Honest-1 Auto Care Presents 2013 Franchise Awards at National Company Conference

Emerging Auto Care Company Honors Top Franchisees and Regional Developers

Honest-1 Auto Care announced the winners of several awards given to franchisees and regional developers throughout its extensive network. The awards were presented during the brand’s national conference in Carefree, Ariz. from May 6 – 8, 2013.

“Not only were we excited to host our network of hard-working and exceptional franchisees and regional developers, but the chance to recognize individuals for their successes with these awards was really special,” said Rissy Sutherland, COO of Honest-1 Auto Care. “The individuals honored with these awards are what make Honest-1 Auto Care the ambitious and growing brand that it is today.”

Some of the System-wide winners for the 2013 conference included:

·         Image Award:Fred Haynes (Burnsville, MN)

·         Highest Sales Increase: Tracy and Kristin Steward (Phoenix, AZ), who experienced a 63 increase in sales from 2011 to 2012

·         Rookie of the Year: Randy Rada (New Hope, MN) for:

o   Community involvement;

o   Outstanding lobby design;

o   Highest average weekly sales of any shop open less than 18 months, and;

o   Average weekly car count of 102

·         Outstanding Achievement and Contribution: Tracy and Kristin Steward (Phoenix, AZ) for:

o   Community involvement;

o   Out-of-the-box marketing ideas;

o   Amazing store sales growth;

o   Testing of new reports and systems;

o   Shop tours for Discovery Day

·         Region Developer of the Year: Jim Henkel (Cottage Grove, MN) for:

o   Transferred one agreement

o   Opened four locations;

o   Sold two new franchise agreements;

o   Conducted field and classroom training;

o   Testing systems and programs

·         Highest One Week Car Count: Dan Morris and Heather Imel ( South Daytona, FL), 178 cars during Week 27

“Company-wide, 2012 was a very important year for Honest-1,” said Jack Keilt, President and CEO of Honest-1 Auto Care. “Not only did we grow into markets we’ve never been in before, but our franchise owners and regional developers demonstrated total dedication to making our system profitable by enhancing the levels of quality service we provide to each customer. With that continued mission underway, we expect even more great successes in 2013.”

Over the past year, Honest-1 has signed development deals for 9 units through an aggressive Region Developer (RD) concept. In 2013, the RD’s signed into the system are working to develop a minimum of 15 units in five major markets. Honest-1 Auto Care plans to expand into markets around the country including, Phoenix, Atlanta, Nashville, Indianapolis, Miami, Orlando, Raleigh, Charlotte, Michigan, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Denver, and many others. For more information about Honest-1 franchising, visit www.h1franchise.com.  

The most cost effective_buffing pad for car detailing work

Buffing pads are a wear and tear use kind of detailing work consumption.
We suggest user to reduce the unnecessary wastage into best cost effective model.

Reduce the redundant work and unneeded blood sucker pad company. We noticed some big giant car detailing forum/we site sell more than 30 kinds of pad and all of them name differently but almost did the same job.
If you are looking for buffing pad and you click into this post you are lucky as we will tell you that , "All are marketing hype".
We did sold different kind of grade of pad previously and the had filtered out the redundant one and left the best workable way with saving most of the cost of buffing pad for your detailing journey.

Buffing pad with medium wave surface, suitable for fine finishing and one-step polishing(7-inch):

*Universal medium type, finishing polish, The wave pad

The most economic pad for polishing.
The WAVE surface can offer more air flow into the pad while polishing work. A better way and more safe for polishing job.

whereby the heavy cutting surface are like : 

*Human made wool fabric type, cutting compound pad, The Wool pad

Q&A session, Reason why this 2 pads?
Universal medium type, finishing polish, The wave pad
*Human created sponge pad for polishing work as a better approach to deliver best surface appearance for car. But the over produced of product had lead the market into redundant product developed. There are actually no so call medium grade of final grade, just the different of sponge level with ppi number.
If you use a heavy pad with lowest speed and least/finishing compound, you will have little cutting power;
If you use a finishing fine pad with higher speed and heavy duty compound, you will have strong cutting power.
Which mean, the there another factors which control and dominant the compounding/polishing work.
Hence for conclusion here is one kind of pad is enough to deliver medium cutting and finishing as well.
TRY IT YOURSELF! 


Human made wool fabric type, cutting compound pad, The Wool pad*AGAIN, don't get fooled.
If you need cutting power, go for wool pad.
Our wool pad with human made fiber can reduce much hairline scratches than normal lamb wool.
**Learn here: wool pad will deliver some little hairline scratches once compounding work ongoing. Choose a less hairline wool or follow up with a medium/finishing polish is a MUST!


What is the benefit for Wool pad here?
1.Economic budget use compare to other brand.
2.User friendly for clearcoat/topcoat polishing.
3.No sanding needed at all but can deliver sanding quality.
4.Save compound due to the surface is strong.
5.Save time from doing repeated buffing.
6.Strong velcro which stick well.





Before you navigate to next page, remember this. Buffing pad is a wear and tear of product consumption. Spend wise for your own detailing work.

Detail pricing with quantity/shipping cost, click HERE

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The Evolution of Maintenance

Over the past thirty years, car maintenance has changed dramatically.  Since most owners of collector cars are older than 45, this means that they have seen this transformation in their driving lifetime.  

Oil changes have gone from every three months or 3,000 miles to 7,500 miles or more, and one to two years.  Cars needed new spark plugs every 15,000 miles; today’s cars go 60,000 or even 100,000 miles on a set of plugs.

What do the new maintenance guidelines mean for old cars today?   Do they apply to vintage cars, or only to new cars?  Let’s look at oil.  BMW says its OK to drive a new 5-Series 15,000 miles before changing the oil because they use a special long-life formulation.  What does that mean for an owner of a 1983 5-Series?  Can he fill his car with today’s super-duper BMW oil and get 15,000 miles on a change?

In most cases, the answer is NO.  Maintenance requirements for new cars do not translate retroactively to older cars simply because thinking has changed and fluids and parts have evolved.

Older cars were made in a time of looser tolerances.  That’s evident when you look at the number of adjustments on a vintage car.  Fenders – to choose one example - have slotted holes so you can move them for alignment. Everything is adjustable.   New cars are the opposite – very little is adjustable.   Parts are machined precisely and fit exactly as intended.  At least they’re supposed to!

The same situation holds true in the engine.  Where a 2012 engine might have bearing clearances of 1.5 thousandths of an inch, a 1952 car might have three or five times that much clearance.  Some is a result of looser production tolerances when new, and some the result of wear and age.  What does that mean?  It means the older engine will require a thicker oil to prevent metal-on-metal galling.  It means the long-life attributes of the new oil are not the determining factor in its suitability for use in an old car – viscosity is!  And the new oil is in fact the wrong viscosity for the old car.

So the use of oil made for a 2012 BMW in a thirty or forty-year-old BMW might actually be destructive.   What about going the other way, you ask?  The use of the older car’s thicker oil in a new BMW could result in excess pressure, and damage to engine components that were not even invented in the 1970s.  Furthermore, the absence of the long-life additives would contribute to premature failure. 

When we consider how long an oil will last, we look at two things:  How rugged is the oil, and how fast will it get degraded by combustion byproducts as the engine runs?   Oil that has the weight rating for old cars does not have the long-life wear additives needed for new engines.  That’s one basic fact.  Old engines generated more waste product when they ran, right from day one.   That’s the second key fact.  We all know old engines polluted more.  What many people don’t realize is that some of that pollution ends up in the engine’s crankcase, polluting the oil

What that means is this:  The life of oil in a vintage car is usually determined by contamination of the oil, either from sludge in the motor or excess combustion byproducts.  The use of long life oil will not help that situation; indeed the more aggressive detergents may make things worse!

For that reason I suggest a change interval of once a season or every 3,000 miles on your collector vehicle.  And use the right weight for its age.

What about the other fluids?

Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air.  In most climates, it is ready to be changed after three years.  Failure to change brake fluid leads to rusting of the internal brake parts and costly repairs.  So I encourage you to change it semi-annually.

Some coolants do last longer, and they may be used in older cars.  BMW and Mercedes coolants – for example – are backward compatible with most older models.  But check the labels to be sure.

Modern transmission and gear oils will last longer, but again contamination is often the enemy in an older car.  Since usage varies so widely there is no one recommendation for changing these oils, but in any case I would not run them longer than 6-8 years, even in a low mileage show car.

Spark plug life in a vintage car depends mostly on engine wear.  Pull your plugs annually if possible, and check for fouling.  Often only one cylinder will foul, and you may choose to replace just the one plug.  There are old cars that never fould plugs, and others that do it every second tank of gas.  Know your vehicle. 

Most old cars are not driven enough to ever clog air filter.   Fuel filters are another matter.  I suggest fitting a modern filter to your old car because they are so much more effective, and change it every 3-4 years as you can’t see inside, and fuel can carry invisible contaminants that will collect in the filter. 

Now it’s time to take this information and run with it, because spring is here, and another driving season is upon us!  Good luck!

John Elder Robison is the General Manager of JE Robison Service of Springfield, Massachusetts.  Robison Service specializes in repair and restoration of BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes, and Rolls Royce/Bentley motorcars.

Honest-1 Featured in Courier News

Honest-1 was recently featured in the Courier News in an article titled, "Auto repair shop in Flemington touts service and quality". 

The article, which includes an awesome headline and nice photo of Honest-1 owner Barry Lasher, talks about Honest-1 and what the brand offers the community. The article showcases Barry as someone looking for a career transition and included the reasoning why he was attracted to Honest-1. This article also included tips for car care provided by Honest-1. 

Click HERE for the full article or begin reading below:

Auto repair shop in Flemington touts service and quality

By: Erica Lamberg

Barry Lasher, 39, worked in information technology before his transition to a career as an auto mechanic and shop owner. With a degree from New York Institute of Technology, Lasher worked for various companies in their information technology departments following graduation. He resides in Princeton Junction in Mercer County and is the married father of three young sons.

About two years ago, Lasher first discovered Honest-1 Auto Care when researching franchise opportunities. He said he liked the brand’s focus on family experience and eco-friendly practices, as well as the idea of owning his own business. He was becoming disenchanted with the cubicle life and was looking for a career change. To ramp up his education, Lasher learned about cars on the weekends from his brother-in-law, whom is a mechanic in South Jersey. Last October, Lasher made the decision to open Honest-1 Auto Care located at 464 Route 202 North in Flemington.

Honest-1 Hosts Annual Conference

Honest-1 Auto Care was excited to kick off their Annual Conference this week. Franchise owners and Regional Developers from across the country came together to share best practices to ensure their customers have an even better Honest-1 experience in the coming year. The conference was held at the Carefree Resort & Conference Center in Carefree, Arizona. The week featured many amazing speakers, great rounds of golf, and an exciting casino night full of winners. 

Check out some of the photos from the festivities:

Work hard, play hard.

Careful!

Hoping to win big!

Mark Porcelli was the big winner of casino night!

Our vote for Best Dressed at the Cowboy Dinner: Kristin Steward 

Rissy is a real cowgirl!

Attendees paying close attention

Tod Swet, Mike Still, Rick Sage, Jack Keilt, Chip Baranowski, Rissy Sutherland, and Braden Poole

Franchisee Spotlight: Tracy and Kristin Steward

Originally from Arkansas, Tracy graduated from Hendrix College with a degree in Business and Economics followed by attending the University of Central Arkansas where he graduated with an MBA. After graduating, he moved to Phoenix in 1993 to take a job with FHP Healthcare, later purchased by PacifiCare Health Systems and finally by United Healthcare. He stayed there for 17 years, eventually becoming the director of the provider contract loading department managing 150-plus employees.  His wife, Kristin, originally from Pennsylvania, graduated with a degree in psychology from Hendrix College in Arkansas and later went on to get her Elementary Education Teacher Certificate and Masters in Education. She currently runs an in-home pre-school. 

How did you learn about the brand?

After working for United Healthcare I was looking for new opportunities and I met with a franchise consultant. I looked at a number of different concepts ranging from temporary agencies  to senior care but working in the auto industry really fascinated me.

Why did you choose an opportunity with Honest-1?

We ended up choosing Honest-1 for a number of reasons. Coming from the healthcare industry I had a deep root in service and helping people; Honest-1’s system and their eco-friendly approach to the industry was very intriguing. The most important thing we liked about this model is the relationship building and the fact that we have a physical location so we can be a focal point in the community.

What makes your business unique in the community?

The reality is that we stick to our morals and we’re always honest whether the situation is good or bad.  We strive to be open and honest with our customers so they are never surprised. We help our customers make a plan so they are prepared for any issues with their vehicles.  Respect in this industry for the customer and their car is important to us. In order to build long standing relationships with our customers we seek to earn that respect through everything we do. 

Are you involved with any charities or do any community outreach with your business?

We feel very strongly that giving back to our community is not an option but a responsibility. Personally, I enjoy being a part of Cub Scouts with my boys. I am the treasurer of our local Cub Scout pack and Pinewood Derby Committee Leader. Unofficially, we’ve partnered with several community organizations with several donation drives including Arizona Helping Hands, Packages From Home and the Susan G. Komen Foundation and like being active with them.  We also do a pretty prominent pajama and children’s book drive through the Pajama Program and have given away discounts to veterans for Memorial Day in the past.

What challenges have you overcome to get where you are now?

One of the greatest advantages of purchasing the shop was that I came in with some really great employees and recently have had added to that; to us the most important thing is having the right people doing the right things so that we can continue to build relationships with our customers.

What are your expansion or development plans? What is your end goal with Honest1?

I have plans to open another shop by 2014 and our end goal is to be the go-to auto care solution in the community.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies or passions?

My wife, Kristin, and I have four children and our family is our true passion.

Corners and Cadillacs

I flew close under a stone bridge on the Merritt Parkway, the narrow and twisty tree-lined pathway connecting Connecticut to New York.  Looking down at the speedometer I saw I was just beneath the century mark. At the same time, the sign for my exist flashed by, close on the right.  I stepped gently on the brakes, moved into the exit lane, and popped on the high beams. 

EXIT: 15 MPH. 

Hmmmmm.

At one hundred fifty feet a second, the sign was coming up fast.  There was only one thing to do.  I stood on the brakes.  Hard.  There was a clatter behind me, as the contents of the backseat relocated to the floor.  However, the disruption was brief as the stereo adjusted itself to suppress the additional noise.

As the sign swelled in the headlights, I released the brakes and turned the wheel in one smooth motion.  That’s where most drivers go wrong – they stay on the brakes, and go straight off the road.  These modern cars have wonderful stability control and drive by wire electronics.  It’s all designed to give top priority to straight line braking.  So you’ve got a choice:  brake hard, or turn hard.   But you can’t do both at the limit.  Not with electronics.  Braking will always win, and you will exit the road, nose first.

With my foot off the brake the stability control took over.  The DSC sensed the rotation of the car and the slip of the wheels.  It responded by braking individual wheels faster then I could blink, and drifting the car perfectly around the corner.  The drift burned off the excess speed, and I exited the turn at a much more moderate rate of progression.

Just let the electronics do its job.  That's what they tell us, at service school.   

As that happened, the stereo calmly adjusted its volume, and Lou Rawls sang smoothly over the cacophony of tires on pavement.  There was no sign that a disaster had just been avoided.  Indeed – had you asked – I’d have denied the whole thing, saying that was how I do that turn every time.

The STOP sign flashed by, as I slowed to the speed limit – or something reasonably close – and opened my window.  Lou Rawls was just leaving Chicago, and the Girl from Ipanema was headed our way.

 

Cars sure have come a long way, in the four decades I’ve been driving.

But there’s still a place for a ’59 Cadillac, a ’63 Lincoln, or a 65 GTO Tri Power.  Even if the new BMW or Mercedes does have better stereo and cornering.  There’s a reason we won World War II, and it’s got nothing to do with electronics.