Ensure your vehicle emergency kit is restocked. If you don’t have one, create one with items such as bottled water, a flashlight, flares, duct tape, an extra cell phone, energy bars, a blanket, phone number for roadside assistance and a can of Fix-a-Flat.
If you find yourself in a skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas, and carefully steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. This procedure, known as “steering into the skid,” will bring the back end of your car in line with the front. For cars without anti-lock brakes, avoid using your brakes. If your car has ABS, brake firmly as you “steer into the skid.”
In the first three quarters of this year Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 409,300 urban delivery vehicles, transporters and pickups to customers throughout the world. Compared to the corresponding period last year (January – September 2011: 390,000) this represents an increase of 4.9 percent. Worldwide deliveries of the Amarok pickup were up by 23.9 percent to 58,700 vehicles (January – September 2011: 47,400). Crafter deliveries rose by 35.4 percent to 36,400 units (January – September 2011: 26,900). Deliveries of the T5 series increased in the first three quarters by 3.6 percent to 119,900 (January – September 2011: 115,800). Worldwide Caddy deliveries were down by 2.2 percent to 115,800 vehicles (January – September 2011: 118,400).
In Western Europe, including Germany, brand deliveries from January to September 2012 went up by 1.2 percent to 214,600 vehicles. Deliveries in Eastern Europe up to the end of September rose by 24.3 percent to 30,900 vehicles.
In the first nine months of 2012, Germany was Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles largest-volume market in Europe, with a growth of 2.7 percent to 93,700 customer deliveries.“Despite the tense general situation in the Eurozone, we have succeeded in maintaining our steady increase in deliveries. In this we continue to stand apart from the downward development of the European market as a whole, although we are aware of the difficult conditions”, emphasized Bram Schot, Member of the Executive Management for Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Brand.
In South America the brand delivered three percent more vehicles to customers than in the corresponding period of the previous year, with 108,100 units. Deliveries of the Saveiro were down by 6.5 percent to 58,100 (January – September 2011: 62,100) whereas the T2, with 20,500 deliveries, showed a five percent increase (January – September 2011: 19,500).
In Africa Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles boosted deliveries by 17.3 percent to 14,300 units and in the Asia-Pacific region, the brand achieved an increase of 59.8 percent, with a delivery volume of 13,300 vehicles.
Never drive through moving water if you can’t see the ground through it. Stop the car before entering the flooded area and check the water level ahead. If the water is deeper than the bottom of your doors or the bottom third of your wheels, do not attempt driving through it. Seek a detour instead.
Turn on your lights when driving in heavy rain even in the daytime. Headlights are a good way to let other drivers know where you are whenever visibility is poor. If your car has daytime running lights you still should put them on, so vehicles behind you can see you better.
Audi sales figures continue to rise at a double-digit rate: In September the company delivered around 136,600 automobiles to
customers worldwide. This represents an increase of 13.6 percent. In the first three quarters, around 1,097,500 customers chose a model with the four rings – 12.8 percent more than in the prior-year period. The past month saw the company benefit from continuing strong growth in the United States (+26.5%) and China (+20.5%). Furthermore, AUDI AG yet again grew in Europe, despite the difficult market conditions in some parts of the region – sales were up 7.4 percent on the corresponding month of 2011. As a result, September saw the Ingolstadt-based company maintain its sales growth in all regions of the world. “This year we reached the tally of one million cars sold after just nine months – clear evidence that we are realizing our strategic goals in the right way,” commented Luca de Meo, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG. “We are seeing our new models succeed in the marketplace, reflecting the tastes of customers,” continued de Meo. Especially models such as the A1 Sportback, the Q3 and the A6 Avant contributed to growth of 7.4 percent in Europe compared with the same month of the previous year. Audi thus maintained its pattern of growth in the home market of Germany in September, posting sales growth of 3.5 percent (20,712 units). Cumulatively, unit sales in Germany after the first nine months of the year have now reached 198,777 automobiles delivered (+7.4%). The second-largest European market for Audi also reported a clear jump in sales last month: Its sales total in the United Kingdom increased by 20 percent to 22,389 units. The dynamic growth of recent months continued in Russia, where the four rings
ended the month up 57.3 percent on the corresponding period of 2011. From January through September, 25,442 Russian customers took receipt of the keys to a new Audi, 42.9 percent more than in the equivalent period of 2011. Growth in Russia was driven by the range of SUV models available from the Ingolstadt carmaker. For example the Q3 – which has not yet been on the market for a full year – is already the country’s best-selling Audi model, closely followed by the Audi Q5. Audi of America added a further chapter to its success story in September with yet another record month. In the United States the company sold 26.5 percent more vehicles than in the corresponding month of the previous year. Its performance owed much to the steady growth of the new-generation A4 and A5, and to the swift progress made by the Q7. Almost twice as many customers as in September 2011
chose to buy this full-size SUV model (+94.6%). With 100,694 cars sold in the year to date, this is the first time ever that Audi of America has exceeded the 100,000 mark by the end of the third quarter – in 2011 it did not reach that point until into November. The successful C and D-segment models from the Ingolstadt carmaker are instrumental in this success, representing 31.3 percent of the company’s deliveries in the United States in the nine-month period. The SUV and full-size models also put in a strong performance in China. Unit sales there continued to climb, and the delivery total of 35,512 for September was up 20.5 percent on the same month of 2011. Cumulatively, Audi increased its sales there to 297,060 automobiles, representing a growth rate of 31.4 percent. The most popular model with customers remained the locally built A6 L, of which some 96,100 were sold. In the Asia-Pacific region Audi also enjoyed considerable growth in India in the past month. Demand for models with the four rings was up 82.2 percent there. With a total of 6,423 cars delivered in the first three quarters of the year, Audi already exceeded the record sales total for the whole of 2011 (5,511 units) by the end of September.
Replace the windshield wipers on your vehicle at least once a year, especially before the rainy season. Wiper blades in bad weather conditions do not clear water from the windshield very well and may distort your view.
KINGSTON, October 3, 2012 – ATL Automotive Limited, exclusive local dealer of Honda automobiles has been recognized by American Honda as Gold Star Certified, boasting a highly competent team of eleven Technicians equipped with the appropriate mix of Maintenance, Repair and Diagnostic skills to take care of customers’ vehicles.
Service Manager, Steve Chin says Honda awarded the company the Gold Star Distributor Certification in September following the completion of key courses by all Technicians in an extensive training programme administered by ATL in Jamaica and the Honda South Florida Training Centre.
The programme covers training in air conditioning, brake systems, electrical, engine, fuel and emissions, restraints, steering and suspensions, as well as transmissions. “Honda requires that a specific number of Technicians be trained to cover each area inside the Service Centre and we have not only met that requirement, hence the Gold Star Certification but we have gone beyond that to expose them to additional courses to further strengthen our team. Our two Master Technicians have been trained in all the above areas,” he explained.
Mr Chin is confident that the newly acquired status augurs well for the ATL Automotive Honda Service Centre. “We always knew we had the best team in Jamaica. But the recognition from Honda is a major accomplishment for the company as it will increase the level of confidence our customers have in us as an Unbeatable service team. We are here to keep their cars where they belong – on the road,” he said.
Mr Chin says the training is ongoing as one Technician must be sent to the Training Centre at least once a year.
IT could have been his lucky day, but Michael Edwards chose to follow his grandmother’s advice to be honest the day he handed over more than $200,000 he found while checking in a customer’s Audi Q5 SUV for servicing at ATL Automotive recently.
“I have my bills to pay and back-to-school expenses for my daughter are hitting me hard, but my grandmother always told me that honesty carries you through the world,” Edwards said.
Edwards’ job as service gate monitor is to check and record the contents of customers’ vehicles as they enter the Service Department, a position he has held at the company for the last two years.
“I was taking pictures of the vehicle and when I opened the glove compartment some huge coils of money fell out. I was surprised that someone had left so much money in a car, so I took the money to my manager,” he recalled.
Edwards prides himself on being an honest, hard worker. “Some people believe that ghetto people are dishonest. But I wouldn’t just take someone’s money and run off with it because I don’t know how they got it, so I will continue to work for mine,” he pointed out.
Having worked at other automotive dealerships, Edwards — who has been performing similar roles in the industry for the last 15 years — says he has found other valuables in customers’ vehicles, including jewellery and mobile phones.
MAHWAH, N.J., July 25, 2012 – According to J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study released today, Jaguar ranks second industry wide among nameplates in vehicle appeal and the Range Rover Evoque is most appealing in the Entry Premium Crossover SUV segment. For the second year in a row, Jaguar ranks second out of 34 brands measured in the industry – with the Jaguar XJ scoring as second highest large premium car. Land Rover placed sixth (in a tie) among 34 brands, and the new Range Rover Evoque receives the award for Most Appealing Entry Premium Crossover SUV.
“The J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study simply indicates how much your customers like their vehicles’ design, performance and features, and clearly our customers are quite smitten,” says Andy Goss, President of Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC. “Jaguar Land Rover is dedicated, as a premium automotive company, to providing the customers of both our brands with quality vehicles that deliver extraordinary performance, innovative technology, and desirable styling.”
Jaguar is the second most improved nameplate. The gain is primarily driven by the Jaguar XJ with 901 points – one of only three models in the industry to score above 900. The Jaguar brand was also the most improved, and tied for 2nd highest in the industry, in the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Initial Quality Study (IQS).
Land Rover placed sixth overall in the industry in a tie, showing that its lineup of luxury SUVs is well regarded by its customers. Leading the Land Rover lineup is the new Range Rover Evoque, which in its first year in the survey scored higher than all other Entry Premium Crossover SUVs. According to the survey, customers of the award-receiving Range Rover Evoque most appreciate its design and fuel economy, compared to its segment. The Range Rover Evoque combines class-leading performance with dynamic and agile handling across all terrains. This is the 102nd global award for the Range Rover Evoque.
The J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive based on owner evaluations of more than 80 vehicle attributes. The study’s unique approach to measuring owner satisfaction and how much a customer likes or dislikes virtually every aspect of their new vehicle provides a powerful tool to manufacturers to influence future product development.
The 2012 APEAL study is based on responses gathered between February 2012 and May 2012 from more than 74,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2012 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.
ATL Automotive 