One of the things that I love about my job is that I get to learn new things each and every day.  You see, I work as a parts man at a Fort Worth auto dealer and with that comes a lot of responsibility.  We want to give our customers a great price on car parts, but at the same time, we want them to buy the right part the first time.

So, I will be starting some training tomorrow for the next week on Mitsubishi parts.  Even though I am not new to them, it is important to stay up to date on changes to our existing offerings and to take a look at what is coming out so that we can better serve our customer’s needs.

It won’t be all work, as we will get to spend some time relaxing at the hotel.  I guess I forgot to mention that it will be out of town, so it is a paid vacation of sorts.  It will be a well deserved break.

But on that note, I should go get packing as we will be leaving early in the morning and I have some errands to run before I go.

Technorati Tags: Fort Worth auto, Mitsubishi parts

Toyota owners frequently have an interest in purchasing accessories for their vehicles. If you’ve never looked at Toyota accessories before then your first foray into this world may be a bit overwhelming. That is because there are hundreds of different accessories to choose from. The newbie should know that these accessories basically fall into two categories: for fun and for function.

The first type of accessory that someone might get for a Toyota is the fun accessory. Decorative decals for the vehicle are an example of this. New rims for the tires are another example. Stereo systems and new speakers are yet another example of this type of Toyota accessory. Fun accessories add to the aesthetic appeal of the Toyota. They may or may not also increase the value of the car.

The other type of accessory for Toyota owners to purchase is the functional accessory. Sometimes people buy these because they have to. If you’re looking for genuine Toyota parts then it’s probably because a part of the vehicle is broken and you need to replace it. Alternatively, people may buy things that improve the function of the car just for fun. For example, a new muffler might make the car sound quieter and function better at the same time. Both types of accessories are good buys depending on what you’re looking to get.

Technorati Tags: genuine Toyota parts, Toyota accessories

I come from a long line of journalists and it should come as no surprise that I work for a newspaper (or have a blog for that matter).  It was the career that I was encouraged to enter, and I had no objections when I took the job at the paper.

When I first started out, I was a junior reporter, but quickly decided that chasing around the news just wasn’t my cup of tea.  I asked my boss for a transfer to another department, and I was moved to obituaries.

Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that working on obituaries can be a little depressing, and I only lasted just two short years in that position.  Sadly, that was a record for our paper and there is a plaque on the wall there with my name on it - not quite a gold medal, but at least I achieved something, right?

Anyway, from there I was moved to the department that I am in today - doing the layout of the newspaper.  Today we are having some issues with the ads that a Fort Worth auto dealer wanted in the paper - we just don’t have the room.  It is all because of the used cars in Fort Worth ads are at an all time high, and we are looking like we will be one page short for the next issue.

I guess I should quit blogging about my problems and take the issue up with my boss - that is what he pays me for, right?

Technorati Tags: Fort Worth auto, used cars in Fort Worth

Last night was the last day of my old job.  I had to drive around the country a lot for that job, which I didn’t used to mind.  In fact I liked it.  I like feeling that I’ve seen a lot of the country, and cruising along the highways gives me that feeling.  I know hot shots that have been to most of the major cities in the nation, and around the world, too.  That impresses me, of course, but there’s more to the country than the cities.  I’ve driven through breathtaking scenes and natural wonders.  Also, someone who zips in a plane from point to point does not get the sense of America’s extension. 

Anyway, it’ll be the last business trip of that nature that I take in my trusty old Camry.  It’s fifteen years old (already?) and probably ready for a rest.  I did take good care of it, though.  Mileage wears some parts out, and I installed the replacements myself, ordered online.  It’s easy to find Toyota accessories online, just with a Google search.  I look for the genuine Toyota parts, though, because they seem to hold up quite a bit better.  Anyway, I’m getting away from the point.  Guess there wasn’t really one.  Cheers.

Technorati Tags: genuine Toyota parts, Toyota accessories

There is a dizzying array of truck accessories you can invest in for your precious truck, but not all of them are worth the money you spend on them. Some of them just make your truck look snazzier without serving any useful purpose. On the other hand, some add-ons you can get for your truck not only make it look cool; they can make your truck more useful, too. Take truck bed rails for instance, they were originally designed to make it easier to lash down whatever cargo you’re hauling, but many truck owners also liked the way they made the truck bed look, and added them not just for their utilitarian qualities, but also for their aesthetic qualities as well. So not only will investing in some rails for your truck bed make it more useful to you, it will also add to its visual appeal. If keeping your truck looking good is one of your priorities, you could do far worse than investing in some rails for your truck bed. You might also want to add to your truck’s versatility with truck accessories like ladder racks and truck tool boxes. With add-ons like those, you’ll be ready to take on just about any kind of job. A recent online article gave some good tips about picking out the right ladder rack for your needs: http://www.articlesbase.com/trucks-articles/how-to-choose-a-ladder-rack-for-your-truck-569713.html.

Technorati Tags: Truck bed rails, truck tool boxes

Go down to your local auto shop and tell them that your car is broken and you have to have it fixed in order to get to work in the morning. Let them know just how desperate you are and what you are willing to do in order to get your ride back on the road. In this situation, who has all of the leverage and who has all of the control? You guessed it, that person is not you. When this is the situation, you are in some real trouble. It’s because the person doing the selling has you right where they want you and there is little chance for you to negotiate a good deal.

Whether you are buying Toyota 4runner parts or just a standard old Toyota part, it is important that you have at least some measure of control. If you are to get a good price, you need to have plenty of options for picking out the part that you need. Though there might only be one shop in your town, there are going to be several of them online. This means that when you look online, you are going to get a better price and you are going to cure the problem of leverage, at least to some extent.

Technorati Tags: Toyota 4runner parts, Toyota part

I just got back from visiting my friend who lives outside of College Station Texas. It was an awesome trip to a part of our country that has a whole different culture than we have here in Los Angeles. At first I fell into the stereotypically hillbilly viewpoint, but that soon wore off.

I guess part of the whole hillbilly thing started when I got there and noticed that everyone goes crazy with truck parts and accessories in that part of Texas. I’m talking about push bars, roll bars, big tires, step bars, extra big lights and big old diesel exhaust systems. Everything from the bumpers to the hood ornaments are bigger in Texas!

Speaking of everything being bigger in Texas, let’s talk about the food! I am still in awe of what they did my second day there on their smoker. And when I say they did this that day, I mean it took all day. When I got up, my buddy already had the smoker fired up and he was putting a brisket on it. We didn’t eat it until later that evening. And it was well worth the wait. I don’t know what kind of magical secret stuff they did to that thing, but I think the Lone Star beer had something to do with it. I can’t wait to go visit there again.

Technorati Tags: diesel exhaust, hood ornaments, Texas, truck parts and accessories

When we start talking about the best ways to make your truck look and run better, there are some very specific accessories that will help you in this regard. Lately, more and more companies have begun to get involved in the accessory manufacturing game. This has become such a big industry that customers who seek these things have numerous options at their disposal if they want to make their truck better.

Truck tool boxes are some of the most popular of all of the accessories and for obvious reasons. People love tool boxes because they provide a nice, rugged look for trucks. There is much more to it, though. Not every person who drives a truck carries around tools to put together the family tree house. Many of the best tool boxes give you plenty of room to carry around all of your other things, though.

Along the same line of thinking, a bed liner can provide the same type of versatility. They will not only protect your truck’s bed from any potential danger, but they will also make it look a lot better. Many of today’s top products are designed much more for look than they are for use, so you will have to decide whether or not you need it more for the look or the protection.

Technorati Tags: bed liner, truck tool boxes

Last year when I bought my Mitsubishi Raider as a used vehicle, I was concerned with the economy and wondered if I shouldn’t have gotten a more fuel efficient compact car instead. I love my Raider, but the gas prices nowadays are eating up my hard earned money. It has needed little repairs, in fact, I only had to order one thing from the Mitsubishi parts store online and it was an oil pan gasket because I accidentally ran over something in the road.

I’m not truly sure if our economy is just slow or if we are really in a recession, either way, things are not looking too good these days. My husband works for the Mitsubishi dealer in town and he said that now was as good of a time as any to buy a new vehicle. He was telling me that there are excellent incentives at his dealership, like zero percent financing options and huge cash rebates. He took me over to car dealership in Fort Worth where he works and showed me this cute little Mitsubishi Lancer; I fell in love with it. He said that they had been selling them as soon as they hit the lot. As soon as he told me that the Lancer gets 21 miles per gallon, which was better than I was getting now, I was sold.

Technorati Tags: car dealership Fort Worth, Mitsubishi dealer, Mitsubishi parts

My name is Joe Patton and I sell pickup trucks and pickup truck accessories.  While I fancy myself knowledgeable in all areas regarding my profession, I specialize in chrome truck accessories.

Now, let me tell you what I love about trucks and truck accessories.  First of all, I love the history.  Trucks historically get things done.  During WWII, while the Nazis were using horse and buggy to move their supplies, the U.S. Army was quietly outmaneuvering them by using trucks to move both personnel and supplies.  And then, just think about the farm.  Is any farm or farmer complete without a pickup truck?

I love chrome truck accessories because they are part of a different side of the pickup truck.  It’s not just a labor vehicle; there’s more to a truck than a flatbed and ladder racks.  It’s also a thing of beauty just as much as any sports car or luxury sedan.

One thing that bothers me is the common association between pickup trucks and uneducated, ignorant, white trash.  The type car a person drives may say a lot about that person’s personality and circumstance, but it rarely reflects a person’s smarts.  I will concede that a good portion of the people who drive trucks is made up of blue-collar individuals, but since when does being blue-collar make a person white trash?

Technorati Tags: chrome truck accessories, ladder racks, truck accessories, WWII