http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Article/list/42378 Opinions and editorials written by Motor Age staff and contributors. 2009-11-21T09:33:15Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Technical/Outside-forces-put-their-weight-on-automotive-indu/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/630175?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 It's a new day for the American automobile industry. In order to obtain loans from the federal government that were needed for immediate survival, the new Chrysler Corporation is now partially owned by Fiat SpA as part of an arrangement worked out in federal bankruptcy court. In similar court actions, New General Motors is now partly (temporarily) owned by the federal government. The United Auto Workers union is now part owner of both companies. 2009-10-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/402009/630175null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Industry+News/Trust-your-customers/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/630164?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 A new Web site called Prundo.com seeks to be the Expedia for auto repair, helping registered motorists save money on their auto repairs. Prundo CEO Alka Gupta says the site is unique "because there are no Web sites currently available to help consumers compare auto services based on cost, distance, offers/discount and quality of service." 2009-10-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/402009/630164null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Technical/The-war-of-horsepower-is-over/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/622218?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Earlier this year, AMG chiec Volker Mornhinweg declared the "war of horsepower" is over. This is a bit like Bob Dylan declaring there are no more songs to be written; if it's really true, he's got nothing left to do and we're all poorer for it. 2009-09-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/352009/622218null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Industry+News/Take-it-to-the-people/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/615201?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 As you read this, some of your customers may be abandoning you. And who knows how many potential customers will never find your shop. There you sit with the best techs, attractive incentives, long hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment and people are actually not interested in patronizing your shop. Imagine that! 2009-08-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312009/615201null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Technical/Freeze-Frame-blues/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/615205?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Most people consider diagnostics the biggest challenge in automotive repair. This has been true since the days when a technician's diagnosis relied mostly on finely-tuned senses and years of experience. But unless it's a mechanical malfunction, the things we can see, hear or feel are not the most common clues on today's cars. 2009-08-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312009/615205null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Technical/Fuel-injection-technologies-come-full-circle/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/601629?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 I just found an old photograph I shot in a museum. It shows a fuel injector protruding into the combustion chamber of a cutaway engine. Things I've seen and learned since that day have made this old picture tell a new story that explains how an old technology has come full circle. 2009-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232009/601629null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Trust-your-customers/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/601636?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Some auto repair businesses — independent and dealership — are as crooked and deceitful as Bernie Madoff. And all too often, local TV stations are eager to exploit our industry's weak links by featuring them in consumer segments. This is probably more about not having a fire to cover on a particular day than trying to help their viewers. 2009-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232009/601636null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Information+Systems/Vantage-Point-Unfortunate-Fortune/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/547041?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 In light of this news, it's no surprise that the new car business is hurting. This year we may see new car sales under 14 million, down from a high of 16 million just a couple of years ago. The latest available figures from the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)show that the number of dealerships shrank from 21,200 in 2006 to 20,770 in 2007, a 2 percent drop. You can expect that this year's drop will be even worse, because the weaker dealerships either will drive themselves out of business with desperate business practices or the OEMs will deem them underperformers and strip them of their franchises. 2008-09-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/362008/547041null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Human+Resources/Freeze-Frame-History-in-the-Making/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/547027?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 One of the more surprising things I learned was that almost every idea in automotive technology had been tried or at least described in drawings and patent applications by about 1915. Some ideas, such as the pneumatic tire (1887) and the electric starter (1912), worked out pretty well right away and are still in use today. 2008-09-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/362008/547027null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+Basics/Executive-Interview/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/547032?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Motor Age: Have the longer warranties now offered by most automakers affected your maintenance and repair business? 2008-09-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/362008/547032/17_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/362008/547032null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+Basics/You-Perhaps-and-Not-the-Economy/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/547030?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The good news is shop owners who are staying proactive still are having a good year in service. As a matter of fact, the shops we coach weekly are up $2,143 a week in cash profits since the day we began working with them. 2008-09-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/362008/547030null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+Basics/Executive-Interview/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/532945?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 In cooperation with the Advanstar Automotive Group (AAG) News Network, the broadcast sister of Motor Age, we discuss hybrid service in today's aftermarket with Andy Fiffick, CEO of RadAir Complete Car Care. 2008-08-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312008/532945/16_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312008/532945null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Information+Systems/Vantage-Point-Negating-Intimidation/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/532951?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 It pains me to say this, but one of my best general repair maintenance and service experiences was provided by a new car dealership. Before you cry hypocrisy, let me be clear that this was 25 years ago, so please cut me some slack. Anyway, it started when I went shopping for a new Chrysler. Not only did the dealership sell me a car but it sold me by selling its service capabilities. 2008-08-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312008/532951null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Human+Resources/Freeze-Frame-A-Matter-of-Time/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/532936?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Press releases that crossed my desk recently show changing vehicle makeups. One announced a joint venture between PSA Peugeot Citroen (all one company now) and Mitsubishi Motors to develop an all-electric powertrain. Bosch has a joint venture with Samsung to produce lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. GM plans in two years to begin selling the Chevrolet Volt, which uses only the electric motor to deliver power to the wheels. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz plans to begin selling hydrogen fuel cell cars in 2010, and Honda will begin leasing its second-generation fuel cell cars in California this year. 2008-08-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312008/532936null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Certified+Technicians/Backfire-What-Made-Vickie-Click/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/532985?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 I just read the article in the June 2008 Motor Age magazine about odd noises under the hood ("Clickin Vickie"). My only thought on this coolant fan relay issue is the fan motor. 2008-08-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312008/532985null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+Basics/Will-You-Please-Answer-the-Cash-Register/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/532941?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 One of the most common complaints from shop owners is the need for more customers and more cars. Shop owners spend their hard earned money on a multitude of marketing ideas, but they forget to focus on the most important part of the marketing process. 2008-08-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312008/532941/13_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312008/532941null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Executive-Interview/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/526989?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Sprague is one of a number of industry leaders interviewed by the Advanstar Automotive Group (AAG) News Network at this year's Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS). For more GAAS video interviews, visit www.search-autoparts.com/Videos. 2008-07-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/272008/526989/9_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/272008/526989null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Working-Harder-and-Enjoying-it-Less/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/526987?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 You have successfully built a wonderful business with a great reputation. Everyone is proud of your accomplishments. Your family is very appreciative of the many hours it has taken you to build your business. Your customers love you for taking care of the safety of their families. Your associates have looked up to you for years and, for the most part, will follow you into any battle. 2008-07-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/272008/526987/15_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/272008/526987null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Vantage-Point-Its-up-to-you/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/526994?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Consumers responded to the retailers' promotions by buying things they actually needed with the exception of automotive repairs and maintenance. And who should we blame for that? Ourselves, of course. Other than a few press releases from some of the associations, our industry as a whole did little to take advantage of consumers' newfound wealth. 2008-07-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/272008/526994null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Freeze-Frame-Guilty-but-of-what/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/528336?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 In my March 2007 column "Guiltless," I discussed what we as individuals and as an industry are doing about global warming. I said it doesn't matter whether we believe human activity causes global warming, because most countries have begun regulating CO2 emissions, and those regulations influence our lives personally and professionally. That much is true. 2008-07-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/282008/528336null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Vantage-Point-The-Right-to-Warranty/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/521065?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 "Ask your mechanic to review coverage, limits and exclusions and to recommend the best value." That's part of the advice that Consumer Reports gives it readers who are considering an extended warranty for a new car. Although Consumer Reports usually offers its readers sound advice on thousands of products and services and the best way to buy them, its editors blew this one. In fact, let's call it what it is: absurd. 2008-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232008/521065null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Backfire-Theres-more-to-rewards-than-money/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/521040?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 I wanted to comment on Mr. Brandeberry's letter in the April 2008 issue of Motor Age. He complains of an inability to find a type 'A' technician in his area, but his fixation is on how much money he has to offer. 2008-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232008/521040null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Freeze-Frame-The-Most-Important-Tool/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/521049?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 If you've ever watched The Animal Planet on television, you may know that man is not the only animal that uses tools. Other primates, some birds and even some insects are known to pick up a stick and use it to poke at something. We, however, are the only species that invents tools. Man's first tool probably was used to hit something; thus, the hammer was invented. But when the only tool you have is a hammer, your capabilities are limited to pounding things into submission. As our goals became a little more sophisticated, so did our tools. When we started growing food in addition to hunting for it, our tools became much more specialized. Eventually, we invented tools that, quite literally, took us to the moon. But even the space shuttle carries a hammer. 2008-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232008/521049null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/The-Care-and-Feeding-of-Your-Manager/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/521055?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Everything is going great. The phone is ringing, we have customers coming through the door wanting work done on their cars and all is right with the world. Except, we don't have enough technicians or maybe the right technician for the job. 2008-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232008/521055/16_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232008/521055null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Executive-Interview/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/521059?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 MA: Most agree that the tech shortage that's talked about is really a shortage of qualified techs. But if there's a tech shortage of any kind, how do you explain the fact that consumers seem to be able to get their cars repaired and/or maintained with little effort? 2008-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232008/521059/20_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232008/521059null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Open-Loop-Feeding-the-Wolves/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/521058?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 It's been almost six years since I sold my repair facility. After 21 years in business, it was time to move on to the next phase of my life. I now teach the next generation of technicians at the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C. 2008-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232008/521058null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Industry+News/North-American-automakers-and-suppliers-face-up-to/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/518704?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 According to New AlixPartners Study, profitability gains made by companies in 2007 are on track to be wiped out absent big changes. China is now a more expensive sourcing market than Mexico for many products. 2008-05-22T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/212008/518704null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/The-Care-and-Feeding-of-Your-Manager/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/512901?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Much of the population would rather go to the dentist than take their car into a shop for work. Many think that as an industry we score just above a collection of attorneys when it comes to image. Don't shoot the messenger! I certainly do not believe that stereotype is real or deserved, but rather that most shops are fair, trustworthy and professional. 2008-05-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/182008/512901/i2_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/182008/512901null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Executive-Interview/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/512903?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 For this month's Executive Interview, we offer an excerpt from the Advanstar Automotive Group (AAG) News Network video interview with Jeff Lagges, president of ALLDATA and vice president of AutoZone. For more video interviews, visit http://www.search-autoparts.com/Videos. 2008-05-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/182008/512903/i1_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/182008/512903null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Vantage+Point/Vantage-Point-Take-it-personally/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/512908?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The future of auto repair is at stake. Yet, when an important association conducts a meeting to discuss the most vital industry topic — vehicle repair information access — it can't fill a modestly sized hotel meeting room. And sorry to say, only two media representatives — Motor Age Senior Editor Chris Miller and myself — were in attendance. 2008-05-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/182008/512908null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Distribution/AAIA-using-Consumer-Reports-data-to-support-Right-/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/512173?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 According to the May 2008 issue of Consumer Reports, more Americans (71 percent) are very satisfied with independent repair shops for vehicle service than new car dealers (53 percent). The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) is taking this data into its campaign for the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.R. 2694). 2008-04-25T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/172008/512173null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Industry+News/AAIA-urging-support-for-federal-patent-law/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/511539?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), has called on Congress to support H.R. 5638, legislation that would amend federal patent law to provide an exception from design patent infringement for alternative repair parts used for the purpose of restoring a vehicle to its original appearance. 2008-04-22T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/172008/511539null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Customer+Service/SEMA-offers-research-and-new-ideas-at-annual-educa/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/510031?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Mass customization, which on the surface seems to be an oxymoron, is a trend that is going mainstream and is likely to change the specialty parts business, according to Jim Spoonhower, vice president of research for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). Speaking at SEMA's 2008 National Education Conference in Nashville, Tenn., Spoonhower predicted that the specialty parts businesses that can customize their products or services to the masses stand to be the winners. 2008-04-15T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/162008/510031null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/New-Jersey-action-could-spread-to-other-states/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/509492?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 ORLANDO ? New Jersey retailers of all types have easier access to state contracts now, including automotive needs. The state recently signed a purchasing agreement alliance to purchase automotive parts for its fleet of vehicles from the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance. And word of this is spreading around the IWD/Auto Pride Annual Conference. In addition to these thoughts on WDs' and jobbers' minds, IWD, Auto Pride and Truck Pride members are taking part in business meetings and vendor updates, learning tips to operate a better business and taking part in a manufacturer booth show. 2008-04-11T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/152008/509492null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Customer+Service/CARB-puts-ZEV-production-number-at-7500/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/507205?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will triple the amount of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) proposed for production by automakers from 2012 through 2014. CARB staff members originally proposed a requirement of 2,500 vehicles but the board increased this to 7,500. 2008-04-02T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/142008/507205null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Freeze-Frame-load-leveling/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/506474?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 I recently met with the Keystone Packard Club newsletter editor, who asked if I had any experience with Packards. I told him about one day when I was a boy spending the summer with my cousins who lived in a tiny community in rural Delaware. 2008-04-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/142008/506474null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Vantage+Point/Vantage-Point-Older-not-dead/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/506485?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 To many employers, older workers are dinosaurs who need to be retired to the tar pits and replaced with aggressive, hungry pterodactyls, er, workers. To some extent this has always been a practice in American business, but it is now viewed as being desirable, if not indeed preferable, to help keep wages and benefits under control. 2008-04-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/142008/506485null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Customer+Service/Backfire-A-few-good-workers/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/506467?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 This letter was sent to contributor Richard McCuistian in response to his comments in the October 2007 edition of Motor Age. 2008-04-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/142008/506467null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/ASA-offers-new-prescription-program/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/506478?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Automotive Service Association (ASA) members now can enroll in a prescription drug program through the organization. 2008-04-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/142008/506478/12_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/142008/506478null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Executive-Interview/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/506480?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Mike Lambert, president of the Automotive Distribution Network (ADN), was president of Parts Plus for nine years before the company's merger with Independent Auto Parts of America (IAPA) to form what is one of the most significant program groups in the industry. 2008-04-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/142008/506480/14_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/142008/506480null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/CARB-looking-at-reducing-required-ZEV-sales-number/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/505598?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is considering making revisions to the state's zero emission vehicle (ZEV) regulations. The 11-member board this morning will hear recommendations from the CARB staff that would allow carmakers to sell 2,500 pure ZEV or electric vehicles between 2012 and 2014 instead of the current mandate of 25,000 in that time period. The board will listen to the recommendation and suggest amendments or table it for further discussion. 2008-03-27T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/132008/505598null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Industry+News/Past-state-ASA-chairman-speaks-out-against-super-w/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/504309?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Charlie Elder, AAM, immediate-past chairman of the Automotive Service Association (ASA) board of directors, testified before a Florida state committee earlier this week in opposition of super warranties. He spoke before the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at a third workshop March 18 in Tallahassee, Fla., on greenhouse gas emissions reduction and the potential adoption of California motor vehicle emissions standards in Florida. 2008-03-21T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/122008/504309null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Customer+Service/New-vehicle-sales-expected-to-drop-to-lowest-mark-/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/504001?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 J.D. Power and Associates is reporting that new vehicle sales this year will drop again. And while part of the automotive market fears news like this, it could mean good news for you. The group reports sales in 2008 are expected to reach their lowest levels since 1994, dropping to 14.95 million cars and light trucks. New-vehicle sales for 2008 were originally forecasted at 15.7 million units. If more older model vehicles are on the road, once again this could mean more opportunities for business in your bays. 2008-03-20T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/122008/504001null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Customer+Service/Telematics-forecast-to-grow-in-popularity-new-rese/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/503860?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 There will be more vehicles on the road in coming years with telematics systems built in, which could be a concern for shop owners and technicians that could lose business to the dealerships. And with growing popularity of being instantly connected, the trend will continue, one research firm reports. 2008-03-19T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/122008/503860null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Distribution/Frost-research-sheds-light-on-new-opportunities-wi/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/501304?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Frost & Sullivan's Strategic Analysis of Emission and Idling Reduction Technologies for EPA 2010 and Idling Regulations Compliance provides a comprehensive overview of the key challenges brought about by the EPA 2010 and idling regulations on the heavy-truck industry. 2008-03-10T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/501304null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Events/Volvo-displays-carbon-dioxide-neutral-technology-o/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/500952?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The Volvo Group has brought its carbon dioxide-neutral trucks to Washington, D.C. In conjunction with the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) arranged by the U.S. State Department, the Volvo Group has presented seven different trucks, all of which can be driven without any net contribution of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. During the conference, the Volvo Group displayed four Volvo FMs, two Volvo VNs and a Mack Pinnacle, which are equipped with engines specifically modified to operate with seven different renewable fuels/fuel combinations. 2008-03-07T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/500952null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Certified+Technicians/Troubleshooting-Cam-Timing-Nightmare/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/500835?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 I have a 2000 Dodge Intrepid with a 2.7L engine that will run without the cam sensor signal, but if it should jump time a tooth, it will stop the injectors. When the water pump bearing fails, it does so silently. This extra limp-in mode for cam sensor failure is not in the service manual, nor is there anything about sensors being out of sync. There's also no information about this in Mitchell or on my Genisys scanner. 2008-03-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/500835null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Vantage-Point-Brave-new-Web/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/500843?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 You've seen it all by now, competitively speaking. Your competition ranges from retailers like Pep Boys that have service bays to new car dealerships that can't survive on shrinking new vehicle sales margins and new businesses that offer unique services such as real-time, in-the-bay repair progress via the repairer's Web site. 2008-03-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/500843null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/New+Products/Backfire-A-Fix-For-Syntehic-Fluid-Breakdowns/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/500840?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Your recent Backfire about synthetic brake fluids was great (September, November 2007), but after 10 years of racing we found that synthetic fluids break apart at high heat and pressure and do not go back to a normal fluid state when cooled down, resulting in very bad brake pedal. 2008-03-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/500840null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Executive-Interview/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/500848?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Formula 1 (F1) racing is moving closer to homologation, wherein all racecars will be more uniform and standardized to narrow the competitive technology gap between cars that teams with more resources exploited. John Howett, president of Panasonic Toyota Racing (PTR), shared his thoughts with Motor Age as to how the teams deal with the challenges faced in 2008. 2008-03-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/500848/i1[3]_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/500848null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Profit-Matters-Maintenance-mdash-A-Catch-and-Relea/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/500753?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 In December, we discussed how women have become the No. 1 buyer of maintenance. So this month, let's focus on our sales process skills. I've co-developed the Relationship Marketing System (RMS) to help capture the estimated $70 billion in untapped maintenance. 2008-03-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/500753/i1[1]_thumbnail.gif http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102008/500753null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Industry+News/The-measure-of-a-man/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/492965?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Some of you might recognize the name Stan Stephenson. Most of you probably won't. All of you should. Because on Feb. 8, 2008, at approximately 2 p.m. on a bright and sunny winter day, our industry lost an icon. A few of us, if we're very fortunate, have someone like Stan in our lives; someone who recognizes the talent within and helps us to develop that gift, thereby changing our lives forever. Stan Stephenson was one of those individuals, and I was lucky enough to cross his path. 2008-02-21T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/082008/492965null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Resources/Executive-Interview-Rick-Wagoner/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/490632?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 At the recent 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner became the fist automaker representative to provide the keynote address to delegates. He shared his excitement and insights regarding the growth of automotive electronics. 2008-02-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/072008/490632null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Vantage-Point-In-the-drivers-seat/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/490633?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 For many of you, the extra time you have to spend in the gym to honor your New Year's resolution won't be entirely the fault of your loss of self-control during the mega-caloric holiday season. It also may be your loss of self-control during what I'm calling "the post-holiday auto parts retailers' doughnut barrage." Anyway, the retailers are definitely willing to sacrifice your waistline to get your business. 2008-02-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/072008/490633null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Technical/Freeze-Frame-Neo-Luddite/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/490628?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 It's definitely not my cup of tea, but I could get used to this: I've been driving a borrowed Audi Q7 with the V8 engine, six-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive and a bucket full of electronic chassis controls. I prefer cars with relatively basic features and manual controls, but it seems like each new model has more automatic features that make their own decisions. I don't know whether it's the chore of having to outsmart a computer to make the car do what I want it to do, or the insulting feeling that some faraway engineer thinks he knows what I want the car to do, but these days I find myself thinking nostalgically about throttle cables. However, there are some features on this Q7 that point to an automated automotive future that I will welcome. 2008-02-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/072008/490628null XML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/You-Never-Know/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/483960?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 It's been almost six years since I sold my repair facility. After 21 years in business it was time to move on to the next phase of my life. I now teach the next generation of technicians at the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, NC. 2008-01-17T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/022008/483960null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/A-Plea-for-Sanity/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/481697?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months you'll know that the shockwaves of "Simplified Maintenance" are rocking the automotive service industry! 2008-01-02T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/012008/481697/th_Suttles_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/012008/481697null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Challenge-Bibendum-Says-Automotive-Industry-Has-to/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/477640?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 SHANGHAI, CHINA - At the recent 9th Michelin Challenge Bibendum, presenters generally agreed that while mobility continues to be key to economic development, current mobility trends are generally agreed to be unsustainable. 2007-12-06T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/492007/477640null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Older-Vehicle-Buyers-Less-Likely-to-Consider-Impor/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/477669?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 While older buyers who purchase domestic vehicles are more likely to avoid purchasing certain models because they are imports, younger consumers who purchase import vehicles are more likely to avoid models because they are of domestic origin, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Avoider Study. 2007-12-03T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/492007/477669null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Washington+Watch/No-Quick-Easy-Fix-for-Carbon-Emissions/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/477651?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 GOLDEN, CO - In late November, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently hosted its 5th Energy Analysis Forum, the theme of which was Analytic Insights into Carbon Policy Design and the Implications for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Carbon policy is one strategy under consideration by governments, including the U.S., to help stem global warming. 2007-12-03T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/492007/477651null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Is-Professionalism-in-Your-Future/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/468745?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The current debate within the industry regarding shop licensing and technician certification to state, and possibly federal, standards intrigues me. In particular, the essential role that each could play in raising the image of independent automotive service and repair shops and the technicians that toil within them in the eyes of consumers - whose perception is the bottom line in the exercise that truly matters - is more than just a challenge. 2007-11-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/442007/468745null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Nursing-Tech-Shortages-Phooey/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/459803?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Not too many people would argue that there is a severe shortage of nurses and automotive technicians. A casual perusal of the classified section in most newspapers accentuates the problem. Likewise, not too many people would argue that it is important to fill these positions. On the surface, both of these shortages seem beyond resolution. Nothing could be further from the truth ... 2007-09-25T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/392007/459803null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Make-That-Hourly-Rate-Count/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/455591?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Many of us agonize over setting our hourly labor rates, often delaying this important decision for months at a time. But through our inefficiency, we often make this exercise meaningless as our effective labor rate declines. Your ability to maintain an effective labor rate at or very near your actual hourly rate will go a long way toward ensuring the profitability of your labor operation ... 2007-09-12T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/372007/455591/leaderTH_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/372007/455591null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Technical/Back-to-Basics-The-Right-Click/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/454439?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 I was helping a technician work with an e-mail application the other day and it occurred to me that there is a very powerful feature of the computer environment that could make our lives easier ... 2007-09-04T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/362007/454439null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Courage-Goals-and-Growing-a-Pair/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/449034?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Risking your low opinion and the possibility of you being offended by the title here, I wanted to address an overwhelming problem in the world of leadership: A problem that overshadows our very best intentions, our best-laid plans; one that prevents us from achieving our goals and our being all that we are capable of ... 2007-08-29T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/332007/449034/leaderTH_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/332007/449034null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Hot-Fuel-Rip-off-Consumers-Pay-for-Air/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/450589?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 If fuel prices already are high enough, how do you feel about paying those prices for hot air? Fourteen members of Congress have told the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM), a regulatory group, that it's time to deal with the unacceptable practice of selling consumers fuel that is not adjusted for ambient temperature ... 2007-08-23T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/332007/450589/WWth_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/332007/450589null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Business+%26+Management+Solutions/Three-Steps-Toward-the-Extraordinary/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/441813?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 In my interactions with clients and other coaches, I am often amazed at the phobic reluctance to lead - or more specifically, to actually look someone in the eye and ask them to do something ... 2007-08-03T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/292007/441813/leaderTH_thumbnail.jpg http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/292007/441813null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Ford-IDS-Part-3-A-Day-in-the-Bay/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/445354?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Now that we have the IDS all set up, let's put it to use. In rolls a 2001 Focus 2.0L SPI with a complaint that it is misfiring. I grab my handy laptop and cables, and head for the car in the parking lot ... 2007-08-02T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312007/445354null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Certified+Technicians/Advertising-and-Consumer-Perceptions-in-the-Truck-/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/445247?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 IRVINE, CA (July 26, 2007) - In the past few months, according to Rick Wainschel, Kelley Blue Book vice president of Marketing Research and Brand Communications, Toyota has been heavily supporting its redesigned Tundra with a distinctly domestic-like message: demonstrating its power, towing and hauling capabilities, and tough and rugged qualities ... 2007-07-31T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312007/445247null HTML http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Opinion%2FCommentary/Parallel-Computing-Sparks-Software-Revolution/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/445176?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 SAN JOSE, CA (July 23, 2007) - According to a report in the Detroit News, a fundamental change in the design of microprocessors is presenting software developers with a challenge and a huge financial opportunity. In recent years, chip makers have shifted from racing to have the fastest microprocessor with a single, super-fast calculating core to layering multiple cores on the same chip to increase overall processing capacity more efficiently ... 2007-07-30T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/312007/445176null HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Executive-Interview/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/433992?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 A brief talk with Frank Ordonez, president, Delphi Product and Service Solutions. 2007-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/433992null HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/OPEN-LOOP-Wheres-the-Smoke/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/434004?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 "And where'd the rattle go?" That was my reaction when the first new Dodge 6.7-liter diesel truck rolled into our dealership ... 2007-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/434004null HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/FREEZE-FRAME-Signaling/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/433955?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Remember the day you took your driver?s test? Does anyone really know how to drive on the road that day? 2007-06-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/433955null HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/OPEN-LOOP-Do-You-Fear-the-Future/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/434507?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 I have seen many changes in the 40-plus years I have spent in the auto repair business ... 2007-05-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/434507null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/FREEZE-FRAME-Responsibility/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/434496?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Our local Boy Scout troop has about 70 scouts, and many of their parents help out with the Merit Badge program. This year, I'm presenting the Auto Mechanics Merit Badge ... 2007-05-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/434496null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Close-Ranks/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/434484?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 As I write this, it's been two days since Dieter Zetsche, CEO of DaimlerChrysler, announced major reductions in Chrysler Group staff and manufacturing. He also announced that Chrysler and General Motors (GM) are talking about codeveloping and sharing vehicle platforms, powertrains and other technologies. He also acknowledged that Chrysler Group might be for sale. 2007-04-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/434484null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Guiltless/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/434646?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 There's been some heated discussion on iATN lately about our influence on global warming, both as individuals and as a species. What's being said there shows a sense of individual responsibility that's shared by many people in the automotive service industry. This is not surprising, given the generous nature of almost every tech and shop owner I've ever met, but I see an attitude in some that's a profound indication of the depth of the issue. 2007-03-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/434646null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/An-Open-Letter-to-Microsoft-Software-Engineers/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/434520?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The computer I'm using to write this belongs to Advanstar Communications, the publishing company that owns Motor Age. It's a large company with several thousand employees and an Information Technology (IT) department that maintains our computers. 2007-02-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/434520null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Dawn/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/434474?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 There's never been a time like this. My son is 13, and his world has always had high-speed Internet, cell phones and movies on DVD. He uses a two-handed video game controller as easily as I use an impact wrench. Instead of doodling in school notebooks, he creates animated cartoons on his laptop. Much of the technology he knows and uses every day is no older than he is. 2007-01-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/434474null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Perception/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/434517?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 At the annual Automotive Service Association (ASA) gathering in Las Vegas last November, there was a panel discussion about shop licensing. Two of the panelists were from jurisdictions with extreme opposite definitions of who you are and what you do for a living. Hearing both definitions at the same meeting was revealing. 2006-12-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242007/434517null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/This-is-Business/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/436267?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 We live in an interesting world these days. But for a lot of shops, it's flat. They do not believe in progress. They think the challenges we are all facing are insurmountable. The receding availability of talent and the increasing complexity of both cars and business, are all seen by many as foreboding obstacles – monsters haunting them in their sleep. 2006-11-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/252007/436267null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Investment/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/436256?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 In a recent column, I chastised certain environmental groups who charged Ford Motor Co. with pursuing its own interests at the expense of the environment. I wasn't defending Ford, merely pointing out some realities about the automotive market. General Motors (GM) is facing hard realities too, and a recent press release focused my thoughts on what I see in GM's future. Again, I'm not defending anyone, just pointing out some facts that are rarely mentioned about the domestic auto industry. 2006-11-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/252007/436256null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Ruined/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/436348?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Until recently, the thought of owning a hybrid vehicle has never crossed my mind. I've driven the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid, the Accord Hybrid and both generations of Toyota Prius. The Accord is a true highway cruiser, but the rest are better suited to commuter duties, and all achieve their best gas mileage only in urban driving. To me, the lower power and higher price of a hybrid powertrain don't make sense in a small car. European commuter cars with diesel and direct-injection gasoline engines are less expensive, more powerful and return almost as much fuel mileage as these small hybrids. I only need a small car but I'm not ready to give up horsepower, so there's not a single hybrid available today I ever considered owning – that is, until this past spring. 2006-09-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/252007/436348null XML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Customer-Satisfaction/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/323958?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 It all began while recently checking the shop's e-mail. I came across a message that was positive, yet confusing... 2006-05-04T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/182006/323958/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Why-I-Dont-Work-On-My-Own-Cars/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/334257?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 There are a lot of people in this world that work on cars, but that doesn't make them professionals or even experts... 2006-04-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242006/334257null HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/The-Receiving-End/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/334254?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The Definition of Frustration is, "Responsibility Without Authority" ... 2006-04-01T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/242006/334254null HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Excuse-me-Sir----/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/311363?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Have you ever asked a question in the middle of a class and then later realized that your question opened up a can of worms? It all began when our local parts vendor passed out a sign-up sheet for an evening exhaust clinic ... 2006-03-09T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102006/311363/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/On-The-Mark-Automotive-Technology/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/307997?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Automotive technology comes to us in many different forms and ways. More interesting is the fact that you can often find it without even looking... 2006-02-16T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/072006/307997/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Too-Many-Questions/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/284106?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 It all started innocently enough with a trip out of the shop for lunch. I had stopped for a sandwich at a local chain sub shop, and while walking out to my car with my food, a woman approached me and asked for help ... 2006-01-19T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/032006/284106/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/The-Tables-Have-Turned/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/257312?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 "The tables have turned." That's an interesting saying, isn't it? I recently learned the history ... 2005-12-08T05:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/502005/257312/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Something-Isnt-Quite-Right/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/186010?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Have you ever been in the middle of a repair, and then suddenly, you just get the feeling that something isn't quite right? Well, I recently found myself in this same situation. 2005-10-13T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/422005/186010/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/On-The-Mark-Im-Calling-You-Out-of-Respect/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/178079?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 It was a busy day in the shop when a surprising announcement came across our PA system: "Mark, the transmission shop is on line one." Not that getting a call from our transmission specialist should come as a big surprise. I just thought it was odd that he was calling when I knew we had not sublet any work to him this week ... 2005-09-01T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/362005/178079/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/The-Threshold-of-the-Lions-Den/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/173332?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Have you ever brought a vehicle into the service area and suddenly felt as if you were about to begin a trek into a lion's den? Well, it happened to me - again. But this time, I decided to turn and run the other way ... 2005-08-04T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/322005/173332/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Automotive-Repairs-The-Best-Deal-Going/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/169365?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Do you think the current pricing of automotive repairs is reasonable? Do you think the current pricing is too high? How about too low? 2005-07-07T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/282005/169365/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Schneiders-World/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/169834?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 "Let Me Tell You How He Lived": I?d like to tell you a little bit about our samurai and the way he lived 2005-07-01T04:00:00Z PDF http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Open-Loop/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/169829?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 Manufacturers: Wake Up 2005-07-01T04:00:00Z PDF http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/ON-THE-MARK-Phone-Skills/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/163957?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 How are your phone skills? Don't know? It's something we forget from time to time. I have been to many a shop management seminar in which phone skills are the first topic of discussion. Regardless, I hope your phone skills are better than those of one of my parts suppliers. 2005-06-02T04:00:00Z http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/232005/163957/Mark3_thumb_thumbnail.jpg HTML http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Schneiders-World/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/169818?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 "Fascinating": Three different vehicles. Three different owners. Three different sets of problems. And three different outcomes 2005-06-01T04:00:00Z PDF http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Freeze-Frame/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/169807?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 "Because They Can": Sometimes, all the bells and whistles just aren?t necessary. 2005-06-01T04:00:00Z PDF http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/Opinion%2FCommentary/Open-Loop/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/169810?contextCategoryId=42378&ref=25 The Magic Bullet 2005-06-01T04:00:00Z PDF