Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - (Page 16) 16 • OCTOBER 20, 2008 ADVERTISING STAFF Microheat seeks Chapter 11 Stung by a General Motors recall that was blamed on its main product, Microheat Inc. filed for Chapter 11 reorganization on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The company halted most production of its hot-spray windshield washer at its suburban Detroit plant. In August, GM recalled 944,000 2006-08 vehicles equipped with Microheat’s HotShot system. The washer sprays hot liquid on windshields to clean the glass of ice and debris. GM’s recall cited the potential for electrical fires. Microheat listed both assets and liabilities of $10 million to $50 million, according to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit. By far the largest Microheat creditor is M-Heat Investors LLC of Bettendorf, Iowa, with a claim of $42.7 million. According to Bankruptcy Court records, about $10.1 million of the amount is secured and the remaining $32.6 million is unsecured. “We supported the decision to reorganize rather than liquidate,” Peter Jacullo, M-Heat Investors president, told Automotive News. “The value of the business will be maximized by the process of finding companies that would like to acquire or license the technology.” — Robert Sherefkin U.S. medium- & heavy-truck sales, Sept. & 9 mos. Sept. 2008 Sept. 2007 Sept. percent change 9 mos. 2008 9 mos. 2007 9 mos. percent change FROM 0 TO100 IN UNDER 30 SECONDS! Non-Recourse Financing Turndowns in reserve money paid to dealers since 1999 We approve every customer in writing in 30 seconds or less… so you can convert your turndowns into approvals and sales. Our Guaranteed Credit Approval Program allows you to eliminate customer turndowns and provides 3 different financing programs to meet your customers’ needs and your profit requirements. Isn’t it time you got on the road to capturing incremental business from a growing sub-prime market with Credit Acceptance? NASDAQ: CACC Changing lives since 1972. creditacceptance.com or 1-800-873-0512 Class 4 236 Class 5 224 Class 6 40 Class 7 112 Chevrolet* 612 Dodge Class 5* 288 Class 4 3,964 Class 5 1,229 Class 6 232 Class 7 234 Ford 5,659 Class 3 & 4 387 Class 5 35 Class 6 592 Class 7 1,035 Class 8 2,781 Freightliner* 4,830 Class 4 150 Class 5 216 Class 6 228 Class 7 225 GMC* 819 Class 4 18 Class 5 10 Class 6 229 Class 7 93 Hino* 350 Class 4 583 Class 5 61 Class 6 1,252 Class 7 1,176 Class 8 2,617 International 5,689 Class 3 & 4 513 Class 5 150 Class 6 36 Class 7 9 Isuzu* 708 Class 5 30 Class 6 79 Class 7 266 Class 8 1,305 Kenworth* 1,680 Mack Class 8* 1,006 Class 3 & 4 65 Class 5 21 Class 6 33 Class 7 7 Mitsubishi Fuso 126 Class 3 & 4 17 Class 5 12 Class 6 51 Class 7 20 Nissan Diesel 100 Class 5 5 Class 6 21 Class 7 260 Class 8 1,525 Peterbilt* 1,811 Class 4 85 Class 5 122 Class 6 76 Class 7 98 Class 8 666 Sterling* 1,047 Volvo Class 8 850 Western Star Class 8* .. 139 Other Class 8* 2 Class 4† 6,018 Class 5 2,403 Class 6 2,869 Class 7 3,535 Class 8 10,891 Total Class 4-8 25,716 Total Class 1-3 466,031 TOTAL TRUCK SALES 491,747 597 469 64 128 1,258 – 4,152 1,645 1,335 292 7,424 29 70 738 1,765 1,835 4,437 430 396 64 232 1,122 34 24 323 108 489 40 117 1,006 1,474 2,030 4,667 806 230 49 5 1,090 – – 254 1,309 1,563 1,000 180 93 70 21 364 60 57 93 10 220 – – 336 1,364 1,700 22 14 69 183 743 1,031 1,199 157 40 6,350 3,115 3,811 4,808 9,677 27,761 679,300 707,061 –60.5 –52.2 –37.5 –12.5 –51.4 – –4.5 –25.3 –82.6 –19.9 –23.8 1234.5 –50.0 –19.8 –41.4 51.6 8.9 –65.1 –45.5 256.3 –3.0 –27.0 –47.1 –58.3 –29.1 –13.9 –28.4 1357.5 –47.9 24.5 –20.2 28.9 21.9 –36.4 –34.8 –26.5 80.0 –35.0 – – 4.7 –0.3 7.5 0.6 –63.9 –77.4 –52.9 –66.7 –65.4 –71.7 –78.9 –45.2 100.0 –54.5 – – –22.6 11.8 6.5 286.4 771.4 10.1 –46.4 –10.4 1.6 –29.1 –11.5 –95.0 –5.2 –22.9 –24.7 –26.5 12.5 –7.4 –31.4 –30.5 3,062 3,252 485 1,002 7,801 4,002 30,901 13,734 5,670 2,664 52,969 2,944 313 6,865 12,190 24,966 47,278 1,963 6,355 822 2,777 11,917 147 118 2,765 832 3,862 2,775 719 12,519 12,434 22,807 51,254 4,959 1,648 256 47 6,910 128 642 2,118 12,065 14,953 8,782 828 342 479 68 1,717 207 214 422 122 965 106 155 2,707 12,905 15,873 573 823 458 1,342 5,857 9,053 9,621 945 107 48,359 31,754 31,538 38,303 98,055 248,009 4,980,979 5,228,988 4,106 4,514 745 1,274 10,639 – 41,201 17,124 11,085 4,287 73,697 1,885 519 9,874 18,621 30,491 61,390 2,888 7,135 973 4,430 15,426 219 138 2,903 870 4,130 707 1,236 14,079 14,878 21,847 52,747 7,373 2,254 179 466 10,272 – – 3,179 14,982 18,161 10,081 2,465 779 963 100 4,307 351 534 713 74 1,672 – – 3,807 15,646 19,453 191 105 742 2,089 9,818 12,945 11,331 1,926 731 61,386 34,338 42,256 54,075 116,853 308,908 6,298,668 6,607,576 –25.4 –28.0 –34.9 –21.4 –26.7 – –25.0 –19.8 –48.8 –37.9 –28.1 56.2 –39.7 –30.5 –34.5 –18.1 –23.0 –32.0 –10.9 –15.5 –37.3 –22.7 –32.9 –14.5 –4.8 –4.4 –6.5 292.5 –41.8 –11.1 –16.4 4.4 –2.8 –32.7 –26.9 43.0 –89.9 –32.7 – – –33.4 –19.5 –17.7 –12.9 –66.4 –56.1 –50.3 –32.0 –60.1 –41.0 –59.9 –40.8 64.9 –42.3 – – –28.9 –17.5 –18.4 200.0 683.8 –38.3 –35.8 –40.3 –30.1 –15.1 –50.9 –85.4 –21.2 –7.5 –25.4 –29.2 –16.1 –19.7 –20.9 –20.9 Circulation 313-446-0450 Advertising 313-446-6050 Classified Advertising 313-446-6065, 800-388-1800 Web site www.autonews.com ADVERTISING AND SALES DETROIT 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, MI 48207-2997 313-446-6790 Fax: 313-446-8030 Rick Greer Director of Sales and Marketing rgreer@crain.com 313-446-6050 Kathleen C. Lightbody, klightbody@crain.com, 313-446-6037 Russ Procassini, rprocassini@crain.com 313-446-0350 Karen Rentschler, krentschler@crain.com 313-446-6058 Jerry Salame, jsalame@crain.com 313-446-0481 Regional Sales Managers Colleen Robar Director of Marketing Communications crobar@crain.com, 313-446-0331 Ellen Dennehy Director of Relationship Marketing edennehy@crain.com, 313-446-6039 Cheryl Rothe, Marketing Manager crothe@crain.com, 313-446-6767 Lance Graves, Promotion Art Director lgraves@crain.com, 313-446-0469 Brandi Johnson, Marketing Coordinator bnjohnson@crain.com, 313-446-0326 Classified Advertising Sales Jim McCarter Marketplace Advertising Director jmccarter@autonews.com, 313-446-6065 Melissa McKay Classified Sales Manager mmckay@autonews.com, 313-446-1642 Denise Hendricks, 313-446-6066 LOS ANGELES Justus Breese jbreese@crain.com, 323-370-2446 Pacific Region Sales Manager Todd Landau, tlandau@crain.com 323-370-2466 Fax: 323-655-8157 Regional Sales Manager 6500 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048-4947 NEW YORK Scott Ghedine sghedine@crain.com, 212-210-0126 Henry Woodhouse hwoodhouse@crain.com, 212-210-0125 Regional Sales Managers 711 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017-4036 Fax: 212-210-0489 CHICAGO Jim Farnan, Regional Sales Manager jfarnan@crain.com, 312-649-5257 360 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60601-3806 Fax: 312-649-5265 CONFERENCES Libby Irwin, Conference Director lirwin@crain.com, 313-446-0420 Shauna Vercher-Morrow, Special Events Manager svercher-morrow@crain.com, 313-446-0485 WWW.AUTONEWS.COM John Fitzgerald, Director of Business Planning and Online Commerce jfitzgerald@crain.com, 313-446-1679 DEVELOPMENT J Ferron, Director of Strategic Development jferron@crain.com, 313-446-0434 CIRCULATION subs@crain.com 888-446-1422 (U.S. & Canada) 313-446-1662 (all other locations) Fax: 313-446-6777 To subscribe via the Web www.autonews.com/subscribe.htm Patrick Sheposh, Circulation Director Lauren Cialella, Circulation Manager Jennifer Natone, Assistant Circulation Manager Subscriptions U.S. 1 year, $155; 2 years, $266. Canada $239 (U.S.); other countries, $395. Single copy sales, $5 per issue plus shipping. Reprints Mike Shober, The YGS Group, 800-494-9051, Ext. 100 automotivenews@theygsgroup.com Microfilm ProQuest Information and Learning Co. 800-521-0600 *Reported by Ward’s Communications Source: Automotive News Data Center and company sources †Includes Class 3 trucks for Freightliner, Isuzu, Mitsubishi Fuso and Nissan Diesel Sept. truck sales fall 7.4% Sales of medium- and heavy-duty trucks fell 7.4 percent in September from the same month a year ago, to 25,716 units. Sales of Class 4-8 trucks have been falling since February 2007, but the pace of decline eased in September. In August, sales plummeted 22.6 percent. In the first nine months of the year, Class 4-8 sales fell 19.7 percent from the year-earlier period, to 248,009 trucks. Sales of large trucks were mixed last month. Sales of Class 8 trucks climbed 12.5 percent to 10,891 units, but that was the only class to post a gain. Class 7 trucks took the biggest hit, plunging 26.5 percent to 3,535 units. Sales of Class 5 trucks slid 22.9 percent to 2,403 units. Class 6 sales tumbled 24.7 percent to 2,869 units. Sales of Class 4 trucks fell 5.2 percent to 6,018 units. International sold 5,689 units, up 21.9 percent, to take first place among truckmakers last month. International inched out Ford, which sold 5,659 units, down 23.8 percent. Freightliner’s sales rose 8.9 percent to 4,830 units for third place. — Patricia Scott PRODUCTION Terry Driscoll, Production Manager tdriscoll@crain.com, 313-446-6062 Larry Williams, Production Supervisor AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE www.autonewseurope.com Jason Stein, Publisher jstein@craincom.de/+49-8153-907522 Nina Sauer, Sales and Marketing Director nsauer@craincom.de/+49-6992-884646 AUTOMOBILWOCHE www.automobilwoche.de Helmut Kluger, Publisher hkluger@craincom.de/+49-8153-907402 Thomas Heringer Sales and Marketing Director theringer@craincom.de/+49-8153-907404 http://www.autonews.com http://www.creditacceptance.com http://www.creditacceptance.com http://www.autonews.com http://www.autonews.com/subscribe.htm http://www.autonewseurope.com http://www.actionim.com http://www.automobilwoche.de http://www.actionim.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - October 20, 2008 Automotive News - October 20, 2008 Amazingly, vehicle inventories are low An upside of the big slide: Raw material prices dip â for now With GMAC out, banks trickle in Get your daily Automotive News - in video form, starting Nov. 3 Honda's Fukui favors fed loans, confirms V-8 To move the metal, Mike Kahn moves the store Hyundai airbag flaw tied to drink spills Texas promo: Buy a GM vehicle, get GM stock Chrysler's uphill road in China GM/Chrysler? Anything's possible GM/Chrysler deal? Companies' pension plans may need cash Acura dealers: A V-8 engine is on the way Buyers pursue former Heard stores Honda: We're still lending Gilles, Ligocki will speak at congress Fed list promotes high-mileage cars Party time: Saturn turns to grass-roots marketing Online inventory service aims to cut dealer costs Document fees must not become a dirty little secret Just put up a 'For Sale' sign Cash for clunkers? Scrap the idea Arbitration can work for everyone It's time we control our own destiny GM missed boat on Cheyenne, Volt Sept. truck sales fall 7.4% Microheat seeks Chapter 11 At Bosch, r&d spending remains strong GM's new diesel opens up, loses weight Urea must flow or new diesels won't go Hankook plans to bring fuel-saving tire to North America Odell: I can help Volvo tap more potential So far, BMW cruises above the credit crisis Jatco builds China plant to meet expanding CVT demand 10 appointed at American Axle Personnel Milestones Obituaries Supplier Personnel Biking buddies Ford targets fleets with parental control key European sales fall; VW group bucks the trend 11 innovators win honorable mention 25 finalists selected for 2009 PACE awards Suppliers to the 2009 BMW X6 GMAC's loan cutbacks cost GM thousands of auto sales Credit tops agenda for NADA chief 'Flash' draws modest cash at theaters Booth's new berth sparks CEO speculation at Ford Economy's skid sends ritzy toys to eBay Report: Mazda scraps plan for U.S. plant GM's quandary: Finding loans for the imperfect Taylor to Hummer - and then ... ? Tough times at Tesla Automotive News - October 20, 2008 Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - (Page Intro) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - With GMAC out, banks trickle in (Page 1) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - With GMAC out, banks trickle in (Page 2) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Texas promo: Buy a GM vehicle, get GM stock (Page 3) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Companies' pension plans may need cash (Page 4) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Companies' pension plans may need cash (Page 5) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Gilles, Ligocki will speak at congress (Page 6) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Gilles, Ligocki will speak at congress (Page 7) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Online inventory service aims to cut dealer costs (Page 8) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Online inventory service aims to cut dealer costs (Page 9) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Online inventory service aims to cut dealer costs (Page 10) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Online inventory service aims to cut dealer costs (Page 11) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Arbitration can work for everyone (Page 12) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Arbitration can work for everyone (Page 13) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - GM missed boat on Cheyenne, Volt (Page 14) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - GM missed boat on Cheyenne, Volt (Page 15) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Microheat seeks Chapter 11 (Page 16) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Microheat seeks Chapter 11 (Page 16A) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Microheat seeks Chapter 11 (Page 16B) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Microheat seeks Chapter 11 (Page 16C) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Microheat seeks Chapter 11 (Page 16D) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Microheat seeks Chapter 11 (Page 17) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Hankook plans to bring fuel-saving tire to North America (Page 18) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Hankook plans to bring fuel-saving tire to North America (Page 19) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Hankook plans to bring fuel-saving tire to North America (Page 20) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Hankook plans to bring fuel-saving tire to North America (Page 21) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Odell: I can help Volvo tap more potential (Page 22) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Odell: I can help Volvo tap more potential (Page 23) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - So far, BMW cruises above the credit crisis (Page 24) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - So far, BMW cruises above the credit crisis (Page 24A) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - So far, BMW cruises above the credit crisis (Page 24B) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - So far, BMW cruises above the credit crisis (Page 24C) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - So far, BMW cruises above the credit crisis (Page 24D) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - So far, BMW cruises above the credit crisis (Page 25) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Obituaries (Page 26) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Biking buddies (Page 27) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Biking buddies (Page 28) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Biking buddies (Page 29) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Biking buddies (Page 30) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Biking buddies (Page 31) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - European sales fall; VW group bucks the trend (Page 32) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - European sales fall; VW group bucks the trend (Page 33) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Suppliers to the 2009 BMW X6 (Page 34) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - GMAC's loan cutbacks cost GM thousands of auto sales (Page 35) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Credit tops agenda for NADA chief (Page 36) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Credit tops agenda for NADA chief (Page 37) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Tough times at Tesla (Page 38) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Tough times at Tesla (Page 39) Automotive News - October 20, 2008 - Tough times at Tesla (Page 40)
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.