Nov 27 2009
Found this cool Triumph TR6 Hot Wheel at Target today while browsing the toy department. Well, more like digging through all the cars than browsing, but still! Nice little model to add to my collection of toy British cars. And if you didn’t know it, yes, I am just a big kid at heart.
Oct 12 2009
Dec 28 2008
The big three automakers are in trouble and it is there own fault.
Interestingly I have talked to friends both liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican. We all agree that the government should not bail out GM, Chrysler or Ford because they got in the bind they are in by their own self-centered mismanagement. They all thought they could do whatever they liked and that the customers would follow them. Sorry, your customers aren’t sheep and to think they are is just conceited stupidity.
There used to be an old saying that “what is good for GM is good for the country.” That tells you exactly where the problem lies. As anyone who is in tune with the marketplace can tell you, it should have been “what is good for the country is good for GM.” Basically, if you concentrate on your customer your business will succeed.
If you do what is right for your customers you will succeed on two fronts. First, even in the unlikely event that you do fail financially, you will have done some good for the world. And secondly, if you are doing right by your customers they will support you and stand behind you. They will want you to succeed. And that alone is more than half the battle.
Truthfully, I am not sure if it is too late for the big auto makers. I am sure it is already too late for their executives though. The guys at the top are too selfish to do what is right by their customers, their companies, or their countries. They have proven that by their attitudes and action. The best thing they could do is step down, and if they won’t step down they should be removed.
The only way the big three can be fixed is if they, and the labor unions who work for them, quit focusing on themselves and turn their attention to giving the customers what is wanted. How in the world does flying a corporate jet aid the customer? It doesn’t. How does haggling at the dealership until utter frustration sets in help the customer? It doesn’t. How does making too large gas guzzling old technology help the customer? It doesn’t. See how simple the test is? Just cut out all the junk that isn’t good for the customer out. Focus on your customer and you can’t lose.
Nov 12 2008
Actually, as odd as it sounds, I really do enjoy fixing cars. Maybe it is the fact that I get to hit things with hammers. Maybe it is that working on a car, at least the old ones, is so different from the computer, database, and web work I normally do. 
Hey, I get the chance to get really filthy dirty! In fact, at the moment, what I am really looking to find is a 1971 to 1974 MGBGT. I love them, had one as my first car, and am anxious to get another one. So, if you know where one is close to Charleston, SC, please let me know!
The only thing I don’t like about automotive work is paying for car parts! How do all my hobbies somehow involve spending money? Yes, I am always looking for discount car parts. Oh, you can find cheap parts – you know the ones that may last you until you get to the end of the driveway, but what I really want is good sources for quality parts. And the right ones too! If you are looking for Toyota parts, you don’t want to have to “just alter it a bit.” I was told this numerous times when working on my old BMW 2002. It was even worse when I was trying to find some parts for a 1986 BMW 325e! People would say, “Oh, this part will work fine if you just reroute this wire and shave a bit of metal off here with a grinder.” Pardon me? That wasn’t the way the part or the car were designed.
Recently I have been looking for a few odds and ends for the 2001 Ford Escape that I drive. It has just reached that age, meaning out of warranty and paid off, when small things start to break. First it was the solenoid for the tailgate release. Then the heater knob. Now a vacuum connection. None of them are very large parts, but they can be hard to find and at times expensive. Other than scrounging through junk yards – which is actually great fun and I do a good bit – I find myself prowling the web for parts.
While doing that web prowling, I came across a site called Go-Part.com. They have all kinds of discount parts for everything from the aforementioned Toyota to my Ford Escape. And for those wild children who care, yes they even have Jeep parts. Now they don’t have everything but they have the most commonly needed parts, and they carry good quality brands like DEPO, Koyo, and Modine. They also carry accessories and have and toll free number to help you if you can’t figure out or find what you’re looking for.
So, give them a try, let me know if you find my elusive MGB GT, and also let me know if you find any good salvage yards that have that elusive heater knob for my Escape.
