 miles warranty for the Dakota while Isuzu gives car owners an extra year with 6-years or 100,000 miles rust-free. Toyota truck and Ford truck won’t cover as long as Isuzu will. They offer five years only, with unlimited mileage (which doesn’t account for a whole lot since corrosion is associated with time and not the number of miles the truck drives).
Roadside Assistance. The winner, again, Isuzu with a 7-year, 75,000 mile roadside assistance package. A full four years longer than the Dakota’s 3-year and 36,000 mile guarantee. Ford provides assistance for the Ranger for five years or 60,000 miles. And we had trouble finding the Tacoma’s roadside assistance package on Toyota’s website, so we aren’t even sure one is offered.
All in all, Isuzu seems to stand behind its i-370 (and i-290) by extending its warranties beyond those of its competitor—always a good sign when trying to determine if a vehicle will withstand the additional wear and tear pickups tend to endure. If you’re not going to push the truck to its limit, the Ford and Toyota’s warranty packages will probably prove to be sufficient. The biggest red flag, in our opinion, is Dodge Dakota’s extremely limited drivetrain warranty which could very easily equate to big expenses down the line.
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Monday, October 20th, 2008
GM Pressured by Bloating Inventories of Trucks and SUVs. The continuous declining sales is felt not only by US automakers but even by German automakers such as BMQ the producer of BMW 325xi parts but unlike German automakers, US car manufacturers particularly GM is experiencing great pressures brought about by its bloating inventories of SUVs and trucks that remained unsold.
For this month the automaker is expecting a 19 percent drop as compared to the same period last year. GM sales have declined by 21 percent last June that is aside from the double digit dropped in sales of both full-size trucks for sale and SUVs for sale that were recently launched in the market.
Meanwhile two of GM’s rivals, Toyota truck for sale and Ford truck for sale appear to be having better luck in managing the depressing sales return of trucks and SUVs in the market. GM as a solution has tried to launch a blowout clearance campaigns like the one it has employed in the past years but unfortunately the automaker got stuck with an overabundance of inventory forcing it to raise incentives or to cut production.
The problem with cutting production is that GM’s book revenues are affected since it is based on the vehicle produced and stopping production could jeopardize the chance of the company to stabilize its earnings in North America. And that’s not all, an increase in incentives would also have an effect on profits.
According to consumer research firm Edmunds.com, Toyota has been ramping up incentives for this month on year-over-year basis meanwhile its rivals Ford truck and GMC truck has lessened spending on discounts and rebates.
It can be noted that the past incentive deals such as the 2005 employee-discounts-for-everyone together with last summer’s 0 percent financing for 72 months has been very costly for the automaker. Although those campaigns have boosted sales but it has greatly affected the figures in the final months of the year since people were pulled into the market sooner than the normal time that they would be purchasing for a vehicle.
Last June, according to Autodate Corp. GM had the most supply of pickup trucks and SUVs, it was 30 percent higher than what the automaker had last May and almost 40 percent higher than the entire industry.
Jon Rogers Citigroup analyst said in a note last Wednesday that the truck inventories that GM have appear to be high while production schedules remains to be optimistic. Other analysts say that excluding the blowout month in July, GM’s inventory levels will remain under pressure in the coming years.
GM is scheduled to announce its second-quarter financial results on Tuesday a day before the July auto sales data are released. The automaker has been in restructuring mode for the past two years now is hoping to report a profit for the latest period despite of the weak sales that it has gotten in North America. GM is also hoping to secure big concessions from the UAW to sustain its restructuring programs.
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Wednesday, October 15th, 2008
Big trucks are the heaviest trucks i.e heavy duty trucks allowed on roads, and are generally used for long-distance journeys. A truck is a motor vehicle for transporting goods. The word “truck” comes from the Greek “trochos” that means a “wheel.”
Road damage increases very quickly with axle weight or truck weight divided by the number of axles. In many countries with good quality roads, a 6-axle truck is permitted to have a maximum weight of 50,000 kg.
Big trucks are a major source of smog (smoke + fog), of poisonous chemical contamination, and of fine particle soot. The federal government rates any automobile above 8500 pounds as a “heavy-duty truck”, and that includes large pickup trucks and many other types. Big trucks are legally permitted to emit as much pollution as a dozen of cars, but in reality, many big trucks produce as much pollution as 150 cars.
Urban areas suffer the most because of big trucks and buses. In case of an accident, big trucks, because of their size, can cause the worst damage to occupants in a car. Hence, it is natural that many drivers are frightened when they must share a road with big trucks. According to AAA (American Automobile Association), people in passenger cars comprise 98% of deaths in deadly two-vehicle crashes involving a car and a truck weighing over 10,000 pounds.
Big trucks produce air turbulence that can suck another vehicle towards them or push it out. This means that a vehicle needs to have sufficiently large space alongside between a truck and itself.
In spite of all these issues, it is important to note that truck drivers are trained. Statistically their safety record is satisfactory and is getting better. According to the Ontario Trucking Association website, truck drivers of commercial trucks are the safest drivers and motor vehicles on roads. Actually, trucks are involved in 20% fewer accidents at present than they were 10 years ago.
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