The United States Supreme Court has approved a $4.3 million dollar law suit from Paice LLC of McLean, Virginia, against Toyota Motor Corporation for patent infringement of their hybrid technology (oops!). The violation at hand involves a micro processing unit that translates torque information from the hybrid gasoline motor to it's electric counter part. This hybrid technology, known as "Hybrid Synergy Drive", is used in the Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander, and Lexus RX400h SUV's. The justices over ruled Toyota's appeal, and Toyota may have to pay Paice royalties from future vehicle sales. Reported by Detroit News.
Just like the scene from Office Space when Dom Portwood asks Peter if he received the memo about his TPS reports, today I ask you Truckblog fans, did you get that memo from last week about Truckblog TV and our other huge stories? If you didn't, below is a list of our top blogs from last week for you to read this Monday morning. "So if you could just remember to do that from now on, that'd be great. All right!".
Transporting your toys from A to B is as easy as LGA. Let's Go Aero, manufacturer of innovative Gear Management Solutions, offers a variety of compact trailers ideal for your next sand dune, lakeside, mountain camp or winter resort excursion. LGA trailers - including the GearWagon 125, GearLodge Camper, Little Giant Sport Utility Trailer and LittleGiant Trailer Xpand - are perfectly suited for dirt bike, motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile and personal watercraft owners who don't want the hassle - or expense - of a large, dedicated toy hauler trailer.
Scott Burgess of the Detroit News recently test drove the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and wrote a review, stating the new hybrid SUV has great fuel mileage ratings, ratings that are "on par with '09 Camry", a hybrid sedan in a seperate vehicle class and nearly 3,000 pounds lighter. "The Tahoe Hybrid hits the same city mileage as a four-cylinder 2009 Toyota Camry. Its 21 mpg (on the two-wheel drive model) is even 2 mpg better than a Camry with a V-6". Powered by a six liter V8 with a hybrid system that includes two electric motors running on 300-volt system, the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid tips the scale at over $52,000. Is the price really worth it? Find out inside.
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., announced new manufacturer's suggested retail prices today for certain Toyota and Lexus vehicles, effective mid- to late May 2008. The 2008 FJ Cruiser MSRP increases by $500, or 2.1 percent, with a new base MSRP of $23,045. The 2008 4Runner carries a new starting MSRP of $28,415, which represents an increase of 1.3 percent, or $400. MSRP increases by $900, or 1.4 percent, for the all-new 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser, with a new base price of $64,100. In the full-size truck category, the 2008 Tundra increases by $100 and will carry a new base price of $22,390, an increase of 0.3 percent. Pricing for 2008 Sienna increases by $100, or 0.4 percent, and will have a new base MSRP of $24,440.
Toyota has recalled 90,000 Highlander SUV's according WCVB, due to a seat belt problem in the third-row seat that could be prevented from being secured. There have been no complaints or injuries related to the seat belt issue, and Toyota has stopped all sales of the 2008 Highlander SUV and hybrid version with the third row seats equipped. The Highlander vehicles effected by the recall were built from May of 2007 to March of 2008. Owners will be notified of the seat belt recall in June.
In an article by US News, with gas prices climbing past the $4.00 dollar per gallon mark nation wide, SUV trade in values and sales have fallen over 14 percent in March alone, compared to the same time one year ago. The SUV used car sales have been so bad, that some dealers have been forced to sell them overseas, facing expensive transportation costs and little profit. Al Johnson of AutoNation's Maroone Nissan in Pembroke, Florida said "the dealership had been exporting about one car a month" in recent years, but this year they average roughly 10".
Did you have to wake your ass up at 6am every morning last week to do the drywall at the new McDonalds? Just like Lawrence from Office Space did? If so, that means you missed our best blogs from last week! Check them out below.
In an article by BusinessWeek, Americans are now consuming less gasoline, resulting in less vehicles on the road due to high gasoline prices. In a study conducted in Palm Beach County, Florida, for the past 20 years, workers have been counting vehicles with special sensors to monitor their activity. Nearly every year since the study started, the number of vehicles on the road has risen at least 2 percent annually. However in 2007, traffic levels noticed a decline, and so far for 2008 are down 7.5 percent.
Toyota Motor Corp has outsold General Motors again in global sales, according to The Detroit News. The number one automaker sold 2.41 million vehicles in the first quarter of 2008, with General Motors in second with 2.25 million.
Andrew Posner of TreeHugger.com says that the price for a gallon of gas is selling for around $3.00 per gallon in New Jersey, a price that is lower than the nations average of $3.51. Why, you ask? Here's your answer. "New Jersey has the nations third-lowest gasoline tax, at 14.5 cents a gallon, and it hasnt gone up in almost two decades".
Just in case that "PC Load Letter" error is getting you down this morning, we have composed a list of last week's top blogs to make you happy again. Especially the 2010 Ford F-150 4.4 Liter Diesel pictures! Check out the full list below.
Go Ahead Punk Make My Day! Imagine this familiar voice sounding out from under the hood of your ride; or you pull up in front of your girlfriends house and announce your arrival with I Got You Babe, or you are out on your boat and you press a button on your FX-550 and all around you can hear the theme song from Jaws. With Horntones the possibilities are endless.
Check out the YouTube video inside! Install article and full review, coming soon.
The USA Today has published an article about automotive manufacturers producing more cars that run off premium gasoline, at a time when prices at the pump are breaking records every day. In an analysis by Kelley Blue Book, the number of new vehicles that need premium gasoline has risen from 166 vehicles in the 2002 model year to 282 vehicles this year, almost double the amount at a time when fuel efficiency is of great importance.
Have you ever found yourself sitting in front of the "consultants" at work, being asked to explain what you do at work every day? Just like Peter Gibbons had to do in the comedy movie, Office Space. "What would you say...Ya do here?". Well our Monday morning recap should solidify exactly what you're not doing for them, and instead, you are catching up on the hottest news from last week, just in case you missed it all.
Automotive giant, Toyota Motor Corporation, has announced a downshift in production today at its Princeton factory in Indiana, which produces the popular Tundra pickup truck and Sequoia sport utility vehicle, as a reaction to "slumping sales" and "weak consumer spending and high gas prices among other factors". The plant slowdown will not lead to any layoffs, and the plant is expected to return to full capacity in the near future. As posted by Detroit News.
A hitch with the towing electrical connection built INSIDE the receiver? It's an innovation that would have others asking, "Why didn't I think of that?!" Valley, a towing industry leader for more than 60 years, did. New Integrated Trailer Wiring(tm) hitches from Valley are inventive and stylish. Advancements in manufacturing technology have allowed the towing electrical connection to be moved INSIDE the cross tube of the receiver, eliminating the need for unsightly brackets or to drape the harness outside the vehicle where it can be damaged by weather and road debris.
PX3 Xtreme Oil Booster, released by PX3 Lubricants, has dynamometer tests confirming an increase in Horsepower and Torque up to 5% or more; offers protection against heat and cold dry starts; and reduces friction and engine wear. Additionally, users have reported improved fuel efficiency resulting in significant increases in gas mileage. Dynamometer tests on the Powerblock television broadcasts confirmed PX3 Lubricants statements.
Pickuptruck.com has posted pictures and information of a new TRD supercharger system for the Toyota 5.7-liter iForce V8. Toyota Racing Development (TRD) are claiming that the unit produces 504 horsepower, and runs the quarter mile in the mid 13 second mark. That's all fine and dandy, but with gasoline prices now at a national average of $3.33 (and $4.00 here in CA), according to the Energy Information Administration, is a supercharged eight cylinder truck something we really need?
Sunpro, "The Performance Legend," has an exciting offer for car and truck owners who want to add a performance tachometer and gauges to their vehicle. The Sunpro Sport ST Value Pack (CP7931) features Sunpro's new 5-inch Sport ST Tachometer and includes a StyleLine oil pressure gauge, water/oil temperature gauge and a trim-to-fit universal double gauge pod to mount them in.
Let's Go Aero (LGA), manufacturer of innovative Gear Management Solutions for the automotive, recreation and commercial trade industries, has introduced the GearCage Cargo Rack System - the ultimate cargo management system featuring LGA's GearCage with its GearBag and Bike Mount hardware accessories.
In racing, it is absolutely mandatory that the fuel pressure regulator provides stable and proper fuel pressure to the carburetor, especially under extreme conditions. Until recently, changing out a regulator, or testing the fuel supply with traditional fittings required dealing with leaky dripping fuel lines, and then making sure the fittings are properly torqued. The quicker, easier solution is to use Jiffy-tite Quick Connect Fluid Fittings. These Quick-Connects provide a safe leak-proof seal and unsurpassed performance even under the most extreme racing conditions; allowing changeovers or checks to the fuel to occur in seconds, not minutes.
TEN Magazines, ex-publisher of "Ford Truck World" magazine, "TEN Trucks" magazine (plus several others) and publisher of far too many automotive websites, has sold the remains of its operation to a private company in Mesa, Arizona. Last year TEN cited "Print is dead" after canceling all of their print publications--the first sign that big trouble was ahead for this struggling print/online publishing company.
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Baja Designs new Diablo Rally light will have you seeing double by incorporating their race proven Diablo lens not once, but twice! The new Diablo Rally doubles your light output by incorporating two Baja Designs Diablo lenses stacked one on top of the other.
SIRIUS Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has informed the companies that it has ended its investigation into the pending merger of SIRIUS and XM without taking action to block the transaction.
The K&N High-Flow Intake System for the 2008 Toyota Tundra 5.7L V8, increases horsepower by 14.3 hp at 4786 rpm over the stock Toyota intake configuration. To achieve such a performance increase, K&N replaces the Tundras original intake assembly; including the air box, air filter and intake tube with an all-new intake design.
In an article by The Detroit News, more and more automakers are jumping on the fuel economy bandwagon, and are beginning to convert over to diesel fueled engines as a new standard. "Although they are more costly to produce, diesel engines get about 25 percent better mileage than traditional gas-powered engines" stated Jim Hossack of AutoPacific Inc. However, "The rising cost of fuel will play a role in their growth in the U.S. market". So is converting to diesel technology really worth the money? Let us know your thoughts by using our comments system.
The IntelliStick is a compact dipstick replacement device which electronically monitors multiple conditions of engine oil and continuously scans for water/coolant and fuel intrusions.
Can you believe it's already Monday again? What happened to the weekend? Well, one thing is for sure, at least this week we get to look forward to more exciting news about our economy. Starting off with the price of oil tipping $110 per barrel, $3.29 dollar average gasoline prices (don't forget the diesel guys at well over $4.00 already!), continued market share decline for domestic automakers, Union employees not agreeing yet on contracts, and more vehicle recalls. However, on a happier note, here's a list of our top stories from last week that you may have missed in the midst of all the action last week.
Google News reports that Toyota Motor Corp. has planned to cut production at two of their Tundra pickup truck plants, located in Texas and Indiana. The decision was made in response to slowing truck and SUV sales, but surprisingly, Tundra sales increased last month as well as the Sequoia SUV, by eight percent. Toyota spokesman Joe Tetherow stated in an interview, "I don't know if they're changing the goal of 200,000 sales this year...Sales of pickup trucks have been very soft".
Mike Levine of Pickuptruck.com released his opinion today of the TRD Supercharged 2008 Toyota Tacoma, which dials in at a price tag of nearly $37,000 dollars, a bit steep for a mid-size truck. The supercharger option sets you back a good $4,000, and with gas prices at over $4 per gallon, I do not think customers will be requesting that option all that much. The estimated EPA gas mileage numbers for the Tacoma are 18 miles per gallon in the city, which is not that much better from its bigger brother, the full-size Tundra at 14 miles per gallon.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A., Inc. will launch a Customer Support Program to extend warranty coverage on certain 1995 through 2000 model year Tacoma truck frames. Toyota has received reports regarding a small number of Tacoma vehicles exhibiting excessive corrosion of the frame, causing perforation of the metal. The frames of some vehicles may not have adequate corrosion protection. When exposed to severe environmental conditions, including accumulation of road salts, these vehicles may develop corrosion beyond normal surface rust commonly found on metal after years of exposure.
The all-new 2008 Toyota Sequoia has been described as the most useful, refined and easiest-to-drive full-size SUV ever built. Now, thanks to AMP Research, this large, truck-based SUV can be easily outfitted with arguably the best step assist on the market today.
Let's Go Aero (LGA), manufacturer of innovative Gear Management Solutions, now offers the LittleGiant Trailer Xpand (LGT Xpand) - a fully-enclosed trailer offering all the cargo space of a Chevrolet S-10 or Ford Ranger pickup bed.
Improving the fuel efficiency of vehicles is a key topic in the minds of consumers and manufacturers. While auto companies make progress in technology, there are quite a number of tips that any driver can employ to achieve world-class fuel economy.
While at the Geneva Motor Show this week, Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe, announced that Toyota will not be offering any diesel hybrid platforms because they are "simply too expensive to be viable". Watanabe pointed out that the problem is not the diesel engines, but that "diesel engines cost more than gasoline engines, and mating them to electric motors would create a prohibitively expensive vehicle".
Fab Fours Inc. are now offering a rear bumper assembly for the Toyota FJ Cruiser. The rear off road bumper is built with a tire carrier, and features a stylish appearance, with integrated D-ring mounts.
Mike Levine over at Pickuptruck.com says "February 2008 Truck Sales Aren't Pretty", and while they definitely are not pretty, they just plain suck. The total year-to-date sales volume is down nearly 10 percent, in comparison to last year, with Ford Motor Company and their F-Series fleet taking the least hit, at 6.5 percent. General Motors suffered a 17 percent loss, while Dodge took a 20 percent loss. However, Toyota is still in the green with their Tundra model, up 62 percent year-to-date. While the foreign competitors continue to cash in, domestic truck sales certainly suck right now, and there's not much hope for a quick turn around, any time soon.
