| Re: [GMCnet] Engine specs help non GMC [message #120817] |
Mon, 04 April 2011 13:30  |
Richard Brown
Messages: 281
Registered: May 2009
Karma: 1
|
Senior Member |
|
|
It's a shame the Big 3 auto makers don't take a page from International. Back when you could buy Travel-alls & pickups from International, the first question the salesman would ask was "What are you planning to do with the vehicle".If they didn't have a vehicle on-hand or at a dealer close, they'd get the book & order you one that would do what you asked of it. They were always over-engineered.My father wanted a 1-ton that would haul a Ford 300-series diesel tractor with water-filled tires to replace the 1-ton he was using. They went to the book & ordered a truck with extended frame & flat bed long enough to carry tractor & implement. Then someone said something about the truck's looks, they'd say "If you want pretty, buy a Chevy. If you want work, buy it here." When my dad died, my mother sold the truck to a water well drilling company for them to mount a drilling rig on. They are still using it for that purpose today & the owner won't part with it. It
has a 345 V-8 like what they used in school buses for many years. If he needs parts, he simply buys a used school bus for parts.
They even had a deal with Airstream to sell Travel-alls (similar to the Grand Cherokee or Suburban) with an Airstream trailor and already set up so you could pick them both up from the dealership. Another thing the International salesman did was put his card with work & home phone numbers in the glovebox packet so if you had questions or trouble, you could call him. I'll bet the modern companies never thought of that...
I'd get a vehicle that does what you want it to do with reserve capability.I know gas mileage is an issue, but so is shop time if it isn't up to the task & something breaks. For me, dependability trumps looks or mileage. No matter how nice a vehicle looks, it looks ugly when it's hooked to a wrecker...
Richard & Carol Brown
1974 Eleganza SE
"DILLIGAF"
Lindale, Tx. 75771
903-881-0192
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Richard & Carol Brown
1974 Eleganza SE
1174 Hickory Hills Dr.
Murchison, TX. 75778
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Engine specs help non GMC [message #120827 is a reply to message #120817] |
Mon, 04 April 2011 15:58  |
 |
Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| Richard Brown wrote on Mon, 04 April 2011 14:30 |
It's a shame the Big 3 auto makers don't take a page from International. Back when you could buy Travel-alls & pickups from International, the first question the salesman would ask was "What are you planning to do with the vehicle".If they didn't have a vehicle on-hand or at a dealer close, they'd get the book & order you one that would do what you asked of it. They were always over-engineered.My father wanted a 1-ton that would haul a Ford 300-series diesel tractor with water-filled tires to replace the 1-ton he was using. They went to the book & ordered a truck with extended frame & flat bed long enough to carry tractor & implement. Then someone said something about the truck's looks, they'd say "If you want pretty, buy a Chevy. If you want work, buy it here." When my dad died, my mother sold the truck to a water well drilling company for them to mount a drilling rig on. They are still using it for that purpose today & the owner won't part with it. It
has a 345 V-8 like what they used in school buses for many years. If he needs parts, he simply buys a used school bus for parts.
They even had a deal with Airstream to sell Travel-alls (similar to the Grand Cherokee or Suburban) with an Airstream trailor and already set up so you could pick them both up from the dealership. Another thing the International salesman did was put his card with work & home phone numbers in the glovebox packet so if you had questions or trouble, you could call him. I'll bet the modern companies never thought of that...
I'd get a vehicle that does what you want it to do with reserve capability.I know gas mileage is an issue, but so is shop time if it isn't up to the task & something breaks. For me, dependability trumps looks or mileage. No matter how nice a vehicle looks, it looks ugly when it's hooked to a wrecker...
Richard & Carol Brown
|
Richard,
You may not be happy when I tell you this, but can do just that with any of the 3 US OEM. During my tenure at C (then DCX), I ordered fifty six test and six personal vehicles (one I still have because it can not be replaced). The system I used to order the vehicle one part at a time is the same one the dealerships use.
Why don't you know about it?
Because the dealership would much prefer to sell you what he has in stock.
Can you get to it and use it?
With both Ford and Chrysler, it is available by web access.
If you get to the right sight and print a build list and take it to a Chrysler dealer, he can pull up your sheet, get it assigned a VIN and tell you a build date, a ship date and when you can pick up the vehicle.
Ain't Internet Grand - I sure am glad Al Gore invented it.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
|
|
|
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
