R. L. Polk & Co’s Ask the Industry: Great Ideas for National Car Care Month Events
National Car Care Month (NCCM) officially begins in just under a week, but there’s still time to take a few cues from current NCCM participants and plan your own great event. To mark NCCM, automotive repair shops, parts stores, distributors and vocational schools throughout the country will offer free vehicle check-up events and car care aware fairs for consumers, according to the Car Care Council, the organization that spearheads the campaign. During these events, automotive technicians check the vehicle’s lubricants and fluids, windshield wipers, belts and hoses, the battery, tires and lighting. But many aftermarket organizations go way beyond simply offering vehicle safety inspections, developing events that showcase the aftermarket industry and also reach out to their communities.
The Week in Review (Nov. 6-10, 2006)
By Amy Antenora Editor The Week in Review offers a snapshot into the most read stories of the week as seen on aftermarketNews.com. To access the complete stories, simply click on the highlighted links. If you missed reading one of our daily news emails, click on any of the dates listed at the bottom of
Automotive Hall of Fame Recognizes Inductees and Young Leaders
Seven individuals representing racing, design, manufacturing, management and innovation were inducted this week into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, MI. The Inductee class of 2006 includes Nuccio Bertone, Dale Earnhardt, Bill France, Jr., Wayne Huizenga, Shojiro Ishibashi, Arjay Miller and Bruno Sacco.
The Week In Review (Aug. 21-25, 2006)
THE WEEK IN REVIEW (August 21-25, 2006) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ASSOCIATION & LEGISLATIVE NEWS: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ASA to Communicate with Members through New Blog The Automotive Service Association (ASA) is among the latest in the aftermarket industry to launch a blog website. ASA’s new blog (http://blog.asashop.org) will provide commentary and analysis about the automotive service industry
Precision Auto Care Signs Agreement with Identifix
Posted: August 21, 2006, 9 a.m., EST ST. PAUL, MN — Identifix, a provider of online and hotline diagnostic and repair information, has signed an agreement with Precision Auto Care to introduce Identifix services to all 330 Precision Tune Auto Care franchises nationwide. The Identifix Repair Hotline is a pay-per-call hotline annually used by more
Distributor Set for DCX’s Smart Cars in United States: UnitedAuto to Offer Mini Models
UnitedAuto Group Inc., a Bloomfield Hills, MI, company led by Roger Penske, will be the exclusive U.S. distributor for DaimlerChrysler AG’s Smart mini-cars, the two companies announced Wednesday in downtown Detroit. The Smart ForTwo, a tiny two-seater, should arrive in the United States by early 2008. Penske, chairman of UnitedAuto, said he’ll select 30 to 50 dealers to sell the vehicles.
1-800 Radiator Opens Franchise in Miami
Auto parts distribution franchise 1-800 Radiator has increased its stake in the franchise industry with the opening of outlets in Miami and Jacksonville, FL. The rapidly expanding parts distributor has opened 16 outlets since the year’s start, and plans to open 17 more within the next four months.
LIVE FROM GAAS — The View from Wall Street
Morgan Stanley’s lead auto analyst Jonathan Steinmetz opened his presentation Wednesday morning at GAAS by taking a look at the current and projected state of the new vehicle market. “The new vehicle market is affecting what will happen in the aftermarket down the line,” said Steinmetz. “It’s still rough out there.”
Meineke Car Care Centers Sponsor Car Care Council Women’s Board 2006 Scholarship
Meineke Car Care Centers is the latest company to sign on a sponsor of the Car Care Council Women’s Board 2006 scholarship program. This year’s scholarship is in honor of Jean Kennedy, Meineke’s first female franchisee. Recognized as one of the largest automotive franchises, Meineke franchisees have serviced more than 50,000,000 vehicles since starting out in 1972. There are approximately 900 Meineke franchises throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, Venezuela, the Caribbean, China and Saudi Arabia.
U.S. Auto Sales Off to Bad Start: January Toughest on GM and Ford
Sales of new cars and trucks have been falling in January, especially for General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., automotive dealership data show. Retail sales of new vehicles were down 11 percent in the first half of the month, compared to the same period a year ago, according to a report from the Power Information Network, a subsidiary of J.D. Power & Associates.