Cash-for-Clunkers Auto Eligibility List Changed
from USA Today
As it prepared for its "cash-for-clunkers" program, the government rejiggered gas mileage figures on about 100 older vehicles last week in a way that changed whether they would be eligible for up to $4,500 in sales inducements. The Environmental Protection Agency says the changes resulted from a double-check of its fuel-efficiency ratings on more than 30,000 1984 and newer vehicles in advance of the official start of the clunkers program Monday. More

Auto Repairs Rise

With sales of new cars down, way down, that means people are holding onto their vehicles longer and repairing their older cars more often. That translates into plenty of business for auto mechanics, one sector of the auto industry that's thriving. Fred Dirkson runs a small auto repair shop in Sioux Falls, S.D. And these days he and one part-time employee have more business than they can handle, up to 15 cars a day. More

Register for 2009 NACE, CARS Events at 2008 Pricesfrom Automotive Service AssociationOnline attendee registration is now open for 2009 International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE)
from Automotive Service Association
Online attendee registration is now open for 2009 International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) with no increase in prices over 2008 fees for packages and sessions. Sponsored by ASA, the events are co-located at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, and will be held Nov. 4-7, during the second annual Automotive Service and Repair Week (ASRW). Auto Glass Week is also co-located during ASRW and features exhibits, education and competitions for the auto glass professional. More

Stant Corp., Car Fuel-Systems Maker, Files Bankruptcy

Stant Corp., a 111-year-old maker of automotive fuel systems, fuel and radiator caps and thermostats, filed for bankruptcy protection. Stant, which was purchased by Miami-based private equity firm HIG Capital LLC from Tomkins PLC in June 2008, said it is seeking to sell its assets in bankruptcy, citing the global economic decline, high debt levels and the bankruptcies of General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. More

Ford Gives Update on Upcoming Four-cylinder EcoBoost

Though dual-clutch automatic transmissions and high-output, turbocharged engines have come to the forefront across the pond in efficiency-conscious Europe of late, the fad hasn’t quite caught on over here in torque converter-loving North America. But according to a presentation we were given last week in Dearborn, Mich., Ford is looking to implement similar drivetrain technologies in the domestic market and will introduce a new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and dual-clutch gearbox as early as 2010. In the world of automotive manufacturing, that's just around the corner. More

ASA Collision Division Continues Time Study to Address Feather, Edge and Fill Issues
from Automotive Service Association
The Automotive Service Association's Collision Division Operations Committee continues its study on time requirements to properly handle quality repairs. Part of this effort includes ASA's current feather, edge and fill time study. "The issue of proper compensation for feather, edge and fill continues to hamper the efficiencies of the repair shop and strain the relationship between the repairer and the insurer," said Darrell Amberson, AAM, ASA Collision Division director and president of Lehman's Garage, Bloomington, Minn. "The goal is to have an automated process to compensate for the overlooked steps necessary to complete a quality repair." More

Cyclone Power Continues Durability Testing of Waste Heat Engine

Cyclone Power Technologies has commenced durability testing of its award winning Waste Heat Engine (WHE), the final stage prior to on-site beta installation. Over the next month, Cyclone will run its WHE for a minimum of several hundred hours under the load of an electric alternator, the company states, adding it plans to break down the engine to study the effects of long term operation on parts and components prior to installation at its initial beta site. More

NASTF Improves Information Request System
from The National Automotive Service Task Force
The National Automotive Service Task Force announced that a new, more accessible Information Request System is available to allow individuals to submit information requests for any incidents of missing service information they may encounter. The new module also allows anyone to view the history of information request submissions since December 2004. More

CARQUEST and Gates Form Fleet Solutions Sales Force
from CARQUEST Auto Parts
In mid-2008, insurers and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) noticed a disturbing trend across the country – an increase in catalytic converter thefts. While key control and vehicle parts theft have always been a concern, catalytic converter theft is a relatively new crime that can be very costly for auto dealers and aftermarket businesses. More

Free to Public: "Consumers' Guidelines to ESPs"
from The Automotive Service Association
ASA offers a brochure for consumers to help explain extended service plans (ESPs) and what consumers need to know if they are interested in purchasing this type of vehicle coverage. Click here to download your free copy. Click here to download your free copy. More

Is it a Mustang without that V8 Growl?

Drivers looking for fuel efficiency and performance may cheer Ford's efforts, but for Mustang fans who demand a burbling V8, fuel economy takes a back seat to tradition. "Some people just love the sound of a V8," said Bob Fascetti, head of V8 and V6 engine development at Ford, "They want that exhaust growl that only a V8 can provide." More