"Everyone Loves Consistency:" Designing and Implementing Systems and Processes
from AutoInc.
 "I have had the pleasure of spending time with hundreds of the nicest people during the past several years, and yes, I'm talking about shop owners," said Cecil Bullard, a third-generation technician and an approved Automotive Management Institute (AMI) instructor. "I have been intimately involved in helping many of them understand, manage and improve their business. Lessons taught and learned have made managing easier, profits greater and changed lives for the better." More
Nevada Assembly Passes Ban for Insurer-Owned Shops
from Automotive Service Association
 Nevada Assembly Bill 297, which puts a halt to insurer-owned shops in the state of Nevada, has been passed by the Nevada Assembly, and is now with the Nevada Senate Committee on Energy, Infrastructure and Transportation. The legislation would grandfather any Nevada insurer-owned shops in place prior to July 1, 2009. The Automotive Service Association (ASA) supports Nevada A.B. 297, which is modeled after the 2006 Texas legislation – House Bill 1131. More
Consumers Still Reluctant to Buy New Cars
from Motor Age
A recently completed Internet survey reveals a progressive increase in consumers' unwillingness to consider purchasing a new car. Those who definitely or probably will not buy have increased from 22 percent in September, 2008, to 38 percent in March, 2009 to 42 percent in April. More
What the EPA's Ruling Means for Business
from Forbes
The Environmental Protection Agency ruled that carbon dioxide, a suspected cause of global warming, is an air pollutant that it is legally bound to regulate, a decision likely to have a vast impact on the U.S. economy and the way American companies do business. It is also a boon for cleantech, and may turn investors away from carbon intensive industries for good. More
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URG Offers Quality Recycled Parts Search Engine
 United Recyclers offers body shops and mechanical repair shops the ability to search used parts for cars and trucks. Each URG member provides quality assurance to the product. The result is a nationwide label that delivers consistently high quality parts and maximizes consumers, collision center, and estimator confidence. More info
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GM Considers Shutting Factories for Nine Weeks
from The Washington Post
General Motors might halt production at some of its U.S. factories for up to nine weeks this summer to combat slumping auto sales, according to people familiar with the plan. GM typically closes its facilities for two weeks in July to change production lines for new models. Much like over the winter holidays, the automaker might extend that scheduled shutdown at unproductive plants to help bring down the growing stockpile of unsold cars and trucks, particularly if sales remain at their depressed levels. More
It Was Just a Little Scratch
from Tire Review
Anyone who works in a tire or service dealership needs to be aware of MRSA and what it means, especially people like us whose skin is frequently scratched and punctured on the job. MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, which is best described as a serious super version of the staph infection. More
What's Driving a Shift Away from Manual Transmissions
from McClatchy Washington Bureau
Stick shifts could be going the way of whitewall tires, running boards and rumble seats. As recently as 1985, more than 50 percent of male car buyers said they wanted a stick shift. Last year, only 11 percent did, according to market researchers, and sales totaled 7 percent of the new car market. More
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Order Genuine Toyota Parts Online Quickly
 Toyota is making it easier for you to do business with your preferred Toyota dealer". Now, independent repair and collision shops can order Genuine Toyota Parts online quickly and easily. Plus, communicate online with your preferred Toyota dealer, access the latest technical information, and much more. Sign up now for FREE access!
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Repair Shops Booming as Drivers Fix Up, Rather than Trade in
from The Flint Journal
Some automotive repair shops are bustling in these hard economic times as penny-pinching drivers reluctantly put money into fixing up older vehicles rather than take on new car payments. Business is steady or even better at some shops where customers are digging into their pockets to fix everything from brakes to suspensions. More
Hoping to Clean Up
from The Detroit Free Press
The state that put the world on wheels wants to become a leader in the new clean tech economy. State officials are betting on it, and the recent announcement of a slew of new investments by automotive battery companies promises to significantly boost Michigan's efforts. However, the state is still in the early stages of developing an industry focused on technologies for alternative energy, pollution control, recycling and energy conservation. More
Tech Runs into Problems Fixing Dual Temp Control
from AutoInc.
It's amazing how many calls we take from technicians who have diagnosed a problem that should have been solved when the faulty part was replaced but instead, the symptoms haven't changed. I recently took a call on a 2003 Lincoln Navigator with the dual automatic temperature control (DATC) system. The passenger complained that the right-hand (RH) side temperature control was not operating properly - it would not switch between hot and cold properly. However, the driver's left-hand (LH) side worked fine. More
$1.25 Billion to Back Car Warranties
from The Detroit Free Press
A 247-page report from the Special Inspector General's office for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, known as TARP, said the Obama administration was planning to spend up to $1.25 billion on the program to insure warranties on any General Motors or Chrysler vehicles sold after March 30. The report also said the government would create a separate legal entity to manage the program and that it would be jointly funded by the two automakers and a Treasury Department loan. More
Porsche Chooses China for Entry Into Sedans
from The New York Times
Porsche unveiled its entry into the luxury sedan market on the eve of the Shanghai auto show. It was the latest confirmation of the importance of the Chinese auto market and the first time that Porsche has entered a new market segment at an auto show outside Europe or North America. More
UAW, Fiat Likely to Hold Key Stakes in New Chrysler
from AutoWeek Magazine
The UAW and Italy's Fiat S.p.A. could be Chrysler LLC's leading shareholders if the struggling U.S. automaker wins the concessions requested by President Barack Obama's automotive task force by April 30, a source close to negotiations told Automotive News. Stakes held by Chrysler's existing shareholders--majority owner Cerberus Capital Management LP and 20 percent minority owner Daimler AG--would be "zeroed" as part of the financial restructuring, the source said. More
Fastest Fuel-Efficient Cars
from Forbes
Zero to 60 miles per hour in less than five seconds? Any car that can do that must be a gas guzzler, right? Wrong! Forbes has compiled a list of 10 performance automobiles that combine both speed and fuel efficiency. These cars aren't exactly gas sippers, but a couple get upward of 20 miles per gallon, like the Porsche 911 Carrera S, No. 6 on our list, and the Chevrolet Corvette, No. 2. More
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