Want a hard Job, try Selling RV's

One of the headlines in the business section today was:
Winnebago Industries Inc. said Friday its third quarter profit skidded 73 percent.
The article goes on to detail how their Sales fell almost 40 percent to $139.7 million from $231.7 million a year ago.

What a SHOCK!
Winnebago is having a difficult time selling $50,000 - $280,000 RVs that get 3 miles per gallon at a time of $4.50 gas and a slow economy.
Truth is, you got to give them credit for getting up out of bed each morning, going down to the dealership and giving it their best shot.
Between the price of gas, Insurance, up-keep, as well as paying the monthly payment. it seems like quite a difficult expense to justify. Add all of the cost associated with a large RV and divide by the number of days used and You could stay in a suite at the Four Seasons for less per night.
That is a difficult sell!

The biggest difficulty for Winnebago is that this is not a temporary problem. The days of $2.00 Gas are gone. I have not read a report that indicates a likelihood that we will even return to $3.00 gas. Also it is hard to design a 38 foot long, 12 foot wide vehicle with a 30,000 lbs gvw, that gets 30 miles per gallon. Fact is, it is difficult to see an economic climate that helps the RV industry any time soon.
Winnebago's are made in Forest City, IA recently announced a strategic decision to idle production at the Company's Charles City Manufacturing Facility, effective August 1, 2008
That manufacturing consolidation will cost 190 people their jobs. It is sad to see good manufacturing jobs disappear; so I wish Winnebago all the luck in the world. By all accounts they build a fine product, and have a name associated with quality. It is difficult to run a business in the best of times, but when world events conspire against you, it is especially hard.

Larry Lubell
Larry@urbanInsuranceAgency.com

Best Selling Cars of 2008

Top 10 Best Sellers
1. Toyota Camry: 31,601
2. Honda Accord: 23,957
3. Nissan Altima: 21,635
4. Honda Civic: 20,993
5. Toyota Corolla: 20,736
6. Chevrolet Impala: 17,544
7. Chevrolet Cobalt: 17,310
8. Chevrolet Malibu: 14,105
9. Pontiac G6: 13,942
10. Ford Focus: 11,600

Motorcycles, the answer to $4.00 Gas?

For an ever increasing number of people, the answer is yes.
The $100 fill-up has arrived in the United States.

No more than a few years ago if someone would have told you that a fill-up could run upwards of $100; you would have laughed loudly to their face. No ones laughing now.
(But the execs at "Big Oil" Companies are wearing a grin). Crude Oil which had been trading at the $20 range, and had never hit $50, has now broken through $120 a barrel.
The national average for regular unleaded is $3.53 and rising daily. Last year at this time, people were complaining that it was $2.86 per gallon. According to AAA, 24 states and the District of Columbia are averaging at or above $3.50 a gallon for regular unleaded.Premium, which is required for many cars and SUVs can run 40 to 60 cents higher. Once again, California is home to the nation's highest average gas prices.
•San Francisco $3.97 per gallon; last year $3.
• Los Angeles $3.85; last year $3.
• San Jose $3.89; last year $3.36
• Sacramento $3.86; last year $3.30
• San Diego $3.88; last year $3.35
As scary as these prices seem now, many are warning that Americans should expect the price to increase another 25 cents over the next month and continue to climb over the summer months.
"A national average approaching $4 a gallon for self serve regular is likely, with cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York seeing prices for Premium at over $4.75 per gallon. Those type of prices will be devastating to America's already weak economy. As you read this blog, millions of families are struggling to make their mortgage payments, many of which are adjusting dramatically upward. In fact America finds it's self in a recession while simultaneously suffering inflation. We also find that the government as well as individuals and business are deep in debt; as a result, our options are limited.
Now is an auful time to be trying to sell Motor Homes, but a great time to be selling mopeds and scooters. I have had customers of ours tell me they are "Putting away" their car and buying a 125 cc bike.The allure of 60 or 70 miles per gallon is too hard to pass up.

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Owning and maintaining a car has never been cheap. And, gas is one of the biggest, of those expenses. With gas prices at all time highs, this has never been truer. But you can save gas and save money if you follow the following tips.

Cut your Gas Bill !

10 Ways to Increase Your Gas Mileage

The war in Iraq, Conflict in Turkey, Anger in Iran, coupled with the growing demand from China, have come together to cause Oil prices to surge to a new record of $89 a barrel. This is more than four times the prices we were paying in the year 2000. While we can hope that successful conclusions to world crises will reduce oil prices (Not to mention- peace) but due to world demand it is unlikely we will see prices drop below $60 a barrel; so the days of $2.00 gas are over.
Owning and maintaining a car has never been cheap. And, gas is one of the biggest, of those expenses. With gas prices at all time highs, this has never been truer. Clearly we have seen a trend away from larger SUVs, but for most of us, we are stuck with the Vehicle we have for the next few years. But you can still save gas and money on your current ride if you follow the following tips:
1. Check your tire pressure. This might not seem an obvious factor in fuel consumption, however, Under inflated tires are the number one cause of avoidable fuel loss.

2. Keep brakes in shape. Try riding your bike while even lightly pressing on one of the brakes- it does not make for a fun trip. That gives you an idea of what a misaligned or stuck parking brake can do to your fuel efficiency,

3. Check your Wheel alignment. , unbalanced wheels can play a role in mileage

4. Use the right gasoline. Most cars today are designed to run on regular gas. Check your owner’s manual. If premium fuel is "Required", plan on biting the bullet, but if the manufacturer only recommends premium, you may be able to get by with a lower grade.“If it’s "Recommended", you may have an option to go to a lower grade fuel -- although there will be some trade off there if you’re saving a ton of money in the process”.
5. Change your oil and filter regularly to avoid dirt causing additional friction in your engine.
The time your car burns the most fuel is while it's "warming up". Heat not only puts wear on your engine, but the energy that is used to cause the extra heat is energy not available to move the car forward. Try using the lightest oil recommended in your owner's manual.
6. Check your spark plugs. One misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel mileage by as much as 30 percent!
7. Check your air filter . A dirty filter will rob your car of performance and fuel economy So check every time you change your oil
8. Watch out for wind resistance. There is a reason auto makers spend millions testing cars in wind-tunnels, bike racks, stuff stacked up and tied down to your roof roof will increase wind resistance and negatively impact mileage.
9. Use air conditioning wisely. The drag caused by open windows when driving over 50 mph is greater than the energy required to run the air conditioner. So you can get the most fuel efficiency by using the A/C on the highway, However rolling down the windows will help fuel economy at slow speeds.
10. Be a smart driver. Stop and start driving really burns fuel. So, do your best to keep it at a minimum. For example, if you have cruise control, use it to keep highway speeds as steady as possible. Shift manual transmissions into neutral before stopping. And, if you can, consider changing driving routes to avoid excessive stopping and idling.

Of course, since there is nothing anyone of us can do to reduce oil prices, it is more important than ever to make sure you are not over-paying for your car insurance. Let Urban Insurance Agency provide you with a competitive rate. See how much money Urban can save you.

Call 1-800-680-0707 or click to get a Free Quote.
Urban Insurance Agency has been helping customers save money on their car insurance for more than 45 years. We represent 20 different companies in order to find you the lowest price on your Auto Insurance.