What's That Yellow Thing?

I have a vague recollection of something like that...

This kind of thing comes around fairly rarely.  Take advantage while you can!

THE SUN
Diameter      1.39 X 10^6 km (or 109 times the diameter of the Earth and 9.75 times the diameter of Jupiter)
Volume     1.41 X 10^33 cm^3 (or 1.3 million times the volume of the Earth)
Mass     1.99 X 10^30 kg (or 333,000 times the weight of the Earth)


2006 Ford F-250 AMARILLO DIESEL
Vehicle Summary
Year     2006      Stock Number     R21918
Make     Ford      Interior Color     Black
Model     F-250      Exterior Color     Yellow
Trim     AMARILLO DIESEL      VIN    
Odometer     32000      Drivetrain     Four Wheel Drive
Doors     4      Transmission     Automatic
Price     $39,800.00     Engine     8 Cylinder Turbo Diesel
Air bags     Driver side, Passenger side      Brakes     4-Wheel Disks, Anti-lock brakes (ABS)

Drive Like An Outlaw

The Harley biker folks are sometimes known as "1 percenters".  My understanding is that this refers to their countercultural status as a tiny rebel group.  Well, that was the idea long ago; in today's era of dentists riding Harleys on the weekend, it is perhaps not quite as apt as it once was.  Anyway, the Harley riders like to be outlaws of a sort.

Another way to drive like an outlaw is this Ford F250 Outlaw.

It's a gorgeous truck, one I have my eye on for a new friend I met recently.

He's a specialist in wireless communications who needs a 4 door diesel truck for his family and trailer.

I emailed my friend about the truck today, but to my horror one of my colleagues is showing the truck to another customer even as we speak.

Yes, it is a disaster.  Unless it doesn't sell.  But how can it not?  It is a great buy and a very unusually lovely vehicle.  I just think that my esteemed colleague should show the proper deference my friend deserves and help his own customer into a different vehicle.

After all, as Al Swearengen says, "You've got to respect a specialist."

* * * * *

UPDATE:  The colleague I mentioned above just sustained a nasty but not serious injury while moving about the showroom.  He is now sporting a sizeable bandage over a sizeable gash on his forehead.  Coincidence?  I don't know, but I do urge everyone to take care not to interfere with The Truck Merchant.  It just isn't good luck.  That's all I'm saying.

09 Liberty For A Friend

I spent a good portion of yesterday with a friend of our Business Manager.  The gent was looking for a new vehicle and after a little conversation we ended up on two test drives.  The first one was in a gorgeous 08 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder.

My customer enjoyed the car, but did want to test our 09 Jeep Liberty.  It's a great little truck, with only about 43000kms.  Almost new, and in pretty much perfect condition.

Driving the Spyder was fun, but the Jeep offered a lot more practicality.  He really enjoyed the Mitsubishi, but in the end he went with the Jeep.  With winter coming up, I think he made a good choice.  The vehicle still has the bulk of it's manufacturer warranty, and will provide him with great transportation for years to come.

05 Chevy For A Professional

Just spent a little time yesterday working with a professional driver who picked up a really nice 2005 Chevy Silverado 2500HD.

The truck is in great shape with a chrome package, DVD, leather, and low kms.  My customer has a solid knowledge of trucks in general, having run a trucking company and having driven pickups and semi's for years.

He liked the smooth ride, and already finds the diesel mileage to be excellent.  With the luxurious trim and the cleanness of the truck, he's pretty happy with his purchase.

And that makes The Truck Merchant happy, too.

We have an inventory of approximately 300 quality used vehicles.  Check out our website!  www.crossbordervehicle.com   Distance is no problem-- we transport, too!

Jeff The Truck Merchant
Toll-free 1-888-327-6712 or 604-825-8571
jeff@applewood.ca
http://truckmerchant.blogspot.com

Applewood Crossborder Vehicle Sales
19820 Fraser Hwy
Langley, BC V3A 4C9
www.crossbordervehicle.com
Dealer#7889


WARRANTY AND FINANCING AVAILABLE ON ALL VEHICLES!!

The View From In Here

BC's lower mainland has had some gusty stormy weather the last while.  Unusually high winds have combined with even higher levels of precipitation than normal.  It's been impressive.

My Truck Merchant's lair has huge glass showroom windows which give me a panoramic view of the gales on the high rainpuddle seas of landlocked Langley.

Flanked by row upon row of impregnable trucks, I'm secure even when the glass shudders and rattles.



 Drive one of our trucks and you'll be secure, too, whatever the weather on your roads.

Education

The last few days have been spent in the seminar room getting some top-notch training on how to provide better and better customer service from the car lot.  Randy Moeller of Fusion / AutoMotivators put on several days of really helpful work on the process of selecting a vehicle and making a purchase.  It helps us greatly to revisit the fundamentals regularly in order to make sure we're not falling into the trap of the professional:  taking for granted the things that are common to us, but new to every customer we interact with.

There were many things that I found helpful during the training, but one of the overarching themes was the importance for everyone of consistently following a straightforward, professional process.  Car buying (and selling) suffers when we wing it.  Decisions are poorer, interactions rely on chance and less understanding of customer needs results.  We can't achieve the kind of long-term relationships with people we want, and they can't have a serene and enjoyable process ending in a wise purchase without effective communication and trust.  A process-- clearly presented in black and white on paper, followed for every customer with only minor variations-- is an important step towards demonstrating industry professionalism and a commitment to respectful, upright dealing.

How We Wash 'Em

First, we rinse the truck in the gentle Langley rain between handwashes.

As the intermittent sunshine coyly peeks out from behind the stern thunderclouds, the vehicle dries.

Special shammy technology is applied at just the right intervals.

Makes for a pretty nice look.

Rolling Ram

The Ram I mentioned just below rolled off the lot yesterday, taking its new owner on an immediate ~1500km drive.  One of the things of most importance for us Truck Merchants is making sure the customer is taken care of throughout the selection and buying process and right on throughout their ownership of the vehicle.  In this particular case I was very pleased to be able to help my new friend out with a few housekeeping matters including a bank visit and picking up his truck from the OK Tire store across the street where we'd arranged for him to purchase the new tires he wanted.  He was in haste due to work commitments, so while he filled out the last paperwork I did gofer duty.

I find it really satisfying to serve customers in this way.  As in most relationships it seems to me that small behind-the-scenes gestures of genuine concern speak loudly about the actual level of commitment a person has.  It's easy to talk about "Dedicated Personal Service", and I advertise that, but when I get a chance to tangibly take action that demonstrates that priority, I feel great about my work.  I think my customer appreciated it, too.

Very Pretty Ram 1500

Working on matching a gent with this really pretty 2007 Ram 1500.  I'm becoming increasingly impressed by the Dodge trucks I'm working with:  they're beautifully designed, and the ride especially is really smooth. 

I'm quick to feel that a truck should feel truck-like in ride; I've always preferred vehicles where a driver can feel the road as opposed to the schooner-like wave motion of the larger luxury cars.  But in fairness, as I age I've come to appreciate comfort more and more, and the Dodge delivers.

It's all truck:  the shortbox is gorgeous but will do the work.  The Ram is tough and rides high, hitting all the right tones.  This particular truck has so many nice aesthetic touches, but that takes nothing away from it's demeanor of a man's ride.

A Truck For All Reasons

Part of being the Truck Merchant is having a core belief that pretty much everyone needs a truck.  Commuters can benefit from something like the little 2008 2-wheel drive Ranger I matched with a customer last week.  Folks up-country often want a huge lifted F-350 to power through the most forbidding roads.  Many people just want a straightforward, practical truck to ferry their families around reliably in 4-wheel drive conditions, and to have the option of schlepping loads of what-have-you when needed.

This GMC 1500 Sierra is just such a vehicle.  Full SLT trim, it boasts leather, DVD, an all the appointments for comfort in a solid working truck.





Reviews of the 2007 GMC Sierra were very positive, and it remains an excellent choice nearly 3 years later.

Crossborder stocks a truck for every customer, and a truck for every reason.  Stop by, call, or email:  we'll find your perfect match.

We have an inventory of approximately 300 quality used vehicles.  Check out our website!  www.crossbordervehicle.com   Distance is no problem-- we transport, too!

Jeff the Truck Merchant
Toll-free 1-888-327-6712 or 604-825-8571
jeff@applewood.ca
http://truckmerchant.blogspot.com

Applewood Crossborder Vehicle Sales
19820 Fraser Hwy
Langley, BC V3A 4C9
www.crossbordervehicle.com
Dealer#7889

The Merchant Abides

I love my work, and am grateful to be doing it.

A Lexus Sedan

In order to satisfy the lawyers, I need to declare publicly that the Truck Merchant is an equal opportunity shopkeeper.  That is, I offer other vehicles for sale besides trucks.

I am shocked, sir.  Shocked!

It's true.  We at Crossborder sell virtually every kind of vehicle that fits into our inventory niche of high-quality, high-end.  We carry trucks, of course, but also sports cars, sedans, SUVs, Jeeps, and even currently a gorgeous Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe.

We recently acquired an exquisite 2006 Lexus LS 430.  It's loaded, with Nav system, leather, etc.

It's for sale.

What are you waiting for?

Jeff the Truck Merchant
Toll-free 1-888-327-6712 or 604-825-8571
jeff@applewood.ca

Applewood Crossborder Vehicle Sales
19820 Fraser Hwy
Langley, BC V3A 4C9
www.crossbordervehicle.com
Dealer#7889

A Design Breakthrough

I just read this article on Ford's New Powerstroke Engine by David Kiley of BusinessWeek.  Besides the interest in the technology itself, I'm cheered by the willingness of the Ford executives to step away from the typical hidebound politics associated with the big car companies and to allow a small strike team of innovators to come up with something that will move the industry-- and their company-- forward.

Ford Engineer Adam Gryglak

Lifted Diesel Under $30K

Here's a sweet deal on a 3500 lifted Chevy diesel.  This 2005 has 139000 on the odometer, and is clean and strong.  For a diesel 2005, this is low miles; the truck has a whole lot of life left.

It's well-appointed, SLT level trim, comfortable and ready to work.