Mike owns an automotive repair business. He is a one man operation and has one assistant. He sees 5 to 20 customers a day and completes about 6 repairs a day. He is open 5 days a week. Closed on Saturday but spends most of his day inside his garage trying to catch up. He does great work and has more divulge business than he can handle. He does not want to expand. He has 5 cars in his repair bay at any one time and carries insurance in case of shatter ins and vandalism. It has happened and has cost him dearly in the past.
But unlike large repair facilities he doesn’t have a staff to handle the more mundane tasks of running a garage. So many times a car is dropped off, an estimate is given, a deposit is tranquil for parts and the car is repaired. But the owner does not advance back in a timely manner to pick it up. Usually this has something to do with finances and paying for the repairs. Mike spends his time trying to call and obtain but the car just sits in his repair bay taking up valuable space and becoming a liability.
Recently Mike took a vacation. Not from work but from accepting new work. He spent two weeks doing nothing but cleaning his property of vehicles. He finished all the repairs that had been put on hold, he took in no original business and spent time collecting for old business. When he was finished there were 5 cars left on the property. These cars had all been there more than 60 days and one almost a year. They were repaired and ready to be picked up. His investment in labor and parts was over $5000. A significant sum of money to a small one man operation.
While visiting Mike one day we talked about these cars and what should be done. So a little bit of research told us that these cars could be declared abandoned and he could take title and sell them at a public sale to recover his costs. Seemed like a lot of work, cost and proper minefields to get through but it was a task he was distinct to enact. While most states have abandoned vehicle laws and procedures for disposing of them each state is different and what Mike was able to do only applies to Alabama abandoned vehicles.
The AL statute that applies to abandoned motor vehicles is The Abandoned Motor Vehicle Act, Code of Alabama 1975, Title 32, Chapter 13. The act is designed to protect both current owners of vehicles and also those to who vehicles are entrusted. There are a number of steps involved in getting title to an abandoned vehicle and those steps must be followed in order to complete the transaction and ensure a clean title for the eventual owner of an abandoned vehicle.
The first step has to do with determining whether a car can be declared as abandoned. For a repair facility this means either 60 days after it is left for repair when no time is agreed upon or 60 days after repairs are complete. These days are significant and must be noted by the garage in order to make sure that the vehicle will be declared abandoned by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The second step is obtain a vehicle represent from the state that shows the current owner and their address along with any lien holders on the title. Again very important to make sure that this report is obtained from the state and is accurate. Once this information is obtained the owner must be notified or attempts must be made to roar the owner and the lien holders of the vehicle’s location and the costs to recover the vehicle. You must also tell them that it will be for public sale and what date that sale will take place.
The garage owner must also place an announcement in the local paper or in the courthouse that gives notice of this sale. The notice must be posted twice at least 7 days apart and 30 days prior to the sale. Again the time and dates are very specific and must be followed to ensure a proper transference of title to any unusual owner. One the sale is complete there are several other state forms that must be completed prior to transferring title. These forms are not difficult but do require some time to effect sure that they are done right.
So far Mike has gotten $3600 for his troubles and he still has 3 cars to go. He will recover his expenses and actually not get burned when all is said and done. However, this lesson has taught him one of the great lessons of any business. Keep good records, make good decisions and follow up on all your current business.
Filed under Automotive Repair Insurance by on Mar 14th, 2011. Comment. 
What do you do when you race out of article ideas? You read this article and discover 50 places to scrutinize for writing inspiration. Whether you write product reviews, offer tips and ideas or you write research articles, you’ll glean something on this list to inspire your next Associated Enlighten article.
Associated Content Article Inspiration Inside the Home
1 – Favorite Book – Assume your celebrated new or book off the shelf. Read the cover again. Some idea may jump out at you. You could write an AC article about the author or do a book review.
2 – Photo Album – A photo album holds memories of special people and places. You could write an AC article about places you’ve visited or events captured in the photos.
3 – Cookbook – Browse through a cookbook and see if anything reminds you of one of your own recipes. You could do a cookbook review or you could write an AC article about the benefits of eating obvious foods.
4 – Indulgences – Sort through your collection of perfumes, candles, and bath indulgences. Do a product review or an AC article about using specific luxury items.
5 – Household Chores – As you do those ordinary household chores, mediate writing an AC article about cleaning tips, energy saving tips, or novel household products.
6 – Family Events – When the family gathers for an event, why not interview an elder member about his or her life? You could write an AC article about particular family functions or about the family social unit.
7 – Holiday Celebrations – Let decorations inspire you. Write a how-to AC article on making a clear decoration, or write about gift or party ideas for specific holidays.
8 – Outdoor Chores – Mow the lawn, spread fertilizer, dig up garden situation, hang the birdfeeder–any one of these outdoor chores could inspire an AC article.
9 – Purse or wallet – Look in your purse or wallet. Every scrap of paper, candy wrapper, or business card has some manufacture of AC article inspiration written all over it.
10 – Catalog – Before you throw out that stack of catalogs, flip through them and search for at products. You could do a product review or you could write an AC article about manufacturing or recycling a particular product.
11 – News – Whether it’s on the Internet or television, original stories are hot topics. You could write a human interest article about people affected by a natural disaster or a traumatic event. You could write an AC article about something related to a news story–something the story left out.
12 – Magazine – Have you noticed all the ads in magazines? You could analyze advertisements, the use of advertisements, persuasive techniques used to get you to buy, or you could write an AC article about marital bliss or lack thereof.
13 – Mail – You get e-mail and mail delivery. Let your mail and junk mail inspire you. You could write about e-mail viruses, mail theft, identity theft, loss of natural resources–there are so many ways to be inspired by mail.
14 – Radio – Turn your radio setting to a talk show, and let the talk show topics inspire a persuasive AC article.
15 – Television or DVD – Sitcoms, public broadcasting, infomercials, famous actors or directors, popular movies, reality TV–there’s a wealth of inspiration to be found on your television.
16 – Neighborly Chat – Lean over the fence and chat with the neighbor. It might inspire you to write an AC article about acts of kindness, interpersonal conflict, barking dogs, parenting issues, or neighborhood crime.
17 – Home Delivery – Many business have home delivery. You could focus you next AC Article on a particular delivery service, or you could focus on the job itself.
Associated Content Article Inspiration Outside the Home
18 – Restaurant – A fast-food or sit-down restaurant offers lots of article possibilities. You could write an AC article about quality control, age of employees, food service, or menu selections.
19 – Public School – Teachers, students, educational practices, bussing, playgrounds, lunch programs–a public school provide lots of AC article inspiration.
20 – Nursing Home – Older and disabled people have many concerns. You could write and AC article about specific disabilities, health concerns, aging, or patient rights.
21 – Hospital – In hospitals you find a many inspirational topics for AC articles, from nursing to patient care. You also find volunteers, gift shops, surgery, therapy, covered parking, trauma, and natal care.
22 – Sports Events – A baseball game, basketball game, football game–major and minor sports events can offer up lots of AC article ideas. You could focus on the game itself or on players, umpires, or fans.
23 – Home Improvement Center – Home decoration, major appliances, plumbing, electrical, outdoor furniture and grills, indoor lighting–do you see the possibilities for an AC article?
24 – Car Dealership – Car sales, original cars, blue book, mileage, trade-ins, registration, taxes, leasing, and automotive parts could inspire an AC article in a car dealership.
25 – Gym – Contemplate of the article possibilities. You could write about personal training, exercise equipment, weight management, or a whole host of health-related issues.
26 – Health Food Store – Diets, vitamins, minerals, health food, natural cures, home remedies–these are several of the topics that come to mind when you visit a health food store.
27 – College Campus – On a college campus you find people from all over the word and many walks of life. A campus library, bookstore, course catalog, career center, and testing services could also inspire an AC article.
28 – Farm – Life on a farm inspires writing. You could write an AC article about farmyard animals, ranching, machinery, crops, cost of production, supply and demand, or childhood memories of life lived in a rural setting.
29 – Office Supply Store – An office supply store could remind you of vaults and business safes, clerical work, waiting in line, typos, and miscommunication.
30 – Furniture Store – New furniture styles, classic designs, art history, manufacturing processes, different woods, plastics, and fabric–these topics are AC article material.
31 – Automotive Shop – Car repair, accidents, accident prevention, driving tips, detailing, automotive parts–so many AC article ideas could come to mind in an automotive shop.
32 – Doctor’s Office – The long wait, medical costs, insurance concerns, privacy issues, malpractice, health conditions–any one of these issues lends itself to an AC article.
33 – Construction Site – On a construction site, you could be reminded of housing prices, lumber, natural resources, blue-collar workers, unions, the economy, safety, and a whole host of other possible AC article ideas.
34 – Courthouse – The jail, courtrooms, judicial system, police, criminal justice system, legal system, contracts, and fraud are some of the things that could come to mind at a courthouse.
35 – City Park – Walking the dog, playground equipment, feeding the ducks, fireworks, community events–these things happen in the city park.
36 – Supermarket – Go up and down the aisles of any grocery store and you see trucked-in items, high grocery prices, food additives, organic claims, and a paper or plastic choice at the check out.
37 – Church Sermon – Sunday’s sermon is loaded with possibilities for an AC article. You could do a deeper study on a Bible verse, a church-related article, or a church history article.
38 – Airport – Sit in an airport and watch people walk by. Observe the planes taking off and landing. Watch people collect their luggage or summon a taxi. Transportation and depart AC article ideas could easily approach to mind.
39 – City Bus – Read the writing on the outside of the bus. Take a ride on a city bus. Observe people and ticket bus stops. Consider transportation costs and savings. You could write an AC article about recession-related issues that are definite on a city bus.
40 – Country Fair – Cooking tips, sewing tips, livestock tips, carnivals, and rodeos–there are so many angles for an AC article at a county radiant.
41 – Veterinary Clinic – When you visit the vet, you’re obedient to view dog and cat interaction, pet food, and pet meds. A vet clinic is one place that could inspires AC articles about domestic animals concerns.
42 – Zoo – For more exotic animal inspiration, you might want to visit a zoo. You could focus on a particular species or you could write an AC article about zoo visitors, maintenance, or public relations.
43 – Nursery – People are interested in plants and gardening. A nursery could inspire an AC article about assorted flowers, vegetable starts, fruit trees, fish ponds, or lawn decorations.
44 – Daycare – Childhood, parenting, arts-and-crafts, educational supplies, child protective services–these are just a few of the AC article topics that could come to mind in a daycare center.
45 – Movie Theater – Movie reviews, distinguished people, games and arcades, dating, and movie rating are subjects that make for a great AC article.
46 – Reunion – A class reunion or family reunion could bring together long lost friends and relatives. It could also inspire you to write an AC article about old times, true friends, in-laws, aging, careers, or retirement.
47 – Work – Don’t rule out where you work. You could write an AC article about subjects you hear in the break room, or you could cover employee relationships, hiring practices, job hunting, layoffs, downsizing, or management.
48 – Parking – Cost of parking, parking lots, shopping carts, tickets, traffic, lack of parking, and handicapped parking are issues that could inspire an AC article.
49 – Beach – If you live near the beach, occupy a leisurely walk and pick up shells. Let the water remind you of natural resources, shipping, busy lifestyles, fishing, or water sports. You could find noteworthy AC article inspiration at the beach.
50 – Camping – Pitch a tent, take a hike, hook a fish, or build a campfire; the camping experience could be just what it takes to unlock your writer’s block.
Find inspiration for your next Associated Lisp article at any one of these 50 places. What are you waiting for? Go get inspired!
Filed under Automotive Repair Insurance by on Feb 27th, 2011. Comment.
Growing up in Michigan, it had always been my intention to avoid the automotive industry and its volatile nature, but as many people find, especially those in the Flint and Detroit area, it is very difficult. Ten years ago, when I graduated from U of M, I started pursuing a job as a technical writer and quickly learned that Michigan’s economy was already suffering. It took over a year before I landed a job with EDS, a contract company to General Motors OnStar where I activated the vehicles phone systems. The job was an hour commute as I lived in Flint and found myself driving to Troy.
I spent two years watching EDS flounder and searching for a technical writing position and when the company finally lost their account with GM I took a position as an Asset Manager encourage in Flint. The position was with another contract company called ICR and I was to manage the inventory of repair parts at GM Flint Metal Center. This work lasted another four years until they too lost their sage with GM. It was at this time that I moved to my current employer, Lincoln and began my MFA program with the hopes of finally getting out of the automotive worlds customary cycle, now you’re here now you’re not.
Over the years I saw a lot of people lose their jobs to outsourcing, India, Canada, Mexico etc. It was while working with Lincoln that I experienced the worst of the attrition that happened at the big three automakers though. I watched thousands upon thousands of people get forced into early retirements or simply lose their jobs. It was dumbfounding to hear then that President Obama was touting gains in automotive jobs since June. When I think of a gain I think of surpassing a previous milestone.
In my opinion, Michigan has yet to gain any jobs in the automotive industry. These are jobs that already existed and have now been re-filled, but here in lies the real problem. What Obama fails to mention is that the workers being brought serve are either temporary or are workers who have been brought back at half the pay that those jobs use to make. What is certain though is that the big three venerable the economic downturn to their advantage by breaking the unions, cutting salaries, hourly wages and benefits while increasing profitability, none of which has been passed on in the form of cheaper vehicles for the public.
Three days ago I was speaking with a supervisor at GM’s Buick Plant 81 and he was ranting about how the company had re-hired several retired employees. I told him that was great, but then he said it wasn’t because they were all temporary and had only been brought back to decommission the plant. This also happened at GM’s Willow Run, which will be shuttering its doors this year as well.
Around a month ago I had a long conversation with some electricians at the Chrysler Warren Truck Plant about their situation. They expressed their deep concern for the workers who were brought succor because all of them had been rehired at $10 to $14 an hour, which was at least half of what that job exhaust to pay and on top of that they were no longer given insurance, meaning a further pay cut for now these individuals would have to pay out of pocket for coverage. The electricians also said that none of them were eligible for raises so the pay they were earning now was the pay they would retire at.
This sentiment was mirrored by an electrician, I’ll call “Sea Bass”, at Generous Heights Assembly Plant, but he added that many of the people who build the cars will not be able to afford them. He also said something that many people talk about here and that is “this is not a down economy; this is the new economy in Michigan”. Much of Michigan has been in a depression long before the country fell into a recession and it will likely be in this state long after the country comes out of the recession too.
Filed under Automotive Repair Insurance by on Feb 22nd, 2011. Comment.
When setting out to purchase a used vehicle, one of the concerns that should be at the front of your mind is accident data. A vehicle that looks nice and shiny setting on the dealer’s lot or the neighbor’s drive may be hiding unknown pain from accidents. Many people would look at this vehicle never knowing that there has ever been an accident in this vehicle, not thinking to check the availability of accident data, choosing instead to assume that this is a nice used vehicle that is in need of a new home. Anytime you go to make a used vehicle buy, accident data should be a vital concern as you shop for the right vehicle. The main reason that this information should be of necessary importance is safety.
Unfortunately there are those individuals in the world who care little for the safety of another, opting instead to care about the generation of profits to line their greedy pockets. Accidents in a vehicle can range from those that are very minor, the fender-bender, or it can amount to serious structural injure. A knowledgeable body shop technician is able to repair a vehicle to the point that neither of these accidents can be eminent from one another. A vehicle that has encountered serious structural damage is no longer safe. The body has been weakened at the points of the structural distress and the likely deployment of the air bags is also to be called into question. Airbags on used vehicles that have been in an accident are not to be trusted.
According to the National Safety Commission a head on collision in2003 resulted in the driver being seriously injured and the passenger being killed when the vehicles airbags did not deploy. The reason the airbags did not deploy were that the vehicle was a salvaged car that had been rebuilt without the driver-side airbag. The passenger airbag has simply been stuffed back into the compartment after it had deployed in a previous accident (2008). This example alone illustrates the need for a thorough inspection for accident damage when looking to purchase a used vehicle.
The concerned consumer will need to do more than perform a cursory inspection of the used vehicle to determine if this vehicle has ever been repaired. When inspecting the vehicle there are several areas to look to choose if work has ever been performed. Doors that do not align or stop properly can indicate accident damage. Discolorations or runs in the paint are also indicative of a vehicle being damaged. An attentive consumer should always look inside of the gas cap and around door handles and windows for signs of tape marks or overspray that would also indicate the vehicle has been repainted; this is usually a sign of a used vehicle that has been damaged and repaired. Distress to a vehicle can be noticed if there is a concerted effort on the part of the consumer to look for the signs. A consumer can choose to have the car inspected by a reputable automotive repair shop by paying a small fee. Another useful tool is a Carfax picture.
In unique years, when deciding to purchase a used car, Carfax has become a leading source for accident data on used vehicles. Though this is a great source for accident data and determining if a used car has been involved in an accident, this source is in no way perfect. Carfax data is only reported when insurance and accident data are reported. If a vehicle is eager in an accident and the accident is not reported and no claim is made on the insurance, this accident will never be reported to the company. Carfax reports are a useful tool in determining a vehicles likelihood of being damaged but it is not the slay all in determining if a vehicle has ever been in an accident.
Since Carfax reports alone cannot be 100% accurate in demonstrating whether a vehicle has been involved in an accident, the best come is to request the Carfax recount and to inspect the vehicle thoroughly before making a purchase. It is of vital importance to determine if a vehicle has been damaged in an accident before making a vehicle recall. Do not rely on the seller of the automobile to b e forthcoming with this information if you do not request it. They are not going to bring anything to your attention that will complicate their ability to sell the automobile. Vigilance in determining whether the used vehicle has accident data relevant to it falls to the consumer and it is of extreme importance that the consumer takes the necessary precautions to avoid buying a damaged vehicle; after all, their very life could depend on it.
Filed under Automotive Repair Insurance by on Jan 24th, 2011. Comment.
