Tumgik
#only truck manager and gm have keys for this thing.
cuntwrap--supreme · 2 years
Text
Boss asks me if I can show up at 9 today. So I do. And no one's here. So I wait until about 9:15. Still no one.
So I leave and go to the gym. It's just across the street, so no harm, right? If he shows up, I can just run back across the street and hop on the truck.
But here the thing now: He never called me asking where I was. I'm not supposed to be in until 10:30, so I still have about 15 minutes until I'm due in. He's not here. No one is here but me and the other front of house guy. And sure, we can run the truck easy peasy. But there's one pretty big problem: Only two people have the keys to this truck, and neither of them is here right now. So we're just leaning against the truck hoping someone shows up.
Oof. Love work.
3 notes · View notes
technogeekstmr · 4 years
Text
Connected Tire Market Business Strategies, Product Sales and Growth Rate, Assessment to 2027
Connected Tires and IoT Act as Bridge for Efficient Tire Performance Management
Tire and rubber manufacturers are making significant investments to develop connected solutions and products that have improved productivity potential. Likewise, stakeholders in the connected tire market are focusing on increased offerings for new tire products with intelligent functions and systems that help leverage the uptime of connected tires.
Similarly, connected tires are becoming a large segment of the Internet of Things (IoT) network. Connected tires are embedded with sensors that make driving safer and more convenient for consumers. The sensors collect important data and information that can be used to assess the vertical load in cars. Thus, the technology used in connected tires is not only beneficial for consumers, but the collected data and information can also be assessed by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) with the help of the IoT network, so as to identify the limitations of the tires and strategize technological innovations to overcome the same. Information acquired from connected tires can help stakeholders provide personalized and proficient advice for uses such as optimal tire pressure adjustment, to improve their performance in the long run.
Request a sample to get extensive insights into the Connected Tires Market
Data Science Technology: A Mine of Information for Automotive Driving and Car Sharing
Self-driving technology and car sharing are the emerging norms in the automotive industry. Connected tires are effectively fitting into the picture of the new buzz word 'CASE' ? connected, autonomous, smart, and electric vehicles. Likewise, OEMs and stakeholders in the aftermarket are innovating on Internet-connected smart tires. The growing trend of autonomous driving and car sharing is projected for the intense use of passenger vehicles on the road. With the help of data analytics, the information culled from sensor-embedded connected tires will aid stakeholders in getting an average about the total distance travelled and vehicle usage. This information can be used by OEMs to provide value added customer service for regular maintenance and repairs on the wear and tear of the tires.
Market players are offering connected tire technologies that monitor tire pressure and internal temperature to alert logistic operators. In the heavy commercial vehicles segment, technology wizards are innovating on GPS-based truck fleet management services.
To understand how our report can bring difference to your business strategy, Ask for a brochure
Stakeholders Adopt High-level Information Technology amidst Technological Limitations
The high cost of connected tires is primarily due to operational and supply chain limitations. Important information and data depend upon the network strength for IoT-connected tires. Technological drawbacks also pose a challenge, since connected tires are ingrained with several sensors, motors, and complex controls that need to withstand harsh environments and rough terrains.
Manufacturers are focusing on lucrative product offerings to the aftermarket, for connected tires that work in tandem with remote monitoring systems. OEMs are developing tire sensors in autonomous driving systems that assess road conditions. Tires are connected with high-level IT (Information Technology) systems that analyze data for continuous process improvement. For instance, Michelin — a leading French tire manufacturing company, announced a joint research agreement with GM (General Motors) — a leading American vehicle manufacturing company. This agreement was made to develop airless wheel technology — Uptis Prototype, which is in tandem with Michelin’s VISION concept for airless, connected, 3D printed tires, and made from sustainable renewable or bio-sourced materials.
Stuck in a neck-to-neck competition with other brands? Request a custom report on "Connected Tires Market”
Connected Tire Market - Key Insights
The global connected tire market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of ~75% between 2020 and 2030.
The aftermarket segment is estimated to hold a notable share, as tire manufacturers develop digital platforms to monitor tires and deploy connected tires as aftermarket replacement.
The connected tire market is in the nascent phase. Tire manufacturers are investing to develop connected tires in order to cater to the future demand for autonomous vehicles.
The passenger vehicles segment is projected to hold a dominant share of the global connected tire market, while the heavy commercial vehicles sub-segment is estimated to expand at a high growth rate during the forecast period.
Drivers of Connected Tire Market
The use of embedded sensors in tires helps collect and process various parameters related to tire performance, such as pressure, temperature, tread wear, and rubber defect. Based on the type of terrain, the connected tire adjusts its pressure and subsequently enhances the quality of the ride.
The rising demand for predictive maintenance and digital monitoring of tires, particularly for vehicles used in ride-hailing and logistics fleets, is projected to drive the connected tire market.
Connected tires alert the driver in case of a pressure deflation or puncture, thereby improving vehicle safety. Rise in consumer demand for safer vehicles and automakers to improve the safety ratings of vehicles is anticipated to drive the connected tire market.
More Trending Reports by Transparency Market Research –
1. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/integration-of-iot-and-other-security-innovations-to-help-global-home-security-solutions-market-to-reach-valuation-of-us81-bn-by-2027-finds-tmr-301021434.html
2. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/revenues-in-mobile-point-of-sale-terminals-market-to-climb-more-than-30x-during-2019-2027-cashless-economy-compelling-proposition-notes-transparency-market-research-301022223.html
Contact Us
Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY – 12207 United States USA – Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com
0 notes
fuck-customers · 7 years
Text
Ongoing saga of my best friend at a goodshome store
not me but bf. his job is hell. he works a "goodshome" in stock and hes the only one able to unload the truck at this store. in the pas 6+ months they have increased from like 600pcs to over a 1000+ on a weekly basis AND THE STORE DOESNT HAVE THE ROOM. (Thats more corporate but )About 4 months ago or so a new manager came(hes white and its prevalent to this sh*t) at first my bf had a coordinator (black guy) that was essentially holding it down with him so he wasnt the only one in the truck but this guy quit because white manager kept threatening to fire him over the most insane things. 500pcs-700pcs were the max for a minute out of the blue 900PC TRUCK no warning and it was a mess. Guy comes in like i need it all done by today and it needs to be unloaded and processed by like the time yall are supposed to get off cuz we dont have the payroll for yall. They have them to get out by 11am they start around 6/7am. A THOUSAND PCS this has become a regular occurrence and increasing steadily for whatever reason. Back to manager vs coordinator. So for about a month he would berate this man and make a spectacle as to why they wouldnt be done processing unloading and all that sh*t by 1 or 2 when they have now averaged 1500 and hes not helping back there. For awhile corporate ppl were coming and bf nearly lost it in front of them once because off the guy pulling that mess and coordinator was like "nah bruh,not getting ,fired not today" Its as if he gets off on looking down on all of them. key point i forgot to mention: hes the only white man manager if not the only one period. (Theres one white girl i think.)everyone there is latinx and black and this guy has been trying to sabotage a lot of them, get them fired/threatening on a constant to fire them. The coordinator quit as result and afterwards essentially rubbed it in everyone's face for his ego. A lot of them cant quit or afford to get fired so theyve just been putting up cuz everyone hates this guy. Another black manager( wanna say he was like the gm there) got fired/left but its suspect so thats a thing. The ret of the "Guys" working in the back are A1 Quality Assured Money-Back Guaranteed grade A sh*t bags if youve ever come across emcuz none of them can do truck period and refuse to do trash/clearing properly AT ALL. And by them being stubborn on top of their ignorance hinders a truck to being empty in the already crunching time for them to get out.
Im not gonna even get on the customers not today its too long already. 
honestly all that aside apparently the best thing is hearing the spanish momma(mid-40s/50s) cussing in Spanish like hardcore cussing and his awesome coworkers who keep things interesting since the coordinator left. cuz when i tell yall he only stayed to watch the ever unfolding drama of this man leaving he was on the way out. 
The reason im posting this now is because it got worse. they have them staying till 6pm because essentially no one is there and that white guys seems to be getting worse. my friend is slowly losing it.
61 notes · View notes
localocksmithnearme · 4 years
Text
Buick Ignition Repair & Key Replacement Jersey City NJ
Tumblr media
Buick Ignition Repair & Key Replacement Jersey City NJ - CALL (973)200-4870
http://www.jerseycitykeyreplacement.com/buick.html
Jersey City Key Replacement is the primary specialist for immediate, truthful and adroit road side Buick lock smith service in Jersey City NJ. Our specialists are on a duty call 24 hr to come down to your juncture with today's Buick replacement keys, lockpick, key programmers and lock rekeying tools in addition to background in the industry adept to iron out any type of Buick lock, key and ignition associated headaches evading the towing-truck service to the regional Jersey City NJ dealer-ship, so you don't give-and-take on your safety. Our attendants can replace, repair and install door lock cylinder, outmoded ignition lock and electric push-start ignitions likewise form switch-blade key, smart-key and high security and many more on site.
Buick key replacement in Jersey City NJ
One of the main part of any Buick is it's key-lock instrumentation, which should be re-keyed if misplaced or warn out. When this style of a headache takes place we, at Jersey City Key Replacement, in Jersey City NJ, are utterly trained to manage all editions of vehicle ignition, key or lock complications on site.
Buick transponder key is especially coded to turn on a specific car and our knowhow man-power can construct Buick V.A.T, key-less entry, Tibbe or passive anti theft system keys, and furthermore install, repair or replace any type of keys, ignition and locks at your side 24 hours 7 days a week 3-hundred and sixty-five days a year.
About Buick key and lock system
Buick car brand was designed by the United States of America car-maker GM in Detroit, Michigan. The brand was 1st marketed in the United States of America in 1903 as mainstream cars. Since 1997  Buick designs combine.accommodate transponder keys that could be replicated in a bargain and simple procedure, while contemporary designs accept encoded transponders that must be programmed to the motor vehicle employing an appropriate diagnostic equipment and if all keys are lost, the engine control unit must be reflash.
Today's designs starting from  2007 ordinarily fitted with the most advance stylish Passive Entry Passive Start (PEPS) smartkey with components like blind spot data, push 2 start and keyless entry technologies.
Ignition lock repair
Your car ignition delivers power from the battery to exceedingly all of your car's electrical units and compose of tiny mechanical and electrical components that commonly tend to wear out after opening and closing the ignition system for many years.  
If your Buick dashboard security lights are on, ignition key is hard to turn in the ignition, key is stuck in the key-breach and would not turn and ignition key can't turn in the ignition, it is probably a signs of worn ignition lock or key as a result of dent ignition key, bad ignition switch contacts or high temperature that can surely cause the ignition switch to fail, restricting you from activating your car.
While operating a vehicle, poor ignition could shut the engine down during driving, which could be highly dangerous, which is why the best suggestion we can give not to tamper with the ignition switch by inexperienced hands as it might going to lead to a deeper damage and risk.
The only thing you advised to do bumping into ignition or key malfunctions is to make sure you’re actually attempting to turn on your own motor vehicle and schedule with a car keysmith to arrive to your location to replace, reprogram  rekey the ignition or key which will costs $160–$360.
Transponder chip key issue
Car locks, ignition and keys have progressed 20 years ago with development in transponder chip keys and high security cutting systems to enable actions such as automatic door opening and locking, remote start, power windows, car antitheft protection and many more.
Much as transponder chipped key is deeply favorable, replacing missing keys is no longer a brisk, low price commute to the provincial hardware store or dealer-ship. Occurrences like stolrn transponder chipped key, breaking a switch-blade key remote or losing your keyless entry at the beach, cutting the key trenches to fit the ignition lock is not going to be sufficient if you want to light up the car, because the key accommodate a transponder chip that should be programmatically fit to the vehicle computer unit and will cost you nearby 180-600$ depend on year, model and maker.
Buick smartkey
Keyless device remotes, also called (RKE or RKS) let owners to lock and unlock their truck or car clicking the remote as well as alternate traits as unlatching the trunk or lighting up the beam light to upturn visibility at night or in raw weather. Likewise, a lot of the modernized keys include remote starting feature which is appear to be standard on most advance vehicles.
Exceedingly all smart keys include a proximity-detector-based platform that is activated when the key-less entry moves within a particular range of the motor vehicle. This Smart-key are hands-free meaning that the car can be unlocked and locked or run and disband the car without owners input.
Copy vs lost car keys
2 decades ago, nearly all auto makers began to employ immobilizer and electronic keys as a protection measurement in which a car computer module will recognize the programmed key when you go to start up the car. If the vehicle doesn't recognize an appropriate key, ECM demobilize the fuel supply and the vehicle wouldn't kindle.
This technology operate as anti theft to accomplishes prevention against hot wiring or lock-picking the car and relief drivers and insurance companies in annihilating vehicle theft around the world, yet the prices of car keys went up to $45-$120 for a elemental copy  key with a chip and presumably at least a hundred dollar more if for a lost key.
24 hr car lockout
If you’re being subjected to the unfortunate situation of locking your car keys inside the car while pulling off the kids from school or at your workplace, Jersey City Key Replacement immediate vehicle lock-out skillful techs are able to be with you promptly to aptly unlock your car door for any type of Japanese, American, European or German manufacturer of cars shortly, put you back into your vehicle and retrieve your calmness.
Vehicle locks conversing
Jersey City Key Replacement is glad to stake all type of Buick refit services on site to put back a shattered, pinched or misplaced keys. Exceedingly all state-of-the-art car are assembled with electronic keys and locks instrumentation and the course needed to get your lock re keyed have to contain the decent coder for the precise car. Instead of towing your vehicle to the dealer, just upraise the buzz and call our call centre in Jersey City NJ and one of our car updating workmanship will be with you in the short run with a portable service van accommodating today's ignition parts, key cutters, programmers and blank keys ready to figure out any sort of emergency occurrences.
Lastly
We are prepared 24/7 rain or shine with the swiftest fastest response in town. If you find that your ignition key wont turn, need to program a new remote or misplaces the keys to your car and want avoid the tow truck to the dealer-ship, call us now at (973)200-4870, provide your year, automobile manufacturer, model and your location. Our thoroughly fitted local man-power are ready to response hastily replace your ignition lock, open your locked car or duplicate a flip-key or a smartkey on-site and get you back inside your car shortly with affordable rates. . If you’re inspecting for Buy keys online Jersey City Key Replacement.
0 notes
kayliekushy-blog · 8 years
Text
Massive amounts of irony and perspective
I don’t journal enough. When I do, its typically notes typed in my phone, hence only one prior journal entry here last year. But the picture of my current situation could only be painted through telling this story here.
Last week I spent 8 days with 16 college students serving at the Wine To Water factory in the Dominican Republic. We had an impactful week and were able to get A LOT of work done while also connecting in a deeply rich way with the locals. We all flew back to the states this past Saturday (it’s now Monday morning) with full hearts and leaky eyeballs. I’m typing from the service lounge of a car dealership in Charlotte, NC. I’ve spent 5 hours here in the past 2 days and have met almost the entire staff and consumed almost all the free popcorn and watered down coffee. Let me explain...
As my plane was leaving the runway in Santiago, DR this past Saturday afternoon I realized I had just made a massive mistake. I tried to remain calm in the air (there was literally nothing I could do to fix this mistake anyway), but I had no idea what I was in store for and what is finally almost resolved, 2 days later. So what had happened was, was I left my car, house and work keys in the DR at the WTW factory where we stay.  A very simple yet costly mistake. I’m still calculating the total amount spent on my mistake, should have it to you by the end of this read. I immediately purchased the in-air wifi to start reaching out to folks and figuring out my options (in the end, there weren’t many). I was flying to Newark, NJ and then home to NC through Charlotte, so I had some time to make a plan. Now, issue one is that there’s not reliable (or fast by US standards) shipping in the DR. And some of my coworkers will be in the DR in a few weeks, so why try to ship them when they can just be brought back home right? Plus, home and my dog are 2 hours from Charlotte in Boone, so it’s not like I had time to wait for the keys in Charlotte (unknown duration of time) before buying new ones. My boyfriend started working on contacting dealerships, the airport parking department in Charlotte, etc. That man can get things done! There were all kinds of grand ideas, but at the end of it all, my car key needed to come from the dealership because its a mini-computer for my push-to-start and the dealership couldn't make the key without having my car present and my car couldn’t be towed without me being present. Lots of unfortunate circumstances. When I got to NJ, my superhero pops decided to book me a hotel room in Charlotte since I would be landing around midnight with no progress on my immobile vehicle (thanks Dad!). I got my first hot shower in 8 days at the hotel, and that was nice, but I still had a major puzzle to solve. 
I don’t think I mentioned the reason why my keys were left. Simply stated, I was sleep deprived and forgot them, but there’s more to the story. It was freezing temps when I left Charlotte for the DR and connected through JFK last weekend. So, I wore my winter jacket down. Decided putting my keys and airport lot parking ticket in the jacket pocket was a safe bet over my backpack since I bring my backpack all around to different communities when in the DR, and there’s more of a chance I would lose it there than in my jacket. Obviously, it was much warmer in the DR so I tucked my jacket away somewhere out of sight for the week, the first minor mistake to lead to this BIG one. After shuttling some folks to the airport at all hours on Friday night, when it was my turn to pack up and leave the DR, I remembered everything except my jacket with it’s important pocket contents. Landed in NJ and then Charlotte to more freezing temps and snow, that jacket would have come in handy. Luckily, I had a throw blanket from Nepal that my boss gave me to act as a shaw for some warmth (thanks Lisa). And but of course, I have winter gear locked up in my car right now.
The next afternoon (yesterday) I met the tow truck at the airport. Of course he had a hard time finding the remote parking lot where I was located so I hung out in the snow, underdressed, waiting for him. He struggled finding me and my car, and also struggled getting my car hooked up and out of the lot. Oh yeah, my parking ticket was also in that jacket pocket, so a parking staff member who happened to be from the DR helped me out with getting my parking paid for so i could finally exit. So, tow truck driver, me and my car head to the KIA dealership. On Sundays there are no service or parts staff working, but the dealership was open. I spent 4 hours there waiting on 3rd party vendors to show up to attempt programming a key for me, but no luck. I had to stay another night in Charlotte and wait for KIA parts guys to get to work. 
I decided on an Airbnb for the first time ever, mostly because I was bleeding money into this cause and it was more affordable. I met the sweetest woman and her big old Great Dane, Titan. She talked with me and the dog loved on me all night, while giving me some dinner and allowing me to wash my smelly clothes. What a great experience. This morning a manager from the KIA dealership picked me up so I could save on Über fares, this guy was also from the DR and spent some time in my home town of Tampa. I was able to meet some pretty great individuals in Charlotte. But all I really want is to get home to my pup who has been staying with strangers for 10 nights now.
So now I’m writing from home in Boone, with my Camalamadingdong pup by my side. The dealership made my key and the GM and other managers of the joint banded together after hearing about my situation and brought the price of my key from $350 down to $115. I couldn’t thank them enough and was seriously smiling the entire 2 hour drive home to Boone. Which felt nice because there were a few meltdowns over the last 36 hours.
The total spent between Über rides, hotel room and Airbnb, replacement car key, extra days with my dog at the boarding facility, and tow truck: $335. What I learned from all this: patience, to practice what I preach (we spent a lot of time in the DR talking about choosing joy in all situations, flexibility and perspective) and most importantly: If you continue giving everything to God and trust in Him, He will send you angels in your times of need. We also talked a lot about monetary poverty and how little our friends in the DR actually make for their labor. Spending this amount of money on such a minor mistake had my stomach in knots. But my faith never wavered, I continuously thanked Jesus for everything he was teaching me through this circumstance, and he continued to look out for me. Thank you to all of the angels I’ve encountered as a result of my mistake, the staff at the car dealership, Carrie from my Airbnb, the volunteers I spent the previous week with to help me keep things in perspective, and as always my loved ones that never leave me hanging. I’m so blessed. God is so good, all the time.
1 note · View note
jobsearchtips02 · 4 years
Text
Is Elon Musk Wrong About An Under-250-Mile Range Model Y?
Batteries
Published on July 25th, 2020 | by Loren McDonald
July 25th, 2020 by Loren McDonald 
Elon Musk was recently at it again on Twitter sharing upcoming plans about the Tesla Model Y as well as Supercharging speeds for the Model S and X. But it was his comment that a range of less than 250 miles would be unacceptably low that got the attention of the EV and business press.
Below is the full Twitter exchange with someone using the Twitter handle of Jason.
Image Source: Twitter
Tesla had originally planned to launch a Standard Range Model Y — as it has done with most of the Tesla models over the years. But in this case, Musk argues that the “range would be unacceptably low (
Musk didn’t share what the EPA range of a Standard Range Model Y would come in at, but I’m going to pick an arbitrary 235 miles as my assumption for this article. If the Short Range version was actually rated at literally just under 250 — let’s say 245 or 247 miles — I would assume that with software adjustments, battery improvements, and tire combinations, Tesla could easily bump that range up to the magic number of 250 within 3–6 months. And everyone would forget the initial range, just like no one cares about the initial range of the Model S.
So, assuming a range of about 235 miles, why does Musk believe that is unacceptable? And to whom is it unacceptable — himself, company leadership, the brand promise, or customers?
After I drafted and submitted this article, Musk stated on the Q2 earnings call: “The thing that bugs me the most is that our cars are not affordable enough. We need to fix that. We want to be slightly positive and maximize growth, and make the cars as affordable as possible.” On the same call he also stated: “With regard to passenger vehicles, I think the new normal for range is going to be, just in U.S. EPA terms, approximately 300 miles. So I think people will really come to expect that as some number close to 300 miles as normal.”
But is Musk simply wrong? I believe he is both right and wrong, as there are multiple compelling arguments both for and against an under-250 mile Model Y.
Keys To Tesla’s EV Leadership Through the Minds of Consumers
Tesla and Elon Musk have done many things to generate excitement and interest in electric vehicles that have led to the company being the dominant automaker in terms of sales volume of EVs. Three of those keys are:
Aspirational: Prior to the Model S, EVs were often thought of as ugly, overpriced, glorified golf carts. The performance and style of the Model S (and subsequent models) made the company’s EVs aspirational for many buyers.
Range: Anxiety over the battery’s driving range was an issue for many of the early EVs that only had +/- 100 miles of range, and still is. The first versions of the Model S launched in 2012 had an EPA range for the 60 kWh battery pack model of 208 mi, and the 85 kWh battery was rated at 265 miles. Now the Model S Long Range Plus has a range of 402 miles, and most models have a range near or above 300 miles. The exception is the Model 3 Standard Range Plus at 250 miles (more on the off-menu Standard Range version later).
Superchargers and Destination Charging: Tesla is the only automaker that invested in building out its own DC fast charging (Supercharging) and Level 2 charging (Destination Charging) network. (Other OEMs have of course invested in charging networks, just not their own.) While Tesla’s connectors in the US are currently proprietary to Tesla vehicles — similar to the closed model of Apple — owners of Tesla EVs in the US generally have little to no concern (with a few exceptions in some remote or less populous areas) about not having enough range for getting to the next charging station. With the growth in popularity of the Model 3 in markets like California, however, the concern has now switched to “charging anxiety” — wait times and charging speed. 
The importance and catch-22 of the above is that the Tesla brand has set the bar on EV range. The Tesla brand in essence is all about more range being better and its lead over competitors in this area continues to be a key bragging right. The 300 miles of range available on variants of all 4 models, combined with its charging networks, means never having range anxiety.
But, does every potential driver of an EV want or need 300–400 miles of range? For many households and use cases, a Tesla may in fact provide more range than actually needed. Of course, buying a car or truck that has more than you need (horsepower, top speed, interior luxury features, range, seating capacity, size, 4-wheel drive, etc.) is nothing new, especially in car- and truck-loving America. Elon Musk understands this and has always focused Tesla on the “wants” rather than “needs” of auto-buying consumers.
But with DC fast chargers getting faster, charging stations getting more available, and many EV-interested consumers becoming more comfortable with the concept of “refueling with electricity,” is Tesla potentially giving up a segment of the market to competitors by not offering a lower-range, lower-priced Model Y?
The Case For A Less Than 250-Mile Range Tesla Model Y
Why does Musk think less than 250 miles of range is unacceptable? The following are several reasons why a Model Y Standard Range would make sense for Tesla:
300–400 miles of range is what most Americans want — but they don’t actually need it: While the average range of fully electric vehicles (BEVs) has increased significantly in the last 10 years, range anxiety remains a concern of mass consumers who have yet to drive an EV or understand how to manage range and charge your vehicle. Of the current 13 BEVs available in the US (note that some, like the Fiat 500e, are only available in 2 states), the average battery range is now 253 miles, while the median range is 254 miles. If weighted by sales volume, the average range would approach 300 miles due to Tesla accounting for about 60% of EV sales in the US.
Many studies, such as the Volvo/Harris Poll below, confirm that range anxiety and fear of not finding a place to charge are top concerns for potential buyers of EVs. And several studies have pegged 300 miles as the magic threshold that a majority of US consumers want before considering an EV.
Image Source: Volvo/The Harris Poll
Price competitiveness without the federal EV tax credit: Tesla and GM are the only OEMs that no longer qualify for the federal EV tax credit, which is $7,500 for BEVs and plugin hybrids (PHEVs) with a battery pack of 16 kWh or more ($6,843 for the Ford Escape PHEV). Since the federal EV tax credit doesn’t actually reduce the price of an EV (unless you lease and it is incorporated into the lease with lower monthly payments), I’ve always been annoyed at the use of EV prices that subtract the federal tax credit. But it is common practice to incorporate the incentive, so I’ve included it in the table below.
As you can see, there are several BEVs and PHEVs that are either available currently or are scheduled to be available by the end of 2021. And all of these electric CUVs/SUVs will have an effective cost lower than the various Model Y variants, except for the Volvo XC40 Recharge and Ford Mustang Mach-E GT. Many of these models will be $5,000 to $10,000 less than the two variants of the Tesla Model Y Long Range.
So, while Elon and lots of EV and Tesla fanatics believe that Tesla vehicles are superior to EVs from other brands (software updates, battery efficiency, performance, Autopilot/FSD, etc.), with as many as 10 EVs available in roughly the same category, many buyers may opt for a brand other than Tesla with a lower price.
Now, Tesla fans love to argue that the company’s BEVs are light years ahead of EVs from the legacy OEMs and that their offerings simply aren’t competitive. For me, access to the Supercharger and Destination Charging network are Tesla’s biggest competitive advantage and likely has a brand value to potential buyers of several thousand dollars.  But, for someone who isn’t a Tesla fanatic and is considering, say, the Nissan Ariya, VW ID.4, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Toyota RAV4 Prime, or Ford Escape PHEV, many of Tesla’s advantages simply aren’t that important.
Consumers consider many factors when buying a car, including quality, service, comfort, brand loyalty, and price. If the car with the best specifications was the top consideration, then there would eventually be only one car in each segment, as no one would buy any car without the best specs. 
Weak economy/Job insecurity: The COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on the economy (a recession was likely even before COVID) and millions of Americans are now either unemployed, underemployed, or nervous about their job stability and future paycheck. Under these circumstances, someone considering a new car purchase may look for ways to lower their monthly payments through leasing or opting for a cheaper model, one without all of the extra features. A Model Y Standard Range could potentially be much more attractive to consumers on a tighter budget.
Monthly payments: Tesla just launched a leasing option for the Model Y Long Range for $499 a month, and the Model 3 Standard Range Plus lease option starts at $371 per month. Tesla could potentially offer a $399 per month lease, which would generate lots of publicity and drive a lot of test drive traffic into Tesla galleries and showrooms, all resulting in increased sales volumes of all Model Y variants.
Volume rankings: The Model 3, which is in a category rapidly losing popularity, sedans, was the 26th best selling vehicle in the US in 2019, according to GoodCarBadCar. A Model Y priced at or near $40,000 could be a huge seller in the US, and could likely crack both the top 20 sales chart and possibly rank #1 in a category such as “midsized luxury SUV” — giving Tesla some bragging rights and great press coverage. There is safety in numbers, and the better the Model Y sells, the more people will be comfortable buying it, spurring even more sales. And many people may opt for one of the more expensive variations of the Model Y.
Competitiveness of similar range EVs: Of the non-Tesla BEV small/midsized crossovers/hatchbacks currently available in the US, only the Nissan LEAF offers different range options — 149 or 226 miles of range. But in the coming 12 to 18 months, the Mustang Mach-E and Nissan Ariya — two BEVs expected to go head to head against the Model Y — will be available in two or more battery pack options. There will also be 6 BEVs available with expected EPA ranges of from 210 to 250 miles.
For consumers who place a higher priority on some combination of price, build quality, existing brand preference, or service over longer range, Tesla would be giving up this market segment to competitors.
Shortsighted thinking: Tesla continues to improve energy efficiency of its batteries, and just in the last 12 months or so, the company increased the range on the Model S Long Range from 335 to 370 to now 402 miles. So, I would assume that within 3 to 6 months of launch, Tesla could increase the range of a Model Y Standard Range to 250 miles from ~235, as it has done with every other model recently.
This approach provides more proof of Tesla‘s leadership in batteries, and then also positions its cheapest and shortest range Model Y ahead of the others in the crossover category.
200–225 miles of range meets 99% of most households’ driving needs: For most American households, a range of 225 to 250 miles meets their needs for daily commutes and errands and weekend trips to the beach, the mountains, or to visit relatives and friends. What that range isn’t ideal for are the 2–3 long road trips (1% of trips for most) that they might take each year. (I will cover solutions for the “1% challenge” in an upcoming multi-part series.)
As of 2017, 58% of US households had two or more vehicles. So, roughly 6 out of 10 households potentially have a second vehicle they can use for these few long trips per year if they don’t want to use their shorter-range EV. 
Europeans need less range: A lower range Model Y could be a massive hit in European countries where trains and regional flights provide a convenient alternative to long road trips in a car. With access to great train systems, most Europeans clearly can get by with a shorter range BEV. Although, surprisingly, they expect more range than North Americans, according to a recent CleanTechnica survey.
[Editor’s note: Having lived in Europe for more than 10 years, and having listened to many Europeans on this matter, I think there is a bit of a misconception about this. Europeans, on average, drive a lot less than Americans. However, that is mostly because they tend to have shorter commutes, commute more frequently via urban transit systems, and do not have to do so much driving across sprawling suburban areas for shopping and routine activities. When it comes to road trips, Europeans with cars do tend to go on far away road trips in their cars — if they don’t fly or, less commonly, take a train. Those further north like to vacation in the south, for example, which means a very long drive/trip. Additionally, since they have longer vacations — much more vacation time — it is not uncommon to want to have your car with you on vacation, stimulating a drive instead of a flight. So, all in all, I think it is a little bit of a myth that Europeans care less about range. Maybe for daily commutes and errands, yes, but not for those occasional road trips. Lastly, Europe is typically colder than the US, so they also have to think more about the hit the range will take for several months in winter, fall, and even spring.]
Why Is Musk Saying No To A Model Y With Under 250 Miles Of Range Model Y?
The case for a less than 250-mile range Model Y is very compelling in my opinion, but if I wear my brand hat from being in marketing for 36 years, I can also make the case against it. The following are several reasons to not offer a Model Y Standard Range:
Additional production complexity: Producing another variant of the Model Y adds additional complexity to the manufacturing process and has the potential to impact production of other Model Y variants. Musk has often talked of the need to simplify vehicle manufacturing and reduce the number of model variants. A Model Y Standard Range, however, would presumably use the same 50 kWh battery pack as the Model 3 Standard Range Plus, so that would eliminate the need for a different battery pack or the need to limit range via software. And recent rumors are that the Model Y and Model 3 will soon share the same universal battery pack.
Competition/Bragging rights: More range is better. Lots of range is even better. 400 miles is awesome. Tesla has not only led the auto industry in delivering BEVs with more range than competitors, but in so doing, the company and Musk have also promoted the idea that whatever their models achieved at the time (250, 300, and now 400 miles) was the EV range that consumers needed (or wanted).
A Model Y with 235 or so miles of range suddenly becomes ho hum, and would be surpassed by several CUVs, including the Mustang Mach-E, Chevrolet Bolt, Hyundai Kona EV, Nissan Ariya, and Volkswagen ID.4. (My counter, however, is that Tesla would still have Long Range models that would surpass anything the competition offered in the category.)
Undermines the Tesla range advantage: If Tesla now in 2020 released a Model Y with ~235 miles of range, the company by default is validating as acceptable the EV range of competitors in the 200–250 EPA mile range.
By making available a ~235-mile range Model Y, consumers may now start placing less emphasis on the importance of range and place a higher priority on quality, service, comfort, interior luxury, and other factors where Tesla tends to not have either a real or a perceived advantage.
Price competitiveness/Vehicle margins: While I’m not going to delve into estimating margins of the Model Y (I’ll leave that to other CleanTechnica writers), the higher the sales price of a vehicle, the greater opportunity there is for higher margins. So, a lower-street price of a Model Y would likely cut into the margins of the portfolio of Model Y battery pack variations.
And that is okay if there is unlimited demand for the higher end Model Ys, but there is clearly a cap. And the fact that Tesla just added a lease option for both the Long Range and Performance versions of the Model Y suggests that demand could be waning, especially as the economy struggles. [Editor’s note: Musk said on this conference call this week demand is definitely not an issue — they have far more demand than they can supply.] Musk is known to not be a fan of offering the lease option, and holds off on leasing until market demand necessitates it. In 2019, Elon Musk said, “We’ve been reluctant to introduce leasing on Model 3 because of its effect on GAAP Financials… Obviously, leasing is a way to improve demand, but it makes our financials looks worse.”
That said, according to this Forbes article “While Tesla’s leasing program is hurting the company’s revenue growth to an extent, it is helping the company’s margins as its leases appear to be more lucrative to the company.” [Editor’s note: Tesla may be less concerned about how their financials look now that Tesla has shown 4 consecutive quarters of GAAP profit. Perhaps that is one reason it recently started offering Model Y leasing rather than waiting longer.]
Tesla does not want to compete on price: Nordstrom doesn’t want to compete with Walmart on price, and nor does Tesla does want to compete with other automakers on price. It hurts its brand reputation, but also opens the door to brands like Hyundai, Kia, Chevrolet, Nissan, and Ford to aggressively compete with and undercut Tesla. And if potential Tesla buyers begin to place price as a much higher factor in their purchase decision, then Tesla’s real or perceived advantages in range, performance, software, etc. are diminished.
But the counter is that we are in a tough economic period and Tesla also needs to support its growth story and scale volume in the US. A lower price Model Y in the hot CUV segment could put it at the top of the sales charts. Higher production volume should also lead to better margins overall with increased scale.
SUV/CUV perception versus sedans: Musk seems to be okay with a sedan, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus, having just 250 miles of range. And while it isn’t listed on the Tesla website, you can special order from Tesla showrooms the Tesla Standard Range, which has only 220 miles of range. 
Perhaps this gives us the most insight into Musk’s thinking. It seems he believes that 300 miles is the standard to be measured by for BEVs, but anything less than 250 miles is an embarrassment, or in his words, “unacceptably low.”
Because the sedan segment is rapidly declining in popularity and primarily being left to Toyota and Honda to compete over, Musk knows that the SUV/CUV segments (and pickup segment) are where automakers will win or lose in the US in the coming years. 
And because SUVs/CUVs are thought of as perfect vehicles to take the family on long trips, Musk clearly believes that a range less than 250 miles will not win over customers.
In the end, the right answer is likely a battle between those at Tesla who believe the brand is everything and those in sales and finance who see how many more Model Ys the company might be able to sell.
What do you think — should maintaining the brand superiority outweigh the opportunity to potentially reach a new and much larger market? Let us know in the comments.
Latest CleanTechnica.TV Episode
youtube
Latest Cleantech Talk Episodes
Tags: EV Range, Tesla, Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model Y range
About the Author
Loren McDonald writes about the factors driving adoption of electric vehicles and the opportunities and challenges the transition to EVs presents companies and entrepreneurs in the auto, utility, energy, retail and other industries. His research and content are published on CleanTechnica, his own blog/site, www.EVAdoption.com, and in his upcoming book “Gas Station Zero” about the huge shifts and changes in multiple industries driven by the transition to battery electric, autonomous and shared vehicles.
Read More
from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/is-elon-musk-wrong-about-an-under-250-mile-range-model-y/
0 notes
preciousmetals0 · 5 years
Text
3.28 Million Lost; Micron Moves; Cheesecake Blues
3.28 Million Lost; Micron Moves; Cheesecake Blues:
Denial, Seems It Had to Come
I warned you it was coming. I warned you it’d be bad.
Relied on me to say it all. (Any Sevendust fans out there? No? Oh well…)
Weekly jobless claims arrived today, and they were record-breaking. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week.
That’s 15 times the number of people who filed two weeks ago … and five times the previous record of 695,000 claims set in 1982. It was more than the peak number of claims during both the Great Recession and the Great Depression.
3.28 million Americans out of work — all because of the coronavirus (or the panic along with it).
The situation is so bad — How bad is it? — that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell appeared on the Today show to reassure Americans that the U.S. central bank is on our side.
“The Federal Reserve is working hard to support you now and our policies will be very important when the recovery does come,” Powell said.
The Takeaway: 
Let’s think about the situation for a minute.
The head of the U.S. Federal Reserve — the guy who’s responsible for the country’s most powerful financial institution — felt it was necessary to reassure the American people on a popular morning show.
On one hand, that’s somewhat comforting … Powell taking time out of his busy day to tell everyone that it’ll all be OK.
On the other, it shows just how badly the situation has deteriorated. We now have the head of the Fed offering reassurance, not some lackey.
Oh, and those 3.28 million jobless claims? The market shrugged them off.
It seems that most of Wall Street believes that the worst is now behind us. Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group, summed up the Street’s opinion pretty well:
We all know the pain being felt and the economic damage being caused by this damn virus but because we are so close to getting past the worst of the spread, we need to start getting creative about what the restart will look like.
So close to getting past the worst of the spread?
The U.S. is about a month behind Italy in terms of COVID-19’s spread, and Italy hasn’t even peaked yet. We’re three months behind China, and it’s just now seeing the end of community spread. Both countries went into complete lockdown. While individual states have gone this route, the U.S. as a whole has not.
As hopeful as I want to be … as hopeful as Wall Street wants to be … we aren’t close to getting past the worst of the spread.
As the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, put it: “You don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.”
But … but the $2 trillion coronavirus rescue bill!
Yes, I hear you out there … protesting my negativity again. The Senate’s bill will blunt the impact, to be sure. But it can’t stop what’s already happening. Despite reassurances that everything will just bounce back … that this isn’t really a long-term economic problem in the U.S. … let me tell you now: It is.
What? You think the U.S. economy could just hire back those 3.28 million out-of-work Americans tomorrow if the coronavirus magically disappeared? Nope. It doesn’t work like that.
But, while the U.S. economy is going down, down in an early round, sugar we’re going down swinging. And Great Stuff will be your No. 1 with a bullet. A loaded market complex … cock it and pull it.
Now, here’s the thing — and listen up, all ye positivity seekers!
Just as the virus chooses the timeline for this whole crazy shebang…
Only you choose your investing timeline. Only you decide if you keep hanging in there.
If you ask expert Charles Mizrahi, the situation is crystal clear. You could either:
Capture peak gains like 300%, 500% and 600%.
Or let the market turmoil and the virus’s impact eat away your financial future.
Gains like those? In this kind of market?!
Yes, dear reader — there’s potential in any market. See, according to Charles: “What you do in this current meltdown will make all the difference on what your net worth will be in the next five years.”
So, while other folks around you join the fleeing fearful, you have a chance to gain a leg up. In fact, Charles Mizrahi thinks this moment is so crucial he recorded a special video presentation on how to leave all this market panic behind.
Click here now.
The Good: Remote Connections               
Investors are falling in love with Micron Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) in a hopeless place today.
The flash memory maker beat Wall Street’s second-quarter earnings and revenue estimates and issued solid third-quarter guidance.
In fact, Micron appears to benefit from COVID-19 lockdowns around the world. In its post-earnings conference call, the company highlighted rising demand for PCs, notebooks and other devices as more people work and study from home.
Furthermore, Micron noted additional demand in the data center market, as companies push to beef up cloud computing storage and performance amid spiking remote demand.
While now is clearly the time to be cautious about buying anything in the market, Micron is one company to keep on your short list of potential winners in this brave new world.
The Bad: 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer
Wanna tell you a story about the Cheesecake Factory Inc. (Nasdaq: CAKE) blues…
I read the headlines one particular Thursday and saw that Cheesecake Factory had lost its jobs. But that don’t confront me, long as I get my money next Thursday. Next Thursday come, and they didn’t have the rent … and out the door I went.
Seriously though, the Cheesecake Factory just sent a letter to its landlords that it won’t pay rent in April due to the coronavirus. Here’s an excerpt from a letter to landlords from CEO David Overton:
The severe decrease in restaurant traffic has severely decreased our cash flow and inflicted a tremendous financial blow to our business. Due to these extraordinary events, I am asking for your patience and, frankly, your help.
And it’s not just Cheesecake Factory acting kinda funny … everybody funny … now you funny too. Retailers, from clothier H&M to fast-foodie Subway, are all struggling to make rent.
If anything reinforces the idea that the COVID-19 situation is far from over, it’s retailers not paying rent. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time for a few drinks.
The Ugly: Old Junker
Growing up in rural Kentucky, I lived through the great Ford versus Chevy wars and endured many a heated argument on the topic. “Ford Don’t Make Junk” was among the many stickers plastered on the windows and tailgates of F-150s for as far as the eye could see.
Turns out, those bumper stickers weren’t quite accurate. Today, S&P Global Ratings cut Ford Motor Co.’s (NYSE: F) bonds to junk status. The ratings firm lowered Ford’s credit rating to BB+ (junk status) and said that it may lower its rating further as the coronavirus’s impact spreads.
S&P isn’t alone in its “junk” rating on Ford, however. Moody’s Investors Service cut its credit rating on the Big Blue Oval twice in the past month, citing a “credit shock” for automakers across the board.
But Ford has an answer … it plans on reopening production at key plants in April, including its Dearborn, Michigan, and Kentucky truck plants, its Kansas City Assembly Plant’s transit line and its Ohio Assembly Plant.
That’s all fine and dandy, but I’m pretty sure the United Auto Workers Union will have something to say about this. And it won’t be pretty.
You Marco, I Polo … it’s Reader Feedback time!
Let me just say, you guys have been busy … or maybe you’re just bored after being locked in your homes for days on end.
In the past week, Great Stuff received a veritable flood of comments with two common themes: You absolutely despise bailouts (especially for airlines) and you don’t think the market rout is over.
Let’s dive right into your comments:
The Unfriendly Skies
NO BAILOUT TO THOSE WHO BOUGHT BACK STOCK
— Stan B.
Airline bailout NOT. Only if that Airline assists our American citizens stuck away from their respective residents need to get home. Not for anyone just traveling. Bailout? Why do they need it as they have gouged the travelers for transporting their necessary luggage to the tune of millions of dollars of profit while still collecting their usual air fares. Why should we bail out these huge corporations. Use that money to help the smaller companies to keep their doors open. I personally am sick of seeing billions bailing out these high corporations that only turn around and use that money for the top management so called golden parachutes. Stop this madness of government bailouts.
— Peggy B.
Pigs to the trough, as usual. And, why should it shock you that R’s have no problems throwing tons of money at pillars of industry? Well, not exactly industry. Finance! That’s the magic word The Graduate should have been told. Not “plastics,” “finance”.
— Joe S.
Let them go under.
— Tony C.
Wow … the sheer vitriol dripping from your comments is … honestly, it’s a bit impressive. I don’t know whether to be proud of you or to start locking my doors.
As I’ve said several times here in Great Stuff, I don’t like stock buybacks — at all. It’s a company telling me they have nothing better to do with their money … nothing to invest or reinvest in. No new ideas to grow.
And now, those companies are paying the price. Well, somewhat of a price. A lot of them just got bailed out by the government … again.
It’s Not Over
Still doesn’t feel like the bottom.
I don’t see enough anger / despair that would mark the point at which all the buyers are exhausted.
Love your work – thanks!
— Gary W.
I believe it’s not over till people go back to work… I am a supplier to GM, laid off until the 13th… even then I could be laid off longer depending on how orders rise or fall… at the time of the layoff orders were down 15% before the virus hit…
— Timothy C.
Most of your subscribers, I’m sure, want rosy pictures. Most investors do. They want to catch the bottom of the V. This time it’s an L, though.
By end of May most airlines in the world will go bankrupt. Restaurants, bars, gyms, taxis. Hotels, travel agencies, tourist attractions. Shops, malls, import/export companies. Trucking, railways, bus liners. Cinemas, museums, stadiums…
Investment banks with derivatives exposure, ETF spinners, trading houses, oil companies, automakers and aerospace are in trouble. Possibly miners too. And schools.
But investors want to believe that the FED is going to fix it all. Thing is, we should hope the FED doesn’t try. If they do, we’re all going to wake up with 1000s of $ in our pockets, and nothing to spend it on.
The ONLY moneys (FED or fiscal) that should be spent is on buying test kits from Russia, respirators from Elon Musk, hospital beds and walls. The ONE thing we need is a victory against the virus. Nothing else.
— Dan W.
Dan the man, you hit the nose on the head … or something like that. And Timothy, you are absolutely right.
This is what Great Stuff has said for a while. You can pass a $2 trillion spending bill to help things along, but it won’t magically rehire 3.28 million workers filing for unemployment. It won’t stop the virus from spreading.
Hunker down, dear readers. It’s going to be a rough ride. But, if you stay tuned in to Great Stuff and BanyanHill.com, I promise to keep telling you like it is and help guide you through the storm.
Finally, a shoutout to Angela O., Christine P., Phil G. and the others who have offered Great Stuff support for telling you the truth. Sticks and stones … you know. Thank you all!
Have you written in yet? What’s stopping you? Drop me a line at [email protected] and let me know how you’re doing out there in this crazy market.
That’s a wrap for today. But if you’re still craving more Great Stuff, you can check us out on social media: Facebook and Twitter.
Until next time, good trading!
Regards,
Joseph Hargett
Editor, Great Stuff
0 notes
goldira01 · 5 years
Link
Denial, Seems It Had to Come
I warned you it was coming. I warned you it’d be bad.
Relied on me to say it all. (Any Sevendust fans out there? No? Oh well…)
Weekly jobless claims arrived today, and they were record-breaking. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week.
That’s 15 times the number of people who filed two weeks ago … and five times the previous record of 695,000 claims set in 1982. It was more than the peak number of claims during both the Great Recession and the Great Depression.
3.28 million Americans out of work — all because of the coronavirus (or the panic along with it).
The situation is so bad — How bad is it? — that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell appeared on the Today show to reassure Americans that the U.S. central bank is on our side.
“The Federal Reserve is working hard to support you now and our policies will be very important when the recovery does come,” Powell said.
The Takeaway: 
Let’s think about the situation for a minute.
The head of the U.S. Federal Reserve — the guy who’s responsible for the country’s most powerful financial institution — felt it was necessary to reassure the American people on a popular morning show.
On one hand, that’s somewhat comforting … Powell taking time out of his busy day to tell everyone that it’ll all be OK.
On the other, it shows just how badly the situation has deteriorated. We now have the head of the Fed offering reassurance, not some lackey.
Oh, and those 3.28 million jobless claims? The market shrugged them off.
It seems that most of Wall Street believes that the worst is now behind us. Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group, summed up the Street’s opinion pretty well:
We all know the pain being felt and the economic damage being caused by this damn virus but because we are so close to getting past the worst of the spread, we need to start getting creative about what the restart will look like.
So close to getting past the worst of the spread?
The U.S. is about a month behind Italy in terms of COVID-19’s spread, and Italy hasn’t even peaked yet. We’re three months behind China, and it’s just now seeing the end of community spread. Both countries went into complete lockdown. While individual states have gone this route, the U.S. as a whole has not.
As hopeful as I want to be … as hopeful as Wall Street wants to be … we aren’t close to getting past the worst of the spread.
As the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, put it: “You don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.”
But … but the $2 trillion coronavirus rescue bill!
Yes, I hear you out there … protesting my negativity again. The Senate’s bill will blunt the impact, to be sure. But it can’t stop what’s already happening. Despite reassurances that everything will just bounce back … that this isn’t really a long-term economic problem in the U.S. … let me tell you now: It is.
What? You think the U.S. economy could just hire back those 3.28 million out-of-work Americans tomorrow if the coronavirus magically disappeared? Nope. It doesn’t work like that.
But, while the U.S. economy is going down, down in an early round, sugar we’re going down swinging. And Great Stuff will be your No. 1 with a bullet. A loaded market complex … cock it and pull it.
Now, here’s the thing — and listen up, all ye positivity seekers!
Just as the virus chooses the timeline for this whole crazy shebang…
Only you choose your investing timeline. Only you decide if you keep hanging in there.
If you ask expert Charles Mizrahi, the situation is crystal clear. You could either:
Capture peak gains like 300%, 500% and 600%.
Or let the market turmoil and the virus’s impact eat away your financial future.
Gains like those? In this kind of market?!
Yes, dear reader — there’s potential in any market. See, according to Charles: “What you do in this current meltdown will make all the difference on what your net worth will be in the next five years.”
So, while other folks around you join the fleeing fearful, you have a chance to gain a leg up. In fact, Charles Mizrahi thinks this moment is so crucial he recorded a special video presentation on how to leave all this market panic behind.
Click here now.
The Good: Remote Connections               
Investors are falling in love with Micron Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) in a hopeless place today.
The flash memory maker beat Wall Street’s second-quarter earnings and revenue estimates and issued solid third-quarter guidance.
In fact, Micron appears to benefit from COVID-19 lockdowns around the world. In its post-earnings conference call, the company highlighted rising demand for PCs, notebooks and other devices as more people work and study from home.
Furthermore, Micron noted additional demand in the data center market, as companies push to beef up cloud computing storage and performance amid spiking remote demand.
While now is clearly the time to be cautious about buying anything in the market, Micron is one company to keep on your short list of potential winners in this brave new world.
The Bad: 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer
Wanna tell you a story about the Cheesecake Factory Inc. (Nasdaq: CAKE) blues…
I read the headlines one particular Thursday and saw that Cheesecake Factory had lost its jobs. But that don’t confront me, long as I get my money next Thursday. Next Thursday come, and they didn’t have the rent … and out the door I went.
Seriously though, the Cheesecake Factory just sent a letter to its landlords that it won’t pay rent in April due to the coronavirus. Here’s an excerpt from a letter to landlords from CEO David Overton:
The severe decrease in restaurant traffic has severely decreased our cash flow and inflicted a tremendous financial blow to our business. Due to these extraordinary events, I am asking for your patience and, frankly, your help.
And it’s not just Cheesecake Factory acting kinda funny … everybody funny … now you funny too. Retailers, from clothier H&M to fast-foodie Subway, are all struggling to make rent.
If anything reinforces the idea that the COVID-19 situation is far from over, it’s retailers not paying rent. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time for a few drinks.
The Ugly: Old Junker
Growing up in rural Kentucky, I lived through the great Ford versus Chevy wars and endured many a heated argument on the topic. “Ford Don’t Make Junk” was among the many stickers plastered on the windows and tailgates of F-150s for as far as the eye could see.
Turns out, those bumper stickers weren’t quite accurate. Today, S&P Global Ratings cut Ford Motor Co.’s (NYSE: F) bonds to junk status. The ratings firm lowered Ford’s credit rating to BB+ (junk status) and said that it may lower its rating further as the coronavirus’s impact spreads.
S&P isn’t alone in its “junk” rating on Ford, however. Moody’s Investors Service cut its credit rating on the Big Blue Oval twice in the past month, citing a “credit shock” for automakers across the board.
But Ford has an answer … it plans on reopening production at key plants in April, including its Dearborn, Michigan, and Kentucky truck plants, its Kansas City Assembly Plant’s transit line and its Ohio Assembly Plant.
That’s all fine and dandy, but I’m pretty sure the United Auto Workers Union will have something to say about this. And it won’t be pretty.
You Marco, I Polo … it’s Reader Feedback time!
Let me just say, you guys have been busy … or maybe you’re just bored after being locked in your homes for days on end.
In the past week, Great Stuff received a veritable flood of comments with two common themes: You absolutely despise bailouts (especially for airlines) and you don’t think the market rout is over.
Let’s dive right into your comments:
The Unfriendly Skies
NO BAILOUT TO THOSE WHO BOUGHT BACK STOCK
— Stan B.
Airline bailout NOT. Only if that Airline assists our American citizens stuck away from their respective residents need to get home. Not for anyone just traveling. Bailout? Why do they need it as they have gouged the travelers for transporting their necessary luggage to the tune of millions of dollars of profit while still collecting their usual air fares. Why should we bail out these huge corporations. Use that money to help the smaller companies to keep their doors open. I personally am sick of seeing billions bailing out these high corporations that only turn around and use that money for the top management so called golden parachutes. Stop this madness of government bailouts.
— Peggy B.
Pigs to the trough, as usual. And, why should it shock you that R’s have no problems throwing tons of money at pillars of industry? Well, not exactly industry. Finance! That’s the magic word The Graduate should have been told. Not “plastics,” “finance”.
— Joe S.
Let them go under.
— Tony C.
Wow … the sheer vitriol dripping from your comments is … honestly, it’s a bit impressive. I don’t know whether to be proud of you or to start locking my doors.
As I’ve said several times here in Great Stuff, I don’t like stock buybacks — at all. It’s a company telling me they have nothing better to do with their money … nothing to invest or reinvest in. No new ideas to grow.
And now, those companies are paying the price. Well, somewhat of a price. A lot of them just got bailed out by the government … again.
It’s Not Over
Still doesn’t feel like the bottom.
I don’t see enough anger / despair that would mark the point at which all the buyers are exhausted.
Love your work – thanks!
— Gary W.
I believe it’s not over till people go back to work… I am a supplier to GM, laid off until the 13th… even then I could be laid off longer depending on how orders rise or fall… at the time of the layoff orders were down 15% before the virus hit…
— Timothy C.
 Most of your subscribers, I’m sure, want rosy pictures. Most investors do. They want to catch the bottom of the V. This time it’s an L, though.
By end of May most airlines in the world will go bankrupt. Restaurants, bars, gyms, taxis. Hotels, travel agencies, tourist attractions. Shops, malls, import/export companies. Trucking, railways, bus liners. Cinemas, museums, stadiums…
Investment banks with derivatives exposure, ETF spinners, trading houses, oil companies, automakers and aerospace are in trouble. Possibly miners too. And schools.
But investors want to believe that the FED is going to fix it all. Thing is, we should hope the FED doesn’t try. If they do, we’re all going to wake up with 1000s of $ in our pockets, and nothing to spend it on.
The ONLY moneys (FED or fiscal) that should be spent is on buying test kits from Russia, respirators from Elon Musk, hospital beds and walls. The ONE thing we need is a victory against the virus. Nothing else.
— Dan W.
Dan the man, you hit the nose on the head … or something like that. And Timothy, you are absolutely right.
This is what Great Stuff has said for a while. You can pass a $2 trillion spending bill to help things along, but it won’t magically rehire 3.28 million workers filing for unemployment. It won’t stop the virus from spreading.
Hunker down, dear readers. It’s going to be a rough ride. But, if you stay tuned in to Great Stuff and BanyanHill.com, I promise to keep telling you like it is and help guide you through the storm.
Finally, a shoutout to Angela O., Christine P., Phil G. and the others who have offered Great Stuff support for telling you the truth. Sticks and stones … you know. Thank you all!
Have you written in yet? What’s stopping you? Drop me a line at [email protected] and let me know how you’re doing out there in this crazy market.
That’s a wrap for today. But if you’re still craving more Great Stuff, you can check us out on social media: Facebook and Twitter.
Until next time, good trading!
Regards,
Joseph Hargett
Editor, Great Stuff
0 notes
magtop22 · 5 years
Text
New Post has been published on Top Auto Magazine
New Post has been published on https://topautomag.com/cars/hummer/2019-hummer-h1/
2019 Hummer H1
2019 Hummer H1 is a four-wheel-drive based on M998 Humvee, created by the General Assembly. The vehicle was released from 1992 to 2006 and it was the first thing to become a Hummer route. Initially, it is designed for legal use, an outdoor vehicle was removed from the international markets due to commercial demand. AM General continued to build Hummer H1 and Humvee in its Mishawaka, Indiana. MG stopped selling H1 in 2006, but AM AM continued to develop the Humvee military reforms.
#gallery-2 margin: auto; #gallery-2 .gallery-item float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 16%; #gallery-2 img border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; #gallery-2 .gallery-caption margin-left: 0; /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
2019 Hummer H1 Model
Hummer 2019 H1 4-Door
Hummer 2019 H1
Hummer H1 2019 Interior
Hummer H1 2019
New Hummer H1 2019
Hummer H1 2019 truck has other prohibited features, such as internal banks and wire fences that allow shafts of half shafts to be a high place, for larger space. The radiator goes up, moving on the engine to the hood-hinged hood. Installing high heights, allowing H1 to reach the water levels of the ass. Instead of using simple working tires, magnesium-aluminum alloy or rubber inserts are chosen for the ability to drive a flat-capacity. The options included leather chairs, playlists, and running boards.
2019 Hummer H1 Design
In 2019 Hummer H1 has been rebuilt in difficult areas, so the truck is very high with large tires, so the cabin is safe in mood and dust, but the management and control of the truck should be easy. The truck is quiet and small, and a clean roof and a wooden door make carved shape truck. The front end is also difficult, with a visible grid and arms in front of it as security. A car has pieces of pieces on the sides and a short stem with a cloth.
2019 Hummer H1 Truck
The Hummer H1 2019 models remain stable through their tracks. They will put 30 centimeters (76 cm) of water and increase to 56 inches (56 cm). Their position of an asset of 41 inches (41 cm) is made by looking at the components of the driveline within the level between the middle and the right seats. They have 72 / 37.5 degrees of highways. The majority of the H1 is equipped with the Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS), which enables the driver to increase or decrease the pressure on the key page, as the compulsion of small risks is necessary to travel on the road, and the demand for the desired tiles on the way.
2019 Hummer H1 Interior
The cabin is, as a diverse range of expectations, is very large and open and is very different from the automotive sports vehicles. Not only do the residences and dashboard, as well as the first rest areas and computers and additions to the back row, but have a new infotainment system that is unusual for sports vehicles. At first glance, the woman is very big in the class.
2019 Hummer H1 Engine
The big truck engine in 2019 Hummer H1 should be strong and controlled and managed because it is ideal for the running of the navigation system. A basic example is 6.5-liter V8 but comes from three changes, depending on the strength and time it produces. The first 190 horsepower options and 385 pound-foot of torque, secondly horse-power and 440 pound-foot of torque, while very strong LS3 V8 version of GM version and produce 430 horsepower and 424-foot-foot a couple. Unfortunately, we are not sure which transfers are generated items such as good connections and versions.
0 notes
topmag222 · 5 years
Text
New Post has been published on Top Auto Magazine
New Post has been published on http://topautomag.com/cars/hummer/2019-hummer-h1/
2019 Hummer H1
2019 Hummer H1 is a four-wheel-drive based on M998 Humvee, created by the General Assembly. The vehicle was released from 1992 to 2006 and it was the first thing to become a Hummer route. Initially, it is designed for legal use, an outdoor vehicle was removed from the international markets due to commercial demand. AM General continued to build Hummer H1 and Humvee in its Mishawaka, Indiana. MG stopped selling H1 in 2006, but AM AM continued to develop the Humvee military reforms.
#gallery-6 margin: auto; #gallery-6 .gallery-item float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 16%; #gallery-6 img border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; #gallery-6 .gallery-caption margin-left: 0; /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
2019 Hummer H1 Model
Hummer 2019 H1 4-Door
Hummer 2019 H1
Hummer H1 2019 Interior
Hummer H1 2019
New Hummer H1 2019
Hummer H1 2019 truck has other prohibited features, such as internal banks and wire fences that allow shafts of half shafts to be a high place, for larger space. The radiator goes up, moving on the engine to the hood-hinged hood. Installing high heights, allowing H1 to reach the water levels of the ass. Instead of using simple working tires, magnesium-aluminum alloy or rubber inserts are chosen for the ability to drive a flat-capacity. The options included leather chairs, playlists, and running boards.
2019 Hummer H1 Design
In 2019 Hummer H1 has been rebuilt in difficult areas, so the truck is very high with large tires, so the cabin is safe in mood and dust, but the management and control of the truck should be easy. The truck is quiet and small, and a clean roof and a wooden door make carved shape truck. The front end is also difficult, with a visible grid and arms in front of it as security. A car has pieces of pieces on the sides and a short stem with a cloth.
2019 Hummer H1 Truck
The Hummer H1 2019 models remain stable through their tracks. They will put 30 centimeters (76 cm) of water and increase to 56 inches (56 cm). Their position of an asset of 41 inches (41 cm) is made by looking at the components of the driveline within the level between the middle and the right seats. They have 72 / 37.5 degrees of highways. The majority of the H1 is equipped with the Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS), which enables the driver to increase or decrease the pressure on the key page, as the compulsion of small risks is necessary to travel on the road, and the demand for the desired tiles on the way.
2019 Hummer H1 Interior
The cabin is, as a diverse range of expectations, is very large and open and is very different from the automotive sports vehicles. Not only do the residences and dashboard, as well as the first rest areas and computers and additions to the back row, but have a new infotainment system that is unusual for sports vehicles. At first glance, the woman is very big in the class.
2019 Hummer H1 Engine
The big truck engine in 2019 Hummer H1 should be strong and controlled and managed because it is ideal for the running of the navigation system. A basic example is 6.5-liter V8 but comes from three changes, depending on the strength and time it produces. The first 190 horsepower options and 385 pound-foot of torque, secondly horse-power and 440 pound-foot of torque, while very strong LS3 V8 version of GM version and produce 430 horsepower and 424-foot-foot a couple. Unfortunately, we are not sure which transfers are generated items such as good connections and versions.
0 notes
localocksmithnearme · 4 years
Text
Buick Ignition Repair & Key Replacement Jersey City NJ
Tumblr media
Buick Ignition Repair & Key Replacement Jersey City NJ - CALL (973)200-4870
http://www.jerseycitykeyreplacement.com/buick.html
Jersey City Key Replacement is the primary specialist for immediate, truthful and adroit road side Buick lock smith service in Jersey City NJ. Our specialists are on a duty call 24 hr to come down to your juncture with today's Buick replacement keys, lockpick, key programmers and lock rekeying tools in addition to background in the industry adept to iron out any type of Buick lock, key and ignition associated headaches evading the towing-truck service to the regional Jersey City NJ dealer-ship, so you don't give-and-take on your safety. Our attendants can replace, repair and install door lock cylinder, outmoded ignition lock and electric push-start ignitions likewise form switch-blade key, smart-key and high security and many more on site.
Buick key replacement in Jersey City NJ
One of the main part of any Buick is it's key-lock instrumentation, which should be re-keyed if misplaced or warn out. When this style of a headache takes place we, at Jersey City Key Replacement, in Jersey City NJ, are utterly trained to manage all editions of vehicle ignition, key or lock complications on site.
Buick transponder key is especially coded to turn on a specific car and our knowhow man-power can construct Buick V.A.T, key-less entry, Tibbe or passive anti theft system keys, and furthermore install, repair or replace any type of keys, ignition and locks at your side 24 hours 7 days a week 3-hundred and sixty-five days a year.
About Buick key and lock system
Buick car brand was designed by the United States of America car-maker GM in Detroit, Michigan. The brand was 1st marketed in the United States of America in 1903 as mainstream cars. Since 1997  Buick designs combine.accommodate transponder keys that could be replicated in a bargain and simple procedure, while contemporary designs accept encoded transponders that must be programmed to the motor vehicle employing an appropriate diagnostic equipment and if all keys are lost, the engine control unit must be reflash.
Today's designs starting from  2007 ordinarily fitted with the most advance stylish Passive Entry Passive Start (PEPS) smartkey with components like blind spot data, push 2 start and keyless entry technologies.
Ignition lock repair
Your car ignition delivers power from the battery to exceedingly all of your car's electrical units and compose of tiny mechanical and electrical components that commonly tend to wear out after opening and closing the ignition system for many years.  
If your Buick dashboard security lights are on, ignition key is hard to turn in the ignition, key is stuck in the key-breach and would not turn and ignition key can't turn in the ignition, it is probably a signs of worn ignition lock or key as a result of dent ignition key, bad ignition switch contacts or high temperature that can surely cause the ignition switch to fail, restricting you from activating your car.
While operating a vehicle, poor ignition could shut the engine down during driving, which could be highly dangerous, which is why the best suggestion we can give not to tamper with the ignition switch by inexperienced hands as it might going to lead to a deeper damage and risk.
The only thing you advised to do bumping into ignition or key malfunctions is to make sure you’re actually attempting to turn on your own motor vehicle and schedule with a car keysmith to arrive to your location to replace, reprogram  rekey the ignition or key which will costs $160–$360.
Transponder chip key issue
Car locks, ignition and keys have progressed 20 years ago with development in transponder chip keys and high security cutting systems to enable actions such as automatic door opening and locking, remote start, power windows, car antitheft protection and many more.
Much as transponder chipped key is deeply favorable, replacing missing keys is no longer a brisk, low price commute to the provincial hardware store or dealer-ship. Occurrences like stolrn transponder chipped key, breaking a switch-blade key remote or losing your keyless entry at the beach, cutting the key trenches to fit the ignition lock is not going to be sufficient if you want to light up the car, because the key accommodate a transponder chip that should be programmatically fit to the vehicle computer unit and will cost you nearby 180-600$ depend on year, model and maker.
Buick smartkey
Keyless device remotes, also called (RKE or RKS) let owners to lock and unlock their truck or car clicking the remote as well as alternate traits as unlatching the trunk or lighting up the beam light to upturn visibility at night or in raw weather. Likewise, a lot of the modernized keys include remote starting feature which is appear to be standard on most advance vehicles.
Exceedingly all smart keys include a proximity-detector-based platform that is activated when the key-less entry moves within a particular range of the motor vehicle. This Smart-key are hands-free meaning that the car can be unlocked and locked or run and disband the car without owners input.
Copy vs lost car keys
2 decades ago, nearly all auto makers began to employ immobilizer and electronic keys as a protection measurement in which a car computer module will recognize the programmed key when you go to start up the car. If the vehicle doesn't recognize an appropriate key, ECM demobilize the fuel supply and the vehicle wouldn't kindle.
This technology operate as anti theft to accomplishes prevention against hot wiring or lock-picking the car and relief drivers and insurance companies in annihilating vehicle theft around the world, yet the prices of car keys went up to $45-$120 for a elemental copy  key with a chip and presumably at least a hundred dollar more if for a lost key.
24 hr car lockout
If you’re being subjected to the unfortunate situation of locking your car keys inside the car while pulling off the kids from school or at your workplace, Jersey City Key Replacement immediate vehicle lock-out skillful techs are able to be with you promptly to aptly unlock your car door for any type of Japanese, American, European or German manufacturer of cars shortly, put you back into your vehicle and retrieve your calmness.
Vehicle locks conversing
Jersey City Key Replacement is glad to stake all type of Buick refit services on site to put back a shattered, pinched or misplaced keys. Exceedingly all state-of-the-art car are assembled with electronic keys and locks instrumentation and the course needed to get your lock re keyed have to contain the decent coder for the precise car. Instead of towing your vehicle to the dealer, just upraise the buzz and call our call centre in Jersey City NJ and one of our car updating workmanship will be with you in the short run with a portable service van accommodating today's ignition parts, key cutters, programmers and blank keys ready to figure out any sort of emergency occurrences.
Lastly
We are prepared 24/7 rain or shine with the swiftest fastest response in town. If you find that your ignition key wont turn, need to program a new remote or misplaces the keys to your car and want avoid the tow truck to the dealer-ship, call us now at (973)200-4870, provide your year, automobile manufacturer, model and your location. Our thoroughly fitted local man-power are ready to response hastily replace your ignition lock, open your locked car or duplicate a flip-key or a smartkey on-site and get you back inside your car shortly with affordable rates. . If you’re inspecting for Car key replacement service in Jersey City New Jersey call (973)200-4870 for a reliable local automotive locksmith, who duplicate and replace trunk, door and ignition keys and remote fob made on the spot.
0 notes
itsworn · 5 years
Text
Dyno Tested: Add 60HP to a Junkyard 5.3L LS for Just $100
Get 60 HP more from a 5.3L LS with a used LS9 cam and LS3 valvesprings.
LS cam swaps are all the rage, but how many of them offer 60 horsepower for just $100?
What kind of new math is add 9 to your 7, but don’t forget to carry the 3? Well, it’s the kind of new LS math where you add 60 horsepower to your junkyard 5.3L for the paltry sum of just $100. Interested, now? We thought so! Now we all know the LS is still the hottest thing going in the performance industry, and that nothing wakes up an LS like a cam swap, right? The problem with a cam swap, like anything else we want to do with our car, is the expense. While the installation of a typical aftermarket cam is money well spent, and represents one heck of a performance bargain, who among us isn’t looking to save a few bucks here and there? That is what this test is all about.
Our junkyard LM7 was the mildest of the factory 5.3L offerings. After plucking from the local Pick-a-Part, we performed an injector upgrade. Because it would eventually see boost, we replaced the stock injectors with a set of 80-pounders.
While a cam and springs can easily set you back over $400, what if we told you there was a way to get plenty of performance for a fraction of that price? You heard it right, we managed to coax an extra 60 horsepower from a freshly scored junkyard 5.3L with a cam and springs for a measly Benjamin. Of course, our components were used, but by no means were they special deals, since we saw plenty offered near this price point.
The 5.3L was run on the dyno with these DNA 1 ¾-inch, long-tube headers feeding a 2.5-inch exhaust.
The key to the $100 cam swap was choosing the right cam, followed by the right springs. While an aftermarket cam might well offer even bigger power gains, the cost per horsepower definitely favors this low-buck route. If you are looking to get more performance from your 5.3L, don’t look to the aftermarket, look back at the factory, namely the LS9. Why install an LS9 cam designed for a supercharged 6.2L into our naturally aspirated 5.3L, you ask? A quick look at the specs of the two cams will reveal the power potential.
This early (Gen 3) LM7 was equipped with a manual, cable-operated throttle body.
The factory LM7 5.3L cam, a profile shared with the smaller 4.8L LR4, was the mildest cam ever offered by the factory. With specs of .457/.466 lift, 191/190-degree duration, and 115.5 LSA, the 5.3L stick was hardly what you could consider a power house. By contrast, the LS9 cam offered a .558/.552 lift split, a 211/230-degree duration split, and (wide) 122.5 degree LSA. Though designed for a positive displacement blower, in a larger motor no less, the GM cam offered a lot of performance when stuffed into the smaller 5.3L. Case in point, the cam swap increased the engine speed where the motor made peak power by almost 1,000 rpm! On the smaller 5.3L, the LS9 cam definitely wanted to rev.
Run on the dyno with a Holley HP ECU, a Meziere electric water pump and no accessories, the crusty, stock-cammed 5.3L produced 342 hp at 5,300 rpm and 373 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 rpm.
If you perform a search for LS cams, chances are the least expensive cam to come up (even new) will be the LS9. GM still offers the popular cam near $150 brand new, but since so many LS9 owners have upgraded their cams, there are plenty of used versions available through forums, groups, and eBay. In the interest of full disclosure, it should be pointed out that the factory LS9 cam did not feature a rear cam sensor, and would therefore require a change in not only the cam gear (to a 1x if Gen 3), but also the front cover and associated cam sensor. Our 5.3L was run with an aftermarket Holley HP ECU and required no such change, but that would certainly bring the price up. It might also have us thinking about the more expensive LS6 cams.
To prep for the $100 cam swap, we first removed the stock rockers to allow access to the wimpy stock truck springs. Using this spring compressor tool from Comp Cams, we began our spring swap by compressing the stock truck springs.
The factory LS3 cam is a good choice, as it offers better low-speed power compared to the LS9, but slightly less power on the big end. It does, however, require the same kind of upgrades as the LS9, meaning the front cover, cam sprocket, and sensor. In terms of valve springs, all of the cams mentioned (including the LS9) can be run with cheap, used factory LS3 springs. We nabbed a set of used take-offs for $30. When combined with the $70 used LS9 cam (the LS7 cam offers identical performance when run with the LM7 1.7 rockers), our total expenditure for the cam swap was a cool $100!
Now that we have covered the reason for our purchase and the associated costs, let’s take a look at the results. Fresh from the junkyard, our 5.3L LM7 test motor was covered with over 200K miles worth of grease and grime. It is amazing how well these things run with so many miles, especially after we saw the condition of a couple of the cam lobes. No longer smooth and shiny, the lobes were nonetheless intact and thanks to working roller lifters, offered not only a smooth idle but plenty of (stock level) performance. Run on the dyno with the stock cam, long-tube headers, and no accessories, the 5.3L produced 342 hp at 5,300 rpm and 373 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 rpm.
After installation of the LS9 cam and LS3 springs, the power output jumped to 402 hp at 6,200 rpm and 379 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm. The LS9 cam sure offered plenty of extra power on the big end, but take a note of the torque loss down low, especially for you truck guys. Looking at the curve, you might be wondering why we would pick a blower cam, even one that costs just $100, with so much emphasis on the top of the rev range? To find out, you’ll have to check back with us next time when we install a Vortech supercharger on this bad boy!
With the springs sufficiently compressed, we removed the keepers using a magnet. After removing the stock springs, we replaced them with a set of used LS3 springs purchased for the paltry sum of $30.
Our take-off LS3 springs came with the stock retainers, but the truck retainers can also be used here. We installed the LS3 springs into place under the spring compressor. Then, we adjusted the compressor to allow installation of the keepers.
Once we removed the force holding the springs, the installation was complete. Now all we had to do was repeat the procedure with the remainder of the stock truck springs.
With our LS3 springs in place, we reinstalled the stock pushrods and rocker arms.
After swapping out the valve springs, we turned our attention to the camshaft. Off came the stock damper and front cover to provide access to the timing chain.
We then removed the stock cam-retaining plate to allow removal of the wimpy, stock LM7 camshaft. The stock 5.3L cam was well used, so out it came. A couple of the cam lobes showed signs of wear, but the motor still idled and ran well.
In went the used LS9 cam. Compared to the LM7 cam specs (.457-/.466-inch lift, 190-/191-degrees duration, 115.5 LSA), the LS9 (.558-/.552-inch lift, 211-/230-degrees duration, 122.5 LSA) looked plenty powerful. Because it was a factory cam, the wilder LS9 still idled like a stock cam with 19-20 inches of idle vacuum.
On The Dyno:
$100 Cam Swap
What can you get for $100 these days? How about an extra 60 hp from a cam swap? For this test, we upgraded the stock LM7 cam and springs with an LS9 cam and LS3 valve springs. The used take-offs are available from a variety of sources; we got both of ours for an even $100 ($70 for the cam and $30 for the springs). Equipped with the stock cam, the well-used, junkyard 5.3L produced 342 hp at 5,300 rpm and 373 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 rpm. After installation of the LS9 cam and LS3 springs, the power output jumped to 402 hp at 6,200 rpm and 379 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm.
The post Dyno Tested: Add 60HP to a Junkyard 5.3L LS for Just $100 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.
from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/dyno-tested-add-60hp-junkyard-53l-ls-just-100/ via IFTTT
0 notes
migrately · 6 years
Text
Storm Clouds on the Horizon: Restructuring Risks Facing the Auto Industry
While the economy overall is strong and vehicle sales are still robust, there are risks in the industry that may affect the supply chain and cause disruptions throughout the year. Chief among these are the ongoing concerns regarding tariffs on products such as steel and aluminum, along with the on-again, off-again trade disputes with China.
In addition to the upheaval in global markets, the shift away from passenger cars and toward trucks and sport utility vehicles has caused automakers to realign their product offerings and even end the production of several car models. For suppliers, who have been dependent on contracts to provide parts for these vehicles, this realignment could be problematic. In addition, higher interest rates may complicate financing for businesses that need additional capital to address these changed circumstances.
Global Trade Uncertainties
The Trump administration’s policies – which are designed, among other things, to correct perceived trade imbalances with America’s largest trading partners – are having a significant impact on the automotive industry. Commodity costs are rising dramatically due to increased tariffs and the retaliatory tariffs other countries have imposed. Increased commodity costs also negatively impact suppliers’ profitability, particularly smaller suppliers that are already grappling with pressure from higher raw materials costs that cannot be passed on to customers under fixed-price contracts.
Perhaps more alarming than the stress higher tariffs are causing for the industry is the constant uncertainty of what the future holds. For example, President Trump’s recent decision to delay new tariffs on Chinese imports is a positive development, but it is still unclear whether trade negotiations will be successful. The Trump administration’s threat to add tariffs to certain imported vehicles (particularly German cars) is also a cause for concern among automakers and suppliers. Suppliers that may be subject to new tariffs or restrictions on product sales are in a difficult position as they have little ability to anticipate these changes and react accordingly. Therefore, as the ongoing trade disputes with China and Europe, among others, continue to develop, customers will need to be aware of potential risks to their downline suppliers and anticipate future problems before they affect the supply chain.
Reduced Volumes and Changes in Consumer Taste
In the past few years, the demand for passenger cars in the U.S. has decreased. While the demand for SUVs and light truck products has increased, this is unlikely to offset the reduced car demand. Manufacturers are already responding by changing their product lines and eliminating car models altogether. Late last year, GM announced that it would stop producing several car models, idling five plants in North America and implementing layoffs of more than 10 percent of its workforce. Earlier in the year, Ford announced that it would no longer produce any passenger cars, except for the Mustang.
According to Laura Marcero, the industrial practice leader at Huron Consulting Group, suppliers are likely to see softening volumes in the near-term due to these production changes. These shift in demand will affect suppliers that focus on producing products for passenger cars, and also those that may have already been experiencing some financial difficulty. This is likely to exacerbate the effect of increasing commodity costs and trade woes facing suppliers and the industry as a whole.
Increasing Interest Rates
The Federal Reserve increased interest rates several times in 2018. As interest rates go up, borrowing becomes more expensive, both for businesses that rely on commercial credit, and for consumers, including those looking to finance new vehicle purchases. Furthermore, while credit has been relatively easy to obtain in the past few years, many businesses are carrying significant debt loads and may have trouble financing those obligations in the future, causing them to falter.
Identifying and Protecting Against Troubled Suppliers
The market conditions above are likely to cause some suppliers to have difficulty fulfilling their contracts, or to seek price increases from their customers, including other, higher-tier suppliers. In addition, the shift away from passenger cars may cause individual suppliers who are either dependent on those products or who are operating on thin margins to falter. A troubled supplier can cause significant harm to the upstream suppliers and ultimately customers. Customers should routinely evaluate the companies in their supply chain for warning signs of distress.
Here are some of the top warning signs for troubled suppliers, along with potential actions to reduce the disruption that may be caused by a troubled supplier:
A. Warning Signs of Supplier Distress
Key warning signs to look for include:
Supplier requests for price increases, accelerated payment terms, or customer financing support, or use of factoring
Late deliveries or changes in product quality
Requests for technical support
Failure to update IT systems or to appropriately use existing technology in the industry
Failure to effectuate cost reductions
Deteriorating accounts receivable and accounts payable
Employment of consultants and financial advisors
Deteriorating market position
Restatement or delays in issuing audited financial statements
Changes in key management positions
Renegotiated debt covenants, incurrence of new debt, fully drawn lines of credit and impending maturity dates
B. Action Plans for Customers of Troubled Suppliers
Where these signs exist, the exercise of common law and statutory remedies may allow a customer of a troubled supplier to achieve proactive changes to standard terms and conditions of new contracts (or negotiated changes to existing contracts). By using these tactics, customers can prioritize, understand and address troubled supplier situations with greater advance awareness, leverage and options.
Customers also should routinely analyze their contracts to maximize their position in dealing with potentially troubled suppliers. A customer’s existing contracts with a given supplier have a substantial effect on the customer’s rights and remedies, both pre-bankruptcy and post-bankruptcy. For example, the terms of the contracts govern critical issues such as:
Each party’s ability to terminate the contracts
The supplier’s ability to stop shipment and impose “hostage” demands
A customer’s ability to resource production to another, healthier supplier
A customer’s ability to utilize certain contract remedies, including to demand adequate assurance of future performance pursuant to section 2-609 of the UCC or consider the contracts repudiated by the supplier
Whether a contract is considered an “executory” contract in bankruptcy, whether it is integrated with other contracts, and the corresponding impact on the duty to perform in bankruptcy
The troubled supplier’s ability to assume and assign, or reject, the contract in bankruptcy
A customer’s ability to recover tooling
Lien rights
Setoff rights
Through the imposition and application of statutory and common law contract rights, manufacturers can avoid troubled companies’ use of their own ordinarily broad bankruptcy rights to reject contracts for continued supply of goods. Where signs of financial distress are apparent, or a manufacturer otherwise has reasonable grounds to believe that a supplier’s future performance is in doubt, a manufacturer may be able to demand adequate assurance of future performance from the supplier under section 2-609 of the UCC.
If such assurance is not provided, a manufacturer may be able to consider the contract repudiated, which allows them to either resource or suspend shipment, or to negotiate or impose more protective or otherwise better terms in order to “shore up” contract rights before a bankruptcy filing. These strategies can drastically alter the parties’ rights after a bankruptcy filing and provide greater leverage in negotiations and better outcomes.
To preserve supply, manufacturers also may participate in a pre-bankruptcy workout – which is intended to keep a troubled supplier on the verge of bankruptcy from ceasing production of necessary parts – by restructuring the supplier’s debt and capital structure. These transactions often include tripartite agreements among the troubled supplier, its significant customers, and its secured lenders in order to solidify each party’s commitments to keep the supplier operating during the workout (or bankruptcy).
These agreements commonly consist of access and accommodation agreements, as well as subordinated participation agreements. Through an accommodation agreement, the customers may provide (often as a group) accommodations that solidify the lenders’ collateral base through protections on inventory and receivables, commitments to continue sourcing of existing parts to the troubled supplier and limitations on setoffs, while the lender agrees to provide working capital financing and not to foreclose.
Furthermore, customer accommodations may include financing support, in which case the customer should obtain a participation agreement to obtain collateral for any financing it provides. An access agreement permits the customer, under certain circumstances threatening production and only as a last resort, to access the supplier’s plant to produce parts using the supplier’s own equipment, and employees, pending transfer of the contract or facility to a healthier supplier.
Faced with unknown foreign trade risks, increasing commodity costs and interest rates, and the realignment of vehicle lines to account for shifting consumer demand, all suppliers and customers need to be aware of any potential disruption in the supply chain. By actively monitoring vendors and taking the proactive steps outlined above, automotive suppliers can protect the supply of critical parts and continue to fulfill their contracts with their own customers.
For more on this and other trending topics in the automotive industry, click here to download Foley’s white paper, Top Legal Issues Facing the Automotive Industry in 2019.
Storm Clouds on the Horizon: Restructuring Risks Facing the Auto Industry published first on https://medium.com/@888MigrationServices
0 notes
thegoviza · 6 years
Text
Storm Clouds on the Horizon: Restructuring Risks Facing the Auto Industry
While the economy overall is strong and vehicle sales are still robust, there are risks in the industry that may affect the supply chain and cause disruptions throughout the year. Chief among these are the ongoing concerns regarding tariffs on products such as steel and aluminum, along with the on-again, off-again trade disputes with China.
In addition to the upheaval in global markets, the shift away from passenger cars and toward trucks and sport utility vehicles has caused automakers to realign their product offerings and even end the production of several car models. For suppliers, who have been dependent on contracts to provide parts for these vehicles, this realignment could be problematic. In addition, higher interest rates may complicate financing for businesses that need additional capital to address these changed circumstances.
Global Trade Uncertainties
The Trump administration’s policies – which are designed, among other things, to correct perceived trade imbalances with America’s largest trading partners – are having a significant impact on the automotive industry. Commodity costs are rising dramatically due to increased tariffs and the retaliatory tariffs other countries have imposed. Increased commodity costs also negatively impact suppliers’ profitability, particularly smaller suppliers that are already grappling with pressure from higher raw materials costs that cannot be passed on to customers under fixed-price contracts.
Perhaps more alarming than the stress higher tariffs are causing for the industry is the constant uncertainty of what the future holds. For example, President Trump’s recent decision to delay new tariffs on Chinese imports is a positive development, but it is still unclear whether trade negotiations will be successful. The Trump administration’s threat to add tariffs to certain imported vehicles (particularly German cars) is also a cause for concern among automakers and suppliers. Suppliers that may be subject to new tariffs or restrictions on product sales are in a difficult position as they have little ability to anticipate these changes and react accordingly. Therefore, as the ongoing trade disputes with China and Europe, among others, continue to develop, customers will need to be aware of potential risks to their downline suppliers and anticipate future problems before they affect the supply chain.
Reduced Volumes and Changes in Consumer Taste
In the past few years, the demand for passenger cars in the U.S. has decreased. While the demand for SUVs and light truck products has increased, this is unlikely to offset the reduced car demand. Manufacturers are already responding by changing their product lines and eliminating car models altogether. Late last year, GM announced that it would stop producing several car models, idling five plants in North America and implementing layoffs of more than 10 percent of its workforce. Earlier in the year, Ford announced that it would no longer produce any passenger cars, except for the Mustang.
According to Laura Marcero, the industrial practice leader at Huron Consulting Group, suppliers are likely to see softening volumes in the near-term due to these production changes. These shift in demand will affect suppliers that focus on producing products for passenger cars, and also those that may have already been experiencing some financial difficulty. This is likely to exacerbate the effect of increasing commodity costs and trade woes facing suppliers and the industry as a whole.
Increasing Interest Rates
The Federal Reserve increased interest rates several times in 2018. As interest rates go up, borrowing becomes more expensive, both for businesses that rely on commercial credit, and for consumers, including those looking to finance new vehicle purchases. Furthermore, while credit has been relatively easy to obtain in the past few years, many businesses are carrying significant debt loads and may have trouble financing those obligations in the future, causing them to falter.
Identifying and Protecting Against Troubled Suppliers
The market conditions above are likely to cause some suppliers to have difficulty fulfilling their contracts, or to seek price increases from their customers, including other, higher-tier suppliers. In addition, the shift away from passenger cars may cause individual suppliers who are either dependent on those products or who are operating on thin margins to falter. A troubled supplier can cause significant harm to the upstream suppliers and ultimately customers. Customers should routinely evaluate the companies in their supply chain for warning signs of distress.
Here are some of the top warning signs for troubled suppliers, along with potential actions to reduce the disruption that may be caused by a troubled supplier:
A. Warning Signs of Supplier Distress
Key warning signs to look for include:
Supplier requests for price increases, accelerated payment terms, or customer financing support, or use of factoring
Late deliveries or changes in product quality
Requests for technical support
Failure to update IT systems or to appropriately use existing technology in the industry
Failure to effectuate cost reductions
Deteriorating accounts receivable and accounts payable
Employment of consultants and financial advisors
Deteriorating market position
Restatement or delays in issuing audited financial statements
Changes in key management positions
Renegotiated debt covenants, incurrence of new debt, fully drawn lines of credit and impending maturity dates
B. Action Plans for Customers of Troubled Suppliers
Where these signs exist, the exercise of common law and statutory remedies may allow a customer of a troubled supplier to achieve proactive changes to standard terms and conditions of new contracts (or negotiated changes to existing contracts). By using these tactics, customers can prioritize, understand and address troubled supplier situations with greater advance awareness, leverage and options.
Customers also should routinely analyze their contracts to maximize their position in dealing with potentially troubled suppliers. A customer’s existing contracts with a given supplier have a substantial effect on the customer’s rights and remedies, both pre-bankruptcy and post-bankruptcy. For example, the terms of the contracts govern critical issues such as:
Each party’s ability to terminate the contracts
The supplier’s ability to stop shipment and impose “hostage” demands
A customer’s ability to resource production to another, healthier supplier
A customer’s ability to utilize certain contract remedies, including to demand adequate assurance of future performance pursuant to section 2-609 of the UCC or consider the contracts repudiated by the supplier
Whether a contract is considered an “executory” contract in bankruptcy, whether it is integrated with other contracts, and the corresponding impact on the duty to perform in bankruptcy
The troubled supplier’s ability to assume and assign, or reject, the contract in bankruptcy
A customer’s ability to recover tooling
Lien rights
Setoff rights
Through the imposition and application of statutory and common law contract rights, manufacturers can avoid troubled companies’ use of their own ordinarily broad bankruptcy rights to reject contracts for continued supply of goods. Where signs of financial distress are apparent, or a manufacturer otherwise has reasonable grounds to believe that a supplier’s future performance is in doubt, a manufacturer may be able to demand adequate assurance of future performance from the supplier under section 2-609 of the UCC.
If such assurance is not provided, a manufacturer may be able to consider the contract repudiated, which allows them to either resource or suspend shipment, or to negotiate or impose more protective or otherwise better terms in order to “shore up” contract rights before a bankruptcy filing. These strategies can drastically alter the parties’ rights after a bankruptcy filing and provide greater leverage in negotiations and better outcomes.
To preserve supply, manufacturers also may participate in a pre-bankruptcy workout – which is intended to keep a troubled supplier on the verge of bankruptcy from ceasing production of necessary parts – by restructuring the supplier’s debt and capital structure. These transactions often include tripartite agreements among the troubled supplier, its significant customers, and its secured lenders in order to solidify each party’s commitments to keep the supplier operating during the workout (or bankruptcy).
These agreements commonly consist of access and accommodation agreements, as well as subordinated participation agreements. Through an accommodation agreement, the customers may provide (often as a group) accommodations that solidify the lenders’ collateral base through protections on inventory and receivables, commitments to continue sourcing of existing parts to the troubled supplier and limitations on setoffs, while the lender agrees to provide working capital financing and not to foreclose.
Furthermore, customer accommodations may include financing support, in which case the customer should obtain a participation agreement to obtain collateral for any financing it provides. An access agreement permits the customer, under certain circumstances threatening production and only as a last resort, to access the supplier’s plant to produce parts using the supplier’s own equipment, and employees, pending transfer of the contract or facility to a healthier supplier.
Faced with unknown foreign trade risks, increasing commodity costs and interest rates, and the realignment of vehicle lines to account for shifting consumer demand, all suppliers and customers need to be aware of any potential disruption in the supply chain. By actively monitoring vendors and taking the proactive steps outlined above, automotive suppliers can protect the supply of critical parts and continue to fulfill their contracts with their own customers.
For more on this and other trending topics in the automotive industry, click here to download Foley’s white paper, Top Legal Issues Facing the Automotive Industry in 2019.
Storm Clouds on the Horizon: Restructuring Risks Facing the Auto Industry published first on https://888migrationservicesau.tumblr.com
0 notes
Text
Storm Clouds on the Horizon: Restructuring Risks Facing the Auto Industry
While the economy overall is strong and vehicle sales are still robust, there are risks in the industry that may affect the supply chain and cause disruptions throughout the year. Chief among these are the ongoing concerns regarding tariffs on products such as steel and aluminum, along with the on-again, off-again trade disputes with China.
In addition to the upheaval in global markets, the shift away from passenger cars and toward trucks and sport utility vehicles has caused automakers to realign their product offerings and even end the production of several car models. For suppliers, who have been dependent on contracts to provide parts for these vehicles, this realignment could be problematic. In addition, higher interest rates may complicate financing for businesses that need additional capital to address these changed circumstances.
Global Trade Uncertainties
The Trump administration’s policies – which are designed, among other things, to correct perceived trade imbalances with America’s largest trading partners – are having a significant impact on the automotive industry. Commodity costs are rising dramatically due to increased tariffs and the retaliatory tariffs other countries have imposed. Increased commodity costs also negatively impact suppliers’ profitability, particularly smaller suppliers that are already grappling with pressure from higher raw materials costs that cannot be passed on to customers under fixed-price contracts.
Perhaps more alarming than the stress higher tariffs are causing for the industry is the constant uncertainty of what the future holds. For example, President Trump’s recent decision to delay new tariffs on Chinese imports is a positive development, but it is still unclear whether trade negotiations will be successful. The Trump administration’s threat to add tariffs to certain imported vehicles (particularly German cars) is also a cause for concern among automakers and suppliers. Suppliers that may be subject to new tariffs or restrictions on product sales are in a difficult position as they have little ability to anticipate these changes and react accordingly. Therefore, as the ongoing trade disputes with China and Europe, among others, continue to develop, customers will need to be aware of potential risks to their downline suppliers and anticipate future problems before they affect the supply chain.
Reduced Volumes and Changes in Consumer Taste
In the past few years, the demand for passenger cars in the U.S. has decreased. While the demand for SUVs and light truck products has increased, this is unlikely to offset the reduced car demand. Manufacturers are already responding by changing their product lines and eliminating car models altogether. Late last year, GM announced that it would stop producing several car models, idling five plants in North America and implementing layoffs of more than 10 percent of its workforce. Earlier in the year, Ford announced that it would no longer produce any passenger cars, except for the Mustang.
According to Laura Marcero, the industrial practice leader at Huron Consulting Group, suppliers are likely to see softening volumes in the near-term due to these production changes. These shift in demand will affect suppliers that focus on producing products for passenger cars, and also those that may have already been experiencing some financial difficulty. This is likely to exacerbate the effect of increasing commodity costs and trade woes facing suppliers and the industry as a whole.
Increasing Interest Rates
The Federal Reserve increased interest rates several times in 2018. As interest rates go up, borrowing becomes more expensive, both for businesses that rely on commercial credit, and for consumers, including those looking to finance new vehicle purchases. Furthermore, while credit has been relatively easy to obtain in the past few years, many businesses are carrying significant debt loads and may have trouble financing those obligations in the future, causing them to falter.
Identifying and Protecting Against Troubled Suppliers
The market conditions above are likely to cause some suppliers to have difficulty fulfilling their contracts, or to seek price increases from their customers, including other, higher-tier suppliers. In addition, the shift away from passenger cars may cause individual suppliers who are either dependent on those products or who are operating on thin margins to falter. A troubled supplier can cause significant harm to the upstream suppliers and ultimately customers. Customers should routinely evaluate the companies in their supply chain for warning signs of distress.
Here are some of the top warning signs for troubled suppliers, along with potential actions to reduce the disruption that may be caused by a troubled supplier:
A. Warning Signs of Supplier Distress
Key warning signs to look for include:
Supplier requests for price increases, accelerated payment terms, or customer financing support, or use of factoring
Late deliveries or changes in product quality
Requests for technical support
Failure to update IT systems or to appropriately use existing technology in the industry
Failure to effectuate cost reductions
Deteriorating accounts receivable and accounts payable
Employment of consultants and financial advisors
Deteriorating market position
Restatement or delays in issuing audited financial statements
Changes in key management positions
Renegotiated debt covenants, incurrence of new debt, fully drawn lines of credit and impending maturity dates
B. Action Plans for Customers of Troubled Suppliers
Where these signs exist, the exercise of common law and statutory remedies may allow a customer of a troubled supplier to achieve proactive changes to standard terms and conditions of new contracts (or negotiated changes to existing contracts). By using these tactics, customers can prioritize, understand and address troubled supplier situations with greater advance awareness, leverage and options.
Customers also should routinely analyze their contracts to maximize their position in dealing with potentially troubled suppliers. A customer’s existing contracts with a given supplier have a substantial effect on the customer’s rights and remedies, both pre-bankruptcy and post-bankruptcy. For example, the terms of the contracts govern critical issues such as:
Each party’s ability to terminate the contracts
The supplier’s ability to stop shipment and impose “hostage” demands
A customer’s ability to resource production to another, healthier supplier
A customer’s ability to utilize certain contract remedies, including to demand adequate assurance of future performance pursuant to section 2-609 of the UCC or consider the contracts repudiated by the supplier
Whether a contract is considered an “executory” contract in bankruptcy, whether it is integrated with other contracts, and the corresponding impact on the duty to perform in bankruptcy
The troubled supplier’s ability to assume and assign, or reject, the contract in bankruptcy
A customer’s ability to recover tooling
Lien rights
Setoff rights
Through the imposition and application of statutory and common law contract rights, manufacturers can avoid troubled companies’ use of their own ordinarily broad bankruptcy rights to reject contracts for continued supply of goods. Where signs of financial distress are apparent, or a manufacturer otherwise has reasonable grounds to believe that a supplier’s future performance is in doubt, a manufacturer may be able to demand adequate assurance of future performance from the supplier under section 2-609 of the UCC.
If such assurance is not provided, a manufacturer may be able to consider the contract repudiated, which allows them to either resource or suspend shipment, or to negotiate or impose more protective or otherwise better terms in order to “shore up” contract rights before a bankruptcy filing. These strategies can drastically alter the parties’ rights after a bankruptcy filing and provide greater leverage in negotiations and better outcomes.
To preserve supply, manufacturers also may participate in a pre-bankruptcy workout – which is intended to keep a troubled supplier on the verge of bankruptcy from ceasing production of necessary parts – by restructuring the supplier’s debt and capital structure. These transactions often include tripartite agreements among the troubled supplier, its significant customers, and its secured lenders in order to solidify each party’s commitments to keep the supplier operating during the workout (or bankruptcy).
These agreements commonly consist of access and accommodation agreements, as well as subordinated participation agreements. Through an accommodation agreement, the customers may provide (often as a group) accommodations that solidify the lenders’ collateral base through protections on inventory and receivables, commitments to continue sourcing of existing parts to the troubled supplier and limitations on setoffs, while the lender agrees to provide working capital financing and not to foreclose.
Furthermore, customer accommodations may include financing support, in which case the customer should obtain a participation agreement to obtain collateral for any financing it provides. An access agreement permits the customer, under certain circumstances threatening production and only as a last resort, to access the supplier’s plant to produce parts using the supplier’s own equipment, and employees, pending transfer of the contract or facility to a healthier supplier.
Faced with unknown foreign trade risks, increasing commodity costs and interest rates, and the realignment of vehicle lines to account for shifting consumer demand, all suppliers and customers need to be aware of any potential disruption in the supply chain. By actively monitoring vendors and taking the proactive steps outlined above, automotive suppliers can protect the supply of critical parts and continue to fulfill their contracts with their own customers.
For more on this and other trending topics in the automotive industry, click here to download Foley’s white paper, Top Legal Issues Facing the Automotive Industry in 2019.
Storm Clouds on the Horizon: Restructuring Risks Facing the Auto Industry published first on http://simonconsultancypage.tumblr.com/
0 notes
olko71 · 6 years
Text
New Post has been published on All about business online
New Post has been published on http://yaroreviews.info/2019/01/gms-washington-charm-offensive-sidelined-by-wall-streets-push-for-profit
GM's Washington charm offensive sidelined by Wall Street's push for profit
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – General Motors code named its November announcement to cut nearly 15,000 jobs in North America & restructure itself “Turbo,” suggesting a leaner approach for the largest U.S. automaker would “accelerate its transformation.”
A logo of General Motors is pictured at its plant in Silao, in Guanajuato state, Mexico, November 9, 2017. Picture taken November 9, 2017. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido
Wall Street investors cheered the ambition to obtain smaller & boost profits. But in Washington, the move remains a public relations crisis that threatens to derail a methodical effort by Chief Executive Mary Barra to keep GM in satisfactory graces with the White House & other politicians.
President Donald Trump called Barra’s decision “nasty” & said GM had “better” find a product to build at a plant in Ohio, a pivotal state for Trump’s 2020 re-election effort. Representative Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from southeast Michigan & former GM employee, said at the time that GM had become “the most thoroughly disliked company in Washington.”
At the Detroit auto show this week where GM is faces off with politicians from the states most impacted by its job cuts, Dingell told Reuters that “GM is going to work tough to improve relationships.”
Despite the angst in Washington, Barra & her deputies are showing no signs of shifting gears.
“We’re not here to make everybody angry,” GM President Mark Reuss told Reuters this week at the auto show. He said GM’s restructuring is driven by many factors – including the need to offset tariff costs & finance new electric vehicles & battery technology. That requires GM to stop “investing money in things that don’t make money.”
It is a message Barra herself hit tough on Friday during a presentation to investors in New York, where she promised stronger profits & outlined plans for its Cadillac brand to challenge Tesla Inc (TSLA.O).
“We have demonstrated time & again that we are willing to make tough & strategic decisions to not only meet our commitments yet to secure the company’s future,” Barra said.
Barra’s charm offensive had proven successful for most of President Donald Trump’s first two years in office. Atop Barra’s list of accomplishments: shielding GM’s profitable Mexican truck production & its $5 billion investment in its Mexican operations announced in 2014 to double capacity in Mexico from punitive trade measures from the Trump administration.
But the new clash with Washington comes at a critical time for GM, which wants to sell many more electric vehicles & has been lobbying Congress to expand the $7,500 tax credits. It still needs assist from regulators to obtain self-driving cars without steering wheels on U.S. roads.
And GM stands to benefit from the Trump administration’s plan to weaken fuel efficiency standards
“We’ve done this to assist you, & I think his disappointment is it seems like they kind of turned their back on him,” White House profitable adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters in November, referring to Trump’s reaction.
Kyle Martin, research analyst with Westwood Management in Dallas, which owns GM shares, said GM needs the cash to develop to electric vehicle & autonomous vehicle technology.
“That money has to come from somewhere,” he said.
WORKING WASHINGTON Trump’s election win brought a dire warning from GM executives in a presentation in late 2017 & early 2018 to the company’s board: an end to the North American Free Trade Agreement could cost the automaker billions of dollars in tariffs on GM’s Mexican vehicles. They concluded that the costs would still be less than the billions of dollars & years it would take to shift production to the United States, people briefed on the matter said.
GM argued that while it was building autonomous vehicles & electric vehicles in the United States, it needed to keep generating profits on Mexican-built trucks to fund those operations, people briefed on the talks said.
So Barra made engaging with the White House after Trump’s election a key focus, three people briefed on the matter said.
She went to dinner at the house of Trump’s daughter Ivanka, & spoke on several occasions with Trump himself. Barra hired a former senior Trump aide who handled trade policy issues, Everett Eissenstat, to run GM’s DC office in August.
And she has had many talks with U.S. officials, including conversations with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, approximately the new trade agreement with Mexico & Canada – including a key call in August to address concerns from GM that the new trade deal could have deprived its Mexican operations.
Barra is now counting on those relationships to assist her steer through 2019, & mend fences in Washington.
She invited Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to Michigan to attend a board assembly in June 2017 & take a ride in an self-driving car in Michigan, according to previously unreported government records reviewed by Reuters. Barra in addition had a previously unreported lunch in April 2017 with Chao at the White House with other officials.
She spent two days final month on Capitol Hill assembly with angry lawmakers & explaining the cuts. In a brief interview with Reuters in December, Barra said she understands “that there’s a lot of emotion & concerns” yet emphasized that the actions were approximately safeguarding the company’s future.
She has her work cut out for her.
Representative Andy Levin, a Michigan Democrat who took office this month, famous the Detroit-Hamtramck plant – one of the facilities losing production – is on a site that GM won approval in the early 1980s to dislocate more than 4,200 people as the state tore down approximately 1,500 homes & 140 businesses.
“We as a society made a huge sacrifice for GM so they could have a new plant. And 30 years after they are just going to throw it away?” Levin said. “We’re not going to stop & just say, ‘Oh this is a cost of doing business.’”
Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Ben Klayman & Joe White; editing by Chris Sanders & Edward Tobin
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
0 notes