Events
March 3, 2020Ford Instruction Book
August 7, 2015While reading through the original Ford Instruction Book we noticed this sentence in the forward,
“The simplicity of the Ford car and the ease with which it is operated make it unnecessary for the driver to possess an intimate knowledge of mechanics.
While it is not essential, it is desirable that every Ford owner thoroughly understand his car. With such knowledge at his command he will maintain his car more economically- prolong its serviceability-and he will also derive more pleasure from its use.”
Well, Henry we agree. Cars are much more economical and pleasurable when you work on them yourself.
Freedom isn’t free
July 7, 2014Today’s freedoms seem to be under constant attack! Yet, the one truth that stands eternal is that liberties may be granted and taken but Freedom resides in the heart of those who choose to follow their own conscience. The beat of Freedom’s drum in the lives of the average man, woman, and child is made self evident by the purity of a child’s laugh as they create a world around them on the foundation of a vivid and unshackled imagination. While it may seem to have faded in our later years, consider the throng of Grand dads and Grandmas who apparently missed the memo that they should act grown up but instead carry on like children.(We look forward to our second childhood) So if the wisdom of the ages has taught us anything it is : Maturity is an illusion, and all are children acting grown up. So why not dream, why not embrace life’s possibilities, why not pursue your ability to express your true natural character. Here in lies the secret behind the man with his toys. The “Man Cave” is in it’s very concept a reach for that Freedom we strive to protect in our lives. On this 4th of July I’m filled with gratitude for all those who embrace in their hearts the purest form of Freedom and Liberty that call’s to action the defense of the same. Along with those who have laid their lives on the line to protect those principles to which we all enjoy and help spread the truth through out all the world. My Mechanics Place would like to help you to have greater freedom by providing the means to accomplish your automotive repair and maintenance as well as keeping your toy’s in tip top shape so you can continue to express your self in the character, be it all growed up or as that wonderful child within. May the holiday find with joy and friendship.
Winter
May 15, 2014This is a little late in posting because I lost it in a Computer crash but it still seems relevant
Winter, I would like to point out how we often underestimate the adverse effects of a severely harsh winter. As I slipped my foot into my boot this morning I began to realize that, following the cold and snow, I would have a need to order a new pair of boots. They have been on my feet the majority of the five months we have experienced this winter season. Protecting my feet from the cold, wet, ice, and snow they have become cracked and worn. Not unlike all the other accessories that adorn, layer upon layer, to guard me from āOld Man Winterāsā bite. Hoodies, tees, hats, coats, long johns, those poor worn socks, and countless gloves have succumbed to the ravages of the war against the cold. The list goes on; we suffer with back aches from mountains of the white stuff thatās moved then moved again to make room for greater mountains whose peaks only obstruct our view, not seeing the on coming cars whose drivers, for their own safety, are concentrating solely on avoiding the craters we so fondly refer to as potholes.
The frost and thaw cycles repeatedly pulverizing the pavement cause almost irreparable damage to our front ends, tie rods, shocks, struts, springs, tires, rims, oil pans, exhaust system, transmission, even radiators are favorite targets of these menacing gremlins of the road. Hiding beneath the water, suddenly appearing from under the truck ahead of you, the road hazard can promote evasive action, sending the driver spiraling into a ditch or worse, creating new landscapes on the side of the road and hoods of our cars. These costly repairs for some donāt get the attention they deserve due to a lack of funds or somewhere in the great white tundra to facilitate the work. That is where āMy Mechanics Placeā comes in.
While the new company struggles to get on their feet, their intent is noble which is; to provide a place where you can bring your car to repair or maintain it, at a significant savings, by doing the work yourself. Many know their way around cars but some of us have a real fear of todayās technology. After you get through the covers and cowlings, the basic engine hasnāt changed. With an A.S.E. certified mechanic on staff to oversee and help from a computer repair data base, providing step by step instruction, even difficult tasks are made easy. So as the barrage of seasonal battles take a toll, we now have the ability to take matters into our own hands to defend what is ours.
That’s History
May 12, 2014My Grand father used to tell the story: His dad was out walking the dog when he came across a man trying to push his new carriage back to his garage after it had broken down, He helped him push the thing back to make the needed repairs. My great grand father said goodbye, Henry Ford said thanks before turning to his Quadracycle to prepare it for another test run. In the tradition of my forefathers, help us help those who just need a place to get their Horseless Carriage back on the road.
Finding the ureachable Demographic
April 8, 2014Finding the unreachable Demographic
āU.S. households spend an average of $653 a year on vehicle maintenanceā¦ Their spending in the automotive aftermarket has more than doubled, from $88 billion in 1980. . . Among all DIYers, more than half work on their vehicles every two of three months. More than one in ten gives their car or truck attention at least once a weekā
The auto repair market has a lot of competition. However, as money gets tighter and automobiles are retained longer, car owners are doing the work themselves. So it becomes obvious that large sectors of the population are taking their #Automotive Care into their own hands. We #DIYers however cross all economic and professional levels, ages, incomes, race, or gender when it comes to cars anything or anyone goes. So how or where do we find such a broad and elusive demographic? It’s not like they’re already corralled into a nice little package for us, or are they? We see them feeding at the blog sites, gathering at the Rally’s and Cruises but how to reach them. I for one am not an avid social networker, even though necessity is making me become such, I donāt have a poster of a young brunette straddling a #Hot Rod in torn jeans and high heels hanging in my garage. I do however have six cars or trucks parked in my driveway each day. Five drivers two of which have been driving less than 2 years and another in drivers training! Working on vehicles is not just a hobby here.
Reaching those DIYers that are carrying a career, juggling kids to and from soccer and who knows what else, is not as easy as it seems. As my sons and I walked throughout the Auto Rama, stopping to chat with that proud breed displaying their works of art hewn from the mountains of blood, sweat, and grease, we quickly became aware that the #Restoration crowds are not as savvy when it comes to tech. Now maybe this is a poor sampling but when asked which of the social mediaās to reach or connect with them was, it was usually returned with shrugged shoulders. Help me out, #My Mechanics Place, #MMP is a facility designed to benefit the front yard weekend warrior. We need to let them know. Come visit our website! Most of all share this concept with your friends. My Mechanics Place is launching their Crowd Funding Campaign April 15th on the #Indiegogo platform please look for us to participate.
Why here, Why now?
April 1, 2014So, I was reading through some articles that started me thinking “My Mechanics Place” Why here, Why now? well here’s one reason.The “New Normal” for the Automotive Aftermarket
Tuesday, June 1, 2010 by Guest Blogger
In a recent interview about how scrappage and other vehicle trends are affecting the independent aftermarket and dealer service marketing, I was asked “What is the new normal?” Well, of course working for Polk, I instantly talked about the new “normal” as being new vehicle sales in the neighborhood of 11 to 13-million per year. And how the normal is not the 15 to 16 million units that the industry thought it was as recently as two years ago.
However, recently at the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS), I started to question what the new normal really means. I’m considered one of the young guns that is supposed to be tech saavy and in touch with my social media side; however, I still have an “old” way of thinking. I immediately started thinking about how average vehicle ownership length has increased by 21% over the past 9 years, how the average vehicle age at 10.2 years is now higher than it ever was before, how vehicle warranty is increasing and favors the dealers, and many more traditional metrics. Is this the old way of thinking? Should we also be thinking about how the consumer demographic is changing and decisions are being made through social media? How do we incorporate the new way of thinking into our every day operations and make it work for businesses and the consumer? Should we think more about how to get to the Facebook generation (everyone under the age of 65) and talk to them about underperformed maintenance and how it affects their vehicle life, stability and costs?
I think the new normal is not that normal at all, and that we all need to change our focus. Yes, the key indicators will always be there, but we probably need to create new “key” indicators. At GAAS we heard about the new generation of customers and how they are integrated into the “NOW” world more effectively than in any other time in the past. We learned that they are loyal, smart consumers until a product fails or another promises greater functionality. Then they hightail it to the next brand, and leave a trail of comments, status updates and tweets in their path. As an industry, we can capitalize on it. We have the resources to educate our consumers through tools like YouTube. We can contact them proactively about maintaining their cars properly and cost effectively. Knowing the leading indicators such as scrappage, new vehicles sales, length of ownership and average vehicle age is just scratching the surface of being able to plan and be successful in the aftermarket. Maybe it’s time to start focusing on the new normal as well.
Posted by Bryan Funke, Director, Sales & Client Services, Aftermarket & Commercial Vehicle Teams, Polk
Funke, Bryan. “The New Normal.” R.L.Polk Co.-Reports. R.L.Polk Co., 01June2010. Web. 4 May 2011. <http://blog.polk.com/blog/guest-blogs/the-new-normal-for-the-automotive-aftermarket>.
What do you think? Am I just another dreamer or is there a real need?