Buying Behavior – Who Buys What and How
With more vehicles on the road, more engine configurations under hoods and more parts on the shelves, the process of getting engine parts from manufacturer to end user has never been more complicated.
The Parts Sale Awakens
I have proposed five sales strategies based on successful businesses. But even these distant outposts have had to adjust to the new cyber-marketplace today.
Understanding the Basics of Your Business – Taxes
They say nothing in life is certain except for death and taxes. In most parts of the world, taxes are part of life and certainly part of running an engine building business. In the US, large expenses associated with running an engine building business are federal, state and local taxes.
Labor Pains: What Do You Charge to Rebuild the 6.0L Power Stroke?
The 6.0L Power Stroke diesel was introduced as the eventual successor to the popular – but less emissions-friendly – 7.3L Power Stroke. For a year, both engines were available in Ford’s diesel pickups, but in 2004 the 7.3L was retired.
GM DURAMAX V8 Diesel – The Next Small Block Chevy for the Diesel Hot Rodder?
If you look back into automotive history, hot rodding and performance upgrades for power are rooted in such V8 classics as the flathead Ford and small block Chevy. But when you look on the diesel side of history, most big torque power plants utilized the inline 6-cylinder configuration since near-perfect piston to rod angles create
Head & Block RESURFACING EQUIPMENT
Regardless of what type of engine work you do in your shop (stock, performance, diesel, marine or anything that comes in the door), you need the ability to surface heads and blocks. Deck surfaces on high mileage heads and blocks are often corroded, pitted, scratched and/or out-of-flat – especially if the engine blew a head
A Tale of Two Markets – Dealing with the Times
A couple of months ago, I approached this industry’s parts sales problem through some statistics. Now I’d like to look at things from another angle, or maybe two. I don’t think there is one reader who would argue that engine parts sales today are much different than they were even 10 years ago. Though it doesn’t
Maximize Your Grinding Efficiency
Today’s shop owner is always looking for the edge, the next big business opportunity – and you may not even realize that your flywheel grinder can be one of the most profitable machines in your business.
Head and Block Resurfacing Equipment
Regardless of what type of engine work you do in your shop (stock, performance, diesel, marine or anything that comes in the door), you need the ability to surface heads and blocks. Deck surfaces on high mileage heads and blocks are often corroded, pitted, scratched and/or out-of-flat – especially if the engine blew a head gasket or overheated.
GM Duramax V8 Diesel
When GM introduced its first V8-based diesel power plant in the ’80s, the results were less than stellar since they essentially took an existing small-block gasoline design and modified it to run on diesel. It wasn’t until the early ’90s when GM bought into Japanese commercial vehicle giant Isuzu, that they got the technology to develop a truly modern V8 diesel.
5 Surprising Strategies To Increase Business Productivity & Profitability
Maximizing both productivity and profitability in a business often takes out-of-the-box thinking. But, don’t stop there! It’s also wise to go a step further and think against the grain to look at issues and approaches through a different lens.
Toyota Looks to Overhaul its Engines
After ignoring the internal combustion engine in favor of its hybrid car models, Toyota Motor Corp. is preparing a powertrain makeover. The automaker is designing common parts to spread costs across large numbers of engines. This will allow it to economically customize engines for specific vehicles with fuel injection, turbocharging and more.
Performance V6 and Four Bangers
Any engine builder worth his or her torque wrench keeps their eyes open. They’re looking for anything and everything to make work easier, better and, of course, more profitable. When it comes to the number of cylinders in the motors they build, are they looking at performance-dedicated six and four cylinder engines as a viable source of income?
5 Surprising Strategies to Increase Business Productivity and Profitability
Maximizing both productivity and profitability in a business often takes out-of-the box thinking. But, don’t stop there! It’s also wise to go a step further and think “against the grain;” to look at issues and approaches through a different “lens” and from a different angle.
Building for Biodiesel
Some people have a negative view of biodiesel. They say it gums up the fuel pump and injectors. They say it gels in cold weather. They say it’s diverting food resources to make fuel. They say it’s too expensive and can’t compete economically with conventional No. 2 diesel fuel. Then they hear that diesel engines burning biodiesel are winning pulling championships, drag races and setting new land speed records. Maybe biodiesel isn’t so bad after all.
Performance Diesel Upgrades
Why should you offer more when rebuilding a diesel engine? Because any shop can rebuild the OEM block or buy a direct replacement. However, rebuilding a diesel engine with slight power modifications will get you more customers and offer you higher profits because of the modifications made that not everyone can do or has the knowledge to do.
What Does Ethanol Mean To Your Shop?
Although ethanol alcohol is mostly made from corn, it seems to be a real hot potato! Almost all pump gasoline today contains 10 percent ethanol (E10) because the Renewable Fuels Standard Act requires it. The reasons why are partially practical, partially political and partially economic.
Timing Is Everything When Considering Selling Your Business
The automotive aftermarket is viewed by many, both within and outside the industry, as a healthy, vibrant, vital growth industry. Qualified serious buyers consider auto-related businesses as more recession-proof and less stressful than restaurants and other popular categories of businesses for sale. I have conversations with potential sellers of automotive businesses every day and, over the
Team Incentives: How to Keep Employees Engaged, Optimistic
Over the last 15 years, since Terry Keller started helping shop owners in 1999, he has seen every pay plan known to man. He’s heard every possible variation of the same question: “How can I pay my team in a way that motivates them without eating all of my profits?” If that sounds familiar, you can rest assured that you’re not alone.
Shop Solutions – December 2014
In our shop, we don’t have a dyno or engine test stand. We work on a variety of engines from Chevys to Internationals to Continentals, so no engine start stand would suit everything we do. In an effort to find oil leaks, we have started to “smoke” our engines.
