Automotive Service Manager Training Will Help You Succeed

By Ben Pate

Mechanics and service technicians who want to get to the next level in their career should consider automotive service manager jobs. Of course, there are several skills that are learned on the job while servicing cars. But there are different skills necessary to be a good manager and a training program can help with this.

Some innate qualities are necessary to do well in a management position. Among them are having leadership ability, being well organized, being able to multi-task and being proficient in computers and math. If this sounds like you, management training will help you make the most of these qualities.

While you work as a mechanic, you enhance your skills of servicing cars. But when you enroll in a manager training program, you will focus on the business aspect of automotive servicing. In the manager position, you work with the vendors, customers, mechanics and more to be sure that everything is functioning at optimum.

Dealing with your customers is of vital importance in this position. Service starts from the moment appointments are taken and orders are written up. There are always customer complaints that you need to solve and this needs to be done as calmly and efficiently as possible. Your solutions also need to be such that they make both customer and company happy.

Employee motivation is another important thing to learn, in addition to knowing when and how to discipline. Some employees are harder to work with than others and you need to understand how to deal with them all. You may have been working next to these same people who are reporting to you now, which makes it a bit trickier. You need to learn how to have them respect you but still have a good working relationship.

Training on inventory management will also be part of your course load. Inventory tracking is of vital importance, especially knowing when to order additional parts. You will also need to troubleshoot and problem solve. For example, if you are having a problem with the parts, it will be your job to resolve this with your vendor.

A service manager training program will also include training in accounting. If you are working for a large dealership, there will be a separate accounting department. However, you still need to understand how the accounting works within the service department and how that affects the rest of the company.

Marketing is also an area that will be covered, even though larger businesses will have separate marketing staff. However, the sales department has a huge effect on the marketing effort that you need to understand. For example, if the service department has a poor reputation, it is going to be hard to market it. - 21396

About the Author:

The bottom line is, to progress in your automotive servicing career, you will need some a course in automotive service manager job. By showing the motivation and ability for management and investing in the service manager, you are more likely to be offered a position.

Auto Body Repair Guide: Polishing Tail Lights

By Chip Roth

If your like me having a clean and sharp looking car is very important. You take your car to get washed and detailed, you may even spend the money to have the car repainted, just to get that showroom floor look. All this washing and polishing may make your paint look great, but can wreak havoc on your tail light lenses. Today we will outline what it takes to polish your tail lights to give them a better than new shine.

This is a fairly simple project that does not need a whole lot. Most of the materials you probably have around your home already. The rest can be easily obtained from a local store or on our websites online store. First and most important you are going to need some good 400 grit sand paper. Make sure its for wet sanding. Your also going to need a buffer and buffing wheel, plastic polishing compound and a clean terry cloth towel.

Step one is to remove the lenses from the vehicle. I DO NOT recommend sanding down the lenses in the car because one false move can mean scuffing up your car really good. Once you have them popped out you can start working them over with the 400 grit. Its not necessary to sand the whole lens. Concentrate on the areas that have blemishes and scratches. For a cleaner look you may opt to sand down the part numbers at this time.

Once you have finished sanding down the lens, wash it thoroughly with soap and water. I recommend using a dish soap for this part as the de-greasing agent in the soap will remove any remaining wax that may be on the lens. Dry the lens fully.

Now that your lens is dry it is time to start polishing. Fire up the buffer and start to pick up the polishing compound into it. A little goes a long way here so don't over do it! Once the wheel begins to change color you have enough. Begin buffing it into the lens but make sure you are moving quickly. If you stay in one spot to long it can over heat the plastic and cause it to melt. Quick motions over the entire lens works best. Wipe any excess compound up with the towel right away. If your getting black blobs on the surface you used to much compound.

Go ahead and buff the lens until you see your desired results. When you are finished your old lenses will look like glass! Its now time to detail the rest of your car to match your awesome new lenses! - 21396

About the Author:

Learn more about Auto Body Repair. Stop by Chip Roth's site where you can find out all about Auto Body Repair Schools and what they can do for you.

What To Look For In GPS Systems For Cars

By Daniel Faust

If there is one thing in driving that is certain, it's the fact that if you have a GPS system with you, driving becomes a lot less stressful. In this article, we are going to be going over exactly what you need in GPS systems for cars so you don't waste your money on things you don't need.

Display

The size of the screen can be a big factor when it comes to GPS systems. If the screen is to small you are going to have to look really hard to see where you are going. It is best to get a screen between 6 and 7 inches.

Maps

After you find a system that has the screen size you like, you need to take a look at its map coverage. It is very important that you find one that covers all of North America (if that is where you are from). The majority of them will cover North America by default. Look for a GPS system that has a USB plug that will allow you to upload maps from your computer.

Directional

A new feature that some of the GPS systems are starting to get is the text to speech capability. This makes driving much safer as it allows you to stay focused on the road. You will find that basically all the systems have some form of speech but not all of them have the text to speech. This allows you to hear the actual street names instead of hearing "turn right in three miles" In our opinion, this function is easily worth the extra money.

Design

You need to choose a design that you like, there is no right or wrong for this. However, if you drive more than one car it is important you look for one that will allow you to transport it easily from car to car. - 21396

About the Author:

There are a ton of GPS Systems For Cars out there. If you would like some help on choosing the right one then just Click Here

Short Term Car Insurance

By Tom Martens

Short-term car insurance will be expensive due to high risks, especially in places such as South Africa. Knowing how to lessen the fees will help lead you down the correct path.

Industry experts cannot ignore that South African roads are increasingly dangerous. The country is often a leader in traffic injuries and fatalities. The privilege of driving is constantly being extended, even to those who are not qualified drivers.First, let's examine what is driving the costs. Car insurance risk is the major culprit behind higher short-term insurance premiums.

Younger drivers have always been viewed as a higher risk. Drivers aged'-30 historically pay the highest rates.As carmakers continue to upgrade their offerings, prices reflect those gadgets, leather seats, on-board computers and more. As car prices go up, so must the cost to insure them.

Insurers must also consider car theft and hijackings as they calculate their premiums. The latest statistics show a decline in thefts, but the rate of hijackings continues to rise. In the homeowners and household insurance market, the main influencing factor is fraud. Some estimate are that six to 10 percent of short term insurance claims are fraudulent. That amounts to more than R2 billion each year.

It is possible to ensure that these issues do not impact your insurance situation. You may not have any control over other people making fraudulent claims, but there are steps you can take to ensure that they do not affect your insurance premiums. For example, you can offer to take a polygraph test whenever you submit a claim. As a reward for honesty, some insurers will give you significant savings on your premium.

For car insurance, start by increasing you excess as this can lower your premium. Take this into consideration as you gather quotes. Also, be sure you can afford to pay the excess amount you choose in the event of a claim.

Keep a clean driving record. The fewer claims you have, the less risk you represent. If you already have a sketchy driving history, research driving courses offered by automobile manufacturers and the Automobile Association. This can help offset a negative history. This is also an option for good drivers. Most insurers will consider reducing your premiums if you attend and pass one of these recognized courses.

It certainloy never hurts to install security devices. Not only will your rates be reduced, but your belongings will be secured. Devices that discourage car jacking, along with a global tracking system are wise choices to that end. If you can afford to do so, move out of neighborhoods known for elevated crime levels. Your car and homeowners insurance rates will decrease significantly.

You should look around for the best rates, but don't just go for the cheapest. Make sure the policy you choose is adequate as well as affordable. - 21396

About the Author:

Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica's leading car insurance portal.

Save Money With A Biodiesel Kit

By Dana Goldberg

Homemade Biodiesel is another great way of recycling. After all, what does one do with old, used cooking oil? The disposal of cooking oil became a huge problem in Britain before the start of homemade bio-diesel. People were actually pouring it down the drain, which was causing huge plumbing issues. This is no longer the case, as many individuals have discovered the benefit of making biodiesel at home.

Restaurant owners stand to clean up with this modern invention. Imagine cooking French fries, doughnuts, and the like, only to find yourself basically throwing money away when disposing of the used oil. Not only did it need to be paid for to begin with, now it has to be discarded. As if that is not bad enough, generally these restaurateurs must pay for it to be taken away...

Now, these people are sitting on a gold mine, or rather a gusher. Not only do they save the cost of disposal, but they get to use it twice... Once for cooking, and again as fuel to heat their home, or run their automobile.

It is important to understand that bio-diesel is an alternative to traditional diesel fuel. If you do not currently own a diesel engine vehicle, it may be time to consider purchasing one. Neither diesel, nor bio-diesel fuel are appropriate for a "regular" engine automobile.

With the cost of home heating fuel ever on the rise, bio-diesel is a great innovation. Imagine the amount of money that can be saved by making your own heating fuel. A family that grows their own vegetables, especially those on a large scale, can possibly save a fortune. This will free up quite a bit of the family's cash for other purposes.

Always remember to use caution with the potentially dangerous ingredients involved in this process. Be sure to follow all directions precisely. There are many web sights offering excellent recipes for making homemade biodiesel, and they are quite simple. - 21396

About the Author:

Did you know that there is homemade biodiesel? That's right, you can make biodiesel at home and the Internet is the best place to learn how to go about doing it.