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Calendar of Events

 

Team Weekend

September 27-29

Embassy Suites Sacramento

Sacramento, CA   

 

 

ROOM RESERVATIONS:

All attendees must make their own room  

reservations. Our room rate is $159/night.  Mention "ASCCA - Auto Service Councils of Ca" in order to get your special room rate.

There are three ways to make your room reservations:

  1. Go to www.sacramento.embassysuites.com and make a reservation using the group/convention code: AUT
  2. Call 1-800-498-5237 and ask for the ASCCA discount rate.
  3. CLICK HERE to be direct to our rates automatically. 

 

 

 


CAT Fall 2013 Conference
       

CAT Fall 2013 Conference

California Automotive Teachers

Member Invitation


RSVP By October 07, 2013 for Early Bird Discount   

 

When:

October 19, 2013 8:00 AM  - 5:00 PM

Where

San Barbara College
71 Cliff Drive,  

Santa Barbara, CA 93109  

 

Click here to view fee schedule.

   

Click here to view event summary and registration. 

 


 

 

Ford Lowers Mileage Rating on C-Max Hybrid    

Ford on Thursday backpedaled on the stated fuel economy for its C-Max hybrid after customer complaints and an EPA investigation found that the vehicle wasn't living up to its advertised 47 mpg.

 

The company issued a statement lowering the vehicle's stated performance for combined city and highway to 43 mpg after an Environmental Protection Agency investigation confirmed customers' complaints, according to Automotive News.

 

In its announcement , Ford also said it would offer what it called a "goodwill payment to current C-MAX Hybrid owners for the estimated average fuel cost of the difference between the two labels. Customers who purchased their vehicle will receive a check from Ford for $550. Customers who leased their vehicle will receive a check for $325."

 

The fuel economy claim for the C-Max had also come under fire from Consumer Reports, which in an independent test of the vehicle, concluded its combined mileage was only 37, says  The Wall Street Journal, noting that the magazine "uses a different road test to obtain its data, and not the lab-controlled test that car makers used to attain EPA window sticker figures."

 

"Consumer Reports said most cars test within 2 mpg of their stated range, however, other hybrids, including the Prius and Prius C subcompact have scored 7 and 6 mpg lower before, respectively. The agency has acknowledged that real-world driving for hybrids often produces lower mileage figures than testing, and diesel engine vehicles actually do better than the tests show.

 

"In November of last year, the EPA made Kia and Hyundai restate the mileage on 900,000 vehicles sold from 2010 through the end of 2012. The companies offered to pay consumers for the difference in fuel consumption costs over the period."

 

Having to restate the mileage estimate for one of its premier green vehicles was an embarrassment to Ford, which has sought to make headway in sales against Toyota, the undisputed leader in hybrids.

 

Automotive News says:

 

"Ford used the 47-mpg number as the centerpiece of its C-Max advertising. Beginning in October, it aired a series of playful animated ads that pitted the C-Max against the rival Toyota Prius V. In addition to better fuel economy, Ford boasted the C-Max was more fun to drive than the Prius, as well.

 

"But Ford's mileage claims soon ran up against the real-world experiences of customers. At least two class-action lawsuits were filed against the company on behalf of consumers who alleged that Ford misled them with fuel economy claims.

 

"One of the suits, filed in California, was dropped in February. Another suit, filed in Massachusetts, is awaiting a hearing."

 

Karl Brauer, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book, says the decision by Ford to restate the fuel economy on the C-Max is "yet another sign that real-world fuel economy has to match manufacturers' claims."

 

Brauer says that while Ford is not the first automaker to run into trouble over inflated mileage claims, "with today's heightened level of accountability, maybe they'll be the last."

 

 

 

Ford Lowers Mileage Rating on C-Max Hybrid    

Ford on Thursday backpedaled on the stated fuel economy for its C-Max hybrid after customer complaints and an EPA investigation found that the vehicle wasn't living up to its advertised 47 mpg.

 

The company issued a statement lowering the vehicle's stated performance for combined city and highway to 43 mpg after an Environmental Protection Agency investigation confirmed customers' complaints, according to Automotive News.

 

In its announcement , Ford also said it would offer what it called a "goodwill payment to current C-MAX Hybrid owners for the estimated average fuel cost of the difference between the two labels. Customers who purchased their vehicle will receive a check from Ford for $550. Customers who leased their vehicle will receive a check for $325."

 

The fuel economy claim for the C-Max had also come under fire from Consumer Reports, which in an independent test of the vehicle, concluded its combined mileage was only 37, says  The Wall Street Journal, noting that the magazine "uses a different road test to obtain its data, and not the lab-controlled test that car makers used to attain EPA window sticker figures."

 

"Consumer Reports said most cars test within 2 mpg of their stated range, however, other hybrids, including the Prius and Prius C subcompact have scored 7 and 6 mpg lower before, respectively. The agency has acknowledged that real-world driving for hybrids often produces lower mileage figures than testing, and diesel engine vehicles actually do better than the tests show.

 

"In November of last year, the EPA made Kia and Hyundai restate the mileage on 900,000 vehicles sold from 2010 through the end of 2012. The companies offered to pay consumers for the difference in fuel consumption costs over the period."

 

Having to restate the mileage estimate for one of its premier green vehicles was an embarrassment to Ford, which has sought to make headway in sales against Toyota, the undisputed leader in hybrids.

 

Automotive News says:

 

"Ford used the 47-mpg number as the centerpiece of its C-Max advertising. Beginning in October, it aired a series of playful animated ads that pitted the C-Max against the rival Toyota Prius V. In addition to better fuel economy, Ford boasted the C-Max was more fun to drive than the Prius, as well.

 

"But Ford's mileage claims soon ran up against the real-world experiences of customers. At least two class-action lawsuits were filed against the company on behalf of consumers who alleged that Ford misled them with fuel economy claims.

 

"One of the suits, filed in California, was dropped in February. Another suit, filed in Massachusetts, is awaiting a hearing."

 

Karl Brauer, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book, says the decision by Ford to restate the fuel economy on the C-Max is "yet another sign that real-world fuel economy has to match manufacturers' claims."

 

Brauer says that while Ford is not the first automaker to run into trouble over inflated mileage claims, "with today's heightened level of accountability, maybe they'll be the last."

 

 

 

IN THIS ISSUE
"LIKE"us on Facebook
California Ranks Second in Car-Operating Costs
New Acting Bureau Chief Named
Prius Leads California Car Sales
September Members of the Month

Larry and Laurie Moore, Larry's AutoWorks, Mountain View, CA

In their own words:

I got into auto repair because I was really hard on cars and they would break and since I was a student, I could not afford to pay to have them fixed.  I worked my way through college building VW engines in my garage and eventually for a local engine building company. 

 

While finishing up my college education, the shop owner I worked for decided to get out of the business.  He offered me the business at a great price.  I begged and borrowed enough money to buy the business.  I immediately discovered that what I learned in college about business had almost no application in my small shop.  Luckily the previous owner had done a very good job of setting up the production processes which helped me survive long enough to figure it out the business side. 

 

Laurie joined me in the business after we both worked briefly for another company in a different industry to get some perspective on our business.

 

We learned about our local chapter when an insurance agent told us how much money we could save using the ASCCA insurance program.  I attended a couple of meetings and found out that the shop owners who attended were a wealth of information for things I thought I had to figure out on my own, or thought I had figured out but found out they had much better answers! 

 

Becoming a member of ASCCA took our business to a whole new level - it gave us people we could call who knew exactly what we were going through, and who usually had the answers we needed.  Never having worked in the industry other than at the shop we ended up owning, we had no friends in the business, so ASCCA really helped us propel the business forward.  We ended up joining the local Chapter Board and then I was elected to the ASCCA state Board. This introduced us to some of the top shop owners in the state, who then became additional resources for us.  I can safely say that without joining ASCCA our business would not be what it is today.

 

The best advice I can give a new member is GET INVOLVED!  I believe that is the true value of membership, having the resources of all the other ASCCA members, especially through the medium of team talk and the local meetings.  There is nothing like having dinner with other shop owners to get ideas and solutions for the improved and successful day-to-day operation of the business.  Not to mention you will probably make some great new friends!

 

ASCCA members like Jack are shining examples of how
One Member CAN Make a Difference!

 

8 Car Brands Falling Behind           
 

August was a gangbuster month at auto dealerships, with car sales hitting the highest level since late 2007- before the recession that led to the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler. Vehicle sales this year could top 16 million, which would mark a full recovery for an industry that saw sales sink to less than 10 million in 2009.

 

Japanese automakers surged the most in August, with sales from last year's levels up 27% at Honda, 23% at Toyota, and 22% at Nissan. GM, Ford, and Chrysler each posted double-digit gains, thanks largely to rising sales of pickup trucks.  Overall, August sales rose 17% compared with the same month last year, and year-to-date sales are 10% above 2012 levels, according to sales data compiled by Automotive News.  There are even shortages of some models, such as the Ford Fusion and Nissan Sentra.

 

However, several brands are missing out on this year's auto recovery, with sales far below average. Here are the major brands with the most disappointing sales so far this year, ranked according to their year-to-date numbers:

 

Volvo: Year-to-date sales: down 6% from 2012; August sales: down 13% from August 2012.

 

Lincoln:

YTD down 6%; August up 1%.  

 

Scion.

YTD down 2%; August up 0%.  

 

Chrysler: division of Chrysler Group.

YTD down 2%; August up 2%.  

 

Kia: YTD down 2%; August up 4%.

 

Volkswagen: YTD down 1%; August down 2%.

 

Mini: YTD up 2%; August up 5%.

 

Fiat: YTD up 4%; August up 1%.

 

 

Special Thank You to ASCCA's Diamond Sponsors!





 




   


  

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