GM Faces: Carolyn Lehmer.

Lehmer's Concord Buick-GMC in California has sold GM vehicles since 1936. This video was done in 2010 and has some great old photos of the dealership. It's been a family affair since they sold their first Oldsmobile and today a third generation looks to a brighter future.

A Drive-By Lesson on What Turns Your Wheels

DETROIT – Vehicles act differently on snow and ice depending on whether they have front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. You may know which drive system your vehicle has, but do you understand how it works?

Here’s a brief spin through the options. Remember, almost every new vehicle includes an electronic traction control system that intervenes automatically to improve performance in slippery conditions.

Front-wheel drive (FWD): Simply put, engine power is channeled to the front wheels to propel the vehicle. Standard on all Buicks, FWD is the most popular and prevalent system in the market because its compact setup enhances fuel efficiency and frees up more room inside the vehicle. Plus, the weight of the powertrain is concentrated over the driving wheels, so it offers good traction when it’s slippery.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD): As the name implies, engine power is sent to the rear wheels to propel the vehicle. In passenger cars, RWD reigned until the advent of FWD in the early 1980s. But RWD can more effectively handle higher engine power and higher vehicle weights, which is why it’s still favored in large trucks, larger performance vehicles, purpose-built race cars and law-enforcement pursuit use. 

All-wheel drive (AWD): Don’t confuse all-wheel drive with four-wheel drive (below). Both engage all four wheels, but they’re designed and operate differently.

Generally, an AWD drivetrain operates as a FWD or RWD system – most are FWD. Buick’s AWD system pre-emptively sends power to front and rear axles on every launch to prevent wheel slip, then backs down if no slip occurs. Power is transferred automatically via a single-speed transfer case. (A transfer case connects to the transmission to split power between the front and rear wheels.) The beauty of AWD is no driver effort is needed to activate the system.

AWD scores high with buyers who want excellent on-road capabilities with the added traction on grass, mud, sand or gravel in light, off-road conditions where a front- or rear-wheel-drive vehicle may get stuck. Buick offers all-wheel drive on the Regal, LaCrosse, Encore and Enclave.

Four-wheel drive (4WD or 4x4): Four-wheel drive typically features a two-speed transfer case with high and low ranges for maximum traction. 4WD vehicles typically operate in RWD until four-wheel traction is required; and while most systems are driver-activated, many offer a setting that automatically engages the high range when it’s slippery. The driver must still engage the low range.

Found in large, rear-wheel-drive trucks and larger SUVs with additional ground clearance compared to passenger cars and crossovers, 4x4 still provides the best traction and capability in off-road conditions.

Buick is an international modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors and thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance. Buick is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning luxury models in North America and China. Learn more about Buick cars and crossovers at www.buick.com, on Twitter @buick, on Instragram, on Pinterest or atwww.facebook.com/buick

SpitzLift: Who We Are

The SpitzLift is the most payload efficient, material handling equipment available today.

Diamond Plate Package

Highway Products "Diamond Plate Package" consists of a diamond plate single lid aluminum tool box, a diamond plate headache rack with LED lighting kit, mounting hardware and installation instructions.

GMC Considering New Model—and It Could Be a Wrangler Fighter

GMC Jimmy (artist's rendering)

The Wall Street Journal reports that GMC is considering a rival for the popular (and profitable) Jeep Wrangler. During discussions with dealers, GM said it wants to leverage the experience gained from the Hummer brand as the market for SUVs rebounds in the face of lower gas costs.

We spoke to senior vehicle research analyst at Navigant, Sam Abuelsamid, about the notion of a GMC-branded off-roader. “I think it would actually make a lot of sense for GM to do something like this,” he said, pointing at the Hummer’s exploration of smaller, downsized models just ahead of the brand’s discontinuation. “They had the Hummer HX concept back in 2008 (pictured below), which surely would have been built as the H4 if Hummer had not been shuttered.”

GMC also has the relatively fresh Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon platform now. Abuelsamid agreed that a shortened Canyon frame would be the perfect chassis to slip under a Wrangler competitor. Leveraging smaller pickup bones to create SUVs is a formula the company used to create the S-10 Blazer/S-15 Jimmy twins. The Canyon offers an inline-4, a V-6, and, soon, a turbo-diesel, all of which would be appropriate powertrains for a fun off-roader aimed at making Jeep sweat. And let’s not forget the Colorado ZR2 concept from this past November’s L.A. auto show. The appeal of a small SUV version of the concept truck is undeniable if you’ve ever enjoyed (or considered) tackling a trail.

There’s also the profit play. Abuelsamid points out, “The reason GMC survived the bankruptcy is that the auto task force looked at the numbers and saw that GMC customers were willing to pay a premium of several thousand dollars per vehicle compared to the equivalent Chevrolet models, which was mostly pure profit.” The Wrangler is a cash cow for FCA, with top-of-the-line models retailing for more than $40,000 against a base price of just $22,795 for the basic Wrangler Sport. Yet the death of the FJ Cruiser means that it’s basically unchallenged now. Competition is a good thing. A little nudge from GMC could help keep the Wrangler from getting any more civilized than it already is, and even if the GMC off-roader is a niche product, it still could prove to make money for the company.

Then again, the Jeep Cherokee could prove to be a model for GMC, too. GMC’s current Terrain is most definitely a soft-roader, but if Jeep can spin a hard-core Trailhawk version from what’s essentially a modified Dodge Dart chassis, surely GMC could turn the next-generation Terrain into something highly capable. That would perhaps also allow GMC and Chevrolet to better define and separate the Terrain and its platform partner, the Equinox.

Of course, there’s also a chance that all of this new-GMC smoke could make for a much less exciting fire in the form of a reworked, GMC-badged version of the wee Chevrolet Trax or even simply be a repackaged and reimagined next-generation Acadia to better align shared GMC/Buick dealerships, as speculated by this Ward’s Auto report.

What’s GMC’s take? We reached out to brand spokesperson Brian Goebel, who declined to comment on any speculation surrounding future GMC products.

•     Monochromeo: Meet the Blacked-Out GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation Edition
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•     GMC Canyon Full Coverage: Reviews, News, Photos, Pricing, Specs, and More

Source:  http://blog.caranddriver.com/gmc-considering-new-model-and-it-could-be-a-wrangler-fighter-w-renderings/

A version of this story originally appeared on roadandtrack.com.

Research Vehicles

Watch as Bret works from sun up to sun down out of his Knapheide PGND Gooseneck Body.

Spend a few minutes with Bret Duesterhaus, ace diesel mechanic and farmer, to see how his recent upgrade to a Knapheide PGND Gooseneck Body has taken his daily productivity to a new level.  Bret puts in long hours with little time to spare so he relies on his knowledge, tools, and work truck to get the job done and move on to the next.

10 Reasons to Outfit Your Van with Sortimo Equipment

Inside Sortimo

You have decided to purchase a new vehicle?
Now all that is missing is the Sortimo equipment. Have a look at our standard solutions for your make of vehicle.

Branch specific add-ons and individual demands are absolutely no problem for us. Your local contact person will be glad to be of further assistance.

Sortimo offers real opportunities for your customers to save money and generate profits. The top advantages/benefits of Sortimo are listed below. While each benefit directly translates into a dollar value for your customer, the importance of each will vary according to individual customer needs.

1. Highest Safety

Since 1994, Sortimo equipment has been regularly crash-tested for safety with a full load. These tests have been conducted by independent agencies in Germany, UK, and France. Sortimo also offers various means of securing your cargo – from tool boxes to ladders to gas tanks – for safe transportation.

2. Lighter Weight

Sortimo equipment is up to 65% lighter than predominantly steel-made components available in the U.S. market which results in greater fuel efficiency.

3. Higher Resale/Residual Value
Sortimo’s equipment is installed without drilling into the vehicle resulting in greater resale value or residual value on a leased vehicle.

4. Transferable Upfit
Sortimo’s equipment can easily be transferred to another vehicle, extending the life cycle of our products, and eliminating the need to purchase new equipment for replacement vehicles.

5. Increased Productivity

Better organization means increased productivity of technicians who spend less time on each call, serving more customers each day.

6. Ergonomic Design

Tools and equipment are easily accessible – for working inside or outside the vehicle.

7. Mobility

Using a variety of Sortimo boxes, technicians can take their tools and parts from curbside to worksite.

8. Inventory Management

Sortimo bins and boxes can be labeled and are removable. This gives customers the flexibility to organize in the warehouse and/or van, making it easy to load all job-specific tools and parts before going out on service calls, reducing the amount of excess inventory.

9. Optimum Space Utilization

Locked-in drawers, bins, and tool boxes are arranged to optimize shelf space, allowing you to carry bigger payload in the same space, or the same payload in a smaller vehicle.

10. Versatility

Sortimo’s modular design enables customers to quickly and easily re-configure bins and BOXXes to accommodate changes in working conditions. Upgrades and modifications can be made to the existing system without having to uninstall or re-install.

Source:  http://www.sortimo.us/