What car haulers call stuff.

As an old English major, I have always been interested in the words people use to communicate.  As a salesman selling car hauler straps and accessories around the United States, I enjoy interacting with people from different regions and hearing the different words and dialects people use.  In today's fast-paced world of Internet marketing, it is especially important to keep one's ear tuned to the words people use when asking about certain products.  For one thing, you need to understand what people are asking for and not sell them the wrong thing. It's also important for another reason, because you need to describe products in such a way online so that when people use a certain phrase or word they will be directed to the proper item.

For instance, we sell a lot of what I call ratchet wheel straps.  I  have also heard these referred to as tire straps.  More recently, I've heard several people refer to these type of straps as wheel-over straps.  I made a special point to write this one down, because this phrase solved a problem I've had for a long time.  You see, there are two major forks in the evolution of tire straps, wheel straps or whatever you want to call them.  There are the straps that have the rubber tread grabs on them and go over the top of the tire, and there are the type that are a type of lasso strap and go to a ratchet handle at the side of the trailer.  Actually, before the wheel-over type straps became popular, there were basket-style wheel straps, but we'll leave that alone for now.

When customers call up, they usually just say that they need wheel straps, so we always had to ask: "Do you mean the ones that go over the top of the tire and have the three black rubber tread grabs?  Or do you mean the ones that go around the tire in the 10 and 2 o'clock position and go out to the rub rail on the side?"

With all the customers we get, you can imagine how many times a day we have to ask these questions!

But the last month or so, I've heard several people refer to the straps with the tread grabs as "wheel-over" straps, and I think we may start to use that phrase here at Autohauler Supply.  I think that little decisions about what to call stuff... that's really how languages develop and evolve as things change. I think it is an example of the collective wisdom of a group of people.

Still, as a lover of language, I enjoy asking the question:  "Who do you think invented the word "The"?  I mean, someone had to be the first to start using that word. 

Well, enough of that... I've got to go sell some more wheel straps or wheel-over straps  or tire straps or lasso straps or carhauler straps or whatever the heck they're called.  If you need any, give me a call! 866-855-4285

Honda halves North American production

According to Automotive News, the recent flooding in Thailand has created parts shortages for American auto assembly plants.  Honda estimates that this will cut production in American assembly plants by half.

Auto industry observations from the inside out

I spent last weekend car shopping and eventually wound up with a good deal on a nice little Mazda 3.  I noticed a few things that I thought I would relate.

• Dealerships were busy, especially the Toyota dealer.
• Inventories are fairly decent.  Maybe not as much selection as in years past, but definitely not to the point where you'd feel the need to wait a few months for the dealer to get the car you wanted.  The Honda dealership across the road from the Mazda dealer where I bought my car looked a little lean.  But while we finished up our paperwork, I noticed a United Road Services truck unloading some vehicles at the Honda shop, so I'm sure the dealers are doing what they can to have inventory to sell.
• Prices are higher... in some cases waaaay higher than they were back in 2008.

Case in point, the Ford Focus I bought in 2008.  I bought a base model with manual transmission, no power windows, no power locks.  (But still with AC and a great stereo!)  I paid the dealer $10,566 for a brand new car back in December of 2008.  I wanted to look at the new Ford Fiesta, but couldn't find much under $15,000.  And this is the car that usually sells for $1,000 less than the Ford Focus!

Now, as the son of a Ford guy, I do have a warm spot in my heart for the Fords. Own some of their stock in fact!  But when my wife couldn't find me a deal online or in the paper... or anything remotely resembling a deal on the Ford Fiesta... I just said, "Bag it!"  The closest Ford dealer is now two towns away and not open on Sundays.  I'm glad my Ford stock is up, but I'm not sure how sustainable that will be... because either Ford or the dealers are asking more for their stuff than the competition.  For the same money, Mazda had a car that had more power and more options.   Ford makes pretty good cars now, but they're not so good I'm going to pay thousands of dollars more than I would for the Mazda.

Somehow Mazda is able to make a car in Japan, ship it here, and sell it at a price that is more than competitive with an American automaker... all of this while the Yen is worth more than it has ever been worth relative to the US Dollar.   I don't really understand that.  Can anybody explain how Ford can raise prices 50% in three years?  I'd say things must be improving out there, even if the west coast car haulers are still slow.

10/26/11 Addendum:
Ford stock fails to participate in recent rally after report of lower profits due to sales coming in at the low end of their projections.  Read article. 

10/27/11 Addendum:
According to a report by Automotive News, troubles with the MyFord Touch are among the primary reasons why Ford sank from 10th to 20th out of 28 according to Consumer Reports.  J.D. Power's "Initial Quality" survey also cited problems with this technology having a negative effect on Ford's ranking.

As a customer, I would have to say that by loading its vehicles up with unproven technology... or at least technology unproven to work in the hands of the intended customers... Ford blundered strategically.  They are trying to command higher prices for a product that has been compromised by the very technology that requires more money.  In my opinion, it seems that Ford loaded these up with technological innovation to appeal to the next generation of buyers, who perhaps are not quite ready to shell out so much dough for technology that is not quite ready for prime time.  Give them an "A" for effort, and a "C-" for execution.  Hopefully, Mr. Mulally will help them get it right by 2013.

Why there are so few used cars

OK this was a very interesting news story. I've thought for a long time that the used car shortage stemmed largely from the "Cash for Clunkers" program that Washington used to prop up the tottering auto market during the financial crisis. Turns out the shortage of used cars seen now has its roots in the crisis, but for different reasons. Check out this story in Automotive News.

The last JM trailer

One of my old customers is selling a 2007 JM high mount for $42,000. According to her, this was the last one Joe built before selling the company.

If you're looking for a nice light trailer, you might want to check it out. Here is the info on that trailer.

Uship under siege?

Got this email from one of Uship's unhappy users. I have no idea as to the veracity of his assertions, but it certainly sounds like one would be wise to investigate this site fully before jumping in with both feet.

Thanks for the forwarding of the info. I am sure most of you are aware that
uShip has done many dastardly things to the TSP's and the shippers and
either delete posts to sweep it under the rug or suspend us when we voice
our opinions.

I created www.scamship.com to help us all voice our opinions about uship
without fear of retribution of removal. They have played the social media
game too long. Collectively we are a force to be dealt with. We ALL need to
post what we can about uship. I have heard that Dateline NBC is
investigating them and the TX attorney general has been contacted. We MUST
keep the pressure on them. I have also seen uship changing people's terms of
service. I believe that is illegal as well.

Are you willing to take a few minutes out of your day to post about uship? I
hope so. Let's not let them take advantage of us any longer. Let's join
forces and turn the tide on uship.

Thank you
Walt

Need a dispatcher to help you find loads?

Got this email yesterday from someone who has a new dispatch service:

Hi Steve. Would you help me promote my business some how..I am looking for carhaulers to load..Do you know of anybody that is looking for a dispatcher..Please tell them to visit my website for contact info at
www.debsautodispatching.com

I would appreciate anything you could do to help..Thank You Deb Kraus

Halfway through the 7 lean years.

Remember Joseph's interpretation of the Pharaoh's dream of seven fat cows and seven skinny cows? Well, for those of you far removed from Sunday School, let me remind you that he said the Pharaoh's dream foretold of seven fat years and seven lean years. Thanks to Joseph's economic prognostication, the Pharaoh was able to put aside enough grain to feed his people during the seven years of drought.

Our seven years started about 2008, possibly a bit earlier. If our long, tough slog out of the economic morass of the Great Recession is anything like biblical times, then we've got approximately three years left of slower growth. That means, come 2015, we should be approaching some semblance of economic normality.

Coincidentally, other people anticipate a similarly slow slog uphill out of the economic swamp lands. The Detroit Free Press has a good article in which they quote Lacey Plache, senior economist for Edmunds.com Plache's takeaway from all the economic news? In 2015, we'll see auto sales hit 16 million. That puts us halfway through the seven lean years.

Or as I like to call them, Seven Learning Years.

Low profile car hauler strap idlers for e-track

Coming soon to an Autohauler Supply warehouse near you!

If you can find a lower profile idler for horizontal e track, I'll eat it with steak sauce.

Where to find cars to haul.

Don't go to the ports... at least not right now. Talking with friends on west and east coast, I hear reports of declining volumes of cars to haul. Toyota's last ship until God knows when came into the west coast and that is (supposedly) the last full ship they'll send until late July early August at the earliest. I spoke with a car hauler who used to pull new cars out of Baltimore... he is now pulling auction freight down in Virginia. Guess it's a good time to be a used car dealer... this trend at least corroborated today by Automotive News, which reports values jumping to record levels for used cars. Some dealers keeping trades to sell on their own lots, but I bet you can expect a lot of dealer trades as the summer selling season heats up. According to Kelley Blue Book, the average trade value for a Toyota Prius jumped $3775. Well, I guess finally the used car dealers are getting some good karma after the horrible luck they had with "Cash for Clunkers".

StrapBusters! Infomercial about carhauler wheel straps.

OK this is blatantly commercial, but it's pretty entertaining.

Auto transport dispatcher

Need help finding loads for the backhaul?  Check out Carla's new website
Carla has been an auto transport broker for quite a few years, and it looks like she is taking on drivers to help with dispatch.  If you're spending too much time filling spots on the trailer, you might want to give her a call.

Allied goes out in a blaze of glory?

Car hauler catches fire on I-94

Two things that are amazing to me.  #1:  The age of Allied's trailers.  #2:  The fact that the F-150  at $40-$45,000! is still the best-selling vehicle in the US with gas up around $4 per gallon. 

Expect summer shortages for Japanese automobiles

AutoNews Now (4/4/11)

Click link for today's broadcast from AutoNews. I was reading in another publication that one of the biggest bottlenecks to vehicle assembly right now are control modules that are manufactured at Japanese tech plants. They need constant, clean electricity... and the "rolling blackouts" happening in Japan right now make it difficult, if not impossible for them to get up and running. There may be problems spreading wider beyond assembly plants of Japanese automobiles, as some domestic cars rely on components sourced from Japan.