DEC. 14, 2006Onboard Technician Saves Time, Reduces Costs SAN DIEGO, CA (Nov. 28, 2006) - Networkcar Inc.'s Onboard Technician is designed to help consumers and fleet managers automate vehicle maintenance. In addition, owners and their preferred service professionals are alerted, via a maintenance Web site, when a problem is detected to facilitate prompt repairs.
(Photo: Networkcar Inc.) For example, if a vehicle's "Check Engine" light is turned on, the system sends the registered user an e-mail and explains the problem. Early detection allows enables minor problems to be repaired before they become larger, more expensive problems, says Networkcar. In addition, when a vehicle needs regular service, the system will remind the user. Service providers can check vehicle health for their clients through a Web site no matter where the car is. When problems are detected, the shop can determine the severity, estimate the repair time, schedule an appointment and order parts before the vehicle even arrives. Other services provided by Onboard Technician include fuel-efficiency monitoring, an online service history and vehicle recall notification.(Source: Networkcar
Inc.)WORLDPAC Redesigns Web Site NEWARK, CA (Dec. 1, 206) - WORLDPAC Inc. has redesigned its Web site, www.worldpac.com, to provide visitors with dramatic improvements in navigation, uniformity, appearance and accessibility to all its services. Enhancements to the site include new features, such as print-friendly versions of the Web pages, news and events, a drop-down box for direct access to information, a search field and a redesigned New Customer registration page. For additional information, contact WORLDPAC at (800) 888-9982 or visit the
company's Web site.(Source: WORLDPAC
Inc.)Tim Gunter Grabs
Machinist of the Year ANN ARBOR, MI (Dec. 6, 2006) - Tim Gunter was named this year's Victor Reinz Machinist of the Year. Along with its partners, the Engine Builders' Association and the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), Clevite Engine Parts established the award to recognize the valuable contributions machinists make to the automotive rebuilding industry. To be eligible for the award, a machinist needs to be a full-time employee of a machine shop specializing in either automotive or heavy-duty engine work. The machinist also must be ASE-certified in any one of the three specialist classifications: Cylinder Head Specialist, Cylinder Block Specialist or Engine Assembly Specialist. The judges also take into consideration the applicants' special machining and training, as well as their level of community involvement and their representation of the industry in a positive manner. Gunter, this year's winner, has been a machinist for more than 13 years and is employed at TTP/ Diesel Power & Machine in Pierceton, IN. He entered the industry because, he says, he was constantly helping his father fix broken machines: "It always came natural to
me." Gunter's first job in the business was with a Cadillac dealer when he was only 19. "To get the job, I had to put together a Corvette 454 and make it run," he says.(Source: Clevite)CARQUEST, MACS Announce
Tech of the Year Finalists LANSDALE, PA (Nov. 14, 2006 ) - CARQUEST and the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide recently announced the Top 12 qualifying finalists in their search for the best mobile air conditioning (A/C) and heat transfer service technician. Those selected have tackled a series of mobile A/C service tasks and diagnostic challenges; these 12 will attend the MACS 2007 Convention and Trade Show, which will be held at the Phoenix Hyatt in Phoenix from Feb. 1 to 3, 2007. The champion will be announced during the MACS Convention on Feb. 3. The Grand Prize winner will receive a Panasonic 42-inch plasma HDTV, a Panasonic 1,000-watt home theater system and the opportunity to wave the green flag as a co-grand marshal at the CARQUEST 300 in Charlotte, NC, on May 26, 2007. (Source: CARQUEST, MACS)Degussa AG Develops
Lighter LI Battery for Hybrids DUSSELDORF, GRMANY (Nov. 20, 2006) - Car batteries of the future will have to be small, light and considerably more powerful. To that end, Degussa AG is developing novel materials for lithium-ion (LI) batteries that make possible a new generation of starter batteries weighing only 5.5 pounds. The new batteries are now being used in a racecar from the British manufacturer Lotus. "This is an extremely light and highly efficient battery," says Klaus Hedrich, head of Degussa's Automotive Industry Team. One of the most important aims in motorsports is to keep the racing cars as light as possible. In comparison with conventional starter batteries, which weigh between 15 and more than 20 kilograms (33 to more than 44 pounds), this new design results in a dramatic weight reduction. At the heart of the battery is SEPARION, a separator produced by a specialty chemicals group, which consists of an ultrathin ceramic composite material. Highly efficient and safe electrodes and electrolyte additives from Degussa are also used. These materials make the LI cells significantly more powerful and, most importantly, much safer, says Degussa. The cells have, for example, passed exacting overcharge and nail penetration tests, in which a nail is driven through the battery. When conventional separator materials were used, on the other hand, there was smoke development and in some cases even outbreaks of fire. "This LI technology will be used in the future also for energy storage in hybrid vehicles," says Sven Augustin, who is responsible for Automotive Marketing at Degussa (Source: Degussa AG)ASA/ASE Top Score Awards Presented BEDFORD, TX (Nov. 20, 2006) - Two Automotive Service Association (ASA)/National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Top Score Awards for 2006 - one for the association's Mechanical Division and one forits Collision Division - were presented during Industry Week last month in Las Vegas. Greg Epsaro, owner of Harriman Auto in Harriman, NY, received Top Score Award in the Mechanical Division for his score on the 2006 ASE master automobile certification test. Since the age of 12, Epsaro says he has worked on servicing vehicles. He has owned his family business since 1984 and holds 47 ASE certifications. He says that all technicians at his shop are required to be ASE certified. Epsaro joined ASA in 1992. He is also a member of the Automotive Hall of Fame, and the New York Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) where he mentors high school students and promotes careers as an automotive technician. On the collision side, Scott Daffron, owner of Daffron's Body Shop and Used Cars Inc. in Cortland, OH, received the Top Score Award for his score on the ASE master collision repair/refinish certification test. Daffron is a third-generation collision repairer who purchased his business from his father in the mid-'90s.(Source: ASA)Ford Unveils
Hydrogen-Powered Explorer LOS ANGELES, CA (Nov. 27, 2006) - Ford Motor Co. introduced an all-new hydrogen fuel cell-powered Explorer it says can travel 350 miles on a single fill-up. The six-passenger Explorer is one of several vehicles that Ford showcased at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, along with the new 2008 Escape Hybrid, the PZEV emissions-compliant Ford Fusion and Ford Focus cars, and the 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty with "Ford Clean Diesel Technology."
(Photo: Ford)The fuel cell Explorer prototype is the first of a series of vehicles partially funded by a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy. "We believe hydrogen may become a viable motor fuel in the long-term," said Gerhard Schmidt, vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering at Ford. While it comes equipped with advanced electric all-wheel-drive like the production model\, a center-mounted hydrogen storage tank now occupies the space typically used for the six-speed automatic transmission. Locating the hydrogen storage tank in this area allows engineers to design a larger tank and deliver the 350-mile driving range for a fuel cell vehicle. This unique design maintains Explorer's six-passenger seating arrangement and the cargo capacity found in the production Ford Explorer. (Source: Ford) Aftermarket Outlet Groups Control
a Shrinking Market BETHESDA, MD (Nov. 30, 2006) - According to Lang Marketing, only four types of service and repair outlets have expanded their service share between1995 and 2005, while other sectors have lost market share. Those gaining ground include:
* Repair Specialists, defined as service professionals focused on a limited menu of vehicle services. This group recorded the largest increase in market share and hold nearly 23 percent of the 2005 Independent Service Market.
* Tire Stores registered the second highest gain, exceeding 12 percent of the 2005 market.
* Foreign Specialists captured nearly 9 percent of 2005 volume.
* Discount Store/Mass Merchandisers complete the list. Conversely, other groups lost market share over the 10-year period. Service Stations and Garages represented just under 39 percent of the 2005 Independent Service Market, down dramatically from 47 percent in 1995. Auto Parts Stores with bays also slipped in market share, accounting for just over 8.5 percent of the 2005 market. (Source: LangMarketing.com; Nov. 30, 2006 MAP e-Directions newsletter) MAP Web Site Undergoes Facelift BETHESDA, MD (Nov. 30, 2006) - The Motorist Assurance Program (MAP) Web site, www.motorist.org is undergoing a facelift and content update. New features will include a free UICS look-up for motorists. Although limited to three components, viewers will have to register to gain access and that data will be retained. (Source: MAP)MEMA Helps Automotive Professionals Find Positions RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC - Personnel Insight Online, jobs.mema.org, is a section of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association's (MEMA) Web site. Designed to connect companies and job seekers within the automotive aftermarket, heavy-duty and original equipment (OE) supplier industries, it is updated weekly by MEMA as a service to member companies. There is no charge for companies to post positions and no charge for professionals to advertise their availability. The site gives individuals access to specific automotive or heavy duty industry positions. Both member and non-member companies wishing to advertise available positions can submit, in writing, an ad (or ads) of 150 words or less. Each ad runs for 90 days on the site unless the association is notified to discontinue the ad. Individuals looking for a position can submit, in writing, an ad of 150 words or less, along with a copy of their resumes. The ad runs for three consecutive months and will be automatically discontinued. (Source: MEMA) Safety Scholars Named SPRINGFIELD, MO (Nov. 28, 2006) - Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (BFNT) announced the three grand-prize winners in its Safety Scholars national essay contest. Konrad Hughes of Springfield MO, Shawn de Salazar of Davie FL and Tom Wangard of Madison WI - selected from nearly 22,000 entrants nationwide - will each receive a $2,500 scholarship, a new laptop computer, a set of BFNT tires and a $500 gas card. The Safety Scholars program and SafetyScholars.com Web site were launched as part of the company's ongoing commitment to safety education. With its partner, racecar driver Mario Andretti, the company recently developed the Mario Andretti's Real Information On Safety (M.A.R.I.O.S.) to teach young drivers about the importance of tire and driver safety. The winning essays can be viewed on the SafetyScholars.com Web site. In addition to the posted essays, the site includes a safety information and a downloadable version of the M.A.R.I.O.S. safety booklet for new drivers. (Source: BFNT)
