Trucks come in all shapes and sizes these days, with so many different advantages and disadvantages depending on your specific needs. Before you involve truck dealers in your search, ask yourself these five questions.
How Big of a Tow Capacity Do I Need?
How big do you need your truck to be? There are four sizes with different ranges of towing ability. A compact pickup can tow 3,000 to 7,000 pounds, a full-sized or mid-sized model can tow as much as 12,000 pounds, and a heavy-duty model can tow as much as 30,000 pounds when properly equipped.
What Size Bed Do I Need?
If you are moving heavy loads and are helped with a forklift, you may want to get a larger sized truck bed with more cabin space and pulling power. However, if you are manually loading and unloading cargo, like gravel or manure, then you may want to get a bed that is lower to the ground because it is more convenient for your back and knees.
What's the Fuel Efficiency?
Fuel efficiency has been a hot topic the past few years, with the prices at the pump fluctuating day by day. Fortunately, because of federal fuel-efficiency standards, trucks are being designed with more cabin space for families with a better overall fuel economy. Most full-size models use V8 or V10 engines that get decent gas economy. Though heavy-duty vehicles have quite the weight to them, they use diesel fuel, which is a more efficient fuel source. Diesel engines tend to be 25-30 percent more economical than regular gas. However, diesel fuel produces more emissions and tends to be a little more expensive.
How Much Cabin Space Do I Need?
If you are purchasing your vehicle from one of many reputable truck dealers, remember what exactly you are using the truck for. Are you buying it just for work, or do you have a sizable family commute as well? Maybe you have to bring several people to work or haul cargo that can't be exposed to the elements. A bench seat can comfortably fit three adults, though the person in the middle will have less legroom. There are also extended cab or four-door crew cab options that will carry many more people or perishable items.
How Much Power Do I Need?
There are two routes to take when deciding on the power of your engine. First, you may choose what comes standard if you are only towing or carrying light loads. These are specifically designed to be the most efficient for these situations. However, a more powerful engine may be more economical when heavier loads are involved, even though they use more gas when not towing items. The more power you have, the safer your engine will be. You will also have superior handling because the engine does not have to work as hard to build up momentum. There are many engine and transmission options for nearly every model, so it should be easy to find what is best for you.
Before you make the important decision to purchase a new vehicle, you must ask yourself these five questions. Truck dealers have so many alteration options and add-ons to fit your needs, so don't miss out on something that can save you time and money.
No comments:
Post a Comment