Anyone interested in getting a great deal on a good truck should follow a checklist of important things to consider in order to get the best value and features for the money spent.
A vehicle can only be considered a good truck if it suits the owner’s purpose, so determine if yours is business, pleasure or both in order to choose the right style of truck. Trucks can be compact pick-up models for driving around town to heavy duty models used for long-distance equipment hauling. Establish a budget for buying a truck so you have some parameters for looking at trucks within those pricing guidelines. Decide if it’s important to have a brand new truck or if a pre-owned model will suffice, because good deals can be found for both.
Check out the cab design when truck shopping. Does the truck under consideration have a regular cab featuring two doors and accommodating two or three people at most, or does it offer an extended cab offering additional storage space, or a full size cab allowing a total of six people to ride in the truck. Check to see that the doors open and close easily and allow for easy access of both people and cargo. Find out if the seats can be folded down to create a flat workspace. Note if the seating in the cab is bucket style or bench seating.
A good truck is only a great deal if it offers good fuel economy or you will wind up spending more than anticipated on fuel. Be aware that V8 and V10 engines reduce the fuel economy of the truck and trucks that use diesel fuel are the ones that obtain the best mileage in addition to being a better choice if the truck is going to be used for towing. A good compact truck should be able to tow 6,000 pounds easily, while a full size truck is designed to tow around 10,000 pounds or more. A good compact truck usually offers the best fuel efficiency and lowest operating cost, including insurance rates, while the bigger trucks may have more power and features but are more expensive to maintain as well as repair.
Check out the safety features of the truck. A good truck will include seatbelts as well as front airbags for every passenger and some models also feature side airbags for added protection in the event of a crash. If the truck comes with a jump seat to provide additional seating, ask about its stability in the event of an accident. Read the rest of this entry »
