Alex

http://www.bmwtechinfo.com

The BMW site provides information on vehicle service, technician training, bulletins, etc. Subscription rates are available for one day, one month, or one year. The system requirements for the web site include Windows operating system with Netscape 6.0 or higher or Explorer 5.0 or higher.

Subscription Rates:

1-Day (24 hour) Subscription: $30

1-Month (30-days) Subscription: $250

1-Year Subscription: $2500

http://www.bmwtechinfo.com/

This Mercedes-Benz site contains online service and training information, as well as bulletins and information on tools and equipment. Contact information is also given for ordering manuals on CD. Subscriptions are available by the day, month, or year.

STAR TekInfo is an official Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC site for hosting service and repair technical documentation for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

The site is provided by the MBUSA Dealer Workshop Services Department at MBUSA's Montvale NJ headquarters.

Dealer Workshop Services Mission:

To be the source for timely and high-quality workshop support services that includes information on repairs, tools, and equipment.

http://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/index.jsp

This Mazda site provides information on electronics, diagnostics and programming, service tools and equipment, obtaining printed manuals, etc. Subscriptions are available for one day, 30 days, six months, or one year. It includes all models from 1996 to present for service manuals and 1990 to present for all technical service bulletins (TSBs).

Mazda (Pay site) http://www.mazdatechinfo.com/home/cataloghome.asp

Tire Business - The Tire Dealer's No. 1 News Source

Founded in 1983, Tire Business is an award-winning newspaper written for independent tire dealers and others in the tire and automotive service industries and automotive aftermarket.

Tire Business is published every other Monday with news updated daily online. Its in-depth news stories, engaging features and relevant special reports reach more than 30,000 print subscribers and thousands more online. Besides reporting on breaking news, Tire Business also compiles numerous rankings and industry statistics relating to the North American tire and automotive service markets, independent tire dealers, tire manufacturers, tire retreaders and the global tire market.

Tire Business is owned by Crain Communications Inc., which publishes 29 U.S. and international business and consumer publications, including Rubber & Plastics News, European Rubber Journal, AutoWeek, Automotive News and Advertising Age. Crain's editorial tenet-that published material must be of real importance to the reader and facts given accurately and fairly-distinguishes the company from its competitors.

Subscribers to Tire Business enjoy 26 print issues a year plus access to all areas of tirebusiness.com. Online-only subscriptions also are available. www.tirebusiness.com

I own/manage a 16 bay undercar turn general repair shop. we had old triad dos system. up graded a year and half ago with R. O. writer. pretty pleased, they have had seveal upgrades and a minum of trouble.

I can also vouch for R.O.Writer as I used it in a shop that I came from about 3 years ago. R.O.Writer is owned by the Midas group. http://www.rowriter.com/index.aspx

Here is an interesting article:

Southfield (WWJ) -- High fuel prices and falling home prices are starting to affect the auto industry.

General Motors reported an 11% drop in U.S. sales for November, citing "softening industry demand" and reductions in low-margin business with car-rental companies.

Sales analysis manager Mike DiGiovonni says because of the problems in the housing market, he doesn't expect things to pick up significantly before the middle of 2008.

Chrysler reported a 2% decline in sales compared with a year ago.

"Despite consumer concerns, Chrysler LLC sales are off only 2 percent showing customers are still purchasing quality and value. High fuel prices and falling home prices continue to impact vehicle sales in November which remain below trend," said Darryl Jackson, Vice President - U.S. Sales.

The bright spot for Chrysler was the Sebring Convertible, which saw a sales increase of 946% in November.

High fuel prices impacted Jeep brand results which were down 2 percent versus November of last year.

Ford reported a slight increase, .4% for November, ending a yearlong string of year-over-year losses.

"It is encouraging to see our newest cars, crossovers, hybrids and industry-first SNYC technology resonating with customers," said Mark Fields, president, The Americas.

In the first quarter of 2008, Ford plans to produce 685,000 vehicles in North America. In the first quarter of this year, the company produced 740,000 vehicles.

Toyota continued its drive to overtake Ford this year as the No. 2 automaker by U.S. sales, outselling Ford by nearly 15,000 vehicles. Toyota's sales were flat for the month compared with last November, with a 4 percent increase in car sales offset by a 5 percent drop in sales of trucks and sport utility vehicles.

"Rising fuel prices and sliding home values delivered a one-two punch," Toyota sales executive Jim Lentz said in a statement.

Nissan said its sales were up 6 percent over last November, largely on the strength of the new Rogue crossover and the Versa subcompact, which saw sales jump 67 percent.

http://www.wwj.com/pages/1278641.php

I found this hunting around on the web, http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/aos/525934738.html

Wow, great idea. Craigs List is free and if you just put one ad a day into your area, you can generate some interest with free advertising. So many people are online these days.

Here is a copy of the ad this person put in:

We can do any kind of repair on your car or truck.

So come on down, check us out -

and we'll take 10% off the cost of your car repair ... plus

we include a free multi point car inspection with each visit

707 Auto Repair

707 Santa Rosa Avenue

Santa Rosa, CA 95404

707-526-8920

Give Us A Call At 526-8920

We've created this section here for you to post your shop website. This is a great way to get some feedback and suggestions from your peers.

Please post relevant automotive shop websites only. Any posts including non automotive shop websites will be moderated and removed.

Thank you.

Automotive Scan Tools and the Modern Car

Thanks to the increasing complexity of modern automobiles over the past few years, most professional auto shops and garages now require a selection of automotive scan tools with which to carry out day to day diagnostic work in order to pinpoint any problems with an engine or engine management system in order to discover what action is needed in order to effect a repair with the minimum of error and maximum efficiency.

There are a variety of different tools available to carry out diagnostics and scans on different types of car and to prepare to repair as effectively as possible. Knowing in detail what issues are causing a car engine to behave in a particular manner is the key to being able to correct the fault in a timely and effective manner.

Perhaps the best known manufacturer of automotive scan tools is OTC, who make a range of tools designed for the highest quality and best price. A comprehensive range is available to enable mechanics to be able to tackle any job they come across, and the range of OTC automotive scan tools is recognized as one of the top choices for the professional, as well as being affordable enough for domestic use under certain circumstances.

Different jobs require different tools, and some are more complex than others. Typically, any job to repair a modern car begins with plugging the scanner into the engine management computer and downloading a log of current performance date. This will include fuel consumption, and time since the last service. It will give the mechanic a complete overview of how the engine is operating, and where there might be errors occurring. The scan will show the mechanic examining the engine whether there are any problems with the fuel supply, the electronics, the air filters, and the running temperature, it will also provide plenty of insight into whether any problems are related to an issue within the engine itself, or indeed within the way the management system has been set up.

A complete diagnostic of a car’s engine management computer system will typically offer an almost immediate list of the performance details for the vehicle, and a good automotive scan tool will shave hours off an otherwise lengthy repair task, as the mechanic will be able to tell almost immediately what is wrong, and what needs to be done in order to repair the damage.

Of course, technology only works well in the hands of those who understand it, and are able to sift through the data provided through a scan and interpret it correctly. However, the latest OTC automotive scan tools have been designed to be almost fool proof, and are able to draw on the experience and insight of hundreds of different programmers and mechanic’s personal records in order to provide a more accurate overview of the data and even present possible solutions to many of the most common problems that a mechanic might encounter.

While some manufacturers release their own range of tools, that are aimed at main dealers, a commercial mechanic may deal with many different models and manufacturers in their day to day role, and this is why it is often an idea to purchase OTC automotive scan tools, as they will be compatible with a range of different vehicles from different international makers, and therefore offer greater flexibility without having to compromise on quality or pay repeatedly for scanners for every single car that is on the market.

While commercial level automotive scan tools are expensive to install and themselves require regular system updates that carry the latest settings for every new vehicle released, they pay for themselves almost immediately thanks to the time that they are able to save, and the fact that without them, even the most experienced mechanic would struggle to discover the inner workings of the latest car engines, which have been designed to be efficient, and robust, but are increasingly too complex for anyone but the experts to consider carrying out any work on.

I hear too many stories of shop owners who spend 30-plus years building a business and at retirment give it away or simply close the doors. Too many of us are just too busy working to plan for the future. It’s a shame that for many there is no legacy, just closed doors. Don’t we deserve more? Haven’t we earned the right to a legacy?

Unfortunately, the retirement package for some has become the sale of the property. This is ofcourse, if they were at some point in the position to buy it.

When you market your business to your customers, you are also marketing to a potential buyer. Growing your business gives you more potential to sell it rather than close the doors.

In 2005, Honda leased the first commercial hydrogen car to a family in Redondo Beach, California, pictured above.

http://www.hydrogencarsnow.com/

Together we will share knowledge and learn.

Well Said!

Below you will find some information on the Right To Repair Act website.

http://www.righttorepair.org/index.htm

Media Kit: http://www.manningmedia.net/Clients/MMS/MMS035/index.shtml

Hello, my name is Alex and I am one of the administrators here at AutoShopOwner. Please feel free to contact me with questions you have regarding the site and I will be more than happy to help you.

We are looking forward to a great community of shop owners networking together and helping one another succeed!

Looking forward to soem great topics!

Has anyone attended the SEMA show this year? If so...any feedback?

Tuesday, November 4 – Friday, November 7, 2008

LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world (PLEASE NOTE: THE SEMA SHOW IS NOT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC). It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. As part of the AAIW, the SEMA Show attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from over 100 countries for unlimited profit opportunities in the automotive, truck and SUV, marine and RV markets. SEMA Show 2006 drew over 50,000 domestic and international buyers through two million square feet of exhibits. The displays are segmented into 11 sections, and a New Products Showcase features more than 2,000 newly introduced parts, tools and components. In addition, the SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and more…

SEMA Show Web Site

This is a great topic. There is class that AMI offers:

Selling Diagnostic Labor Profitably

This workshop includes identifying the labor inventory, description of the four types of time, detailed explanation of productivity and efficiency, the value of a technician's minute, demonstration of techniques to sell diagnostic labor, labot matrix forms and explanation, the value of selling one more labor hour per tech per day, and diagnostic worksheet forms with full explanation of their use.

Here is the link to the course.

Testing the reply feature.