Odyssey 500

Replacing a windshield can be very costly. Depending on the model of vehicle you drive, windshields can cost up to $1,000. Windshields in cars today have inserts of all kinds – heating coils, radio antenna, satellite antenna and more. These inserts drive up the cost of the windshield considerably, leaving replacement an extreme expense.

There is good news – you can get glass coverage included on your auto insurance policy that will cover repairs and replacements of your windshield, and if you have an expensive windshield, this is a viable option.

Auto glass insurance claims can differ from policy to policy, so it is important that you understand how your insurance coverage is set. Many auto glass insurance policies allow for free repairs of chips and cracks in your windshield, thusly offsetting the cost of expensive replacements.

Most auto glass insurance policies will require you to pay a deductible for windshield replacement, a set amount that you pay and then insurance kicks in for the rest of the cost to replace your windshield. While you will still have to pay some money out of pocket, in most cases, it’s not nearly as expensive as paying for the replacement fully.

With your auto glass insurance policy, you will need to be careful though. Before you get auto glass insurance, there are a few things you need to find out. Firstly, find out from an auto glass repair shop how much a windshield will cost to replace in your vehicle.

Find out how much a factory windshield costs and a standard windshield. Then find out if your windshield could be repaired (some can not be repaired). You will also need to find out how much your insurance will cost you to add auto glass coverage (in yearly premium) and how much your deductible will be.

Most vehicle owners replace their windshield once per year. The total cost of your yearly premium coupled with your deductible is how much money you will pay each year for a replacement windshield. If that cost is higher than a replacement windshield paid for out of pocket, then it is more worth it to bypass the auto glass insurance all together.

Your insurance rates will escalate as you use them, including for auto glass replacement. However, many insurance companies will pay for free repairs, you will have to gauge on your own whether the monthly premium is worth the free repair (most repairs cost around $50.00).

If you need to have your windshield replaced or repaired, contact your insurance agent to find out if they prefer one auto glass repair shop over another and how the claim will be covered. Your insurance agent can give you the name of a Houston Texas auto repair or replacement shop that you can take your vehicle to have your windshield repaired.

It is best if you do some math and request the input of your insurance agent when deciding on whether or not to purchase auto glass insurance for your vehicle. In some cases, paying the premiums for glass coverage is not a viable option – if you will end up paying more in premiums than for the cost of replacement, then auto glass insurance is not for you.

Catching a chip or crack early is best as well for you, and your pocket book. Having a chip or small windshield crack repaired is cost effective and gives you back integrity in your windshield.

In most cases, the repair can hardly be seen, and in some cases, the repair is nearly invisible. Windshield repair is a cost-effective solution to windshield cracks and chips – staving off the need to replace the windshield completely.

In the news: Executives at Toyota Motor’s new plant in a Bangkok suburb point out that the factory in Thailand is the first to run on clean natural gas.

The factory is equipped with robots and parts movers moving silently on the assembly floors. Toyota’s $426 million facility shows that despite the political unrest in Thailand it has not affected global carmakers’ positive views of the country.

Thailand is renowned worldwide when it comes to the production of one-ton trucks, with projected outputs of 853,000 units for this year alone. The said figure outpaced United States which according to J.D. Power Automotive Forecasting produces only 588,000 units of trucks.

Thailand is the second biggest market for trucks since it’s a common sight in rural areas where most farm products are produced. The domestic sales for this year are forecast at 510,000 units as compared to the 651,000 units forecast in the United States.

According to Vallop Tiasiri, director of the privately-funded Thailand Automotive Institute, “The strength of our truck industry lies in the size of our domestic market that makes production cost competitive. Our traditional political and labor stability also help.”

The Toyota plant has started operation last month and occupies 245 hectares or 605 acres of paddy fields, making Thailand as a major export base for small pickup trucks. Plant Manager Charnchai Suppayakom said, “We ship 4,000 right-hand drive Hilux trucks to Australia a month and another 2,000 of the left-hand version to Saudi Arabia.” He also added that the factory’s initial 100,000 annual production capacity can be quadrupled to answer any increase in future export demand.

ToMoCo’s third Thai facility has been able to increase annual vehicle production output to 550,000 of which 40 percent are shipped or exported overseas. The Thai facility will also be used to manufacture Toyota truck parts. The additional 2,000 workers at the Ban Pho plant bring Toyota’s Thai workforce to 13,500 of which 5,000 are permanent staff while the rest are hired on temporary contracts.

Despite the military coup last September in Thailand that has somewhat affected its image as an investment destination for global companies both the Japanese and US carmakers are determined in staying put. Somphob Manarangsan, an economics professor at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University said, “Japanese firms are investing more in China, but they don’t risk putting all their eggs in one basket. Thai plants are part of their diversification strategy.”

Thailand was able to produce 1.2 million vehicles last year and almost half of which were exported. Thailand’s vehicle tax structure that favors pickups over passenger cars makes the one-tonne truck the champion of the Thai auto industry. Inexpensive diesel has also helped to increase sales. Auto columnist Suphat Tisapong said, “Entry prices for pick-ups and passenger sedans are about the same here at around half a million baht ($14,285). But a pick-up comes with a much larger 2.5-litre engine compared with 1.5 litre for sedans.”

Aside from Toyota, Ford Motor Co, General Motors Corp, Nissan Motor Co Ltd, Mitsubishi Motors Corp, Isuzu Motors Ltd, and Mazda Motor Corp. have also opened factories in Thailand for their export vehicles and mostly have started building their plants after Asia’s 1997/98 economic crisis. Each of them has invested 140,000-180,000 trucks a year, exporting them to 100 countries from Australia and the Middle East to Europe and even reaching Latin America.

Automotive Resources Asia analyst May Arthapan said since most producers have already establish their plants in Thailand there would come a time that the export growth will slow down once output meets global demand . She also added, “The big export rise in recent years is a result of the relocation of production base to Thailand. Once this is over, we should return to more normal growth.”

J.D. Power has estimated that global demand for the small trucks for this year reaches only 2.1 million units and predicted average annual growth of 7.1 percent for the coming 2008 to 2011. As oppose to J.D. Power the Vallop of Thailand Automotive was not that optimistic saying, “This is quite a small vehicle segment with limited growth potential of perhaps 2 per cent a year.” He also added that Thailand would need to shift to other trucks or small sedans once demand for new one-ton trucks ceases.

In recent years the Thai government has offered proposals that include generous incentives for global carmakers just to encourage them to invest in export-oriented facilities for small economy sedans. The Thai government aims to further develop its auto industry which is its second-biggest industry after computers and electronics, employing about 350,000 people and accounting for nearly 15 percent of gross domestic product.

Sleigh Bells are hung and  geared up to commence ringing, and shoppers are universally seeing retail stores decorated with Christmas merriment. A perfect start-up to wet your Christmas whistle is to begin small- that means stocking fillers; and the most efficient method to fullfill your whole gift-list at the optimal cost is to purchase, in bulk, wholesale selections that you are sure will satisfy all, for example wholesale DVD’s.

Entertainment value makes a DVD an entirely foolproof present for any age. Tell the truth, have you recently known someone who didn’t love a great movie? A inspirational movie has the command to get families to laugh out loud together or tear-up together. A great DVD can kindle a person’s flame once more. Tears can roll down many faces out of empathy and fear, all due to a little DVD. Movies carry the power to please  in so many subtle ways; this ultimately makes them a winner in the gift searches every holiday season.

Purchasing in bundles can usually save you some bucks; and this year’s shopping season, numbers of buyers are occupied with using our money prudently. Fortunately, there exist nearby sites on the web where DVD wholesalers have some great DVD’s at pleasantly budget-friendly prices. Just call wholesale DVD’s an early gift from Mr. Clause.

The fantastic thing about buying someone a DVD is that the gift-choice keeps on giving. Yes, you view that DVD once and then tuck it in the closet with the rest of your cases; but that DVD stays in that shelf, a trusted ally, waiting for the next evening you may want to watch the DVD again. All you must do is press play and you are able to use your present all over again. There is not a limit on the days you can enjoy this ever-entertaining gift.

People all live so busy in life, there’s something really calming about laying on the couch for that 90 minutes with no schedule to fret about. What is greater than a stocking-stuffer with a small price but a value that is absolutely priceless.

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