February 28th, 2006 by admin
New software from MIcrosoft that goes in your car.
Microsoft is trying to move into the automotive industry. 
Microsoft is now creating software for vehicles. The Fiat is the first car to get the new Windows Operating System.
Based on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile for Automotive software, the system is ultimately expected to be available for all Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo vehicles from the Italian automaker. Features include the ability to use voice commands and buttons on the steering wheel to control mobile phones and portable music devices in the car. Features include the ability to use voice commands and buttons on the steering wheel to control mobile phones and portable music devices in the car.
However, Microsoft is not alone in creating software for vehicles. They will be facing competition from GM’s OnStar program that has been very popular.
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February 27th, 2006 by admin
Ford reworking advertising and sales strategy
Ford is in the spotlight this week.
They’re going back to the basics in hopes of selling more vehicles this year. With the car industry in a slump, going back to the basics may not be a bad idea. Ford is calling this new campaign "focus vehicle." Ford will be focusing on eight models of their inventory and will be offering incentives, dealer bonuses, and market muscle to push vehicle sales.
Ford says the idea is to spend promotional money more intelligently, increase showroom traffic and reduce floor plan costs by turning vehicles faster.
In 2005 it took 82 days for Ford vehicles to sell. That’s 17 more days than the average for the automotive industry. That’s what they’re trying to change.
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- Chevy Ads
Ford and chevy are changing. Take a look at how Chevy plans to change
- Auto Warranties
Call 1.800.419.3499 for information on your next car warranty
February 23rd, 2006 by admin
Fuel-Cell partnership goes nowhere
Toyota Motor Corp. and GM Motor Corp. will be ending their signature alliance and joint research on fuel-cell
vehicle development.
This, should come as no surprise because the two companies could not resolve intellectual property issues and their research was at a standstill. However, the companies will continue to work together in other areas of importance.
Toyota officials said that close ties between the two companies will remain unchanged because they will continue to exchange information on the remaining issues such as safety and intelligent transportation systems.
Maybe in the future Toyota, GM, and other auto companies will lay aside money issues for a time to develop technology to improve the world? But it’s probably not likely, unless it’s financial advantageous to their company’s bottom line.
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February 23rd, 2006 by admin
New ad campaign from Chevrolet
Chevrolet is beginning its second phase of the "American Revolution" ad campaign and they’re starting it with the Olympics. This new campaign will consist of intensive television, print, and internet ads.
One of the new slogans, which you may have already seen, is "America’s brand salutes America’s best." Chevy will be pushing the American Revolution Ads on television strongly. For example, the new Tahoe and Suburban will be given a spotlight during the Olympics.
The 2007 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban are heavily featured in a whopping 254 thirty-second spot buys airing on network and cable TV over the course of the Olympics.
Nonetheless, Chevy will be advertising heavily through print media as well.
Chevrolet is also the exclusive automotive sponsor of a special section of USA Today that will run each day of the games.
Don’t forget the internet
The Chevrolet brand also purchased ads on NBColympics.com and Yahoo! Sports Olympic Games page.
Three different animated banners featuring Tahoe, Suburban and Avalanche, will run on these sites.
When Chevy is not sponsoring the Olympics, they’re running ads with NASCAR. During the Daytona 500, Chevy ran an ad called "toast" staring Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart.
The four are seated at a restaurant, congratulating one another on their recent wins. After clinking champagne glasses, the four douse themselves with the champagne rather than drink it. "Office" shows the inside of the Team Chevy offices. They’ve won so many awards (25 of the last 33 NASCAR manufacturer’s championships) that there’s no room to store the trophies. Desk drawers are full to bursting, shelves are brimming; when the latest trophy is won, a man considers placing it in the men’s room (since there’s no room elsewhere) but thankfully does not.
It’s good to see an American auto Company being creative with their ads. In the end, I do hope that this new ad campaign brings them some new customers.
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February 21st, 2006 by admin
A few common sense steps to saving money at the gas pump
Fluctuating gas prices are now a signature of the oil industry. With all of the fluctuation in gas prices, it would be wise to enhance your vehicle’s mpg in any way. There are a few things you can do to increase your vehicles gas mileage, thereby decreasing what you pay at the pump.
- Good vehicle maintenance is always a must.
Keeping your vehicle in tip-top shape will not only supplement your vehicle’s gas mileage, but it will also keep you safer.
Just simple measures like keeping your tires properly inflated can make a real difference.
If you’re not a vehicle wiz, just take your vehicle to your local auto mechanic and tell him or her to give you a tune-up.
- Get rid of any excess junk in your vehicle.
That’s right, clean out your trunk and back seat to make room for all that money you’ll save.
Some studies suggest the average driver carries around between 50 and 100 pounds of unnecessary weight – not counting the very important spare tire, jack, and emergency road kit – that costs you each time you fill your car, truck, SUV, or (mini)van.
- Consolidate your trips.
Carefully plan your errands so you’re not backtracking yourself too much.
For example, when you have a doctor’s appointment in another city or another part of your town, try to think ahead to any other business you might need to conduct in that area.
Also, try and stock up on the necessities. You don’t need to make 15 trips to the grocery store in one week. Think ahead of time; make a list of what you need for the entire week and get it done with one trip.
- Carpool
Finally, if you have kids, you know that it’s difficult to manage all of their schedules especially if you’re acting as chauffer. You, as a parent, may want to initiate a car pool with other parents so you can split the cost of gas. Likewise, you may want to inform your child about the fuel situation, from a global perspective.
Encourage your children to help you conserve fuel and let them know that in doing so, they help you afford other things they like even better than trips out.
These are just a few common sense ways that you can decrease the amount of fuel you use and increase the amount of money you save.
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February 21st, 2006 by admin
Not a single American car manufacturer makes the list
2005 was a tough year for American auto industry.
The industry as a whole is having to take a step back and try to figure out what went wrong.
I can sense when something is amiss and this certainly seems like one of those times. It becomes abundantly clear that something is wrong when not even a single American-made car achieves top 10 status from Cars.com.
- Honda Civic
- Honda Accord
- Toyota Corolla
- Honda Odyssey
- Toyota Camry
- Toyota Prius
- Toyota Sienna
- Honda CR-V
- Toyota Highlander
- Toyota Tacoma
According to this list, American auto manufacturers are missing the mark. With GM’s recent problems, even the silly BMW faux pas during Super Bowl week won’t be enough to save their top American auto spot. Hopefully, this is a wake up call to the American auto industry to "get on the ball."
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February 19th, 2006 by admin
Things to consider when buying a new car.
When buying a car, some of us spend a great deal of time researching.
We research because we don’t want to spend any more time than we are required to find the best price on the vehicle we want. We want all the luxuries without the luxary price tag. However, even as a smart shopper, we may overlook some details that could, potentially, save us money.
1) Review your credit report and score.
Your credit score determines — pretty much to the dollar — how much you’ll have to pay to finance a new car. The higher the score, the lower the interest rate.
2) Shop around with your financing options.
Most consumers get their financing through the dealer, which may be able to offer a lower wholesale rate. But that’s not always the case. So before you head to the dealership, find out what annual percentage rates you can get from your bank or credit union or on the Internet.
3) Check for manufacturer incentives.
Manufacturers sometimes offer special financing offerings on certain models — these are typically in the 2.9 to 6.9 percent range, so low that it’s tough for even credit unions to beat them.
Once you’ve found the vehicle you want to buy, apply these suggestions to finance your purchase.
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February 17th, 2006 by admin
Online auto Advertising is on the rise
Anyone who watches TV knows that the auto industry has the lockdown on TV advertising. I think every other commercial is a car commercial. Well, get ready, the auto industry is pulling out all the stops and crossing the digital divide and heading to the internet.
The auto industry is the largest advertiser in the entire world. However, only 2.5% of their budget accounts for online advertising from January to December in 2005. But, that’s all about to change.
The auto industry is not only changing the "how" in advertising but also the "why." The industry is leaning toward behavioral targeting, which is targeting the customer with ads based upon previous internet activity.
"Behavioral targeting, a tool that tracks a visitor’s online behavior and serves up ads based on the pages they’ve viewed or features they’ve interacted with," says Ms. Phillips. "With the funnel effectively dead, behavioral targeting looks like a light on the horizon. Most of the major independent sites offer some form of this technique and several manufacturers are already testing it."
Major automotive corporations are jumping on the bandwagon of having specific ads targeting the web user’s behavior. So, get ready for some more pop-ups.
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February 16th, 2006 by admin
Auto Warranties provide peace of mind
Ever had vehicle problems?
A reliable auto warranty can give anyone peace of mind while dealing with auto problems. A good auto warranty will cover large problems like engine overhauls and smaller ones like water pumps malfunctioning.
You don’t want to end up parked with no way to go, and an auto warranty can give you the peace of mind you need when your car fails. Everyone needs to consider buying a reliable auto warranty.
Christopher Luck gives us an inside view of what a good auto warranty can do.
An extended warranty can more or less cover anything you want it to cover, so that the unknown demons of blown tires, dead batteries, or other disasters which need the aid of a towing company, can be no longer a dreaded nightmare. As far as the repairs go, the company you buy your warranty from will offer you an array of choices for paying deductibles when you visit the repair shop.
Protect, insure, and invest in your vehicles so they’ll last you a very long time.
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February 14th, 2006 by admin
A big investment amidst troubling times for the car giant
General Motors Corp. will be investing $545 million in five different production plants in the Michigan area. This seems odd for GM, considering that they lost $8.6 billion last year alone and have already ditched 27,000 employees since 2000. However, Joel Spielman, general manager of GM’s North American manufacturing operations, seems to think that this investment may boost moral.
Jennifer Granholm, the Governor of Michigan, had a few things to say about the investment and the restructuring of Detroit’s largest automaker.
"We want you to know that your success-and we know GM will have success in turning it around – is our success," Gov. Jenifer Granholm Said. "There is no vision of Michigan’s future that does not include a vibrant and growing auto industry."
GM also shared three improvement projects that stem from the large investment.
The company is investing $152 million in its Ypsilanti transmission plant to increase production capacity for rear-wheel drive, six-speed transmissions. It is investing $60 million in its Romulus engine plant for making the small-block V8 engines that will go into its new full-size trucks. It is also spending $32 million to update the hydroforming equipment in its pontiac metal stamping plant, which uses water to help make the unique curves on the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadsters.
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