Archive for August, 2008

An Introduction to Collecting Car Brochures

Ever since the first car was made manufacturers and tuners have been producing literature to promote their products.

One of the most interesting aspects of collecting auto brochures is that they provide a unique social history of the time they were produced.

For example if you have a brochure for a Volkswagen Beetle from the 1960’s you will find information about the time in which it was produced like hairstyles, clothing and popular decor of the time.

Add to this, the fact that most brochures can be bought inexpensively and take up little space to store (unless you get obsessed!) you have the basis for a popular and rewarding hobby.

However, as with all collecting there are many ways (especially as a beginner) that you can come “unstuck” and end up spending your hard earned money on inferior, fake or incomplete brochures.

Over the coming weeks, amongst other things I will cover the purchase, safe-keeping and suggested themes for brochure collections and provide an analysis of a number of my favourite brochures both expensive and in one case commonly available for less than

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Hard Water Spots and Water Purification in California for Mobile Auto Detailers

Due to the calcium and magnesium in the water in California, especially Southern California, it is necessary to soften our water in the auto detailing industry. The chlorine and fluoride that our government adds to our water doesn’t help any either. Hard water spots are a major problem. Just park your car next to your sprinklers at home and you will see exactly what we are talking about. If your car is a dark color and you park it in the sun, the hard water spots will etch themselves into your clear coat and cause permanent damage to your paint job. The chemicals bake into the paint.

Some of our crews in the desert cities such as Lancaster, Palm Springs, etc. have a major problem with this as does our competition. You see, when it’s 115

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Auto Industry’s ‘Big 3′ Loses Billions

The ‘Big 3′ of the auto industry is currently facing the crucial years of their existence. Hard days are triggered by the rising costs and their waning sales. Hence, these automakers are racing to rebuilt the ruins and reconstruct their flagging businesses. Consequently, analysts say that the emerging front-runner among the big three is General Motors.

Earlier, GM reported lower quarterly earning loss of $115 million compared with $1.7 billion loss in the previous year. Analysts also noticed that GM is now reaping the fruits of its restructuring plan. According to Robert Toomey, chief equities strategist at E.K. Riley Advisors in Seattle, “So far GM is the only one that can be described as in turnaround mode.”

Ford is not on the road to recovery yet. Said automaker is just starting its ‘Way Forward’ plan so far; Ford has lost a remarkable sum worth $5.8 billion. Chrysler, on one hand, reported $1.5 billion operating loss.

“If the Big Three were running a 26-mile marathon, GM would be near Mile 20, said Rebecca Lindland, an auto analyst at Global Insight. “Right now, GM is really gaining ground, while the other two are falling behind. GM has been exercising a tremendous amount of financial discipline and so is in good shape for 2007. That doesn’t mean they will start showing profitability right away, but they are doing great when you compare them with a company like Ford, which in this race is only just leaving the starting line.”

Among the three automakers, Ford’s loss is the biggest for more than 14 years now. Lindland pointed out her grave concerns about Ford which include its ability to generate revenue. This is because some of the car maker’s vehicles are not selling well. These vehicles include Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ. Ford auto parts as well as that of Milan and MKZ need a timely boost to compete well in the market.

Ford F150 pickup parts, which make-up the best-selling vehicle of the automaker, are facing serious competition. Moreover, Fort has to take extra effort to defend its standing in the pickup truck segment since it is the bread-and-butter of the company.

Tracy is a 29 year old researcher and writer from Dallas, Texas with extensive experience in writing auto-related articles and covering automotive related events. She is currently a contributing writer for a leading automotive e-zine. You can visit Ford auto parts or Ford F150 pickup parts for more information.

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