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| Option and Package Glossary |
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| Option and Package Glossary |
C-PILLAR | |
| The roof support between a vehicle's rearmost side window and its rear window. Also known as a C-Post. | |
CA DIMENSION | |
| Cab to Axle. The dimension from the back of the cab to the center line of the rear axle which is used to determine body applications, fifth wheel installation and weight distribution. | |
CAB-OVER CAMPER | |
| A slide-in camper installed in a pickup bed, where the front of the camper extends over the cab. | |
CAFE | |
| The acronym for Corporate Average Fuel Economy. This single MILEAGE figure is determined by taking A sales weighted Average of the Fuel consumption for all models produced by A manufacturer. the minimum required figure is An established U.S. government standard. Manufacturers which do not meet the minimum standard are fined. | |
CALIPER | |
| In a disk brake, a housing for cylinder, pistons and brake shoes, connected to the hydraulic system which holds the brake shoes to the brake disc. | |
CAM | |
| A shaped or profiled component used with a cam follower that produces linear or angular motion while rotating to change rotary motion to reciprocating motion. | |
CAMBER ANGLE | |
| The inward or outward angle which a front-wheel spindle makes with a vertical line when viewed in end elevation. The adjustment of this setting affects both tire wear and vehicle handling. | |
CAMSHAFT | |
| The shaft in the engine driven by gears, belts or chain from the crankshaft, on which cams are mounted to open and close intake and exhaust valves as it turns. | |
CAP-COST REDUCTION | |
| An initial payment on a lease that can further reduce a lessee's monthly payments by lowering the capitalized cost of the vehicle. | |
CAPITALIZED COST | |
| The price of the leased vehicle, including charges such as fees or taxes, that become the cost basis for calculating the terms of a lease. | |
CAPTIVE LEASE | |
| Common terminology for the lease programs available from the major auto manufacturers. The names for these leases are: Gold Key (Chrysler), Red Carpet (Ford), and SmartLease (GM). | |
CARBON MONOXIDE | |
| (CO) - A colorless, odorless, highly toxic gaseous product of incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuel with air. | |
CARGO WEIGHT RATING | |
| The value specified by the manufacturer as the cargo-carrying capacity of a vehicle, excluding the weight of the occupants. Actual cargo weight is also known as the payload. | |
CASH BACK | |
| A type of incentive rebate in which the manufacturer sends money to the customer after purchasing a vehicle. | |
CASTER ANGLE | |
| Angle in side elevation of the forward or backward tilt of the steering axis. If the point of load is ahead of the point of contact, the caster angle is positive. The caster angle tends to keep wheels in a straight line and proper adjustment improves both tire wear and fuel economy. | |
CATALYTIC CONVERTER | |
| Emission control device fitted in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. The converter reduces the toxicity of products of combustion by catalytic re-combination. | |
CE DIMENSION | |
| Cab to End of the frame. The measurement from the back of the cab to the rear of the standard frame. Used primarily to determine the size of the body to be used on a chassis-cab. | |
CENTER HIGH-MOUNTED STOP LAMP | |
| (CHMSL) An additional brake light positioned above the rear-most window on truck models, and in the rear window, roof or decklid of most passenger cars. This positioning allows a braking vehicle to be seen more easily by following vehicle(s). | |
CENTER OF GRAVITY | |
| Point where the weight of a vehicle is concentrated so that suspended, front and rear would be balanced. | |
CENTRAL PORT FUEL INJECTION | |
| A fuel injection system using a single fuel injector which delivers the fuel through six flexible fuel transport tubes. At the end of each tube is a nozzle which plugs into a machined hole in the inlet port. | |
CHASSIS | |
| Structural lower part of the vehicle which consists of all functional parts including the frame, suspension, exhaust system, brakes, engine, transmission, rear axle, drive train, fuel system, wheels and tires. | |
CHASSIS COWL | |
| Commercial vehicle chassis complete with cab, engine and running gear, and equipped for road use, but with only the front of the cab, from which a body builder can construct an integral van. | |
CHASSIS-CAB | |
| A vehicle chassis with completed occupant compartment, and equipped for road use, that requires the addition of the cargo-carrying components. | |
CHILD SEAT, INTEGRAL | |
| Built-in child seat, usually found in vehicles so equipped, in back seat of passenger cars or second row seating in passenger vans, designed as an alternative to aftermarket child seats. | |
CLASSIC VEHICLE | |
| Vehicle built prior to mid 1940's and defined as classic by the Classic Car Club of America. The condition of a classic vehicle is rated differently than other used cars making loan value much more subjective. | |
CLEAR-COAT | |
| A clear, colorless paint applied as the last coat of a paint job. This provides a ""wet-look"" shine that resists fading. | |
CLOSED CRANKCASE VENTILATION (CCV) | |
| A system in which crankcase vapors are discharged into the engine intake system where they are burned during the combustion process rather than being released into the atmosphere. | |
CLOSED-END LEASE | |
| A lease wherein the lessee is not responsible for the market value of a vehicle when the lease is completed. Under this lease, the lessee may return the vehicle at the end of the term and have no further obligation for the car. Also known as a Walk-Away Lease. | |
CLUTCH | |
| A coupling that engages and disengages a shaft from its drive while the drive mechanism is running. In vehicle manual transmission systems the clutch allows smooth and progressive engagement between engine and gearbox for taking up initial drive, and rapid disengagement for gear selection. In an air conditioning system, the clutch engages and disengages the compressor shaft from its continuously rotating drive-belt pulley. | |
CMI (Consumer Marketing Initiative) | |
| A special region in General Motors files in which dealers may order and sell ""value priced"" vehicles with special packages of popular options at a set sticker price. Selling vehicles in this manner reduces haggling between the dealer and the customer, because the dealer's margin is much smaller than on a traditionally priced vehicle. | |
COIL SPRING | |
| A helical spring, mainly used in vehicles for reacting compressive loads that may be compressed or extended without permanent deformation. Coil springs are particularly important as suspension springs. | |
COLD CRANKING AMPS (CCA) | |
| A rating, measured in amperes. Used for comparing cranking strength of automotive batteries during extremely cold weather. | |
COLLAPSIBLE STEERING COLUMN | |
| A safety feature of a steering column which is either jointed or fitted with a special collar designed to crush on impact. | |
COLLECTIBLES | |
| Modern cars that are of limited production or special interest. | |
COMBUSTION CHAMBER | |
| The part of an engine in which combustion takes place, normally the volume of the cylinder between piston crown and the cylinder head in a reciprocating engine. | |
COMPARABLE VEHICLES | |
| Vehicles that match the selected vehicle on body style, engine, transmission type and at least three major equipment items. | |
COMPOSITE HEADLAMPS | |
| Headlamp which is usually manufactured with replaceable halogen bulbs and separate hard acrylic or glass lenses. | |
COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) | |
| Natural Gas, stored under pressure, that is used as an alternative fuel. Some auto manufacturers are offering this as an option to conventional gasoline with the advantage that compressed natural gas offers lower emissions. | |
COMPRESSION RATIO | |
| The volume of the combustion chamber and cylinder when the piston is at the bottom of its stroke (at the moment of greatest volume), divided by the volume of the combustion chamber and cylinder when the piston is at the top of its stroke. Note that compression ratio is a volumetric ratio and not a pressure ratio. Higher compression ratios tend to increase engine efficiency. | |
COMPRESSOR (Air Conditioning) | |
| The mechanism in an air conditioner that pumps vaporized refrigerant out of the evaporator, compresses it to a relatively high pressure, and then delivers it to the condenser. | |
CONCEPS | |
| (Common ONline Configuring, Editing, and Pricing System) Ford's ordering system. | |
CONDENSER | |
| A device in older engines used to briefly store electrical energy. or an air conditioning component used to remove heat from the inside of a vehicle. | |
CONDITION | |
| An attempt to further evaulate a vehicle by categorizing wear and tear, outstanding defects or predicted reconditioning costs. Using condition as a way to affect value is very subjective since no two vehicles are the same. | |
CONNECTING ROD | |
| The metal rod that connects the crank to the piston in an engine or other reciprocating machine. | |
CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | |
| Constant velocity (or CV) joint is an advanced version of a universal joint in which the output shaft rotates at constant angular velocity with no cyclic variations, given a constant input shaft speed. | |
CONTACT PATCH | |
| Area of contact of a tire with the ground. | |
CONTROL ARM | |
| A suspension element that has one joint at one end and two joints at the other end. Also known as a wishbone or an A-arm. | |
CONVERSIONS | |
| Vehicles with major modfications to the body style, usually done after-market. | |
COOLANT | |
| Fluid, usually a liquid such as water or water/glycol mixture (anti-freeze), used in a cooling system for an engine that picks up heat from the engine and transfers it to the air passing through the radiator. | |
COOLANT RECOVERY SYSTEM | |
| Part of the engine cooling system which consists of a container attached to the radiator, so that when a radiator overflows, the container stores the liquid thus eliminating the need to open the radiator for refilling. | |
COOLING SYSTEM | |
| System of components devised for the cooling of an engine, usually consisting of a radiator or other heat dissipator, a circulating pump, thermostat, coolant fluid and pipework. | |
CORE PLUG | |
| Steel plugs, slightly cup shaped, inserted into holes in the engine block that were created during the casting process of the engine block. These holes open into cooling passages and are usually located in the lower half of the block. | |
COST OF OWNERSHIP | |
| The means of calculating how much it costs to own a vehicle. These costs are divided into fixed costs and running costs. Fixed costs remain static and usually decrease each year. Running costs are variable and are incurred when the vehicle is used. Running costs could increase as the vehicle ages. Ownership costs include: Depreciation - This is the amount that a vehicle decreases in value over time. Insurance - All lenders require insurance coverage to protect their investment. Vehicles are rated on a scale that will determine premiums and thus differ in insurance cost. Financing -This is the cost of financing interest and fees, not just the amount borrowed. State fees -Fees would include registration and licensing as well as any taxes on the vehicle. Fuel - Considered to be not only EPA Mileage Ratings but also fuel consumption. Repairs/Maintenance -Reliability ratings, cost of service contracts and all services required to maintain the vehicle's warranty, required for best operation and other regular wear and tear. | |
COWL | |
| The front portion of a car's body directly below the base of the windshield and between the firewall or bulkhead and the instrument panel. | |
CRANKCASE | |
| A case that encloses the crankshaft, which in most engines consists of the oil pan and the lower portion of the cylinder block. | |
CRANKSHAFT | |
| A shaft with one or more cranks throws are attached by connecting rods to the engine's pistons. The combustion process creates reciprocating motion in the rods and pistons which in turn causes a rotating motion by the crankshaft. | |
CROSSMEMBER | |
| One of several horizontal members in a vehicle frame which join to the side members and add to the overall strength and stability. | |
CURB WEIGHT | |
| Weight of the vehicle with fuel, lubricants and coolant, but without driver, passengers or payload. | |
CUTAWAY VAN | |
| An incomplete vehicle, with completed occupant compartment but without a rear wall, that requires the addition of a specialized conversion body or equipment. | |
CYLINDER BLOCK | |
| The shell of the engine to which other engine parts are attached, including cylinders and the upper part of the crankcase. | |
CYLINDER HEAD | |
| The removable part of the engine that seals or closes the upper ends of the cylinders. | |