# Cruze as Taxi in Thailand - **** froze over



## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

Since the beginning of time, taxis are Toyota Corolla's in Thailand. It's just the way it is. 

Today I spotted a Chevy Cruze (brand new still with a red plate) being used as a taxi. My wife and I were stunned, so I took a picture. 

In Thailand, this is like seeing Big Foot walking down the street drinking a beer. 










Typical scene looks like this


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## Eightbelow (Mar 16, 2011)

Makes sense, cheap car good gas mileage. Maybe it's the Thailand version of cash cab.


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

Well. He in Thailand taxis run on LPG or NGV. All those Corollas have a natural gas tank in the trunk.


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## jsscooby (May 11, 2011)

It is interesting to see how the State's taxis are usually full size cars (gas guzzlers.) Now you have something more practical over there.

Edit: Interest how they have the TRD thing on the Cruze's bumper.


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## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

jsscooby said:


> It is interesting to see how the State's taxis are usually full size cars (gas guzzlers.) Now you have something more practical over there.
> 
> Edit: Interest how they have the TRD thing on the Cruze's bumper.


Yeah but those Crown Vics can take years and miles upon miles of punishment. So I can still see why they've sold so well as fleet vehicles.


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## jsscooby (May 11, 2011)

JDM-USDM Love said:


> Yeah but those Crown Vics can take years and miles upon miles of punishment. So I can still see why they've sold so well as fleet vehicles.


good point.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

thaicruze said:


> Since the beginning of time, taxis are Toyota Corolla's in Thailand. It's just the way it is.
> 
> Today I spotted a Chevy Cruze (brand new still with a red plate) being used as a taxi. My wife and I were stunned, so I took a picture.
> 
> ...


:grin::grin::grin:That was EXACTLY what I said the yellow Cruze could be used for when I first saw it!


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

thaicruze said:


> Well. He in Thailand taxis run on LPG or NGV. All those Corollas have a natural gas tank in the trunk.


Mmm...where do they put the luggage?


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> Mmm...where do they put the luggage?


You can squeeze it back there. It's pushed up against the back seat.

Usually, when you see a fancy Taxi like this, it's privately owned. It won't be the norm, but I thought it was cool.

You can see from the other picture why I refuse to buy a Toyota Altis.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

thaicruze said:


> You can squeeze it back there. It's pushed up against the back seat.
> 
> Usually, when you see a fancy Taxi like this, it's privately owned. It won't be the norm, but I thought it was cool.
> 
> You can see from the other picture why I refuse to buy a Toyota Altis.


WHY do the taxis run on LPG or NGV? Is gas really expensive there too?

What's a Toyota Altis? Never heard of it.


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> WHY do the taxis run on LPG or NGV? Is gas really expensive there too?
> 
> What's a Toyota Altis? Never heard of it.


Natural Gas over here is dirt cheap. all taxis run on it (it's really weird seeing them flying down the highway with the gasoline needle all the way down on 0. Takes you a while to get used to it). 

Careful now. When I say "gas" I mean "natural gas" ie, NGV/LPG. I can't call gasoline "gas" here. Here "gas" is gas. Gasoline is "petrol". And yes, gasoline here is as expensive as it's everywhere, except in the middle east countries. They own all the oil and are paying $1 a gallon. I'm paying 36.14 baht per liter for E10 (gasohol 91). The Cruze takes E10 and E20. 

So, this means I'm paying something like $4.59 per gallon for E10/Gasohol 91. This is a mixture with 10% acohol. 

Many people here put the NGV tank. I thought about it but decided not to. 

Chevy sells the Optra CNG here. One of the most popular models. You can check it out here. 

Optra CNG

Use google translator. 

The Altis is the Toyota Corolla Altis. Many taxis here are Altis










Same price as the Cruze, but you can't help but feel you're in a Taxi.


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

And since we're on the subject, let's see the differences between living here in a so called "3rd world country" and living in the USA, greatest country in the world. 

Here, you can go buy a Chevy Cruze 2.0 Diesel. Right now. In the USA, you have to wait until 2013. 

Here, you can get an NGV tank, fill it up with $7 bucks and go 100 miles before you have to fill it up again. Right now. Actually, they've been doing that here for ages. 

In the USA, we're sitting on the largest natural gas reserves in the world, a d you're getting raped by the oil companies. ANY car can be outfitted with a natural gas tank. They can do it here, but not in the US of A.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

thaicruze said:


> And since we're on the subject, let's see the differences between living here in a so called "3rd world country" and living in the USA, greatest country in the world.
> 
> Here, you can go buy a Chevy Cruze 2.0 Diesel. Right now. In the USA, you have to wait until 2013.
> 
> ...


thaicruze-

I HEAR you! The reason we ARE getting RAPED by big oil is ALL because of WASHINGTON! Pure and simple! Obama doesn't run a thing or make the decisions. They are all made by BIG BUSINESS. He is just a PAWN for them! The minute he goes against big business, that's when he'll be gone!

While we may have the largest natural gas reserves here, we ALSO have enough OIL to make us independent of foreign oil IF we drilled more here! A friend of mine has a son who works for an oil company in Texas and he says that is TRUE! Aside from a revolution in this country and marching on DC, what does the little person do? VOTE? Big deal. Get rid of one crook and vote in another! WHERE are all the people who want to do what is RIGHT for US and OUR country? Forget Democrat, Republican, Independent, Tea party etc. Just get HONEST people with INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER in DC and let's see some POSITIVE CHANGES!:usa:


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## Quazar (Apr 28, 2011)

Well we are not getting RAPED with oil prices. 90% of the world pays higher prices than us, and the ones who dont are countries like Saudi Arabia who's ratio of OIL/VEHICLE is insane.

There are other reason for not using our oil. Oil is limited, will be gone at the current rate in 100 years. Using other countries oil and still having ours is very strategic, as supply shortens, and demand increases, we have the ability to tap into our supply to keep prices within the range of affordability.

Also, there is a need to turn to alternative power. Tapping oil supplies and decreasing the cost of oil does not encourage people to move to alternative power sorces. Why get a hybrid or electric or hydrogen vehicle if gas is 2$ a gallon.

The USA has much stricter regulations for safety than Thailand and other 3rd world countries. There are extreme safety issues with running natural gas in cars. Also the infrastructure is not in place, the USA has had shortages in natural gas during the winter, last year 3 states had issues getting it. We need it for heat for over 3/4 the country for more than 4 months a year, an issue Thialand does not have to contend with. Something car manufacturers have to think about before giving peple a car that they may not be able to get enough fuel for.

Also, not all oil is created equal, a fact not a lot of people are aware of. The USA has huge oil deposits. However, not all of it produces the amount of "gasoline" per barrel of crude that oil found in other locations does. It also requires more refinement. So more work for less product = expensive.

Final Thought:

*IT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL in most states, and per the federal government to convert to Natural Gas or Propane. There are several kits available.*
*The reason people don't is the retrofits cost $12,000, and yes in order to install it you must use an approved retrofit kit or have your kit approved by the EPA.*


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## robertbick (Jan 1, 2011)

thaicruze said:


> And since we're on the subject, let's see the differences between living here in a so called "3rd world country" and living in the USA, greatest country in the world.
> 
> Here, you can go buy a Chevy Cruze 2.0 Diesel. Right now. In the USA, you have to wait until 2013.
> 
> ...


There are other diesels I could buy IF I wanted one... I don't. They are not available here in the Cruze yet because most consumers don't want it. Ever hear of marketing studies? You have them there because you want them.

I can also go 100 miles on $7 of petrol... or 400 miles on $28 without refueling. HA

Since you are paying much more for petrol, who is getting raped???


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

Quazar said:


> Well we are not getting RAPED with oil prices. 90% of the world pays higher prices than us, and the ones who dont are countries like Saudi Arabia who's ratio of OIL/VEHICLE is insane.


That's because of *TAXES* on the fuel and NOT the price of the fuel itself!



Quazar said:


> ... the USA has had shortages in natural gas during the winter, last year 3 states had issues getting it. We need it for heat for over 3/4 the country for more than 4 months a year, an issue Thialand does not have to contend with. Something car manufacturers have to think about before giving peple a car that they may not be able to get enough fuel for.


We have an ABUNDANT supply of natural gas in this country. There should be NO shortages ANYWHERE!


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## limited360 (May 6, 2011)

Diesel's are being phased out by California emissions regulations... exhaust system (including aftertreatment) on the US diesel costs upwards of ~$3500-$4000 without a doubt...


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## Quazar (Apr 28, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> That's because of *TAXES* on the fuel and NOT the price of the fuel itself!
> 
> 
> 
> We have an ABUNDANT supply of natural gas in this country. There should be NO shortages ANYWHERE!


It's both taxes and fuel cost. However yes, Taxes make up the majority of the cost, and we have some of the lowest taxes on fuel in the world.

Yes we have an abundent supply of Natural Gas, though small compared to some areas of the world (about 3 - 4% of the world's natural gas). However, I didn't say it was because of a lack of Natural Gas. I said it was infratructure. Pipelines and stroage of natural gas are what create the issues, and this needs to be address before cars can be mass produced to use Natural Gas.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

Quazar said:


> However, I didn't say it was because of a lack of Natural Gas. I said it was infratructure. Pipelines and stroage of natural gas are what create the issues, and this needs to be address before cars can be mass produced to use Natural Gas.


Infrastructure=big business NOT spending THEIR "reserves"-($$$) to improve this situation. The 3 states that had a problem this past winter can look to their supplier to resolve that problem and get on their case by getting the state government involved to alleviate this situation! Nowadays, you can't just sit back and hope the problem will resolve itself!


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## gfxdave99 (Feb 26, 2011)

:1poke:

Politics aside why does it have a TRD/Toyota racing stickers on the back?


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

robertbick said:


> Since you are paying much more for petrol, who is getting raped???


I do approx. 600 miles a week. I spend about $30 a week on gasoline. We are both getting raped.


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

Quazar said:


> Well we are not getting RAPED with oil prices. 90% of the world pays higher prices than us, and the ones who dont are countries like Saudi Arabia who's ratio of OIL/VEHICLE is insane.
> 
> There are other reason for not using our oil. Oil is limited, will be gone at the current rate in 100 years. Using other countries oil and still having ours is very strategic, as supply shortens, and demand increases, we have the ability to tap into our supply to keep prices within the range of affordability.
> 
> ...



Bolony. That's what they tell you. It's about "safety". Yet, millions of taxis and private cars run on natural gas here everyday without a hitch.


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

Quazar said:


> It's both taxes and fuel cost. However yes, Taxes make up the majority of the cost, and we have some of the lowest taxes on fuel in the world.
> 
> Yes we have an abundent supply of Natural Gas, though small compared to some areas of the world (about 3 - 4% of the world's natural gas). However, I didn't say it was because of a lack of Natural Gas. I said it was infratructure. Pipelines and stroage of natural gas are what create the issues, and this needs to be address before cars can be mass produced to use Natural Gas.


Gas stations here look like this










They have premium, gasohol 91 and 95, E20, diesel (and here diesel is very cheap) and NGV pumps. That Toyota with the hood up is filling up his NGV tank.

3rd world countries. God bless them.


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## limited360 (May 6, 2011)

Just cause some one runs on it everyday doesn't mean its safe.... It would have to pass crash safety testing to be legal here... Main reason why many car companies don't sell cars in the US


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

limited360 said:


> Just cause some one runs on it everyday doesn't mean its safe.... It would have to pass crash safety testing to be legal here... Main reason why many car companies don't sell cars in the US


Chevy sells the Optra CNG. Factory installed.

Do you realize how many accidents people have here on a daily basis? None of them explode from having an NGV tank.

Let's put it this way. Having a natural gas tank in your trunk is WAY safer than driving and texting, yet Americans text and drive everyday. Putting a Natural Gas tank shouldn't be a big deal.

This is how trucks run here










every single day I see them down the road. Also buses run this way and the fee for the bus is dirt cheap










Please. Don't buy into all this safety nonsense. You don't have natural gas because the government doesn't want you to. If it's down to "safety", then they've had many decades to conduct thousands of "safety" tests so that now, in the year 2011, you can use one of the largest reserves of natural gas in the world for something more than frying eggs.

Same reason why in the USA, we are not using OUR OWN OIL. Just because they are screwing us up the butt hole.

The point is, safety or not, you CAN run your car on nothing but natural gas, right now, as is. All you have to do is install the tank. What is the US government doing about that? Nothing. That's the point. Why are they not pushing for all these "safety" tests so that you can go get a gas tank installed? Why is every state not installing gas pumps in every gas station? Nobody is doing anything about it. That's the problem.

And since you buy into the "safety" nonsense, let's take a look:

How Safe is Natural Gas - Natural Gas Safety - Is Natural Gas Safe

Q: How safe is natural gas?

Answer:



*Physical Properties*: Yes, natural gas itself is a safer fuel than either gasoline or diesel fuel.
*Fuel Density*: Natural gas is lighter than air. If a leak were to develop, the gas would rise and disperse through the atmosphere giving little chance for ignition. Compare that to gasoline and diesel fuel, both of which are dense liquids that tend to pool and are easily ignitable.
*Toxicity*: Natural gas is non-toxic.
Natural gas vehicles are very safe, for not only do they have all the same standard safety equipment as conventional cars (passive restraints, air bags, head restraints and anti-lock brakes), but they are subjected to the same crash safety tests as well.
Contrast this with standard gasoline and diesel tanks in regular vehicles. These tanks are usually made from stamped steel shell halves, just a few thirty-seconds of an inch thick, that are welded or crimped together. In the event of a traffic accident, the ability of rugged, durable CNG tanks to withstand rupture or puncture certainly exceeds that of simple stamped steel.
*In the event of a fire, the fuel is safely evacuated from the car before it ever has a chance to catch fire. Gasoline and diesel vehicles simply can’t do that.*

Face it. Has nothing to do with "safety". It has to do with the government and oil companies screwing you. That's all.


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## Quazar (Apr 28, 2011)

@ Thai,

Well lets begin with this. We have 5 times the amount of people, 25X the amount of land mass to cover, and 20x the amount of vehicles on the road. 

Second, we outlawed minor health issues like lead paint (for example) decades before most 3rd world countries , in fact Thailand is one of the countries that still produce it.

So YEA, our safety requirements are a lot higher than your country. Like I said, anyone can convert there car here they just have to pay for it. Here, we have to do things like Helium leak testing on fuel systems and get single digit parts per million before putting them in cars. 

Here we make cars with fire suppression units in the trunk for Police, because a few cops died in high speed when they crash and the car caught fire.

However there are two points you miss, that I will repeat. 

1. The infrastructure for 25X the land and 5X the people is infinitely more complex.
2. It is legal.

From what I understand, it cost between 1500 - 2500 USD to have the car converted there, and one of the concerns is that no one regulates it and anyone can do it. 

Aside from that, even if the cost was 2000 here, that would be all the savings. So there would be no point. 

Oh yea, and gas stations also look like this...


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

Quazar said:


> @ Thai,
> 
> Well lets begin with this. We have 5 times the amount of people, 25X the amount of land mass to cover, and 20x the amount of vehicles on the road.
> 
> ...



Yea sure. Let's get a picture of some Lao girl on the border filling up mopeds.

Actually, if you go to the islands, you can fill up your moped with a bottle. They put the gasoline on what look like coke bottles.

But, let's get back to the real world. You're talking about a place you don't know anything about. You don't live here, so you don't know anything.

Second, all you have are excuses why there is no natural gas widely available in the USA. There is really nothing you can say about it other than the government hasn't bothered giving people another alternative. That's why. It has nothing to do with regulation and safety. They've had many decades to get it regulated. They just haven't bothered.

All I hear you saying is "Thailand is a free for all and here in the USA we have to do this test and the other test and things have to be regulated". So what? That doesn't negate what I just said. You have no natural gas option because the US government likes to screw their own people. Are you saying the USA hasn't had enough time to regulate and make natural gas available to everyone? How much longer do they need?

and BTW, Thailand is NOT my country, I just live here.



> 1. The infrastructure for 25X the land and 5X the people is infinitely more complex.


So by your logic, "it's too hard, so let's not do anything."



> 2. It is legal.


Then why not make it widely available? And why am I repeating myself? You can't say people there "don't want it" because they've never had it. How can you not want something you have never had?

Regulations. yes right. The USA has time to regulate all kinds of crap, except things that matter. Like moving people around.


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

Boy, these unregulated Thai savages sure are lucky. I just got out of work and I am sitting here waiting for the wife and I ran into 3 guys with new CNG Toyota Corollas right from the Factory. 

You can see these cars come with a green CNG badge, like the Optra CNG. 

This guy is parked in front of me right now










These 2 I saw on my way here 


















Toyota and Chevrolet must be crazy to put these death traps on the road. 

Hehahahahaha. What a bunch of crap. 

The only reason why we can't buy this Corolla in the USA is because the government doesn't care and hasnt bothered after all these decades to provide Americans with alternative forms to fuel their cars. That's all.


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## Quazar (Apr 28, 2011)

thaicruze said:


> But, let's get back to the real world. You're talking about a place you don't know anything about. You don't live here, so you don't know anything....
> 
> Regulations. yes right. The USA has time to regulate all kinds of crap, except things that matter. Like moving people around.


All I know is that we have the highest National Gross Income in the world, 5X that of every Asian country combined together. Apparently we have done something right along the way. But your right, my government where I live is just lying to us, doesn't care and isn't spending 180 million right now installing Hydrogen Pump stations. Because we don't get to have alternative vehicles where I live. I also don't pay less for cars than anywhere else in the world, which is a fact people forget when complaining about fuel cost. But that's because big business and the government just rape us over here........................

* Michigan Works To Make Natural Gas Vehicle Fueling Easier *

Source: Green Car Reports
Date: 7/14/2011 7:00 PM
When it comes to motor fuels, natural gas may be one of the best alternatives to gasoline on the market today.
It burns cleaner than gasoline, resulting in lower tailpipe emissions. It costs about half as much as gasoline, yet delivers a very similar driving experience.
So why haven't manufacturers begun rolling out new models powered by compressed natural gas (CNG)?
There are two reasons: first, the range of a CNG vehicle is about half that of a gasoline-fueled vehicle, despite the large onboard CNG storage tank that potentially limits the carrying capacity of a CNG vehicle.
The biggest objection, however, is infrastructure: there simply aren't enough CNG refueling stations nationwide to make CNG powered automobiles attractive to most drivers.
Michigan is taking steps to remedy that, and the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company (MichCon) recently unveiled a new CNG fueling station in Melvindale, just southwest of Detroit.
The station joins twelve others in the state of Michigan, ranging from Muskegon to Adrian, with more planned for the near future. That’s a good thing, since the number of CNG vehicles on Michigan roads increased by nearly 25 percent from 2008 to 2009.
Nationally, the number of CNG refueling stations numbers about 1,000, but only 50 percent of these are available to the public. Much of the infrastructure is on the West coast, so consumers in the Midwest, East or South may have a difficult time finding convenient CNG refueling stations today.
That may soon change, as Honda has announced nationwide availability of their CNG powered Civic GX (for fleet customers, at least), and other manufacturers have plans for CNG vehicles. And General Motors now offers natural-gas versions of its large commercial vans.
Natural gas conversions of existing vehicles are becoming more popular as gas prices rise, but the cost of conversions (up to $20,000) makes them more attractive to fleet operators than private owners. Still, some 114,000 CNG powered vehicles are on U.S. roads today


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## scaredpoet (Nov 29, 2010)

JDM-USDM Love said:


> Yeah but those Crown Vics can take years and miles upon miles of punishment. So I can still see why they've sold so well as fleet vehicles.


Should also be pointed out: most taxi owners don't necessarily buy their taxis new. They're often 1-2 year old police vehicles bought at auction, repainted and refurbished a bit. 

Up until recently, all the police departments have ever really bought were Crown vics, so that's what most cabs ended up being.

Of course now, in cities like NYC new taxi specifications have been passed and the cars will have to be bought new going forward.


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## SingBam (Jan 11, 2011)

I like the tacos at Sunshine at Times Square (Sukhumvit at Soi 12) in Bangkok. Don't care too much for the diner next door though!


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## Danman1453 (Feb 24, 2011)

thaicruze said:


> Natural Gas over here is dirt cheap. all taxis run on it (it's really weird seeing them flying down the highway with the gasoline needle all the way down on 0. Takes you a while to get used to it).
> 
> Careful now. When I say "gas" I mean "natural gas" ie, NGV/LPG. I can't call gasoline "gas" here. Here "gas" is gas. Gasoline is "petrol". And yes, gasoline here is as expensive as it's everywhere, except in the middle east countries. They own all the oil and are paying $1 a gallon. I'm paying 36.14 baht per liter for E10 (gasohol 91). The Cruze takes E10 and E20.
> 
> ...



Anybody else see the resemblance to the cruze? maybe thats why you saw the TRD logo on the bumper. Maybe some of the components are interchangable. Wouldn't be the first. Look at the ford(mazda) rangers from the 90s (i think thats the time period).


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## Danman1453 (Feb 24, 2011)




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## Danman1453 (Feb 24, 2011)

After further research (read: google for 5 mins.) it looks as if they are one in the same. Toyota and Chevy took different fine design routes, but the basic are almost identical.


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