How Can we Stay Competitive in the Auto Repair Market?

Vehicles will always need to be serviced, and it’s nearly impossible to outsource this industry overseas. For both car enthusiasts and shop owners—and just about everyone who drives or will drive a car—the auto landscape is quickly changing in profound ways. The changes will affect everything about the owner/car relationship, and if auto-related businesses and DIY’ers don’t stay on top of the market, their ability to service vehicles on both the professional and DIY levels will be reduced or fundamentally restricted.

The concept boils down to one idea: auto mechanics need to educate themselves
in a much more “techy” manner than in the past, if they want to be able to service newer, more digitally-controlled vehicle processes. Plus, Mechanic under car consulting futuristic interface the auto repair industry, like it or not, is shrinking. Let’s look at some industry-busting stats. Millions of technicians are retiring now or in the near future, and there are not millions of young techs to replace them. At the same time, cars are lasting longer than ever before; the so-called “sweet spot” for aftermarket repairs today (6 – 11 years old) will only increase by the year 2020. In the next five years, the market will see 76 million vehicles at least 16 years old. This means that cars
fitted with today’s technology are here to stay, which in turn means technicians need to be prepared to handle these advanced vehicles if they want to stay relevant against a shrinking and increasingly competitive base. Given that only 25% of car owners get their repairs done at dealerships, there’s no reason to believe Mr. and Mrs. Smith from the neighborhood won’t be stopping
by your shop… if you’re certified to work on their vehicle. Also consider that while a little over half of the car market is projected to remain domestic, shops that service less-common sports cars, such as Ferraris and Jaguars, are going to stand out in the sea of professional shops that aren’t
equipped for these jobs.

The best news for anyone who works on vehicles today is that many of the traditional methods of auto repair will always be in fashion. We’ll always
need to get under our cars with lifts or jacks, and the sort of equipment that Puli deals in (tire changers, wheel balancer, car lifts, tire inflator,air
compressors, etc.) will always have a place in the auto field. Still, time only moves forward: technology improves and global safety standards become stricter, which means we have to constantly adapt our product lines to keep up with the times. If we didn’t, we’d be out of business by now or losing to our competitors. (Fortunately, this hasn’t been the case!)

Perhaps the biggest market change today is the switch to digital processes. This is more than an engine diagnostic on a laptop or tablet, although these devices remain incredibly useful. At this point in time, your ability to stay certified in new repair methods and car technologies is essential, and the one thing we know about technology is that it’s only going to get crazier, more impressive and more difficult to learn if we don’t keep up. Updated shop equipment needs to be purchased regularly, so unfortunately for customers and shops alike, expensive technology, training and equipment upgrades mean service costs aren’t likely to decrease any time soon. The few out there in the DIY sector who are able to keep up, however, are likely to flourish (the mythical half mechanic / half tech-pro).

Wireless connectivity is another game-changing feature that’s fast becoming more and more a part of the auto repair world. Car manufacturers are already able to send downloadable upgrades, which potentially reduces body shop involvement in the upkeep of complex vehicle functions. This translates into lost revenue for auto shops. On the other hand, all technology, especially wireless technology, has the potential to break or malfunction, and anything on the web is vulnerable to hacking. Service shops certified to handle a multitude of wirelessly controlled devices will have a leg up on dealerships and other competing shops, but it will take an ongoing dedication to hiring and training auto mechanics on 21st-century services and technologies.

To this end, shop trainers need to bolster their response to increases in vehicle telematics, which refers to “the branch of information technology that
deals with the long-distance transmission of computerized information.” We’re close to the day when auto shops across the country will be able to wirelessly deliver engine diagnostic data to customers before their cars even make it into
the shop. This signifies a very real shift in the services you need to offer if you plan to stay ahead. Can you envision how powerful of a tool remote
diagnosis could be? The marketing potential alone is worth the price of admission (so to speak). Not to mention, you’re creating huge savings for
customers and inspiring their trust, which means repeat business, which means referrals, etc. And that’s just one example of the changes to come!

At Puli, we try to stay ahead of our competition by offering customers as much access to our services as possible. We also know we can always do better, so we’re constantly improving our products, website and means of connecting with
our distributors. Even little details, ones that show our customers we keep up with the times, go a long way.

www.chinapuli.com

Cheap Tires - What You Should Know

Cheap tires may seem like a great bargain at the time you buy them, but in most cases it only brings on more trouble than they are worth. And while this is true, there are also times when it is not the tire causing the problem at all, but the driver. Here are some of the most common tire problems and why they may be occurring.

Leaks

Tires that are low on air pressure can quickly lead to trouble. Regardless of whether they are cheap tires or high dollar Michelin's, you really need to monitor tire pressure on a regular basis.

On the other hand, air leaks can occur from faulty valve stems or an object embedded in the tire such as a nail, screw, etc.

Alignment

Driving your vehicle when it is mis-aligned can quickly cause tire wear that will result in failure. Again, it doesn't matter how much you have spent on new tires, if your car is out of alignment you'll quickly ruin the tires. Having your car aligned once a year is a good rule of thumb to go by.

Negligence

Cheap tiress, expenseive tires, and everything in between all require some care in order to have a long life.

Have your tires rotated at least once every 15,000 miles. Check tire pressure when you fill up with gas or at least once a month. You would be amazed at how much weather conditions can play with tire pressure.

Inspect your tires for signs of trouble such as balding and tread wear.

Cheap tires get the blame for most problems, but in so many cases it isn't the tires, it's the driver.

tire inflator, tire changer manufacturer, tire repair equipments: http://www.chinapuli.com/Products/Full_View/