<![CDATA[Utility Bodywerks - Manufacturer of RV Hauler Beds

<![CDATA[Utility Bodywerks - Manufacturer of RV Hauler Beds - News]]>Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:03:31 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Truck for Sale]]>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:58:16 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2011/10/truck-for-sale.html

2011 Dodge 4500 4X4 Crew Cab Loaded with Options
Under 700 miles
Elite body with 30K gooseneck hitch

$69,500
To inquire, call toll-free 866-770-8785

]]><![CDATA[J.D. Power Survey Finds Big Differences in Medium-Duty Fuel Mileage]]>Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:44:18 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2010/11/jd-power-survey-finds-big-differences-in-medium-duty-fuel-mileage.htmlby: Truckinfo.com

Differences in gas mileage among medium-duty trucks could translate into savings of more than $2,000 per truck per year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Medium-Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Customer Satisfaction Study released Monday.

The study finds that there is an annual cost difference of about 18 percent between those medium-duty truck engine makes with the highest gas mileage and those with the lowest. This may translate into an annual savings of approximately $2,100 per truck-or $36,000 annually for a fleet of 17 trucks (the average number of trucks per fleet).

Engine makes with the highest reported gas mileage average 9.3 mpg, compared with the industry average of 8.4 mpg. Further, more fuel-efficient trucks typically score 50 points higher in overall engine satisfaction (based on a 1,000-point scale) than trucks with lower fuel efficiency.

"Fleet owners that purchase a truck with an engine that is very fuel-efficient can have a real competitive advantage in terms of their overall operating costs," said Todd Markusic, senior director of the commercial vehicle practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "With some fleets exceeding 100 trucks, saving a few thousand dollars each year in fuel costs per truck may have a considerable impact on the bottom line. Although some fleet owners may be tempted to purchase gas engines given that gas prices are currently much lower than diesel, a more fuel-efficient diesel engine will ultimately lead to much lower annual fuel costs."

The study, now in its third year, measures customer perceptions of 2009 model-year Class 5, 6 and 7 gasoline and diesel engines. Eight factors are measured to determine overall engine satisfaction: engine reliability and dependability; accessibility to components for service/maintenance; engine warranty; control module (ECM); maintaining speeds on grades; average fuel economy; vibration at idle; and acceleration when fully loaded.

Hino Trucks engines rank highest in customer satisfaction for a third consecutive year with a score of 822 on a 1,000-point scale and perform particularly well in engine reliability and dependability, average fuel economy and accessibility to components for service/maintenance. Paccar (774) and General Motors (769) follow Hino in the rankings.

The study also finds the following:

* Among the 27 percent of customers who experience an engine problem, satisfaction is 126 points lower, on average, than among those who do not experience an engine problem (661 vs. 787, respectively).

* Ten percent of customers indicate experiencing a fuel problem. On average, satisfaction among these customers is 134 points lower than among those who do not experience a fuel problem.

* Customers indicate that engine problems caused one unscheduled period of downtime, on average, during the past 12 months. During these periods, downtime averages approximately two days.

The 2010 U.S. Medium-Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 1,255 primary maintainers of one-year-old conventional cab medium-duty trucks. The study was fielded between June and August 2010 .

]]><![CDATA[Retail Sales Climbed in October]]>Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:46:25 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2010/11/retail-sales-climbed-in-october.htmlBy Light & Medium Truck
Retail customers bought 1.2% more goods in October than in September, the Commerce Department reported Monday.

The sales rate was the biggest gain since March and greater than estimated by economists, Bloomberg News said.

Stock gains over the past two months and growing employment may give a boost to consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy, in coming months, Bloomberg said.

The gains were led by auto sales, which grew 5%.

Non-store merchants, which include Internet retailers, sporting goods and building material stores were among the other categories that showed increasing demand, Bloomberg said.
]]><![CDATA[New Product from The Utility Bodywerks - Ranchmate FD]]>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2010/07/new-product-from-the-utility-bodywerks-ranchmate-fd.html

Features:

• All Aluminum frame construction
• 5" Aluminum tube frame rails
• 4" Aluminum tube cross members
• 3/16" Bright diamond plate deck
• Painted Aluminum headache rack with two work / stop / turn / tail lights
• Four (4) recessed tie downs on deck
• Fuel access knock-out(s) on driver side
• Access opening for optional gooseneck hitch w/ two safety chain loops
• Integrated rear bumper with aluminum tread plate trim
• Full length painted 3/16" smooth rear skirt
• 7 way trailer plug at rear of bed
• Full length painted aluminum side skirts with rub-a-fender & aluminum tread plate trim
• Rear bed corners tapered for turning radius
• 2" lip on sides of deck
• Stop / turn /tail / back-up lights at rear of bed
• DOT required lighting on sides (Clearance and Marker Lights)
• All lighting wired to meet all DOT requirements as originally intended by the vehicle manufacturer

]]><![CDATA[Ford to Offer V-10 Gas Engine for Medium-Duty Chassis Cab Trucks]]>Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:33:09 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2010/07/ford-to-offer-v-10-gas-engine-for-medium-duty-chassis-cab-trucks.html

Posted by Mike Levine | July 8, 2010

Ford's mighty three-valve, 6.8-liter Triton V-10 is one of our favorite gasoline engines because of its diesel-like performance. Although Ford discontinued the V-10 as an option for its 2011 F-Series Super Duty pickups — substituting the all-new two-valve 6.2-liter V-8 gasser in its place — the company is keeping the 10-cylinder mill for 2011 F-450 and F-550 chassis cabs and the F53 motorhome chassis, and Ford has just announced that it will offer the V-10 as a brand-new option for 2012 F-650 and F-750 medium-duty chassis cabs.

Today's Ford F-650 and F-750 commercials are offered with a Cummins inline-six diesel engine, a variation of the same six-cylinder oil burner offered in Ram HD pickups and chassis cabs. By adding the V-10 for its Class 6 and 7 work trucks, Ford will become the only manufacturer to offer a gas-powered vehicle in every truck class from 1 to 7.

GM used to offer an 8.1-liter V-8 gas engine for its medium-duty GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak chassis cabs, but production of those rigs ended last year.

“No other manufacturer offers this wide of a range of options and solutions for truck customers,” said Len Deluca, Ford's director of commercial truck sales and marketing. “The availability of a gas engine in this medium-duty segment will be welcome news to many businesses and municipalities.”

The powerful V-10 is rated at 362 horsepower and 457 pounds-feet of torque, but its biggest advantage may be its price relative to traditional diesel engines that dominate in classes 6 and 7. Gas engines burn cleaner than diesels. They don't require the same complex exhaust-scrubbing hardware, which can mean saving thousands of dollars in upfront purchase costs.

Instead of being paired with Ford's legacy 5R110 five-speed automatic transmission, the 6.8 will be mated with the all-new 6R140 six-speed gearbox that debuted in 2011 F-Series Super Duty pickup trucks for both the 6.7-liter V-8 diesel and 6.2-liter V-8 gas engines.

The 6R140 features Live Drive power takeoff with an output shaft linked directly to the engine crankshaft providing constant PTO operation any time the engine is running, regardless of vehicle speed. It provides the capability to power PTO-driven accessories such as dump bodies, generators, salt spreaders and snowplows.

Compressed natural gas or propane alt-fuel packages will also be available as an option for the 6.8-liter V-10. The conversion will be available starting this fall on F-450 and F-550 Super Duty chassis cab trucks.

The new gas-powered chassis cabs can be ordered starting in late 2011.

[Source: Ford]

]]><![CDATA[EPA Proposes Renewable Fuel Standard Volumes for 2011]]>Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2010/07/epa-proposes-renewable-fuel-standard-volumes-for-2011.htmlThe Environmental Protection Agency Monday released the proposed 2011 percentage standards for its Renewable Fuel Standard.

The standard serves as a guide for the volumes of renewable fuel that fuel refiners, importers and blenders must ensure is used in transportation fuel, EPA said.

The proposed volumes are:

• Biomass-based diesel: 0.80 billion gallons; 0.68%

• Advanced biofuels: 1.35 billion gallons; 0.77%

• Cellulosic biofuels: 5 – 17.1 million gallons; 0.004% – 0.015%

• Total renewable fuels: 13.95 billion gallons; 7.95%

Public comments for the proposed volumes are due to the EPA 30 days after the proposed standards were released.]]><![CDATA[Detroit automakers outpace industry gains]]>Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2010/07/detroit-automakers-outpace-industry-gains.htmlBY BRENT SNAVELY
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

While sales of cars and trucks in the U.S. continue to be more sluggish than expected, automakers -- especially the Detroit Three -- are enjoying the largest increase in average transaction prices in more than five years.

Industrywide, consumers spent an estimated average of $29,217 on a new car or truck from January through May -- an increase of $1,057, or 3.7%, compared with last year, according to estimates provided by Edmunds.com. Edmunds' estimate is based on a sampling of data from about 40% of U.S. dealers.

But, the Detroit Three are outpacing the industry's gains -- giving the automakers an opportunity to improve profit margins. Edmunds says average transaction prices increased 5.5% for Chrysler, 4.3% for Ford and 3.8% for General Motors.

Thomas King, senior director at J.D. Power and Associates, said the recent financial collapse, which helped the automakers restructure and close extra plants, helped automakers reduce production and cut incentives.

"In the past, you had manufacturers focusing a little more on improving volume and reducing prices to get that volume," King said.

Now, King said automakers have embraced a more disciplined approach that represents a fundamental "change in the dynamic of the industry."

New technology While the underlying reasons for the transaction increases are somewhat different for each automaker, they generally include inventory reductions, reduced incentives, a demographic shift among buyers this year and consumers deciding to buy new technology and options.

According to WardsAuto.com, GM had a 56 days' supply of inventory at the end of June, while Ford and Chrysler stood at 59 days, which is lower than the historic averages for domestic automakers. Generally, a 60-day supply of inventory is considered to be optimal.

That has helped the Detroit Three lower incentives by an average of 4.5%, or $156, per vehicle this year.

Toyota's prices, meanwhile, have increased 4.1% through May, according to Edmunds.com. That happened even as the automaker boosted incentive prices by 22.3% to attract buyers despite its recent recalls, according to Autodata.

Different consumers Also, all automakers are seeing average transaction prices increase this year because of a change in the type of consumers that are buying cars, said Jack Nerad, market analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

Because of the economic collapse, Nerad said the only consumers who are buying cars are those who are the most economically secure and with the best credit. Those buyers also are likely to be comfortable buying more expensive cars loaded with options.

Ford has been working for several years to capture those buyers by reducing the number of options it offers while doing a better job of marketing the most desirable options, said John Felice, general marketing manager of the Ford Division.

For example, Ford reduced the number of combinations and options it offered on its Ford Mustang from nearly 350,000 to fewer than 10,000 between 2008 and 2010.

"We just had too much complexity," Felice said.

On Thursday, Ford said its 2011 Ford Fiesta would include options such as $322 illuminated scuff plates and a $136 illuminated shift knob.

At GM, fewer brands and popular new products are lifting prices. The automaker has shed four of its eight brands in the past year and products such as its Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave midsize crossovers have been big hits, giving the company the highest average transaction price of any full-line automaker.

"Hot products that are in tight supply are pretty much the story," said GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson. "Economics 101."

]]><![CDATA[Ford LCF For Sale - $60,000]]>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:12:32 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2009/09/ford-lcf-for-sale-60000.html

2006 Ford LCF Toy Hauler. Prototype unit, best of everything, 2006 Ford LCF 19,500# chassis, Power Stroke 4.5L V6 diesel engine, good mileage, satellite TV, AC, dual power-propane/electric, Onan propane generator, self contained, full kitchen with bath and shower, slide out, full front spoiler/ground effects, all aluminum box, 8' 6" toy compartment with ramp and flip up bunk beds, 2,800 miles on this unit, never titled. A great deal at $60,000. Please email or call 866-770-8785 to inquire.

SOLD!

]]><![CDATA[Ford exec sees US auto sales rising in August ]]>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:44:30 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2009/09/ford-exec-sees-us-auto-sales-rising-in-august.html

By DAN STRUMPF and BREE FOWLER
AP Auto Writers

NEW YORK (AP) -- A top Ford executive expects industrywide U.S. auto sales to rise for the first time in more than two years this month, thanks largely to the government's Cash for Clunkers program.

Sales may have risen as high as 13 million units on an annualized basis during August, Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, told reporters on Friday.

Retail sales at Ford Motor Co. in August have already surpassed last year's levels with a weekend still to go, he said. Ford's sales in July rose 2.4 percent.

"Overall, we thought it was a very, very successful program in jump-starting sales," Fields said of the clunkers program, which enticed drivers to trade in gas guzzlers by offering big rebates on new, more fuel-efficient cars and trucks.

Automakers are scheduled to report monthly sales on Tuesday. Many analysts are forecasting a year-over-year increase for an industry that has taken a beating during the recession, although year-ago levels were already depressed.

Cash for Clunkers offered a strong jolt to sales. The program, which formally ended on Monday, spurred 690,114 new sales at a taxpayer cost of $2.88 billion, according to the Department of Transportation.

Ford was one of the top gainers from the program. The Ford Focus compact car and Escape crossover were among the top sellers, though Japanese automakers sold more vehicles than U.S. companies.

Fields estimated about 30 to 40 percent of clunkers sales were "truly incremental," meaning that they came from consumers who had no plans previously to buy a car. The rest, he said, came from people who were going to buy a car later on.

]]><![CDATA[Utility Bodywerks - New Website]]>Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:39:53 -0800http://www.utilitybodywerks.com/1/post/2009/09/utility-bodywerks-new-website.html

Elkhart, Indiana –The Utility Bodywerks, the premiere builder of premium Haulers, launches a new website. The new site has a fresh new design and provides improvements in customer communications, product presentation, and e-commerce. BestByte Computer and Technologies, a Granger, Indiana company, was contracted by Utility Bodywerks President, Tom Underwood to perform the work.

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