High Schools

Some high schools offer a robust variety of courses that encompass a range of knowledge relating to auto repair. For example, a high school might offer classes in brakes, electrical electronic systems, engine performance, and suspension and steering. A high school can receive program certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) or the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). This indicates that the curriculum meets the national standards set forth by these nonprofit organizations.

Career, Technical, and Vocational Centers

Many career, technical, and vocational centers are secondary schools offering automotive training programs that are certified by ASE or NATEF. They may include brakes, electrical electronic systems, engine performance, engine repair, heating and air conditioning, and suspension and steering.

Community Colleges

Community colleges offer a broader range of certified programs, and often partner with vehicle manufacturers and local dealerships to include both classroom and on-the-job training. Their areas of certification may include those offered at secondary schools, plus such areas as automatic transmission and transaxle, manual drive trains and axles. Some post-secondary schools also offer certified courses in alternative fuels, such as CNG conversation and installation, CNG diagnosis and repair, CNG maintenance, LPG conversion and installation, LPG diagnosis and repair, and LPG maintenance, suspension and steering.

Specialty Schools

There are a number of specialty post-secondary schools around the country that provide intensive automotive training and that produce graduates who are fully educated and ready to enter the world of auto repair.

On the Job Training

Although auto repair today requires a tremendous amount of specialized knowledge, there are still scattered opportunities to receive on the job training. This is particularly true for those who decide to specialize and who do not need comprehensive automotive training. For example, someone who specializes in brake repair does not need to know how to rebuild an engine.

Continuing Education

Just as in many fields, the range of knowledge required to keep pace with the changes in automotive technology means that it’s important for automotive service technicians to continue their education over time. There are a few ways to keep up with automotive training, some formal and others informal.

Among the formal continuing education choices is the Continuing Automotive Service Education, or CASE, which is sponsored by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, or ASE. Many technical schools and other training facilities offer a CASE program, which is auto training specifically designed for those who work in the field.

But keeping abreast of the developments in auto repair doesn’t always mean going to class. There are a number of online communities made up of service technicians and those in automotive management jobs. These communities can provide everything from articles and downloads from professionals working in the automotive repair industry, to forums for assistance from other technicians, to classified ads for used engines and used automotive equipment, to job listings and the ability to post resumes.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Majon’s Automotive directory

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Robertson

Auto training can run the gamut, from high school courses where students work on used engines and used automotive equipment to intensive technical school certification programs with a duration of six months to a year. Some community colleges offer an associate’s degree related to auto repair and technology; these programs are often sponsored by vehicle manufacturers and dealerships, and involve alternating classroom training with hands-on work at a dealership.

ASE Certification

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, known as ASE, is a nonprofit organization that offers testing and certification to automotive technicians. ASE’s voluntary certification program provides a benchmark for automotive training programs and technicians in that it is a national standard for excellence. According to the ASE, theirs is the “largest occupational testing and certification program in the world.” Many automotive training programs at high schools, technical schools, and colleges are ASE-certified, and automotive technicians sit for ASE exams in order to become certified.

Career Paths

Automotive training typically leads to entry-level positions in the automotive repair industry. Those who have gone through training may begin their careers as trainee technicians or assistants, but can quickly advance as they gain experience. Those who have a complex specialty may have a longer road to travel in order to reach mastery, but their specialized knowledge will translate into better pay. On the other hand, those who do not need comprehensive knowledge of auto repair – such as brake technicians – may advance more quickly but may also more quickly reach the ceiling of earning potential. Those with the deepest knowledge and broadest range of experience have the potential to move into automotive management jobs, which involve the supervision of automotive technicians and specialists.

Demand for Automotive Technicians

Regardless of the state of the economy, the demand for auto repair and thus for automotive technicians remains steady or continues to grow. With the increasing complexity of today’s vehicles, automotive training is continually evolving and becoming more refined. Thus, a career in auto repair will continue to bring financial rewards for years to come.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Majon’s Automotive directory

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Robertson

Carroll Shelby built some of America’s great muscle cars but he was also a legend in American high performance car racing. His racing career started in 1952. He started off drag racing but quickly moved to road racing. He won his very first race, driving an MG. He beat not only other MG’s in the race but also the more powerful Jaguars. By 1954 Shelby was racing in Europe driving Aston Martins for John Wyers team. In November of 1954 Shelby rolled his racecar 4 times in a Pan American Mexico race and suffered cuts, breaks and a shattered elbow. He continued to race in 1955 using a special fiberglass cast and taping his hands to the steering wheel, despite these hardships Shelby continued to win. In 1957 Carroll Shelby was named racecar driver of the year by Sports Illustrated magazine. In 1960 Shelby moved to California and opened a Goodyear Tire Dealership and later that year he competed in his last race.

Carroll Shelby was retired from racing but he would now begin a chapter in his life that would have a profound impact on American sports cars. He opened a high performance driving school in 1961 and in March of 1962 he opened Shelby America in Venice California. His first car the Shelby Cobra was a combination of a frame being built by AC in England and a small block V-8 being built by Ford Motor Company. The Shelby Cobra was the fastest production car being built at the time. Shelby America went through some start up challenges but eventually starts selling quite a few Cobras. The car is a proven winner in the racing world and in 1965 Ford asks Shelby to develop a high performance Mustang for the street and racing. Ford was eager to compete with the Chevrolet Corvette on both the street and the track and they felt that Carroll Shelby could give them the edge that they needed.

1964-1965

In September 1964 Ford Motor Company and Shelby America form a partnership to build high performance Mustangs. Ford starts shipping stripped down Mustangs to Shelby and lets him do whatever he wants to them. The first 1965 Shelby GT 350 race and production cars are built in late 1964. They are only offered in white and Shelby added a blue stripe down the side with the words GT 350. Under the hood Shelby put in an aluminum intake, which pushed the horsepower from 271 to 306; they also added a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed transmission. The suspension received a larger front stabilizer bar, Koni shocks and traction bars as well as a 1″ sway bar. On the more cosmetic side the mustangs were fitted with fiberglass hoods with functional scoops. The rear seat was removed to make way for the spare tire and competition seat belts were put in. These models were put on the market in January of 1965. They did not sell fast but car enthusiasts were buying them, which was the target market.

In March of 1965 Shelby America moved production of the Mustangs to the Los Angeles International Airport. They started work on what would be the 1966 model. The 1966 GT350 would be offered in more then one color. It was available in black, red, green, and blue. Shelby America also offered a supercharged version of the GT350 as well as a convertible model. In November of 1965 Shelby works out a deal with Hertz to build Shelby GT 350H. He was originally given an order for 200, which is later upped to 1000.

1966-1967

The 1967 model year of the Shelby Mustangs offered a new style. Ford was building a tougher looking car and Shelby made it even more muscular by adding two scoops to the side and a spoiler. Many of the body components on the GT 350 were made of fiberglass. The biggest addition to the Shelby lineup was the GT 500. The Shelby 500 was the big-block version of the Shelby Mustang. It had a huge 428cu in. police interceptor motor, which produced 355 horsepower. You could buy the car with either a C-6 Automatic Transmission or a Ford Toploader 4-Speed manual. It came with power steering and brakes. The Hertz model was not produced this year nor was the supercharged version.

1968-1970

There were not a lot of changes made for the 1968 model year, except for some pretty extensive name changes. The Shelby Mustangs for this year were called the Shelby Cobra and the GT500 was released as the GT500KR for King of the Road. Most of the changes were cosmetic and Shelby produced a large number of convertibles for this model year.

In 1969 Ford completely redesigned the Mustang line. Shelby made some dramatic cosmetic changes to the car, he extended the entire nose of the car using fiberglass and put 5 scoops on the hood alone. The engine was basically the same but was also offered as a 351. 1969 would be the last year of the Shelby Mustangs. As sales slowed dramatically the partnership between Ford and Shelby America ended. The remaining 1969 models would be updated to 1970 specifications and sold. In December of 1969 Shelby America closed its doors. It would be the end of an era for American muscle cars. Carroll Shelby would go on to work for Dodge/Chrysler and would be instrumental in the Dodge Viper project.

In 2003 Ford Motor Company and Shelby Automotive announced they would begin building cars together again. The Shelby Cobra was introduced in 2004 and the Shelby Mustang GT 500 was introduced a year later in 2005. In 2006 Motor Trend magazine named Carroll Shelby one of the 50 most important people in the automotive industry and later that year Hertz and Ford agree to resurrect the Hertz Mustang for the car rental company. The convertible Shelby Mustang was brought out in 2007. The Shelby Mustangs are still being produced today.

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A well maintained pre-owned vehicle can be as good as a new one without paying for the major depreciation that occurs seconds after leaving the lot. There are many more good reasons to purchase a used car as opposed to a new one, such as, paying less for insurance on a used auto. Industry experts consider used cars today to be more reliable than ever before. Many dealers now offer certified used cars which come with a warranty and 24 hour roadside assistance. These popular certification programs mean that a used car has been brought as close as possible to the new state. Many knowledgeable consumers will not buy a used car unless it is certified. Purchasing a certified Used Dodge ensures that you have bought the best possible used vehicle.

Buying a used automobile is a great way to get a fully equipped vehicle that you might not be able to afford brand new. Also consumer surveys indicate that reliability has increased substantially over time. Rust and exhaust issues were a common problem 20 to 30 years ago but are rarely reported today. The Federal Trade Commission has a Used Car Rule that requires a Buyer’s Guide to be posted in every used automobile on a dealer’s lot.

This Buyer’s Guide offers more protection for the consumer. Be sure you have the original guide or a copy because it becomes part of the sales contract. The guide overrides any different provisions in the rest of the sales contract. For example, if the contract stipulates the auto is sold “as is” and the guide says the vehicle comes with a warranty, the dealer must give you the warranty. Armed with this knowledge, you can make a well informed Used Dodge purchase.

The Dodge Avenger is a roomy midsized family sedan with high fuel efficiency and excellent styling reminiscent of the Charger muscle cars. The Avenger consistently earns five stars in both front and side crash tests from government safety ratings. The standard equipment includes front and side air bags so you will feel more comfortable for your family’s safety. A Used Dodge Avenger may be just the right vehicle for you.

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Any person is able to purchase repossessed cars at up to an 80% markdown off the Blue Book monetary values. If you can acknowledge a second hand vehicle, then leaving your hands on one of these repossessed cars can stand for a lot of investments for your compartment. The certainty is you can slash down the charge by thousands of dollars when you tender and acquire a repossessed car from government auto public sale. Let us be trained some more about how to buy repossessed cars at depressed value from these car public sales.

Each day, thousands of vehicles like personal cars, MPVs, SUVs, motor-trucks, RVs and trucks are held by financial institutions such as banks and government bureaus. For the government side, the automobiles are often repossessed from rule breakers such as drug merchants or compulsory seizure for tax defaulters or those who cannot compensate up on their mortgages and so on.

You may be unsure why the costs are cut so low that you can purchase repossessed cars at such great markdown. The government and financial institutions are in the same way anxious with the operating cost incurred in storing and maintaining the vehicles in good condition. Time is working against them with high downgrading and costly maintenance. This is why you as a auto holder or used car dealer can gain or proceeds from it.

Several people could be concerned about the reduction rate of their repossessed cars. Outspokenly, there is not much to be anxious about. If you were to buy a brand new car from the car merchants, the vehicle loses its worth the moment you drive it home. The fall can be as high as $5,000 and further than. Think about this for a second when you acquire repossessed cars for less than 80% off the retail price when you offer for one at the apprehended auto public sale.

Detained car auctions have been concealed from the public for a while as used auto traders keep this to themselves, dropping their teeth into the gigantic earnings from buying and selling the vehicles. Now, the moment you be familiar with it, you can adhere them and obtain repossessed cars for contemptible.

That is why many of second-hand car dealers have been recurrent to look for good deal vehicles they can find at low costs and reselling for gains. If you have ever bought a second hand car, there is a possibility that this auto was beforehand from these public sale.

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Rinah Olson

This month sees the introduction of Nissan’s stylish new Qashqai. Although retailing for the low price point of £13,495, customers won’t be disappointed with its new design and performance. A hybrid of both sports car and family SUV, the Qashqai features an all new 2.0 litre diesel engine, and has an impressive top speed of 124mph. The engine generates less CO2 emissions than the previous model, and has a BHP of 171. Among its newly designed features are the car’s grille, bumper, headlights, roof spoiler and alloy wheels.

The interior has been retouched to compliment the car’s smart lines, and the new steering wheel incorporates a set of convenient controls.This luxurious new car comes in five colours, but is available in one high specification only. The seats are leather and power adjustable, and there is an inbuilt Satnav system so you will never get lost. Among the car’s other convenient gadgets are its multi information display, its rear view parking camera, climate control air conditioning, cruise control and heated front seats.

As a family car, the Qashqai does everything it should do and more. Every detail of the car has been specifically tailored to give great comfort and convenience. The driver’s seat is positioned for maximum visibility of all angels, and the backseats fold flat for ease of transporting large items when needed. As a sport’s car, the Qashqai handles much like a car which is smaller and lighter than its specification, and looks every bit the part with its smart alloy wheels, tinted windows and roof spoiler. Available in black, silver, red, grey and blue, the new Nissan looks stylish and luxurious, like an expensive high performance car. Combining great style and functionality, this Japanese creation is sure to provide customers with reliability and value for money, and is a great addition to the Nissan family.

If you are lookign for a sports / 4X4 crossover for a reasonable price, then I suggest you visit your nearest Car Dealers and check out the Nissan Qashqai. You won’t regret it!

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Annually there are numerous cars disposed of at car auctions. These auctions go by different names based on their backgrounds, i.e., salvage car auctions, police auto auctions, seized car auctions, damaged cars, car dealer auctions, etc. Mostly though, these auctions are only offered to automobile dealerships and the public can not attend. The current exception to this is the introduction of web-accessed auctions like Car Auction Inc where these vehicles are available to the public via the internet.

The selling price of cars sold at the auction is always less than what the dealer would advertise on its lot, because the specific seller’s need to clear their inventories quickly and hassle-free. There are several of groups these unwanted cars originate from: expired leases, old rental car fleets, aging company cars, repossessed and seized vehicles, and trade-ins.

• Leases

Banks and financial institutions with vehicles with expiring leases use closed auctions (private, not open to the public) to sell off the cars. Off-lease vehicles are good specimens for auction participants as they are usually in good repair because of limited mileage, regular maintenance, and penalties for neglect and excessive wear. Also, the banks choose to liquidate them in a timely manner and thus, compromise by accepting lower selling prices..

• Rentals

Car rental companies like to swap out their vehicles on a yearly basis to make room for the new ones. This creates a substantially large amount of late-model cars in the marketplace. They rely on auto auctions too for a quick sell-off. These cars are in demand by bidders because they are well maintained and usually less than a year old. Despite that, they frequently have high mileage and rough usage by the wide array of drivers and driving conditions.

• Company cars

All sizes of companies often have fleets of cars, trucks, or vans for their employees that they choose to replace every two or more years. This is another example of the need for a car auction. Company vehicles driven by the upper tier are often luxury cars and are usually driven gently. Thus they tend to be in overall good condition. Conversely, trucks and vans usually get more use and abuse. All types get adequate maintenance so this is not an issue.

• Repossessed

Finance companies facing unpaid car loans have to repossess, or seize the vehicle. When this happens an auction is their only choice for removing the car from their possession. Buyers can get excellent deals on repossessed cars because the banks only seek to offset their losses from the loan. The car’s condition is another issue here, as there is a higher chance of neglect and possible sabotage by the delinquent owner. Repairs and maintenance could have been ignored, too.

• Trade-ins

When a dealership accepts a trade-in for a new car, they don’t often keep these older cars on the lot for resale. Retaining aging vehicles is unfavorable to dealerships because the costs are high and can adversely effect their reputation. If they have many cars of this nature on the lot not being sold, then poor salesmanship could be implied. So it is wise to move these trade-ins out of the inventory. At auction they can usually yield a bit more than what they offered on the trade-in. The condition of these vehicles is all over the place, as some have after-market additions, and some may be older and out of warranty.

Many in this category of cars will be of high quality and late models still under warranty. Federal law states that full disclosure of any major mechanical problem, which may void the warranties. Cars with a troubled history are classified as salvage, and are put up for auction mostly by the insurance companies that had underwritten them. So in addition to these car dealer auctions there are salvage car auctions, and police auto auctions that may include government cars as well.

Before car auctions on line were commonplace, most of the auctions were closed to the public and reserved only for auto dealerships. Now, with internet services like Car Auction Inc, that does not stand. With access to the World Wide Web, the general public can join the party and share in the great deals offered by car auctions that only an exclusive few formerly enjoyed.

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Today’s growing number of 7 seater cars have to be the way to go when you need enough room to comfortably carry a growing family. Gone are the days when you would get squished in the back seat with your 2 or 3 brothers or sisters, even sharing seatbelts to make room. Today’s MPV, SUVs and CUVs make it easy to carry a lot of passengers.

Once you start looking for one though, you’ll realize that there are so many to choose from… when I did a quick search I found a total of 204 in the United States! Which one is going to meet your family’s needs best?

I think the best way to start your search is to determine the type of car that you need regardless of the number of seats. Let’s take a look at the type of cars that are available in today’s car market.

One of the best known types of vehicles is the traditional family sedan which is usually a 4 door vehicle that carries usually 4 or more passengers. In 2009, the most passenger room that I could find in a sedan was 5. So today’s fuel economical sedan isn’t going to fit the bill with our need for 7 seats. In the past that need was filled with the station wagon but today’s station wagon is the MPV (multi-passenger vehicle) better known as the mini van.

If you’re needs consist of a light duty MPV that is going to cart the family around to after school activities the mini van makes a good choice. Most vans will get decent fuel mileage of 20 to 25 MPG. There are even some new hybrid models that combine gas and electricity to get mileage into the 30 and 40 miles per gallon category. However if you’re going to be driving the family around in rough weather, like snow, you may be better suited to drive a SUV or sports utility vehicle.

SUVs have gotten a bad rap as gas guzzling wrecking machines but in reality there is a need for the 4 wheel drive models in cold weather areas. You can carry 7 passengers with ease with the addition of a “way back” seat and if it starts to snow you just flip the switch to 4 wheel drive. The drawback is that they do swill some fuel. Mileage varies but you’re generally in the 15 to 18 mpg range. Ford as a pretty cool hybrid SUV out there but it’s smaller and will only accommodate 5 passengers.

Which brings us to the newest addition of passenger vehicles; the crossover utility vehicle. As you might expect from the name, the crossover combines attributes of multiple vehicles. A great example is the Ford Edge. In looking at it, you wonder is it a big station wagon, a van… an SUV? It’s all of the above and usually a great choice for the larger family. When you look at the new crossovers you’ll find 3 rows of well appointed comfort keeping everyone happy on a long trip. The downside to a crossover is like a SUV, they don’t get great gas mileage. Look out in 2010 for some new hybrid cars that seat 7 to show up on dealers showrooms though.

Now that you know the differences between the types of 7 passenger vehicles, hopefully you’ll be able to go to your area showroom knowing exactly what to look at in 7 seater cars.

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