Congrats to this Year’s Scholarship Recipients!

Each year Country Truck & Auto awards 5 scholarships to high school seniors. There are four $500 awards and one $1,000 award. What makes our program unique is that the awards are given to students who plan on attending a Vocational/Trade School or Community/Junior College. There are fewer scholarship options available for these students and often, they are in more financial need. Many top high school students opt for two-year programs, because the cost of attending a 4-year school is too much for them and their families to afford.

To be eligible, students must be high school seniors and/or be edible to graduate at the end of the current school year. They may attend any public, private, parochial high school; be home schooled; or be attending an accredited high school online. They must also be enrolled in their first year of post-secondary education at an accredited community/junior college or vocational/trade school.

Students are chosen based on their community involvement, work experience, and a letter of recommendation. They must also have a minimum GPA of 2.0. For more information about the scholarship program, contact Rhonda Whistance via email at RhondaW@CountryTruck.net or by phone at (303)857-1281.

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How to Operate Your Truck's 4 Wheel Drive System

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It doesn't take long to learn when and how to use your truck's 4WD system. Follow these steps and you'll feel confident about engaging the system the next time you need to get out of a slippery situation.

For a conventional system, where you can select 2WD or 4WD, the instructions refer to engaging 4WD. For trucks with permanent 4WD, they refer to locking the center differential. Make sure to have your owner's manual on hand.

HOW TO OPERATE YOUR TRUCK'S 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM

1. Refer to your owner's manual to find out how to engage your truck's 4WD mechanism.
2. When driving in snow, mud, or just going off the road, shift into 4WD when you get ready to leave solid ground. If you have lockable front hubs, lock them for those operations.
3. For severe conditions, use low range if available. Before shifting into low range you must either stop or slow down to at least 3 mph to prevent grinding gears.
4. When you return to normal conditions, shift out of 4WD or unlock the center differential. If the shifter doesn't want to move from 4WD or the differential lock stays engaged, don't panic, because the problem is normal and is caused by pressure on the gears.
   • Try backing in a straight line about 10 feet and try to move the shifter again.
   • If the shifter still won't move, try backing in an "S" pattern while trying to move the shifter.
5. If you have lockable hubs, don't forget to unlock them when you return to dry pavement.

TIPS

1. Vehicles with permanent 4WD are set up for everyday driving, but not necessarily for maximum traction on slick surfaces. Engaging the differential lock increases the vehicle's traction capabilities.
2. Do not operate a locked 4WD on dry, hard surfaces. Doing that could cause damage to the driveshafts, differentials or transfer case.

OUR SPECIAL PROMOTIONS

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2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LTZ Crew Cab DRW 4WD

 

The imposing 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD is a fully up-to-date pickup truck with astounding capabilities and a surprisingly refined nature.

 

pros

• Impressive hauling and towing capabilities
• Refined and quiet ride
• Strong diesel engine
• Available CNG fueling for regular V8
• Solid build quality.

  

Learn More Here

County Truck & Auto Launches "BUCKLE UP!" Campaign

 

The importance of wearing a seat belt is not a new idea. However, many people do not wear seat belts, especially in rural areas (according to CDOT). The problem is especially common in Colorado, where approximately 17.6% of drivers regularly do not wear a seat belt (according to NHTSA).


In light of several traffic accidents in the local area where the passengers were not wearing their seat belt, Country Truck & Auto owner, Rhonda Whistance, decided to create a safety awareness campaign that will bring attention to the importance of wearing a seat belt. Her approach is new, however. She has created window stickers that will go on the inside of the windshield to remind drivers to buckle up. The variety of themes from bold and graphic, to humorous, to heartfelt, are meant to get the driver's attention and underscore the importance of buckling up.


Rhonda and other members of the Country Truck & Auto Team will speak at local schools and community groups about the importance of wearing your seat belt 100% of the time. If you would like someone to speak to your school or group, please call the office at (303)857-1281.

Top 3 Ways to Improve the Value of Your Trade-In

So, you’re ready for a new truck, SUV, or car? You have done your homework and decided just exactly what you want. There is only one snag, your current vehicle. You have a few options when deciding how to sell your old vehicle: sell it privately, send it to auction, or trade it in.



Selling it privately can be a hassle. You have to do all of the marketing and vetting buyers yourself. Also, you limit your pool of potential buyers to those who have ready money to buy a vehicle, which means it could sit in your driveway with that “for sale” sign on it for months.



Sending a vehicle to an auto auction seem tempting. You don’t have to market the vehicle and you can get it off of your hands quickly. However, you will only get the wholesale value of your car, which is way less than what you can get for selling it privately and still much less than what you can get for a trade-in.



Trading in your vehicle at the dealership you plan to buy from is a great middle-ground option. You get a bit more for your old vehicle, but you don’t have to hassle with selling it yourself. But how do you get the most money back on your trade?

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Off Roading On the Trail

Terrain Type: Gravel, Dry Dirt, Grasslands

Equipment Needed: 4 Wheel Drive vehicle

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Trail driving is the simplest and safest of your off-roading options and is a good choice for the beginner just looking to get their bearings in the off-roading world. Many state and federal parks have off road trails available specifically for vehicle travel, so do your research and see what is available in your area. If you are new to off-roading, make sure you are comfortable with the level of difficulty. Don’t attempt any steep climbs or descents or water crossings of any type, particularly if your off road machine also serves as your daily driver.