Auto Repair Articles

The use of financial advice is imperative – and when crucial decisions are required by management concerning areas which ensure their continued success, advice needs to be calculated and delivered with complete precision, otherwise irresponsible actions can leave the company not only going backwards, but perhaps, go out of business.

A number of advantages can be witnessed within an acquisition/merger strategy which if applied properly will convey a positive outcome. Central to its purpose is to incorporate and integrate existing capabilities with those recently acquired by expanding operation and knowledge bases. Specifically, 3 key areas such as production, managerial and technical elements are applied so that economies of scale can be realised, resulting in cost savings and faster development times.

Joining with another company as shown can be advantageous both tangibly and intangibly. In other words, the knowledge base will be developed and added to already acquired knowledge to such an extent which provokes new thought and generate ideas for better decisions.

A current example is GM. They devised a strategy through the advice of certain advisors which included a clever way to get around their current market sector problem – high competition. Fiat, Subaru and Suzuki were among only a few companies who GM acquired. As a result of the competitive nature of the market, levels of demand were too low to support production. Despite the aggressive approach, the advice issued was well calculated and perhaps crucial for their continued success.

Nevertheless, problems can arise, resulting in no guarantee for success. GM’s chairman and chief executive, Rick Wagoner, recognises this by saying it only needs a few successful results to prove the value of their strategy. In total, 30 joint projects were undertaken by GM and Subaru, but 20 didn’t work out. Therefore, it is important to understand, a lot of negative things can occur; and be careful when devising your plan, otherwise the resulting time will be pointless.

The car industry is expected to become stronger as they continue to extract savings from their strategic alliances with the likes of Fiat, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu and Suzuki. The car industry is however only one example of how the idea of mergers have transformed the industry; and if applied in similar, highly competitive markets, the results can be similar.

Want to find out more about Corporate finance advisory, then visit Rickitt Mitchell’s site on how to choose the best corporate financing for your needs.

DETROIT — General Motors said today it plans to send six Chevrolet Volts on a 3,400-mile cross-country tour to demonstrate the hybrid’s extended-range capability and celebrate its public debut.

According to GM, the plug-in hybrid vehicle offers a 25- to 50-mile driving range on a single electric charge, with a 111 kW (roughly 150 hp) electric motor, capable of 0-to-60-mph acceleration in about nine seconds. When the Volt’s battery runs out of power — after the 25 to 50 miles — the vehicle uses gasoline to generate more electricity keeping it going for “hundreds of miles.” It also can be plugged in for a recharge.

The cross-country drive, which Chevrolet has dubbed the “Volt Unplugged” tour, will run from Oct. 9 in Seattle to Nov. 20 in Chicago. Customers will be able to test drive the Volt and meet the engineering and design team.

“The Volt Unplugged tour will give people a chance to get behind the wheel of the Volt and find out for themselves what makes this vehicle so special,” Chevy spokesman Tony DiSalle said in a statement.

“This drive will demonstrate the one-of-a-kind capabilities of the Volt, the only electric vehicle able to drive such long distances under a variety of driving conditions and climates without having to stop to recharge.”

During the tour, Chevrolet will offer educational programs to the public about the Volt itself and the development of the nation’s electric car infrastructure.

Chevrolet announced that it will begin production of the Volt on Nov. 11 in GM’s Detroit/Hamtramck plant. In December, it will release the vehicle on a limited basis to dealers in California; Texas; New York; New Jersey; Connecticut; Michigan; and Washington, D.C. The regular release of the vehicle will occur over the next 12 to 18 months.

The suggested retail price of the Volt is $41,000, including freight charges, and it will be eligible for up to $7,500 in federal tax credits. At present there is no pre-order option for the vehicle.

General Motors Co. plans to bring back mild hybrids next year, said Larry Nitz, GM executive director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering.

GM discontinued mild hybrids after 2009 when the closing of Saturn left the carmaker with the technology on just one vehicle, the Chevrolet Malibu sedan, Nitz said. It had been available on the Saturn Vue crossover and Saturn Aura sedan as well.

Nitz, who spoke on the sidelines of the seminars here yesterday, said a new, more powerful system will be available in the third quarter of 2011 on at least one mid-sized sedan in North America and one in China.

He declined to name the vehicles, but he said the first-generation mild hybrid system was available in China on the Buick LaCrosse. He wouldn’t discuss the price of the option.

Unlike a full hybrid system, a mild hybrid system cannot propel a vehicle on electric power alone. It acts as a stop-start system, shutting off the gasoline engine when the car stops and then using the batteries to restart the engine when the accelerator is pressed again.

The motor also provides a boost during acceleration.

Nitz also said GM intends to make some of its own electric motors for hybrids instead of buying them all from suppliers.

He said the first GM-made electric motors will be produced in its White Marsh powertrain plant near Baltimore. He said they will be used on the next-generation Two-Mode hybrid technology, which will be an option on future pickups and SUVs.

Nitz called electric motors a core powertrain competency that GM must design and fully understand so it can integrate them into hybrids and plug-in electrics for peak fuel economy and performance.

He declined to reveal when the next-generation Two-Mode hybrids would be introduced. With a Two-Mode, a driver benefits at highway speeds from the electric motor, not just predominantly at starts and stops.

Nitz said GM will reintroduce mild hybrids on its mid-sized sedans with improved technology. They will offer about 20 percent better fuel economy than gasoline engines, he said.

Nitz said the electric motor is improved and the electronics and controllers are fully integrated with the conventional gasoline engine. The system will be wedded to GM’s Ecotech engine and a six-speed transmission capable of maximizing performance and fuel savings, he said.

When the mild hybrid was introduced in the Saturn Vue in 2006, it was bolted onto a four-cylinder engine and four-speed transmission not designed for regenerative braking. That mild hybrid produced a 15 percent improvement in fuel economy.

WASHINGTON – General Motors Corp. is recalling 1.5 million vehicles because of potential engine fires.

GM says there have been no reports of any fires or injuries.

Some of the recalled vehicles are no longer in production. The recall includes the 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue, the 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix, 1997-2003 Buick Regal, and the 1998-2003 Chevrolet Lumina, Monte Carlo and Impala.

It involves vehicles with a 3.8-liter V6 engine. The government says drops of oil could fall into the exhaust system and cause a fire in the engine.

GM spokesman Kerry Christopher says it was a precautionary measure for consumers.

Don’t be left behind on this issue. If you have had your lower intake manifold replaced before may of 2008 there is still time for you to get your money back. You must file before Oct. 27th 2008. Full Article.  Fill out the forms and send them in and get up to $800.00 back for the repairs that have already been made. This applies to most all GM v6 engines in cars from 1995- 2003 so don’t hesitate to get your money. The courts have decided that you should get your money, so go get it! Find Forms Here

Question:

I have a 1996 Buick Regal custom. When the air conditioner is on it blows “mist” through the vents, and when I turn the car off and look under the car, there is no puddle of water under the car from the A.C., whats wrong?

Answer:

The drain vent is clogged up , it is sometimes difficult to access it , it comes through the firewall and generally you need to be under the vehicle..most any shop should be able to clear this for you in short time …easiest to do on a hoist

I have a 1994 Chevy s-10 and my battery light came on. Does this mean I need a new battery and how do I know if my alternator is bad?

Answer:

The battery is most likely fine. The battery light comes on to let you know it is no longer being charged. This is generally an indication of a failing alternator.

Testing : Using a multi-meter set to DC volts, connect the positive and negative leads to the same on the battery with the car’s engine running. You should see from 13.2 – 14.7 volts. If you see less than this and confirm it is the same when the engine is running or not, then you know the alternator is not charging.

Complete Alternator Troubleshooting