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Monday, September 21, 2009
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Issue 13
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VOLUME 5
ISSUE 13
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News, Trends & Products
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Mercedes makes a big move; entire SClass could be hybrids
Mercedes-Benz, caught like other automakers in a regulatory squeeze to post higher fuel efficiency, may make the next generation of its flagship S-Class sedans all hybrids, a company official said, USA TODAY reports. It would be the first time an entire conventional model line has been converted to an alternative powertrain. So far, gas-electric hybrid powertrains have come as options or in a handful of one-off models, such as Toyota's Prius, aimed at eco-conscious shoppers. The conversion could make sense for a line such as the S-Class. The German automaker just started offering a hybrid in the line and, unlike most hybrids, the model is not at the top price-wise. At $87,950, the S400 Hybrid is $3,650 less than the non-hybrid V-8 S550.
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Don’t Just Manage It…Run it with Velocity
Strategies for moving the needle in today’s used car marketplace
[FULL STORY]
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How Does Your Online Advertising Measure Up?
Tools and techniques that will empower you to take control of the effectiveness of your online advertising
More info on the Digital Dealer Conference
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Will Ford's V-6 EcoBoost engine win over F-150 buyers?
If all goes well, Ford could start training a second shift of workers at one of its Brook Park, Ohio, engine plants next summer, The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Sunday. Ford's Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 in Brook Park makes the company's flagship 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine. So far, Ford offers that engine only in low-volume luxury cars and a specialty version of the new Taurus sedan. But late next year, it will go into the automaker's most popular vehicle -- the F-150 pickup. "We're slated to put an afternoon shift on, probably around August of next year," said Guy Hamilton, building chairman of the plant for the United Auto Workers Local 1250. Those workers would go through about eight weeks of training, so they would hit the line around October 2010 when Ford expects to launch the EcoBoost F-150. But putting 250 people back on the assembly line will hinge on two key issues -- the health of the economy and whether Ford can convince truck buyers that a turbocharged V-6 is a worthy replacement for the classic V-8s in pickups.
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Subaru of America, Inc. to establish 9 more zone offices
On the heels of three months of record-setting sales, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) Thursday announced it will introduce nine new "zone offices" to its U.S. operations in the coming months, bringing the total number of SOA zone offices to 12. The new offices are expected to be in operation by January 1, 2010.
[FULL STORY]
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Automakers can top fuel rules, energy chief says
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Thursday automakers are capable of going beyond the 34.1 miles per gallon fleetwide fuel efficiency standards proposed by the Obama administration for the 2016 model year, The Detroit News reports. He made the statement as the department announced it had finalized Ford Motor Co.'s $5.9 billion low-cost government loan. Ford will start drawing on the loan by month's end to retool factories in Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio to produce more fuel-efficient models. General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC have pending applications seeking loans from the program. The department plans to make additional loans under this program over the next several months to large and small automakers and parts suppliers.
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Chrysler Group LLC takes leap with digital owners' manuals
New Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicle owners will soon have room to put gloves in their glove boxes instead of 4-pound owners' manuals, the automaker announced. Chrysler Group LLC says it's the first automaker to provide digital owners' manuals for its complete lineup of 2010 model-year vehicles. The switch will save 930 tons of paper, or the equivalent of 20,000 trees on an annual basis. But the switch isn't going to leave perplexed drivers at the side of the road wondering how to change a tire.
[FULL STORY]
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CRA asks Schwarzenegger to terminate steering bill
The California Assembly approved AB 1200 42-19 on Sept. 9 and the insurer-backed bill now goes to the Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his review. The Collision Repair Association of California will ask him to veto the measure because it will hurt independent collision repair shops, which already are suffering during the economic downturn, while depriving claimants the benefits of a repair analyses based on the right thing to do, not the cheapest way to go, Automotive Body Repair News reports.
[FULL STORY]
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G-Oil shipped to retail chain, national auto stores
Green Earth Technologies announced today that their G-OIL Ultimate Biodegradable green motor oils has started to ship and will officially be offered at retail beginning October 1st at National Auto Stores, a family owned and operated business serving eastern Pennsylvania. G-OIL SAE 5W-30 ultimate biodegradable green motor oils met and passed all the engine test criteria for The American Petroleum Institute (API) SM Certification and were officially granted the API "Donut," becoming the first bio-based motor oil to receive such distinguished honors. National Auto Stores is the first retailer to place an order and commit to GET products. After their first motor oil shipment, G-OIL will roll out to other retailers, quick lubes and online merchants alike in the upcoming weeks and months, the company said.
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Data Mining Made Easy
How to find and use customer data
More info on the Digital Dealer Conference
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National vehicle title program gets $6.8 million
More than $6.8 million was awarded to 12 states and to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) to protect consumers from vehicle fraud and unsafe vehicles, according to the Department of Justice, Collision Repair reports. The funds will help with implementation of the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), an electronic system launched for consumers in January 2009 that enables users to verify key automobile information.
[FULL STORY]
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Get in Shape, be Fit and Stay Ahead of the Curve – The One-hour a Day Social Media Workout Plan
Following the training plan for 60 minutes daily will get you into the desired ‘web 2.0 shape’
More info on the Digital Dealer Conference
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Digital Dining on Leftover Leads
How to squeeze more juice out of your DMS system
More info on the Digital Dealer Conference
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In DFO magazine
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The gross profit gold mine: Fixed operations!
by Charlie Polston
.jpg?i=092509150336) “The money is there…you just have to ask for it.” “Vehicle owners will purchase maintenance service from you if you make them aware of what they need.” “Ask and it shall be given unto you…” “If they aren’t buying new cars, you better help them maintain their old one.” All of these statements are true and I’ll prove it. In the spring, I did a service department analysis of a small rural Ford dealership in the Midwest. This dealership is located in a community of less than 10,000 that has recently lost several manufacturing jobs. The numbers were pretty sad and the attitude of the employees was too. In the first five months of the year, they had only sold 66 maintenance services on the drive. That’s about 13 per month. Pathetic. I gathered the technicians, both of the advisors, and the service manager in a room to have a “family meeting.” In short, our discussion centered on everyone in the service department working together to help each other. My message to the techs was simple: If you will feed the advisor’s information about what the vehicles need, they will, in turn, feed labor hours back to you. Read more
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Dave Anderson's Leadership Quote of the Week
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Ignoring bad behavior reinforces it, guaranteeing that you’ll see more of it. Form the habit of shoveling the piles while they’re small!
-- Dave Anderson, Learn to Lead, Inc.
Order Dave's new book and get a $99 bonus! Click Here!
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DFO Community
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We welcome your comments and suggestions regarding our eNewsletter and its content. Please email us with any feedback you want to share. If you have a tech questions or suggestion for topics we should cover in future issues, just drop us an email and we will check it out for you. Please include your contact information, including phone number in case we need to call you and get additional information on your suggestion or comment. Email us
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