Congressional Support for Right to Repair Waning
from Automotive Service Association
 The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers and the Automotive Service Association cited the progress that has been made in the almost seven years since Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., facilitated a service information sharing agreement. The agreement is seen as the reason for diminished Congressional support for so-called "right to repair" legislation. More 
GM Dealerships Will be Cut by Half; Pontiac Will be Phased Out by 2010
from Automotive News
General Motors, speeding up its overhaul in a bid to survive, plans to shed half of its 6,200 U.S. dealerships by 2014 and phase out its Pontiac brand by next year. The dealership reduction, from 6,246 at the end of last year, marks a sharper decline than forecast on Feb. 17, when the count was projected to fall by 34 percent. GM's revised viability proposal submitted to the U.S. government today also said the automaker will offer stock to debt holders to reduce its crushing debt load. More
Missouri House Protects State Safety Inspection Program
from Automotive Service Association
 The Missouri House of Representatives has eliminated the language in Senate Bill 58 that would have caused serious harm to Missouri's state vehicle safety inspection program. Missouri S.B. 58, an act that modifies several provisions of law relating to transportation, would have exempted vehicles from safety inspection testing for their first 10 years, which would have allowed a car to have been driven 150,000 miles or more (based on the average annual mileage of 15,000) before its first vehicle safety inspection. More
California to Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Vehicle Fuels
from The Los Angeles Times
California took aim at the oil industry and its impact on global warming, adopting the world's first regulation to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the fuel that runs cars and trucks. The Air Resources Board voted in favor of the complex new rule, which is expected to slash the state's gasoline consumption by a quarter in the next decade. It seeks to expand the market for electric and hydrogen-fueled vehicles and jump-start a host of futuristic biofuels to replace corn-based ethanol, as well as oil. More
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Largest American Axle Plant Will Close
from The Detroit Free Press
American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. plans next month to idle the largest factory in its sprawling manufacturing complex, which straddles the cities of Hamtramck and Detroit, union officials told the Free Press. The company plans to send the work to its plant in Mexico and lay off at least 500 workers. The move comes a year after workers at the Detroit-based auto supplier accepted wage and benefit cuts in a contract that followed a bitter three-month strike. More
Ricardo Contributes in Converting Truck to Electric Plug-in
from Motor Age
Ricardo, Inc. is involved in a project to further advance technologies utilized in a plug-in hybrid utility truck. The project, created by the Electric Power Research Institute and working closely with Eaton Corporation, was unveiled in March to President Barack Obama, during his visit to the Electric Vehicle Technical Center of Southern California Edison. Ricardo's involvement in the first phase of the project included the controls system support to Eaton for the integration of a high energy battery pack into a Ford F-550 chassis, and the modification of the control system to allow electric power take off operation. More
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Repair Businesses Thrive as More People Protect their Vehicles, Avoid New Car Prices
from The Charlotte Observer
The Meineke Car Care Center in Concord, N.C., was busy on a recent morning: an old-model Toyota and a sleek silver Nissan 350Z parked outside, mechanics bustling near racks of tires and signs advertising service specials. The shop is doing 100 oil changes a week, up 30 percent from a few months ago. Business there has climbed 20 percent overall, fueled by brakes, tires, belts and fluids that need repairing or replenishing, store manager Pete Robinson said. More
Road-Testing Cars of the Future
from U.S. News & World Reports
Ever since the automobile displaced the horse and buggy a century ago, almost all cars have run on fuel derived from oil. But a new revolution is underway, and this time, it's the fuel that's poised for a makeover. At this year's Detroit Auto Show, auto execs who used to rhapsodize about hood scoops and horsepower enthused about emission-free tailpipes and energy independence. General Motors is staking its resurgence on a battery-powered car that plugs into a household receptacle. More
ASA Launches PR Kit for Members
from Automotive Service Association
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has launched its new PR Kit to help members promote their business as well as their affiliation with ASA. The kit contains an array of pre-written press releases, photography tips, print- and Web-based advertising samples and suggestions, and an audio clip ready for use on members' Web sites. More
RMA Sees Further Shipment Fall
from Tire Review
RMA projects that total tire shipments will decline by some 21 million units to 261 million tires, "a level last experienced in 1993 and approximately 60 million units fewer than the 321 million unit peak in 2000," the group said. The fall-off is driven by "continued erosion of consumer confidence, higher unemployment, depressed auto sales, a decline in vehicle miles traveled and downward revisions in domestic economic conditions for both the consumer and commercial sectors," RMA said. More
Waiving Deductibles Puts Florida Auto Repair Shop in the Spotlight
from Northwest Florida Daily News
The eye of a stormy debate in the collision repair industry is focused on a business in Crestview, Fla. Crestview Paint & Body's practice of waiving deductibles to attract customers was the focus of an article and a follow-up in Automotive Body Repair News, a national industry magazine and Web site. Crestview Paint & Body owner Ed Lowe says he received calls from as far away as Miami and California in response to the article. More
Eight Ways to Save Costs
from ABRN
As more collision shops feel the affects of the sluggish economy, owners have had to make difficult decisions about where to cut expenses. Many body shops, though, feel they've already shaved expenses down to the bone, and have struggled to find ways to keep costs down without laying off employees. "It can be very difficult to find areas to reduce costs," says Teresa Kostick, owner of All Line CARSTAR Auto Body, an ASA member in Bollingbrook, Ill. "You have ongoing operating costs, dues and subscriptions that have to be maintained, and you may carry debt that has to be serviced." More
Society of Automotive Engineers Tackles Governmental 35 MPG Standard
from Popular Mechanics
At this year's SAE World Congress there is a sense of urgency and excitement in the air as the gathered automotive engineers begin to tackle what may be the toughest challenge yet: Dramatically increasing fuel economy in the U.S. Kiss the four-speed automatic goodbye. The coming trend will be more gears to obtain a larger ratio spread. More speeds means the engine doesn't have to work as hard, saving fuel. Double-clutch automated transmissions will become much more common. More
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