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Gonzo, is that the truth? Not that I doubt you but that is the most incredible strange thing I have ever heard. It must have been full moon. Did you ever see him again?

That is both good and bad news. Now at least you can move on. The second chapter on this saga will be better than the first. Stay strong!

Welcome! Glad you joined us.

You need to find out how many Lexus owners are in the market you would serve and estimate how many of those cars you could service. Also look at the size of your local market and the area you can draw from. I know that Car-x says that a successful franchise requires a market of at least 80,000 people to draw from. Don't forget the the dealership uses new car sales, used car sales, warranty work, and regular service to cover overhead and make the location profitable. You will only have service. My personal opinion is that a business that will focus on just one brand is too narrow. I know some that have succeeded by focusing on foreign cars, or focusing on Eurpoeans, but not just one brand unless it was a sports car like a Vet. But then I can be wrong.

Rick, I thought you were going to stop by and visit us. My service manager and I will be happy to help you every way we can. However, one of the problems you have is location. People in rural areas want everything cheap.

Persuasion Skills to Dramatically Increase Your Sales Success http://www.tirereview.com/Article/74744/persuasion_skills_to_dramatically_increase_your_sales_success.aspx

I would think that that is confidential information that could not be released without the customers permission. I think that could be a can of worms for the repair shop. It could also open up liability for the shop. What if records show that your shop replaced a ball joint in 2007 and now it is on the third owner and that part failed in 2010 and someone was killed? A smart lawyer may be able to do something with that.

Marine check point video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FaDhnkzqTU&feature=email

These warranties and free maintenance are a problem. Recently I had a loyal customer tell me I hadn't seen them in a long while because of the freebie deals they had got with their new car. I think in the long run this will not be profitable for the dealers and that eventually the consumers will find these are not good deals for them as well but it will cost a lot of business is the short run. How does a guy compete with free????????

A lot of customers brag about what they did themselves or how sombody fixed it in their backyard and when you raise the hood you realize that they got almost nothing for what they paid. You can't help those people.

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"THE AMERICANS WHO RISKED EVERYTHING" Limbaugh, Jr. article on the fates of Declaration of Independence signers

Jeff, what part of Ohio are you from?

Jeff, if it is any consolation we went through a three year period where we were losing money and were actively trying to sell our business.

Sorry to hear that! I know a insurance agent in South Florida who has been cold calling small businesses. He says what he is doing is really tough because almost none of the businesses he is calling on are making any money at this time. Fortunately unemployment where I am at is not that high (about 8%). What type of problems are you having? Car count? Back outs? Competition? etc?

Consumer Reports rates RepairPal among useful apps YONKERS, N.Y. (June 30, 2010) RepairPal made Consumer Reports just released list of useful smartphone apps for motorists. http://sports.tmcnet.com/news/2010/06/29/4875198.htm

Howard Davidowitz: U.S. Economy "Is a Complete Disaster"

More unfavorable news:

Thank you and the same to you! Out of curiosity may I ask when your shop will be closed. We gave our team the choice of Saturday or Monday and they chose Saturday.

What do you guys think about this viewpoint?

Since it is Sunday and I am on my way to church I thought you might enjoy a religious story: Here is the lost paragraph in GENESIS.... So God asked Adam, "What is wrong with you?" Adam said he didn't have anyone to talk to. God said that he was going to make Adam a companion and that it would be a woman. God said, "This person will gather food for you, and when you discover clothing she'll wash it for you. She will always agree with every decision you make. She will bear your children and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them. She will not nag you and will always be the first to admit she was wrong when you've had a disagreement. She will never have a headache and will freely give you love and passion when ever you need it." Adam asked God, "What will a woman like this cost?" God replied, "An arm and a leg." Then Adam asked, "What can I get for a rib?" And the rest is history.

What a jerk! Why do some people choose to treat automotive repair people like that? I don't think they do that with their doctors, lawyers, or other professionals. He is the kind of customer that no one will work for the second time.