Posts Tagged ‘Automotive Industry’

For many businesses operating in the automotive industry the purchase of their business insurance is one of their most costly expenses. This article looks at some the mistakes businesses in the motor trade make when buying their motor trade insurance.

What do you really want when buying business insurance and specifically motor trade insurance? Low premiums, excellent service, advice and guidance, fast claims settlements when you have suffered a loss and friendly and helpful advice from people who know what they are talking about? So many motor traders want all of these things and more but make the mistake of not demanding it from their insurance broker or provider.

The first mistake many motor traders make is due to apathy and the fact they really cannot be bothered to shop around for an alternative insurance broker when their current broker does an ok job for them. This is perhaps understandable when the purchase of insurance is deemed as a long and arduous process. However, by failing to see what else is available, motor traders are in many cases losing out on making what could be substantial savings on their combined insurance premiums.

The insurance industry is no different to the auto industry in that it is highly competitive. For this reason insurance brokers are keen to get your business and in some cases can offer you extremely good deals compared to your current insurance broker. If your current insurance provider does not therefore provide you with all the benefits highlighted above, do not be put off by spending 10 minutes speaking with another broker as it really could be the best 10 minutes you spend this year.

And even motor traders who are prepared to shop around for the best price make a mistake by not disclosing their current premium. Motor traders and businesses in general believe that by disclosing their premium they will not get the best price. In reality the opposite is actually due as unless an insurance company has a price to beat, they will very rarely come up with their very best price. If you are therefore shopping around and someone asks you what your premium is, tell them as this will increase the chances of you saving money.

The final mistake businesses who buy and sell cars, service vehicles or carry out mots make when buying their combined motor trade insurance is to make their decision purely on price. This is especially so nowadays when every penny or cent counts. Therefore when shopping around for motor trade insurance you should ask not just what the premium is but what cover does the policy give you, what credit rating does your broker and insurance company have and what experience do they have in dealing with motor trade insurance. Find out these things and there is every chance that when your renewal is next due you could find the amount you pay fall considerably and some of the money you paid last year ends in up in your pocket and not the insurance companies.

Buy your motor trade insurance wisely and do not make the mistakes that so many other motor traders make. Do this and watch your motor trade insurance premiums fall.

Back in the day the only accessories that you would be able to find were maybe some bumper stickers. Today there are all kinds of accessories for your car. You have everything from the outside of the car to the inside of the car and there are so many things that you can buy for your car. You have everything from neons being under the car to neons being under your seats in your car. You can put extra speakers in your car like subwoofers and amps. There is no limit to what you can do with your car and accessories.

You can even put logos across the back of your rear window to show love for your favorite sports team while you are tailgating. You can get one of those whole logos that take up the whole rear window but don’t take away your ability to see out of it. You just go to a car specialties shop to get whatever else you need.

Many people basically live in their cars so they already have many accessories but other people who just use their cars to go to and from work may not have a single thing to show. Some people that don’t have any accessories and have a long drive to work may like music. They should have some type of satellite radio or something shouldn’t they? Yes they should and nobody should have to go without customizing their own car.

You can put about just anything in the car you want as far as entertainment goes. You can put TVs, game consoles, and other things in the car. You can put DVD players in the car as well as VCRs so you can watch all of your favorite shows and movies in your car. You are not limited to what you can do with your car. You can do anything you want with your car all you need to do is buy the accessories and then start adding them to your car.

Most of the newer cars today like the ford models are coming out with satellite radios in them stock. So if you wanted something else for your car or truck you should be able to find it with ease and be able to install it as well. Many things that you can buy as accessories come with directions so that you can install your accessories yourself but on the other hand if you cannot install them yourself you can hire someone to help you.

The great thing about auto accessories in general is that you can use them anywhere as long as you are in your car and the motor is running.

Everyone would have loved to have had a TV and a DVD player in the car while their parents drove but that’s not how everyone lived. Now you can, you can put anything you want into your car and you can do it now. You don’t have to wait for anyone you can just go buy your accessories for cheap and then get them installed and start using them right away.

Maniverters – These are mounted as close to the engine as possible, to help reduce ‘light-off’ times and get the cat up to the correct temperature as possible.  This helps reduce emissions as soon as possible.

Vauxhall Astra 1.4/1.6 Ecotec - Certain Astra models utilise a maniverter, and because of its large size, it can be an absolute pig to fit.  A to tip is to loosen the 3 bolts that hold the aircon compressor in place, which when moved slightly, will allow the maniverter to drop into place.  Job done!

Accessories – Exhausts and cats must always be ‘hung’ correctly and not bolted rigid.  A small amount of movement is desirable to allow ‘flex’ but not too much so the system catches the floor plan.

Renault Clio 1.4 8V – Have you ever struggled to get the exhaust system on an old model Clio 1.4 to line up?  Was the car an automatic?  Chances are that you were sold the centre section for a manual gearbox model, as that is all that most people offer.  We have both versions, and the automatic centre section for this model remains one of our top selling items.

Exhaust Paste – Remember, don’t use this upstream of the cat, it will only poison it.   Use the correct fittings and always replace gaskets to ensure an air-tight fit.

CES UK provide are one of the UK’s leading Car Parts supplies are know as the experts when it come to exhaust systems.  CES produces technical bulletins which cover fitting issues, technical tips and the latest developments in the automotive industry, to learn more please visit www.cesuk.com

There is big money to be saved in the automotive industry, not only in cars and trucks that crapper be bought for less at auto auctions, but also in machine parts, industrialized trailers for manufacturers, wheels and tires.  That’s good news, considering that few companies today separate without vehicles of some sort.

When purchasing or outfitting vehicles for business or personal use, keep in mind:

1. Auto auctions are a enthusiastic way to save big on a vehicle, but they crapper be a venturous way to do so.

2. Industrial trailers are a big-ticket item; smaller manufacturers may be better off leasing than buying.

3. Knowing where to go to encounter machine parts crapper meliorate your moving industry business, or crapper reduce your fleet maintenance costs.

4. Searching discover the prizewinning deals on machine finance when buying or leasing your fleet crapper meliorate your bottom line.

Save big by buying cars or trucks at auto auctions though sometimes risky, auto auctions crapper be a enthusiastic way to pick up a bargain vehicle. There are auction companies that host auctions to sell utilised cars from a wide range of sources, including retired fleet, lease, and rental cars; cars repossessed by banks; and cars condemned in trade by dealers (‘consignment’ cars). Auto auctions sponsored by government agencies feature cars that hit exceeded a certain mileage limit, and police division machine auctions include their older cruisers and vans, as well as vehicles they hit seized from criminals.

Find industrialized trailers to haul your load Commercial industrialized trailers become in as many types and configurations as there are needs: horse trailers, car haulers, flatbed trailers, semi trailers and about a dozen more. Ask the companies that sell, rent and lease industrialized trailers for advice on the type of trailer perfectly suited to your towing needs and budget.

Pick up newborn wheels and tires for less You know where to get tires: You intend on down to your local ring store. Here are some enthusiastic tips. But did you know you crapper get enthusiastic online deals on wheels and tires? You crapper install them yourself if you are so inclined, but many online vendors hit deals with popular retailers who will install your wheels and tires after you receive them, at a reasonable price. You crapper also pick up coupons and price tires at the major ring retailers before going to hit the impact done. You crapper ofttimes even make your service appointment online. Buy machine parts Most of the same machine parts stores you pass every day also sell online.

But there are also online machine parts retailers who ofttimes claim that they circularize a far greater range of machine parts than the others and also may hit better prices. And you’ll also encounter online utilised parts stores for items of cut or fittings that are impracticable to encounter elsewhere.

As with many businesses you need a plan in place before you get started. Similarly the same will apply if you wish to start your own automotive sales or repair business. Not everyone knows what the recommended steps are so here we go over but a few to give you an idea of what you need to look for and plan for before parting with your hard earned money and starting your dream business in the automotive industry. These steps are not necessarily in any specific order but it is recommended that before you start anything you begin with the Business Plan.

Business Plan

Any new business must make a business plan so that it is understood what is required to get your business started, what your intentions are for the future and your expectations. The costs you are likely to face and the funds you have to deal with all the required financial concerns. Your business plan should look to the future, perhaps with a 1 year, 5 year and 10 year outline of what your business expects to achieve within that period. If you are required to obtain funds to start your business you will be required to provide a business plan to the Lending institution and this also shows your commitment and thought processes for your intended business and its success.

Bank Account

You need to ensure you open a business account only for your business income and expenses. If you do not use this account for all your business related expenditure and income many times you will find that the income has not gone into the business and yet all the expenses are coming out of the business. This is often the reason why many businesses do not succeed. In the initial steps of your business you can expect to run at a loss and this can continue for an extended period of at least 1 year so ensure you are not taking any income from the business unless there is a huge excess of income and it is sustainable, during this first initial set up period.

Insurance

Ensure that you have all the required insurances to cover the operation of your business and the employees you have relating to the business. You need to consider coverage for insurance for your employees themselves as well as any property insurance such as vehicles left on your premises and also any liability issues that you can obtain insurance coverage for.

Do not skimp out on insurance requirements as nobody can see the future. Ensure you get coverage for natural disasters etc. If you are able to with your current insurance provider, shop around to get the best deal. Just because you have insurance currently for your private items with a particular company, this may not make them the preferred choice for your business insurances and they may not even have these on offer.

You should also look into some form of personal insurance as if you are the sole owner or operator of the business and were suddenly unable to work how would the business continue to produce an income? Not to mention of course life insurance coverage in the event that there was a death then generally all debts and profits have to go to someone and you don’t want to leave your family in debt if something were to happen to you.

License

Make sure that you check with all regulating authorities that you have the correct licenses and all of your staff fulfills all required criteria before you start off with your business. You do not want to outlay all your start up costs only to find you missed a simple step such as a permit that you may be required to have and you are shut down for the offence or required to pay huge fees.

Advertising & Promotion

Make sure that you have an allowance in your estimated costs for sufficient advertising and promotion. Once your business is open you want everyone to be able to find you so make sure that you have allowed a budget sufficient to cover your advertising and branding promotion for a minimum 3 month period if not for the entire year. Don’t rely only on newspaper advertising, try to be creative with your promotion and ensure you do some research before you get started. Things to consider are items such as a uniform for staff and small promotional items to give away at the end of a completed job or sale? Perhaps key rings with your logo and telephone number on etc.

If you follow these suggestions and listen to advice of others as well as your own common sense you will find that you have a great starting platform to get your automotive business off to a great start. Research all you can about every aspect of the business you intend to start before you go ahead and this applies in any industry not only business in the automotive industry

.

As with many businesses you need a plan in place before you get started. Similarly the same will apply if you wish to start your own automotive sales or repair business. Not everyone knows what the recommended steps are so here we go over but a few to give you an idea of what you need to look for and plan for before parting with your hard earned money and starting your dream business in the automotive industry. These steps are not necessarily in any specific order but it is recommended that before you start anything you begin with the Business Plan.

Business Plan

Any new business must make a business plan so that it is understood what is required to get your business started, what your intentions are for the future and your expectations. The costs you are likely to face and the funds you have to deal with all the required financial concerns. Your business plan should look to the future, perhaps with a 1 year, 5 year and 10 year outline of what your business expects to achieve within that period. If you are required to obtain funds to start your business you will be required to provide a business plan to the Lending institution and this also shows your commitment and thought processes for your intended business and its success.

Bank Account

You need to ensure you open a business account only for your business income and expenses. If you do not use this account for all your business related expenditure and income many times you will find that the income has not gone into the business and yet all the expenses are coming out of the business. This is often the reason why many businesses do not succeed. In the initial steps of your business you can expect to run at a loss and this can continue for an extended period of at least 1 year so ensure you are not taking any income from the business unless there is a huge excess of income and it is sustainable, during this first initial set up period.

Insurance

Ensure that you have all the required insurances to cover the operation of your business and the employees you have relating to the business. You need to consider coverage for insurance for your employees themselves as well as any property insurance such as vehicles left on your premises and also any liability issues that you can obtain insurance coverage for.

Do not skimp out on insurance requirements as nobody can see the future. Ensure you get coverage for natural disasters etc. If you are able to with your current insurance provider, shop around to get the best deal. Just because you have insurance currently for your private items with a particular company, this may not make them the preferred choice for your business insurances and they may not even have these on offer.

You should also look into some form of personal insurance as if you are the sole owner or operator of the business and were suddenly unable to work how would the business continue to produce an income? Not to mention of course life insurance coverage in the event that there was a death then generally all debts and profits have to go to someone and you don’t want to leave your family in debt if something were to happen to you.

License

Make sure that you check with all regulating authorities that you have the correct licenses and all of your staff fulfills all required criteria before you start off with your business. You do not want to outlay all your start up costs only to find you missed a simple step such as a permit that you may be required to have and you are shut down for the offence or required to pay huge fees.

Advertising & Promotion

Make sure that you have an allowance in your estimated costs for sufficient advertising and promotion. Once your business is open you want everyone to be able to find you so make sure that you have allowed a budget sufficient to cover your advertising and branding promotion for a minimum 3 month period if not for the entire year. Don’t rely only on newspaper advertising, try to be creative with your promotion and ensure you do some research before you get started. Things to consider are items such as a uniform for staff and small promotional items to give away at the end of a completed job or sale? Perhaps key rings with your logo and telephone number on etc.

If you follow these suggestions and listen to advice of others as well as your own common sense you will find that you have a great starting platform to get your automotive business off to a great start. Research all you can about every aspect of the business you intend to start before you go ahead and this applies in any industry not only business in the automotive industry.

Jobs within the automotive industry are extremely varied. Depending on which element you would like to enter defines what kind of jobs to go for. Put simply there are two major sectors dividing the industry; those who work in the development, manufacture and sale of new cars, and those involved in the after sales garage industries.

Both can be lucrative industries to enter, especially the latter as the majority of people lack any real mechanical knowledge so your skill with an engine is often required by many.

Employment within the car manufacturing industry has a wide scope and is not necessarily defined by engineering qualifications. Sadly the British motor industry had been in decline for some years, most will remember the ghastly scenes outside Rover’s Longbridge plant during its closure in 2005.

It seems to have settled down in recent years with large plants in Ellesmere Port, Southampton and Sunderland still open, producing cars for Vauxhall, Ford and Nissan respectively. These construction jobs will most probably come under threat eventually, as with much of the automotive industry in Britain, cheaper production abroad means companies are less inclined to use the British workforce.

Construction is not the only field available in the motor industry. In terms of creative development, many British applicants have gone on to work for the major car companies to design future models despite production being moved overseas. Added to this, thanks to British universities leading the way in engineering scholarship, the talents of British design engineers are required worldwide.

Their knowledge has helped bring the motor industry forward, creating new technologies and providing expert advice is clearly a niche that British engineers have managed to chisel out in an extremely competitive global market.

However if you are in the process of looking for jobs in the automotive industry do not be disheartened by lack of engineering know-how or the dwindling opportunities in vehicle manufacture. Showroom sales and after sales care are a very important part of the business and pay handsomely for employees who can sell well.

As a car sales representative being able to bend people to your will is a requirement as this will help in selling cars. Subsequently pay is often performance related and those who have a clear drive for earning would be suited to this type of job as the reward of an extra big pay packet can be enough to pursue sales fervently.

The vast majority of UK motor trade vacancies however are in the garage and after sales industry. The legislative insistence upon the MOT test, added to a car’s need to be serviced regularly creates a constant stream of work for garages.

Employment within the industry varies from MOT testers to panel beaters, whilst running a garage can be extremely lucrative. When beginning in the trade, options include college courses that will qualify students to work on cars and apprenticeships that allow on the job training.

Knowing your way round an engine is no longer a sure fire way into the modern automotive trade. Increasingly cars are becoming more advanced, with electronics and electronic diagnosis becoming a major constituent of the job.

Today’s mechanical engineering college courses are not wholly practical either and contain a large theoretic element requiring much study and written examinations. Seemingly the days of the ‘grease-monkey’ are over, as the industry evolves those who can work a lap top will be increasingly required to diagnose and repair engine malfunctions.

Applicants for jobs in this industry vary from engineering graduates to mechanics’ apprentices. Those in manufacture take pride in the production of evermore modern and improved designs whereas those in after sales care ensure that people’s cars are roadworthy and running well. Both sets of skills are valued equally in an industry that prides itself on getting people moving

www.womensautomotiveconnection.com Gail Dunn of Women’s Automotive empower’s women when it comes to their car concerns. HOW MAY WE HELP YOU? If you have ever felt like tearing your hair out when dealing with auto-motive service, repair, or sales, you are just the client we are aiming to please! Women’s Automotive Connection, Inc. provides automotive advice, assistance, and service to those who do not have the time or expertise to deal with problems surrounding the maintenance or repair of their vehicle. The goal is to provide women with a one-call liaison to eliminate the aggravation often experienced in the automotive industry. 770-722-5211

United States Congress is serious about dealing with the energy crisis and about reducing the increasingly expensive imports of petroleum. The same Congress seems to forget that a liquidation of US automotive manufacturing companies will increase the importation of foreign made cars.

A befuddled Congress was quick in consenting to shell out $700 billion of taxpayer monies to save investment bankers and insurance companies from the consequences of speculative business practices. Extreme losses resulted from high stakes gambling and from sales of fraudulently assembled securities at excessive prices.

The same Congress balked when the Big Three flew in on their company jets to ask for much smaller handouts. Big Three executives only took home an admonition by Congress to fly commercial carriers into Washington.

What are we talking about? The automotive industry is critically dependent on the continuous investment of large amounts of capital. This never ending investment requires a strong and steady cash flow.

Unfortunately, the automotive industry has been invaded by dividend hungry investors, who soon usurped and occupied the boardrooms. Top management was bribed with obscene salaries and bonuses to do the bidding of the new company owners. Driving up stock prices and dividends became the number one management priority.

The results were entirely predictable and are being taught at all business schools. The business model is called “Cash Cow Management”. The Cow alias stands for milking; companies with large amounts of cash or sunken investments are milked continuously and ruthlessly until the cow gives up and prefers to pass away.

Following this business model can be highly profitable for quite a long time. This business model requires very nimble and capable financial, sales, and operations management. Inescapably, this type of company will be walking ever closer to the edge of an abyss. A small decline in sales, shrinking margins, or increasing credit costs will bring down such companies quickly.

The Big Three have been run in this business mode for a long time. The cows are dying. Congress must demand that the Big Three or Big Two are rejuvenated before given a cash injection. For economical and security reasons automotive companies must remain active and competitive. Reorganization through bankruptcy proceedings seems to be the fastest method to break the stranglehold of management, board, investors, and union. These parasites must be removed to revive the healthy structures underneath.

Production facilities, sales outlets, products like Corvette, Cadillac and many others have many attractive features. After shedding the parasitic top layers, these companies can achieve lower costs and improved quality and can become world-leading competitors again.

The US cannot afford to let the Big Three fail while the country is experiencing its worst financial crisis in eight decades. Ineptitude and greed of its management, its board, and its union can be excised.

It is unacceptable and insane to let the majority of the company’s employees suffer for the excesses of the few and mighty and draw the country into a deep, long-lasting depression.

In liquidation, foreign companies will buy several of the latest, highly modernized plants for cents on the dollar. Most of the white and blue collar workers will become unemployed. The collapse of the Big Three will be amplified hugely when suppliers, vendors, and the national economy are hit by shrinking sales. Many of these second tier companies have cash cow managements, too, and are bound to fail. An economic disaster like this is senseless. Instead, we must build a strong, productive, national automotive industry again.

For the last several decades, the automotive industry has been under constant attack by foreign competition, by its investors, and by government. The companies lost huge portions of their market share, investors looted cash reserves, and US government felt entitled to tell the automotive industry how to design their cars.

The ill advised meddling of US Government in matters of fuel efficiency and emissions has cost the automotive industry dearly. Huge amounts of research funds were spent in meeting marginally effective government regulations and much needed funds for new product development were redirected.

Congress has not yet understood that engine efficiency has an absolute, insurmountable, upper limit. It is idiotic to crank up mileage limits every few years and to expect that the industry can meet these unrealistic targets. Instead, this country must find the will and the funding to develop two new, desperately needed energy technologies.

We must reduce energy consumption of automobiles by developing advanced gasoline and Diesel engines that can approach energy efficiencies of 45%. Energy efficiency must be determined by measuring the energy input of fuel and comparing it to the power output of the engine at its most prevailing operating condition. This will assure that our inventories of automobiles, trucks, and trains will eventually consume the lowest amount of energy that is scientifically possible.

Most importantly, we must learn to make a petroleum substitute and produce it from renewable biomass. Biomass for renewable fuel production must be grown only on arid, barren, and fallow lands that are preferably located on a belt with maximum sunshine on both sides of the equator. Industrial production techniques can deliver renewable, non-polluting energy for centuries.

Long before us, nature succeeded in creating fossil fuels from biomass. We can anticipate with virtual certainty that we can imitate nature by using a large arsenal of applicable technologies, which were not accessible to nature.