LASTING VALUE

you know lots being said today about the American consumer being more value conscious well there's no question that with today living costs it's imperative that today's buyer gets the most for every dollar he spend but you know today the buyers of America have great freedom of choice and that's made the American consumer a good judge of value it's for this reason the fact that he's such a good judge and marginal products don't last in the marketplace some products arrive with great fanfare people try them once but interestingly they don't stay around unless they deliver on value our respect for the great American consumer jury and their ability to judge value makes us proud of the fact that we in Chevrolet are the leaders in the automotive industry it would seem that the product more people have bought over the years would represent a considered judgment of the American value jury that here in fact is the best value the most for the money at last count there were three hundred and ninety thousand more Chevrolet trucks on the road than any other make value is a Chevrolet commitment that started a long time ago economical transportation for business that Chevrolet today but it was Chevrolet to back in 1922 economical under every haulage condition that was Chevrolet truck in 1927 and there was that same kind of a commitment all through the thirties forties fifties and sixties now a lot has changed since those days pure prices have gone up prices of about everything have gone up and they've gone up even more than automotive products but to search for value Chevrolet's commitment to deliver value have only strengthened over the years value of course means different things to different people sure we've all heard that little things mean a lot but you know big things mean a lot too and you've got little and big measurements of a very very practical nature let's take one for example resale I don't think there's another car and truck manufacturer in America that consistently returns as much of the original investment to the buyer when it's time to trade and this certainly could mean important money can mean hundreds of dollars resale value of Chevrolet trot and its advantages represent a continuing public road on value and the fact the value built into the product holds up now in designing and building a product that lasts we as a manufacturer have a lot of buying decisions ourselves which must be guided in an overriding way by what the consumer wants and needs in our product now this value decision can involve the thickness or strength of metal to involve the elimination of dead weight to improve gasoline mileage or the design and invention of a new feature to provide a major product advantage just a few examples of this double wall construction in cabs and bodies or the massive girder beam front suspension that allows a Chevrolet truck to take all the punishment a truck has to take and yet give a ride as good and I like to think even better than some of our competitive passenger cars many times it's more important to be able to stop than it is to go value in this case is a totally balanced braking system exactly matched to the truck you buy and delivering at the same time a large margin of safety consider two after all a braking system that'll stop the 70 thousand pound tandem highway hauler isn't right for stopping a pickup truck if we hope to maintain and extend our truck leadership and I assure you that we will we're going to have to continually monitor the marketplace to see how well we're doing I just received the latest independent research report which indicates Chevrolet is well ahead of all major competitors in the minds of truck users when it comes to value reliability and durability this is in such areas as resale value value for the money spent long service life and ease of service so far as a mechanical component is concerned our braking system got special mention and rated definitely the highest among all competitors now this kind of woke from the American value jury can't come from advertising slogans it comes from the experience of thousands and yes millions of people driving chevrolet trucks or people who talk to satisfied owners of our products and hear their story about their satisfaction with our products there's one more important dimension to value our dealerships the people in them and what they do for the customers and the potential customers of our product not just during the sale but even more important to our long-term success what happens after the sale good service of course is important to any vehicle but it's especially important to a truck after all a truck is a worker it's built to work hard and stay on the job even in many cases after it's been abused and Chevrolet service has the stated objective of keeping our trucks at work in the total value picture the salesman's role too is vital he has the responsibility yes the very obligation to interpret the features of the product in terms of what they will do for the customer how do you do this well very very easy because what you've really got to do is put yourself in the customers shoes and it isn't difficult because you know every one of us is a consumer for virtually every basic necessity of life in an important part of selling from the customer point of view I submit to you is the fact that integrity never went out of style what people want today is what they've always wanted not slickness hi I've blown phrases but value which by very definition has got to be based on integrity integrity the salesman integrity the organization integrity the product it's our objective to build the kind of products that can be sold and sold proudly and represented as giving value that lasts value that serves because this is fundamental to building relationships that last the combination of how we build trucks how dealerships sell them and service them can make it clear to today's customer that when he comes to a Chevrolet dealership he comes the right place for value in cars and trucks economy and value studded with Chevrolet over half a century ago every year our commitment has been strengthened and for 1975 our pledge of economy and lasting value is just as valid as it was over fifty years ago this is Chevy's newest top-of-the-line pickup the fleetside Silverado a handsome truck but tough rugged and hard-working a massive new grille and front end lamp treatment 15 exterior colors seven of them new six interior colors full foam bench seat enriched basket weave nylon cloth or buffalo hide vinyl vinyl bucket seats with center console available - rich wood grain applique on the dash and full gauge instrumentation distinctive door panels with storage pockets and simulated steel point engraving the Silverado was only one of four trim levels for Chevy pickups in 1975 the economical custom deluxe sets the standards as the base model and the new designation denotes the new higher trim level including foam padded seat and courtesy lamps the new Scottsdale has its own distinctive side speer moldings chrome bumpers and hubcaps it's full with foam seat is trimmed an attractive grid pattern nylon cloth also available in custom vinyl and knit vinyl the popular Cheyenne has been restyled to be even more attractive this year a more massive new grille with bright accents chrome bumpers bright upper body side moldings bright hubcaps and a distinctively styled Cheyenne tailgate the fleetside the stepside the crew cab and big dually for Tufts Chevy trucks with GVW ratings up to 10,000 pounds on fleetside models a new quick-release tailgate is easy to remove and reinstall for camper and other applications air conditioning will be available with all v8 engines early in the model year it will also be made available with 6 cylinder and there's a full range of engines available three v8s and two sixes including a thrifty 256 that's been redesigned for greater efficiency and economy all engines on series 10 through 30 trucks feature a high-energy ignition system completely electronic it delivers a hotter spark provides faster sure starts under extreme weather conditions and increases sparkplug life in addition have some trucks with dvw rating of 6,000 pounds and less have a new catalytic converter the combination of high energy ignition plus catalytic converter not only reduces the emissions but importantly contributes to improved fuel economy these engines also include a new early fuel evaporation system which preheats fuel going into the cylinders results in faster warm-up improved drivability reduced emissions a new carburetor outside air induction system delivers denser outside air to the carburetor improves engine performance after warmup these new systems combine to give drivability much like it was before emission standards existed and there are more savings recommended service intervals have been extended engine oil and chassis lube up to 7500 miles oil filters up to 15,000 miles spark plugs up to twenty-two thousand five hundred miles trucks with GVW ratings over six thousand pounds including the new heavier duty half-ton c10 models do not have a catalytic converter and do not require unleaded fuel with a new high-energy ignition spark plug life has been extended here in the quiet room at engineering sound leaks that might impair the quiet of a new Chevy pickup cab design our methodically traced down to their source and eliminated quietness in the cab is another laughing Chevy value listen with the doors open with them closed that's quiet Chevrolet's double panel cab roof has a layer of sound deadening insulation between the panel's and inner headliner makes Cheyenne and Silverado models even quieter double cushion rubber body mounts help prevent Road and engine vibrations from reaching the cab result the peaceful comfort of one of the quietest trucks we've ever built ride is another outstanding Chevrolet measure of value that serves Chevy's massive girder beam and front suspension help soak up the bumps while independent front suspension allows wheels to act independently of each other literally step over the bumps multi-leaf rear springs with two-stage construction provide firm steady support empty or loaded both front and rear shock absorbers are shielded to give protection against dirt and rocks and help contribute to a longer life rear shocks are staggered to reduce wheel hop how effective is all this in cushioning Road shock let's take a look at vinegar in each glass cylinder half oil the cylinder on the rod attached to the wheel is getting a violent shaking but the one of the hood is scarcely disturbed that's because Chevy's efficient suspension is absorbing the road shock no mixing in the cylinder on the hood another tribute to Chevy's exceptionally good ride easy on driver and passengers gentle too fragile cargoes Chevys highly refined suspension system also provides responsive handling handling that helps give the driver confidence in his vehicle not just on paved freeways but on the kind of roads and under the kinds of driving conditions that a working truck must face Chevy's brakes are computer matched to truck size and capacity they are dependable even when wet or when heated by prolonged usage the drum-type rear brakes are thinned for efficient cooling and on trucks up to eight thousand four hundred pound GVW rating the front disc brakes have an audible wear sensor that warns when the brake pads need replacement strong bodies are as important to well-built trucks as strong walls are to a well-built house worlds of houses have double walls for strength durability and quietness and for the same reasons double wall construction strength durability and quietness inner fender liner is play their part to protect the outer ones from mud and slush that cause corrosion how strong our Chevy double wall truck bodies watch [Applause] plenty of damage to the inside wall of the box but not one single dent on the outside value value that lasts and lasts owners have learned that Chevy trucks do give value basic economy and have traditionally high resale value that's why this year and every year for the past twenty eight there are more Chevy trucks on the road than any other make in the world that's the real proof of Chevy's money-saving economy and blasting Chevy value