in this issue:•• Cost•Savings•Series•Part•1:••Acquiring•Vehicles•for•a•Low•Price

•• Mayfair•Rent-A-Car•Customer•Satisfaction

•• Mayfair•Leasing•has•a•Blog

•• Depreciation•Costs•Up

•• Top•Safety•Picks•Named

•• Mayfair•Leasing•Offers•Used•Vehicles

•• Ford•Sync•Update

•• Chevrolet•Wi-Fi

New•Cost•Savings•SeriesA Resource for Managing Your Company Vehicles

Ewald•Fleet•Solutions•will•continue•to•expand•its•role•as•a•resource•to•assist•business•managers•with•managing•company•vehicles.•As•a•reader•of•the•Insight•newsletter•you•will•find•a•series•of•articles•in•the•upcoming•2010•editions•that•will•focus•on•practical•measures•that•can•save•your•company•money.•Ewald’s•suggestions•will•be•based•on•real•life•examples•that•Ewald•Fleet•Solutions•has•encountered•when•working•with•current•and•prospective•customers•over•the•years.•Articles•will•also•be•archived•on•our•website’s•newly•enhanced•resource•area•for•future•reference.

Welcome•to•the•first•article•of•our•reality•series•on•saving•your•company•money•on•vehicles.

How To Acquire a Vehicle for the Lowest Possible Price.

You•may•already•be•confident•that•you•are•a•

savvy•car•buyer.•Acquiring•vehicles•

for•a•company•is•a•very•different•ballgame.•

When•working•with•prospective•customers,•Mayfair•Leasing•encounters•quite•

a•variety•of•approaches•that•companies•employ•in•order•to•acquire•a•vehicle.•Vehicle•acquisition•is•an•area•where•Mayfair•often•has•the•ability•to•bring•the•greatest•savings•to•a•new•customer.

Start•with•a•plan.••We•often•encounter•businesses•that•make•last•minute•purchases,•pay•more•than•they•should,•or•settle•for•a•vehicle•that•doesn’t•meet•exact•requirements.•Look•ahead•6•-•12•months•to•determine•what•vehicles•in•your•fleet•should•potentially•be•replaced•based•on•mileage,•condition,•age,•and•maintenance•and•repair•expenses.•Then•factor•in•any•additional•vehicles•to•accommodate•future•growth•or•expansion•plans.•

(Continued•on•next•page)

Fuel•Prices•Rising•Again?

The•United•States•Energy•Information•Administration•forecasts•that•the•annual•average•regular-grade•retail•gasoline•price•will•increase•to•$2.84•in•2010•and•$2.97•in•2011•due•to•the•rising•average•crude•oil•price•forecast.••Pump•prices•may•exceed•$3•per•gallon•at•times•during•the•approaching•spring•and•summer.••

To•help•save•on•transporation•costs•for•your•company’s•fleet,•check•out•our•Fuel•Savings•Calculator,•you•might•be•surprised•at•the•savings•offered•by•increasing•your•vehicles’•fuel•mileage.

Visit•http://ewaldfleetsolutions.com/fleet-management/fuel-savings-calculator

A Publication of Ewald Fleet Solutions

InsIghtQuarter 1 | 2010The Road Ahead Just Got Easier.

1720•Paramount•Drive••|••Waukesha,•WI•53186••|••262-513-3300••|••www.ewaldfleetsolutions.com

Customer•Satisfaction•is•Our•#1•PriorityCustomer•satisfaction•continues•to•be•a•#1•priority•at•Mayfair•Rent-A-Car.••Read•what•some•of•our•corporate•customers•have•said,•in•their•own•words:

“Mayfair Car Rental has always been extremely accommodating to all my company’s car rental needs. They have given us excellent service and do whatever they can to make our rental experiences very pleasant. I have also used Mayfair for my personal car rental needs and they were great! I would highly recommend Mayfair to anyone that needs to have a very reliable and friendly car rental company.” - Administrative Assistant in the Food Industry

“We have been using Mayfair Rent-a-Car for the past few years with positive experiences. The employees of Mayfair are very friendly and willing to help us even when little reservation time was given. We had a need for changes to the agreement with Mayfair and Mayfair worked with us to meet the differences. Mayfair continues to serve our requests and their service is continually documented.” - Director of Plant Operations at a local University

“I would like to thank you and your staff so much for the wonderful service you provide for us. Steve, Nate and Paul are the nicest people to work with! Many times we have last minute requests for car rentals and cancellations; they are very understanding and bend over backwards for us. I would highly recommend your rental program to others.” - Receptionist at a Public Accounting Firm

Mayfair•Rent-A-Car’s•clients•are•continuing•to•save•50%,•or•more,•compared•to•reimbursement,•on•their•transportation•costs•by•using•our•Corporate•Rental•Program.••If•you•would•like•to•learn•more,•please•contact•Kyle•Teig•at•262-754-3515•or•kteig@ewaldauto.com.••We•look•forward•to•working•with•you•and•your•company.

(Continued•from•page•1)

Combine•purchases•to•secure•volume•discounts.•Laying•out•a•plan•for•vehicle•acquisitions•allows•the•customer•to•factory•order•vehicles•while•leveraging•vehicle•order•volumes•for•additional•manufacturer•discounts.•Clients•are•advised•to•centralize•vehicle•acquisitions•when•departments•or•divisions•are•acting•independently.

Explore•all•available•incentives.•Manufacturer•incentives•are•based•on•the•size•of•the•company•fleet.•It•is•important•to•review•the•fleet•programs•every•model•year.•Fleet•programs•will•detail•additional•benefits•such•as•commercial•upfitting•allowances.•Keep•in•mind•that•at•times,•retail•incentives•can•be•greater•than•fleet•incentives.•It•pays•to•be•an•informed•buyer.

Work•with•the•fleet•or•commercial•department•at•the•dealership.•Vehicles•should•always•be•acquired•from•a•fleet•department•at•the•dealership.•The•salesman•that•specializes•in•retail•sales•may•not•have•the•experience•or•knowledge•with•acquiring•company•fleet•vehicles.•Staying•abreast•with•commercial•vehicle•specs•and•incentives•is•a•job•best•left•to•a•commercial•sales•department•and•is•often•operated•separately•from•the•retail•sales•department•at•a•dealership.

Compare•competitive•makes.•Businesses•often•default•to•acquiring•the•same•vehicle•make•year•after•year;•a•common•result•of•rushing•to•replace•a•vehicle•due•to•a•lack•of•planning.•Vehicles•vary•in•how•well•they•hold•their•value,•so•it’s•important•to•compare•residual•value•performance.•An•opportunity•for•additional•savings•could•be•missed•by•not•researching•other•vehicle•brands.•

Mayfair•Leasing•applies•all•of•these•disciplines•when•managing•our•customer’s•vehicle•fleets.•Businesses•could•potentially•spend•several•thousand•dollars•more•per•vehicle•without•a•well•managed•program.•

Check•out•our•Blog!

Ewald•Fleet•Solutions•now•provides•another•resource•for•people•that•are•responsible•for•managing•company•vehicles.••The•new•blog•will•host•discussions•on•best•practice•tips•and•recommendations•for•fleet•management.••You•will•find•a•posts•covering•a•variety•of•fleet•management•

topics•including;•acquiring•vehicles,•maintenance,•vehicle•remarketing,•and•other•fleet•management•

subjects.••

Check•it•out•and•get•in•on•the•discussion!••Visit•http://ewaldfleetsolutions.com/resources/helpful-articles

Your opinion is important to us!You•can•tell•us•about•your•rental•

experience•by•completing•our•online•survey•available•by•visiting

www.mayfairrentacar.com/survey.php

Depreciation•Costs•Up•in•Most•Vehicle•Segments•Changes•in•the•largest•fleet•expense,•vehicle•depreciation,•impacts•fleets•in•a•big•way.•In•2009,•many•fleets•extended•replacement•cycles•due•to•the•impact•of•the•economic•downturn,•which•contributed•to•higher•depreciation•costs.

The•average•depreciation•in•2009•was•up•from•2007•and•2008•in•all•vehicle•segments•-•with•the•exception•of•the•minivan•segment,•which•actually•saw•a•decrease•in•effective•depreciation•from•2.22•percent•in•2008•to•1.93•percent•in•2009,•according•to•a•recent•survey•conducted•by•Fleet•Financials•magazine.

Fleet•Financials•went•on•to•report•that•the•average•effective•depreciation•in•2009•was•up•from•2007•and•2008•due•to•higher•capitalized•vehicle•costs•in•2009.•By•class,•compact•and•mid-size•cars•remained•fairly•even•while•larger•cars,•trucks,•and•vans•showed•an•increase•in•depreciation•percentage•in•2008.•Intermediate•cars•saw•a•return•to•2007•levels•for•effective•depreciation•performance.•The•minivan•segment•was•the•only•segment•that•experienced•a•decrease•in•effective•depreciation.

While•absolute•dollar•amounts•of•effective•monthly•depreciation•have•been•on•the•rise•for•the•light-truck•segment,•effective•depreciation•rates•for•2009•remained•consistent•with•2007•levels.•However,•the•light-truck•segment•had•slow•but•steady•depreciation•improvement•throughout•2009,•peaking•in•August

The•full-size•van•segment•underwent•the•most•significant•shifts•in•depreciation•costs,•as•well•as•replacement•strategies,•since•2007.•Truck•fleets•have•clearly•implemented•cycle•extension•strategies•to•help•manage•their•depreciation•costs.•But•extending•replacement•cycles•come•at•a•cost•that•must•be•factored•into•the•decision.•Holding•onto•an•aging•inventory•of•fleet•vehicles•will•result•in•higher•maintenance•costs,•more•downtime,•and•older•model-year•vehicles•that•have•a•less•desirable•fuel•economy•than•newer•vehicle•models.

The Road Ahead Just Got Easier.

•www.ewaldfleetsolutions.com

Buick•LaCrosse•&•Chevy•Malibu•Named•Top•Safety•Picks•The•all-new•Buick•LaCrosse•and•the•Chevrolet•Malibu•were•among•the•recipients•of•this•year’s•Top•Safety•Picks•from•the•Insurance•Institute•for•Highway•Safety.

The•Top•Safety•Pick•for•LaCrosse•and•Malibu•are•significant•because•their•principal•competitors•from•Lexus,•Acura,•Toyota,•and•Honda•respectively•were•dropped•from•the•list,•which•for•the•first•time•required•a•“good”•rating•in•a•roof•strength•test.•This•test•is•a•measure•to•help•determine•protection•in•rollover•crashes.

In•the•roof•strength•test,•a•metal•plate•is•pushed•against•one•side•of•a•roof•at•a•constant•speed.•To•earn•a•good•rating•for•rollover•protection,•the•roof•must•withstand•a•force•of•four•times•the•vehicle’s•weight•before•reaching•five•inches•of•crush.•This•is•called•a•strength-to-weight•ratio.

Achieving•a•“good”•rating•in•front•and•side•crash•tests•and•rear•impact•as•well•as•electronic•stability•control•were•the•other•criteria•used•to•select•the•27•vehicles•that•received•Top•Safety•Pick•for•2010•compared•with•94•in•2009.•

Looking•for•a•Used•Vehicle?

You•already•know•that•Ewald•Fleet•Solutions•offers•a•vehicle•management•program,•but•did•you•know•that•we•also•offer•a•fine•selection•of•used•vehicles?••Our•inventory•changes•frequently•and•features•cars,•trucks,•and•vans.••If•you•don’t•see•what•you•are•looking•for•in•the•current•inventory,•call•us!•We•have•access•to•many•more•and•can•locate•the•exact•vehicle•you•are•looking•for.

Mayfair’s•experienced••sales•team•is•ready•to•make•the•purchase•or•lease•of•your•next•vehicle•a•pleasant•experience.••Dave•Goetz•offers•28•years•of•experience•in•automobile•finance,•and•vehicle•sales•and•leasing.•

Our•inventory•is•available•online•at••www.ewaldfleetsolutions.com/used-vehicles•by•navigating•to•the•Vehicle•Sales•Page,•and•clicking•through•to•view•our•online•inventory.

Goetz

Ford•to•upgrade•Sync•systemFord•Motor•Co.•unveiled•the•latest•version•of•Sync.•The•system•includes•a•new•feature•that•will•allow•the•system•to•work•with•virtually•any•application•on•a•motorist’s•cell•phone•or•music•player.•

That•means•drivers•will•be•able•to•stream•music•from•an••Internet•radio•service•through•their•car’s•stereo•or•have•Sync•read•incoming•messages•from•their•friends•on•Twitter.•They•will•be•able•to•manage•these•applications•using•Sync’s•voice•controls•or•listen•to•information•using•its•text-to-speech•system.•And•they•will•be•able•to•use•the•many•location-specific•applications•that•provide•information•about•nearby•businesses•and•attractions.•

The•new•feature,•known•internally•as•“mobile•apps,”•will•be•available•in•select•2011•models,•but•existing•Sync•customers•will•be•able•to•download•the•upgrade•and•install•it•in•their•vehicle.•

BETWEEN•THE•LINES

Wireless•Internet•Available•for•Chevrolet•ModelsA•new•dealer-installed•system•is•now•available•for•several•Chevrolet•models,•enabling•full•Internet•access•inside•the•vehicle•-•and•up•to•a•150•feet•radius•around•the•vehicle•-•with•a•laptop•or•mobile•Wi-Fi•device.

Chevrolet•Wi-Fi•by•Autonet•Mobile•is•certified•to•work•with•the•new•Chevrolet•models:•Equinox,•Traverse,•Silverado,•Tahoe,•Suburban,•Avalanche,•Express

For•fleets•on•the•go,•the•Chevrolet•Wi-Fi•connection•offers•increased•efficiency•with•immediate•Web•access.•When•used•with•a•laptop•computer,•the•information•comes•in•a•larger,•easier•to•navigate•format•than•the•small•displays•of•cell•phones.

1720•Paramount•Dr•••I•••Waukesha,•WI•53186

InsIghtInsIght

The Insight newsletter is published by Ewald Fleet Solutions as a source of information for clients and business associates. The information provided here is of a general nature and is not intended to address specific circumstances of any individual or entity. The services of a professional should be obtained before implementing specific ideas. Ewald Fleet Solutions offers products and services through various affiliates of Ewald Holdings, Inc., including Mayfair Leasing, LLC, Mayfair Rent-A-Car, LLC, Ewald Chevrolet Buick, LLC, Ewald Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, LLC, Ewald Motors of Oconomowoc, LLC, Ewald’s Harford Ford, LLC, and Ewald’s Venus Ford, LLC.

1720•Paramount•Drive••|••Waukesha,•WI•53186••|••262-513-3300••|••www.ewaldfleetsolutions.com