Automobile Retailers

In our final instalment of Know the Dangers, we’ll be taking a look at how global warming and climate change has an effect on the fragile ecosystems found right here in North America. A number of industries are focusing in on climate change as being their top obstacle to turning significant profit, like the ski industry that we looked at last time. Another industry that requires its fragile ecosystem to be pitch-perfect is the wine industry.

The quality and taste of the wine depend directly on the soil and on climate conditions in which the grapes are grown. This concept is known as terroir. With climate change altering conditions significantly, the wine industry is experiencing a myriad of issues with the grapes. By bringing higher temperatures, the effect had on the terroir is impossible to predict. As such, California’s $15-billion wine industry sits in the balance.

Pinot noir is a type of wine that requires a very particular temperature to grow the grapes. The grapes benefit from ocean breezes and other climate conditions. With climate change, many worry that the conditions required to grow the pinot grapes will no longer exist.

Another issue that impacts the wine is water. With potential for a water shortage and issues impacting the volatility of the water supply, it’s enough to make many wine producers nervous. There have been periods of drought in California that have impacted the grape crops significantly, such as the drought in the Grain Belt from a few years ago. If these drought conditions don’t improve, wine makers will need to rely on other measures to achieve a halfway decent crop.

By now, many readers are likely panicking. “Not the wine! Anything but the wine!”

If you’re wondering what you can do to save the wine and the wineries we all love so much, some changes are in order. Driver smarter and drive a more fuel-efficient car. Stop by your Scion dealer today, tell them you want to save the wineries in California, and get yourself a test drive!

According to an article in Business Week magazine, a Ford and General Motors merger was discussed at a recent management meeting at General Motors. The idea was shot down, of course, but the prospects of such a merger were most interesting to the casual observer.

The idea for the potential merger was proffered by a General Motors executive who was clearly reacting to the current strain on the markets. A merger would likely save some grief but could probably also add some tension to the industry giants. There is certainly no assurance that such a merger would wind up saving both companies, either.

Citing “someone familiar with the discussion,” the Business Week article goes on to say that the merger was turned down because it would have been a huge distraction from the real business of the day and that any such merger would compound the numerous problems both companies were having. I think the idea of the merger would actually minimize the problems, as both companies could attack them together and come up with a grouped solution. But I suppose that’s why I’m a blogger and not a business executive with a sinking automotive firm.

As many pundits and analysts have admitted, such a merger could save a lot of the issues both companies face as the merging of the business capital would certainly come in handy when dealing with fiscal issues. Having the financial pools of both companies to deal with would certainly be advantageous and could provide some remarkable opportunities for investors.

For now, though, the idea is simply a discussion in passing. Perhaps the idea of the merger is enough to get some tongues wagging in the higher circles, as the combination of business capital and executive power would likely make an instant impact in the industry and could wind up putting a lot of people back to work. The Ford dealer outlets and GM dealer outlets would be grateful.

Have you ever wanted to life the designer lifestyle on the A-list like your favourite celebrity? I think we all can say we have. Has cash always been the major obstacle when it comes to living the life? I think we can all say that’s a distinct possibility.

While many of us are simply fighting for a spot in line as the gas station or struggling for a way to pay the grocery bill, there are some of us who are setting our sights a little bit higher and want to taste what the A-list has to offer.

So how do we accomplish that without stretching our bank account beyond all recognition?

That’s easy: rent it. Renting a new “life” is becoming more and more popular among those middle classers who can afford to take a bit of extra capital and stick it behind the rental of a fancy wardrobe, car, or even a private jet for a few hours. You can impress your friends by paying the rental fee on a Ferrari, for instance, and show up in a rented Armani suit with the latest gadget in your hand ready for use.

All-rented, all the time.

Sure it may sound somewhat tacky, but more and more people are becoming renters. Women are renting out expensive handbags to take with them on nights out with the girls, while men are renting suits and cars for a night out on the town. Rent a set of the most expensive golf clubs for an afternoon tee time with the boys or settle in a rented downtown condo for a night of fun and excitement staring out at the city lights.

For a modest fee, in most cases, you can rent just about anything to give yourself that sweet sense of the A-list life. Drop by your local Lamborghini dealer and see if they offer rentals on their speedsters or check out rental town homes downtown and take one out for an evening spin.

How often do you see cars with bumper stickers? I see one at least once a day, sometimes more. Some of them are pretty clever. Others are fairly lame. But regardless of what the bumper sticker says, those drivers have one thing in common: They tend to be more aggressive.

A social psychologist at Colorado State University conducted a study involving drivers with bumper stickers and drivers without bumper stickers. The study also included drivers who have vanity plates, decals and other markers on their car.

The researcher found that drivers with any type of marking on their car showed more aggressive driving behaviors than drivers without markers. They exhibited several types of road rage, including tailgating, honking and "flipping the bird." One surprising finding was that it didn’t matter what type of marking the driver had because they all showed these types of behaviors. A person with a "My son was an honor student" bumper sticker showed just as aggressive driving behaviors as a truck driver with a Confederate flag sticker.

The social psychologist concluded that these behaviors are linked to evolutionary reactions. We tend to look at cars as our private space within a public territory. People who have aggressive tendencies are more likely to "mark their territory" with stickers and decals, explaining the reason why these drivers tend to be meaner behind the wheel.

Do you want to be viewed as an aggressive driver or do you want to hide those tendencies from other drivers? Either way, you can do whatever you want when you purchase a new or used car from your local Pontiac dealer . Cover your car in political stickers or keep it sticker-less. The choice is yours. Just keep your anger under control so we can all enjoy the streets and highways together.

Along with obvious environmental dangers to global warming, there are a number of tangible financial dangers as well. Ski hills, coastal regions, and the lobster industry are just a few of the industries that have felt an economic pinch as a direct result of climate change. Because of the changes in temperature, many of the economies that depend on industries with a reliance on the weather are starting to experience problems.

The ski industry is one of the obvious ones, naturally. To put it bluntly, without snow there is no ski season. In America, the ski industry is worth around $4.5 billion a year. States like Colorado are largely reliant on snow in certain parts of the year in order to fuel many of its local economies. Without that snow, the local economies die off.

Between 1950 and 1997, springtime mountain snow cover in the Rockies was down 16 percent, the Cascades lost an average of 29 percent, and many sites in Washington, Oregon and Northern California saw springtime snow down more than 50 percent. This type of snow loss is increasing each year, meaning that companies have to create their own snow. That is an expensive process, to say the least.

Man-made snow is prepared by replicating the same conditions needed for natural snow. While the immediate temperatures don’t have to be freezing, they do have to be close. The warmer it is, the more expensive it is to make snow.

With local ski hills suffering because of a lack of snow and more of an emphasis put on manmade snow, it can be tough to imagine how the economy can possibly get any worse for areas that depend on snow to make a living.

Despite claims to the contrary, changing our driving habits now actually CAN make a difference as to how the world operates and how much of an impact climate change has on our world. Stop by your local Scion dealer today and check out some of what they have to offer by way of fuel-efficient cars. You might save a ski bunny or two!

Move over Car and Driver, Ferrari is entering the magazine market.

A magazine specifically targeted for Ferrari owners will be hitting Ferrari owners’ mailboxes during the coming weeks. The mag will highlight the racing culture, fashion, and design that many Ferrari owners have come to expect from their lifestyles. There will be plenty of advertisements for expensive products and plenty of articles about stuff that the rest of us can’t hope to afford.

Ferrari’s magazine is geared towards the “passionate people” who own Ferraris. Of course, Ferrari’s market research is certainly set on having owners of a certain ilk. The process to simply buy a Ferrari reads more like a psychology exam than a normal automobile purchase. Joining the ranks of Ferrari owners is like joining a secret club; only the cool people are allowed in the clubhouse and no girls after three.

The official Ferrari Magazine is produced in conjunction with Conde Nast publishing and is headed by Editor-In-Chief Antonio Ghini. As Ferrari’s only publication, the magazine features in-depth interviews with key company figures and high resolution images on its extra-large pages, making it easy to read for those Ferrari drivers’ whose reading ability disappeared upon seeing the price tag for the car.

The magazine will feature quarterly issues with different themes, with the final issue of each year serving as a sort of “Year in Review” magazine.

It is expected that 30,000 orders for the magazine will be shipped worldwide for Ferrari owners. A limited amount of subscriptions will be put out for the normal public to enjoy, with a modest price of $400 a year per subscription. That’s one hundred dollars an issue.

If you simply can’t wait for your issue of Ferrari’s magazine to arrive in your mailbox, you can always head down to the local Ferrari dealer and ask around for a copy.

Oil company apologists are everywhere. They come in all walks of life and some of them even post on this very blog. If you’ve ever heard someone say, “The oil companies are ONLY making four cents a gallon on gas prices,” then you’ve heard an oil company apologist spin their web. The figures completely ignore the fact that almost every single oil company in the United States (and the world) has reported record profits during the last year.

And nevermind that four-ten cents on the dollar is the normal profit range for most companies in the best of times…

I’m not sure that any company making $12-billion of pure profit by June needs an apologist, but that’s just me. I don’t honestly care how much of a percentage they’re making on the dollar. If a company is making a penny on the dollar and they cut several billion dollars in five-six months, I’d have very little trouble feeling sympathy for them.

The fact of the matter is that the United States has gone to war for its oil companies.

In March of 2001, oil company execs met with President Bush and his staffers to discuss oil in Iraq. The meeting involved an analysis of the oil fields in the Middle East, with a prime focus on Iraq. At that time, the price of oil per barrel was $23.96 each (today the price is $135.59). At the time of the meeting, there were 63 other oil companies in 30 other countries competing for oil in Iraq using natural means and market tactics.

Now that the United States Army is occupying Iraq and the prices for oil are through the proverbial roof, guess who gets first crack at all of the oil contracts? Do you think it’s New Zealand? Or Japan? Nope. It’s Exxon, Shell, and BP from the United States.

As reported in the New York Times, those companies were reported to receive no-bid contracts from Iraq’s Foreign Ministry. The companies prevailed over others in the natural bidding war and some smaller oil companies, like Shell, wound up getting first dibs over some large oil companies from China and Russia.

The story goes on, naturally, and we all know how the oil prices rose from there and how American companies got first dibs on other contracts in Iraq. Oil company execs, using immunity from the United States, have had first crack at large pieces of oil resources in Iraq while under guard from U.S. military. Does this really still give oil company apologists a case?

Back in the United States, car companies are suffering from the weight of oil and rising gas prices. The local Ford dealer is having trouble moving old models of its big trucks off of the lot, while Ford execs are dropping salaries and cutting workers. This also relates to the rising gas prices, which are lining the pockets of oil companies and other parties. The cycle has doubtlessly cost thousands of Ford workers their jobs and millions of dollars to the company.

So really, do oil companies really need another apologist?

Everybody thinks the "big bad oil companies" are benefiting from rising gas prices. The only problem with that theory is that they only make about four cents per gallon right now instead of the 10 cents per gallon they made when gas was cheaper. Most of these companies have cut their profits just to cut down on the price the consumers need to pay at the pumps. The federal and state governments actually make four or five times the amount of the oil companies for each gallon sold.

But did you know your auto insurance company is also benefitting from rising gas prices?

Studies now show that drivers throughout the nation have changed their driving habits. They’re not only driving fewer miles, but they are also driving slower to increase their fuel economy. This means fewer accidents on the roads. And, as a result, the insurance companies have fewer payouts to policyholders.

Auto insurers closely monitor accident claims. In the last few months, they’ve noticed fewer accidents. As a result, they hold on to more of your money. Instead of being mad at the oil companies, how about being a bit miffed at the insurance companies, too? I don’t see any of them giving back any money to policyholders simply because they have fewer payouts.

One way to get the most for your dollar is to get a new or used fuel-efficient vehicle from your local Pontiac dealer . Since you’re paying the same premiums for your insurance anyways, why not get a vehicle where you can still drive as much as you want to without breaking your budget at the gas pumps? Just be sure to drive safe and responsibly. We all want to get home to our families at night.

Along with health issues, there are of course a number of environmental issues that are directly related to global warming. We all know of the number of weather calamities that have occurred over recent months and years as the environment has changed drastically. The evidence linking global warming and these weather calamities is increasing, too, and the dangers of drastic weather conditions are a part of our daily news.

With hurricanes in particular, the warming of our ocean waters through the warming of our overall climate has impacted the frequency of hurricanes in recent years. Scientists have long predicted that warmer weather would increase the occurrence of weather incidents like hurricanes or tsunamis. There were still questions regarding where and when the stronger hurricanes would occur and how much stronger the hurricanes would be.

Recent storm events have produced some answers to those questions, as we have come to learn that the storm levels have already risen significantly. Recent research covered in the 2007 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that, in the North Atlantic, fiercer hurricanes are “correlated with increases of tropical sea surface temperatures.”

A 2005 MIT study found that the harsh potential of tropical storms has doubled over the past 30 years. It correlates this increasing fierceness with warmer sea surface temperatures. Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology found that the number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has doubled since the 1970’s.

With all of these changes regarding hurricanes upon us and fiercer storms likely on the way, it is important to realize the dangers of global warming at a practical level. People are losing their homes and their lives as the result of these horrific storms.

It may seem that our world is on a path to destruction that none of us can avoid. In truth, however, even the smallest lifestyle changes can help make major impacts. Driving a smaller car that produces fewer pollutants is a good start, naturally. Drop by your local Scion dealer today and check out what they have to offer.

Most people are assuming by now that the reports for sales from the month of June are going to be rather bad. The sales figures will be released next week and Ford and GM are said to be bracing themselves for the results.

Many estimations for the sales figures have them dropping as much as 25%, which is a shocking prospect for both of the massive Detroit companies. With shares falling rapidly in both companies, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Ford and GM aren’t looking so good at the moment. Both companies have taken tons of SUVs and pickups out of their production schedules, too, which have led to plant closures and layoffs.

Ford also shocked stockholders and the world of automakers when it announced that it was going to delay production and distribution of its F150 for 2009. This news came when Ford said that it still had too many 2008 models of the truck to sell. Once popular, the Ford F150 is just no longer a viable option for car owners that have to face the alarmingly high gas prices.

Many analysts have poured through the books to find out when the last time a company delayed production on a vehicle in such a way in Detroit. Automakers rely on new model introductions to boost showroom sales at the dealerships and to stimulate the overall sales of all vehicles from the company. With this move, Ford certainly won’t capitalize on greater sales anytime soon. The move is considered to be both expected and, at the same time, somewhat perplexing.

It appears that things are going to look different down at the local Ford dealer for quite some time. The General Motors dealerships are certainly not faring much better, but it appears that Ford is really taking the brunt of the changing markets, gas prices, and production decisions. Time will tell what will happen to the company, but next week’s sales figures likely won’t be good.