Find a reputable auto repair shop in your area and take your car there every time it needs service. You should attempt to have the same mechanic work on your car when you take it there. This helps the mechanic to become familiar with your vehicle so he will notice problems sooner than someone else.

Take your vehicle to a full service car wash a couple times a year for an extensive cleaning, inside and out. This removes most of the soil and helps preserve the interior of your car. This can pay off when you want to sell or trade your car in for a newer one.

Make sure to ask the mechanic who is about to work on your car whether or not he is certified. If the answer is no, leave right away and get someone else to do the repairs. If he says that he is, ask for some type of proof so you know this true.

The labor rate should be posted in your repair shop. If it is not, ask. Also ask the price of a repair, including parts. Sometimes it's easy to spot the rates on the wall, but read them carefully. Know where the estimated prices come from. A lot of places will give you an estimate of how long this will take that they were given by various manufacturers. While some things are considered minor repairs, the job may actually take all day.

When working on your engine be certain to wear proper safety equipment. You need ear plugs to protect your hearing, goggles to protect your vision and polyurethane or latex gloves to protect your skin from damage and injury caused by acids and other fluids. If you have long hair, be sure to secure it to avoid having it become caught in moving parts.

Don't be afraid of looking silly when you take your car into a shop. Ask plenty of questions. Make sure you know what is going on. You deserve to understand what is happening with your car, and a good technician will not mind your questions. The knowledge may come in handy in the future.

Keep your car manual in your car. In fact, keep the manual and any other documentation your car may have, including details on past repairs, tune-ups and more. The more data points your auto repair shop has to look into an issue, the better chance that they'll be able to give you a strong idea about what is going on with your car.

Make sure the oil in your vehicle is changed about every 3,000 miles. Waiting longer for an oil change can result in dirt and debris fouling your oil and that can damage your engine. If you use synthetic oil in your vehicle, you only need to change the filter every other oil change.

When searching for an auto repair shop, you should choose one that specializes in the brand of vehicle you have. While there are probably many trustworthy shops in your area, going with one specializing in your car makes it more likely that the technician knows what they are doing. They will also probably have many parts needed for your car.

Beware mechanics who charge you for repairs which are unnecessary. A reputable mechanic will let you know when they see something else wrong with your vehicle and they'll give you options as to how to proceed. A mechanic who has performed this practice should never be patronized again.

Contact your local Better Business Bureau if you need more information on a mechanic or a garage. If some complaints have been filed against them, your Better Business Bureau will tell you. Ask your friends and family about the different mechanics they have dealt with in the past to get some recommendations.

When taking your car to the mechanic for repairs, never leave valuables in the car. The mechanic may need to remove these items in order to do their job, and they are not responsible if you find out later that something is missing. Remove all items from your trunk too.

Ask your auto mechanic about their A.S.E. certification. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence has a test twice a year for it. To earn this certification, mechanics must pass a written test while also having about two years of work experience in auto mechanics and repair. This certification increases your chances of finding competent mechanics.

You don't want to neglect the wiper blades on your vehicle. If your windshield wipers aren't performing up to par, it may be time for new ones. You should replace wiper blades at least once a year or more often if you live in an area where rain is commonplace or if you notice your wiper blades are worn out.

Independent mechanics can be great. If they are experienced and skilled, you can get the same work done at a much cheaper price. This can help you save money but make sure that they have a good reputation.

Always exercise the highest level of caution when working with your car's fuel system. Never work around fuel tanks, fuel lines or pumps with sources of ignition such as cigarettes or anything that could produce a spark. Wipe up any fuel spills immediately, and protect yourself by wearing fuel-resistant gloves and eyewear.

Before giving your car to a shop, ask them about their fees. Not all shops will be upfront about their prices, so ask anyone available for this information. You have a right to know how much a repair will cost and what it will consist of. A lot of places will give you an estimate of how long this will take that they were given by various manufacturers. Some "Minor" repairs could take all day if they go by those manufacturers' established times.

If you need to fix a scratch or paint over an area, make sure you select the right color. Check the owner's manual to see if you can find a code for the color of your car or look for a sticker located under the hood or on the driver's side front door to find the color code.

Today, experts Agree that more companies face an unstable business environment. Improvements in data processing and
telecommunications have produced major changes in most businesses. In addition to this, improvements in transport and the growth
of foreign markets (especially in Europe and Asia) have generated a global market and redefined certain industries. Additionally,
as consumers are vulnerable to more options, loyalty is becoming less important than it once was; a slightly better price or a
temporary shortage of inventory can easily lead to the loss of consumers. Competitors can also change rapidly, with new ones
emerging out of nowhere (often this means another side of the world ). With the uncertainty of the global market, it's important
that you make tactical planning component of your overall company strategy.

Proactive Versus Reactive Management. A few years back, you can establish and maintain a company by reacting to and meeting
changes in tastes, prices and costs. This reactive style of management was frequently enough to keep the business going. However,
today changes happen fast and come from many directions. By the time a reactive supervisor can make the necessary adjustments, he
or she may lose many customers -- maybe for good.

Proactive Planning is the anticipation of future events. Decisions are based on predictions of future conditions of the
environment instead of reactions to several disasters as they happen. Proactive planning in an unstable, technology-driven small
business environment is critical to ongoing success in just about any endeavor. Rather than responding to the situation as it
changes, proactive planning requires that you examine environmental forces and make resource-allocation decisions. Using this
method you can take your company where it ought to be in the next month, year and decade. Barry Worth, a consultant specializing
in small business management, puts it this way: Now's entrepreneur must be a business architect. Anything built in the present
business environment must have a step-by-step blueprint or strategy on how best to achieve success. The blueprint for the business
owner is a business plan.

The Want For a Strategic Plan. Planning has a significant role in any business enterprise. It may make the difference between the
success or failure of your business. You should aim carefully before investing your time and, especially, your cash in any
business enterprise. The need for a strategy is best exemplified by the following scenario -"A Tale of 2 Businesses."

Two franchises (A and B) were launched by individuals who had worked in direction in much bigger companies. While Franchise A
supplied a product and Franchise B a service, the outcome of both franchise systems were sold exclusively in the United States
before the current owners became involved. The output of the two was readily available in several other developed nations as well.
The franchises opened about the same time and neither franchisee had a strong market presence, nor do they at present. Now
Franchise B is broke. By contrast, Franchise A is promoting products in the Midwestern United States and in Europe.

What was the Determining difference in the two franchises' achievement? You probably expect it to be that you had developed a
tactical plan and the other had not; however, it is not this easy. Several things can influence the outcome of a business venture.
There were lots of similarities between the franchises, but there were also many differences.

Most notably, Franchise A sold a product and Franchise B a service (though this doesn't clearly limit choices ). Another variation
was that Franchise A had a carefully thought-out plan. The investors knew as they looked for a franchise partner they wanted to
locate something which could satisfy global markets and a franchiser who'd encourage that kind of sales campaign. These investors
were based in the Midwest, but negotiated for exclusive rights to export the franchiser's merchandise. Once they had acquired the
franchise, as soon as they started to establish their business domesticallythey also started to contact government specialists
from the U.S. Department of Commerce and teachers and local managers with global experience.

Clear plans Were developed outlining how they would place, promote and distribute the product and which foreign markets will be
targeted . Even as they had been building sales in a single European market, they had been attending trade shows and preparation
entry strategies others.

By contrast, The second investor (Franchise B) started his company strictly because he wished to leave a former employer. Of
course many small businesses begin this way; however, in this event no investigation of marketing alternatives was completed. The
organization was located in an area that, as it turned out, included virtually no customers for the type of service being offered.
If this mistake was realized, it had been too late to proceed --the investor simply didn't have the cash or the desire to risk
starting again.

Other examples Further demonstrate the demand for strategic planning and for developing a clear business plan. The owner of a
company that appeared to be doing quite well in two locations was going to open in a thirdparty. The authors were called in to
develop a benefits policy and discovered cash flow conditions that may be found only after operations had begun in the new
location. After analyzing the situation, a growth and financial plan was developed for the sound locations only. In another
situation, the authors decided that a company had bought more equipment than has been necessary to do the current workload.

After careful Evaluation, plans to make additional purchases were put on hold, along with the equipment available was utilized
effectively to meet immediate needs.

A Enterprise Enterprise is to complex to assume that failure to come up with a sound business Plan will be the reason behind
problems But this failure often counts One of the factors contributing to business issues. As Worth has said, "Being a company
entrepreneur today takes constant vigilance to be able to Be in a position to take advantage of fresh opportunities and the access
to fresh Technology and information as they come into being." Step one in Doing this is to have a program.

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