tunkhannock auto mart

Mechanic Shortages? You Bet. Nothing is more serious than Labor issues. In Arizona the incoming Governor is poised to try to train skilled labor and set the bar higher for those jobs, which need filling. Everything from constructions to maintenance. For every 10 mechanics that leave or retire only three enter the market. Thus supply and demand is dictating increased wages, but not very much and certainly not as much as expected. Some is offset by low wage payers such as Wal-Mart oil changing technicians on the low end. But the Wyoming Automotive technical Institute tells me that there are many high paying jobs waiting for every graduate as a matter of fact they could never fill all the openings across the nation, they would need 10 campuses? Perhaps The University of Phoenix or some other technical college may fill the gap, but we need people now. Yes, our company, the Oil Change Guys needs them and so does the rest of the industry.

The National Institute for Service Excellence has certified 430,000 mechanics so far, but many are already mechanics switching jobs and getting the certificate, same with the ASE program. One bulletin board in the Oil Change Industry is hammering on Wal-Mart for secretly visiting their facilities and leaving "come to work at Wal-Mart" cards around the shop, offering benefits, better hours, stock, etc. Quick Lubes are already seeing a price war brewing and some will not admit lost market share, but they have lost customers and should probably not blame the oil interval challenge or the economy as much and look at the big box store competition.

Training on the low end for technicians to change oil is fairly easy, but a no-knowledge individual hurts production time and stands around and moves too slow, for at least a week or so, hurting volumes, sales and time to change. Most facilities are partnering skilled with unskilled in a mentoring program for one to tow weeks in the beginning, which usually has good results, we recommend a trainee to ride shot gun for one month before taking the truck units or van out by themselves on a scheduled fleet oil change route. It is serious business because whether fixed or mobile, you really live or die by efficiency.

The average number of cars for the industry at a fixed facility is 41.1 cars a day based on a survey with plus, minus 10% accuracy done by National Oil News. I guess that sounds about right. However if you have a lube bay with competition down the street and a Super Wal-Mart, things could get a lot worse. We have seen prices as low as $10.99, but with average cost of goods sold at a Lube Facility estimated at $7.75 to $8.50 without labor or building where is the profit? There would not be any. So Wal-Mart is hoping for those oil change customers who spend an average of $82.22 during their one and one half hour wait to buy stuff in the store even if the average Wal-Mart is charging $12.99 for the oil change and making basically $ .50 on the oil change itself. Ouch.

So what does this say to you, if you have labor, which runs slow or is not trained? It means do not expect high volumes, happy customers and repeats every 3000 miles. With G-4 coming and Jiffy Lube bundling everything in an 8-Bay facility with even engine overhauls. Where are you going to find labor? You are not, you will have to find nice. Polite, smart and good personality kids and train them yourself and then pay them enough to keep them. How much? You make the call based on your area.

There are many ways to find out about a New Hampshire public car auction. If you are at a loss for this kind of information, then you must no longer worry. This is because sources of news for public auto auction are at hand. With the growing necessity of owning an automobile, it is not a surprise why a lot of people are watching out for vehicle auctions in their respective areas. This is because vehicles are sold here at a lower price, as those compared to brand new ones.

Where to Find

Government and public bulletins and websites in the locality make great sources of auction schedules for all residents of New Hampshire. You can read the special news column for residents like the Granite State News in Belknap, the Berlin Daily Sun in Coos County, and the Hillsborough Villager in Hillsborough County. The government occasionally auctions cars that are no longer used by police departments, including those seized from criminals. Repossessed vehicles from individuals with unpaid debts are also showcased in government auto auctions.

Non-government organizations and some community groups like the Salvation Army in New Hampshire also hold an auction activity at times. Therefore, it pays to also check announcements from these groups for an upcoming New Hampshire public car auction once in a while. They usually make their announcements through community media such as the newspapers like the New Hampshire Union Leader of Manchester and the Portsmouth Herald. Likewise, you could ask your local government office for schedules.

Another helpful source for auction updates are automobile magazines such as New Hampshire Auto Mart. Since the interest is common, some auctioneers find it best to advertise upcoming auto for sales activity in magazines. It will be a wise move to browse these popular car magazines.

Most importantly, do not forget the Internet as a source of information. With the wide use of the Net today, many auctioneers have realized that they could reach as many people when they use the web as a medium to spread news of a New Hampshire public car auction. This is also a convenient option for busy individuals. An excellent example is DirectoryNH, which is an online information center with headquarters located in Penacook, New Hampshire.

What to Prepare

First is money. It is advisable that you decide on how much you are willing to spend for your desired automobile. Be sure you only bid for an amount that you can afford. This is because you will be required to pay for the car if you appear as the highest bidder. In most cases, the auctioneers will accept personal checks and credit cards as payment. However, inquire first before using these modes of payment.

You would need to bring your driver's license. The beauty of New Hampshire auto auctions is that quite a number of them allow test drives. You seldom see that in other U.S. cities or states. But the test drive will take place on the same day as the auction.

It is highly recommended that you bring along a trusted mechanic to check on the condition of the vehicles. Remember that not all vehicles in a New Hampshire public car auction are in running condition. Thus, it pays to get the opinion from a mechanic before you bid.