Politics once again rears its head in criticisms of the automotive industry bailout that occurred in 2009. The General Accounting Office is now asking the White House to provide an actual quantification and solid verification of how the bailout benefited the automotive industry. It focuses around the government’s action to save GM and Chrysler from going under by providing the necessary bailout loans from tax dollars. In fairness, the GAO is doing its job as a watchdog to help curtail... more
The United Auto Workers recently announced there are certain indications that Chrysler may be looking to add new jobs to their Michigan and Illinois plants. Chrysler is looking forward to bolstering sales on some of their top models by boosting production at a number of facilities. The demand for additional vehicles in the currently released models is surpassing actual production. Chrysler could end up adding as many as 3,000 new jobs over the course of the next year. If demand and volume... more
The Finance and Insurance (F&I) office of a dealership is of great importance in helping to buttress the income of the dealership. In the past, leased vehicles often played little to no role in generating revenue through the F&I office. The economic downturn and subsequent recovery have played a greater role in affecting the number of leasees coming through dealerships. Changes in the way dealers presented themselves to their potential customers have assisted in useful, additional... more
The alignment of an automobile is the setting for what angle the wheels are in regard to the ground and axle. Most vehicles need only front-end alignment, though some do require a four-wheel alignment. A front-end alignment check from a mechanic is also the optimal time to have the rest of the front-end inspected. Proper alignment will improve the longevity of the tires and help protect the integrity of the tread. Inspection of the tires can reveal a lot about the condition of the alignment... more
