From Counterman.com: Time and a Half
One of the hot-button issues in the independent automotive service industry is how to charge for diagnostic time. Currently, the debate is framed by two basic schools of thought. The practitioners of the first school are the shop managers who regard “free diagnostic code reads” as a marketing expense needed to lure potential customers into their doors. The practitioners of the second school are “hard-line” shop managers who believe that diagnostic time should yield profits commensurate with the tooling and training expense needed to diagnose complex powertrain and body control systems.
WIX Filters Announces “Party Like a Rock Star” Sweepstakes Winners
GASTONIA, NC – Thanks to Affinia Group’s WIX Filters, Ken Erickson of Loveland, CO, and his three guests will get a taste of celebrity life during the March 11 NASCAR Nextel Cup UAW Daimler-Chrysler 400. Erickson was selected as the winner of the WIX Filters “Party Like a Rock Star” Sweepstakes. The giveaway was conducted
ATE Launches Go Premium! Promotion
Continental Teves, a leading supplier of automotive aftermarket brake products, is encouraging its aftermarket customers to “Go Premium!” with its latest ATE promotion. The promotion automatically enters customers into a drawing to win a premium getaway to the Bahamas. ATE distributors nationwide will have the opportunity to win an all-expense paid trip to Nassau, Bahamas, for six days and seven nights each time they spend $10,000 on ATE premium brake products between June 1 and Aug. 31. Distributors also will be eligible for volume discounts on ATE brake products during the promotion.
CARS 2005 Provided Education, Networking, Entertainment
Hundreds gathered during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW) at the 2005 Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) held at The Mirage in Las Vegas. CARS, in conjunction with the Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) Mechanical Division, is held annually during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW) and focuses on education while also offering entertainment and networking opportunities.
Rancho Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Summer Promotion, Chances to Win iPod, Ford F-150
Enthusiasts can now earn fun and exciting premiums – including an Apple iPod Shuffle – through the purchase of qualifying Rancho products in the “Rancho’s Turning 50” promotion during the month of June. Participants also are entered into the grand-prize sweepstakes for the 2004 Rancho Ford F-150 project vehicle giveaway.
CARS 2004 Sets Attendance Record
The Automotive Service Association has reported that a new attendance record was set with this year’s Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS). More than 700 people were in attendance at this year’s show, held at the Flamingo Las Vegas during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW). CARS is the premier event of the Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) Mechanical Division.
DST Asks: Is Your Company Part of a Technology Users’ Group
Scientists can’t actually agree on when mankind first discovered fire. Some think as recently as 100,000 years ago, but others claim evidence of campfires as old as 1.6 million years by carbon-dating them. In any case, whenever fire was discovered, everyone is in agreement that the first thing needed was a users’ group to share knowledge and techniques about this new, mysterious technology. Cavemen and their cavewomen traveled far and wide to assemble and discuss fire and trade new ideas and stories about its benefits. Can’t you just imagine the program agenda for that first Users’ Group? Probably workshops with titles like “Cooked Meat: A Whole New Paradigm” and “Heating Your Cave: Why a Chimney is a Good Idea” and “Stay Awake after Dark with a New Source of Light.”
Edelbrock Launches Consumer Rebate Program
Edelbrock has launched a new consumer rebate program designed to help drivers “go fast and save cash.” Featuring Thunder Series AVS carburetors, plus mix-and-match Performer, EPS, RPM and Air-Gap manifold/carb packages, the rebate program is for specially marked Edelbrock products purchased from Apr. 20, 2004 to June 30 (one rebate redemption per household).
Walker Exhaust Announces Special Spring Trade Promotion
Walker Exhaust is offering a special spring trade promotion that enables undercar professionals to earn $25 gift cards, be entered into weekly $500 cash giveaways and participate in a sweepstakes drawing for a premium home theater system.
GM Giving Away 1,000 Vehicles
General Motors has introduced a new “Hot Button” marketing program, the latest in a line of marketing initiatives aimed at reaching consumers more effectively. As part of the program, GM will hold the largest vehicle giveaway in history in a two-month period. Beginning on Jan. 5, GM is giving away 1,000 2004 vehicles. Consumers will have an opportunity to win one of 54 different GM vehicles including HUMMER H2, Cadillac CTS, Pontiac GTO, Saturn VUE, Chevy SSR, Buick Rainier, Saab 9-3 and GMC Envoy, simply by visiting a participating dealership and pushing the OnStar “Hot Button” in a specially designated vehicle.