>> it is with morbid amusement that i see japanese companies successfully import their suvs as -cars- but get them past the epa and dot etc as -trucks-. << The rise of such instances is why the EPA/DOT (one or the other, or both) have at least started thinking about changing requirements for light trucks to be the same as for cars. To many people use light trucks (3/4 ton pickups and under) for regular passenger conveyance. Ask some truck owners to haul something for you (say a washing machine you just bought) and they'll have a fit! "Not in my 440K truck -- might scratch the plastic bed liner, and I'd have to unfasten the tonneau cover too!!" I think it would be a great change, say anything under 10K GVW (a 3/4 ton pickup would weigh at least 6K -- 4K or so of truck, 1.5K payload, and an extra 500 lbs of passengers) regardless of type meets the same EPA/DOT standards. With today's technology there isn't a lot of difference in power output like there used to be. _______________________________________________ AMC-List mailing list AMC-List@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://www.amc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/amc-list or go to http://www.amc-list.com