“Notary turns auto executioner - Baton Rouge Advocate” plus 4 more

Notary turns auto executioner - Baton Rouge Advocate
W.H. fire guts automotive business - New Haven Register
New auto industry still shows old moves - Detroit Free Press
West Haven fire guts automotive business - New Haven Register
Advanced economics - Manila Times

Notary turns auto executioner - Baton Rouge Advocate

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 03:32 AM PDT

DENHAM SPRINGS — Notary Randy Owens mainly does paperwork for the Baton Rouge-based All Star Automotive Group dealerships.

On Thursday, Owens was a killer. A truck killer.

Ever since the federal government's multibillion-dollar Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS program, also known as Cash for Clunkers, started in late July, Owens has been All Star Automotive's go-to guy for disabling the engines of clunkers.

Owens drove to All Star Dodge in Livingston Parish on Thursday to put a green 1996 Chevrolet Silverado pickup out of its misery by literally switching liquids.

Actually, Owens and All Star Dodge and All Star Ford General Manager Buddy Wells said the truck in question, with 240,316 miles on it, could run until the mileage hits 300,000 or 350,000.

But the truck's owner, a Baton Rouge man in his 50s who drove the truck to and from his job at a plant in Ascension Parish, decided to trade it in for $4,500 that went toward a brand-new, more fuel-efficient truck.

Wells said the Silverado is one of 21 clunkers at his All Star Ford and All Star Dodge lots.

Owens, whose official title is fleet service and collision center consultant, said Thursday's truck execution was his 21st since the CARS program started.

Wells climbed into the truck, parked in the back lot with his other clunkers, and started the engine.

Then Wells drove it to one of the All Star Dodge service bays where oil technician Will Cavaness drained the truck of its life blood, oil.

After that, the truck was driven to a spot where it can be easily towed after the deed is done.

Then All Star Dodge employees brought out a large container with a crystal-clear liquid that looked as thick as cane syrup.
On the container, it actually states, "motor killer."

The liquid is sodium silicate, the federally mandated substance car dealers are required to pour into the engine to disable it.
The fatal amount is two quarts.

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W.H. fire guts automotive business - New Haven Register

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 04:22 AM PDT

WEST HAVEN — Fire gutted a Forest Road automotive business Sunday morning, in a blaze that drew dozens of area firefighters and emergency personnel.

"I would say it's a total loss," said Sammy Rivera, owner of Budget Transmission Center, located at 236A Forest Road. "On July 25, I celebrated my fourth year owning it. The place has been here for 19 years."

Neighbor Adrian Guzman said he and several family members were outside Sunday morning and saw one of the transmission center's car bays open. Knowing the business is closed on Sundays, they looked inside to see if anyone was there and needed help. They found that a car inside the business was on fire and immediately called 911.

Just then, Allingtown Fire Chief Peter Massaro happened to be driving by the business and saw the fire. "I was coming back from headquarters," he explained, as he directed crews on the scene.

No one was injured in the fire.

Massaro said 50 firefighters and other personnel battled the blaze. "There was so much fire, we didn't let anybody in the building at all," he said. "There were a lot of cars inside, gasoline, oil, everything. You've got to be in a defensive mode in this situation. It's what they call a surround and drown."

Police blocked off Forest Road as firefighters on ladder trucks doused the building's roof. Water cascaded down the cement front steps. Other firefighters on the ground worked hoses from street level.

Volunteers brought ice bags, cold drinks and wet cloths for firefighters, as they worked in the sun and heat.

As a crowd gathered, Rivera watched from across the street. He said the business is insured, and that he didn't know why the bay door opened as the fire broke out.

Jim Shelton can be reached at (203) 789-5664 or jshelton@nhregister.com.

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New auto industry still shows old moves - Detroit Free Press

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 06:52 AM PDT

Its supposedly the dawn of a new day in the auto industry here in Detroit -- and it sure felt that way at the upbeat Dream Cruise this weekend -- but now, its starting to sound awfully familiar.

Some part of me questions whether that is a good thing.

A week after Chrysler said it would add back more than 100 dealers, after cutting 789 in bankruptcy court, the new General Motors Co. is following suit. Today, Automotive News is reporting that GM will fill up to 50 open points. This, after making plans to terminate nearly 1,400.

I guess its two steps forward and one step back for these companies? I guess time will tell if this strategy works. It always does

New Fiats from Chryslers Mexico plant

Also this ayem, the WSJ is reporting that Chrysler plans to build the Fiat 500 subcompact at a Chrysler plant in Mexico. Given the (still) relatively high labor costs in the United States, I greeted this with a duh this morning. But the report, which quotes a person familiar with the plans, goes on to say that the Fiat 500 engine could come be built in the U.S. along with a larger compact car. So, thats some good news.

I guess well see how well Chryslers trial balloon flies on building a car in Mexico with the U.S. government as a part owner, with 8% of the company. Feel free to vent your thoughts about it here, as Im sure you will

Meanwhile, the WSJ also reports that Fiat is expanding in China, setting up a partnership with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., where, surprise-surprise, the market is still hotter than 90 degrees. Automotive sales there are up 60% over the prior year. (By comparison, U.S. new car and truck sales are down 32% through July.)

NUMMI production to end in 2010

And in another hit to U.S. manufacturing, the struggling Toyota (Yes, the struggling Toyota with losses of $4.8 billion last fiscal year.) is planning to end production at its California assembly plant in March, after General Motors said it would abandon the GM-Toyota joint venture. This report is out of Japans Asahi Shimbun, courtesy of Reuters.

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West Haven fire guts automotive business - New Haven Register

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 03:25 AM PDT

By Jim Shelton, Register Staff

Click to enlarge

Lt. William Heffernan, a West Haven firefighter, takes a bottle of cold water and wears an ice pack on the back of his neck to cool down after battling a blaze on Forest Road in West Haven. He had been on a ladder over the fire. (Melanie Stengel/Register photos)

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Advanced economics - Manila Times

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 07:50 AM PDT

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Isuzu Philippines uses new Forward truck to teach fuel-efficient, cost-saving practices Recognizing the vital role that vehicles play in moving the country's economy forward, Isuzu Phils. Corp. (IPC) recently held an activity where it taught fleet ...