2008 January | Car and Accessories

Archive for January, 2008

Jan/08

Does GPS Vehicle Tracking Equate to ‘Big Brother?’

When people ask about my business, I tell them, "My company offers GPS vehicle tracking systems." Their response lets me know whether they are an employee or a business owner. The first words out of the mouth of an employee is: "Sounds like ‘Big Brother’ to me." Oh no, not ‘Big Brother!’

Visions of mind-controlled drones working like slaves come to mind and they quickly walk away. ‘Big Brother?’ What is wrong with a business monitoring their vehicles? Or making sure their employees are doing what they’re being paid to do? Who owns these vehicles, anyway? Does the owner have a right to know how they’re being used? Now, don’t get me wrong.

I believe employees should be trusted and treated as adults. But, if you’ve ever driven a rental vehicle differently than the car you own, then you understand how an employee may mistreat a company vehicle. Take the speeding employee, for example.

Employees who drive too fast waste your gasoline, wear out your vehicle prematurely and sooner or later, drive up your insurance rates. A GPS vehicle tracking system can alert you when someone exceeds your pre-set speed limit. It’s your vehicle, your fuel and your insurance premium; a tracking system helps you regain control of them. Who uses your vehicles after hours and on weekends? Is an employee using your vehicle to moonlight? Is he using your gas to move his brother-in-law into a new apartment? You’ll know if you install a GPS vehicle tracking device in your vehicles.

How do you verify overtime claims? Maybe you can verify the work was done, but when? With a GPS tracking system, you can cross-check a vehicle’s location with the time of day it was there. Have you ever been tempted to take an extended lunch hour? Think your employees might be tempted, especially if they’re out of the boss’s sight

GPS tracking system records how long each vehicle remains at one location; use it to keep them honest. Another benefit of GPS vehicle tracking systems: you’ll never make another phone call to find out where your employees are–you can just look on the map displayed on your computer screen.

Also, your GPS tracking system will remind you when it’s time to rotate tires, change oil or perform other scheduled maintenance. And, many insurance companies offer discounts of up to 30% for vehicles protected with GPS tracking systems. The employee also benefits when their company vehicle is equipped with a GPS vehicle tracking system.

1. Hand-written driver logs are replaced with data from the tracking system.

2. Using info from the gps tracking system, each employee’s productivity can be quantified and compared; an employee’s performance can be more objectively measured.

3. Your dispatcher can look on a computer screen and locate all your vehicles immediately. Customers also benefit from GPS vehicle tracking systems. Businesses can provide precise arrival or delivery estimates, because the estimate is based upon the actual location of the tracking device-equipped vehicle at the moment they call.

If a customer questions when your employee arrived or left –prove it to them using data from your tracking system. Still think GPS tracking systems are tools of ‘Big Brother?’ I guess it depends upon your point of view. The concept of ‘Big Brother’ never comes up with business owners.

The business owner will say: "How will tracking my vehicles help my business make more money?" They want to know what GPS vehicle tracking can do for them. Are GPS vehicle tracking systems ‘Big Brother?’–You tell me.

- Car GPS – know the road ahead of you!

- GPS – ( GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

- Want a GPS ? Read the GPS reviews !

GPS, gps systems, gps tracker, gps tracking, gps tracking device, gps tracking system, gps vehicle tracking, tracking devices, vehicle tracking 3 Comments more...

Jan/08

A Better Tax Deduction For Your Business Vehicle

by carsolutiononline.com/blog under Tax Deduction

Please use freely. All I ask is that you include everything in between the two borders.

Please do email me with publication/forwarding particulars. It’s gratifying to know who’s benefitting from this information!

This feature deals with USA tax laws and how you can use them to your advantage. It is made available on a more or less biweekly basis.

*******************************************************

A Better Tax Deduction For Your Business Vehicle

IRS just announced higher mileage allowances for taxpayers who use their vehicles for business purposes, job related moves, and/or medical transportation.

The standard mileage rate for business use moves to 36.5 cents in 2002, up from 34.5 cents this year.

The mileage rate for medical transportation and job related moves goes to 13 cents from the current level of 12 cents.

The mileage rate for volunteer charity work remains at 14 cents.

Every year IRS adjusts the business, job and medical mileage rates to reflect actual automobile operating costs. The charitable rate is set by Congress.

Individuals who use their cars for business travel usually have the option of deducting actual expenses or using the standard mileage allowance, plus parking and tolls.

A previous issue of TTT, Writing Off The Business Use Of Your Vehicle, explores this subject in great detail. It is archived at Yahoo Groups for list members.

Now more than ever, it makes economic sense to compute the vehicle writeoff using both methods and, if permitted, to use the one yielding the better writeoff.

The increase in the business mileage rate primarily benefits self employed individuals who use the standard rate to compute the vehicle deduction.

The IRS mileage allowance rate, however, also serves as an important benchmark for private industry. Many companies use this rate to calculate how much to reimburse employees for job related use of personal vehicles.

Employees who are reimbursed for vehicle expenses at a rate less than the IRS mileage allowance are eligible to deduct the difference as an employee business expense, subject to certain minimums.

As always, PLEASE make sure you read and understand the fine print. It wouldn’t be taxes in America otherwise!

You can find help at my website:
http://all-about-taxes.com

Or just send me, Charles Clar, an email.

mailto:Charlie@All-About-Taxes.com

PLEASE subscribe to my ezine at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taxtip

*******************************************************

- Company Vehicles Have Advertising on Them; Tips on Driving in Parking Lots

- Investing in Real Estate Vehicle for Wealth Building

- Car Dealer Reviews – One of the most important pieces of information you need

- Guides For Finding Reputable Car Dealers

first time home buyer tax credit, irs, irs mileage allowance, irs mileage rate 2009, irs tax forms, mileage rate, online tax return, tax calculator, tax calculator 2009, tax credits, tax deductions, tax refund calculator, usa tax laws 1 Comment more...

Jan/08

Lost Revenues in Auto Industry and Un-Maintained Vehicles

by carsolutiononline.com/blog under Car Maintenance

They say that the auto aftermarket industry grew at 3.7% in 2002. That 214 million cars are on the road, That 40% of those cars are over 10 years old.

Source: http://www.aftermarket.org

The Automotive Week/green sheet shows 77 billion in un-used annual maintenance. Wal-Mart will do 1 billion in oil changes and with their latest program we figure 2 billion in car washes as they are establishing their own brand of car washes along side their Super Wal-Mart gas card fill-up stations. Well that sure sounds great but that still leaves 74 Billion annually on the table.

In the latest survey during Car Care Aware program they found that 21% of all cars needed wiper blades. We have discussed wiper blades on this site before and we have all read articles in NOLN; National Oil and Lube News about this important add-on profit center. At the 2003 SEMA show and APEX Show in Las Vegas we saw many wiper blade wholesalers, manufacturers and knock offs, some stolen counterfeit parts issues and PTO problems. (the Department of Commerce estimated that it is a 12 Billion Dollar problem already doubling every year and that America could put 210,000 people back to work if we could stop it — Ouch !!!).

Back to the subject the Car Care Aware program to enlighten consumers also found that 46% of all cars needed washer fluid. That 38% were over 5500 miles since last oil change, 25% were low on power steering fluid, 15% low on coolant, 10% were low on brake fluid…Stop… Why is this happening? Could it be due to consumer confidence in the industry? That the consumer is tapped out? That the consumer buys a new car every 3.3 years on average? Maybe, but what about the 40%, which drives a car 10 years old or older, me included? What is their problem with not getting services done? After all if they have an old car which runs okay and they are fond of it, obviously it pays to keep it in working order and without the high insurance payments or car payments that the average consumer forks over each and every month shouldn’t they be in to see you more often? Yes. The survey went on to show that 19% of the cars needed belts one or more, 16% had dirty air filters many quite disgusting. 12% had hoses ready to pop, and in the survey, which you can read online at; http://www.carcare.org, over 90% of the vehicles failed in two or more categories? What does this say? It says the consumer does not understand that simply putting the gas in and an oil change when ever they get around to it next year is not enough.

It is not safe, not smart and potentially damaging the automobile permanently. But it also tells us that the consumer desires other things with their dollar, which they vote with more? Like what? Like an extra night at the movies, filling up their Starbucks card, a new Plasma TV on credit, cable TV, additional minutes on their cell phone, new shoes, nicer car meaning higher payments, etc. Then it is the industries fault for allowing the consumer to neglect their cars. It is the industries fault for failing to put customers at ease, developing report, making them confident in our abilities.

Why is the industry failing? Consumers point to the price point and cost, they go in for a $19.99 oil change and then come out with a healthy whopping bill for $150.00 they were not expecting and were angry about? If they were angry then someone did not explain the full impact of the issues, which were serviced? Someone over charged them, sold them something they did not need or in the case of a woman, many women claim they treated me like an imbecile? Did your employees do this? It really makes them mad. The industry needs to wake up and think about the image they portray.

Consumers remember those 60 Minute shows of behind the scenes dirty deeds of unscrupulous operators. I hate to tell you but I too sometimes think ill of the rest of you out there. And I am in the business. The industry can do a much better job. In the car wash industry less than 12% of the customers are regular weekly or bi-weekly customers. That is way too low, they let their cars get disgusting and this hurts the paint. We have done studies and can get the repeats up to over 40% by treating the customers with respect, explaining the services properly and babying their cars. That car represents in many cases the second largest investment they will ever make in their entire life, that car is an extension of self in our country. The great love of the American Automobile is well known in our society. It is time that the industry got with the program. We are. Service the customer, or we will.

"Doing your best is not enough, unless you are the best." My prediction is that there will be 980 new quick lubes in the US in 2004, will you have sufficient lines and volumes in order to justify being one or even afford another? Don’t ask me, ask the customer if they are happy, they understand the importance of regular service and if they love you enough to refer their friends.

Ferrari Car Pictures

"Lance Winslow" – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Related articles for Maintaining your car :

- Is A Pre-Purchase Inspection Worth The Cost When Buying A Used Vehicle?

- Air Deflectors For Your Vehicle

- Keep Your Vehicle’s Carpets Clean!

- 4 Vehicle Exhaust System Safety Tips

american automobile, car care aware, car care aware program, Car Maintenance, maintenance vehicle, preventive maintenance, washer fluid, wiper blades 1 Comment more...

Jan/08

4 Vehicle Exhaust System Safety Tips

by carsolutiononline.com/blog under Car Maintenance

A properly functioning car exhaust system is critical toward keeping the environment clean, reducing noise, as well as preventing a deadly build up of carbon monoxide [CO] inside of your car. You can stop problems from occurring if you keep in mind the following four safety tips.

1. Annual inspection. If you own the correct equipment [such as a lift or jacks] you can perform a visual inspection yourself. Things to look for: corrosion, loose mountings, leaking joints, damage to various parts including the catalytic converter, muffler, pipes, and other exhaust components. Many garages and retail establishments offer free exhaust system inspections as well if you prefer to leave it up to a mechanic. Tip: Always check your exhaust system immediately after bottoming out from a pothole or running over road debris. Do not wait for your annual inspection; inspect it right away.

2. Keep windows cracked open. Carbon monoxide can build up in the cabin of your car without warning. You can�t see it and by the time you realize its effects it may be too late. A slightly opened window will help gathering poisons to leave your car�s interior. This is especially important to do if you are stuck in traffic.

3. Station wagon precautions. If you own a station wagon and you leave the tailgate down while driving, make sure that windows or vents are open.

4. Open up the garage door. Letting your vehicle run inside a closed garage can be deadly. Fumes will quickly accumulate in the garage and spread to the remainder of the house if you have an attached garage. If you must run your car inside of the garage, vent it by opening up the garage door. Always keep the door from the garage to the rest of the house closed when your car is running inside of your garage.

If you determine that your exhaust system does need maintenance, you can do the work yourself and save plenty of money. Top performing exhaust system brands include Bosal Exhaust, Dynamax Exhaust, Gibson Exhaust, Flowmaster Exhaust, Magnaflow Exhaust, Remus Exhaust, as well as others. Selecting the right system for your car can help you reduce noise, increase torque, and free up horsepower. Above all, a well fitted, properly installed system will protect the environment both inside and outside of your vehicle.

Ferrari Car Pictures