Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Feb. 22, 1996, edition 1 / Page 42
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THE VOICE BEHIND THE VEHICLE The voice of Barry White is behind Chrysler s “Buy Your Own” 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited ad. The company hopes that 25-to-50 year olds will pay attention. Black music and musicians have become a popular way for auto companies to sell cars to African Americans. The ad, produced by Don Coleman & Asso ciates, is part of Chrysler’s ongoing marketing campaign to grab a greater share of the African-American carbuying market. Chrysler also sponsored Barry White’s Icon World Tour to more than 40 U.S. cities last year. In 1994, Lena Horne, was the voice behind the Neon commercial, while a redo of the Isley Brother’s “Cara van of Love” song backs the new Dodge Caravan ad. I^st year, Chrysler’s share of the African-American market increased by 14%, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. REPORT CITES SHABBY SERVICE REPAIR Many of the dollars con sumers spend on auto repairs are spent unnecessarily, according to a 139-page “Auto Repair Task Force Report,” by the National Association of Attorneys Gen eral. Its research shows that tech nician error and incompetence, as well as a lack of communica tion between shops and con sumers, significantly contribute to the problem. The report cites U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that in 1994 consum ers spent $75 billion on auto repairs and $ 15 billion on parts and accessories. The report does not say how much of that amount was due to fraudulent practices. The task force recom mends that states require repair shops to; 1) Provide comprehen sive pre-repair estimates that include all amounts to be paid; 2) Obtain consumer consent for charges that exceed estimates; 3) Advise consumers before repairs of their right to receive replace ment parts; 4) Provide detailed post-repair invoices that item ize parts and labor and cite any applicable warranty and 5) Post a sign in a conspicuous place notifying consumers of their rights. The best bet is to take your car to a dealership where there are trained mechanics who won’t nickel and dime you. Dealers have an incentive to treat customers fairly, since they want you to come back and buy a car from them. AUTO TECHNICIANS IN SHORT SUPPLY 4’here is a critical shortage of skilled automotive techni cians across the country that has left auto dealers and repair shops competing for a small pool of workers. Because of the de mand, skilled technicians are earning upwards of $75,000 annually. U.S. Labor Dept, data shows that more than one third of those working in dealerships are earning more than $40,000 a year. Even with such attrac tive salaries, the U.S. Environ mental Protection Agency esti mates that there is a shortfall of 60,000 skilled auto techni- CHRYSLER RETURNS TO SOUTH AFRICA Chrysler plans to sell ve hicles in South Africa after nearly a 13-year absence. Chrysler pulled out of South Africa in 1983, along with all of its international markets, af ter nearly going bankrupt. The company which once manufac tured vehicles in South Africa plans to establish a dealer net work throughout the country. Initially, it plans to sell approxi mately 3,000 units, and grow to nearly 10,000 vehicles by the end of the decade. The first ve hicles available for sale in South Africa will be the Jeep Chero kee and Jeep Grand Cherokee. U.S. AUTOMAKERS GET CUSTOMERS’ ‘THUMBS UP’ According to the new American Customer Satisfac tion Index (ACSI), U.S. automakers experienced an in crease in customer satisfaction during the past^ear, while Japa nese automakers lost ground. The average score for Ameri can auto companies is 80.4, a 1.5 percent improvement over last October and well above the 73.7 ACSI score for the economy as a whole. Japan’s autos are down by about one percent, but with an average score of 81.6, still slightly ahead of the Big Three. European vehicles are on top, rising 1.2 percent to a score of 81.8. Cus tomer satisfaction with cars and vans in general is among the highest of all consumer prod ucts and services, while satisfac tion with computers and household appliances is declin ing. The Index is the nations only cross-industry measure of the quality of economic output. It is co-sponsored by the Ameri can Society for Quality Con trol (ASQC) and the Univer sity of Michigan Business School. WIN THE NEW MERCEDES E320 The Women’s Committee for the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is raffling off an all-new Mercedes-Benz E320 at $100 a ticket. Only 2500 tickets will be sold and all entries must be received by March 20, 1996, said Juanita Wallace Jackson, the group’s first African-American presi dent. Currently, the most tech nologically-advanced luxury car in America, the new Benz was donated to the NSO by Mercedes-Benz of North America and several Washing ton area dealers. To enter, call the NSO Women’s Commit tee at (202) 416-8151. 4 AFRICAN AMERICANS ON WHEELS
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Feb. 22, 1996, edition 1
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