Used Pickups Trucks - Ford and Chevy Rule the Road
Trucks are all the rage these days. Gone are the days when trucks and pickups are seen as workhorse, utilitarian vehicles which belong on a farm somewhere in North Dakota. Motorists have recently seen the pickup in a different light, and we can thank the Americans for persisting with a genre that was pretty much a niche of its own for quite some time. The popularity is such that there are now even websites catering for trucks enthusiasts as well as truck classifieds for the second hand market.
Of late, there has been a rash of softer pickups, much like their often quoted Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) siblings, catering for the form over functionality crowd, with automakers, especially the Japanese, making traditional truck makers General Motors (Chevrolet pickups) and Ford sweat a little with some good competition. Mitsubishi latest model - the Triton - carries this form factor to the fullest, with car like interiors and ample legroom to boot for the rear passengers, something unheard of until just recently for pickups. With GM and Ford, to a certain extent, content to concentrate mainly in the United States, Japanese car makers including Mitsubishi, Toyota and Isuzu have had ample time to build up its customer base in the Asian countries.
Of the duo, Ford trucks are better known outside of the United States. The model that heralded the entry of Ford into the arena must be the F150 and the Ranger. These models might not have the form factor evident from the latest Japanese models, but their long heritage and proven capabilities had managed to secure some good foundations where the trucking community is concerned. Fans of ford trucks swear that these are amongst the best handling pickup that also offers good value as well. Many newer buyers are less concerned with such foibles, however, as they are attracted more to the street credence from being seen in such vehicles so much so they are willing to overlook the inherent flaws of a heavy duty vehicle adopting a far less strenuous role of a bitumen road transporter.
It is for these crowd that sees automakers, including Ford, softening their trucks, and the aforementioned workhorse image. Soft touch plastics, leather interior, factory fitted cd/mp3 players, four way adjustable electric seats, rack and pinion steering rack; the extensive lists would make hard core truck lovers cringe, but the reality is that many of the new convert would never use their trucks other than from house to office and perhaps some sojourn to either the golf course or a construction site. This group is also gaining converts even from the hard core fans who have since learnt to appreciate that a soft pickup could still perform amiably as a workhorse when push comes to shove.
Finding one which satisfies your needs should not be too much of a difficulty. Often, the choice boils down to brand loyalty, but if you are open to the good number of options around, have a list ready as to where your priority lies. While American loves their trucks to be big and brawny in their engine capacity, Asian however makes do with smaller engine - some even going the in-line four cylinder routes unlike the American all-guzzling V8 and V10. Four wheel drives are however the choice, but Ford has made some inroads with a two-wheel drive offering.
The latter however thrives more on image alone, with many still preferring the versatility of an on-call four wheel system should the going get rough. Having limited-slip or locking differentials and electronic traction control as option would make the morel a surefire seller amongst the specification hungry motoring crowd. This goes back to the image factor, the street credence loaned by being seen in such a truck. Imagine driving in one with the complete customization for a full blown Dakar Rally, then you would see the attraction of having these handy option for the truck talk with all the other enthusiasts.
What about those keen on trucks but unwilling to accept the steep depreciation of value that comes with buying new? Buying used pickup trucks may be a road less travelled for many and there is the well known pitfall of buying a lemon of a vehicle, but with the increasingly large number of newer models introduced to the market, making some good buys is not an impossibility. As it is with other vehicles, get a good first look at the pickup for tell tale signs of way too rough usage. Peer under the engine hood for out of the norm wear and tear of the components. Try the seats, and the steering column should not have too much free play. If you could, ask for the maintenance history of the vehicle.
Unless you are using the truck (a good one will be used ford trucks for their reliability factor) for some hardcore cross country travelling, it is best to stick with the newer and lower mileage units. They are most probably used by housewife to ferry their school going children or the young executives who has since grown tired of paying the fuel bills or visiting the diesel pumps with the lorries and buses. These are the good buy. Once you have possession, do pay a visit to a reputable mechanic to tighten all the suspension settings and you should be able to get a long lasting workhorse for you off road excursion and on road cruising needs.
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