Automakers' Plans Slash Pay; Ford Plans to Break Even by 2011
from USA Today
The CEOs of the Detroit Three have all pledged to work for $1 a year in order to get loans from the government. Ahead of their appearances before lawmakers this week to request $25 billion in government loans, Ford Motor and General Motors said their CEOs will work for $1. Chrysler CEO Robert Nardelli has also said he would work for $1 a year. More

Auto Dealerships Teeter as Big Three Decline
from The New York Times
Bruce Thomas washed cars at his father’s General Motors dealership here at age 12, changed oil in high school, and sold his first Pontiac during college. His commitment to a famed American industry, part business and part romance, never waned. But suddenly, all of Thomas’ success appears to be melting away. More

Hyundai Taps Technology to Boost Mileage
from Automotive News via CNET
Hyundai wants to be the fuel economy leader in the United States and is taking steps to reach that goal by 2015. The brand will achieve a fleet average of 35 mpg by 2015, said John Krafcik, who was product development chief for Hyundai Motor America before being named interim CEO last week. More

Mercedes Signs onto NASTF Agreement

The National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) now has three of the major German auto manufacturers signed on to its Service Information Standards Agreement, as the NASTF continues to work to bring more carmakers into the mix. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC signed the agreement, joining other auto manufacturers agreeing to make service and training information and tools accessible to all vehicle repairers on an equal basis. Volkswagen and BMW are the other two German automakers that have signed the agreement. More

Illinois Repair Shop Marks 100 Years of Labor
from The Belleville News-Democrat
McLanahan Automotive & Towing is celebrating a century of service in Collinsville, Ill. The business was founded by current owner Jeff Stehman's grandfather J.C. McLanahan. In the early days, the business began as a feed store in which McLanahan also sold Fords on the side. More

Precision Fleet Brakes Uses Green Technology to Cryogenically Process Brake Components
from ABRN
Precision Fleet Brakes announces it uses environmentally-friendly processing techniques to cryogenically treat its brake components to make them last up to four times longer than original equipment, resulting in increased vehicle uptime and cost savings. Precision’s vacuum insulated cryoprocessors were built for reliability and efficiency, and employ green technology to produce consistently superior quality brakes. More

Electric cars: Plug 'N' Go
from The Minneapolis Star Tribune
Dave Peichel, an electrical engineer for Medtronic, drives a Geo Metro. And he couldn't be prouder of it. His is no ordinary little economy ride. Peichel converted it himself to run on 100 percent electricity. More

In Repair Shop, Teacher Indulges Love for the Classics
from The Philadelphia Inquirer
When the stock market plunged a few weeks ago, Lou Mandich wondered whether the phone would ring again at his Last Chance Garage in Unionville, Pa. Mandich, who specializes in the care and repair of vintage automobiles, needn't have worried. Customers still call, and Mandich and his team of three mechanics have at least a two-week backlog. More