Uncategorized – Accelerated Service International

How To Protect Your Car From Flood Damage

Over the last few years, violent storms have caused major flooding in several major towns and districts in the US. This has resulted in millions worth of damages, destroying homes, infrastructure, and other properties like cars.

Given the investment that is a car purchase, people in flood-prone areas should know what to do with their vehicles during such calamities. Here are some ways to protect your car from flood damage:

When driving through possibly flooded areas, try to find a different route to avoid driving through floods altogether. Attempts at driving through floods should be considered last resort.

If you do end up driving through flooded areas, assess the situation first. Try to look for indicators of water depth. Spot if there are other vehicles trying to cross and compare your vehicle with theirs.

When treading a flood, always drive on the highest side of the road. This is usually the middle part of the road. If you are familiar with the road, try to remember if the locations of potholes and avoid them. Keep the car in first gear and keep your speed down to possibly 1 – 2 miles per hour. This creates more traction and helps you stay in control of your car.

For parked vehicles, car owners should consider those large Ziploc bags for cars as protection if moving the car to a safe location is not possible.

Nearing 30 years in the industry, Accelerated Service International has an assortment of tools to help their agents settle deals with clients. For more information about their services, visit this blog.

Are Self-Driving Cars Really The Wave Of The Future?

Just a couple of years into the 2010s, several automobile companies were already busy developing their driverless-car technology, predicting that these autonomous vehicles will be deployed in the market very soon. Most of these plans have, one way or another, been stalled.

The pushing back of this technology was the result of manufactures believing the market might not be ready to shell out a minimum of $10,000 over the normal price of a car. Sure, it’s novel and comes with a set of benefits, but the car industry is not sure people will cater to it quickly.

More importantly, rolling out the technology is not as simple as it seems. It’s not like companies are just going to install sensors and the like to their cars; self-driving cars require lots of new technologies to synchronize, from 3D cameras called Lidar to radars that can detect objects and velocities. The challenge is to find ways to have these deployed in upcoming cars while remaining cost-efficient.

A huge leap in A.I. technology and IoT or the internet of things must happen for these cars to truly be able to predict human behavior and communicate with people and objects seamlessly. After all, safety is a key concern that will make or break this expected car trend.

Nevertheless, once self-driving cars do hit the road, they would provide much help to PWDs, aid in accident mitigation, and offer more efficient travel. Do note that these cars will of course hit the big cities and suburbs of developed countries first, and it will take a while before infrastructure will be set up globally to accommodate these intelligent vehicles.

Accelerated Service International provides agents with a host of benefits, including assistance from a direct account manager and a kit of essential tools to deliver close sales pitches to dealers. Read more on the company’s services here.

What You Need To Know About Changing Oil

Car owners are often told they need to change motor oil once it reaches a certain milestone, like every 7,500 to 10,000 miles of usage. But besides this, what else do car owners need to know about changing oil?

Image source: http://www.readersdigest.ca

Experts weigh in on this issue as each have their own takes on the factors affecting this activity. Sometimes, it’s the make of the car, other times the driving habits are the determinants.

According to the Ford Motor Company, owners of 2008 models or newer should change their oil every 7,500 miles, or every six months, whichever comes first. However, people who drive less should adjust to changing their oil every 5,000 miles.

David Waits, the owner of Japanese Automotive Service in Hilliard, Ohio, claims that the worst type of driving for oil life is that of distances below highway speeds. According to his estimates, it would be better for a car to travel 5,000 miles in five months on highway speeds rather than 1,500 miles of in-town driving for five months.

A common indicator of a need to change oil is engine noise. Since oil lubricates your engine, a noisy engine is a telltale sign of gritty oil. The longer you drive like this, the bigger the risk of engine problems.

Lastly, keep tabs on your last oil change session.

Accelerated Service International delivers a broad assortment of products for automobile dealerships, financial institutions, and agents serving them for the last two decades. Know which service is right for you by visiting this website.

Buying a New Car: When Is The Best Time To Do It?

Do you need a new car or should you keep your current ride to save a bundle? There are several considerations when deciding whether to purchase a new vehicle for personal use or not.

It could depend on the type of car
Convertibles are a hit in the summer, so there might be good bargains in the winter. On the other hand, demand for four-wheel-drive cars typically peaks during autumn and winter due to poorer weather, so bigger discounts in the summer can be expected. After the launch of a new model, wait a few months to let the showroom buzz die down a bit and to get a potentially better deal.

Think of cost, safety, and connectivity
If repair bills are sky high and the mechanic is spending more time with the car than the owner does, it’s probably time to trade up. The car could also be running well but rust or collision damage is making it structurally unsound. Keep older cars only if they are safe and reliable.

Do you want the latest entertainment and convenience features?
If yes, you are probably going to want a new car to get your hands on the latest infotainment systems. Note that some features, however, can be added to an older car – although integration may be an issue.

Try last year’s model
Another good timing for one’s new car purchase is getting a vehicle from the previous model year. New models will probably start coming out in the fall of the previous year, such as a 2018 model debuting in the fall of 2017. Dealerships will usually want to get rid of last year’s stock before the new model arrives. Get heavy discounts on the older model, if not, having the latest look or features is all right.

Accelerated Service International has been a leader in automobile dealerships, financial institutions, and agents, serving these in the last 20 years or so. Read more on this page.

Tips And Tricks To Get The Sweetest Car Deals

Here’s a nice fact: you don’t have to spend as much as your neighbor did to drive that new car home. Here are some tips and tricks to consider when looking to get the best car deals in your area.

Why do you want a new car in the first place?
Ask yourself different questions when wanting to get a new car. How do you plan to use it, and where are you going to store it? What’s your budget, and when do you plan to use it? What exact trim, body structure, style, and color suits your preferences? Knowing what you need is the first step to doing your due diligence in finding the best car deals.

Shop at the right time of the year
It’s generally best to get a new car in the early fall when the new models haven’t come out yet. At this time, dealers are looking to clear out space on their lots for their new inventory, thus willing to offer old cars at discounted prices. Some argue, however, that it’s best to buy a new car from mid to late December, when special bargains help them boost their end-of-year sales figures.

Respect your salesperson
Making your auto dealer’s life easier by being polite and following up nicely will increase the likelihood of him returning the favor by helping you find great deals out there. Of course, research ahead of time to speed up the process and help the two of you make informed decisions.

Ask the dealer for a little extra
It won’t hurt to ask for a couple of perks, such as an extra key fob or a set of floor mats, once the price has been negotiated. It’s part of the thrill of car shopping anyway!

Accelerated Service International has been a leader in automobile dealerships, financial institutions, and agents serving them in the last 20 years or so. Read more about car maintenance on this page.

How Changes In People’s Mobility Behavior Will Impact The Car Finance Industry

Pundits in the automobile industry view the future replete with social and technological progressions that gradually give rise to changes in people’s mobility patterns and preferences. Some of these are already ubiquitous in urban hubs and more likely to be the norms of moving about, such as the advent of powertrains and the rise of autonomous vehicle. There is likewise the emerging trend of shared access to private transportation facilities, through taxis, limousine services, rental cars, and car sharing.

Economies of scale pave the way for the growth of shared vehicle services business as well as in the increase in the number of players. The usefulness and convenience of point-to-point transportation offered by the sharing scheme are greatly appreciated in the market particularly among non-drivers, senior citizens, low-income families, and citizens not qualified for driver’s license. The upsurge in the competition led into transcending geographical borders to locate new ventures and create niches through segmentation of services and clients.

Meanwhile, people’s preferences in owning a car are affected by the technology proven safety, convenience, and economy of autonomously driven vehicles. Such shift in options induces investment in more costly automobiles, boosted further by the onset of customized designs tailored for peculiar demands and situations.

Definitely, private ownership will continue to prevail and will continue to propel car business which is basically dealer driven and consumer-centric enterprise. However, as the public progressively find comfort in accessing on-demand mobility, they could easily abandon the idea of acquiring a vehicle. This behavioral alteration certainly should entice the auto finance business to rethink strategies.

In other words, to survive the rising changes in mobility templates, auto finance companies need to reassess their conventional ways of doing business, re-examine their industry’s value chain, from sales and origination to servicing and asset disposition. The breadth of the necessary renewal will be different across the lending trade. Huge, universal banks may have already the means to redesign or upgrade financial models and packages as well as the expertise and skilled staff. On the other hand, those that thrive on dealer-driven loans have to research and develop new business models and prepare for the future’s surge of commercial borrowers, particularly fleet owners as autonomous shared mobility becomes the prevailing mode of transportation.

Accelerated Service International has been focusing on automobile dealerships, financial institutions and the agents who serve them, for over 20 years. For more on Accelerated Service International, click here.

Establishing Good Business Relationship With An Exemplary Car Dealer

Purchasing a brand-new car is particularly thrilling to first-time would-be-owners especially if what is at stake is one’s hard-earned money. The excitement, on the other hand, could be easily obliterated by the tedious and cumbersome procedures involved. An amateur buyer who has not been initiated with the whereabouts of automobile business has the potential to end up disconcerted and having a personal vehicle going about anywhere may just turn out to be a fearful experience.

Researching via the social media usually is the initial approach which makes good sense as all brands and manufacturing firms have availed of this venue to promote their products. However, negotiating with unfamiliar people, in cold written terms leaves one wary of whether it would end up satisfactorily. The online network’s only added value is obtaining information as to the most favorable brand, linking with one’s circle of friends who have been into the process. But, paying visits to random car dealers can consume weeks or months of one’s precious time.

Thus, the best solution to avoid being entangled into the unfamiliar web of automobile procurement is to contact the local auto dealer, who because of doing business only in the limited geographical area which is familiarly one’s place of residence, has the high chance to have entertained one’s relatives or friends as clients.

There are likewise myriad advantages in doing good business with local dealers. One is that they usually keep amazing selections of both new and pre-owned vehicles giving the buyer numerous options. If the preferred one is not in their inventory, they can do the nitty-gritty task of placing an order to the car manufacturer itself or use their networks with other dealers.

Another convenience local car dealer offers is facilitating the financial requirements to cover the purchase which actually could be a time-consuming transaction especially if one does not have previous financial records with any lender. Oftentimes, car dealers have set up a firm business relationship with financing firms and could be the means to vouch for one’s viability as borrower, once they have obtained the necessary information and background check. They may even help in the negotiation for the best loan package.

Typically, local dealers have comfortable on-site service stations for their customers. Hence, one need not waste hours to locate an auto repair shop that suits one’s peculiarities, especially concerning budget.

Accelerated Service International has built their reputation on tailoring their expertise to fit the business needs of our clients with innovative products and superior service. For more on the company, click here.

What You Need To Know About Car Detailing

Car detailing refers to the performing of a meticulous and thorough cleaning, restoration, and finishing of a motor vehicle, both its interior and exterior. The objective is to come up with a great-looking, show-quality car.

Many professional detailing services and product-selling businesses exist to cater to both professionals and hobbyists. This business has been on the rise in the past few decades, especially in places where cars are the primary modes of transportation. As of mid-2014, the U.S. detailing industry was racking in over $9 billion in revenue.

A lot of people have the misconception that car detailing is synonymous with car detailing. This is far from true, as detailed car washing goes beyond the normal car wash to make a vehicle look super clean (not to mention the restoration aspect, which carwash businesses don’t do). A more important difference is that detailing does not allow for the use of automated systems for cleaning. Everything is done hands-on by experienced detailers.

The two components of car detailing are interior and exterior detailing. The former involves stream-cleaning and vacuuming of the cabin of the vehicle, from the leather and plastic parts to the vinyl and carbon fiber sections. Exterior detailers work on everything visible from the outside, from the restoration of the paint, waxing, and degreasing to the extensive cleaning of tires and windows.

Accelerated Service International provides agents with a host of benefits, including its Agent Survival Kit to help improve sales. For similar reads, check out this blog.

Trends To Watch In The Automotive Industry In 2018

Although industry experts forecast that the auto industry will end 2017 with U.S. sales of 17.1 million units (the first sales decline in the past seven years), carmakers and drivers have much to look forward to in the coming year. Here are the biggest trends to pay attention to.

Many automakers are considering going into the subscription service model for 2018. Among those expected to make the move official are Volvo, Cadillac, and Porsche, as they’ve already set up programs that would allow drivers to switch cars weekly for a fixed fee. The idea is to keep customers loyal to the company. This is especially appealing to those who prefer test-driving new vehicles.

Electric cars may just be the next wave. Carmakers are keen on pushing the electric vehicle, with the idea becoming less of a novelty as the cost gets cheaper and the charging faster. Sustainability practices are increasingly being integrated into business systems. While cars that have zero emissions demand more public charging infrastructure established, this is now being addressed. In short, car companies don’t want to be unprepared when electric cars become the norm.

Finally, while autonomous or self-driving vehicles might be more hype than practical for now, automakers understand that improved semi-autonomous safety features need to be added to slowly usher the idea in. People aren’t ready to give up control of their machines, but autonomous technologies like rear park assist and Tesla’s dominance in this race are forcing companies to catch up.

For over 20 years, Accelerated Service International has been delivering a host of benefits to agents marketing to dealers. It proudly calls over 200 general agents and 2,000 dealerships across North America and Europe part of the ASI family. For similar reads, visit this blog.

Zen and The Art of Automobile Maintenance

Automobile maintenance is essentially about making sure that your car functions at the optimum level. Sadly, a lot of owners either excuse themselves by being too busy or too lazy to subject their vehicles to the discipline of upkeep. It would help to meditate on the idea a little bit, as the activity of maintaining your car is similar to the practice of Zen: one needs to be calm and collected, focused and restrained.

This process is an indeed artful one, a careful examination premised more on foresight rather than immediate consequence, prevention rather than cure. Think of the popular car-care term BLOWFATCH and subscribe to its tenets. Each letter corresponds to one or more aspect of automobile maintenance (from battery and breaks to horn and hoses). It literally pays to think ahead, to avoid complications that might lead to extensive and expensive repairs in the future.

There are tons of tips and specific advice out there, but our concern here is more about the general, canopy attitude we have for our cars. Because possible issues with alternators and carburetors, leaks and light, fuel, water, and oil will only become problems if, at the back of our minds, they are inevitable because we let them happen.

Just like how ants adjust to the seasons by collecting food in the sun-filled months, the prepared driver understands that precautions and other car-care regimen precede troubleshooting, simply because the latter is premised on the word “trouble.” So why get there in the first place?

Accelerated Service International has been focusing on automobile dealerships, financial institutions, and the agents who serve them, for over 20 years. The company delivers a plethora of benefits to agents, including the Agent Survival Kit, a set of key tools to help close sales pitches. For more write-ups about car care and vehicle maintenance, drop by this blog.