Archive for the ‘Trucks’ Category
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 |
The Navistar owned International Truck and Engine Company has been around since 1902, answering the transportation needs of commercial trucks. Manufacturers of medium duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks, and severe service trucks, International’s products are sold all over North and South America.
Of course, International trucks for sale are available on the company’s web site. A virtual showroom, potential buyers are barraged with International’s high color slideshow featuring trucks and current offers on their first visit. International offers a variety of financing options and offers, but truckers don’t have to go to the company’s official web site just to purchase an International brand truck.
Many classified web sites on the Internet feature commercial International trucks for sale without the annoying slideshow! Trucks are used, and usually a better deal than finding them new on the site. Like cars, trucks depreciate in value. While buying a used truck may be a savvy business investment, buying a new truck is no investment at all as the truck will only decrease in value.
Used International Trucks for sale, however, give drivers the same confidence in the International product without the high prices. Truckers get a durable, internationally known truck, usually with the option to purchase an extended warranty, at only a fraction of the price of a new truck. Although going the used route does not allow truckers to outfit their new International vehicle with all the frills of the new trucks, it allows them to get a great working truck at a low price, and most would agree that’s what commercial truck trading is all about.
White International trucks provide excellent models of commercial trucks worldwide, finding a used International truck is probably the best way to work well and save money.
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Sunday, December 14th, 2008 |
Semi Trucks, Big Rigs and Over the Road Trucks special financing opportunities are available to the startup and seasoned businesses as this banking crisis continues Never before have we seen so many repo semi trucks available for special acquisition and financing, a lender’s nightmare.
Banks are changing their lending requirements every month for new and seasoned businesses. Some have so many repos on their lot, they are trying to negotiate for the customers that are behind on payments not to return their trucks.
The first option, for the buyer,is to visit their local dealer and find their truck there. This is great place to start and obtain pertinent information that will be used later in the data gathering process. From there, it is recommended searching the internet and its mass volume of data that is available. The potential buyer can visit such sites as truck paper and truck trader etc to view thousands of listings of trucks available across the United States. He is able to sort and sift through this vast data and should be able to find a truck, in any city and/or state across the U.S, that meets his acquisition requirements. Once he has located a source of trucks available to him, he is able to contact these sellers and negotiate a deal that might be able to meet his needs. Once he is agreed to a price and its particulars, his next hurdle is to find adequate financing in today’s complex lending world of this commodity.
Today, the financing arena for semi trucks has become much smaller. Lenders, in the past, that use to finance this niche market have either pulled their portfolio funds out of this area or have modified its’ lending requirements. It is not unheard of today that a start up business must commit to a down payment of between 10% - 30% of the acquisition cost of the truck to enter this market. The seasoned business with good credit might be able to get in as little as one payment down plus documents fees but must have either A or B Credit. Other seasoned businesses that don’t meet these credit requirements, may be required to put up 10-20% down or either put up additional collateral as their credit scores fall below 600.
A third factor to consider is the off lease truck. These trucks are being returned to the lender and they must act accordingly with this third factor. By definition, an off lease semi truck, over the road truck, big rig etc has been returned to the lender as the lease has expired. The lessee has made a decision to return the item in lieu of exercising the buyout option. A repossession is different than an off lease because it has arisen due to a default of the lessee for non payment terms or a violation of the terms of the lease. Either way, the lender has taken these trucks back and/and now must recondition these trucks and either sell these trucks or re-lease them.
The lender can either advertise their off lease and repo inventories through their internal sales force, trade journals such as truck paper, truck trader etc or utilize outside professionals such as brokers to move their inventories as quick as possible. Sometimes, as these inventories either sit or whatever reasons aren’t moving, the lender will put these items up for auction.
Potential deals for over the road trucks, semi trucks and big rigs for the customers relate to the following manufacturers: Petebilt, Mack, Kenworth, International, Freightliner, and Volvo.
In conclusion, this is a buyer’s market for semi trucks, big rigs and over the road trucks. One should evaluate all the factors relating to this acquisition including gas costs, air emissions, environmental type requirements.
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Friday, December 12th, 2008 |
Dump truck financing, or financing for trucks, is just like financing anything else. In order to find the right loan program you need to find a lender that offers a loan program designed for your needs. If you need to finance dump trucks, semi trucks, or heavy duty trucks, then you will need to find a lender that not only offers a loan program for vehicles, but that also specializes in business vehicle loans.
To qualify for dump truck financing you will need to go through the standard loan process. First you will need to find a lender. Secondly you will need to fill out an application form and submit the required documentation. And finally your loan application will need to be approved by the lender. Your ability to qualify for truck financing will depend on a lot of things including the type of truck that you are trying to finance, how long you have been in business, what your credit history is, what collateral you have, and the type of business that you operate.
If you are having a difficult time finding a 100 percent dump truck financing program, or if you have not been able to qualify for one of these loans then you may want to consider other financing options. Your first alternative to 100 percent truck financing is partial financing. In this case you would put down a percentage of the truck’s value in your own money and then finance the remaining balance with a truck loan. These loans are much easier to qualify for then 100 percent loans, and they tend to offer better rates and terms. Your second option is to lease instead of buying your truck for sale. Leasing has several advantages over buying, with one advantage being that it offers more tax benefits than purchasing the machine outright.
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Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 |
In today’s economy, start up and seasoned businesses have an unique opportunity to acquire an attractive deal for semi trucks, big rigs and over the road trucks. The first option, for the buyer, is to visit their local dealer and find his trucks there. This is great place to start and obtain pertinent information that will be used later in the data gathering process. From there, it is recommended searching the internet and its mass volume of data that is available. The potential buyer can visit such sites as truck paper and truck trader etc to view thousands of listings of trucks available across the United States. He is able to sort and sift through this vast data and should be able to find a truck, in any city and/or state across the U.S, that meets his acquisition requirements. Once he has located a source of trucks available to him, he is able to contact these sellers and negotiate a deal that might be able to meet his needs. Once he is agreed to a price and its particulars, his next hurdle is to find adequate financing in today’s complex lending world of this commodity.
Today, the financing arena for semi trucks has become much smaller. Lenders, in the past, that use to finance this niche market have either pulled their portfolio funds out of this area or have modified its’ lending requirements. It is not unheard of today that a start up business must commit to a down payment of between 10% - 30% of the acquisition cost of the truck to enter this market. The seasoned business with good credit might be able to get in as little as one payment down plus documents fees but must have either A or B Credit. Other seasoned businesses that don’t meet these credit requirements, may be required to put up 10-20% down or either put up additional collateral as their credit scores fall below 600. Most buyers don’t enjoy these tightening financial requirements, are locked out of this market, and will start looking for alternatives that are available due to market conditions. In addition to the market requirements of substantial monies due upfront, the conventional lender has modified his risk/reward factor for the failure and possible repossession of these trucks. Therefore, the rate and/or interest factor that the lender charges has gone up making it a bigger challenge to complete the financing end once the want to be buyer locates his acquisition….
As the economy has weakened due to market conditions, including diesel gas reaching $5.00 or more per gallon in certain states, the route of conventional financing has changed as we know it. The lender has acquired another problem that makes their equation a little more complicated. In the past year as the price of food has gone up, the real estate markets have taken a toll for the worse and other world factors have caused the banks to be more unstable, the trucking industry has become more volatile. As the increase of defaults on the payments of over the road trucks, semis etc have risen to all time highs, the lenders have been taking back these trucks by the droves that are earmarked as repossessions. This has caused a problem with normal lending practices and trying to balance it with a non producing income portfolio. If these lenders don’t act swiftly and prudently, the combination of these two type of portfolios can be devastating to the lenders’ bottom line. A third factor to consider is the off lease truck. These trucks are being returned to the lender and they must act accordingly with this third factor.
By definition, an off lease semi truck, over the road truck, big rig etc has been returned to the lender as the lease has expired. The lessee has made a decision to return the item in lieu of exercising the buyout option. A repossession is different than an off lease because it has arisen due to a default of the lessee for non payment terms or a violation of the terms of the lease. Either way, the lender has taken these trucks back and/and now must recondition these trucks and either sell these trucks or re-lease them.
The lender can either advertise their off lease and repo inventories through their internal sales force, trade journals such as truck paper, truck trader etc or utilize outside professionals such as brokers to move their inventories as quick as possible. Sometimes, as these inventories either sit or whatever reasons aren’t moving, the lender will put these items up for auction.
At the present time, the lenders have two different types of financing portfolios to consider and must act accordingly. Normal lending on new business deals still require stringent lending practices based upon the credit markets and the risk/reward factors lenders perceive out there in the financial markets. The second type of portfolio, for the off lease and repos, require possibility a more lenient approach to liquidating their inventories prudently and recreating the income stream for the lenders. This will be discussed below.
Today, some of the lenders in the financial market have advertised personal credit qualifications as low as 575, prior bankruptcy rules amended or ignored, and start up businesses welcome. Additionally, the front money to commence a lease can start as low as first payment only to whatever you might able to negotiate. Some of the lenders have application only programs up to $250,000. There are no financial statements, income tax returns or bank statements required. Additionally, some lenders may defer some of payments to get the semi trucks financed. The buyout clauses on these over the road trucks can range from a $1.00 buyout to 10% to 20%, Trac leases to possible fair market value buyouts. One should understand these clauses because they have an impact on the passing of title.
These favorable financial arrangements by the lender has stimulated the buyers wants and needs to either enter the trucking industry as an owner operator and/or possibility an expansion of a existing business. First Time buyers, whom were locked out of this market in the past, now has an unique opportunity to earn more revenue by acquiring a truck for himself. A $50,000 over the road truck might require as little as $1400 down to commence the financial obligation. Other lenders that might have required up to 30% down in the past might accept as little as 10% to acquire one of their repos and/or off leases…Additionally, some lenders may offer favorable monthly payment terms vs standard lending to acquire their off lease and repos vs. the buyer looking to acquire a truck at a dealership..
For this article, potential deals for over the road trucks, semi trucks and big rigs for the customers relate to the following manufacturers: Petebilt truck, Mack truck, Kenworth truck, International truck, Freightliner truck, and Volvo truck.
In conclusion, this is a buyer’s market for semi trucks, big rigs and over the road trucks. One should evaluate all the factors relating to this acquisition including gas costs, air emissions, environmental type requirements., buyout clauses acquisition costs and its related financing. Additionally, there are two distinct financing markets out there, one for the normal acquisition from the dealership and the possibility of acquiring a repo and off lease from a lender at favorable market and financing terms. As always it is advisable, if possible, to locate financing prior to truck shopping, it could save a lot of time and stress.
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Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 |
Motorcycles are two-wheeled vehicles that are powered by an engine and are used for everyday travel as well as off-road activities. In some parts of the world motorcycles are the least expensive automobile to purchase and are the most widespread form of transport. Motorcycles are extremely popular throughout Europe. Motorcycles are also used in racing, long distance travel, cruising and weaving in and out of congested areas. Motorcycles are small enough to drive them in between two lanes of cars without clipping any of them and small enough to drive them down narrow alleyways.
The very first motorcycle was invented in 1885 by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, two German inventors. The first motorcycle built in the United States came in 1867 by Howard Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts. The first motorcycle available for purchase was the Hildebrand and Wolfmuller in 1894. Prior to 1920, the largest manufacturer of motorcycles was an Indian company, producing over 20,000 bikes per year. But in 1920 Harley-Davidson took over the top spot and began selling motorcycles in 67 countries worldwide. The leaders in manufacturing motorcycles today are the Japanese companies of Kawasaki motorcycles, Suzuki motorcycles, Honda and Yamaha motorcycles.
As mentioned earlier, motorcycles are popular throughout Europe and are most known as scooters. The world’s largest manufacturer of scooters is an Italian company called The Piaggio Group.
Motorcycles, like an ATV, have safety concerns. Motorcycles have a higher rate of fatal accidents than regular automobiles do. Motorcycles are prone to tipping and rolling over, which leads to serious injury and sometimes even death. The main cause of motorcycle accidents, aside from the roll over aspect, is that other automobiles tend to ignore motorcycles and their rights as members of the driving force. To reduce the number of motorcycle accidents in the United States, there are motorcycle safety classes offered by non-profit organizations and state agencies. These courses are designed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. These courses include a basic rider course, an intermediate rider course and an advanced rider course.
There are four types of off-road motorcycles in production today. They are the motocross, supermotos, trials motorcycles and track racing machines. These bikes are used for off-road competitions and even indoor racing on smaller tracks. Other motocross bicycles are known as ‘dirt bikes.’ ‘Dirt bikes’ are used to ride through the woods in muddy conditions so the tires have more traction.
Most states within the United States require motorcycle drivers to pass not only written tests but also driving tests as well. Most states do accept a rider passing one of the courses offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation in lieu of a written test and another test driving the vehicle. Aside from the scooter, other types of motorcycles for sale are the moped, the vespa, motorized tricycles and sidecar motorcycles. Motorcycles are known for good fuel efficiency but have been criticized for the amount of pollution they send into the air. For every mile driven a motorcycle produces 10 to 20 times more pollution than a new car.
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Sunday, November 16th, 2008 |
If you want to become a professional truck driver, you must know that there are different types of truck drivers. Surely, when you initiate your training in one of the several truck driving schools across the country, you will learn all you need to know about this. You will find that any type of truck driver has its advantages, as well as its disadvantages. Therefore, it is important to be familiar with the different characteristics of the types of truck drivers. From long distance and local drivers to drivers of hazardous materials and owner operators, you will find that every work is satisfying and that their lifestyles are exciting.
For example, long distance drivers are the ones that operate heavy trucks. They are also called long haul, sometimes they make a trip and go back the same day. In other opportunities, maybe they have to stay over until the next day or even be away from home for longer. On the other hand, local drivers are the ones that operate heavy duty truck, medium duty truck and light duty trucks. These drivers have more contact with clients than long distance drivers, they make more stops daily.
The specialized drivers are the ones that operate triple and double trailers, auto carriers, wet and dry bulk carriers, heavy specialized equipment and tank trucks. These drivers have the preparation needed to operate and understand better their specialized trucks. Other type of truck driver is the one that has to haul hazardous materials. These drivers also need extra training that is usually provided by their employers.
Finally, we have the independent drivers or owner operators, usually, they begin their careers as salaried drivers and with some time in the business they are able to possess their own equipment. They haul freight for several companies, sometimes you can find husband and wife teams. So, if you obtain your CDL, remember all these kinds of drivers and prepare yourself for the one you like the most.
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Friday, November 14th, 2008 |
Several midsize owners are now shifting to bigger models. In addition, a significant number of which stays with same car manufacturer. With this apparent condition, automotive analysts are advising automakers to invest more on midsize pickups.
J.D. Power and Associates, an auto research firm said: midsize pickup trucks are one of two segments in the automotive industry that reliably funnel consumers into predictable — and more lucrative — models later. The other so-called feeder category is compact cars.
It has also been found out by the firm that midsize pickups such as Toyota Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado truck contribute significantly to boost the sales of bigger models. Tom Libby, senior director of industry analysis for J.D. Power’s Power Information Network noted, “Almost every third midsize pickup owner trades that vehicle in for a large pickup. About 31 percent of consumers who trade in a midsize pickup buy a large pickup, Libby reports. Another 28 percent trade the vehicle in for another midsize pickup.”
Toyota Tacoma, a compact pickup truck, is the replacement of Stout. Toyota truck parts were radically updated. The new version incorporated new suspension, body, frame and engines. Consequently, truck parts Chevy incorporated new generation engines that include 2.9 L LLV I4 and 3.7 L LLR, to improve the performance of Colorado.
“Tacoma is now No. 1 in that midsize segment,” Libby said. “This is good for Toyota. It has developed this pool of consumers that, based on history, will go to a full-size pickup. Toyota is building a very likely funnel of buyers.” Additionally, just more 40 percent of Tacoma buyers trade the vehicle for another pickup - 28 percent of Tacoma buyers trade the pickup for another Tacoma while 12.3 percent trade them in for Tundra.
Chevy Colorado is the second in the line for brand loyalty. It has 36.3 percent of buyers who trade in a Colorado for another Chevy pickup - 22.6 percent purchase Silverado while 13.7 percent purchase another Colorado. Ford truck retains 31.5 percent, Nissan truck, 26.9 percent, and Dodge truck with 25.3 percent.
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Monday, October 20th, 2008 |
Volvo Trucks North America has earlier announced that in the second quarter of 2007, the automaker’s upcoming truck lineup will be equipped with I-Shift, an automated mechanical transmission that tenders two-pedal operation.
Scott Kress, senior vice president of sales and marketing of Volvo said, “We believe customers will immediately recognize the advantages I-Shift offers for productivity, lower cost of operation, driver recruitment and retention, and safety. The combination of I-Shift with Volvo’s new engine family gives our customers a complete vehicle and drivetrain solution. Customers can always get the perfect ratio at the right time for optimal engine and vehicle performance, which means a higher degree of productivity, fuel economy and reliability.”
I-Shift will be initially offered on trucks with brand new engines D11, D13 and D16. Truck models which will be equipped with the groundbreaking I-Shift are VT and VN highway tractors and the VHD vocational truck. All-new engines are designed to handle top rating 600 hp/2,050 lb.-ft. torque input. Further, it will be integrated to other Volvo vehicles for added power and performance.
Volvo I-Shift is new to North America. In fact, it was only introduced in chosen parts around the world in early 2002. However, in other markets across the globe, Volvo has already sold approximately 80,000 units of vehicles with I-Shift.
Improving fuel economy was one of the core reasons why Volvo is integrating I-Shift to its vehicles. The integration of engines and transmission paved way for higher efficiency and rating. Moreover, using I-Shift and several sensors, the transmission is able to calculate acceleration, speed, weight, torque demand, air resistance and road grade. As a result, the driver can choose the most proficient use of engine.
Another quality feature of I-Shift is Eco-Roll. The latter is intended for operation in rolling hills. It works by automatically disengaging the engine when the vehicle calls for the same. The aftermath is the reduction of parasitic losses by about 30hp.the road grade sensor, on the other hand, helps resolve which gear to start off in and when the transmission can skip-shift. This is done to provide better fuel economy.
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Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 |
Is there a way to find the right truck? You bet there is! And we’re listing some of the useful tips that will help you in making that crucial decision:
Truck Maker Preference:
If you have any favorites in the truck-makers list,let say forex-Ford truck,Isuzu truck,or so.on check out what they have to offer. If you like your friend’s truck, drive it for yourself to see how well it fits you and your budget.
Size of the Truck:
Trucks come in different sizes – Small, Midsize and Full-size. Decide on the size of the truck by finding out what size is the most comfortable for you to drive outside of town, and in town. A large truck might look very appealing to you while buying, but you want to make sure that it fits well into your garage, and that you are comfortable parking it anywhere else.
Towing Capacity:
This is probably the most important factor to consider in your truck buying process. If you are planning on buying a truck that is larger than the average car, it is obviously not because you want to rule the road. You probably want it for carrying large loads or for towing trailers and other stuff. Look at the towing capacity of all trucks before making your decision. A Small or Midsize truck i.e light duty truck or medium duty truck can haul up to 2500 lbs or slightly more, which should be sufficient to haul a small trailer or boat.
Truck Gas Mileage:
You truck gas mileage is dependent on a number of factors, notably the weight of the truck, engine capacity, and the truck bed cover. You have to make a truck decision by considering all these factors.
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Monday, September 29th, 2008 |
Available in several trim levels that comprise of the XL, the STX, tee XLT, the SPORT, the FX4, and the FX4 Level II, the 2006 Ford Ranger is a compact pick up truck. This truck shows off a passenger capacity of three. For eighteen years, and still counting, the Ford Ranger has been dubbed and noted as the best selling compact pickup in the United States. The R.L. Polk and Company has given this vehicle the award for the highest ownership loyalty in five consecutive years. For this year, the 2006 Ford Ranger sports a more aggressive look coupled with a bolder and a more athletic appearance.
Auto enthusiasts loved the Ford Ranger truck upon its introduction and public debut in 1982. The Ford Motor Company introduced this pickup truck and the enthusiasts came flocking in. They were mostly after quality vehicles and the Ford Ranger was what they wanted. For years, the Ford Ranger has been crafted and sold with sporty and impressive looks that is just like the first Ford Ranger introduced more than a decade ago.
The present Ford Ranger holds design changes that include revised bumper colors, a horizontal grille insert, rugged fender flares, clear-lens parking lamps, new tail lamps, new fog lamps, a 9-inch Ford oval mounted on the grille and tailgate, and a Ranger windshield logo. It comes with a 2.3 liter engine with four cylinders. New color choices for this vehicle include screaming yellow clearcoat, torch red clearcoat, and redfire clearcoat metallic. Additional options for this vehicle include two 15-inch Alcoa forged aluminum wheels, body-color side moldings, as well as new packages. Its exterior motif holds equipment and features like an aggressive valance and power-dome hood structure as well as a nostril grille. These are very much consistent with the rest of the Ford truck lineup. The interior boasts of a sporty feel and functionality. The Ford Ranger has seats with sculpted bolster and seatbacks for comfort and support. There also are optional sport bucket seats, leather-trimmed seating surfaces as well as a steel wheel trimmed and wrapped in leather.
Great changes and upgrades were considered to be milestones for the Ford Ranger. Those that made waves included the 1965 use of the Ranger name as a styling package for the F-Series pickup trucks. For 1981, the plans for this vehicle model were unveiled and presented in an auto show. The following year, the Ford Ranger came rolling off the assembly line and into the streets. A year after driving its way to the market, the Ford Ranger’s V6 makes it as Off-Road magazine’s 4×4 Truck of the Year. It was also named Ranger 4×4 of the year by the 4-Wheel and Off-Road magazine in the year 1986. It also was selected as Pickup of the Year by the Truckin’ magazine in 1993.
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