[427TJ]

"Rob Swim, International's marketing director, said the 5-passenger CXT will appeal to image-conscious contractors, roofers, landscapers and other small-business owners who can use the towing power but also want to draw attention to themselves."

If a contractor pulled up in front of my house in one of these I'd tell him 'nevermind.' I'm not making his truck payment.

I had a garage door guy come do some work awhile back. He put new pulleys and cables on one of my power rollup doors and adjusted the other two doors so they operated smoothly and quietly. He was there for just under two hours and the work done was excellent. The charge? $110, parts included. He drove up in his retired father's 1972 Chevy work truck. He said, "New trucks are too expensive and this one works just fine." He is my new garage door guy.

When I told that story to a buddy of mine who lives in an upscale neighborhood in Elk Grove, California, he replied, "Hell, I can't get a guy to take a dump on my lawn for $110!" That's because they all drive shiny, jacked-up $40,000 crew-cab 4wd pickups with $3000 worth of Alcoa wheels and mud tires. I'm always skeptical when these guys pull up out front and my first thought is, "I ain't makin' his truck payment!" No wonder the do-it-yourself industry took off, people got tired of getting screwed by "image-conscious" contractors!