Bryan1

UPDATE: After denials, GM is forced to admit they play games too............. More Game Playing? Now GM 'Fesses Up GM has made an about-face regarding how it calculates maximum payload numbers for its full-size pickup trucks. You might recall that Ford got into a little hot water by admitting it strips out certain features from the Super Dutys and F-150 pickups (like the radio, spare tire, center console and tire jack) in order to calculate the highest possible payload capacity for a given truck. At the time, both Ram and GM denied they do anything similar. But that wasn't entirely true. GM now says, according to Automotive News, that it does remove the rear bumper and swap out to an optional wheel choice on certain models if it helps achieve a lighter weight number — which automatically means a larger payload rating. Both deletions are done, we're told, because those are delete options that could be ordered by a customer. http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2014/07/more-game-playing-now-gm-fesses-up.html GM, too, removes parts to weigh pickups, boost payload ratings Practice juices maximum payloads Automotive News July 30, 2014 - 7:09 pm ET -- UPDATED: 7/31/14 11:06 am ET - adds details DETROIT -- General Motors now says it deletes heavy items such as the rear bumper from certain pickups when it weighs them in order to boost the vehicles’ maximum payload ratings. GM says it adopted the practice for the 2014 model year in response to competitive pressures as it launched redesigned full-sized pickups. In a July 28 Automotive News story about a feud between Ford and Ram over towing claims, a GM spokesman said the automaker does not delete any items from its pickups when it sets their maximum payload capacities. The spokesman, Tom Wilkinson, said Wednesday that the claim was made in error. Payload claims He also said the maximum payload claims for the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 are based on a minimum curb weight that deletes the rear bumper and the spare tire. http://www.autonews.com/article/20140730/RETAIL03/140739979/gm-too-removes-parts-to-weigh-pickups-boost-payload-ratings

The package is not Ford being caught off guard. When the 09 F-150 came out they had a SFE model. When the 2013 Ram came they had a "special fuel economy champ" model called the HFE package. It's on the base V6 and gets the Ram an extra mpg in the city. 18 mpg city and 25 mpg hwy. That's the one they are trying to beat. The Ram HFE is regular cab only. At least Ford is allowing a SuperCab in addition to the regular cab. This is not for me but there is nothing extreme here. 17" wheels are the standard wheels on XL & XLT. Always have been. Start Stop/grille shutters standard on the 2.7. Tonneu cover - the Ram HFE has a tonneau. Ram used the base engine. The F-150 with the 2.7 EB will have more power and torque. SFE PACKAGE (61F) (LATE AVAILABILITY) Availability: ● Optional on XL Base, XL Mid, XLT Base and XLT Mid Not available with: ● 2.7L V6 EcoBoost® Payload Pkg. (622) ● 18” or 20” Tires or Wheels ● LT245/70R17E BSW all-terrain tires (A/T) (T7C) ● XLT Chrome Appearance Package (86B) or XLT Sport Appearance Package (862) Requires: ● 4x2 ● 2.7L V6 EcoBoost® engine (99P) ● Regular Cab 122” WB or SuperCab 145” WB Includes: ● 17" Silver Painted Aluminum wheels (standard on 4x2 XLT) ● 245/70R 17 BSW all-season tires (A/S) BSW ● 3.31 Non-limited Slip rear axle ● SFE Badge ● Soft Tonneau Cover (96T) Optional Equipment: ● 3.31 Electronic-locking rear axle

July 28, 2014 For owners of GM's most popular pickups, recalls have been almost a monthly occurrence this year. The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra have been recalled six times so far in 2014, giving them the dubious honor of being the year's most frequently recalled vehicles. And it doesn't stop there - the two trucks have been recalled nine times since they hit showrooms 12 months ago. (snip) "We are doing our best to minimize inconvenience to owners of recalled vehicles," said spokesman Alan Adler. "But our customers' safety comes first. If we identify an issue -- large or small -- that might affect the safety of our customers, we will act decisively." http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/28/autos/most-recalled-vehicle/

There are two Platinum interior colors. Black or Brunello.

2015 F-150 Appearance Guide: http://blogs.cars.com/files/15_f150_appearanceguide-hc_sglepg_final_2-ret-.pdf

FLASHBACK: Suppliers sources revealed.... Feb. 18, 2014 2:41 p.m. ET General Motors Co. is accelerating efforts to field a largely aluminum-bodied pickup truck by late 2018, under pressure from federal fuel efficiency standards and archrival Ford Motor Co., according to people familiar with the matter. The No. 1 U.S. auto maker recently locked-in supply contracts with Alcoa Inc. and Novelis Inc., which are now working to increase their aluminum sheet production to supply the next-generation GM pickup,... http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303491404579391144135588938?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303491404579391144135588938.html ----- Also note this story was revived again on the same day the 2015 F-150 order bank opened.

Also GM/suppliers already said it was pushing it to late 2018 5 months ago... This is an old story being recycled to combat 2015 F-150 news. http://wot.motortrend.com/1402_we_hear_gm_wants_aluminum_pickups_by_2018.html

Using this fuel comparison calculator and the AAA average fuel prices for gas and diesel. If the 2.7 EB is 26 mpg and the 3.0 ED is 28 mpg. You save $26. driving 15k miles a year. After 7 years $184. $4000 / $26 = 153 years to break even. http://calcnexus.com/fuel-cost-calculator.php?miles=15000&price1=3.52&price2=3.84&mpg1=26&mpg2=28&calc=1

A couple quotes from f150online and fordmantpw: F-150 2.7L EcoBoost is $495. over the base. Ram 3.0L EcoDiesel is $4,500. over the base. That's a big blow to Ram right there! For $4k more, you can get 1 extra MPG AND pay more for fuel. Yay Ram!! ---- Now what boat was that again?

Some more changes 10 - Raptor, all new brakes, FX2, etc. 11 - Electric power steering (first in a pickup truck), the LCD productivity screen, select shift tranny, etc. 12 - auto 4x4, hill start assist, 36 gallon tank EB, Raptor new dif and front cam, FX Appaearance Pack, etc. 14 - Tremor, etc. I left a bunch of the changes out but I wanted to get the Raptor in there.

General Motors announced six more recalls today, totaling 717,950 newer-model U.S. vehicles for a variety of defects. That brings the number of GM recalls this year to 60, totaling 26.41 million vehicles. http://www.11alive.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/23/gm-recalls-safety/13051497/

More: The weight differential will vary by model, but will be at least 625 pounds across the board. http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/07/23/2015-ford-f-150-weight-loss-secrets-revealed/

More details from PUTC: Ford had two F-150 Lariat models on display, one a 2014 crew cab with the 5.0-liter V-8, and the other a comparably equipped 2015 model with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6. Both trucks were rolled onto electric scales, with the 2014 model weighing in at 5,674 pounds, while the new 2015 model totaled just 4,942 pounds, a difference of 732 pounds. Ford spokesman Mike Levine said that even if the 2015 had been equipped with a comparable 5.0-liter V-8, the difference would have been just 25 pounds less. http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2014/07/2015-f-150-ford-reveals-two-powertrains.html

2014 Lariat SuperCrew: 5,674 lbs 2015 Lariat SuperCrew: 4,942 lbs This 2015 weighs 732 lbs less and exceeds the UP TO 700 lb weight loss goal. That is impressive. https://twitter.com/mrlevine

In 2011 Ford announced plans for an 8 speed (but it's no longer in the plans). http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/06/ford-announces-new-8-speed-transmission-split-cooling-system.html Then Chrysler came out with 8 speeds. So GM and Ford decided to go right to 9 and 10 speeds. http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2012/10/ford-gm-working-together-on-10-speed-transmission.html

Ford is not using 8 speeds. The new F-150 will have a 6 speed, and at a later date move onto a 10 speed that was co-developed by Ford and GM. The GM 8 speed is a stopgap refresh solution and will only be available on the Sierra Denali or Silverado High Country and requires the 6.2L engine and Max Tow package - and with late availability. 98% will be 6 speeds. So basically the 8 speed is not going to help very much.

Mike Levine said in a tweet 2 weeks ago that the order banks don't open on July 16th. Hopefully Mike is wrong and ice-capades can post the order guide today.

Mike Levine explains why the diesel is in a Transit and not a F-150 half-ton... Mike Levine 6/16/14 5:53pm We are giving Transit buyers the choice of a diesel because most are commercial customers, and many of their vehicles are high-mileage with longer in-service periods. For these customers, a diesel engine represents a better value due to its superior fuel economy and lower long-term operating cost per mile driven. - Mike Mike Levine EcoBoost is a better value for F-150 customers than diesels. EcoBoost doesn't carry the large price premium of a diesel engine and regular unleaded gasoline costs about $.25 per gallon less than diesel fuel. Light-duty trucks also tend to run unloaded/empty compared to a commercial van duty cycle. -Mike Mike Levine Good feedback. EcoBoost costs less than a diesel, produces the same torque (420 lbs.-ft.) as the competitive diesel engine in the segment, can tow 2,000+ lbs. more and uses fuel that's less expensive. -Mike http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/we-are-giving-transit-buyers-the-choice-of-a-diesel-bec-1591655752

Let's see who has the real hit a year from now. 2.7L next gen F-150 or the ED refresh Ram. It's got to be the Ford.

Exactly. The days' inventoryis really a measure of how MUCH or how little EcoDiesel inventory is on the lots, not how how fast it moves. If you have big selection of other Rams, deep inventory, and slow market conditions you'll have long spells before the truck sells. If you have a slim selection of EcoDiesels 1500's, colors, or options, you have short time on the lot because demand even in soft markets will scoop them up. What would be much more useful is to see sales numbers.

The US Today piece is misleading. Ram is still talking about the dealer inventory orders. Quote from the linked AutoNews piece: "We got well in excess of 10,000 orders in just the first few days that we opened this thing up, and that ordering and demand has really sustained itself," Bigland said at a press event here. How many times is Ram going to cite these dealer "orders" as sales? Several months ago these were dealers ordering inventory for the lots. 400 were to actual buyers. How many have actually sold to buyers since then? http://www.autonews.com/article/20140707/OEM01/307079960/chrysler-seeks-more-diesels

Great post.

Exclusions and other terms apply. See your Nissan dealer for details on coverage, terms and exclusions. http://www.nissancommercialvehicles.com./

https://vine.co/v/MTgg7ivvW7E What is it?

A dual dualie trailer like that was pulled by a F-450 and Ram 3500 in the last PUTC towing test, King of Beasts. And they are using them again this week for the 2014 HD Challenge. http://special-reports.pickuptrucks.com/king-of-beasts.html https://twitter.com/PickupTrucks/status/479492265128493056/photo/1