10 Things To Know About Your New Truck

There are few things as exciting as getting a new truck. That’s true pretty much anywhere, but it’s particularly true here in Idaho. With a whole world of outdoor wonderlands to explore, and plenty of work to be done, the uses for a truck around this area are endless.

To help you make the most of your experience with a new truck, we’d like to offer the list below of ten things that you should know. Take a little time to get to know your truck as closely as possible and you’ll maximize the enjoyment you get out of the machine. Let’s get started!

#1 – What Kind of Fuel it Uses
Okay – so this is a pretty basic one, but it’s a good place to start our list. One of the things you need to be sure you know about your new truck is what kind of fuel to add to the tank each time you fill up. Does the truck run on gas or diesel? Also, be sure that anyone you let use your truck knows what type of fuel it requires, as well. Putting the wrong type of fuel into the tank is a costly and painful mistake.

#2 – Understand the Safety Features
New trucks today come with more safety features than ever before. That’s great news, but you need to be sure you understand what comes on your truck and how it works. For instance, be sure you know where all of the cameras are and how they are accessed, as well as any driver assistance features like lane departure warnings, etc. It’s better to know about these systems in advance than to be surprised by something while out on the road.

#3 – How Often the Oil Should Be Changed
It used to be that 3,000 miles was the standard interval for having oil changed. That story is a little different these days, however. With more and more engines using synthetic oil, the interval is often closer to 7,500 miles. Check your owner’s manual to confirm how often the oil should be changed and then keep up with that schedule as best you can.

#4 – Get to Know the Visibility
If this is the first time you have owned a truck, or maybe you’ve purchased a truck that is larger than what you’ve had in the past, the visibility from the driver’s seat might be a bit of an issue. This is something you get used to with practice, so make it a point to spend as much time behind the wheel as possible in the early days so you can get comfortable with how everything looks from that perspective.

#5 – How Much Room You Need to Park
Along the same lines, it is going to take some practice to learn how to park your new truck. The best option here is to head to an empty lot where you can rehearse making your way into various spaces to see how much room you need to maneuver. These practice sessions will come in handy when you find yourself needing to park in a small lot on a busy weekend.

#6 – Towing Capacity
If you plan to pull anything with this truck, it’s important to know your limits in that area. Check on the towing ratings for the make and model that you have, and plan to give yourself a little margin under those ratings just to be safe. Of course, it’s best to check on these ratings in advance so you can be sure that the truck you purchase is going to be up to the challenges that you have in store for it.

#7 – How to Engage 4WD
Assuming your truck has four-wheel drive capabilities, you’ll want to know how to engage that system, and under what circumstances. Most of the time, you’ll probably be fine traveling around without it turned on. However, when traction is questionable and you want to make sure you stay on firm footing, knowing how to put it to use is important.

#8 – Caring for the Interior
Keeping your truck looking and feeling great on the inside comes down to consistent cleaning and upkeep. One key is knowing what products to use on the materials that finish the inside of the vehicle. For instance, do you have leather seats, or are they cloth? Do some research or ask at the dealership about upkeep advice so you can make sure the interior stays as nice as possible for many years to come.

#9 – Clearance Height
It’s good to know how tall your truck is just in case you find yourself in a spot where taller vehicles may not be permitted. While that’s not a problem too often in rural areas, it could become an issue when heading to bigger cities. For instance, if you have a large, lifted truck, it might not fit into a parking garage that has particularly low ceilings. Instead of learning the hard way, know your truck’s height so you can quickly determine whether or not it’s safe to proceed in certain situations.

#10 – The Cruise Control System
If you log a lot of miles on the freeways in and around Idaho, using cruise control is a great way to maintain a safe speed throughout your journey. Of course, you can only do so if you know how that cruise control system works. So, take some time with the owner’s manual to educate yourself on that system and make sure you understand all parts of how to engage and disengage it correctly. Then, when on the freeway, it will be easy to put it to use when the time is right.

As a new truck owner, you’ll need a trustworthy service department to handle all of your maintenance and repair needs, so be sure to visit Taylor & Sons Chevrolet to learn more about what we have to offer. Or, if you haven’t purchased that new truck just yet, come by and check out our inventory. We would love to serve you!

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