Automotive Trucks information on net.

What the buyers of light-medium-,and heavy-duty trucks want is more roominess and power, with less downtime for service and repairs. And that's what manufacturers are rolling out for 1998.

Cabs are getting bigger everything from pickup trucks to trailer-hauling tractors, some of which have sleepers spacious enough to be outfitted like luxury motor homes. Makers of light-duty pickups are rushing to market with third or fourth doors to make the back seats of their extended cabs more accessible.

In the sport-utility-vehicle (SUV) segment, truck makers are going to great lengths. The king-of-the-road Chevrolet and GMC Suburbans, the longest SUVs ever built at 219 inches, may be outdone soon by a Ford "crew wagon" that is 10 inches longer.

Demands for power are satisfied by muscle as makers of light-duty trucks offer bigger engines or tweak engines to produce more horsepower. For the first time, a V-8 is an option on a compact SUV, the Dodge Durango. In the heavy-duty-truck segment, there are the Arnold Schwarzeneggers of diesel engines: the Cummins Signature 600 and the Caterpillar 3406E, both achieving 600 horsepower.

Less Wasted Time

For protection against costly downtime, some manufacturers are offering buyers more help if their vehicles go out of service. Chevrolet, for example, offers light-duty-truck owners 24-hour roadside assistance, and the company will provide a free rental vehicle if overnight repairs are needed during warranty-covered work.

Kenworth is finding that most buyers of its new T2000, a truck in Class 8 (more than 33,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, or GVW), are opting for the Extended Service Interval maintenance program. The service interval under this option is every 25,000 miles instead of the industry norm of 10,000 to 15,000 miles; the engine is guaranteed against repairs that might be needed because of the longer interval.

For 1998 models, most prices are holding steady. Chrysler announced in mid-August that its prices for 1998 cars and trucks will drop an average of 0.6 percent; Ford plans no price increases; and General Motors has said that prices for cars and light-duty trucks will rise an average of 1.3 percent.

Trucks, including mediums and heavies, made up 44.8 percent of total vehicle sales in 1996. For 1997, through July, trucks were up to 45.9 percent of the total market, according to GM spokeswoman Annemarie Sylvester.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:50 AM