27 Feb 12 Subscribe to Aftermarket Business
Leaving the days of the recession behind, the top aftermarket automotive retail chains report sales have stabilized and business is good.
As customers are keeping their vehicles longer, aftermarket category sales are reaping the benefits of preventive maintenance, service and repair dollars spent.
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The winter months have also triggered heightened sales for many retailers, with the extreme temperatures now, and again in the summer, driving many repairs and part replacements, companies report.
Many auto chains report that bulk sales are a great profit driver, and oftentimes a cost saver for service repair shops. "the service dealer is trying to keep his shop costs competitive, so it certainly becomes an option for them to look at," says Mike Lichtenberg, retail merchandising manager with Automotive parts Headquarters, based in Saint Cloud, Minn.
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METHODOLOGY: the auto chains named to the Aftermarket Business World Top 40 Auto Chain Report were polled on their sales figures across multiple product categories. the companies were then contacted to relay the market trends they have experienced throughout the different categories.
27 Feb 12 Car Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is vital to keep your car in tip top shape. It’s also important to keep it safe and running smoothly. with proper care your car will last longer and some of the expensive problems that can arise can be avoided. A well-maintained car is not only safer, it’s more economical, lasts longer and produces less pollution. Another great aspect to a well-maintained care is it’s resell value. You can expect a higher selling price if it’s properly kept.
An easy place to start is by making a simple car maintenance checklist. A checklist could include things like: checking the engine oil, automatic transmission fluid, coolant level, power steering fluid, CV joints, and tire pressure on periodic dates. also, regular oil changes are very important to keep your engine running in good shape. Typically most cars are required to receive an oil change every 3,000 – 5,000 miles so be sure to make a note of that. also, many experts agree you should have your car inspected once a year by a mechanic for added safety.
A car maintenance tip that is often overlooked is exterior care. Wash your car regularly and be sure to wax it once in a while to keep the car body shiny and free of corrosion. if you care for the paint of the car it will be easy to repair minor scratches and remove scuffs left by other objects from the paint on the car. On the flip side of exterior, is interior care. clean interior not only looks great it’s better for your health. whether you are preparing your care for sale or simply wanting to keep it clean, a periodic detail is a good idea.
Another important tip to remember is as soon as you feel something is different with your car, take it to a dealer or garage as soon as you can for an inspection. Any kind of irregular noise, vibration, shaking, warning light, or fluid leak may make the car unsafe for driving. It’s definitely wiser to check out any small problem before it becomes a major, and more expensive, concern. For your safety, a mechanic can do more than just a visual inspection. A mechanic can lift your car and check major components such as brakes, suspension, etc., while also having your tires rotated, for example. Following these tips, along with being familiar with your vehicles owner’s manual should add many years to the life of your car.
21 Feb 12 Motor Fleet Maintenance – How to Improve Your Motor Performance
Managing a motor fleet and obtaining the optimum usage of it is the aim of every fleet manager – knowing how to keep track of the vehicles you have and what you need to do with them.
The first thing you need to manage is the motor maintenance plan. if you succeed to implement the right plan then you will maintain the highest number of vehicles on road while the least number will stop for maintenance and this will increase the efficiency of your fleet.
Automotive fleet maintenance is divided into two parts, the regular maintenance and the unusual maintenance. if the regular motor maintenance is carried out on time then this will decrease the number of times of unintended motor maintenance.
If you want to improve your motor performance then it is better to use the highest quality spare parts that can serve a longer time before it needs to be replaced once more. More replacement means more pit stops. Decrease the number of automotive fleet maintenance stops and increase the improvement.
Always make sure that every vehicle of the fleet is having its optimum maintenance. Small cars need different maintenance interval from large cars. Make sure that every car has its own automotive maintenance schedule. That will extend the life span of every vehicle in your fleet.
The best way to improve the performance of your fleet is to use a computer software program specialized in motor fleet maintenance schedules. this is very important with large fleets that consist of different vehicle types. The fleet maintenance program will help you never miss a maintenance date and this means that you will get the most out of every vehicle of your fleet.
Always ensure regular motor fleet maintenance in order to get the most out of your fleet.
20 Feb 12 Vehicle Maintenance Tracking – 5 Tips to Track Maintenance the Right Way
If you are responsible for a motor fleet management then you need to know how to keep track of everything related to your fleet. There are some vehicle maintenance tracking tips that you need to apply in order to carry it out in the right way. when you consider these tips, you are making sure that your vehicle fleet is performing well.
#1 make sure to implement the right vehicle maintenance tracking software program to your fleet. This will help you perform the needed maintenance in the designated times for every vehicle. This will save you a lot of time that you need to manage your fleet maintenance manually and through paper work.
#2 make sure that every vehicle in your fleet has a unique serial number so you can easily identify it most vehicle maintenance tracking programs have the ability to implement the serial number of the cars. the unique number helps you to find everything about the car or the vehicle.
#3 the first aim of vehicle maintenance tracking system is to minimize the time spent for maintenance. This means that you also need to make sure of the renewal times of the driver license of the vehicle because a car with no driver means unused car.
#4 vehicle maintenance tracking system is a computer software program so; make sure that you always have the latest version of your tracking program. when you have the latest update for your software program then you are making sure that you get the best service for your maintenance system.
#5 finally, make sure that you are dealing with high quality spare part dealers in order to get the best quality for your vehicles. Purchasing the highest quality spare parts will improve the maintenance interval and will reflect on the efficiency of the vehicle tracking system.
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