Free Webinar: Consumer Benefits and Scams The Come With Auto Industry Collapse

Free Webinar!

Tuesday June 2, 2009

12 – 1pm Eastern

Details about the auto industry collapse dominates the news but, as a practical consumer or business person, what does this mean for you and how can you benefit? What are the opportunities and scams every consumer needs to be aware of?

Brenton Grant, President of Automotive Consultant Service 8 (www.acs8.com), will be hosting a FREE webinar for anyone looking for answers. During this session we will discuss:

* Dealership closings and purchasing opportunities
* Factory warranties and options–is your vehicle still protected?
* Financing issues and the tricks the pros won’t tell you
* The truth about auto parts availability after bankruptcy (and preventing price gouging)
* Repair scams — red flags every car owner should be aware of
* When to repair and when to buy
* Is this the time to add/modify a fleet?

This event is FREE. Webinar link and call-in details will be sent after registration. For more information about this event, please email info@ewisecommunications.com or call 404.644.2779.

2008 Worst Car Year Ever –But light at the end of the tunnel?

High gas prices, the mortgage crises, the financial market meltdown, and a recession the size of which we haven’t seen in decades created a perfect storm of epic proportions for the auto industry in 2008. Sales slides were steep running from a third to half of what they were a year ago. Chrysler and GM have of course taken incredible hits. Even Nissan, Honda and Toyota sales stagnated with Toyota announcing it’s first ever reported loss as a publicly traded company.

News this week that the economy could stage a recovery later this year, and stronger than expected sales for Ford and Toyota point to a pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel. First quarter sales in the US were certainly boosted by zero percent financing. And with gas prices half of what they were this time last year, a economic recovery in the auto industry could be just around the corner too.

In the News — Thank You!

Hi there, here at ACS8 we like to focus on our clients over anything else. However, we’ve enjoyed attention from a recent press release that we sent out. Here is the link to the press release on REUTERS and just a couple of outlets that picked it up. Thank you to all!

1Q09 GM sales slump – Ford and Toyota make gains – Ever Wonder Why?

First quarter auto sales data shows that while GM sales continued to slump, Ford and Toyota made significant gains. Keep in mind that Ford accepted NO bailout moneys and Toyota is Japanese owned. Could it be that American car buyers are steering clear based on principled, ethical reasons – not supporting a company asking for a hand out? Or could it be concern of more practically matters, such as future availability of parts and dealership for repairs, or issues of warranties?

And what happens with GM and Chrysler? There is much talk of them being “smaller, leaner” companies. But could such significantly smaller companies continue to complete with a much larger Ford and Toyota who are already picking over the bones of these all but busted companies? Only time will tell for sure, but remember – American’s love an underdog, not a loser.

Auto Industry Soap Opera – All My Makes and Models? Search for Tomorrow’s Bailout? The Broke and the Bloated?

This week, GM announced that it would be closing 2600 dealerships by 2010 in an effort to shore up the profitably of top performing locations. The Hummer, Saab and Saturn lines are on the chopping block to be sold or shuttered. The once proud Pontiac line has been scrapped.

The daily soap opera continues. This week’s news from GM reads like a sweeps week death of a soap opera heroine. The dramatic scene, the last gasp. But are American auto buyers rolling their eyes instead of dabbing at the corners? With so much up in the air for GM, is there any sympathy left?

GM sales continue to stagnate. While the Total Confidence plan is a step in the right direction, it is hard to restore confidence in a company that is being forced to sell off its brands as if forcing its children to leave. Who wants to buy a car from a brand that may or may not be around in the next six months?

Will the car companies by able to weather the storm? Will they will make it to tomorrow? Will American car buyers care?

Stay tuned, dear reader, for the next episode of Guiding Headlight!

Fiat Fiasco

As part of the automotive bailout package, the United States government gave both Chrysler and General Motors an ultimatum: Come up with significant cost savings and restructuring plans to prevent or delay falling into bankruptcy. Chrysler was given an additional 30 days to comply – GM was given 60. It seems this disparity may be the death knell for Chrysler, but time will tell.

Prior to this governmental ultimatum, Chrysler had been in talks with Fiat about a possible merger. Those talks had broken down. But, in light of the 30-day deadline, Chrysler seemed to enter panic mode and restarted those merger talks. Within hours after President Obama made his announcement, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne flew to the US to participate in the negotiations with Chrysler. It seems again that these talks have become mired because Mr. Marchionne and the unions have reached a virtual impasse over contract re negotiations. Chrysler corporate officials have also looked askance at the bigger share of Chrysler that Mr. Marchionne as now asking for. While both sides are playing hardball with each other, time is running out for Chrysler to secure a deal and present its plan to the government.

Chrysler needs this merger to survive. If Chrysler should fail, the union and the workers lose. Without it, Chrysler will most likely end up in bankruptcy. Perhaps though, once Chrysler has reorganized within its bankruptcy filing, it will emerge as a new, leaner company, without all the excess baggage they are currently fighting to keep.

Did You Know Your Car Had a Pollen Filter

Did you know that Your Car has a Pollen Filter?

Have you ever wondered how it is possible to smell outside odor, good or bad, while driving with your windows closed? Well, it’s through the car’s air filtration system, the same system that filters out debris like…POLLEN! That’s right your car has a pollen filter.

Alternately called a “Cabin” filter, the filter….well it filters out impurities in the air. Developed years ago, such filters can be the difference between life and death for sensitive passengers with severe allergies to pollen, dust, grass and other outdoor particulate matter.

It is recommended by most manufacturers that your filter should be replaced every 15,000 miles, for those cars that have filters as standard hardware. However, during the spring and summer months, or in most dusty environments, I would recommend checking it every 5,000 miles. Vacuuming the filter will also prolong the life of the filter and promote healthier cabin air.

Check the owner’s manual, or consult with your mechanic to get more information on your vehicles pollen filter.

Dear GM

In amongst all the news about the automotive industry of late, it was reported that you are considering selling your patent for the 4.5-liter diesel engine. Please don’t; this could be a catastrophic mistake. Wake up! Can’t you see that this could be the basis of an overall redesign?

Such a knee-jerk reaction, brought on by our economy and gloomier forecasts, would defeat GM’s current turnaround plans. This innovative engine design showcases your engineering talent and prowess. Although currently out of production in GM models, these engines are:

• Easier to repair
• Cost less to repair
• Have increased fuel efficiency

Selling this patent would have dire effects. Remember Cadillac selling its cylinder cancellation technology back in the ‘80s. While the cylinder cancellation concept was right, a technical bug hastened the car company’s decision to jettison the technology before the bug could be worked out. Cadillac’s premature decision resulted in other manufactures making cylinder cancellation the concept of choice for engine displacement system to conserve fuel in almost every engine in the market today. With fuel economy at the top of new car buyer’s lists of must haves, followed quickly by low and easy maintenance, the reintroduction of the 4.5-liter diesel engine could be the pivot point in GMs recovery.

Come on GM, lace up those boots and run for it!

Show Us the Books

Car companies are still trying to dig themselves out of the current recession, asking for billions in support funds and promising leaner, more efficient, restructured organization. Like other companies, many hope that the car manufactures take this restructuring opportunity to weed out non-essential employees and broker better deals with the unions.

Some may argue this is painfully poor timing, while others say that this is the new way, a necessity. For years these companies have seemingly mismanaged their books, their companies, their relationships with America. While much of the backroom paper pushing and mice-type is best handled by the experts, transparency is the theme of the day. If the car companies want the American people to fund a bail-out of such staggering size, they need to put their cards on table. They need to show us who and what is being reorganized and why.

It may be ugly. It may be painful. But I say, show us the books.

GAS EFFICIENCY SCAM ALERT

As gas prices increase, so have advertisements about products that claim to clean your gas tank and increase your fuel efficiency.  DO NOT BE FOOLED.  I have a term for these types of liquid products –I call them snake oil.

For my friends and clients looking to make their cars more fuel efficient, I tell them to redirect their dollars and spend it on efforts that actually DO increase fuel efficiency such as:

• Maintaining clean air-filters
• Keeping tires well inflated
• Reducing weight of vehicle (empty out that trunk!)
• Tightening your gas cap to reduce gas evaporation

These are inexpensive and easy ways of making a real difference in fuel efficiency.  Save your money!