Black Friday Shenanigans – Even in Automotives

It’s no surprise that even automotive dealers are trying to rustle-up some sales, piggybacking off of Black Friday.

Their efforts are working!

There has been some serious traction in automotive sales this November.

With the American Thanksgiving weekend and Black Friday kicking off the holiday season’s purchasing mayhem, sales in the automotive industry have followed suite, noting substantial increases.

Headlines such as “Black Friday Boosts U.S. Car Sales to Best Rate Since ‘Clunkers’”, in Bloomberg Businessweek, and “Black Friday’s Best Deals? Try the Auto Aisle”, in CNBC’s Small Business Section”, are proving the point.

CNBC’s correspondent Phil LeBeau reported the following: “Auto dealerships are the place to go for deals this weekend. Driving those deals, he says, are a large inventory of 2011 automobiles, combined with flexible financing, and the all-important weather forecast: mild and dry, which should keep shoppers on the move,” on CNBC.com.

He also references TRUECar.com, a website tailored to price shopping for cars, saying they predicted auto dealers would be offering an average of 9% lower prices, off the suggested retail prices, along with further incentives and discounts such as military discounts and loyalty discounts.

TRUECar.com is promoting holiday incentives of their own with headlines reading, “Black Friday and Beyond Sweepstakes, Enter for a chance to win $5000 every week from TRUECar,” and “This Holiday season win big with TRUECar.”

Bloomberg Businessweek suggested that auto sales increased in November, perhaps the highest they have been since 2009.

“Light-vehicle deliveries in November … may have run at a 13.4 million seasonally adjusted annual rate, the average of 14 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. That would top the 12.3 million pace of a year earlier and October’s 13.3 million rate, which was the best month since sales were helped by “cash for clunkers” in August 2009,” says Bloomberg Businessweek.

With the industry having experienced some dips due to economic activity and natural disasters disrupting parts supply and production for companies such as Japan-based Toyota and Tokyo-based Honda, it’s reassuring to see sales starting to climb, and demand steadying.

What do you think, will you be buying a car this holiday season? Do you have any questions we can help you with?

Share in the discussion. Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/clarkesautoparts or on Twitter @clarkesautopart. Visit our website at www.clarkesautoparts.com.

Automotive Social Media

It isn’t just for the big dogs

Let’s face it … social media is blowing up in all industries, even the automotive industry.

From Twitter to Facebook to Blogging, to Linked in, automotive dealers, manufacturers, even auto recyclers, like us, are on board.

What’s the draw? Connections matter.

That’s the intention behind www.automotivesocialmedia.org/.

Their mandate is create a community “designed for automotive social media leaders to share their ideas with the larger automotive industry on best practices, advice and white-papers on social media.”

Their website is full of useful information on what is working and what isn’t for people like us!

From writing online ads, to legality and social media, to text message marketing, it’s all there.

Jamie LaReau, who writes for Automotive News, covered a story just a week ago about a small GM dealer in Maine who is using social media to connect dealers together and share tips on cutting costs about facility upgrades.

 

 

LaReau writes “Dealer Kirk Carroll wants General Motors dealers to like his Facebook page. Specifically, he wants a lot of GM dealers to click “like” on a reserved Facebook page he created called ‘GM Facility Image’.”

The larger the network of interested parties, the more tips and knowledge can be shared.

It’s typical for dealers to exchange information on their own, in person, business card for business card.

Let’s face it though, times they are a changing. Traditional business will never die, but immerging strategies are on the rise.

LaReau quotes Carrol’s point, “If we can do it in Maine by word of mouth, think of what a Facebook page can do for dealers across the country.”

 

Clarke’s Auto Parts believes in this philosophy, that connections matter. Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/clarkesautoparts or on Twitter @clarkesautopart. Visit our website at www.clarkesautoparts.com.

Off the Road

Storing your RV for the winter: what to look for

 

The warm summer months have come to a close. The morning dew dampens the windshields of our vehicles, and the breeze feels much cooler on the skin than it did, even a few weeks ago.

The lengthy, adventurous road trips may not be on the agenda for another six to eight months; while we wait out the coming cold weather … Burr I feel a chill just thinking about it.

 

 

So as an RV enthusiast it is time to think about storing away your vehicle for the winter. Like many travel enthusiasts who use a trailer, camper, motor home, RV of some type, your vehicle is an extension of your family, so it matters to you where it hibernates over the winter.

What do you look for when you are seeking out a place to do so?

We have come up with a few things to get you thinking:
• Security
• Access
• Location
• Price
• Size of spots

If you are anything like me, I want to know that my RV is stored in a secure location, firstly. I want to know that I can access it when I need to, and that it is stored in a location that is convenient for me.

Price is generally a factor, it is nice to know you are getting a good price for a space that takes into consideration the other factors as well, and of course size of spot. You don’t want to be hugging too close to your next door neighbour.

At Clarkes Auto Parts we are offering all of these benefits. Our new RV storage service is in a prime inner-city location with easy access and egress in and out of the city. Our fenced lot is secure ensuring your vehicle is safe.

With business hour and by-appointment access you can come and retrieve your vehicle conveniently.

We have the most competitive price in town and large-wide, 12 feet stalls as well.
Give us a call if you can any questions, 402-235-1029. We would be happy to help you out!

2011 New York International Auto Show

The time has come again; the New York International Auto Show has begun. This year it runs from April 22^nd to May 1^st at Javits Convention Center in Manhattan and will attract over one million viewers.

Auto enthusiasts will flock, as the show displays the newest cars on the market, and the craziest concept cars as well.

So, apart from the new vehicles, how does the show differentiate itself each year?

Show Chairman John LaSorsa, was quoted saying, “the New York Auto Show is one of the most important automobile consumer events in the world, so it is no wonder that the automakers will go all out to make the 2011 Show a one-of-a-kind experience that is both informative and fun”.

This year the focus is fuel efficiency. With gasoline priced at up to 4 US dollars a gallon for premium in many parts of the States, manufacturers worldwide are marketing more fuel efficient vehicles.

The press preview took place Wednesday, April 20 boasting more than 1,000 new 2011/12 vehicles on display, many of which are fuel-efficient.

“We now not only have hybrids, but we have plug-in hybrids, we have clean diesels, and we have electric cars,” auto show director Candida Romanelli said, as reported on CBS New York.

Here are a few of the unveilings: Hyundai is showing the 2012 Accent; a subcompact car that has a fuel economy of 40 mpg. This is an improvement of 18% from its former model.

According to the New Hyundai Cars Blog,

“The engine’s most notable feature is its use of Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), a first for the subcompact category. By precisely controlling the injection of fuel, GDI allows for better fuel economy, increased power, and reduced emissions. The application of Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT) on both intake and exhaust camshafts allows for further improvements in efficiency, fuel economy, and emissions.”

Chevrolet revealed the 2011 Cruze Eco, also expected to have a fuel economy of 40 mpg. It is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, powered by a 138-horsepower, 1.4-liter turbocharged, four- cylinder engine.

Other’s on board with fuel-efficiency: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, Mercedes S400 Hybrid, Porsche, Kia, Volkswagen, and more.

For more info visit www.autoshowny.com.

Mark Scott from autotrader.com says that after a study that they conducted, 62% of shoppers said they would consider purchasing a fuel-efficient vehicle.

What came first the chicken or the egg? Will the consumers buy what the manufacturers are making, or will the manufacturers make more of what the consumers will buy? I speculate that car companies are forecasting trends and foresee fuel prices as a definite factor in purchasing patterns.

Scott mentioned to CBS New York, “There is a willingness, an openness more in the American consumer today, to look at smaller cars.”

There will be no purchases on site at the Auto Show, however information will be provided on-site about the location of the closest dealer to your home and brochures complete with vehicle information will be available.

It will be interesting to see what auto sales spike after the show concludes, and if fuel-efficiency becomes more of a priority to the average consumer.

For more information on the auto recycling industry, new, used and reconditioned auto parts, or RV and Auto storage, visit www.clarkesautoparts.com.

Toyota Recalls

For a company whose slogan once was; “The best built cars in the world,” Toyota has had a tough run with recalls over the last three years, challenging the public perception of this long-time company value.

Last Thursday, February 24^th, 2011, Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles in North America. The issue at hand this time was floor mats and carpet defects leading to potential accelerator jams.

Toyota released a statement describing the defects, summarized as having “the potential for unsecured or incompatible floor mat entrapment of the accelerator pedal.”

US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) underwent a 10 month investigation leading to the recall of the Lexus GS, RX and LX as well as the Toyota Highlander, 4Runner and RAV4 SUVs.

Thursday’s recall is only a slice of the pie; since 2009 the company has faced over 12 million vehicle recalls world-wide.

So what will Toyota do moving forward? According to an article published by The Globe and Mail,
“The world’s No. 1 auto maker has tried to move beyond the recalls, vowing to heed customer complaints and upgrade its safety technology. The company has installed on new vehicles brake override systems, which automatically cut the throttle when the brake and gas pedals are applied simultaneously, and created engineering teams to examine vehicles that are the subject of consumer complaints,” says Ken Tomas in an article titled; Toyota recalls 2.17 million vehicles in U.S.

The chain of recalls has definitely affected the public perception of what once was Toyota’s reputation for top-notch quality.

Tomas describes, the company has been faced with dozens of lawsuits and the “NHTSA has received about 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration incidents involving Toyota vehicles during the past decade, including allegations of 93 deaths.”

The Business Daily reports that Toyota;

“Faces tough competition to regain its US market dominance and still has to deal with a rash of lawsuits over accidents linked to the accelerator issue …

‘This latest recall hits Lexus, particularly its huge volume RX,’ said Michelle Krebs an analyst at Edmunds.com. ‘The luxury crown could easily be lost by Lexus this year, and this recall doesn’t help.’ ”

There is evidence that public perception is improving. Christine Tierney and David Shepardson from The Detroit News reported that Professor Shuba Srinivasan of the Boston University School of Management stated, “This latest recall, a voluntary move, from Toyota is indeed a smart one,” she said. “This is a step in the right direction for Toyota to fully regain public trust and slowly rebuild its strong brand value.”

In addition, Kelley Blue Book released a study that discovered new car buyers considered Toyota as one of the top companies to purchase from, followed by Ford and Honda, showing that Toyota is recovering from its public perception crisis, as reported by the Globe and Mail, Monday, Dec 13^th, 2010.

The NHTSA has now closed the investigation with Toyota.

For more information on the auto recycling industry, new, used and reconditioned auto parts, or RV and Auto storage, visit www.clarkesautoparts.com.

Traffic Cameras

Green Means Go: But you’d better be doing the speed limit

Effective January 5^th, 2011, fines began for speeding through any green, yellow or red lights, at selected intersections in Calgary.

According to the Calgary Police Services monthly traffic updates; “there are 51 Intersection Safety Camera (ISC) locations throughout the city. A number of cameras rotate through these locations and can photograph vehicles entering the intersections during all phases of the signal.”

Out of the 51 locations, 39 red light cameras rotate through them, and “The speed on green initiative uses up to 28 of these ISC locations to capture vehicles that speed through green and yellow lights.” Fines of up to $351.00 are mailed out to the perpetrating drivers.

Studies report that these cameras do, in fact, reduce collisions, creating safer driving conditions at Calgary intersections.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) endorses the use of speed cameras, stating “collisions in intersections are among the most serious in the health care system … Health officials say they support any measure that will bring down the number of injuries sustained in serious crashes,” according to an article posted on ctvcalgary.ca titled, Speed on Green coming to Calgary.

A study was done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, finding that out of 14 large cities that had instituted traffic cameras, the rate of fatal crashes decreased by 24% between 1996 and 2004. This translates roughly into 159 lives saved in those 14 cities alone over the span of five years.

Albeit the reduction of crashes, many are opposed to the cameras. Some argue that they do not actually reduce crashes; that other factors have to be considered, as the studies took place. For example; fatal crashes at intersections fell in many other cities as well, who did not have the cameras instituted.

Other concerns have been raised about automation; “Red light cameras are the leading edge of automated law enforcement technologies but raise some concerns about safeguarding checks and balances, said American Civil Liberties Union privacy expert Jay Stanley,” in an article by Sarah Brumfield titled Study finds red light cameras cut fatal crashes.

Stanley continues, stating that people have special circumstances, which can be addressed face-to-face with an officer. These circumstances cannot be taken into consideration by a camera. Automated cameras face the risk of being a revenue generating operation, primarily, rather than maintaining the initial goal, to save lives.

Regardless of public opinions, it seems as though the use of these cameras are being embraced by authorities. In B.C. the use of red light cameras is slated to increase from current use at 30 “dangerous” intersections, to 140. Selected intersections are based on high crash rates, producing injury and fatality. The cost to expand the program; to modernize and install these cameras is approximately $20 million.

Below is a list posted on the Calgary Police Service’s website, of the ISC locations:

• 001 – Macleod Trail/162nd Avenue S.E.
• 002 – Macleod Trail/12th Avenue S.E.
• 003 – Centre Street/20 Avenue North
• 004 – John Laurie Boulevard/53 Street N.W.
• 005 – 68th Street/16th Avenue N.E.
• 006 – Sarcee Trail/Richmond Road S.W.
• 007 – 4th Street/6th Avenue S.W.
• 008 – 61st Avenue/Barlow Trail S.E.
• 009 – Crowchild Trail/24th Avenue N.W.
• 010 – 11th Avenue/4th Street S.W.
• 011 – 11th Avenue/14th Street S.W.
• 012 – 17th Avenue/44th Street S.E.
• 013 – 14th Street/Heritage Drive S.W.
• 014 – 14th Street/Northmount Drive N.W.
• 015 – 64th Avenue/4th Street N.E.
• 016 – Anderson Road/Acadia Drive S.E.
• 017 – 9th Avenue/11th Street S.W.
• 018 – Barlow Trail/32nd Avenue N.E.
• 019 – 52nd Street /32 Avenue N.E.
• 020 – Bowness Road/Shaganappi Trail N.W.
• 021 – Canyon Meadows Drive/Bowbottom Trail S.E.
• 022 – Southland Drive/Acadia Drive S.E.
• 023 – Fairmount Drive/Southland Drive S.E.
• 024 – Elbow Drive/Southland Drive S.W.
• 025 – Beddington Trail/Centre Street North
• 026 – Falconridge Boulevard/64th Avenue N.E.
• 027 – 1st Street/17th Avenue S.E.
• 028 – McKnight Boulevard/Barlow Trail N.E.
• 029 – Barlow Trail/Centre Avenue East
• 030 – Shaganappi Trail/Northland Drive N.W.
• 031 – Blackfoot Trail/42 Avenue S.E.
• 032 – Memorial Drive/52 Street N.E.
• 033 – 16th Avenue/10 Street N.W.
• 034 – Edmonton Trail/McKnight Boulevard N.E.
• 035 – Memorial Drive/28th Street N.E.
• 036 – Macleod Trail/7th Avenue S.E.
• 037 – Bow Trail/33rd Street S.W.
• 038 – 17th Avenue/33rd Street S.W.
• 039 – Elbow Drive/Heritage Drive S.W.
• 040 – Country Hills Boulevard/Beddington Trail N.W.
• 041 – Glenmore Trail/Barlow Trail S.E.
• 042 – McKnight Boulevard/Falconridge Boulevard N.E.
• 043 – Macleod Trail/25th Avenue S.E.
• 044 – Country Hills Boulevard/14th Street N.W.
• 045 – Deerfoot Trail/16th Avenue N.E.
• 046 – Macleod Trail/Sunvalley Boulevard S.W.
• 047 – Deerfoot Trail/Memorial Drive N.E.
• 048 – 16th Avenue/Canada Olympic Drive S.W.
• 049 – 14th Avenue/Northmount Drive N.W.
• 050 – 68 Street/16th Avenue N.E.
• 051 – Glenmore Trail/52 Street S.E.

Truck Sales Take the Cake in 2010

What does this say about purchasing trends and where we are heading?

It’s the dead of winter, the roads have frozen over, there is two feet of snow on the ground, and the only solace for a family trapped indoors is the prospect of driving out to the mountains to take in some skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing. So … do you take your reliable SUV or do you take your compact?

The answer seems obvious, snow boots, snowboards, mittens, hats and sweaters flying around the interior of the vehicle; the SUV wins every time.

The point is this; truck sales outpaced any other vehicle last year in the US. So why is that?

Ford announced its best profit in 11 years, and last year more than half of the vehicles sold in the US were trucks. BBC News reports,

“Observers say that the demand for Ford’s pick-ups was no surprise, with 4×4 vehicles more fuel-efficient than they used to be. Also, since petrol prices in the US have dropped to a national average of about $3 a gallon, driving such vehicles has become much more affordable.”

Gas prices could very well be a strong contributor to the rising truck and SUV purchases. If this is the driving force behind sales than manufacturers better make hay while the sun shines, because the variability of gas prices will likely rise again.

“With global oil prices set to rise this year, consumers might well soon eye frugal cars again in the same way they did back in 2008,” says Jorn Madslien Business reporter, BBC News.

If this is the case the big three: General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, who have all seen strong sales this past year, better watch their reliance on SUV and truck sales, with consumers opting to purchase smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles.

So what will the consumer do? There are options. With a smattering of hybrid and electric vehicles entering the market, perhaps some of the market share will divide itself.

It seems the big three are savvy, Ford has announced that its first electric car, the Focus will be on the market by the end of the year.

Crossovers are another option for fuel-conscious, and environment conscious consumers.

“Rather than flocking towards hybrids and electric cars, many buyers have so-called crossover vehicles firmly on their radar. These vehicles combine attributes of large 4x4s, such as elevated driving positions and high ground clearance, with those of passenger cars, such as nimble handling and better fuel economy,” says Madslien.

Examples include the Ford Escape, or Chevy Equinox.

Other say there are many ways to be conscious about fuel economy; simple lifestyle changes are a huge factor. As discussed in the previous article The Green Machine, idling less, carpooling more often and taking the bus once in a while would also drastically decrease our fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions; all are examples given by Stuart Eastwood in his article It’s Not Easy Being Green.

Driving less often saves you money on fuel consumption, hmmm there’s a no-brainer.

So, while truck and SUV sales can boast success, and North Americans can relish in the comfort and practicality of their larger vehicles, forecasters will patiently wait on the sidelines, to report on the industry changes to come. Let’s face it folks, vehicle purchasing trends ebb and flow like the tides, and as external factors change so- too will consumer behaviour.

For more information on the auto recycling industry, new, used and reconditioned auto parts, or RV and Auto storage, visit www.clarkesautoparts.com.