4×4 Pickup Trucks News

Using The Truck Like A Car

If you plan to use your truck like a car, desiring quick, quiet acceleration and rarely ever haul a heavy load and don’t plan to it for a long time,you may want a gasoline engine. Gas engines run smoother, fuel is easier to find, and gas engines
start easier in cold weather.

If you plan to use your truck for towing, value good fuel economy and plan to put plenty of miles on it, you may want a diesel. The price to buy a diesel truck is really high, although they can offer you a lot in return.

Below, you’ll find the leading truck manufacturers and what they offer you.

Dodge truck

The 2500 and 3500 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty trucks are the newest 3/4 and 1 ton trucks on the road. Back in 2002, the Ram didn’t have enough power with the 245 HP 9.5L. Dodge promised more powerful engines for the 2500/3500 platform and they delivered on that promise.

The new base engine is the 5.7L gasoline V-8 that’s not only the most powerful engine of the group at 345 HP but also revives the well known and historical Hemi name.

Ford truck

Ford helped push the 3/4 ton and 1 ton truck market to where it is today when it introduced it’s international engineered power stroke diesel back in 1994. Before 1994, these diesels were poorly built and no match for the big gasoline engines.

From 1994 to 2002, over 70% of super duty Fords were sold with the optional 7.3L V-8 diesel engine. This engine helped to put Ford among the leaders in diesel trucks, as they had more than they needed to dominate the market.

Chevrolet/GMC truck

The GM 2500/3500 twins Silverado HD and Sierra HD both come standard with GM’s 6.0L gas engine V-8. This engine is ideal for 3/4 ton trucks where towing isn’t a concern. The upgrades start with the 8.1L gas V-8 that’s based on Chevrolet’s venerable big block engine.

Over the years, diesel trucks have proven to be effecient with mileage, great for towing, and easy on maintenance. Unlike gas engines, diesel engines do not have spark plugs, which means you won’t need to get them tuned up near as much as gasoline engines.

For those who like to haul heavy loads on a frequent basis, diesel is the way to go. You can get quite a few miles per gallon, and diesel trucks are built to go 250,000 miles or more before the engine needs to be rebuit,making them a purchase that is more than worth your money.

Posted in truck | 1 Comment »

Collecting Antique Dodge Trucks Is A Passion

Antique trucks since long have interested American inhabitants. It has become their favorite pastime. Collecting these trucks is not only a hobby but it is a passion for some. Special groups, clubs and museums have been created to showcase the collected automobiles.

Older trucks were used largely in agriculture. They belonged to the 20th century. The oldest and the most original truck was the Mack truck which was owned by John Mack. They were introduced during the 1800s and since then have seen their expansion to buses, dump trucks, semis and other 18 wheeler vehicles.

The popular brands include Chevy, Dodge, and Ford truck out of which the Dodge truck is a favorite one. The value and the cost of the truck depend upon its rarity and its present condition. The price ranges from anything few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Many museums and magazines have been designed to house these antique Dodge trucks.

The oldest Dodge truck model was the Dodge Model 30 which as built in the year 1914 by the dodge brothers company. It was a 4 cylinder truck with a body made entirely of steel. The features of this antique truck were 12 volt electrical system and sliding gear transmission. The other Dodge model was model T which had an antique planetary pattern but it was phased out of market very soon by the year 1927. During the years of introduction of the company only light duty trucks were manufactured but later during the 1930s and 1940s the medium and heavy duty trucks were also introduced.

During late 1930s, the Dodge Company introduced the 14 cylinder trucks which proved to be major breakthrough for the company. The company also introduced newer and more improved versions of trucks during the year 1939. But due to the Second World War the company was shut down. Later in the years from 1945 to 1949 a number of 6 cylinder trucks came into being which were named the ‘Power Wagon’.

Antique dodge trucks can be bought from auctions, trade shows, trade magazines or even web site biddings. An American truck Historical Society has been formed specially which deals with the buying and selling of antique trucks. They even have memberships and newsletters to keep the interested ones updated about antique dodge trucks. An antique truck museum can be found in almost all states of USA.

There are a number of antique dodge trucks to choose from. They include Dodge Model 30, Dodge Model T, Series 116 and many more. Even today some of these trucks are on display and even for sale. Interested people can participate in auctions and biddings to own one of the antique Dodge trucks. These trucks are extremely popular and are a symbol of prestige. Hence more and more people have opted for buying these antique Dodge trucks. Even though the Dodge trucks gained more popularity after the Second World War, even today there are many people who want to add these vintage automobiles to their collection.

Posted in truck | No Comments »

Ford Continues To Build On Its 31 Consecutive Years Of Truck Dealership

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.

Posted in truck | No Comments »

Tundra Plant In Texas Is Producing One Pickup Truck Every Minute

Detroit’s ‘Big 3′ automakers probably don’t want to hear the fact that Tundra plant in Texas is producing one pickup truck every minute. This information was unleashed by Toyota before its first assembly of Tundra.

As the Detroit’s Big 3, which is composed of General Motors Corp., DaimlerChrysler AG and, Ford Motor Co., struggles to maintain its standing in the pickup truck segment, Toyota trucks  plans to manufacture a total of 200,000 Toyota pickup trucks every year. Said production is attributed to the highly automated and sophisticated facility of its new Tundra plant in Texas.

Mike Goss, Toyota spokesperson said, “If consumer demand pushes the plant on San Antonio’s south side to operate at full capacity, which could happen by next spring, a truck will roll off the line an average of every 73 seconds. From beginning to end a truck will take 20 to 24 hours to complete.”

Aside from the Texas plant, Toyota Tundra high performance parts are also assembled at Toyota’s Princeton, Ind., plant. However, the production is boosted by active participation of the new plant in Texas. Toyota’s Tundra plant in Texas in conjunction with its 21 onsite suppliers is expected to employ 4,100 people. Said information was earlier announced by Toyota.

Don Jackson, vice president of quality and production for Toyota’s Texas arm said, “The suppliers will provide about 70 percent of the parts used in the Tundras and 50 percent of the value of parts in each truck.”

Tundra replaced the T100. The second generation version of Tundra, which was introduced at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show, is made larger to serve as a mighty rival for Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram truck, and Nissan Titan. Accessories Toyota Tundra truck parts are also upgraded to enhance quality and functionality.

Auto analysts are saying that Toyota is poised to overtake General Motors Corp. as the largest automaker around the world. Moreover, Toyota truck is initiating strategies to win the reign. So far, said strategies are making good impressions in the automotive world.

Nowadays, Toyota and Ford trucks are spending millions to dethrone Ford in the ford pickup truck segment. However, no other automakers have succeeded in trying to topple the throne of Ford. It has dominated the segment for several decades now. In fact, its F-150 remains as the top-selling car in America.

Posted in truck | No Comments »

Incresing Popularity Of Used Trucks

Are you unfamiliar with the popularity of used Ford truck and Chevrolet used trucks? They are known for their strong and powerful engines. They are designed to withstand hard use task like transporting heavy and big industrial equipment with great ease. In order to choose the best vehicle in terms of power and strength, used trucks are an accurate choice. These trucks are better than small cars comparatively. Moreover, people trust these companies vehicle because they have proved themselves in terms of performance, reliability and stability.

Some of the ford models have been popular for selling purpose such as Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Ford F models, and Ford Courier Models. They are the most popular used trucks for sale. In addition, they are priced at $900 to $1000. These models have proven their efficiency and you can hear its success tale from the owner who has used these trucks. There are two ways to find ford used trucks: you either can visit the closest car dealer or can visit their website for more information.

Nothing can beat the efficiency of  used Chevrolet  trucks. They have achieved success in proving the name of their manufacturers in terms of quality, efficiency and maintenance. They are known for its stable performance and simultaneously maintaining an elegant look. Some of the best-known models of Chevrolet used trucks are Chevrolet Avalanche 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, and Chevrolet C models. You can get an older model at$500 to $600. Less investment with more return is the right notion for this.

Families who enjoy visiting beaches and mountain areas, used trucks are the correct choice for them. Some of the very popular models of used trucks are Hummer, Dodge, and Subaru. People are more interested in buying these models because they are efficient and can be used for several purposes. There success tale can be heard from the people using them. These used trucks can also be used for heavy-duty tasks. Owner driving these kinds of vehicle are confident and sure enough to drive on any types of roads and in any kind of weather. Therefore, these used trucks not only offer safety and efficiency but at the same time also boost up the confidence level of the driver, which is the most important aspect.

Posted in truck | No Comments »

Guidelines To Choose A Pickup Truck

Pickup trucks come with a variety of features, designs and luxury options. They are heavy duty trucks with enough space for a big family and enough power to complete heavy tasks. The most famous among them are made by Ford truck, Chevy truck and GMC truck . Choose your next pickup truck by following these guidelines.

Step1
Determine your budget and look for a pickup truck for sale that falls within your affordability range. Also decide the size of the vehicle that you need depending upon the number of passengers or load size. Choose from standard pickup trucks, no second rows or trucks that offer extended row seating options.

Step2
Make a list of all the makes you are interested in. Read online reviews and ratings or talk to the owners of these pickup trucks to narrow down your choice.

Step3
Choose a pickup truck with a four, six or eight engine gasoline or diesel cylinder depending upon your engine preference. For heavy work related purposes, the bigger the engine the better.

Step4
Pick a truck which is either a two wheel (2WD) or a four wheel drive (4WD). Apart from that, look for a truck that has various traction control options with manual or automatic transmission choices.

Step5
Select a pickup truck with a five to eight foot long bed if you want to use it to haul heavy material or supplies of different lengths. If you need a truck for a towing business, get a towing extender attached to the end of the vehicle.

Posted in pickup trucks | 1 Comment »

Four Aspects Of The Vehicle: Basic Warranty, Drivetrain, Rust, and Roadside

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.

Posted in truck | 1 Comment »

GM Pressured by Bloating Inventories Of Trucks And SUVs

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.

Posted in truck | No Comments »

Big Trucks Are The Heaviest Trucks

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.

Posted in pickup trucks | No Comments »

Toyota Attempts To Conquer The Full-Size Truck Market

Toyota Motor Corp. has gone a long way and it is determined to make the most out of every segment in the American auto market. This time around, it attempts to conquer the full-size truck market.

As perceived by auto analysts, Ford trucks for sale, GMC trucks for sale and Dodge trucks for sale have already established loyalties among its customers. In fact, they account for more that 90 percent of the entire full-size truck sales in the United States. The Detroit brands have the upper hand in full-size trucks.”

The people who bought American full-size pickup trucks for sale, regardless of truck  manufacturer, or full-size sport-utilities are deliriously happy with their products.”The American truck owner — Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, GMC, it doesn’t matter — is intensely loyal and enormously satisfied with the truck.”

Full-size truck market is far different from many industries. Ford trucks for sale, GMC trucks for sale and Dodge trucks for sale have loyal customer base. So far this year, 672,700 units of world’s best-selling F-series trucks from Ford were sold. GMC comes next with Chevy Silverado trucks for sale of 539,300 . Dodge Ram, landed on the third place with 303,500 sales. Ford F-Series pickup parts seem to be never waning. Chevrolet, on the other hand, is holding on tight to its standing. Consequently, Dodge truck parts are refined to do better.

Toyota started its production of new Toyota Tundra trucks for sale last week. Vehicle uses improved Toyota Tundra high performance parts to boost its capabilities. The new Tundra is the most significant vehicle of the year. “Toyota’s first true full-size truck, the 2007 Tundra is a signal that Toyota is ready to compete head-on with the domestic automakers.”

Toyota will have a tough time taking customers away from Ford, GM and Dodge. The competition has a tremendous reputation. They have strong loyalty among working-truck buyers. That’s a tough thing to crack.

Posted in truck | 1 Comment »