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Ancira Enterprises Named Largest Minority-Owned Business in San Antonio

Teamwork, like this, is an everyday occurrence at Ancira

The San Antonio Business Journal has named Ancira Enterprises, Inc., the largest San Antonio Minority-Owned Business, as ranked by 2009 local gross revenues.

Ancira Enterprises operates 11 automobile dealerships in San Antonio, Eagle Pass, Alvarado, Floresville and Boerne, Texas. It employs over 500 people. Its gross local revenues for 2009 were $375 million.

Listed in second, third, fourth and fifth places respectively are: The Alamo Travel Group, LP; Thos. S. Byrne Ltd. General Contractor/Construction; M2Technology, an IT solution provider; and Journeyman Construction.

April Ancira, Vice President of Ancira Auto Group, says the secret to the company’s success lies in top management’s ability to pick great employees and foster teamwork. It lies in the enthusiasm and hard work that everyone at Ancira puts into their jobs.

“We’ve been in business since 1972 and my Dad, Ernesto Ancira, Jr., has worked hard, set an example and surrounded himself with really good people. He has hired the right person to do each job.”

“People servicing other people -- that’s what business is all about,” says April. “He recruited the best to take care of our customers.”

“Finding good people is really tough,” she adds. “You need to find the ones that mirror your level of integrity and the way you want to take care of other folks. It’s probably the toughest job that any manager has and our entire management team at all 11 sites has done a really good job of it.”

Besides Ernesto and April, Ernesto’s brother Gilbert Ancira, Internet Director in Ancira’s Internet Department, is also a family member in the business.

The trio treat their staff like family. “We’ve stayed really family-oriented in that if there’s an issue, there’s not a lot of red tape you have to go through to resolve it. Management has an open door policy.”

“Our orientation at Ancira Auto is: Let’s take care of our customers, our employees and our community. It’s just the way we handle things from a family-owned business perspective. It’s a philosophy like that that has made my Dad so successful and the company successful.”

Record-Breaking Decline in U.S. Traffic Fatalities

NHTSA Administrator David Strickland says “Today’s numbers reflect the tangible benefits of record seat belt use and strong anti-drunk driving enforcement campaigns.”

Photo Courtesy of NHTSA

U.S. highway deaths fell to 33,808 for 2009 -- the lowest number since 1950.

The record-breaking decline in traffic fatalities occurred even while estimated vehicle miles traveled in 2009 increased by 0.2 percent over 2008 levels.

In Texas, total fatalities were 3071 in 2009, compared with 3476 in 2008. Alcohol-related fatalities were 1235 in 2009, compared with 1310 in 2008.

To see a chart on a state by state basis, visit:

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811363.pdf


and scroll down to Table #8.


U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released the updated 2009 fatality and injury data in a press release September 9.

According to the press release:

2009 saw the lowest fatality and injury rates ever recorded: 1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2009, compared to 1.26 deaths for 2008.

Fatalities declined in all categories of vehicles including motorcycles, which saw fatalities fall by 850 from 2008, breaking an 11-year cycle of annual increases.

“At the Department of Transportation, we are laser-focused on our top priority: safety,” said Secretary LaHood. “Today’s announcement shows that America’s roads are the safest they’ve ever been. But they must be safer. And we will not rest until they are.”

As part of the Department’s campaign to reduce traffic fatalities, Secretary LaHood is holding a National Distracted Driving Summit this week in Washington, D.C. The Secretary is bringing together leading transportation officials, safety advocates, law enforcement, industry representatives, researchers and victims affected by distraction-related crashes to address challenges and identify opportunities for national anti-distracted driving efforts. This follows the first summit Secretary LaHood held in the Fall of 2009 that sparked a national conversation about texting and talking on cell phones while driving.

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study based on 2006 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for those between the ages of 3 and 34.

In addition to the record-breaking drop in fatalities, the number of people injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 declined for a 10th straight year in a row, falling an estimated 5.5 percent from 2008, according to NHTSA data released.

Alcohol impaired driving fatalities declined by 7.4 percent in 2009 – 10,839 compared to 11,711 reported in 2008. Overall, 33 states and Puerto Rico experienced a decline in the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2009 compared to 2008.

“Today’s numbers reflect the tangible benefits of record seat belt use and strong anti-drunk driving enforcement campaigns,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “But we are still losing more than 30,000 lives a year on our highways, and about a third of these involve drunk driving. We will continue to work with our state partners to strictly enforce both seat belt use and anti-drunk driving laws across this nation, every day and every night.”

Forty-one states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico all had reductions in fatalities, led by Florida (with 422 fewer fatalities) and Texas (with 405 fewer fatalities).

For more information about this and other national highway news, visit:

www.nhtsa.gov

and

http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/DOT-165-10

Proper Use of Seatbelts and Air Bags Protect Pregnant Drivers and their Unborn Children

Wearing a seat-belt properly is extremely important for pregnant drivers

One of the leading causes of death to unborn children is the death of pregnant women in automobile crashes, according to Edmunds.com.

Researchers estimate the number of deaths in the U.S. is approximately 400 each year.

That said, there isn’t definitive data, and the number of deaths could be even higher. Federal car crash databases don't regularly mention whether drivers or occupants involved in crashes were pregnant, and death certificates of fetuses don't always cite whether the mother-to-be was in a car crash.

Some studies show that seatbelts and airbags can pose risks to a fetus, but only if the seatbelt is worn incorrectly or the pregnant driver is positioned too close to the steering wheel when the airbag deploys.

Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists recommend that pregnant women wear a three-point safety belt and not disconnect the air bag.

If the seatbelt is worn incorrectly, the steering wheel or dashboard may injure a pregnant woman. If the pregnant woman sits too close to the airbag, it will hit with too much force, when it deploys in an accident.

To reduce these risks, pregnant women should do the following:

For pregnant passengers sitting in the front seat:

• Move the front seat as far back as possible.
• On a three-point safety belt, always position the lap belt portion as low on the abdomen as possible. The shoulder belt should be routed over the sternum.
• Leave the air bag operational.

For pregnant drivers:

• On a three-point safety belt, always position the lap belt portion as low on the abdomen as possible. The shoulder belt should be routed over the sternum.
• Leave the air bag operational.
• Drive a vehicle that allows the most clearance between the steering wheel and abdomen.
• Remove or adjust coats to make sure they do not interfere with low placement of the lap belt.
• Minimize driving in hazardous conditions, such as in bad weather or on icy roads.
• Position the steering wheel to maximize abdomen-to-wheel clearance, while aiming it more toward the chest than the head.
• When possible, ride as a passenger rather than drive to avoid potential contact with the steering wheel.

Car manufacturers have been making it easier for everyone to wear belts properly. Since the 1998 model year, cars with upper seatbelts that come out of the B-pillar (on the side of the car) are also required to have adjustable anchors. This helps everyone, from the tallest to the shortest — to the most pregnant — driver and passenger to keep belts from cutting into their necks or riding across their chests.

Current car designs facilitate comfortable positioning of the steering wheel, enabling even pregnant women to adjust the steering wheel in a way that keeps them from sitting too close to the air bag.

Adjustable steering wheels, particularly ones that telescope in and out, can be especially helpful for drivers of varying sizes — and stages of pregnancy. Even lower-end models often have manual devices that can help point the center of the steering wheel away from the abdomen and toward the chest.

Adjustable pedals, now available in many models, can help shorter pregnant women drive more easily without sitting too close to the airbag.

For more information on this subject, visit:

http://www.familycar.com/articles/laurenfix/drivingwhilepregnent.htm

http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1589_1711_4587-49794--,00....

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/womenfamilies/articles/122967/article...

http://pregnantdriver.lboro.ac.uk/

To see if Texas uses primary or secondary enforcement to enforce its seat belt laws, visit:

http://www.iihs.org/laws/SafetyBeltUse.aspx

Do YOU have what it takes to be the next Ancira star??? visit http://bit.ly/b5SGjl to find out how you can be featured in Ancira TV commercials!

National Child Passenger Safety Week - Sept. 19 to 25

By Maureen Condon

Buckle Up for Safety!
Photo Courtesy of the National Centers for Disease Control

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has declared Sept. 19 to 25 National Child Passenger Safety Week.

NHTSA estimates that nearly 3 out of 4 parents do not properly use child automotive safety restraints.

The NHTSA has a web site with a locator that lets you enter your state or your zip code to find the child safety seat inspection stations nearest you.

At these stations, certified technicians will inspect your child safety seat and show you how to correctly install and use it. At some stations, an appointment is necessary. At others, you can walk right in and ask for help.

Some stations have Spanish-speaking technicians to assist you, and you can specify this when searching for an inspection station near you.


For Texas residents, visit: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/Index.cfm



Enter Texas or your zip code, and you will get a listing of the designated child safety seat inspection stations near you.



For more information, visit: http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS

For the link to find the inspection stations, visit:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/Index.cfm

You Can't Miss This Sign!

This 50-foot-tall sign for Wilkin's Oklahoma Truck Supply, along Interstate 35, south of Tonkawa, OK is eye-catching to say the least.

It gives a whole new meaning to rigging your truck!

And, itís just impossible to pass on the highway... without a friendly salute with your horn!

Finding the Best Car to Fit Your Lifestyle in the San Antonio Area

By Maureen Condon

Is Your lifestyle family-oriented? sports-oriented?

It’s always helpful to consult the experts, online or in person, before buying a new car.

Typically, you check what the experts have to say about safety ratings, price, maintenance costs, and warranties -- all the standard measurements.

But how about checking in with the experts to see what’s the best car for your lifestyle?

• Do you use your car mostly for family travel and errands in your San Antonio area?

• Do you use your car mostly for sports and fun outdoors? Are you an off roader, a weekend athlete, a sun lover or just a person who wants to have fun driving?

• Are you mostly concerned with commuting issues – like safety features, gas mileage, reliability and driving comfort -- because you spend so many of your non-working hours commuting?

• Are you a construction worker, electrician, plumber or other on-the-go type of worker who needs reliable transportation that can double as a staging area for your job?

• Are you the boss in the corner office who needs to look the part, especially when pulling into the company parking lot?

• Are you more concerned about the environment and your impact on it, than anything else?

Whatever your lifestyle and concerns, now there’s an easy way to consult the experts on this topic. Visit: http://www.cars.com/go/criteriaSearch/lifestyles.jsp

Click on the lifestyle that best matches your own, and you’ll get a complete rundown on makes and models that are best suited to you.

Anicra Be A Star Event

Find more videos like this on .

We're looking for the Next Ancira Star!

Do you think you have what it takes to be the Next Ancira Star? Submit a short 30-60 second home made commercial of you, your pet, the in-laws or your kiddos in a fun and creative way! Show us why YOU should be a star!!

The winner will be chosen by Ancira Auto Group and will be featured on Ancira TV commercials. The Runner up will receive a Flip Video Camera.

The contest will run through October 31, 2010, and the winner will be announced online on November 15, 2010.

For more information, visit www.anciracommunity.com

The Devil is in the Details – Tips on finding a detailer and checking out pricing in the San Antonio area…

There are more than 50,000 automotive detailing operations in the U.S. and Canada.

Auto detailing services are offered at car washes, specialty stores and auto body repair shops with car washes generally offering consumers the lowest prices.

Sizable businesses that specialize in auto detailing typically serve car owners who are selling a vehicle, car enthusiasts or luxury vehicle owners, and fleet or government contracts.

According to Consumers' Checkbook, more and more mobile detailing operators are serving individual customers -- going to their homes or businesses with a truck, trailer and mounted water tank.

In short, detailing operations, large, small and mobile, are everywhere in Texas and a lot of people are spending good money to get their cars detailed.

Typically, auto detailing includes a thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of the automobile, inside and out. That usually means a touchless or hand wash, wax, tire cleaning, vacuuming of the interior, and wipe-down or polish of all interior surfaces, such as the dashboard, windows, mirrors and trim.

But detailing can be expanded to include any or all of the following:

• Washing Door Jambs, Wheels, and Wheel Wells.
• Clay Bar Treatment -- the safest and most effective way to clean car paint. Detailing clay bars clean paint below the surface – gripping contaminants that have penetrated the clear coat.
• Floor mat Shampooing.
• Air Purging – Using ozone generators to remove smoke odors, stale pet odors, mildew and odors caused by leaky interiors.
• Cleaning Headliners and Trunks. (My young niece once had grand time writing on my car’s headliner with a tube of lipstick – who would have thought?)
• Cleaning Plastic Interior Panels.
• Carpet Shampooing.
• Interior Door Panel Cleaning.
• Leather Seat Cleaning.
• Cleaning Steering Wheel, Vents and Gauges.
• Road Tar Removal.
• Dressing (deep cleaning) Rubber and Plastic.
• Polishing and Waxing in One Step.
• Wax Removal and Surface Inspection.
• Chrome Trim Cleaning and Polishing.
• Window Cleaning: The Two Towel Method.


What’s the Best Way to Choose a Detailer?

Detailing is a largely unregulated industry. Anyone can hang up a shingle and there will always be detailers who have not been properly trained or certified in the art of detailing. Unsuspecting customers can sometimes be lulled into thinking they just had their vehicle professionally detailed when, in reality, they just paid a premium for an elaborate car wash.

It’s always best to select a detailer after getting a recommendation from a friend, but suppose you don’t know anyone who has used a detailer in the San Antonio area recently?

Check for recommendations and customer reviews on subscriber websites like Angie's List or free websites such as CitySearch and Yelp. Or better still, ask your Ancira Auto Group for a referral. And, as with most businesses, it's a good idea to see whether a particular detailing company has a history of consumer complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

Detailing: Luxury or Investment?

Now, let’s look at your reason for having your car detailed in the first place. Is it a luxury or an investment? Is it for your personal satisfaction? Are you preparing a classic car for a car show? Do you just want to preserve your car to improve its resale value down the road? Are you on your way to trade it in?

Your answer to these questions will determine whether you just need a quick, inexpensive once over, or THE WORKS!

Professional Pricing is Key

Once you’ve done your homework and narrowed down your list of potential detailers, pricing is the next factor to consider. How can you tell if the prices you are being quoted for the basic service and for each add-on item are fair? Choosing even one add-on can sometimes double the cost.

Does the detailer you are considering have a professional looking price list, or are you standing in the street negotiating a price?

It’s a good sign if your auto detailer has a professional looking price list -- one with different price breakouts for different sizes and types of vehicles, and with individual add-on items’ prices listed separately.
An SUV will take longer (cost more) to detail than a sedan – because there’s more surface area all around – body, interior, tire size, etc., And, it may get more wear and tear.

Most car trunks will usually just need a good vacuuming, but because in an SUV what would be considered the trunk might be used as play space for the kids, or for seating space, more cleaning may be required – say to scrape up embedded gum or mashed in French fries. A car with a serious soda stain on the upholstery will take longer (cost more) to clean than one without such a stain.

So, with all these variations to consider, it’s extremely important to ask your detailer upfront what services you are getting and what each individual item will cost, so your bill doesn’t come as a shocker.

A quick walk around with the detailer and a firm and mutual understanding of the price based on the size and condition of your particular car and any special add-ons you require, can be very reassuring.

To get an idea about what the average detailing costs, visit:
http://www.costhelper.com/cost/cars/car-detailing.html

Additional Considerations

If you decide to use a mobile detailer -- their rates are usually lower than one with the overhead of a stationary operation -- you may want to check out whether the company is environmentally sound, as well. Find out if the company you are interested in uses products and practices that are eco-friendly. How this detailer disposes of waste water in your driveway, in your neighborhood, or at your place of business is especially important.


Plus, Florida, Texas, California and other coastal states have special restrictions on runoff water.

Don’t forget to look for coupons before you go to the detailer: Sources such as Entertainment and ValPak may offer discounts specific to your area.

And remember, detailing for vintage or classic cars, boats, motorcycles, RVs, motor homes and trailers all incur their own variety of additional charges.

Here are some sites you may find interesting:

For do-it-yourself detailing help, visit: http://www.web-cars.com/detail/

For a look at how the industry views itself, visit:
http://automotivedetailing.com/assets/articles_htm/what_is_detailing.htm

And, finally, here’s a forum on auto detailing:
http://www.detailcity.org/forums/

Share with us your experiences and advice on detailing by visiting Ancira Auto Group's community forum and starting a conversation.

Old Woodies – A Site for San Antonio Area Car Lovers’ Sore Eyes

What’s a Woodie? Would you like to impress your friends in the San Antonio area with your knowledge of a fascinating niche in automotive history?

You don’t have to leave Texas to do so.

You can learn everything you’ve ever wanted to learn about Woodies by visiting one of the most visually fascinating sites I’ve discovered on the web.

But, before you go there, there are a few basic things that every San Antonio area resident should know about Woodies.

A Woodie is type of car, usually called a station wagon in the U.S. and Canada, or an estate car in England, in which some portion, usually the rear portion, of the car's bodywork is made of wood. This humble definition belies a world of intricate automotive art that has evolved from the beginning of the twentieth century.

This evolution is captured and preserved, on this web site, in photographs, illustrations and cartoons that cover: North American, British, French and so called “World” Woodies from roughly 1910 to 1959 – an era when Woodies flourished.

Besides beautiful renditions of Woodie Cars, the site also has photos and illustrations of Woodie trucks, buses, and Jeeps, plus military, phantom, wicker and weird Woodies.

You can also see “House” Woodies – the rudimentary version of today’s RVs (recreational vehicles) or mobile homes and Woodie Trailers – so much more elegant that today’s U-Hauls.

But a picture is worth a thousand words, and I won’t delay you any further. Visit Old Woodies:

http://www.oldwoodies.com/index.htm

Then click on Gallery, and, I promise, you won’t want to leave the site for hours.

Ancira Auto Group is proud to announce that Ancira Buick GMC is the winner of the 2009 Mark of Excellence Award!

This award is based on overall customer satisfaction, total sales, as well as sales and service certified training. Only the top ten percent of all Buick GMC dealers receive this award, and only 4 of these prestigious awards were handed out in Texas for 2009.

We are very proud of this recognition and would like to congratulate Ancira Buick GMC for receiving this prestigious award! Way to go guys! Keep up the great work!

Congratulation on a Job Well Done, Howard!

Howard went above and beyond to help a customer. Read the amazing story of how he helped a family and saved their vacation!

Mr. Ernesto Ancira

On Friday morning, Aug 6th, our family packed into our 2006 Class C
Motorhome to head down to Port Aransas. Approx 1 mile from our home
here by Huebner and I-10, the temperature gauge alarm went off indicating we
were overheating. We pulled off, opened the hood, and saw the coolant was
pouring out.

Aside from being surprised, we stood there in disbelief. Why? We had
taken our motorhome in to have it serviced at Ancira (Boerne) a few weeks
prior and one of the items we had done was a "coolant system flush." For the
record, in the 3 years we've owned it, we have never had it serviced
anywhere else.

We called Jeff George (service advisor) - he remembered us and dispatched a tow truck to our location. Within an hour, our motorhome was on its way to Ancira (Boerne). In the meantime, we walked home disappointed, somewhat angry, and hot - temperatures were already in the 90s.

That afternoon, Mr. Howard Tate (Service Manager) contacted us and told
us he had been informed about our situation and that he would be following
the troubleshooting on our motorhome. He was lalready aware we had taken it
in a few weeks before for the service. We told him one of our biggest
concerns was that the engine might have suffered internal damage (warped or
cracked heads) from the overheating although we did pull over right away when
the instrumentation alarm came on.

Throughout that afternoon, Mr. Tate contacted us 3 times to give us a
status --- the most noticeable being that a water hose clamp (clip) had not
been securely fastened and that the thermostat was staying in the closed
position. We told him not to rush --- that our trip to the Coast was cancelled due to this misfortune and we wanted to be sure it was looked
at with great care & detail.

At approx 4:45 that afternoon, Mr. Tate contacted us to let us know that
they were road-testing the motorhome --- just to be sure they took it
out some 20 miles to make sure there wasn't anything they had missed. He
gave us the option of picking it up or he would have someone deliver it. We
didn't expect to have the problem corrected so soon so we decided we would pick it up and take a late trip down to the coast.

Mr. Ancira, we didn't know what to expect when we got to the dealership.
In today's service-indusry environment, it just always seems that nobody
wants to take accountability for their actions or stand behind their work.
Honestly, we thought Ancira (Boerne) might try to pass blame on
something beyond their control. We were wrong!

Upon arriving at your Boerne dealership (at appoxt 5:45), Mr. Tate met
us, apologized for the mishap, explained what had happened, and took
responsibility by incurring all the costs. He didn't try to sugar-coat
it and took the necessary steps to ensure that the situation was remedied,
not only to our satisfaction, but to his. It's obvious that the Ancira
reputation means a lot Mr. Tate. Mr. Tate also provided us with a few
perks, i.e., top off the gas tank, wash/detail the outside, and a coupon for a future lube, oil, and filter change. That was very generous. We told
him we were going to head out to the Coast that evening to try and salvage
the weekend but would need to stop by the house and load up again.

Mr. Ancira, we're sorry to be so long-winded but, as impressive as Mr.
Tate's actions were as described above, it was the following "little
things" that left us the most appreciative.

We left the dealership around 6:00 --- at approx 6:45, Mr. Tate calls us
to make sure we had gotten home without any problems. - Wow! This is a
Friday evening and everybody wants to get home to their families.

The "icing" on the cake came the next day. We get a call from Mr. Tate
on Saturday morning to make sure we had gotten to the Coast without any
problems. That was the clincher! He didn't have to do that but it is
that "over and above" show of concern that turned a bad situation into one
with a happy ending.

Mr. Ancira, if your managers across the entire Ancira enterprise are as
responsible and caring as Mr. Howard Tate is, you can be assured your
living legacy is in good hands for both the short and long terms. We will
always be Ancira Customers and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ancira to anyone. For the record, we own an 04 Nissan Titan and my husband has Ancira
Nissan take care of all his service/repair.

Please give Mr. Tate our "thanks" and warmest appreciation.

Sincerely,
Debra Harter and Jay Garcia

P.S. Not any less important - we also wanted to let you know that Mr.
Jeff George (service advisor) was entering the hospital the afternoon that
our motorhome was taken in. He's a good man! We keep him in our prayers
and ask that you please let him know we appreciate him dropping what he was
doing that Friday morning and getting that tow truck out to us quickly.
Hope he is doing well.