Hybrid Maintenance: Fluid Service Considerations
Does the phrase “hybrid fluid maintenance” scare you? It shouldn’t. With more than 4 million hybrids on the road, and many of your customers considering purchasing one, servicing hybrid vehicles is in your future.
Steering It Straight In 4-Wheel Drive Vehicles
AWD vs. 4WD: In contrast to an all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicle, a four-wheel drive vehicle is typically equipped with a two-speed transfer case capable of driving in two or four-wheel drive and a Hotchkiss or “solid” rear drive axle for main propulsion. A four-wheel drive might incorporate either a solid front axle as with older Toyotas and Nissans or an independent front suspension as found in more modern configurations.
Overcoming Identity Crisis Means Equal Parts Art And Science
The automotive industry has suffered with an identity crisis for a number of years. Some of it is self-inflicted and some of it is due to public stigma which comes from a lack of understanding about what it takes to successfully move along with a large dose of commoditization in a race to the bottom.
Vehicle Inspection Impact
Inspection programs got their start in the 1930s, when fatalities on the road increased to almost epidemic levels. During this period, drivers were three times more likely to die in an accident than today.
$25 Billion Bounty Puts Hollywood Heists To Shame
The Auto Care Association and IMR Inc. report that in a recent survey, more than 100,000 American households (driving more than 170,000 vehicles) revealed they know that repairs or maintenance need to be performed on their car but have chosen to delay the work.
Import Insights 1988: Covering The Entire Vehicle Spectrum
Maserati’s Biturbo 425i pictured on the cover of our August 1988 issue was being replaced by the even more exciting Maserati 430.
Dumb Thoughts About Smart Cars
Only 2 percent of accidents are due to vehicle component failure of degradation.
State Vehicle Inspections: Something Needs To Change
No one can agree on the execution of a state vehicle safety or emissions inspection program.
Doing What We DO
ImportCar, along with the Brake & Front End and Underhood Service brands, is again partnering with WIX Performance to sponsor the 2019 “Driving Performance” Award, to recognize game changers in automotive service.
Editor’s Notebook: The Next Move Is Yours
Our crack research team at Babcox Media recently completed an annual readership study of shops who subscribe to ImportCar magazine. More than half of our readers say there is a desperate need for qualified help, yet nearly two-thirds say they don’t do anything about it.
Editor’s Notebook: Here’s My Promise…
This hand-written letter from Terry Weiss comes at a good time. His shop has been in business for 45 years – opening in 1974 – just five years before ImportCar was founded. As you will see from his comments, his success is attributed to good, old-fashioned customer service and highest-quality repairs. It’s a fitting picture of what pioneer import specialist shops looked like more than four decades ago, and the resources they used to be successful.
What Is The Value Of Routine Vehicle Maintenance?
The first step in keeping your customers’ vehicles in top-running condition is getting them in the mindset about the value of preventive maintenance, so that they take a proactive role in having you regularly maintain their vehicles, says Mary DellaValle, editor of ImportCar magazine.
