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To insure a successful car wash fundraiser you will need to get publicity. You need to hit many different areas to insure everyone knows when and where the car wash fundraiser will be. The more people know about it the more people will show up. You must alert the media and the community. Here is some good advice for you upcoming car wash fundraiser.

PSA’S

PSA’s stand for ‘Public Service Announcements’. Radio stations have to do a certain amount of public broadcasting in order to satisfy their Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirements. This is good for you because that means that they can announce your car wash fundraiser event on their radio station for all to hear. It’s basically free advertising for you. To get this free advertising, call the radio station and ask for the community service desk or the public relations person. Make sure to list all pertinent information such as: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.

You should be extremely nice to radio people because radio time is valuable and others also have requests for their events. Sometimes there are many more requests than available time. If you want a spot offer to wash the radio station van for free at your fundraiser. Or give away free tickets on the radio in exchange. If the radio van shows up the D.J. or driver may call on his cellular or PCS phone for a live air link.

“Hi everyone. I’m down here at Gladiator High School supporting the D.A.R.E. program. Bring your car and get a car wash for $5.00. It’s a great cause.”

This will add additional customers and help you make more money. Three to four radio spots at peak driving times during the week before your event on an average local station will net twenty-five to fifty extra cars.

I cannot stress enough that it is necessary to be very nice to radio station personnel. You will be glad you did. Usually they are personable, have high energy and generally very easy to get along with so this should not be a problem.

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS

When you call your local newspaper/papers, ask if they offer free classified ads for non-profit groups. If they do, place an ad. Then call back fifteen minutes later and ask for the community calendar section to list your event. If they have a community calendar section call back the next day and ask for the newsroom.

If they don’t have free classified ads for non-profits ask the operator for the calendar section. List your event. Sometimes they will have a form to fill out. Have it faxed to you and fax it back. Be sure to check one week before your event to see if it’s going to be listed if you don’t see it listed to date.

Wait until the next day after faxing the calendar section request to call the newsroom about your story. Perhaps your group is raising money for a special trip to go to the championship playoffs in another state, to attend the National Boy Scout Jamboree, for a cheerleading competition or for a religious event. These stories might be newsworthy. What are you earning money for and how much do you need? A religious event has a good possibility of appearing in the Religion Section, sports events in the Sports Section. Maybe you can hit the front page. Wow! This will give you one hundred more cars. If they refuse to do a pre-car wash story, be gracious. They may have too many other events to cover. If they have space for filler, you may be in luck even if you don’t hit page A-1. Lots of last minute events happen in their industry. You never know. Maybe you don’t get a pre-car wash story but you get a photographer the day of the event. This will not add cars but it really helps the moral of your group and it will make it easier to get volunteers for other fundraising events. It also does wonders for next year’s annual car wash fundraiser. If you need a good quote for your story email lance@carwashguys.com for a quote from the author of this book. He loves to put a good spin on a story to help a worthy organization.

CABLE STATIONS

Local cable television stations have local news. Car wash fundraiser events make good news the day of the car wash. Car washes with big lines are big news. Pre-wash stories work if the reason for raising the money is newsworthy. That, of course, varies from station to station, region to region and story to story. I can’t tell you what’s newsworthy and what isn’t. I have had lousy stories on t.v. and great stories with no call back. You just never know. You might tell the cable station that both newspapers are coming out on Saturday to take pictures of your event. This will make them want to swoop the scoop and do a story before the event. This could also back fire if not done tactfully. Be careful. I can tell you one thing. If you have a three minute segment on the 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm local news, lots of people will see it.

NEWSLETTERS

Word of mouth is still the best advertising. Your group’s members talk to lots of people each day. So keep this event in front of them. You would be foolish not to. But remember you don’t have the only newsletter. All the service clubs in town, corporations, colleges, hospitals, government agencies, PTA’s parent club organizations, etc. all have newsletters. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to ask to have an article or a mention of your event included in their newsletter. Even one paragraph will help you. If every entry in every newsletter nets you five cars, it’s worth it. The contacts you make and the goodwill you receive for your organization is worth the effort ten-fold for later community projects and events. By networking with other people who care, you will better your chance of participating in joint projects, thereby elevating both groups. If a local corporation likes the p.r. you give them, in return you may find yourself being adopted by them as their favorite charity. Always and I can’t say this enough, look for the win-win in every phone call, meeting or discussion.

FLYERS

Flyers are a great way to advertise inexpensively. Find a local print shop that will advertise on the back in trade for their printing costs or for a minimal charge. Go to soccer fields, softball games, office complexes, bulletin boards around town and realtor mail boxes inside realtor offices. Don’t put them on cars. If a professional organization is helping you such as a mobile car wash or mobile detailing company, hand out their flyers too. Ask Domino’s Pizza and other delivery companies to attach flyers to their boxes or put them in their take out bags. Ask grocery store managers to have box boys put one flyer in each bag of groceries. The local video store; the same thing. Always be on the lookout for good locations to place flyers.

Remember your car wash fundraisers success will be in direct proportion to your pre-planning publicity efforts, so think on this.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Research has revealed that 3 out of 4 American vehicle owners do not have utilities to prevent car theft installed on their vehicles. And - as if this wasn’t enough - only one out of four who have these tools installed are actually not activating them on a regular basis. We know that motorcar thieves are operating today as they have done as long as there has been
cars. We also know that car theft protection utilities can prevent this kind of crime as well as other crimes like burglaries and vandalism.

Prevent thieves from getting into your vehicle

Vehicle alarms are one of the most common security installation in a motorcar today Many auto owners have already got them, and more and more are doing it. Most auto alarm systems are equipped with motion sensors as well as impact sensors. When sombody is trying to steal the vehicle a loud
siren or series of tones in the 120-decibel range is activated. High quality auto alarms today arm themselves automatically when you leave the vehicle and include an automatic kill switch (see below). They also flash the headlights and honk the horn in addition to sounding the siren.

Another car stealing prevention facility is a Steering Wheel Lock. This is a long metal bar with a lock that fits on the steering wheel. When this is activated it prevents the steering wheel from being turned. It also discourage thieves from stealing the automobile, as it is very visual from the outside of the vehicle. This device represents an Inexpensive way to keep would-be thieves away.

Prevent thieves from moving your car

If the thieves for some reason have already broken in to the vehicle, armored collars will prevent them from breaking into the steering column to hot-wire the vehicle. It goes without saying that this device almost make it impossible for thieves to get the vehicle running, thus prevent the motorcar stealing

A more technically advanced way of preventing the engine to start are kill switches, which prevent the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine. Starter disablers serve the same function. The switch is normally hidden in the vehicle and it must be flipped on for the auto to start. These security
devices are effective, inexpensive and no big deal to install.

Another car anti-theft device is an electronic key pre-installed by the vehicle manufacturer, which allow the vehicle to operate only with a correctly coded key. This system is invisible to thieves, easy to use and very reliable.

Let’s say the thives have been able to get the engine going, can you still have some facilities installed that prevent them from stealing it? Yes, install tire locks. These make the motorcar nearly impossible to move. These locks are similar to the circular steel “boots” used by many larger city police departments. This device significantly hampers thieves who are
looking to make a quick getaway and are also visable from the outside of the vehicle, and very effective in discouraging would-be thieves.

Prevent the thieves from getting far

Now, let’s say that the thives for some mysterious reason have been able to steal your vehicle. You can say goodbye to your beloved vehicle forever, you may think. Rethink that! With electronic tracking devices installed in your automobile, the police are already on the alert. I am speaking about an electronic transmitter hidden in the car and emits a signal that is picked up by the police or a monitoring station. So don’t panic - help is on the way.

The thieves must be deterred

The best anti-theft effort however, is to discourage the thieves from even touching your vehicle. Etching the auto’s identification number into the base of the windshield as well as other parts of the vehicle discourages the bandits from stealing it and also aids in recovering the automobile if it is
stolen. This make your vehicle not so attractive to thieves.

The most inexpensive way to prevent your auto from being stolen is to apply decals identifying that the vehicle is protected by either an auto alarm system or a vehcile theft prevention company. I will not recommend that you base your car anti-theft system on this bluff only, but rather steer you towards more technically advanced auto security devices which can ultimately
prevent the theft of your car.

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet publisher. He runs the website cheap-used-cars.w-eland.com Terje gives advice and helps people with automotive issues like finding auto accessories online as well as vehicle insurance

Buying car parts can easy or it can be extremely difficult. It is probably easier to find parts for an older car than it is for a newer car. Car parts for cars that are a year or two old must, for the most part, come from the dealer. Since the car is under warranty, the dealer usually supplies the parts or acquires parts that they know are of good quality and compatible. The after-market for new cars doesn’t exist until the warranties have expired. Most new cars shouldn’t need parts. Older cars can be easier to find parts for because there are more parts available and more places to buy them. For a car that is ten or fifteen years old, the systems weren’t as finicky then as they are now. They could accommodate different kinds of parts without the chance of damaging an operating system with a part of inferior quality which is a chance with the new cars.

If you have an older car and you can do repairs yourself, a good place to look for parts at a good price is at a junkyard. You just find the make and model car and take the part off. You usually have to do it yourself but you will get a good deal on the part and may even find original factory equipment. Older cars are easier to buy parts for because the parts are interchangeable to a certain extent. Today cars and parts are too highly specialized for the parts to be interchangeable.

You can buy car parts in a variety of places. You can find parts on sale at discount stores like Wal-Mart or K-Mart. If you buy at one of these places, make sure that you know their return policy. You may find that the part is a knock-off without you or them knowing it. A knock-off is an imitation of a brand name product, usually made of inferior material. Check the packaging for any errors in printing or spelling. That is usually an indication that the part is a knock-off. The cheap part may save you a few dollars now, but it may cause hundreds of dollars of damage to the cars operating system. Car parts are also available online. If you buy parts online, make sure you buy from a reputable supplier. If you have any doubts about the supplier, don’t buy from them.

Joseph is the proud owner of Parts Guide, a website that will
explain everything you need to know about Auto Parts. We invite you to visit our site today and see what we have to offer.

You lovingly wash and wax your vehicle on most sunny weekends, spending time detailing every single blotch, nick, scrape, or other damaging mark on your car’s exterior. Part of the deal with owning any vehicle is making certain that it looks its best week in and week out. Still, you may not be doing all that you can to protect the finish. Other enemies including bird excrement, acid rain, and even harmful UV rays can thwart the best efforts of even the most diligent car owner. Fortunately, there is one automotive accessory that can help keep your car clean, provided you use it when your car is parked for an extended length of time. What am I talking about? Car covers! Read on for seven helpful tips to help you choose the right cover for your truck, van, SUV, or car.

When shopping for a custom car cover you must give consideration to what it does besides simply covering your car. Among some important points to know:

Will the car cover protect from damaging UV rays? If you live in an area of intense sunshine, such as Arizona, you need a car cover that offers the maximum protection from the sun.

Is the material durable? Does it breath? Will it tear if loaded down with snow or ice?

Will the car cover resist or completely repel rain?

Can the product survive weather extremes, i.e. intense heat or severe cold?

Will the car cover resist dust? Some car covers prevent even the finest dust from accumulating, dust that can mar your garaged car too.

Does the car cover come with multiple layers to protect from small insults? This is important feature to have if you leave your car in a public area. In addition, selecting a car cover that comes with side mirror pockets is a wise choice to ensure that your car receives the snuggest fit.

Finally, you will want to know if there is a lengthy guarantee offered, what colors are available, and what the return policies are, if any, of the cover that you select.

Most premium car covers allow you for them to be cleaned right in your washing machine. By selecting cold to warm water, regular bleach-free laundry detergent, and drying it on your dryer’s permanent press cycle, you can make the dirtiest car cover clean in no time. Of course, make certain that you adhere to the manufacturer’s specifications for the proper care of your car cover.

Copyright 2006 - Matt Keegan is a freelance automotive parts writer covering a variety of products including Car Covers, the BMW Car Cover, and Custom Car Cover products and accessories.

You may have changed residences from Chicago to California. That sure is a long way off and driving your car could prove to be quite a long road trip. Maybe it is time that you have your car shipped to your new place instead of taking that long drive.

It is best that you first decide when would be the best time to move your car. That way, you can actually plan ahead and make your car ready for shipment. When you have already decided when the shipping would take place, it is time to call several moving companies. Inform them about the type and kind of car that you are moving. Also, inform them the specific locations of the move - from where you are moving your car to the place where your car will be shipped. Also give them the data on the date when you plan to do the shipping.

List down your choices of moving companies. To be safe, check these companies out with the Better Business Bureau. You surely would like to have your vehicle shipped and handled by a good and trusted company. From there, you can make your choice of company.

Call up your choice company and inquire about the kind of insurance coverage that the company has with regards to shipments. Also ask if there is a deductible. Ask for their insurance policy carefully even if they might be written in fine print then ask for a copy so you could also review them over yourself at home.

On the day that you will be moving your vehicle, be alert. Check if the mover will be filling out a bill of lading. This includes a report of the condition of your car before loading. Read the whole report. Before you sign it, make sure that you agree with the report. Then, ask about the pick up dates and times as well as the delivery time. Any promises of the date and time should be given in writing as well as any conditions if these are not met. All your personal belongings should be removed from your car. Remember that these items are not covered by the carrier’s insurance.

Upon delivery, check your car and note any problems.

Many car manufacturers have aims at fulfilling the needs of their customers worldwide. In this sense, Auto Accessories Giant is strongly committed to the utmost satisfaction of its customer base. In fact, it specializes in Hyundai accessories and Hummer accessories among many others.

Shane Morgay is a 34-year-old native of Ohio. She love cars and knows detailed information about them. She has a collection of miniature car collectibles and would love to have these collectibles become real ones. She works for a car part supplier most days of the week.

We have all heard a lot about ethanol specifically E85 Ethanol, which is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. In fact, both General Motors and Ford Motor Co. are both building E85 ethanol and able vehicles. But what if you just bought a car and your car is not able to run 85% ethanol? You still might be able to run 15% ethanol blends, but you cannot run 85% ethanol. We need to have a program to help us in converting existing cars to become flex feel capable and enabled.

Is there a way to allow the free market and garage startup businesses developed yet four engines, which will allow them to run on E85 Ethanol? Perhaps there is using the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) model, where people can buy conversion kits for their current cars. In general aviation you can buy a kit, which allows you to run automobile gas instead of aviation fuel.

Many years back in General Aviation it became too expensive to buy private aircraft due to the Finished Products Liability Insurance due to incessant lawsuits on manufacturers. The EAA model allowed those who built their own aircraft or modified them to assume the risk and be put into a separate category.

Can we make a legislative category for cars, which have kits and modifications to allow them to run on E85 Ethanol? If so this would solve the problem of all the 17 million cars we put onto the rows in the United States of America each year, which had been previously produced.

It would also allow people to participate in helping America break her addiction to Middle Eastern foreign oil. If America is to grow her own fuel it would be nice to know that the cars on the road can use that fuel. Please consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

CARFACTS ENGINE TUNE UP TIPS…

I will list a few carfacts tune up tips here and when you are done here check out the other carfacts pages.

On the newer fuel injected electronic control engines tune ups are not required as often as on the old carburetor and distributor engines.

You can go 60,000-70,000 miles without to much worry.And then most that will need done would be to replace the spark plugs and clean the fuel injectors.

If your engine starts to run really rough and the SES light comes on you may need to take it and have the engine scanned. At most of the discount parts stores they will do an engine scan free. It will bring up engine codes that will let you know what kind of problem you may be having.

If engine is scanned and has a misfire code for plug wires or fuel injectors you can make this repair yourself and save quite a lot of money.

If you get your engine scanned free at the parts store make sure you buy your parts there to support their efforts.

If misfire comes up as a fuel injector and it’s just dirty and not shorted a fix for it is go into store and purchase a bottle of “LUCAS” fuel injector cleaner (I have tried a lot of different ones and “LUCAS” is the cheapest and only one I found to work).

Pour the “LUCAS” injector cleaner in your fuel tank(about 1/2 full or less would be ideal). Drive your car 50-75 miles and it should start working. It may take a couple of bottles but at about $3.00 a bottle it’s worth the try. If you take it to a shop it will cost about $150.00 for them to do it and if it dosn’t work you will still need to replace injectors (about $800.00). It would be better to be out the $3.00-$6.00 rather than $150.00 and still need to replace injectors.

I have used this cleaner many, many times with good results as have people that I recomended this to.

It is a good idea to put a bottle of “LUCAS” injector cleaner in your fuel about every 10,000 miles or so to keep your fuel system clean and to stop a problem before it happens.

Now that the fuel system is clean and you have 60,000-70,000 miles on your vehicle and want to do a tune up to prevent a problem before it starts, go down to your discount auto parts store and get the proper spark plugs and wires for your engine.

Raise the hood on your vehicle and look for the spark plug wires and see where they go. They should all go to what is called a coil pack(used to be a distributor cap.

A little tip before you get started, the spark plugs will be a little easier to remove if engine is warmed up before starting to work on it. But don’t get it so warm you burn yourself working on it.

Twist all the wires on the coil pack and spark plugs back and forth until they feel free(don’t remove any yet).

If you have never done this before just go one at a time. Remove wire at spark plug and then at coil pack, match it up with a new wire from set you bought (make sure same length)connect it to coil pack and route it the same way you took the old one off.

Then take your spark plug socket(and probably a short extension)and ratchet and remove that spark plug. Make sure gap in plug at electrode is right before installing plug. They are gaped at factory but sometimes get bumped and closed up in packaging.

Just repeat this process with all of the wires and spark plugs. If you done this properly you won’t need to do it again for another 60,000-70,000 miles.

You just saved yourself an awful lot of money, depending on what engine you have 4-6-8 cylinders.

Jack Cooper is the owner of www.jtcbiz.com where he reveals several Automotive secrets that can save you money and inform you on a variety of Automotive topics.

Jack Cooper is the owner of www.jtcbiz.com where you can find information on cars, gas saving tips, repair tips.

Jack Cooper Occupation: Auto Appraiser/Inspector Website: http://www.jtcbiz.com

Biography: I have over 40 years experience in the Automotive field, from ASE Master Tech to owner of my own repair shop and have been doing Automotive Appraisals and extended warranty/pre-purchase inspections for the past 12 years.

I do the maintenance on my Dodge Stratus myself. With the high cost of auto mechanic labour, it makes sense to do as much as possible of the upkeep and maintenance on your vehicle yourself.

The auto parts store is a good place to start to get the items you need to do the job. They can offer helpful advice, if you have any questions about the maintenance jobs you plan on doing.

I usually replace spark plugs once a year. The clerk at the auto parts store needs specific information about your vehicle to be able to provide you with the correct parts that fit your car. He needs to know the year the car was made, the car manufacturing company, the car model and the car’s engine size.

Sometimes the parts are not kept in stock, so they have to be ordered from a distributor, but they usually arrive the next day. When they do arrive, I pick them up and pay for them.

Replacing spark plugs is not difficult, if they are located in a place on your engine block where you have enough room to reach them with a socket wrench. I usually start by taking out the first plug on the left side of the engine block. The spark plug wire is carefully removed. Then I put the socket wrench over the spark plug and turn the wrench counter clockwise until the plug comes loose.

The new spark plugs need to be checked to see that the space between the two electrodes, the “gap”, has the correct distance. This does not have to be a difficult procedure. By gently sticking a screwdriver into the gap of the old spark plug you removed from the car you can mark the spot where it fills the gap. Place the same screwdriver into the gap of the new spark plug and either bend it tighter or gently bend it looser until the screwdriver fills its gap in the same spot as it did for the old spark plug. Then make sure the new plug has the sealing ring in place at the top of the threaded area. Place the new spark plug in the hole on the engine block. Turn it by hand in a clockwise direction to start with and once it is turning correctly, finish tightening it with the socket wrench. Then reattach the spark plug wire. That’s it. Do the same for each of the remaining spark plugs.

Remember to reattach the spark plug wire right away, as soon as the new plug is tight in place. Your engine will not run properly if the spark plug wires are mixed up, connected to the wrong plug. When everything looks correctly connected, and all the old plugs have been removed from the engine area, start the car and check that it is running smoothly.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Auto Parts

The 3m clear bra is a fantastic invention for any car-lover who treats his prized possession like a true friend. A man’s best friend in this day and age is not always the family dog. Sometimes a car can replace a great pet and nothing hurts more than noticing that first scratch or dent on your favorite automobile. However, traditional protective bras are not the most appealing option for car owners who feverishly want to guard their investments at all costs.

The trouble with the traditional protective covering is simply due to the fact that it literally covers the magnificent machine. No real car lover wants to hide his prized automobile under an ugly rubbery surface. It doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money on the perfect finish only to cover it up with a protective layer. Unfortunately, many car owners had no other choice, either carelessly letting the car suffer with chips and scrapes or grumpily hiding the beautiful finish.

No more such dilemma. A car lover can now choose a 3m clear bra that protects the car by creating a transparent barrier between the car’s finish and the natural destructive elements. The 3m clear bra is simply a protective film that is literally painted over the car’s exterior. This product is commonly used on trucks, cars and vans of vehicle owners who cringe at the thought of a pebble getting near their priceless object.

Some may wonder if the product really works as well as the traditional protective cover. The 3m clear bra will protect the vehicle from chipping. The material was originally designed by the aviation industry to protect aircraft propellers from chipping. Certainly the material will be equally effective at preventing chipping on vehicles as well.

The 3m clear bra is perfect for protecting headlights as well. The protective layer is commonly applied to the front of the vehicle and on the lenses of the headlights. The winning point of this material is that it is virtually undetectable while working wonders. The original design of the vehicle is not altered in any way. The owner has the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the car is protected while having the luxury of enjoying his vehicle in its original state.

Another concern is the clarity degree of the 3m clear bra. How clear is it, really? The manufacturer of the product boasts that the material is virtually undetectable unless the vehicle is very white in color. The clear coat is slightly visible on a stark white car when very closely examined but it is not detectable from a normal distance. You will see a faint line where the 3m clear bra stops but that is definitely better than an ugly bug shield or paint chips.

http://Cars-Directory-Guide.com provides readers with the latest reviews, articles, commentaries and write-ups on cars and auto related information.

“It’s all about beating the clock.” This quote comes from a wise old service manager, advising me on how to maximize my income as a flat-rate technician. If you have ever wondered why your car doesn’t get fixed correctly, or all your concerns weren’t addressed, you can blame, in part, the flat-rate pay structure.

Flat-rate simply means that your mechanic is paid a flat fee for a particular repair, regardless of how long the repair actually takes. In other words, if your car needs a water pump, which pays two hours of labor, and the mechanic completes the job in one hour, he gets paid for two.

In theory, this can work to your advantage. If the job takes longer, you still only pay the “predetermined” labor amount. In THEORY, not reality!

The flat-rate pay structure is designed to drive productivity. It’s very effective. The flat-rate pay system encourages technicians to work hard and fast, but it does not promote quality.

In terms of getting your car fixed correctly, the flat-rate pay structure has disastrous effects. Flat-rate technicians are constantly looking for shortcuts to beat the clock in order to maximize the number of hours they bill. Experienced flat-rate technicians can bill anywhere from 16 to 50 hours in an 8 hour day.

It’s these shortcuts and the breakneck speed at which flat rate technicians work that result in some of the most idiotic mistakes. In the rapid-fire pace of a shop I’ve witnessed technicians start engines with no oil. I’ve seen transmissions dropped, smashing into little pieces onto the shop floor. And I’ve seen cars driven right through bay doorsall in the name of “beating the clock.”

Flat-rate technicians can get quite elaborate with shortcuts. My favorite was the implementation of an 8-foot-long 2-by-4, which was placed under the engine for support while a motor mount was removed. It made a job predetermined to take 1.5 hours achievable in twenty minutes. A win-win, right? The technician makes extra money; you get your car back faster. Actually, in many cases the placement of this 2-by-4 damaged the oil pan. Moreover, it caused the car, your car, to balance precariously 6 feet in the air, while the technician manipulated the car lift to access your engine mount. This tactic was abruptly discontinued when a technician’s 2-by-4 snapped causing the car to crash nose down onto the concrete floor.

Sometimes the shortcuts create very subtle disturbances, which create problems overtime. A quick example: a vehicle had its transmission serviced with a new filter, gasket, and fluid. During the procedure, the technician was able to save time by bending the transmission dipstick tube slightly, in order to get the transmission pan out faster. The vehicle was reassembled, and the technician re-bent the tube back into place and off it wentno worries.

Six months later, the vehicle returned with an intermittent misfire. The engine wasn’t running on all cylinders. After extensive diagnostics, it was discovered that the transmission dipstick tube had chaffed through the engine harness, intermittently grounding out an injector. Hmm, that’s strange. Don’t usually see that.

The high-speed environment and the subsequent shortcuts illustrate the devastating effects of the flat-rate, sales-driven pay structure on the quality of car repairs. No wonder even an oil change gets screwed up!

The poor quality of work encouraged by the flat rate pay structure is disconcerting enough. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop here. The negative effects of flat-rate get exponentially worse as it opens wide the door to rip you off!

-Theodore P. Olson (Ted)
http://www.repairtrust.com/

Ted holds extensive certifications from Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, GM, and ASE. Over a twenty-year period in the automotive service industry, he has served as a technician, shop foreman, shop manager, shop owner, service advisor, service manager, and service industry consultant. He is the author of eight books and numerous articles on the automotive service industry.

Other Works by Ted Olson Include:

• ARREST the Automotive Service Industry!
• Maintenance Myths: A Step-by-Step Guide to STOP Getting Ripped Off!
• Auto Repair: The Shocking Truth About Who’s Ripping You Off and Why!
• Automotive Service Pricing Strategiesa fair pricing guide for service centers
• Being the Besta comprehensive customer service handbook for service advisors
• Service Center Personnelan auto repair informational for general service staff
• Service Mission Statementa philosophical proposal to improve customer service