MSN Autos Trucks to Avoid – GM, Ford, RAM
Quite often, automotive websites publish opinions on best/worst cars/trucks to buy and normally, they are filled with no-brainers. Yet, a list on MSN Autos has all three domestic trucks – GM, Ford, RAM – as trucks to avoid. Yep, its true! Here is why they say you should avoid them.
MSN Autos says this 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost is a truck to avoid.
2010 Toyota Tundra Rock Warrior – Featured DAILY DRIVER Truck
While we often feature “show” trucks that have insane lifts or ginormous tires, what about the “regular” guys who use their truck every day? Where is the love for them? Well, here is one!
Where are the regular, non-show trucks you ask? Here is one that is really sharp!
Do Bedliners Really Help Resale Value?
I was reading an article on an after-market company blog and it got me wondering…do bed liners REALLY help with resale? Here’s the section of text that got me wondering:
Checking on Edmunds.com, KBB.com, and checking [various truck] models on the NADAGuides.com website, most bedliners only seem to add $50-$100 in resale value.
When I first read this, I said “No way!” $50-100 for a bedliner? That seems absurdly low, especially when you consider that spray-in bed liners are so expensive and essentially last forever.
Spray-in bed liners look great, last a long time, and aren’t exactly cheap…why don’t they boost resale values more than $50-$100?
However, I did a little digging and found that most of the time, a bed liner is only a $50-$100 “add” when you look at trade-in or private party value online. I checked used Rams, Fords, and Tundras on KBB.com, Edmunds, and NADAguides.com…and they always came back in that range. Even on trucks that were relatively new.
The next question in my mind – why so little? For the answer, I called a couple of friends in the car business. Read more…
BorgWarner Increases Toyota Tundra Transfer Case Production
On Friday, March 21, 2014, BorgWarner officials announced that their production of the two-speed, part-time four-wheel drive transfer cases for the Toyota Tundra will add 150 jobs. The jobs will be added at the South Carolina production facility.
This is the BorgWarner transfer case that features electronic shift-on-the-fly technology. (PRNewsFoto/BorgWarner Inc.)
Lexus Develops Toyota’s First Cylinder Deactivation System – Next-Gen Tundra
UPDATE: Looks like our source for this information, Motor Trend, got it wrong. The RC F won’t have cylinder deactivation. Instead it will use the Atkinson Cycle at lower loads.
This innovation is essentially variable valve timing, as the intake valves are left open a little longer at lower loads. The fuel savings is equivalent to reducing displacement 15%, yet power is unaffected.
Seems like this tech could work on any V8 if the engine was designed for it…
Next month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Lexus is supposed to reveal its new Lexus RC and RC F coupe. While the news isn’t that exciting for truck fans, one nugget stood out. The RC F coupe will offer a Lexus and Toyota first of cylinder deactivation. Yep, Lexus is going to offer it. Here’s why and what it could mean for future Toyota products.
Lexus is reportedly going to offer cylinder deactivation on its new RC F coupe, will other Toyota models follow suit? Photo Source: Carscoops.com
