All Entries in the "Auto News" Category
Toyota V-6 Engine Production Boom – Fuel Efficient Tundra Package Coming
Toyota will invest $150 million to increase V-6 production to 362,000 units. While many think Tacoma demand will take a lot of these engines, could we see a fuel-efficient package coming to the Tundra (ala Ram 1500)? Probably.
Full-size trucks are making huge gains in MPG. Is the Toyota Tundra next?
F-150’s Plastic Underbody Fuel Tank Shield Spells Trouble
As a general rule, I don’t like to presume that a plastic part is automatically inferior to a similar part made from metal. There are plenty of examples of plastic and/or composite parts (from intake manifolds to frame cross-members) being used effectively. However, Ford might have screwed up when they replaced the F-150’s steel fuel tank shield (aka fuel tank skid plate) with plastic.
This past week, a Florida jury awarded $4 million to a plaintiff who sued Ford for basically going cheap on the fuel tank shield (aka skid plate). From Yahoo News:
2013 JD Power Initial Quality Survey Results – GM Is Rising, Ford Is Falling Fast, and Toyota is Still Great
JD Power’s Initial Quality Survey is an excellent tool for evaluating the relative quality of a manufacturer’s products, especially if you look at the data they generate over a period of time.
JD Power’s 2013 Initial Quality Data is Out – click the graphic to see the original press release.
For 2013, the results are in, and the big winner is GM, as both the GMC and Chevy brands finished with above-average quality. The big loser? Ford, which finished near the back of the pack…and who seems to have a growing quality problem.
Toyota, of course, maintained their record of above-average quality.
Rent-a-Tire Business Booming – Sad But True
It seems these days there is one car business that is really booming. No we don’t mean dealerships or mechanics. We mean the rent-a-tire business. Yep, you read that right, you can now rent tires for your Toyota Tundra on a monthly basis. Get ready to empty your wallet!
Need new tires, but can’t afford them. You can rent them! Yet, get ready to empty your wallet.
2013 PUTC Light-Duty Challenge – Toyota Tundra Got Screwed?
The latest PickupTrucks.com light-duty challenge results were released on June 17, 2013 and the Toyota Tundra placed 5th. Did the Toyota Tundra get screwed?
