The Changing Face of Automatic Transmissions
By Dennis Madden, CEO of ATRA Did you ever wonder how automatic transmissions became a specialty, separate from general auto repair? For the first 40 years or so since automatic transmissions began rolling off the assembly line, the transmission was a completely separate entity from the rest of the vehicle. Back then, if the transmission
Diesel, Gasoline Exhaust and Shop Safety
"Boss, I’m feeling kind of light headed." Diesel and gasoline exhaust can be hazardous to employees working in dealerships and automotive service businesses. And not just those working in the shop are at risk; office employees can also be exposed through poor ventilation systems.So what can you do to protect your business and employees from
Proper Tools Required for Successful Leak Detection
Leaks of one kind or another can always be a challenge to find if the leak isn’t obvious. Having the right tools to help you find leaks can save time, effort and reduce the risk of comebacks. Here are some common types of leaks and what kind of equipment you can use to find them.
Necessary Fluid Maintanance Services vs. Wallet Flushing
Good service shop managers stay on top of their annual workflow by placing jobs like timing belt and brake replacements into categories that can be tracked on a historic basis. If a tire dealer has faithfully tracked the kinds of work flowing through his service bays during the past 10 years, it might become apparent
TCi Opens Two New Commercial Centers
Michelin North America subsidiary TCi Tire Centers opened two new commercial tire centers in Texas today. Located in Houston and Harlingen, the centers are full service facilities offering fleets new tires, retreads, preventative maintenance, emergency road service and alignment capabilities. A grand opening open-house celebration was held at the new Houston commercial center. “In order
Power to the People: BFG Trail to Be Chosen by Popular Vote
Michelin North America plans to name three off-road trails to its BFGoodrich Tires Outstanding Trails program in 2011, and is giving enthusiasts a vote. MNA, in conjunction with Tread Lightly and United Four Wheel Drive Associations, have already chosen the Interlake Trail 19 located in Lynnville, Ind., and Morrison Jeep Trail in Shoshone National Forest,
Marketing to Women With Social Media
Comscore, Nielsen, Media-Metrix and Quantcast studies all show women are the driving force of the most important Internet trend of the decade: the social web. So how does a small business – like a tire dealer – harness the power of female customers in social media? It’s all about interactivity and creating a forum for
Super Wides Could Be a Super Benefit For Your Fleet Customers
As the cost of diesel fuel continues to climb, commercial trucking fleets are looking for ways to save dollars. And because tires make up a large part of the budget, more than ever fleets are turning to tire dealers seeking ways to leverage savings, including adopting super wide tires. When commercial customers come asking questions,
Fire Up Your Sales Approach
Many of you consider yourselves to be retailers, and retailing is an important and proud industry. This is true whether one is selling clothing, appliances or, in this case, tires and automotive services. At the core of retailing is a reactive approach to working with consumers. They come into your dealership – driven by an
Variety of Oil Blend Needs Complicate ‘Simple’ Oil Change
Years ago, a shop could consider its shelves well-stocked if it carrieda selection of single-viscosity oils in detergent or non-detergentblends.