You can turn your vehicle into a rolling advertisement. Costs start at just a few dollars, and you can put your business name, slogan, phone number and web site URL in front of thousands of potential customers while you are driving along the freeway, stuck in traffic or even while you are parked. Here are some of the best ways to use your vehicle as a marketing tool.
Bumper stickers are so inexpensive that you may want to print enough for employees, friends, family members, customers and others. Publisher Susan Sabo of made bumper stickers saying, "I do bad things for love," along with the Small Dogs web site URL. The line is from one of their books, and everyone who sees the bumper sticker wants one. Sabo sells them at her web site, and gives them away at book fairs. Of course, she has one on her car, and says she has given them to all of her friends, too.
License plate frames are a favorite of car dealers and auto repair shops, but they can work for any business. You can have them custom made with your business name or slogan, along with a phone number or URL.
Magnetic signs are an easy and low-cost way to put a lot of information on your car. Put them on both sides of the car, and make sure the lettering is large enough to read, even from a distance and when the vehicle is in motion. Personal chef Sue Gaughenbaugh added an effective twist to this idea. She bought a supply of magnetic business cards and placed them around the sign on her truck. When customers see her truck in a parking lot, they can pick up a card to take with them. Gaughenbaugh started getting calls from new customers within days of putting the take-away magnetic cards on her truck.
Vinyl decals and window stickers are a highly visible way to promote your web site. Put the URL in large letters across the width of your rear windshield. After all, you never know who might be behind you in traffic. This is most effective if you have a catchy and descriptive domain name. Custom stickers are available at prices starting under $20.
You can order many of these items from local printers and sign shops. Or, do an online search for companies that can create bumper stickers, magnetic signs, decals and other promotional items.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
5 Important Features to Look For When Buying a Car Seat
When you are buying a new child seat for your new baby, you want to make sure that it is both comfortable for your baby and safe. The purchase of a car seat is one of the most important purchases you will make for your baby and while every car seat sold passes the government safety standards, you may want a bit more from your car seat. There are a variety of safety features on a car seat that will improve the safety of the child and help you feel more comfortable.
Reclining Seats
If you have a newborn, a reclining feature may be very important. When traveling with your newborn, it is important that you make sure their head will not roll around and damage their neck. Many parents have resorted to using towels and blankets as props for the head, but a reclining seat can end this. A reclining seat allows infants to recline at an angle that provides adequate support for their head and does not allow it to roll forward.
Five Point Harness
Another safety feature that you will want, when choosing a car seat for your child, is a five point harness. This harness has been proven to be the safest and it helps to keep your child in the seat. If you are ever in a car accident, this five point harness will keep the baby safely in the car seat instead of allowing them to fall out or be ejected.
Impact Protection for the Head
Many car seat manufacturers have started building in extra padding to help protect the head of the infant. Be sure to find a seat that offers adequate head protection by reinforcing the plastic and adding adequate cushioning to protect your baby's head at all times.
Latch Option
Newer car seats are starting to offer a latch option that allows you to latch the car seat into the car instead of having to belt it in with a seat belt. This makes it much quicker and simpler to get your baby and the car seat into the car. These latching seats are made to be safe, but parents should always makes sure that the seat has completely latched into place before they start driving.
Rear Facing Car Seats
If you have a newborn or infant, you may want to consider a seat that faces the rear. Some seats are rear facing only, while others can be used both ways. It is always safer to have your child facing the rear to protect them from the dangers of whiplash, especially when they are very young. Having a seat that will face the rear is an important feature that you may need.
The safety needs of your children are important and whether they need a toddler car seat or an infant car seat, you want to be sure that they have the safest seat available. Take the time to check out a variety of seats and compare them before you make the final purchase. Your child's safety and comfort is worth the time spent finding the perfect car seat.
Reclining Seats
If you have a newborn, a reclining feature may be very important. When traveling with your newborn, it is important that you make sure their head will not roll around and damage their neck. Many parents have resorted to using towels and blankets as props for the head, but a reclining seat can end this. A reclining seat allows infants to recline at an angle that provides adequate support for their head and does not allow it to roll forward.
Five Point Harness
Another safety feature that you will want, when choosing a car seat for your child, is a five point harness. This harness has been proven to be the safest and it helps to keep your child in the seat. If you are ever in a car accident, this five point harness will keep the baby safely in the car seat instead of allowing them to fall out or be ejected.
Impact Protection for the Head
Many car seat manufacturers have started building in extra padding to help protect the head of the infant. Be sure to find a seat that offers adequate head protection by reinforcing the plastic and adding adequate cushioning to protect your baby's head at all times.
Latch Option
Newer car seats are starting to offer a latch option that allows you to latch the car seat into the car instead of having to belt it in with a seat belt. This makes it much quicker and simpler to get your baby and the car seat into the car. These latching seats are made to be safe, but parents should always makes sure that the seat has completely latched into place before they start driving.
Rear Facing Car Seats
If you have a newborn or infant, you may want to consider a seat that faces the rear. Some seats are rear facing only, while others can be used both ways. It is always safer to have your child facing the rear to protect them from the dangers of whiplash, especially when they are very young. Having a seat that will face the rear is an important feature that you may need.
The safety needs of your children are important and whether they need a toddler car seat or an infant car seat, you want to be sure that they have the safest seat available. Take the time to check out a variety of seats and compare them before you make the final purchase. Your child's safety and comfort is worth the time spent finding the perfect car seat.
Find the Free Auto Repair Manual You Need Online
You can easily get a free auto repair manual for whichever repair need you might have. You need an internet access and have to follow a certain procedure searching for auto repair manuals, but when you have done this procedure a few times it will be very easy to find the right instructions for do it yourself auto repair and it won't cost you a dime.
There are four types of automotive description documents that you will need to choose from when you want to do a repair;
General manuals
Diagnosis descriptions
Repair manuals
Maintenance manualsGeneral Manuals
In addition to some general manuals, most of these are related to the make. Here you can get step by step guidance on how to repair most of the makes in the vehicle market. Let's say you have a Honda Acura 2002 model and you want to find a manual for that make and model. What you do is perform the following search in a search engine: "free car manuals+Honda Acura+2002". Then you will have a long list of sites that provide you with all kinds of descriptions for your Honda Acure 2002 model, and you can choose what you want.
Diagnosis descriptions
Automotive diagnosis manuals can also be sub-divided by make and model. But it can also be divided by the area of the vehicle that is affected, for example engine intake problems, brake problems, cooling problems, exhaust problems, start or stall problems, transmission problems etc. Let's say you have a start problem. Your search would be "car diagnosis manual+ start problem", then you should get more than enough repair information to choose from. You can even get diagnostic trees where all options are covered for nothing.
You have probably more than one time heard some annoying noise from somewhere in your vehicle, without finding the source of it. This is one of the most kinky situations to run into because you don't know if it is a serious signal or just a small thing. Some websites gives you the opportunity to diagnose vehicle problems by the noise, sound and vibrating signals - and that is great. The sooner you find it the sooner you can fix it and then you can relax. When you search, you can describe the sound, for example "whine noise" or "shifter knocks" or "driveline vibration" plus car diagnosis manual plus eventually the make.
Repair Manuals
In addition to regular manuals you can also get very instructive and detailed descriptions in other internet document or websites like articles, etc. The natural way to sub-divide such repairs before searching, is by the area of the vehicle that is going to be repaired, for instance body repair, exhaust repair, suspension fix, interior repair and even general car repair.
You do the search the same way as above; "car repair manual (or description) + the area of repair and go through the list of resources you get.
Maintenance manuals
Though vehicle maintenance is closely related to your vehicle make and model, there are some maintenance issues that are pretty much common whether you have a Cadillac, VW or a Mercedes, for example changing oil, changing air filters, engine wash, fluid maintenance, tier maintenance etc. You can get access to maintenance descriptions by searching for the kind of maintenance plus "car maintenance manual (or description)" plus eventually your make and model.
There are four types of automotive description documents that you will need to choose from when you want to do a repair;
General manuals
Diagnosis descriptions
Repair manuals
Maintenance manualsGeneral Manuals
In addition to some general manuals, most of these are related to the make. Here you can get step by step guidance on how to repair most of the makes in the vehicle market. Let's say you have a Honda Acura 2002 model and you want to find a manual for that make and model. What you do is perform the following search in a search engine: "free car manuals+Honda Acura+2002". Then you will have a long list of sites that provide you with all kinds of descriptions for your Honda Acure 2002 model, and you can choose what you want.
Diagnosis descriptions
Automotive diagnosis manuals can also be sub-divided by make and model. But it can also be divided by the area of the vehicle that is affected, for example engine intake problems, brake problems, cooling problems, exhaust problems, start or stall problems, transmission problems etc. Let's say you have a start problem. Your search would be "car diagnosis manual+ start problem", then you should get more than enough repair information to choose from. You can even get diagnostic trees where all options are covered for nothing.
You have probably more than one time heard some annoying noise from somewhere in your vehicle, without finding the source of it. This is one of the most kinky situations to run into because you don't know if it is a serious signal or just a small thing. Some websites gives you the opportunity to diagnose vehicle problems by the noise, sound and vibrating signals - and that is great. The sooner you find it the sooner you can fix it and then you can relax. When you search, you can describe the sound, for example "whine noise" or "shifter knocks" or "driveline vibration" plus car diagnosis manual plus eventually the make.
Repair Manuals
In addition to regular manuals you can also get very instructive and detailed descriptions in other internet document or websites like articles, etc. The natural way to sub-divide such repairs before searching, is by the area of the vehicle that is going to be repaired, for instance body repair, exhaust repair, suspension fix, interior repair and even general car repair.
You do the search the same way as above; "car repair manual (or description) + the area of repair and go through the list of resources you get.
Maintenance manuals
Though vehicle maintenance is closely related to your vehicle make and model, there are some maintenance issues that are pretty much common whether you have a Cadillac, VW or a Mercedes, for example changing oil, changing air filters, engine wash, fluid maintenance, tier maintenance etc. You can get access to maintenance descriptions by searching for the kind of maintenance plus "car maintenance manual (or description)" plus eventually your make and model.
How to Buy a Quality Car Seat - Seven Tips
Car seats are mandatory baby equipment. I know that you'll be tempted to cuddle your little bundle in your arms while driving, but please don't! It's just too dangerous and besides that, against the law.
Here are seven tips to buying a quality car seat for your child...
1. Buy a quality car seat. Make sure that the seal of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety is present on it. Make sure it's constructed well with no sharp edges or loose parts.
2. Look for a car seat with travel system. The seat, infant carrier and stroller are all part of one convenient unit.
3. Make sue that you check for safety recalls. There are many safety recalls on car seats yearly. You don't want to purchase one of those!
4. Choose cloth. It is generally more easily cleaned and is more comfortable.
5. Be positive that you choose the correct size. A small baby could slip out of a seat that is too large for him. It's important that tiny babies under 20 pounds ride only in rear-facing seat. Only after the child is over 20 pounds should he be switched to front-facing seat.
6. Choose a car seat that has been given good reviews by other parents. Many online stores allow people to post reviews about their purchases. Why not check these out to see what other parents have to say?
7. Don't use a used car seat unless you are able to borrow it and try it first. You want to make very sure that the parts are still functioning well, so your baby will be safe.
Proper child restraints are important. You don't want to find that out the hard way.
Here are seven tips to buying a quality car seat for your child...
1. Buy a quality car seat. Make sure that the seal of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety is present on it. Make sure it's constructed well with no sharp edges or loose parts.
2. Look for a car seat with travel system. The seat, infant carrier and stroller are all part of one convenient unit.
3. Make sue that you check for safety recalls. There are many safety recalls on car seats yearly. You don't want to purchase one of those!
4. Choose cloth. It is generally more easily cleaned and is more comfortable.
5. Be positive that you choose the correct size. A small baby could slip out of a seat that is too large for him. It's important that tiny babies under 20 pounds ride only in rear-facing seat. Only after the child is over 20 pounds should he be switched to front-facing seat.
6. Choose a car seat that has been given good reviews by other parents. Many online stores allow people to post reviews about their purchases. Why not check these out to see what other parents have to say?
7. Don't use a used car seat unless you are able to borrow it and try it first. You want to make very sure that the parts are still functioning well, so your baby will be safe.
Proper child restraints are important. You don't want to find that out the hard way.
Three Budget Modifications to Make Any Car Faster
Making your ride perform better and go fast is a fun and equally expensive hobby. However to get increased performance you do not always have to spend a fortune. In this article I would like to show you three easy and cheap ways to get more out of your vehicles performance.
Tip 1. Get a tune.
All the modifications in the world mean nothing if the are not properly in sync and running smoothly. Especially when it comes to a bone stock car or even a heavily modified one getting a good tune especially with the assistance of a dyno can be one of the easiest ways to get more power. Dyno sessions do not cost to much and can allow you to see on paper the real gains to be made by making optimization adjustments to things like fuel and timing. Now depending on what type of vehicle you have this can apply to a number of areas. Not all vehicles are going to come stock with easy ways to make adjustments so if your going to spend money on some parts try looking into tools and parts that can allow you to make the small changes that make the big difference. (this can be anything from timing gear kits to carburetors and F.I. tuners)
Tip 2. Get a Grip
Part of the fun of a well modified car is an increase in the vehicles handling capabilities and just like tip number one having adjustability is key. There are lots of suspension parts out there that can offer a wealth of adjustability even on a limited budget. As a warning to the amateur however I would mention that suspension tuning and testing can be more of a seat of the pants feel and we must be careful that we are actually making progress and not making things worse. In other words stiff as a board and bouncing off the bump stops would probably be a backwards step. If your really itching to spend money on just one part for your vehicle to increase overall performance in all areas however I can always recommend to start with the tires. A vehicles tires will affect the handling, braking, and speed capabilities so investing in better tires for your purposes is always going to pay off.
Tip 3. Get a Diet
In the words of the famed founder of Lotus "Add lightness". Every pound you can shave from a vehicle whether sprung or unsprung weight is always going to help benefit all areas of performance and its also mostly FREE! However before we start ripping out our carpets and popping in the Lexan glass, remember that these modifications can compromise the street-ability of a vehicle. So how fast do you want to go? and what are you willing to give up in exchange for some speed?
Now that you have some tips get out there and put them to use and remember to keep be safe
Tip 1. Get a tune.
All the modifications in the world mean nothing if the are not properly in sync and running smoothly. Especially when it comes to a bone stock car or even a heavily modified one getting a good tune especially with the assistance of a dyno can be one of the easiest ways to get more power. Dyno sessions do not cost to much and can allow you to see on paper the real gains to be made by making optimization adjustments to things like fuel and timing. Now depending on what type of vehicle you have this can apply to a number of areas. Not all vehicles are going to come stock with easy ways to make adjustments so if your going to spend money on some parts try looking into tools and parts that can allow you to make the small changes that make the big difference. (this can be anything from timing gear kits to carburetors and F.I. tuners)
Tip 2. Get a Grip
Part of the fun of a well modified car is an increase in the vehicles handling capabilities and just like tip number one having adjustability is key. There are lots of suspension parts out there that can offer a wealth of adjustability even on a limited budget. As a warning to the amateur however I would mention that suspension tuning and testing can be more of a seat of the pants feel and we must be careful that we are actually making progress and not making things worse. In other words stiff as a board and bouncing off the bump stops would probably be a backwards step. If your really itching to spend money on just one part for your vehicle to increase overall performance in all areas however I can always recommend to start with the tires. A vehicles tires will affect the handling, braking, and speed capabilities so investing in better tires for your purposes is always going to pay off.
Tip 3. Get a Diet
In the words of the famed founder of Lotus "Add lightness". Every pound you can shave from a vehicle whether sprung or unsprung weight is always going to help benefit all areas of performance and its also mostly FREE! However before we start ripping out our carpets and popping in the Lexan glass, remember that these modifications can compromise the street-ability of a vehicle. So how fast do you want to go? and what are you willing to give up in exchange for some speed?
Now that you have some tips get out there and put them to use and remember to keep be safe
The Car Rental Industry
Market Overview
The car rental industry is a multi-billion dollar sector of the US economy. The US segment of the industry averages about $18.5 billion in revenue a year. Today, there are approximately 1.9 million rental vehicles that service the US segment of the market. In addition, there are many rental agencies besides the industry leaders that subdivide the total revenue, namely Dollar Thrifty, Budget and Vanguard. Unlike other mature service industries, the rental car industry is highly consolidated which naturally puts potential new comers at a cost-disadvantage since they face high input costs with reduced possibility of economies of scale. Moreover, most of the profit is generated by a few firms including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis. For the fiscal year of 2004, Enterprise generated $7.4 billion in total revenue. Hertz came in second position with about $5.2 billion and Avis with $2.97 in revenue.
Level of Integration
The rental car industry faces a completely different environment than it did five years ago. According to Business Travel News, vehicles are being rented until they have accumulated 20,000 to 30,000 miles until they are relegated to the used car industry whereas the turn-around mileage was 12,000 to 15,000 miles five years ago. Because of slow industry growth and narrow profit margin, there is no imminent threat to backward integration within the industry. In fact, among the industry players only Hertz is vertically integrated through Ford.
Scope of Competition
There are many factors that shape the competitive landscape of the car rental industry. Competition comes from two main sources throughout the chain. On the vacation consumer’s end of the spectrum, competition is fierce not only because the market is saturated and well guarded by industry leader Enterprise, but competitors operate at a cost disadvantage along with smaller market shares since Enterprise has established a network of dealers over 90 percent the leisure segment. On the corporate segment, on the other hand, competition is very strong at the airports since that segment is under tight supervision by Hertz. Because the industry underwent a massive economic downfall in recent years, it has upgraded the scale of competition within most of the companies that survived. Competitively speaking, the rental car industry is a war-zone as most rental agencies including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis among the major players engage in a battle of the fittest.
Growth
Over the past five years, most firms have been working towards enhancing their fleet sizes and increasing the level of profitability. Enterprise currently the company with the largest fleet in the US has added 75,000 vehicles to its fleet since 2002 which help increase its number of facilities to 170 at the airports. Hertz, on the other hand, has added 25,000 vehicles and broadened its international presence in 150 counties as opposed to 140 in 2002. In addition, Avis has increased its fleet from 210,000 in 2002 to 220,000 despite recent economic adversities. Over the years following the economic downturn, although most companies throughout the industry were struggling, Enterprise among the industry leaders had been growing steadily. For example, annual sales reached $6.3 in 2001, $6.5 in 2002, $6.9 in 2003 and $7.4 billion in 2004 which translated into a growth rate of 7.2 percent a year for the past four years. Since 2002, the industry has started to regain its footing in the sector as overall sales grew from $17.9 billion to $18.2 billion in 2003. According to industry analysts, the better days of the rental car industry have yet to come. Over the course of the next several years, the industry is expected to experience accelerated growth valued at $20.89 billion each year following 2008 "which equates to a CAGR of 2.7 % [increase] in the 2003-2008 period.”
Distribution
Over the past few years the rental car industry has made a great deal of progress to facilitate it distribution processes. Today, there are approximately 19,000 rental locations yielding about 1.9 million rental cars in the US. Because of the increasingly abundant number of car rental locations in the US, strategic and tactical approaches are taken into account in order to insure proper distribution throughout the industry. Distribution takes place within two interrelated segments. On the corporate market, the cars are distributed to airports and hotel surroundings. On the leisure segment, on the other hand, cars are distributed to agency owned facilities that are conveniently located within most major roads and metropolitan areas.
In the past, managers of rental car companies used to rely on gut-feelings or intuitive guesses to make decisions about how many cars to have in a particular fleet or the utilization level and performance standards of keeping certain cars in one fleet. With that methodology, it was very difficult to maintain a level of balance that would satisfy consumer demand and the desired level of profitability. The distribution process is fairly simple throughout the industry. To begin with, managers must determine the number of cars that must be on inventory on a daily basis. Because a very noticeable problem arises when too many or not enough cars are available, most car rental companies including Hertz, Enterprise and Avis, use a "pool” which is a group of independent rental facilities that share a fleet of vehicles. Basically, with the pools in place, rental locations operate more efficiently since they reduce the risk of low inventory if not eliminate rental car shortages.
Market Segmentation
Most companies throughout the chain make a profit based of the type of cars that are rented. The rental cars are categorized into economy, compact, intermediate, premium and luxury. Among the five categories, the economy sector yields the most profit. For instance, the economy segment by itself is responsible for 37.7 percent of the total market revenue in 2004. In addition, the compact segment accounted for 32.3 percent of overall revenue. The rest of the other categories covers the remaining 30 percent for the US segment.
Historical Levels of Profitability
The overall profitability of the car rental industry has been shrinking in recent years. Over the past five years, the industry has been struggling just like the rest of the travel industry. In fact, between the years 2001 and 2003 the US market has experienced a moderate reduction in the level of profitability. Specifically, revenue fell from $19.4 billion in 2000 to $18.2 billion in 2001. Subsequently, the overall industry revenue eroded further to $17.9 billion in 2002; an amount that is minimally higher than $17.7 billion which is the overall revenue for the year 1999. In 2003, the industry experienced a barely noticeable increase which brought profit to $18.2 billion. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years, some of the smaller players that were highly dependent on the airline industry have done a great deal of strategy realignments as a way of preparing their companies to cope with eventual economic adversities that may surround the industry. For the year 2004, on the other hand, the economic situation of most firms have gradually improved throughout the industry since most rental agencies have returned far greater profits relative to the anterior years. For instance, Enterprise realized revenues of $7.4 billion; Hertz returned revenues of $5.2 billion and Avis with $2.9 billion in revenue for the fiscal year of 2004. According to industry analysts, the rental car industry is expected to experience steady growth of 2.6 percent in revenue over the next several years which translates into an increase in profit.
Competitive Rivalry Among Sellers
There are many factors that drive competition within the car rental industry. Over the past few years, broadening fleet sizes and increasing profitability has been the focus of most companies within the car rental industry. Enterprise, Hertz and Avis among the leaders have been growing both in sales and fleet sizes. In addition, competition intensifies as firms are constantly trying to improve their current conditions and offer more to consumers. Enterprise has nearly doubled its fleet size since 1993 to approximately 600,000 cars today. Because the industry operates on such narrow profit margins, price competition is not a factor; however, most companies are actively involved in creating values and providing a range of amenities from technological gadgets to even free rental to satisfy customers. Hertz, for example, integrates its Never-Lost GPS system within its cars. Enterprise, on the other hand, uses sophisticated yield management software to manage its fleets.
Finally, Avis uses its OnStar and Skynet system to better serve the consumer base and offers free weekend rental if a customer rents a car for five consecutive days Moreover, the consumer base of the rental car industry has relatively low to no switching cost. Conversely, rental agencies face high fixed operating costs including property rental, insurance and maintenance. Consequently, rental agencies are sensitively pricing there rental cars just to recover operating costs and adequately meet their customers demands. Furthermore, because the industry experienced slow growth in recent years due to economic stagnation that resulted in a massive decline in both corporate travel and the leisure sector, most companies including the industry leaders are aggressively trying to reposition their firms by gradually lessening the dependency level on the airline industry and regaining their footing in the leisure competitive arena.
The Potential Entry of new Competitors
Entering the car rental industry puts new comers at a serious disadvantage. Over the past few years following the economic downturn of 2001, most major rental companies have started increasing their market shares in the vacation sector of the industry as a way of insuring stability and lowering the level of dependency between the airline and the car rental industry. While this trend has engendered long term success for the existing firms, it has heightened the competitive landscape for new comers. Because of the severity of competition, existing firms such as Enterprise, Hertz and Avis carefully monitor their competitive radars to anticipate Sharpe retaliatory strikes against new entrants. Another barrier to entry is created because of the saturation level of the industry.
For example, Enterprise has taken the first mover advantage with its 6000 facilities by saturating the leisure segment thereby placing not only high restrictions on the most common distribution channels, but also high resource requirements for new firms. Today, Enterprise has a rental location within 15 miles of 90 percent of the US population. Because of the network of dealers Enterprise has established around the nation, it has become relatively stable, more recession proof and most importantly, less reliant on the airline industry compared to its competitors. Hertz, on the other hand, is utilizing the full spectrum of its 7200 stores to secure its position in the marketplace. Basically, the emergence of most of the industry leaders into the leisure market not only drives rivalry, but also it varies directly with the level of complexity of entering the car rental industry.
The Threat of Substitute
There are many substitutes available for the car rental industry. From a technological standpoint, renting a car to go the distance for a meeting is a less attractive alternative as opposed to video conferencing, virtual teams and collaboration software with which a company can immediately setup a meeting with its employees from anywhere around the world at a cheaper cost. In addition, there are other alternatives including taking a cab which is a satisfactory substitute relative to quality and switching cost, but it may not be as attractively priced as a rental car for the course of a day or more. While public transportation is the most cost efficient of the alternatives, it is more costly in terms of the process and time it takes to reach one’s destination. Finally, because flying offers convenience, speed and performance, it is a very enticing substitute; however, it is an unattractive alternative in terms of price relative to renting a car. On the business segment, car rental agencies have more protection against substitutes since many companies have implemented travel policies that establish the parameters of when renting a car or using a substitute is the best course of action.
According to Tracy Esch, an Advantage director of marketing operations, her company rents cars up to a 200-mile trip before considering an alternative. Basically, the threat of substitute is reasonably low in the car rental industry since the effects the substitute products have do not pose a significant threat of profit erosion throughout the industry.
The Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Supplier power is low in the car rental industry. Because of the availability of substitutes and the level of competition, suppliers do not have a great deal of influence in the terms and conditions of supplying the rental cars. Because the rental cars are usually purchased in bulk, rental car agents have significant influence over the terms of the sale since they possess the ability to play one supplier against another to lower the sales price. Another factor that reduces supplier power is the absence of switching cost. That is, buyers are not affected from purchasing from one supplier over another and most importantly, changing to different supplier’s products is barely noticeable and does not affect consumer’s rental choices.
The Bargaining Power of Buyers
While the leisure sector has little or no power, the business segment possesses a significant amount of influence in the car rental industry. An interesting trend that is currently underway throughout the industry is forcing car rental companies to adapt to the needs of corporate travelers. This trend significantly reduces supplier power or the rental firms’ power and increases corporate buyer power since the business segment is excruciatingly price sensitive, well informed about the industry’s price structure, purchase in larger quantities and they use the internet to force lower prices. Vacation buyers, on the other hand, have less influence over the rental terms. Because vacationers are usually less price sensitive, purchase in lesser amounts or purchase more infrequently, they have weak bargaining power.
Five Forces
Today the car rental industry is facing a completely different environment than it did five years ago. Competitively speaking, the revolution of the five forces around the car rental industry exerts some strong economic pressure that has significantly tarnished the competitive attractiveness of the industry. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years, many companies went under namely Budget and the Vanguard Group because their business infrastructure succumbed to the untenability of the competitive environment. Today, very few firms including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis return a slightly above-average revenue compared to the rest of the industry. Realistically speaking, the car rental sector is not a very attractive industry because of the level of competition, the barriers to entry and the competitive pressure from the substitute firms.
Strategic Group Mapping
As a moderately concentrated sector, there is a clear hierarchy in the car rental industry. From an economic standpoint, disparities exist from a number of dimensions including revenue, fleet size and the market size each firm holds in the market place. For instance, Enterprise dominates the industry with a fleet size of approximately 600,000 vehicles along with its market size and its level of profitability. Hertz comes in second position with its number of market shares and fleet volume. In addition, Avis ranks third on the map. Avis is among one of the companies that is having issues recovering its revenue margins from prior to the economic downturn. For instance, in 2000 Avis returned revenues of approximately $4.23 billion. Over the course of the next several years following 2000, the revenue of Avis has been significantly lower than that of 2000. As a way of reducing uncertainty most companies are gradually lessening the level of dependency on the airline industry and emerging the leisure market. This trend may not be in the best interest of Hertz since its business strategy is intricately linked to the airports.
Key Success Factors
There are many key success factors that drive profitability throughout the car rental industry. Capacity utilization is one of the factors that determines success in the industry. Because rental firms experience loss of revenue when there are either too few or too many cars sitting in their lots, it is of paramount importance to efficiently manage the fleets. This success factor represents a big strength for the industry since it lowers if not completely eliminates the possibly of running short on rental cars. Efficient distribution is another factor that keeps the industry profitable. Despite the positive relationship between fleet sizes and the level of profitability, firms are constantly growing their fleet sizes because of the competitive forces that surround the industry. In addition, convenience is one of the crucial attributes by which consumers select rental firms. That is, car rental consumers are more prone to renting cars from firms that have convenient rental and drop off locations. Another key success factor that is common among competing firms is the integration of technology in their business processes. Through technology, for instance, the car rental companies create ways to meet consumer demand by making renting a car a very agreeable ordeal by adding the convenience of online rental among other alternatives. Furthermore, firms have integrated navigation systems along with roadside assistance to offer customers the piece of mind when renting cars.
Industry Attractiveness
There are many factors that impact the attractiveness of the car rental industry. Because the industry is moderately concentrated, it puts new market entrants at a disadvantage. That is, its low concentration represents a natural barrier to entering the industry as it allows existing firm to anticipate sharp retaliations against new entrants. Because of the risks associated with entering the industry among other factors, it is not a very attractive sector of the marketplace. From a competitive standpoint, the leisure market is 90 percent saturated because of the active efforts of Enterprise to dominate this sector of the market. On the other hand, the airport terminals are heavily guarded by Hertz. Realistically speaking, entry in the industry offers low profitability relative to the costs and risks associated. For most consumers, the main determining factors of choosing one company over another are price and convenience. Because of this reason, rental firms are very circumspect about setting their rates and that generally force even the industry major players in the position of offering more to the consumers for less just to remain competitive. Hertz, for example, offers wireless internet to its customers just to add more convenience to their travel plans. Avis on the other hand, offers free weekend specials if a customer rents a car for five consecutive weekdays. Based on the impact of the five forces, the car rental sector is not a very attractive industry to potential new market entrants.
Conclusion
The rental car industry is in a state of recovery. Although it may seem like the industry is performing well financially, it is nonetheless gradually regaining its footing relative to its actual economic position within the last five years. As a way of insuring profitability, besides seeking market shares and stability, most companies throughout the chain have a common goal that deals with lowering the level of dependency on the airline industry and moving toward the leisure segment. This state of motion has engendered some fierce competition among industry competitors as they attempt to defend their market shares. From a futuristic perspective, the better days of the car rental industry have yet to come. As the level of profitability increases, I believe that most of the industry leaders including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis will be bounded by the economic and competitive barriers of mobility of their strategic groups and new comers will have a better chance of infiltrating and realizing success in the car rental industry.
The car rental industry is a multi-billion dollar sector of the US economy. The US segment of the industry averages about $18.5 billion in revenue a year. Today, there are approximately 1.9 million rental vehicles that service the US segment of the market. In addition, there are many rental agencies besides the industry leaders that subdivide the total revenue, namely Dollar Thrifty, Budget and Vanguard. Unlike other mature service industries, the rental car industry is highly consolidated which naturally puts potential new comers at a cost-disadvantage since they face high input costs with reduced possibility of economies of scale. Moreover, most of the profit is generated by a few firms including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis. For the fiscal year of 2004, Enterprise generated $7.4 billion in total revenue. Hertz came in second position with about $5.2 billion and Avis with $2.97 in revenue.
Level of Integration
The rental car industry faces a completely different environment than it did five years ago. According to Business Travel News, vehicles are being rented until they have accumulated 20,000 to 30,000 miles until they are relegated to the used car industry whereas the turn-around mileage was 12,000 to 15,000 miles five years ago. Because of slow industry growth and narrow profit margin, there is no imminent threat to backward integration within the industry. In fact, among the industry players only Hertz is vertically integrated through Ford.
Scope of Competition
There are many factors that shape the competitive landscape of the car rental industry. Competition comes from two main sources throughout the chain. On the vacation consumer’s end of the spectrum, competition is fierce not only because the market is saturated and well guarded by industry leader Enterprise, but competitors operate at a cost disadvantage along with smaller market shares since Enterprise has established a network of dealers over 90 percent the leisure segment. On the corporate segment, on the other hand, competition is very strong at the airports since that segment is under tight supervision by Hertz. Because the industry underwent a massive economic downfall in recent years, it has upgraded the scale of competition within most of the companies that survived. Competitively speaking, the rental car industry is a war-zone as most rental agencies including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis among the major players engage in a battle of the fittest.
Growth
Over the past five years, most firms have been working towards enhancing their fleet sizes and increasing the level of profitability. Enterprise currently the company with the largest fleet in the US has added 75,000 vehicles to its fleet since 2002 which help increase its number of facilities to 170 at the airports. Hertz, on the other hand, has added 25,000 vehicles and broadened its international presence in 150 counties as opposed to 140 in 2002. In addition, Avis has increased its fleet from 210,000 in 2002 to 220,000 despite recent economic adversities. Over the years following the economic downturn, although most companies throughout the industry were struggling, Enterprise among the industry leaders had been growing steadily. For example, annual sales reached $6.3 in 2001, $6.5 in 2002, $6.9 in 2003 and $7.4 billion in 2004 which translated into a growth rate of 7.2 percent a year for the past four years. Since 2002, the industry has started to regain its footing in the sector as overall sales grew from $17.9 billion to $18.2 billion in 2003. According to industry analysts, the better days of the rental car industry have yet to come. Over the course of the next several years, the industry is expected to experience accelerated growth valued at $20.89 billion each year following 2008 "which equates to a CAGR of 2.7 % [increase] in the 2003-2008 period.”
Distribution
Over the past few years the rental car industry has made a great deal of progress to facilitate it distribution processes. Today, there are approximately 19,000 rental locations yielding about 1.9 million rental cars in the US. Because of the increasingly abundant number of car rental locations in the US, strategic and tactical approaches are taken into account in order to insure proper distribution throughout the industry. Distribution takes place within two interrelated segments. On the corporate market, the cars are distributed to airports and hotel surroundings. On the leisure segment, on the other hand, cars are distributed to agency owned facilities that are conveniently located within most major roads and metropolitan areas.
In the past, managers of rental car companies used to rely on gut-feelings or intuitive guesses to make decisions about how many cars to have in a particular fleet or the utilization level and performance standards of keeping certain cars in one fleet. With that methodology, it was very difficult to maintain a level of balance that would satisfy consumer demand and the desired level of profitability. The distribution process is fairly simple throughout the industry. To begin with, managers must determine the number of cars that must be on inventory on a daily basis. Because a very noticeable problem arises when too many or not enough cars are available, most car rental companies including Hertz, Enterprise and Avis, use a "pool” which is a group of independent rental facilities that share a fleet of vehicles. Basically, with the pools in place, rental locations operate more efficiently since they reduce the risk of low inventory if not eliminate rental car shortages.
Market Segmentation
Most companies throughout the chain make a profit based of the type of cars that are rented. The rental cars are categorized into economy, compact, intermediate, premium and luxury. Among the five categories, the economy sector yields the most profit. For instance, the economy segment by itself is responsible for 37.7 percent of the total market revenue in 2004. In addition, the compact segment accounted for 32.3 percent of overall revenue. The rest of the other categories covers the remaining 30 percent for the US segment.
Historical Levels of Profitability
The overall profitability of the car rental industry has been shrinking in recent years. Over the past five years, the industry has been struggling just like the rest of the travel industry. In fact, between the years 2001 and 2003 the US market has experienced a moderate reduction in the level of profitability. Specifically, revenue fell from $19.4 billion in 2000 to $18.2 billion in 2001. Subsequently, the overall industry revenue eroded further to $17.9 billion in 2002; an amount that is minimally higher than $17.7 billion which is the overall revenue for the year 1999. In 2003, the industry experienced a barely noticeable increase which brought profit to $18.2 billion. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years, some of the smaller players that were highly dependent on the airline industry have done a great deal of strategy realignments as a way of preparing their companies to cope with eventual economic adversities that may surround the industry. For the year 2004, on the other hand, the economic situation of most firms have gradually improved throughout the industry since most rental agencies have returned far greater profits relative to the anterior years. For instance, Enterprise realized revenues of $7.4 billion; Hertz returned revenues of $5.2 billion and Avis with $2.9 billion in revenue for the fiscal year of 2004. According to industry analysts, the rental car industry is expected to experience steady growth of 2.6 percent in revenue over the next several years which translates into an increase in profit.
Competitive Rivalry Among Sellers
There are many factors that drive competition within the car rental industry. Over the past few years, broadening fleet sizes and increasing profitability has been the focus of most companies within the car rental industry. Enterprise, Hertz and Avis among the leaders have been growing both in sales and fleet sizes. In addition, competition intensifies as firms are constantly trying to improve their current conditions and offer more to consumers. Enterprise has nearly doubled its fleet size since 1993 to approximately 600,000 cars today. Because the industry operates on such narrow profit margins, price competition is not a factor; however, most companies are actively involved in creating values and providing a range of amenities from technological gadgets to even free rental to satisfy customers. Hertz, for example, integrates its Never-Lost GPS system within its cars. Enterprise, on the other hand, uses sophisticated yield management software to manage its fleets.
Finally, Avis uses its OnStar and Skynet system to better serve the consumer base and offers free weekend rental if a customer rents a car for five consecutive days Moreover, the consumer base of the rental car industry has relatively low to no switching cost. Conversely, rental agencies face high fixed operating costs including property rental, insurance and maintenance. Consequently, rental agencies are sensitively pricing there rental cars just to recover operating costs and adequately meet their customers demands. Furthermore, because the industry experienced slow growth in recent years due to economic stagnation that resulted in a massive decline in both corporate travel and the leisure sector, most companies including the industry leaders are aggressively trying to reposition their firms by gradually lessening the dependency level on the airline industry and regaining their footing in the leisure competitive arena.
The Potential Entry of new Competitors
Entering the car rental industry puts new comers at a serious disadvantage. Over the past few years following the economic downturn of 2001, most major rental companies have started increasing their market shares in the vacation sector of the industry as a way of insuring stability and lowering the level of dependency between the airline and the car rental industry. While this trend has engendered long term success for the existing firms, it has heightened the competitive landscape for new comers. Because of the severity of competition, existing firms such as Enterprise, Hertz and Avis carefully monitor their competitive radars to anticipate Sharpe retaliatory strikes against new entrants. Another barrier to entry is created because of the saturation level of the industry.
For example, Enterprise has taken the first mover advantage with its 6000 facilities by saturating the leisure segment thereby placing not only high restrictions on the most common distribution channels, but also high resource requirements for new firms. Today, Enterprise has a rental location within 15 miles of 90 percent of the US population. Because of the network of dealers Enterprise has established around the nation, it has become relatively stable, more recession proof and most importantly, less reliant on the airline industry compared to its competitors. Hertz, on the other hand, is utilizing the full spectrum of its 7200 stores to secure its position in the marketplace. Basically, the emergence of most of the industry leaders into the leisure market not only drives rivalry, but also it varies directly with the level of complexity of entering the car rental industry.
The Threat of Substitute
There are many substitutes available for the car rental industry. From a technological standpoint, renting a car to go the distance for a meeting is a less attractive alternative as opposed to video conferencing, virtual teams and collaboration software with which a company can immediately setup a meeting with its employees from anywhere around the world at a cheaper cost. In addition, there are other alternatives including taking a cab which is a satisfactory substitute relative to quality and switching cost, but it may not be as attractively priced as a rental car for the course of a day or more. While public transportation is the most cost efficient of the alternatives, it is more costly in terms of the process and time it takes to reach one’s destination. Finally, because flying offers convenience, speed and performance, it is a very enticing substitute; however, it is an unattractive alternative in terms of price relative to renting a car. On the business segment, car rental agencies have more protection against substitutes since many companies have implemented travel policies that establish the parameters of when renting a car or using a substitute is the best course of action.
According to Tracy Esch, an Advantage director of marketing operations, her company rents cars up to a 200-mile trip before considering an alternative. Basically, the threat of substitute is reasonably low in the car rental industry since the effects the substitute products have do not pose a significant threat of profit erosion throughout the industry.
The Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Supplier power is low in the car rental industry. Because of the availability of substitutes and the level of competition, suppliers do not have a great deal of influence in the terms and conditions of supplying the rental cars. Because the rental cars are usually purchased in bulk, rental car agents have significant influence over the terms of the sale since they possess the ability to play one supplier against another to lower the sales price. Another factor that reduces supplier power is the absence of switching cost. That is, buyers are not affected from purchasing from one supplier over another and most importantly, changing to different supplier’s products is barely noticeable and does not affect consumer’s rental choices.
The Bargaining Power of Buyers
While the leisure sector has little or no power, the business segment possesses a significant amount of influence in the car rental industry. An interesting trend that is currently underway throughout the industry is forcing car rental companies to adapt to the needs of corporate travelers. This trend significantly reduces supplier power or the rental firms’ power and increases corporate buyer power since the business segment is excruciatingly price sensitive, well informed about the industry’s price structure, purchase in larger quantities and they use the internet to force lower prices. Vacation buyers, on the other hand, have less influence over the rental terms. Because vacationers are usually less price sensitive, purchase in lesser amounts or purchase more infrequently, they have weak bargaining power.
Five Forces
Today the car rental industry is facing a completely different environment than it did five years ago. Competitively speaking, the revolution of the five forces around the car rental industry exerts some strong economic pressure that has significantly tarnished the competitive attractiveness of the industry. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years, many companies went under namely Budget and the Vanguard Group because their business infrastructure succumbed to the untenability of the competitive environment. Today, very few firms including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis return a slightly above-average revenue compared to the rest of the industry. Realistically speaking, the car rental sector is not a very attractive industry because of the level of competition, the barriers to entry and the competitive pressure from the substitute firms.
Strategic Group Mapping
As a moderately concentrated sector, there is a clear hierarchy in the car rental industry. From an economic standpoint, disparities exist from a number of dimensions including revenue, fleet size and the market size each firm holds in the market place. For instance, Enterprise dominates the industry with a fleet size of approximately 600,000 vehicles along with its market size and its level of profitability. Hertz comes in second position with its number of market shares and fleet volume. In addition, Avis ranks third on the map. Avis is among one of the companies that is having issues recovering its revenue margins from prior to the economic downturn. For instance, in 2000 Avis returned revenues of approximately $4.23 billion. Over the course of the next several years following 2000, the revenue of Avis has been significantly lower than that of 2000. As a way of reducing uncertainty most companies are gradually lessening the level of dependency on the airline industry and emerging the leisure market. This trend may not be in the best interest of Hertz since its business strategy is intricately linked to the airports.
Key Success Factors
There are many key success factors that drive profitability throughout the car rental industry. Capacity utilization is one of the factors that determines success in the industry. Because rental firms experience loss of revenue when there are either too few or too many cars sitting in their lots, it is of paramount importance to efficiently manage the fleets. This success factor represents a big strength for the industry since it lowers if not completely eliminates the possibly of running short on rental cars. Efficient distribution is another factor that keeps the industry profitable. Despite the positive relationship between fleet sizes and the level of profitability, firms are constantly growing their fleet sizes because of the competitive forces that surround the industry. In addition, convenience is one of the crucial attributes by which consumers select rental firms. That is, car rental consumers are more prone to renting cars from firms that have convenient rental and drop off locations. Another key success factor that is common among competing firms is the integration of technology in their business processes. Through technology, for instance, the car rental companies create ways to meet consumer demand by making renting a car a very agreeable ordeal by adding the convenience of online rental among other alternatives. Furthermore, firms have integrated navigation systems along with roadside assistance to offer customers the piece of mind when renting cars.
Industry Attractiveness
There are many factors that impact the attractiveness of the car rental industry. Because the industry is moderately concentrated, it puts new market entrants at a disadvantage. That is, its low concentration represents a natural barrier to entering the industry as it allows existing firm to anticipate sharp retaliations against new entrants. Because of the risks associated with entering the industry among other factors, it is not a very attractive sector of the marketplace. From a competitive standpoint, the leisure market is 90 percent saturated because of the active efforts of Enterprise to dominate this sector of the market. On the other hand, the airport terminals are heavily guarded by Hertz. Realistically speaking, entry in the industry offers low profitability relative to the costs and risks associated. For most consumers, the main determining factors of choosing one company over another are price and convenience. Because of this reason, rental firms are very circumspect about setting their rates and that generally force even the industry major players in the position of offering more to the consumers for less just to remain competitive. Hertz, for example, offers wireless internet to its customers just to add more convenience to their travel plans. Avis on the other hand, offers free weekend specials if a customer rents a car for five consecutive weekdays. Based on the impact of the five forces, the car rental sector is not a very attractive industry to potential new market entrants.
Conclusion
The rental car industry is in a state of recovery. Although it may seem like the industry is performing well financially, it is nonetheless gradually regaining its footing relative to its actual economic position within the last five years. As a way of insuring profitability, besides seeking market shares and stability, most companies throughout the chain have a common goal that deals with lowering the level of dependency on the airline industry and moving toward the leisure segment. This state of motion has engendered some fierce competition among industry competitors as they attempt to defend their market shares. From a futuristic perspective, the better days of the car rental industry have yet to come. As the level of profitability increases, I believe that most of the industry leaders including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis will be bounded by the economic and competitive barriers of mobility of their strategic groups and new comers will have a better chance of infiltrating and realizing success in the car rental industry.
Funny Car Story - I Swear the Post Moved
When I was 16 I learned to drive. I took the Drivers Education course at De La Salle High School in New Orleans. I passed everything and was told by my dad that I couldn't drive until I was 18. I knew better than to attempt to negotiate some things and this was one of them. I was really disappointed.
When I turned 18 I was the designated "go for" driver. Charles, will you go for this. Charles will you go for that. Charles, will you go for dinner. Charles, will you go for ... Well, you get the idea. One day I went for Popeye's Chicken. They have the best onion rings ever.
As I was leaving the parking lot I gunned the Grenada in reverse and ran into the cement base of a light pole. I swear the post moved. I got out and surveyed the damage to the car. The passenger side rear quarter panel had shifted into the back door panel which had shifted into the front door panel which had shifted into the front quarter panel. There was no way I could avoid telling dad what had happened to his car. I went home with my last meal. I was determined not to look like a man on death row.
Now, you need to understand my dad. He is not like other dads and after I got past my first two decades I finally realized just how great a guy he really was. I speak with him by phone at least once per month and make certain he knows I love him. I am certain he loves me.
At age 18 I was still convinced that my father could love me dearly and kill me at the same time. He had only spanked me 3 times in my entire life and had never hit me. Not disappointing him was not necessarily my strong suit, but I had this nagging feeling that I should not return home. I could eat all the chicken and onion rings on my way out of town.
After dinner I approached my dad. He was sitting outside watching the birds and drinking a beer. I sat next to him in one of those aluminum folding chairs. It squeaked at me claiming and I thought it sounded like it was saying, "Guilty." I bared my soul. When I was 18 I measured 6 feet 7 inches tall in my bare feet. I had been playing basketball at 3 hours every day since I was 14. I was no slouch.
I was close enough to dad to be knocked across the yard and he was strong enough that I would be unconscious before I hit the ground. I am certain I would have easily cleared the fence and landed in the next yard.
I have never been able to confirm it, but I think dad always suspected that I was hiding a lot of my faults from him. He was right. One thing a Christian Brothers school, like De La Salle, teaches young men is how to be verydeceptive. When I got into trouble I think a part of dad felt a little pride that I wasn't always that kid who received perfect scores in conduct.
After hearing my tale of woe he asked me if I was hurt. I replied, "No. The only damage is to the car, but the passenger side car doors could not be opened any longer." He smiled. I assumed he was so shocked at my story that he had gone insane with rage. The repair would easily cost $800. No small sum to my dad.
This is what he said to me:Charles, when I was 12 I stole my dad's Model A. I took it out into a field and ripped the transmission out on the car. When your grandfather came out to rescue me he only asked how I was, assessed the damage to the car and helped me tow it back to the barn. He taught me that any "thing" can be fixed, but humans sometimes couldn't be.
I had never driven a standard transmission vehicle, but I understood that ripping a transmission could mean that you shifted gears wrong and ground the transmission gears. I understood what he was saying, but I had to dig my hole just a little deeper. I replied:Dad, I see what you are saying but you were 12 and grinding the gears is not the same as what I did to your car.
Then he said between chuckles:No. Son. You don't understand I ran the Model A into a field and ran over a stump. When I stopped, the car and the transmission were no longer attached to each other.
I can just see a younger version of my grandfather shaking his head, wondering how my dad pulled that one off.
So, what did my 18 year old mind conclude from this story? What moral did I take from this? Of course, today I realize how many accidents I avoided by waiting until I was 18 to drive. But back then I mostly remember that dad could drive at 12 years old and I had to wait until I 18!
It wasn't until my mid thirties that I realized what he had really said. He treasured his child more than he treasured a car. He still does today. I am told that he and his great granddaughter are inseparable.
When I turned 18 I was the designated "go for" driver. Charles, will you go for this. Charles will you go for that. Charles, will you go for dinner. Charles, will you go for ... Well, you get the idea. One day I went for Popeye's Chicken. They have the best onion rings ever.
As I was leaving the parking lot I gunned the Grenada in reverse and ran into the cement base of a light pole. I swear the post moved. I got out and surveyed the damage to the car. The passenger side rear quarter panel had shifted into the back door panel which had shifted into the front door panel which had shifted into the front quarter panel. There was no way I could avoid telling dad what had happened to his car. I went home with my last meal. I was determined not to look like a man on death row.
Now, you need to understand my dad. He is not like other dads and after I got past my first two decades I finally realized just how great a guy he really was. I speak with him by phone at least once per month and make certain he knows I love him. I am certain he loves me.
At age 18 I was still convinced that my father could love me dearly and kill me at the same time. He had only spanked me 3 times in my entire life and had never hit me. Not disappointing him was not necessarily my strong suit, but I had this nagging feeling that I should not return home. I could eat all the chicken and onion rings on my way out of town.
After dinner I approached my dad. He was sitting outside watching the birds and drinking a beer. I sat next to him in one of those aluminum folding chairs. It squeaked at me claiming and I thought it sounded like it was saying, "Guilty." I bared my soul. When I was 18 I measured 6 feet 7 inches tall in my bare feet. I had been playing basketball at 3 hours every day since I was 14. I was no slouch.
I was close enough to dad to be knocked across the yard and he was strong enough that I would be unconscious before I hit the ground. I am certain I would have easily cleared the fence and landed in the next yard.
I have never been able to confirm it, but I think dad always suspected that I was hiding a lot of my faults from him. He was right. One thing a Christian Brothers school, like De La Salle, teaches young men is how to be verydeceptive. When I got into trouble I think a part of dad felt a little pride that I wasn't always that kid who received perfect scores in conduct.
After hearing my tale of woe he asked me if I was hurt. I replied, "No. The only damage is to the car, but the passenger side car doors could not be opened any longer." He smiled. I assumed he was so shocked at my story that he had gone insane with rage. The repair would easily cost $800. No small sum to my dad.
This is what he said to me:Charles, when I was 12 I stole my dad's Model A. I took it out into a field and ripped the transmission out on the car. When your grandfather came out to rescue me he only asked how I was, assessed the damage to the car and helped me tow it back to the barn. He taught me that any "thing" can be fixed, but humans sometimes couldn't be.
I had never driven a standard transmission vehicle, but I understood that ripping a transmission could mean that you shifted gears wrong and ground the transmission gears. I understood what he was saying, but I had to dig my hole just a little deeper. I replied:Dad, I see what you are saying but you were 12 and grinding the gears is not the same as what I did to your car.
Then he said between chuckles:No. Son. You don't understand I ran the Model A into a field and ran over a stump. When I stopped, the car and the transmission were no longer attached to each other.
I can just see a younger version of my grandfather shaking his head, wondering how my dad pulled that one off.
So, what did my 18 year old mind conclude from this story? What moral did I take from this? Of course, today I realize how many accidents I avoided by waiting until I was 18 to drive. But back then I mostly remember that dad could drive at 12 years old and I had to wait until I 18!
It wasn't until my mid thirties that I realized what he had really said. He treasured his child more than he treasured a car. He still does today. I am told that he and his great granddaughter are inseparable.
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