| Writing my Thesis on Car Dealership Business Model |
26 Jun |
It seems like I have been in school forever, but I know that I will have a great career someday. That someday is getting a little closer now that I have finished my undergraduate degree and have started my masters. I know that there are a couple more years yet, but the end seems a lot closer.
Needless to say, I needed to come up with a topic for my thesis paper and I decided to do it on the car dealership business model. I wanted to compare and contrast how new and used dealerships operated, and what an entrepreneur would be looking at in terms of investment and return on that investment.
I had decided that I was going to check out as many places that sold new cars in Fort Worth to see if the owners or managers would be interested in doing interviews with me. I had good responses from all the dealerships I visited there and a big thank you goes out to all who participated.
I had to look in the phone book to find a used car dealership in Fort Worth since I didn’t know where to find one. Once I made a list and contacted the owners, I had good participation with them as well.
Now that I have most of my research completed, all I have to do is write up a 40 page essay. Doesn’t that sound like fun?
read comments (0)| Traveling with Children |
23 May |
Before we had children, traveling meant adventure, romance, excitement and relaxation. Whether traveling on a once in a lifetime trip or a spur of the moment getaway, packing and planning took mere moments compared to what we need to do to travel with our two children. While the trips are a little lower key now, we take time planning details like whether a hotel provides cribs and high chairs or the Cancun car hire has car seats available for private use.
We recently went on a trip to Cancun, Mexico for our family vacation and we worked with our travel agent to ensure the hotel we chose was family friendly. Needing family style dining and onsite child care, we made choices based on how the children would fare on our vacation. Our travel agent made sure we had a refrigerator in our room and a suite so we could put the children to bed and watch television or chat without interrupting their much needed sleep. After a full day at the pool and on the beach, the children needed a good night’s sleep in their own room while we enjoyed some time together. As the Cancun rental car dropped us at the airport, we reflected on how different our travel plans are since our children came into our lives.
Posted by andik in Recreational Vehicles on 05 23rd, 2009
| Uniqueness |
23 Apr |
One of the downsides to modernity is the corporations and factories. I’m not really a hippie, and this certainly isn’t going to be a tirade aimed at modernity and the establishment. Deep down, I have to admit to myself that I’m glad to have easy access to the means for satisfying all of my material needs. People make factories because it’s a fabulously efficient way to produce goods that people want and need. The downside, to me, is a lack of customizability.
I like to think of myself as unique, and it’s depressing to think of everyone using, wearing, driving, everything made from the same mold. I customize where I can. For example, I drive a Corolla that’s twelve years old, but I added my own Toyota accessories to it. The result is a car that doesn’t look quite exactly like everyone else’s. I mean I also switched out some more basic Toyota parts for ones that I think are enough better to warrant the effort. But I really like my wacky green seat upholstery. People always comment on it if they ride in my car. Yes, they’re all genuine Toyota parts, but it almost looks like I did it myself, since you can find such weird parts online that you never see in a car lot.
Posted by E-car in Parts & Accessories on 04 23rd, 2009
| Getting Catch All Floor Mats for Your Truck, Car or SUV is a Good Investment |
29 Mar |
Some of the best car, SUV, or truck accessories you can invest in are a new set of heavy-duty catch all floor mats and cargo floor mats. They can keep your vehicle’s interior looking nice for as long as you own your car. Aside from enhancing the look of your vehicle’s interior, they also protect your carpeting from spills, tears and other damage, so they also aid in keeping your vehicle’s resale value as high as possible. They’re really one of the best investments you can make after you’ve bought your truck or car. Floor guards, floor mats and cargo totes make it a breeze to haul any kind of cargo, no matter how messy, bulky, or dirty it is. And if your lifestyle or job call for rugged durability in everything that you buy, it’s hard to go wrong when you add sturdy aluminum floor shields. They’re flexible and tough and can protect the carpeting in your truck cab or car interior even if you’re hauling around heavy metal tool boxes and other gear that could puncture vinyl or plastic floor mats. Really, why go with half-measures and buy ordinary floor mats, when for only a little more money, you can get heavy duty floor guards that are really tough and durable and able to last for as long as you own your truck or car? Other automotive experts agree on the value of interior accessories like floor mats and cargo bay liners: http://www.strattonfinance.com.au/car-finance/learn/articles/protecting-cars-resale-value.aspx.
Posted by pattya in Parts & Accessories on 03 29th, 2009
| Tips for Increasing Value |
20 Feb |
You know, people always say that vehicles are one of the worst investments you can make. You’ve heard the saying that your vehicle drops in value the second you drive it off the lot. But I don’t always believe that’s true. I think there are several things you can do to increase the value of your truck so that you get the most from your investment.
- Add the Right Truck Accessories- Adding a few truck accessories, like a truck bed liner, can add both style and value to your vehicle. It’s the little custom touches that make your truck more valuable than a basic one just driven off the lot. Also, an accessory like a bed liner actually protects your truck from damage, helping you fully maintain its value.
- Keep it Clean- As simple as it sounds, one of the best things to do to keep your vehicle at peak value is to keep it clean. Don’t leave it exposed to the weather, and don’t leave the inside full of trash and stains. Cleaning your vehicle on a regular basis helps it stay in like-new condition, thus maintaining a higher value.
- Service it Regularly- Lastly, you should always follow the recommended service plan. These plans are designed specifically to help your truck last as long as possible. If you fail to service your vehicle on time, you can do serious damage to your engine.
Posted by E-car in Parts & Accessories on 02 20th, 2009
| Airport Rental Cars: Making It Easier |
10 Feb |
If you have every spent any time at a Florida airport, you know full well just how overwhelming it can be. It is one of the busier locations in the country and for that, there is no shortage of people standing at the easy rent a car desk waiting for their specific vehicle to be made available to them. If you do want to avoid this, there are several things to keep in mind. First of all, one of the best ways to cut down your time in line is to book your rental over the web. You can arrange online for many of the companies offering rental service at the airport.
In addition to this, Florida car hire that is booked in advance can help. Even if you do not want to use the web to help you, then at least give the cheap car rentals Florida agent a call and make arrangements ahead of time. When you do this, you will save a great deal of time. You may also be able to save some time by booking ahead, too. There is no reason to walk into any of the car rental locations without at least some plan already in mind!
Posted by E-car in General on 02 10th, 2009
| The Most Useful Accessory |
30 Jan |
I have a Chevy Silverado crew cab pickup truck that I bought last year which I have added several truck parts and accessories to. I try to stick to the practical accessories too such as step bars and bed mats. On the other hand, I try to avoid the superficial stuff like hood ornaments. Recently I added what has to be the most amazing and useful accessory ever invented.
I bought a Garmin GPS navigator. I’m telling you that this is the greatest thing to come down the pipe since the invention of duct tape. You can turn it on so it just pulls up a map and shows you where you are in real time. But it does so much more than just that. You can plug in your destination whether it be a town or an actual address and it will give you turn by turn instructions how to get there. It actually talks you through it! Or if you get someplace and you want to find something like a restaurant or a motel, just hit a few buttons or use the touch screen and it will pull up whatever it was you were looking for starting with the closest one and working its way out. I don’t know how I ever lived without this thing.
Posted by E-car in Parts & Accessories on 01 30th, 2009
| Challenges Of Owning A 4runner |
24 Jan |
One of the most popular sport utility vehicles out there today is the Toyota 4runner, but there are some very pronounced challenges of owning one of these vehicles. For most people, owning a 4runner is quite a joy. They are usually four-wheel drive equipped and they can provide a lot of power. They provide not only the cool, sporty look that has become synonymous with the SUV, but they also provide the ability to do workmanlike duty for their owners over the course of time.
The good thing about the 4runner is that it will almost run forever. The bad thing, unfortunately, is that when a part finally does break, you can run into a lot of trouble when trying to replace it. Have no fear, though, as there are some new places to find Toyota 4runner parts that you might not have heard of before. You can get all sorts of cheap Toyota parts online. If you are not familiar with searching for parts online, you should begin to look into it. It will save you lots and lots of money over the long haul if you are diligent and you can continue to utilize the online method regularly.
Posted by E-car in Auto Dealer on 01 24th, 2009
| Choosing an Automotive Repair Career |
19 Dec |
Having a career path lined up for high school students is essential these days. I’m really proud of my brother because he is just a senior now and already has his career path started. He is going to college to become an automobile mechanic and will be working with my father at a local car dealership in Fort Worth in the service department. He has always been interested in auto repair and has worked on all of our Toyota and Mitsubishi cars with very much success.
Since my dad already works with a Fort Worth car dealer, he has arranged for my brother to start working there as soon as he gets his degree. Then he will work towards achieving his Automotive Service Excellence certification that will allow him to buy certain Mitsubishi parts that most mechanics may not be able to buy. Also, he said that the most trusted mechanics are A. S. E. certified and that would be a bonus for him when servicing vehicles at the dealership. Now that he has his future planned, he is on his way to a happy and secure life. I guess I should follow his lead and decide what career that I want and do it, as he has.
Posted by pattya in Parts & Accessories on 12 19th, 2008
| Getting Hella Lights |
12 Dec |
I am in the market for some hella lights. If you have purchased these in the past, what did you think of them after you got them, installed them and used them? For many people, these are the best choice out there and I think that this is true, too. Yet, if you look at just all the different types of trucks on the market, it can be hard to know if you need this light or another type. The good news is that you can find a good selection of options on the market to choose from.
In addition to buying them, I am also thinking about a few extra additions to my vehicle. One of them is the brush guards on the market. These are great and I plan to invest in them long term. I have not used them in the past and look forward to benefiting from them now. Of course, the one thing that I just have to get is going to cost me. That’s the truck bed covers that every truck owner should have. Do you have one? Do you have any advice on which to select? Taking care of my truck is important since I don’t know when I’ll get another.
Posted by E-car in Parts & Accessories on 12 12th, 2008
