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MrTruck.net presents: The Truth about Trucks Series! A Guide for Women and Men to buy the Right Truck!
Instant Special Report #1.0
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Here is the break down of manufacture models.
·½ tons, Ford (F100, F150,) GM, (Chevy, GMC) ½ tons, (C or K10, 15, 1500, HD
1500) Dodge, (D100, 150, Ram 1500.) Toyota, (T100, Tundra,)
·¾ tons, Ford (Light Duty F250, Heavy Duty, Super Duty, F250,) GM, (Chevy, GMC)
(C or K 20, 25, 2500, HD 2500) Dodge, (D200, 250, Ram 2500.)
·1 tons, Ford (F350,) GM, (C or K 30, 35, 3500, HD 3500) Dodge, (D300, 350, Ram
3500.)
·1 ½ tons, Ford (Super Duty, F450, F550,) GM, (Heavy Duty Series 3500 Cab and Chassis, C4500 and C5500,) Dodge, (3500 Cab and Chassis.)
If you are pulling a fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer, I recommend a long bed.
Sometimes in some RV parks or in a corral you will need to “jack knife” your
trailer. (Your truck and trailer at 90 degrees.) Your trailer should generally
be attached to your truck 2 to 4 inches in front of your rear axle, ( I prefer 5
inches); this is where I
recommend for proper steering weight and a level load. If you have a short box
and you “jack-knife,” your trailer may kiss your cab! Full sheets of plywood or
sheet rock fit into a long box with the tailgate closed. Short boxes are popular
today with the mini- garages and those famous drive-up windows. If you end up
with a short bed, there are “sliding hitches,” you can buy to move you trailer
hitch forward or backward to give you more room between the cab and the neck of
the trailer for “jack-knifing.” See
http://www.pullrite.com, or
http://www.ultimatetrucksolutions.com
I have pulled a lot of different trailers and remember how glad I was when I
could afford to go from a bumper pull type trailer to a gooseneck. Fifth wheel
or gooseneck trailers pull so straight with very little “whip” if loaded
correctly compared to bumper types. And talk about backing a trailer. Bumper
type trailers seem to react twice as fast as an easy going slow reacting
“anybody could back-it,” gooseneck trailer.
#2 Do you need a diesel or gas engine in your pickup?
The right diesel can dramatically out pull a gas engine. Ever see a gas powered
semi-truck? Diesels will generally last longer and get better fuel economy. At
the present time they have better resale value. On fuel mileage, the diesel can
at times, double the mileage of a gas engine. But they cost more than $4000 new
over a gas engine. It generally takes 80,000 miles of fuel savings to pay for a
diesel verses a gas engine. So if you keep a truck a long time, after 80,000
miles the rest is gravy. If you trade often and don’t pull a trailer a lot, you
should consider a gas engine. If you keep them a long time, or pull trailers
constantly, the cost of the diesel option will be minimized.
You know diesels are louder than gas engines. Diesel explodes inside your
engine, while gas ignites. You really don’t notice this flying down the road.
But if you live in town, you’ll notice the guy down the street who starts his
diesel at 4 am and warms it up for an hour and the people at the drive up
windows seem to notice you in a diesel. If you buy a diesel with a manual
transmission, it will require more skill to shift. The compression is twice that
of a gas engine, which means you have to shift faster and time the R.P.M.’s a
little closer for a smooth shift.
MrTruck's Top Picks, Truck, SUV & Trailer Accessory Store, ENTER
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#3 What do you need to know about diesel fuel, winter, maintenance, and
emissions?
Diesels need the heat from glow plugs or manifold heaters to aid in warming up
the cylinders for starting. In very cold conditions, (-10 F) you will need to
plug in block heaters and be sure you are using blended fuel, #2 and #1.
Normally diesels run on #2 diesel. #2 has lubricating qualities that make it
oily, smelly and stays on your hands for a few days. #1 diesel is like kerosene
or jet fuel and less oily. The lubricating properties in #2 are what gels when
extremely cold. This is why a blend of #2 and #1 50/50 is used in the winter by
most service stations in states that get cold. But if you go to a warm state,
(California, Arizona, Florida, etc,) in the winter and buy fuel there before
coming home, you may want to use a diesel additive. If you are out of your area,
buy your diesel at a truck stop. They should know what you need.
If you have never experienced gelling up a diesel in the winter, be happy. I
have had this experience on my farm tractors. I had to use a hair dryer to
liquidify the fuel in the injector pump and then “crack” the fuel lines to bleed
the fuel through the pump and injectors. Most states don’t get cold enough to
plug in the block heater on your diesel. But if you are in the colder areas and
need to plug in your diesel, I like to use a timer you can buy from Wal-Mart for
$12 to $15. You only need to set the timer to turn on for a couple of hours
before you’re ready to use your truck.
Oil changes can cost two to three times as much or more than gas trucks. In
area’s where you are required to have an emission test on trucks, the diesel
emission test costs more and sometimes is required more often. In Colorado you
get 2 years emission exemption when the truck is new and after that you are
required to be tested every year in certain Front Range counties. Today the
break in period on new engines is generally 500 miles. During that time you
don’t want to use your cruise control. You need to vary the R.P.M.’s so the
valves and rings can seat properly through the whole R.P.M range. On a diesel it
generally takes 5000 miles to adjust itself. After the 5000 miles, diesels tend
to start faster and the fuel mileage is as good as it gets from the factory.
Diesel is safer to handle than gas as far as fire. With the new turbo diesels,
smoke is not the problem it use to be before turbo’s. Because diesel has to
explode to combust, the engine components are built heavier than gas engines.
But the diesel mechanic rate per hour is higher than for gas engines.
Most of these diesel engines have a bleeder valve on or near your fuel filter to
drain off water from the fuel; diesel engines are prone to condensation in the
fuel tanks. Semi-tractor trailer rigs have dual large fuel filters and air
filters. If you pay close attention to servicing your fuel
filter, air filter, oil, oil filter, and radiator service at the right intervals
you should expect to join the 300,000-mile club with your diesel pickup truck.
For more information on oil and filters
Click
#4 Which transmission will work best for you? Warning about overdrive.
Pickup truck transmissions have come a long way since the 80’s. With the
invention of the lock up torque converter in automatic transmissions, the
better-made transmissions today can stand up to the torque put out by diesel
engines and help slow you down. Practically all of the buses and more medium
duty big trucks are going to automatic transmissions. Folks who drive mostly in
the mountains like the engine braking they get with manual transmissions and the
extra gears. Manufactures generally will give you around 3000 pounds more towing
warranty on the automatic tranny on ½ ton pickups and smaller. This is because
of the automatic transmission lock up torque converter, which locks up
mechanically like a clutch and pressure plate, the absence of asbestos, (heat
resistant,) from clutch discs, the torque converter doubling the torque coming
from the engine flywheel, and the manufactures having more faith in the computer
knowing when to shift verses us human types.
Diesels are generally harder to shift with a manual transmission than are
gas-powered trucks. Because of the power and compression of a diesel, (usually
twice the compression of a gas engine,) this compression, when you let off the
gas pedal and engage the clutch pedal, causes the truck to decelerate quicker
than the same process in a gas powered truck. So you have to shift a diesel
quicker to avoid the jerk between gears. An automatic transmission on the other
hand requires no such skill. I work in the city, with all of those stop signs
and traffic lights; you know I drive an automatic. If I pulled a heavy trailer,
(at the limits of the trucks capacity,) in the mountains, I would opt for a
manual transmission. That compression in the diesel mentioned earlier helps slow
you down. Each gear you shift too will hold you there. And I like all the gears
I can find, when I’m going down a mountain with a heavy trailer chasing me!
Especially in the Dodge with the in-line 6 cylinder Cummins diesel that has
basically 1000rpm’s less in the power band than a V-8 diesel found in Ford and
GM. The extra gears will give you more top speed and staying power. Dodge also
increases the torque by 45 pounds and the horsepower by 10 in the 6-speed manual
transmission over their automatic transmission.
In the newer 3/4 ton and larger trucks, all three makes use the same basic 6-speed
manual tranny. With Ford and GM, they rate the auto and manual
transmission close or the same depending on which month or year they were built.
The Ford 4R100 automatic transmission in the F250 and above diesel or gas
engine, will lockup its torque converter in third gear. Which is where you would
want the transmission to lockup when pulling a load most of the time. The new
Allison 1000 automatic transmission behind GM’s new Duramax diesel or the new
8.1L gas engine will lock up the torque converter in each gear. This would be an
advantage for the novice driver coming down the mountain loaded. Even an
experienced driver can get a little nervous if they miss a gear on a manual
using the fast side of the mountain. The Allison also has a downshifting feature
just like the medium duty two-ton trucks that downshifts a gear when you let off
the gas pedal and tap the brake pedal in tow mode.
But again in the mountains the more gears the better and you can leave it each
gear longer when you are down shifting a manual transmission. The rest of the
time diesels are a pain to shift all day if you are using it as a car. If you
are only going to pull a 10,000 #’ gooseneck or fifth wheel trailer, a ¾-ton,
(F250, C-K 20, 2500) will do. If you were in the future planning on hauling
larger loads, then the 1-ton, (F350, C-K 30, 3500) or larger would be better.
Generally the factory dually or cab and chassis dually have larger brakes and
axles. The brakes on the newer Ford, Dodge, Chevy and GMC will be 4 wheel disc
brakes, which are great at getting rid of the extra heat generated braking hard
and cost less to replace.
Warning about overdrive in automatic transmissions.
Automatic transmissions overdrive saves you fuel. And on fairly flat roads with
the right engine combinations you can use overdrive with a load. Generally
overdrive has very little engine braking ability. I’m near the mountains and
here you don’t use the overdrive on an auto tranny when you are loaded. Coming
down the mountain loaded in overdrive can be freewheeling life threatening
experience. Overdrive as I said earlier is designed to save fuel not slow you
down. The transmissions will also generally run cooler under a heavy load if you
shift down one gear out of overdrive. I’m glad to see the improvements that have
come to pickup truck automatics, the only problem is this means they can pull
bigger trailers oh my.
#5 Duals or Single Rear Wheels?
I get asked about the need for dual wheels on pickups quite often. Dual wheels
will carry more weight. Most of the weight limits manufactures put on their
trucks are conservative to avoid breakdowns in drive trains, axles and frames.
On my farm-ranch I was loaded above the weight limits most of the time. My
trucks had to pay for themselves. But today in the cities with so many lanes
side by side and in the mountains I stay a lot closer to the proper load limits
in heavy traffic. It’s just not worth the risk of breaking an axle or burning a
clutch and endangering other folks. I’ve seen universal joints break and watched
drive shafts bounced off the pavement and swing around coming close to hitting
the fuel tanks. Now I find other ways to get my thrills!
The reason I eventually went with a dually is dirt roads. Dirt roads test
everything, the ruts in them remind you to that if the truck and trailer track
the same, they pull better. The newer trailers are wider and track better behind
the dual wheels. Dirt roads also eat the magnets, which activate the trailer
brakes in the hubs of the trailer axle. Because of that, I never relied on the
trailer brakes. It would surprise you have much better dual wheels will brake.
Generally going from a 1-ton single rear wheel, (Ford F350, Dodge, GM 30,3500)
to a 1-ton dually will give you one size larger axles and brakes, (Dana axles in
Ford and Dodge, Eaton in GM.) Duallies also give better stability for the bigger
overhead slide in campers.
Of course the disadvantages are worse mileage from the extra weight and drag,
the cost of the extra tires, they are 8 feet wide and scrape drive up windows.
On the farm when I wasn’t pulling a trailer and needed to get around in the snow
and mud better, I pulled the outside duals off. If the dually is not a cab-
and-chassis type, but a regular bed with fender extensions for the outside
wheel, the inside dual will track behind the front tire. With duals you will
need to carry a hammer around to check for flats by pounding on the face of the
tire just like the big rigs do. You can’t see if one of the tires is flat by
glancing at it. If one of the duals is flat for a long drive, the vibration can
cause the wheels to loosen up the lug nuts. Make sure you have wide enough
mirrors and the spotter mirrors to see past the duals to monitor which trailer
tire is trying to go flat.
I have pulled a 32’and 33' flatbed goosenecks for years behind a ¾ ton and later
a 1 ton dually on the plains. I went to a dually just for the braking advantage.
My trailers were triple axles with electric brakes and I usually pulled on dirt
roads that ate up the brakes and the magnets that activated them. With duals on
the truck I could count on stopping where as I couldn’t depend on the trailer
brakes.
Later in my trailer adventures I did go to a 2-ton truck, (a C65 Chevy) which I
pulled my trailer daily with. Especially in the mountains, I would want all the
gears I could find. Most of the 2-ton trucks will have 6 to 10 gears and look at
the size of the brake drums on those puppies, along with a larger clutch. They
are made to be loaded all the time. My 2-ton gave me the least amount of trouble
hauling loads and pulling trailers. I bought a 2-ton freight truck with a van
box that we cut off and made a 20’ flat bed out of. Then with that long of a box
I was able to put the gooseneck ball closer to the end so I had a cargo area and
could pull a trailer. Nothing beats a gooseneck or 5th wheel trailer for
pulling; they track better and back up better. It’s also nice to have a heavy
truck pulling the trailer. It gives you more control when you brake going down
hill keeps the trailer behind you instead of trying to pass you. For heavy
campers I like a dually the best. They are a pain because they are 8 ft. wide.
But extra tires make me feel safer. The new Heavy Duty truck models, have longer
springs to improve the ride. But this also allows more spring travel. Campers
are notorious for side wind. In these newer trucks, they move too much side to
side with a camper. I recommend air bags on the rear axle. This should stabilize
it. This is true whether a single or dual rear wheel.
#6 Which axle ratio do I need, limited slip axle or not?
I personally like lower gears. Dodge is the truck you want to choose axle ratios
wisely. When I was an AAA Auto Club broker, I sold Dodge, Ford and GM. If the
client was using the Dodge truck for a car, I recommend the 3.54 rear axle ratio to
give them more speed on the top end do to the narrow R.P.M. band of the in-line
6 cylinder Cummins diesel. If my customer was planning to pull trailers in the
mountains, I recommended the 4.10 ratio. The lower axle ration, 4.10 also helped
the truck run cooler under a load. I have had several customers come to me after
they spent the $40,000 to buy the wrong truck and now they can’t pull their new
$70,000 R.V. trailer in the mountains without overheating. This is the were the financial
term Up-Side-Down came from. It’s a retirement nightmare. On newer Ford and GM,
the diesels usually only come with one rear axle ratio. On Ford you get a 4.10
on a 1-ton dually. Axle ratios vary across the country on lighter duty trucks, ½
tons, because of elevation. The new truck computers will adjust for elevation
with constant adjustments to air volume, injection pressure and timing.
Limited slip differentials.
Generally in a limited slip rear end a clutch engages when the right wheel,
which is the driver, spin’s, allowing both rear wheels to give you traction.
It’s usually beneficial to have it unless you are pulling heavy loads most of
the time and on dirt or mud wearing the clutch in the differential. I like them
myself, they will get you rolling without the 4x4 a lot of the time. I have
friends who pull trailers constantly in mud and snow in
Eastern Colorado who won’t buy a limited slip axle because they are spinning
their tires a lot and wear out the clutch in the differential on the limited
slip axle.
#7 Will this truck pull my trailer?
The first question is which transmission do you have? In the heavy-duty ¾ ton
and larger it will not be as important as far a manufactures warranty, because
you are at their warranty limits and usually they will list the same trailer
weights for both manual and automatic transmissions. On lighter trucks,(1/2
ton,150 1500, or the mini trucks, Tacoma, Ranger, S10, Frontier, etc,) usually
the automatic transmissions are rated to pull 3000#’s or more than a manual
transmission. The reason being, the Asbestos is gone from the clutch, which
improved the friction qualities, also the auto trannies have a lockup torque
converter that locks up mechanically like a clutch and pressure plate behind a
manual transmission. And the torque converter doubles the torque coming from the
flywheel with an auto and the computers now determine when the auto shift’s
instead of a human making that decision. Knowing when to shift is important for
pulling a trailer, getting better fuel mileage and getting longer life from your
engine. When your truck is new the warranty will cover your auto transmission
but it will not replace your clutch with a manual transmission. If I was driving in the mountains pulling a
large trailer most of the time, I would use a manual transmission with a diesel.
I like having all the gears I can find when coming down the mountain. On the
other hand if you were not experienced at down shifting a manual tranny on the
fast side of the mountain, the automatic should be your choice. Match your
trailers GVWR, (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating,) with the GVWR of your truck as
limited by the manufacture, to come up with the total GCWR, (Gross Combination
Weight Rating.) This is the total weight you can be loaded. You also need to
know your GAWR, (Gross Axle Weight Rating,) and tongue weight of the trailer.
Before you make a decision on the truck that will pull your trailer, test drive
a diesel and a large displacement gas engine. Hopefully you can drive them
loaded.
Always read your owner’s manual about your particular trucks weight limits,
pulling limits, and gross vehicle weight rating!
#8 Bed liners, resale and safety.
I was surprised when I moved to Denver to sell trucks and saw used five year old
pickups with beds that looked new. My trucks on my farm-ranch, it had to pay for
itself. After I dropped the first salt block and 1500# big round bale in the
bed, it just didn’t look the same. But that’s where bed liners come in. They can
keep the dents from lowering your resale value. If you don’t haul a fuel tank or
fuel containers in your truck bed, the cheaper plastic bed liners will work. If
you haul fuel cells or fuel containers you are better with a sprayed in bed
liner or nothing at all.
With slide in plastic bed liners you want to be careful with fuel containers.
There is a gap between the bed liner and the pickup sheet metal floor, sometimes
building up static electricity. Gasoline fires suspected of being started by a
spark of static electricity during fuel transfer are rare. Almost none of the
documented incidents involve direct fueling of a truck because both vehicles and
dispensers are designed to dissipate static electricity to the ground. Instead,
they involve fueling situations where the gasoline receptacle could be insulated
from ground-portable containers and equipment being transported on a truck or
trailer.
Gasoline has a low electrical conductivity; it does not conduct electricity very
well. As a result, a charge of static electricity builds up on gasoline as it
flows through a pipe or hose and this charge takes several seconds to several
minutes to dissipate after the gasoline has reached a tank or container. If this
charge discharges as a spark from a tank or container to the grounded metal
nozzle of the gasoline dispenser hose, it may ignite the gasoline. Ignition
requires that the spark occur near the tank opening where the gasoline vapor is
in the flammable range.1 A spark discharge directly from the surface of the
gasoline to the grounded nozzle also is possible. Normally, this will not result
in ignition because the concentration of gasoline vapor near the liquid is above
the flammable limit.
Theory and experience suggest that the condition most likely to lead to a spark
discharge is filling a metal container or tank that is insulated from ground,
i.e., one that is ungrounded. This is the situation that exists when a metal
container is placed on a plastic bed liner.
Fires initiated by sparks can be prevented if static electricity is not allowed
to build up, particularly on conductors. One defense is to dissipate electrical
charge by creating paths that allow it to flow to ground. Placing a container on
the ground makes it easier for electrical charge to escape. Cement or dirt is a
better conductor of electricity than asphalt and, therefore, better grounding
surfaces. While vehicles that are driven to a service station may not appear to
be grounded, they are. Tires are good enough conductors to allow electrical
charge to escape to ground.
Keeping the dispenser nozzle in contact with the container at the inlet or with
the fuel tank fill tube creates another path by which electrical charge can
escape. This is because the dispenser is grounded and the nozzle is bonded to
the dispenser through the dispenser hose.
When a vehicle or other equipment can’t be placed on the ground, a second
defense is to fuel more slowly. The slower gasoline flows, the less static
electricity is generated.
#9 My engine recommendations.
Fuel injection greatly improved these gas engines. The best diesels have direct
injection, turbo’s, and intercoolers.
·My favorite Ford engines: 4.9L (300 cu) 6 cylinder, 7.5L (460 cu) 8 cylinder,
older engines. 5.4L (330) 8 cylinder, 7.3L (444 cu) 8 cylinder diesel turbo 1994.5
Navistar Power Strokes and newer.
·My favorite Dodge engines: 5.2L (318 cu) 8 cylinder, 5.9L (360 cu) 8 cylinder,
5.9L (360 cu) 6 cylinder Cummins turbo diesel any year.
·My favorite GM engines: 4.3L (262 cu) 6 cylinder, 5.7L (350 cu) 8 cylinder,
7.4L (454 cu) 8 cylinder. Vortec series are the best.
In the medium duty two-ton trucks the GM 6.0L 366
cu gas engine and the Navistar 466 cu diesel are my favorites.
#10 New or used, truck and auto dealer.
NEW verses USED Revised
We all know how nothing stays the same. Markets change, economies change, my
weight changes. With the recession of 2001 and that darn 0% financing on new
trucks that seemed great at the time, we now have too many used trucks. This
year, 2002 we can hardly sell any new trucks. Free money, 0% interest, took
folks way into the future out of the market by buying early. And you can only go
so low on a new truck and then you have one of those bankruptcy sales.
Used trucks get churned over and over at the dealer auction when things get slow
and finely some dealers gets great bargains. One year old trucks are still too
close to a new truck but 2 years old and older trucks are way down there.
Now of course you know what I say about used 4x4's, they need a great extended
warranty Click Be sure to
check or have checked a used truck over carefully. I'll be coming out with a
list of what to look for soon.
We have all heard how much you loose when you drive a new car off the lot. The
people you hear this saying the most from are the USED CAR SALESMAN. They make
more money on used than new. Cars drop like a rock no matter whether they were
used or new. You don’t have an invoice on used vehicles and you have no way of
knowing exactly how much they traded it in for. Very few people pay full retail
for new vehicles and then there are those rebates. It would surprise you how
close the actual sales price of a new vehicle and a one-year-old one are. And
you know the new one wasn’t raced to the airport by 100 different people. I
actually know people who trade every year and never change their oil. Some of
the used vehicles make it all over the US that have come from the last
hurricane. You can see the water damage on the starters and exhaust systems.
Some manufactures, especially Ford has different settings from the factory by
the altitude of the states they are sold in. Now in trucks, since they have
better resale value and generally last longer, can be priced even higher at one
year old than new. I have seen that happen often. To see a significant
difference, you need to go back 3 years in trucks. The ¾-ton also holds their
value better than ½ ton’s and extended cabs or crew cabs 4X4’s are the kings. In
4X4’s used, can be a whole new experience. Since you won’t know how much off
road use it had, a 4X4 can create it’s own payment! It seems that every repair
on the bottom of a 4X4 costs $2000. If you are the first owner of a truck,
especially a 4X4 or diesel and you take care of it, can last you decades. I see
a lot of people buying diesels that don’t know anything about how to take care
of them.
Should you buy a used truck from a New Dealer or a used dealer?
There are several great used car lots, ones that have been in families for
generations. And there are several that are high pressure, and target you for
one big sale. I’ve known used lots that send buyers all over the country buying
the last flood, hurricane, hail, tornado damage vehicles at auctions and ship
them home for the repaint and rebuild. Ever wonder how used lots have the latest
model year vehicles? Manufactures also sell the lemons they can’t fix at those
auctions. Watch out for the newer models with low miles thinking there is still
factory warranty left. They don’t all have it. If you live in a small town,
usually the used lots can’t be too bad and have to stand behind what they sell
or they get escorted out of town, either financially or otherwise.
I’ve known a lot of car salesman in my 10 years of being in the business. They
make more money working for the used lots. The problem with new lots is, the big
ones with the most inventory, have the most “new green pea salespeople”. Which
naturally don’t know much about trucks. What do you do? I suggest you do your
own homework. Go to the manufacture’s web sites. Go to my web site of course!
New dealers have the manufacture behind them on new and usually on the used
inventory also. With the factory certified mechanic’s close by, it’s easier to
have the vehicle checked out and if the vehicle you are looking at is the same
brand they sell new, it can be traced on the factory computer for recalls and
repair history. AND you can find out if there really is factory warranty left!
Used car lots of ill repute will watch you drive away hoping to not see you
again nor will they be your friends when the truck breaks down. If the New
Dealer is well established, they have considerably more invested in their
franchise than the used lot with a 2-year lease on their property. The better
auto auctions that sell the factory program cars from the manufactories lease
returns and executive cars usually sell these vehicles to the franchise dealers
first at special monthly sales. Guess whom the auctions sell the lemons and wore
out trade-ins to? We know that there are good and bad dealers of both new and
used. But since the prices are comparable between the two, which one wants your
future sales and service business? And if you find unbelievable deals somewhere,
what does common sense say?
When it comes to recommending the best truck, everyone has their opinion and few
of us humans won’t let facts get in our way. When I was growing up, my dad had a
model 92 Massey combine and my uncle had a John Deere model 95. And of course we
thought the Massey had to be the best combine around. Then a funny thing
happened. I ended up helping my uncle harvest wheat one summer. I couldn’t
believe how easy the John Deere was to grease and work on. Everything you worked
on was on the outside where you could get to it. The Massey had everything
buried to the inside. Since you always have to work on combines, I was
impressed. But you know I never could convince my dad to buy a John Deere!
That’s how trucks are. They keep improving and if you get the latest model,
(after their first year). You will like it much better than your old model.
My opinion of present truck choices.
I’ve owned all three trucks, Chevy, Ford, and Dodge, pulled with all three and
for about 10 years have sold all three. And right now in the model year 1999,
2000, 2001 and 2002, I would say the most improved and best overall rated truck
with enough history behind it’s present model to measure dependability, would be
the Ford Super Duty. If you look at 98 and back, the 98 Dodge and 97 Ford, (Ford
didn’t make a 98 F250 or above but came out with the 99 model early,) the Dodge
and Ford are very close. Dodge had the best axles; manual transmissions in both
would do the best job. In 99 Ford greatly improved their automatic. I still
don’t recommend the auto in the Dodge if you are pulling a large trailer even in
the 2002 model. The GM with the old model 6.5L diesel was not in the same
ballpark as Dodge and Ford. Which is why the all-new GM Duramax in 2001. And
then there’s the front suspension. GM likes bushings and CV joints. Which work
great on cars. On trucks I like leaf springs and universal joints. All three
trucks use the same 6 speed manual transmission in 2001 and 2002. Dodge has
detuned their diesel with the automatic transmission and the 5-speed manual
transmission. To get Dodge’s highest torque and horsepower, you have to get
their 6 speed manual transmission. Dodge has greatly improved their truck from
the Power Wagons of the seventies. And Dodge was the first to see the need for a
“real” diesel engine for which I’m grateful. I do like the manifold heater found
in the Cummins diesel in the Dodge verses the glow plugs in the Ford. The new GM
Duramax diesel has both a manifold heater and glow plugs. I’m not fond of the
strut suspension in the front of the Dodge though. Talk about an expensive shock
absorber. If you want to compare rear suspensions, go to a sale barn sometime
and see the loaded trucks. Ranchers know how to load to the max and you will see
the Ford and GM’s sitting fairly level. The Dodge was the one squatting the most
and has the most “aftermarket springs” added to them. In the late nineties Dodge
greatly improved the rear springs. I hope that since Mercedes is now involved
with Dodge, that the quality of their bodies will improve. If you had a Dodge
truck in the seventies or eighties, compare the boxes from then till now and you
will be happy. The last really heavy-duty box that Ford or GM had was 1972. All
three-truck builders could use improvements in their boxes now. I would hate to
drop a salt block in any of them. Dodge was in last place as far as brakes were
concerned for years and in 2002 jumped ahead of Ford and GM finally getting
4-wheel disc brakes and mighty fine brakes at that.
I had higher hopes for the Duramax. I haven’t had enough good reports on Duramax
pulling loads. The engine is new, GM reps have told me it’s a proven design
similar to the engines in Isuzu trucks, but I haven’t found one in an Isuzu
truck that’s similar yet. They also told me the Allison tranny is the same one
in the big trucks and RTD buses. I sale medium duty 2 ton trucks with the big
Allison tranny and believe me that tranny would barely fit in the cab let alone
under the floor. The Ford Power Stroke offers a 4.10 rear axle ratio in the F350
dually, and so does the Dodge 3500, the GM Duramax only has the 3.73. I’m near
the mountains so I like a lower geared axle. Ford and Dodge have a cast iron
mono beam, (one piece axle) Dana front axle. GM has an independent aluminum GM
front axle. All three makes have the German 6-speed manual transmission. This
would give Dodge a chance to enter the picture. The Dodge Cummins is an in-line
6 cylinder that needs more gears to compete because the lower rpm band range
than a V-8. So in summary if you need an automatic tranny get the Ford. If you
want a manual tranny, test-drive the Dodge and Ford. I’m hoping in the future GM
will put cast iron heads on the Duramax and get the rest of the bugs out. GM
does have the best ride of the big trucks, and their Duramax diesel is the
quietest from the outside. The Allison 1000 automatic is on the right track for
what we need in pickup truck transmissions, but their track record needs to
improve on the $2295 option. As far as 4x4 systems, the only true part time one
left is on the Ford Super Duties. Basically every other manufacture has a solid
hub in the front axle that can’t be turned off. I like to see competition in
trucks and think in another couple years things could be very close. You can’t
beat the power of diesel but if you are only going to use it for pulling a few
times a year, you have to decide the economics between gas and diesel.
Competition in the truck market is getting closer all the time. This is an
exciting time to be reporting on trucks. 2003 Dodge Heavy Duty will make it
closer. Hopefully GM, Chevy and GMC will improve their track record this year so
I can recommend them for pulling trailers. Duramax and the Allison 1000 have
many good attributes that I like.
#11 First year blues.
I know you’ve heard it before. But we all give in to our emotions. The new model
looks so cool you just have to have it! I’ve seen, bought and sold first year
models. As hard as the manufactures try to get the bugs out, trucks are very
complicated products. It sometimes takes thousands of vehicles in use to find
the weak links. Sure they give recalls when most things are discovered, but have
many trips to the shop do you have time for? Reviews and evaluations by Consumer
Reports of the new model of truck take time. They are usually complete half way
through the year. The reviews you see before and at the introduction of a new
truck are usually from the manufactures and do you think they are objective?
You’re the one stuck with the payments and downtime, don’t be the Guinea pig
too. And of course the price is it's highest at introduction the first year, let
someone else pay the premium. I know you're a wise consumer, you purchased my
report didn't you?
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“The Truth about Warranties. Don’t give yourself TWO auto payments!”
After you finally get the price you want on your truck, of course it took seven
trips to the manager for the next “final offer because they are loosing so much
money on this deal,” now exhausted from the five hours of test driving and
reading the big magic marker offers brought back by the salesperson. Finally you
think it’s over, you’re relaxed. You are even joking with the salesperson about
the whole negotiating thing. And guess what you just got set up for? Oh No! It’s
the Finance Manager. Look at that pin stripe suit, he must be important! Oh No!
Look at that Smile and Handshake; he must be my Best Friend! Look at all the
awards on the wall! And Look he got me the payment I worked hard to get earlier
and Gave me a warranty (without raising), (raising a little), or (lowering my
payment)! He must really like me! “ It’s amazing how often this exact scenario
happens each day at dealerships.” Did we forget there is “no free lunch.”
Somebody has to pay for it and that my friend is you!
Dealerships use what is called “leg.” They are pulling yours! When working your
payments, they left room for extra interest and a warranty in the payment they
quoted you and you worked so hard to get them down to. Another good reason to
“Get the money First.” I’m not against warranties; in most cases I recommend
them. I just think you should know what you are buying and for how much. Not
being rushed into it at the last minute when you’re tired and just want to go
home in Your New Truck, or at least New to You, so you start signing everything
in site. As I recommend getting your auto loan before you go shopping for
trucks, I also recommend doing your homework before you buy the “Free” warranty
from a dealer. All warranties are not created equal. Some are down right
worthless! They only cover what doesn’t break down. Then try to get your new
“Best Friend the finance manager,” to return your phone calls! His phone’s not
working. He still love’s you; he just doesn’t want to talk to you anymore.
Why not test drive your warranty like you do the pickup you’re looking at!
You hear a lot in the press about recalls. It’s has become pretty much common
place to have recalls from the manufacture. They will fix these problems, but it
shows you that they trying to make vehicles too fast. With the big boom in the
economy that we had for the last 10 years,” yes I did say had,” manufactures had
record truck sales. There were assembly lines with workers jogging along the
trucks putting parts on. Some manufactures had 3 shifts running 24 hrs a day.
Some manufactures put up quick factories in Mexico and South America. I have
seen several trucks built “99 to 2000” with defects that only come from too much
hurried production. Now it looks like the manufactures will have more time in
increase quality, at least I hope that’s what they will do with this slow
period. But buyer beware! There are dozens of computers that run automobiles
today. The time when you could work on your own car or truck is passing.
Mechanics today have to plug their computers into your car's computer to find
the problem.
You don’t usually know what the first owner of the truck did with it. Did they
pull a trailer? A really big trailer? Did they do all the required maintenance?
Did they race uncle Jed to the airport in it? Especially with diesels, filters
and servicing can mean the difference between it lasting 50,000 miles or 300,000
miles. This is when you need the truck health insurance! Four-wheel drives have
twice as many expensive parts, as do their cousins the 4x2. When things like
transfer cases, differentials, axles and trannies go down, you could be adding
several zeros on the end of that check you trade the mechanic for your fixed
again pickup truck or you could be glad you test drove the right warranty for 30
days to see if you like it. Don’t forget the rental car that’s included with the
warranty, if yours breaks down. You will still need to get to work to pay the
car payment even without the car. And since moving to the big city, having “road
side assistance” to fix or tow my vehicles, gives me great peace of mind knowing
my family won’t be stranded on the freeway!
Free Online Warranty Quote:
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New and used Warranties, Emergency Roadside Assistance, Towing, And they Call
You Back!
“The User Friendly Warranty”
You can also call these folks to get a monthly interest free payment plan called
“Pay As You Go Program.” Warrantybynet starts your warranty when you enroll with
them, not the in-service date, (when the vehicle was first titled,) like your
friend the dealership finance manager generally uses. Look at it as you would
your health insurance, hope you don’t need it but tickled when the hospital
brings in the best doctors because you have the best insurance!
And that’s my opinion of ten years in the auto business wondering why everybody
is some kind of a manager in the auto business, who makes a commission when they
smile and shake your hand. Me I’m just a “good ole country boy trying to make
good “ in the city and save the farm! I recommend what I believe in. Back when I
was still farming and ranching, I used to go to Denver and help my friends buy
trucks from the “Sharks” late on Saturday night at the end of the month. Most of
the sales people you meet are regular people, but things get interesting when
they bring you their “manager.”
I was looking to buy a 2000 used Taurus from a new car dealership I work with.
The Taurus had 29,000 miles on it. I priced the best-extended warranty I could
buy from the manufacture for 6 years 100,000 miles. The dealer cost was higher
from the manufacture with $50 deductible than the quote I got from Warrantybynet
with $0 deductible and the same coverage! I’m convinced; go ahead take a test
drive.
“The Truth about Auto Loans. Always get the Money First!”
I’ve sold trucks to folks through my Internet business that brought me this
Internet loan package. They had a better interest rate than I could get them if
I could even get them financed at all! Now this looks interesting. Applying for
credit before you buy. It’s like walking in with Cash! I had to learn more. This
online loan center is Great! They have the lowest rates, the fastest approval
time, and it’s so simple. In fact I just applied through them. They approved me
for an auto loan on the Memorial Day weekend when the rest of the banks were
closed!
Let the Internet do the work it was designed to do. Save you Time and Money! You
will know right away, your rate and payment. This is the fastest and easiest
auto loan process I have seen in 10 years in the auto selling business. You know
how good your credit is, you deserve a better rate then your local bank wants to
give you and why sit down there in their lobby and wait to see a banker. Get the
best rate in the comfort and privacy of your home. You are in control. After all
it is your money, you are paying for it!
“Just take it home today, we’ll deal with the bank. Don’t worry about it. We do
this all the time!”
Dealers like to “Hook You,” into thinking you are approved for a loan and then
after you show your new vehicle to all the neighbors, they call you. And guess
what, they can “Get you Financed,” with more down or a higher payment! The other
side is they send you home in your new vehicle when they know they can’t get you
financed. Then they call you to tell you how hard they worked but that “darn ole
bank” just wouldn’t budge! Now they Have to charge you that famous $.25 a mile
and $25 a day while they were “working so hard for your loan.”
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Truck Loans
Not great credit, re-establish your Credit, without paying Too Much for the
Truck. Don’t get screwed Twice by the dealer! With Zero Down! If there is
financial sadness in your past, you are Not Alone! Hey I bought my farm in the
late 70’s when everything was going up, survived the 80’s wheat embargo with
Russia, when everything was going down, wheat dropped from $5.00 a bushel to
$2.00, then got divorced in the 90’s, had to move to Denver to try to save the
farm again. Believe me I Know Financial Sadness! If you go to a typical auto
dealer, they will view you as fresh meat! They think you are a Big Gross Profit
with nowhere to go. So they jack up the price of vehicle, thinking you will be
darn lucky if they can Get You Financed. Then they max out the interest rate.
You will have to pay a higher interest; the bank will figure higher risk to
them. But don’t go in unarmed! Get your loan first. Know your payment and rate.
Then you can negotiate the price, as you should. Now you have choices. Buy from
a private party, buy online, buy through the fleet department or go to the
dealers and walk out on a few of them until you get the respect you deserve!
Refinance Your Auto Loan!
Interest rates change constantly. It might surprise that you are paying too
much. Apply for free to see if you can save $30, $50 or more a month. If you
were a first time buyer or repairing your credit see if you’ve re-established
enough to get a better rate.
If your report has problems please email me:
[email protected]
Now here is my disclaimer: I drove a tractor in a circle summer fallowing for a
couple of decades, so as I told the folks in Denver when I moved here 10 years
ago, if you think I can spell or remember the grammar I learned in high school,
you’d be incorrect. I don’t know everything and can make mistakes. Just like
listening to the preacher on Sunday, you better follow along in the Bible to be
sure. Sorry for any mistakes they were not intentional. Thanks for reading.
© Copyright 1999-2010 H. Kent Sundling all rights reserved including digital
rights
The diesels I used on the farm were the most expensive equipment I had. I paid close attention to maintenance. Filters were a lot cheaper than diesel mechanics and who could afford the downtime! All about Filters and Oil
Now here is my disclaimer: I drove a tractor in a circle summer fallowing for a couple of decades, so as I told the folks in Denver when I moved here 10 years ago, if you think I can spell or remember the grammar I learned in high school, you'd be incorrect. I don't know everything and can make mistakes. Just like listening to the preacher on Sunday, you better follow along in the Bible to be sure. Sorry for any mistakes they were not intentional. Make your own decisions, balance what you learn, hear and see.
© Copyright 1999 H. Kent Sundling and MrTruck.net. All rights reserved including digital rights.