Archive for the ‘Cars’ Category

Volvo Receives Service Parts Distribution Excellence Awards

Thursday, November 20th, 2008
Automotive Services
Glady Reign asked:


Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA) earlier received awards from Carlisle & Company for their excellence in the distribution of their service parts. VCNA was given the distinction as having the number one automotive parts distribution network in the United States by the private consulting firm.

Carlisle & Company polled 14,000 parts manager which represents nineteen auto manufacturers with operations in the U.S. to come up with a worthy winner. “Being selected as top performer has been one of our long term objectives, actually since 1992,” said Robert Deutsch, the North American Parts Manager for VCNA. “We started with a rather good system and have systematically improved it over the years. Today our total service parts network is focused on delivering the right part, at the right time, every time… we strive for perfection.”

The award given to the Swedish automaker is the Service Parts Supply Chain Fulfillment. The award recognizes Volvo’s dedication to supply their consumers’ superb satisfaction in every part of car ownership. The commendation meant the automaker is successful in providing spare parts like Volvo V40 parts and other tune up parts to their clientele. The Swedish automaker, also known for safety, achieved the level of quality by ensuring that their parts distribution network is reliable in its task.

“Today, the new car sales experience is just the first touch for customers visiting Volvo retailers. Ownership expectations, and of course meeting those demands, are key to having repeat new car sales,” added Deutsch. “Our whole parts organization should take credit for this achievement. Without a collective effort and holding to our long standing objective of end service to the customer, this award would not have been possible.”

Aside from the Service Parts Supply Chain Fulfillment award, the private consulting firm also acknowledged VCNA as one of the three Best Practice Leaders for Global Supply Chain Fulfillment. The three winners of the award came from the automotive, construction equipment and agriculture fields. “Volvo was the only automotive manufacturer to be recognized for superior complete Parts distribution processes,” said enthused Deutsch. Carlisle & Company has benchmarked 29 companies and VCNA emerged as the cream-of-the-crop.

Deutsch continued, “Our global approach is based on Volvo Cars, Sweden’s unique approach of handling functions that best done centrally and of allowing in-country markets to be a local extension of the complete logistics system. We have an extremely good supply structure that is both global and local at the same time.”

The awards were announced amid rumors surrounding the fate of Volvo Cars. After selling its Aston Martin luxury division, the Ford Motor Co. was reported to be contemplating about the potential sale of its Premiere Automotive Group (PAG) European brands that include Land Rover, Jaguar and Volvo.

Earlier, the automaker admitted that it is eyeing the sale of British brands - Land Rover and Jaguar. But it did not confirm whether the Swedish Volvo brand will be included in the anticipated sale. However, it is speculated that the Swedish automaker will be sold by the ailing Ford to cope with previous losses. It was also divulged that Ford intends to concentrate on American brands hence the sale of the entire PAG is essential.

Volvo is known for producing safe cars and this year has marked its 80th anniversary in the auto industry. At present, the Swedish automaker’s lineup includes the award-winning new S40 compact car and the V50, its wagon counterpart; the award-winning XC90 crossover; the S60 sedan; the performance wagon version V70 R; the flexible V70 wagon; the rugged XC70 (Cross Country); the new Volvo C70 convertible; and the all-new Volvo S80 sedan.



Dan

Rule of Thumb Automobile Service Schedule

Thursday, October 30th, 2008
Automotive Services
guenter hohmann asked:


Your owner’s manual will give the information when all maintenance tasks should be done. Most tasks will be listed according to the mileage and the type of driving you do. These services should be followed to give your vehicle maximum dependability. Basically the following list is the average service schedule for most automobiles.

3000 Mile Maintenance

Change the engine oil and filter every 3 to 4 thousand miles. When doing this also check the fluids, the air filter, tire pressures, hoses and belts. At this time check the battery cables and terminals for corrosion.

5000-10,000 Miles:

Have your tires rotated and balanced every five to ten thousand miles. This helps the tires wear evenly and extends the life. The best tires should be put in the front of the car. Check the tire pressure regularly and check the tread for signs of uneven wear or damage.

15,000 Miles:

Change the air filter every 15,000 miles. A clean air filter improves the fuel economy of your car. At this time you should also check the brake pads and shoes. Check all fluid levels. Change the wiper blades. Check for any fluid leaks under the vehicle. Check the axel boots, struts, and shock absorbers.

30,000 Miles:

Change the oil and filter. Do an engine flush if your repair shop has this equipment. Change the transmission fluid and filter if applicable. Change the engine coolant. Rotate and balance the tires. Check the brake pads and shoes. At this mileage most automobiles will need front brake service. Change the wiper blades.  Also at this time, give the car a tune up. Replace all spark plugs (non-platinum) and wires. Check the axel boots, struts, shocks and suspension. Replace the fuel filter if external.

45,000 Miles:

Same as 15,000 mile service

60,000 Miles:

Basically the same as the 30,000 mile service with the exception of doing the timing belt if your engine is so equipped.  The timing belt replacement is somewhat expensive but not doing it can turn into the possibility of ruining the entire engine causing a major expense and inconvenience. This type of damage caused by a broken timing belt or a worn belt that skips a few teeth cane be seen at http://www.gunnysautotips.com/general_information.html

 

For more automotive help visit my website at http://www.gunnysautotips.com/



Lois

Automotive Trade Show: Sema 2008

Saturday, October 18th, 2008
Automotive Services
Freddic asked:


The SEMA Show is a leading automotive specialty products trade show in the world. Held annually in the Las Vegas Convention Center, the show attracts more than 120,000 industry experts from over 100 nationalities, thus creating huge business opportunities in the automotive, truck and SUV and RV markets.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association or SEMA exhibition throughout its history has been held during the first week of November and on a Tuesday. However, last year’s show (SEMA Show 2007) was held from October 30-November 2, 2007. However, the exhibition is NOT open to general public!

Just like the previous years, the 2007 exhibition was a grand success. The SEMA Show 2007 attracted about 60,000 domestic and international buyers for exhibits organized in ten categories. The intriguing part of the show was New Products Showcase where more than 2,000 newly introduced parts, tools and components were displayed. The exhibits alone occupied two million square feet of exhibits.

The show features state of the art products classified under 10 categories, 3 of which are given below

 

1. Business Services: This category entails services with a focus on automotive industry and showcases hardware, software, computers, financial services, store fixtures, warehouse equipment, fleet services, personnel & human resources services and systems, CAD systems and consultants.

 

2. Hot Rod Alley: The products featured in this category include street rod/hot rod custom and specialty parts, tires and accessories, bodies, alternators, catalytic converters, brake systems including disc brakes, electrical systems and components, chassis parts, gauges, aluminum radiators, exhaust systems,valve covers, sheet metal, shocks, and wiring kits.

 

3. Mobile Electronics & Technology: This category includes sound systems, LCD video devices & systems, MP3, DVD, CD, satellite radio, telematics, security systems, CB, GPS, on-board technology, antennas, cellular telephones and accessories, computer chips and PROMs and radar detectors.

 

To learn more about the SEMA Show, follow me through the URL below.



Willie

Automotive Can Bus System

Saturday, October 4th, 2008
Automotive Services
Ralph Uche asked:


CAN (Controller Area Network) - Bus (electrical channel for transferring data between computers) means a way of communication between Control Units in the vehicle.

In order to understand the meanings and the purposes of this kind of communication, we must first understand the scope of electronic development in the automotive area and in particular in the modern vehicles.

If in the past, vehicles were simply constructed, outstanding in their reability, robustness and their long service life. Each system of the vehicle was a stand-alone system constructed of mechanical and electro-mechanical components (some times combined with pneumatics). Due to those simple systems the vehicle reactions to road or load changes was slow and not accurate, causing poor drivability, high fuel consumption and high air pollution. 

Today we are expecting that the vehicle will offer maximum driveability, high road safety, enviromental friendliness and economy.

These requirements can only be achieved through the use of electronic controlled systems managed by Control Units (CU for short) with integrated microprocessors. The performance of these systems enables to carry out noumerous of very coplex function simultaneously.

Combining a Control Unit with peripheral elements such as sensors, transducers and actuators, form a subsystem responsible for managing the function and the operations of a vehicle system as the Engine, Transmission, brakes, Lights etc.

The sensors and the transducers of a certain subsystem, provide measurement values which are converted into signal which can be interpreted by the microprocessors (computers). Those signals serve as information for the Control Unit, about the status of the subsystem. The Control Unit uses this information to calculate the deviation from the setpoint status and the necessary control responses from the actuators in order to achieve the proper operation.



Todd

Volvo Receives Awards for Service Components Distribution

Friday, September 19th, 2008
Automotive Services
Glady Reign asked:


The Swedish brand Volvo recently received awards from Carlisle & Company for their excellence in the distribution of their service parts. Volvo Cars North America was given the distinction as having the number one automotive parts distribution network in the United States by the private consulting firm.

Carlisle & Company polled 14,000 parts manager which represents 19 car manufacturers with operations in the United States to come up with the winner for the distinction.

“Being selected as top performer has been one of our long term objectives, actually since 1992,” says Robert Deutsch, the North American Parts Manager for Volvo Cars. “We started with a rather good system and have systematically improved it over the years. Today our total service parts network is focused on delivering the right part, at the right time, every time… we strive for perfection,” he added further.

The award given to the company is the Service Parts Supply Chain Fulfillment. The award recognizes the Swedish firm’s dedication to provide their consumers utmost satisfaction in every part of Volvo car ownership. The distinction means that Volvo is successful is providing spare parts like Volvo tune up parts to their consumers. They achieved this feat by making sure that their parts distribution network is effective in its task.

“Today, the new car sales experience is just the first touch for customers visiting Volvo retailers. Ownership expectations, and of course meeting those demands, are key to having repeat new car sales,” says Deutsch. “Our whole parts organization should take credit for this achievement. Without a collective effort and holding to our long standing objective of end service to the customer, this award would not have been possible.”

Aside from the Service Parts Supply Chain Fulfillment award, Carlisle & Company also acknowledged Volvo Cars of North America as one of the three Best Practice Leaders for Global Supply Chain Fulfillment. The three winners of the award came from the automotive, agriculture, and construction equipment fields. “Volvo was the only automotive manufacturer to be recognized for superior total Parts distribution processes,” says Deutsch of the citation.

“Our global approach is based on Volvo Cars, Sweden’s unique approach of handling functions that best done centrally and of allowing in-country markets to be a local extension of the total logistics system. We have an extremely good supply structure that is both global and local at the same time,” he continues.

The Swedish company is known for producing safe cars and this year has marked its 80th anniversary. For the 2008 model year, the company’s offering for the United States auto market are the Volvo S40, S60, S80, V50, V70, XC90, C30 and the C70. These cars are known for their safety - in fact, the C70 convertible recently received the Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This shows that Volvo does not only excel in the distribution of their auto parts but also in providing their customers with safe vehicles.

The award was announced after rumors started in the auto industry surrounding the fate of Volvo Cars. It is speculated that the Swedish car manufacturer will be sold by the struggling Ford Motor Company. Volvo is currently part of Ford’s Premiere Automotive Group (PAG) along with British luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover.



Annie

You Should Consider These Tips When Deciding On Extended Warranty Service

Monday, August 18th, 2008
Automotive Services
MIKE SELVON asked:


When consumers shop around for a pre-owned car deal, they may wonder what the difference is between a traditional automobile warranty and extended warranty service. A traditional warranty, or “manufacturer’s warranty,” as it’s sometimes dubbed, is included in the purchase price of the vehicle. These warranties vary greatly between makes and models, ranging from 3 year/36,000 mile warranties to 7 year/100,000 mile warranties.

Also, not all used cars come with manufacturer warranties attached. Extended warranty coverage is purchased through a third party at a separate price. Here, consumers will come up against different options and levels of coverage, so it’s important that they do their research before arriving at the car dealership. Checking the internet for an extended warranty quote or two is probably a good idea.

First, consumers should check to find out who is backing the extended warranty service. Is it an independent company or the vehicle manufacturer? Generally, manufacturer-based used car warranties are ideal, known for the easy-to-use guarantee. With an after-market extended car warranty, the owner will need to read the stipulations to ensure that everything is covered.

For example, some companies require that owners call before the work is done. Some companies require regular oil changes and fluid top-ups for work to be covered. Depending on the arrangement, sometimes the company pays the auto mechanic directly, whereas other times the warranty company pays the car owner back later. Reading and understanding the agreement is crucial in preventing unpaid claims.

Secondly, find out exactly what is covered and what is not covered. The things for consumers to look out for here are “breakdown coverage” versus “wear and tear” extended warranty service. While a breakdown automotive warranty may cost a little less, it could be costly over time.

Many parts fail due to wearing down and not outright “breaking.” Not all contracts cover instances like anti-lock break system failure or engine overheating. At the end of the day, these seemingly inconsequential distinctions can mean the difference between a reasonable plan and a waste of money.

At the end of the day, it’s up to the owner whether or not extended warranty service is needed. Some people are perfectly comfortable setting money aside to save for possible repairs, whereas others want to feel that they can call on someone to help, no matter what happens. Extended warranty plans may not be essential for every computer, iPod or blender purchased, but for a car worth $10,000 or more, it’s certainly a smart consideration for that extra peace of mind.



Ellen

Oakleaf Automotive - Leading the Way in Left Hand Drive Cars

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
Automotive Services
lazysubmit asked:


Buying from an established UK left hand drive specialist dealer will give you confidence in your purchase but also the inclusion of UK registration can have positive financial advantages. If you are looking to purchase a new or used lhd car for use in Europe, one of Oakleaf’s initiatives is to include UK registration across their full Select Range giving up to 20% savings on lhds cars and registrations in Europe.

Left Hand Drive Cars

Take Spain as an example:

If you where to buy a lhd car from Oakleaf for use in Spain the car would come with the following included in the price:

1. UK registration, V5 registration document, road tax and 12 months mot(where applicable).

2. European Certificate of Conformity.

With the correct documents in place you can insure and drive the car in the UK, then to Spain, legally without any worries. Once you are there and settled you then have time to consider re-registering the car to Spanish plates (up to 6 months).

Hopefully you will have picked up the language a little which will make the process of re-registering easier or maybe a local registration service may have been recommended to you by other ex-pats in the area.

Re-registration of a vehicle in Spain can be a costly exercise due to the various fiscal charges. If you register a vehicle in Spain without owning it for 6 months, i.e. your name has not been on the registration document for at least 6 months, you will have to pay the following duty:

Up to 2000cc - 7% Over 2000cc - 12%

Also something to consider if you purchase a Spanish registered car from a private individual you also pay a 4% transfer fee.

To keep everything legal in accordance with Spanish law the car must be registered within 6 months of permanent residency. So on the 7th month of your ownership you can arrange for re-registration over to Spanish plates. On this basis the car becomes classed as a personal import and the total registration charges and taxes (if using a local registration agent) become quite reasonable from around 600 to 900 Euros.

You may be tempted to leave the car on UK plates but a word of warning!

The Spanish police are quite aware of the increasing numbers of ex-pats using their cars in Spain on UK plates on a permanent basis. In the past they may have concentrated their attention mainly on Spanish cars but now it seems the opposite is in fact the norm.

So what might seem like a ‘good idea at the time’ could spoil your day especially if your car is towed by the ‘grua’ for a parking violation (easily done) or if you caught by a speed trap (on the increase and again easily done). In these circumstances you will have to prove the legality of the car, with the correct, up to date documentation. If the car has been towed, you will need everything correct to get it released from the pound!

So to recap, if you buy a left hand drive car from Oakleaf you will have UK registration in your name, you can then use the car in legally in Spain for 6 months. Then in the 7th month of ownership if you contact a local registration agent and provided them with your documents, they can make the transfer over to Spanish plates for you.

In conjunction with Oakleaf’s left hand drive prices comparing favourably to Spanish dealers you could make an overall saving of around 20%.

Another reason why Oakleaf Automotive are leading the way in Left Hand Drive Cars for Europe. Lhd Cars and 4×4



Robert