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Joined: Jul 2005
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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You guys who want options would be VERY pleased if you wanted to buy an upcoming Chevrolet 1500 pickup. Multiple interiors, door configurations, suspension setups, drivetrain setups, and of course the biggie, four engine choices on the 1500 alone. With the bigger trucks, you can choose anything from a (relatively)small gasoline V8, turbodiesel, or a MASSIVE 8.1L big-block V8. Oh and did I mention, if the styling of Chevrolet isn't quite your cup of tea, you can even get it all in GMC spec, with an extra V8 and transmission choice added on. It's too bad the Malibu and Impala don't have that kind of diversity... 
J.T.
2002 Chevrolet Silverado 294ci V8. Custom CAI, headers on the way...
1997 Mercury Mystique Zetec ATX
Deceased February 2006
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Joined: Feb 2003
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Trucks are the last bastion of full customization. With so many sold, hundreds upon hundreds of thousand a year, even with so many combinations the finances still work out because you're still so producing so many of each combination.
Not as efficient as it could be, but truck buyers really love it. Toyota went through a LOT to get the new '07 Tundra to have even a fraction of the options that the American alternatives have. It's just not in their mindset to do that, it goes against everything Toyota, one of the pioneers of lean manufacturing, believes.
2003 Mazda6s 3.0L MTX
Webpage
2004 Mazda3s 2.3L ATX
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,423
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Originally posted by sigma:
Trucks are the last bastion of full customization. With so many sold, hundreds upon hundreds of thousand a year, even with so many combinations the finances still work out because you're still so producing so many of each combination.
Eactly. When 600k F-150's are sold every year and 700k GM LD pickups, the amount of inventory at any given time is higher and the MFR can afford to have more combinations. I loved ordering my 1999 F-150 with configured exactly how I wanted it.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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But you can't get a manual turbodiesel with every option. That is frusterating for me at least. I want to shift gears while sitting in leather!
Anyway, the 35 looks like it might be able to help Ford along a little.
Fifteen men on a dead man's chest...
Maverick Machineworks is open for business!! Tell me what you need and I can make it!
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,687
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Posts: 1,687 |
Originally posted by BloodyTomFlint:
But you can't get a manual turbodiesel with every option. That is frusterating for me at least. I want to shift gears while sitting in leather!
Anyway, the 35 looks like it might be able to help Ford along a little.
Well I hate to say it, but the T'diesel is kind of a specialty engine. It makes sense that you can't put it in a vehicle that can't handle it right? Besides, who wants a manual when you have an Allison? 
J.T.
2002 Chevrolet Silverado 294ci V8. Custom CAI, headers on the way...
1997 Mercury Mystique Zetec ATX
Deceased February 2006
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,084
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Me. And last I checked, adding leather to a truck doesn't mean the truck can't "handle" it.
Last edited by BloodyTomFlint; 08/04/06 06:37 PM.
Fifteen men on a dead man's chest...
Maverick Machineworks is open for business!! Tell me what you need and I can make it!
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Joined: Jul 2003
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Originally posted by MadMerc97:
Originally posted by BloodyTomFlint:
But you can't get a manual turbodiesel with every option. That is frusterating for me at least. I want to shift gears while sitting in leather!
Anyway, the 35 looks like it might be able to help Ford along a little.
Well I hate to say it, but the T'diesel is kind of a specialty engine. It makes sense that you can't put it in a vehicle that can't handle it right? Besides, who wants a manual when you have an Allison?
The Air Force ordered a whole fleet of 2006 Chevy 2500HD 2WD regular cab chassis-cab with a telephone maintenance bed that have the 6.6L Duramax with the 6 speed Allison...
Those things haul ass! That's all I'm going to say w/o incriminating myself 
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I guess I just don't understand why it has to be that way, as it sounds really stupid and inefficient to me. Don't they order parts based on the cars they have been requested to build? Can't they design things to use the same infrastructure between drivetrains and models?
Unfortunately, we're forced to suffer for these types of decisions.
Brad "Diva": 2004 Mazda 6s 5-door, Volcanic Red
Rex: 1988 Mazda RX-7 Vert, Harbor Blue.
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