Dye Autos Denver Area Truck and Automotive Blog
Halloween is right around the corner. Any Halloween fan who owns a pickup truck or car knows that, with a little imagination and willingness to let your creativity fly, a Halloween Trunk or Treat is an awesome way to celebrate!
The usual trick-or-treating is always a fun time with the little ones, but if you’re tired of hiking around several miles in the bitter cold just to get your kids some Snickers and cheap suckers, you might consider a Trunk or Treat instead.
You may have heard about a “Trunk or Treat” and wondered what it is. This activity is a safe and fun alternative (or addition) to the traditional trick or treat for Halloween. Think of Trunk or Treat as a Halloween tailgate party.
Instead of kids going door-to-door to get candy, they walk through a parking lot and go trunk-to-trunk. The trunk of your car or the bed of your truck becomes your front porch!
These events are usually hosted by groups, such as a church or school, but can be community organized as well.
What makes a Trunk or Treat appealing to parents, especially with young children?
- Parents often feel it’s safer than going door-to-door
- You avoid many of the scarier costumes and decorations
- It’s easier on the littlest children as they don’t have to walk as far.
Participants will usually decorate their trunks or truck beds with Halloween décor and some will even create games or activities where the kids can win prizes in addition to candy, of course. Check local community calendars or talk to friends and neighbors to find a trunk or treat event near you.
5 trunk or treat ideas for your best Halloween ever!
A Trunk or Treat is actually even more fun than it sounds.
Kids come in hundreds, fully dressed in Halloween costumes and hold out bags or plastic pumpkins for treats. The adults get to socialize and be creative while seeing all the cute and scary costumes.
While a Trunk or Treat doesn’t necessarily take the place of a traditional Halloween romp around your neighborhood, you might just find that it’s a better alternative. Who knows? You may never go door-to-door again.
You can’t do a Trunk or Treat without a great ride so give us a call at (303) 286-1665 and we’ll help make this your best Halloween ever!
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A pickup truck is a great thing to have. It’s convenient for home improvement projects and “Honey Do’s.” It’s your sidekick when you go camping. It’s a super comfortable way to transport the family for short trips or long distances. But have you thought about the ways you can make extra money with your pickup truck?
Pickups are the BEST vehicles to own for a side hustle or a small business.
From hauling to delivering, a pickup truck is a versatile piece of equipment that’s got plenty of business opportunities…if you just get a little creative.
Many people are already paying for a pickup truck and even though dealers like us at Dye Autos have lots of affordable pickups, it’s still a monthly expense. But using the following money-making ideas, your pickup can pay for itself – plus some!
You can even turn some of these into a lucrative side hustle or small business for part or full-time income.
1. Get paid to haul stuff away.
Lots of businesses need you to get rid of stuff they don’t need!
Old inventory, broken furniture, dingy office file cabinets, outdated electronics, or even just trash could provide the perfect opportunity for you to make some money.
Pick up what the businesses don’t need and take it to the local recycling center for a fee.
People in your neighborhood also need you, especially if they’re in the process of remodeling their home or going through their storage areas to prepare for a yard sale.
2. Local business deliveries.
Small local businesses could use your help to deliver their products locally. Think flower delivery or mattress delivery. Maybe there are some antique shops in town that can benefit from a person with a pickup who can deliver some larger items to customers?
Or, maybe a pool store could use an extra delivery person to bring materials to a residence.
Check with local businesses and let them know what you can do to help.
3. Wrap your pickup truck.
Make extra money with your pickup truck by using it to advertise a product or service. Using your vehicle as a moving billboard helps to bring exposure to the product, brand, or service advertised.
Check out the many vehicle advertisement companies that pay you handsomely to advertise on your truck. Some of them can even pay you more just to drive your truck to specified high traffic area.
There are many companies that pay pickup truck owners to advertise or promote products or brands. Some contracts with these companies run for 3 to 6 months. One of them is Carvertise and you can check them out here.
4. Haul building supplies.
If you’ve ever visited a building site, there are tons (literally) of materials there. Small construction companies might want to pay for your private delivery services instead of using a large company that may charge more.
You can bring large materials to and from residential and commercial construction zones.
You might consider being available for the cleanup process when it’s time to bring leftover materials to the recycling or trash center.
Now it’s worth noting that there are already lots of businesses that offer this service, but the service only exists because there is a demand for it.
5. Garage sale deliveries.
This is one of the more interesting ways to make extra money with your pickup truck…and it’s a great way to build a client base!
- Be on the lookout for garage sales in your area. This could be signs around town, the nextdoor app, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
- Let people know that you will handle their deliveries for them.
- Print a flier or business cards and bring them with you on the day of the garage sale.
- The host can tell their customers about your service when they purchase.
Your service will allow the host to sell more items than they would have because people are more apt to buy when they don’t have to worry about hauling it.
It’s a pretty convenient service to offer. Customers can arrive and do their shopping regardless of their mode of transportation.
6. Offer landscaping services.
As most of us agree, yard work can be time consuming and not always fun.
You can use pickup truck to accomplish basic jobs to regular yard maintenance work like mowing, weeding, pruning, mulching, etc. You might even start a small landscaping service.
Either way, your pickup truck can definitely come in handy for transporting flowers, dirt, rocks, and other landscaping materials.
This type of service can work year-round, like hauling bags of leaves in the fall or plowing snow in the winter!
And speaking of snow….
7. Snow plowing services.
Residents and businesses in the Denver/Wheat Ridge area need you.
This would actually be a truck-based business because it would require an investment in a snow plow attachment for your truck. It could cost one or two thousand dollars, but that’s not too crazy if you are planning on several winter’s worth of snow plowing.
Get the word out by going through the suburbs door-to-door with your services, put up an advertisement at the local gas station or Craigslist, and even use social media share pictures of your work.
8. Large appliance repair pickup and delivery.
Large appliances, like refrigerators and washing machines, sometimes need to be sent off for repair.
But the average person doesn’t have a vehicle large enough to hold them, which means they’ll have to pay extra for transportation.
Here’s where you come in with your truck to save the day!
You can also check with local rental centers and stores that sell appliances to see if they might need a backup delivery person for busy days.
9. Find pickup truck jobs on Shipperoo
Shipperoo is a website where you can apply to make your pickup truck work for you.
You are connected to businesses or individuals who need your truck to move, transport, or haul their equipment, goods, or products from one place to another.
Shipperoo matches you with shippers. Click here to check out Shipperoo
10. Join TaskRabbit to offer delivery services.
The Sharing Economy is upon us so why not leverage it to make extra money with your pickup truck?
Start ‘tasking’ and earn money your way. You’ll be someone’s hero and earn money by helping people.
- The App notifies of potential jobs nearby
- Select the one you want to complete
- Confirm details with your client
- Complete the work and submit your invoice
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for an affordable pickup truck, give us a call at (303) 286-1665 and check us out online at www.dyeautos.com. We’ve helped thousands of people get into the truck of their dreams!
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There’s nothing else that can quite do what a truck can. Pickup trucks have grown in popularity and there are many reasons why.
1. Pickup Trucks can Handle It All.
All it takes is a couch or armoire that needs to be moved from “here” to “there,” and next thing you know, you’re thinking you really should own a pickup truck. There are so many other activities that a pickup truck is perfect for:
- Trucks are the perfect weekend adventure vehicle.
- Trucks have the power to tow whatever you need.
- Trucks haul everything from groceries to lumber to tools.
- Trucks are a camper’s dream.
- Pickup trucks help you work hard and when it’s time to relax, they help you do that too!
Think of all the incredibly cool things you could be doing with a pickup truck that are impossible with the car you’re now driving.
2. Pickup Trucks are Ideal for Work.
A lot more businesses are discovering that trucks are better than cars for business.
Even if your business isn’t about hauling big items, a pickup truck provides all the comfort of a car but is versatile enough to handle all the tough stuff. That means hauling tools, building supplies, and stuff otherwise too heavy or too dirty for your average car trunk.
3. Pickup Trucks are Your Best Friend in the Snow.
Hello, Colorado. We do get a lot of snow, right?
Winter tires on a sedan or a small hatchback will only get you so far. If the snow is deep enough, you can literally high-center a car in deep snow on the road once it gets packed underneath. With the additional ground clearance afforded by a pickup truck, fording 10 inches of fresh plow is no problem.
4. Pickup Trucks Allow You to Take the Road Less Traveled.
The best off-road pickup trucks will give the most rugged SUVs a run for their money, even when that running occurs on the Colorado’s toughest rocks and trails. They’ll also deliver the cargo-carrying benefits of an open bed for when you don’t really want to leave it all behind.
There are tons of mapped two-track roads, and getting to trailheads is very different than finishing said trail. The off-road traction of a locking four-wheel-drive system will ensure you keep moving rather than waiting on the next guy coming up the trail to help. Ground clearance is also helpful in reducing cringe-inducing frame impacts.
5. Pickup Trucks Continue to Grow in Popularity.
In many areas of Colorado the truck is just the preferred lifestyle look. Trucks now account for 16.4% of U.S. vehicle sales. That’s up from 15.3% in 2016.
Trucks are the backbone of the construction industry. Pickups also have become increasingly popular as everyday family vehicles.
Today’s trucks are safer, more comfortable, and they handle much better than they once did. With the aid of technology, they’re even easier to navigate in tight spaces.
Pickup Trucks Provide More Bang for Your Buck.
Pickup trucks are affordable. Used pickup truck models are especially affordable and often retain their value. At Dye Autos, we’ve got a large inventory of affordable pickup trucks for every budget.
Are you ready to take advantage of all these pickup truck benefits (and more)? Call us at (303) 286-1665.
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Every pickup truck shopper is looking for a vehicle that fits his or her specific needs. After all, there’s only so much research one can do online. There comes a point in every buyer’s journey where you need to experience the vehicle(s) you’re considering. The test drive is the #1 way to determine which pickup truck is best.
Buying a pickup truck without a test drive is like buying shoes without trying them on. Except, you can easily return the shoes – not so much with a vehicle.
Importance of a Test Drive
Once you’ve driven a vehicle off the lot, your choices are limited, says Alec Gutierrez, the manager of vehicle valuation for Kelley Blue Book. Buying sight unseen increases your chance of buying the wrong vehicle. Most auto experts still recommend an extended test drive on a variety of roads.
The simple fact of the matter is, used pickup truck reviews can tell you a lot about a vehicle, but only so much as to narrow the field. They can help you decide what, out of the many different types, makes and models, you should focus on, so you don’t have to do all the legwork on your own.
The problem is that the evaluators aren’t actually you – they can’t predict what little (or big) things will matter to YOU. The test drive is how you determine what options you need…and which ones you don’t.
How to Conduct a Good Test Drive
Comfort and Function
Considering how much time the average Coloradoan spends in their vehicle, it’s important to make sure it’s comfortable and functional.
- Is it easy to get in and out of the vehicle?
- How does the seat feel? Are you able to find a comfortable position?
- Is the pickup truck the right size for your needs (compact, midsize, fullsize)?
- Can you easily see all your mirrors and gauges? Are there any obstructions that make it difficult for you to see?
- Are there enough seats to comfortably fit your family?
- Standard, extended or crew cab?
- Standard or long bed?
- Will it haul your stuff?
- Are you planning on towing a trailer? Check towing capacity.
Driveability
The feel of a pickup truck on the road and your ability to maneuver with ease is just as important as how comfortable you are in the seat. When you get behind the wheel and head out, make sure to replicate your daily driving experience. For instance, if you spend a lot of time on the freeway, take it out on the freeway to get a sense of how it will perform.
Here are some additional things to pay particular attention to:
- How smoothly does the pickup truck ride?
- Is it a quiet ride or is road noise an issue?
- Does the vehicle respond quickly as you steer?
- Are you comfortable with how quickly the pickup truck accelerates when merging into traffic?
- When you brake, is it jerky or smooth?
A Test Drive is Key to Buying the Right Pickup Truck
The test drive is a crucial step to finding the right pickup truck, the one that will make you happy, as opposed to the “best truck” that reviewers rate highest. It will be worth it to spend this extra time now, because a vehicle is a long-term investment. You’re probably going to have this pickup truck for a few years, possibly even a decade, and spend thousands of dollars on it.
You’ll be glad you spent the extra half-day making sure your decision is the right one.
At Dye Autos, we’ve helped thousands of pickup truck shoppers with their test drives. We can help you – no strings attached! Give us a call at (303) 286-1665 or fill out our easy contact form here and we’ll be in touch.
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Labor Day is just around the corner. If you’re shopping for a used pickup truck, studies show that holiday weekends are one of the best times to buy.
You’ll often see or hear car dealerships advertising huge deals or blowout sales during holiday weekends, and those ads are almost always accurate. Dealers often offer special financing or discount deals for holiday weekends. While you might not want to spend your holiday weekend test-driving and signing the papers on a new truck or car, doing so could help you save thousands of dollars and give you the peace of mind that you got a great deal.
Labor Day is the last three-day weekend of summer, so as we go into the end of August and early September, you can expect to see some fairly aggressive deals from car dealerships as they try to wrap up the summer selling season.
How to shop for a used pickup truck on Labor Day Weekend.
Dealerships can get busy on long holiday weekends so here are some tips to avoid the crowds, alleviate stress and get a great deal.
1. Do your homework.
Do your research earlier in the week. Then, by the time the weekend rolls around, you should have narrowed your car list to about three models at most.
2. Figure out your trade-in.
- Use online tools to appraise your trade-in’s value. Edmunds.com and kbb.com are two great FREE resources.
- Pack all your trade-in’s accessories. Trading in your car means you are trading in everything that goes along with it. Make sure the original owner’s manual and any extra keys are in the vehicle when you arrive at the dealership. Dealers like used cars that still have all the accessories and may even give you a better deal on your trade when everything is there.
- Bring all vehicle paperwork with you. Dealers love it when you have all the documents ready to trade-in your car. It makes it easier for them to process your info with the DMV and leaves less room for error once the DMV receives your information. You will need:
- Certificate of title (if you don’t have it, the DMV can tell you how to get it replaced). Note: if you have an outstanding loan on the vehicle, this will not apply since the bank has your certificate of title.
- Current registration.
- If you still have a loan on the car, you’ll need to have your account number or a payment stub.
- Maintenance records. These help support your claims about whatever prior damage your car has had and the repairs it has undergone.
3. Know your credit score.
If you plan on using financing to buy a used pickup truck, your credit score is key to getting the lowest interest rates. Your credit score is a three-digit number that uses your credit information to assess how risky a borrower you are, and it can significantly influence how lenders decide the terms of your loan.
The higher your credit score, the lower your risk and the lower your interest rate. The lower your credit score, the riskier you are and the higher your interest rates. Be proactive in checking your credit score beforehand so you know where your credit stands before you apply for a loan.
You can obtain a free copy of your credit report.
FTC (Federal Trade Commission) Website: You’re entitled to one free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies. Order online from annualcreditreport.com, the only authorized website for free credit reports, or call 1-877-322-8228. You will need to provide your name, address, social security number, and date of birth to verify your identity.
Some states like Colorado have laws that allow you to get a free credit report in addition to the free annual credit report you’re entitled to by Federal law.
4. Choose your purchase method and set your budget.
The purchase of a used pickup truck includes different methods. Your options will be to pay cash, or finance your purchase. Most customers choose to finance and you’ll either use your trade-in as a down payment or pay cash down. Make some preliminary calculations on what you can afford.
ProTip: Get Pre-Approved.
This fast and easy process lets you choose how much you want to borrow based on the type of vehicle you’re looking for. You’ll know ahead of time what to expect…and that means less anxiety and more peace of mind.
Let Dye Autos put our experience to work for you. Pre-approved car and truck financing with DYE Autos is just a click away. Visit this link >>>here<<<!.
One of our helpful finance specialists will contact you to discuss available financing options.
5. Check reviews.
If you already have a used pickup truck in mind, read expert reviews of the vehicle. Also check consumer reviews of the car you are considering. Then take a moment to see what other cars compete with the one you have selected. If you don’t yet know what you want to buy, build a list of three “target cars” to test drive.
6. Find the right dealer and set up a test drive.
Once you’ve landed on the car(s) you want to test drive, get in touch with the dealer to see if the vehicles are still available.
If possible, do your drive ahead of the Labor Day weekend. Your salesperson will be able to dedicate more time to showing you the car. Explain that you’ll be making a purchase decision later on the Labor Day weekend. It sets the expectations and should reduce a bit of the pressure.
7. Settle on a price.
Choosing the right car often depends on its price. Make sure you look at all aspects of the deal, including the interest rate, finance terms, and any additional fees. Pay attention to what feels best for you.
If you already know the dealership you’re working with – maybe you’ve purchased from them before – they should remind you about any Labor Day deals prior to your visit. If you’ve never shopped at that dealership, be sure to ask.
Wrapping up the sale…
- Be sure to bring any documents you might need to complete the sale such as your Driver’s License and Insurance info.
- Once your financing is settled, you’ll sign the contract and take delivery.
- If everything is settled, consider picking up your truck the day after the weekend. You’ll avoid the crowds and the salesperson will give you a more relaxed walk-through on the key features of the truck.
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