Annual rapid lube survey, is it still viable?

I want to comment on Fast Lube Business and the annual survey conducted by Auto Laundry News, one of the few industry magazines for the car wash industry. In this 2001 survey, we see an increase in the number of available locations. However, the industry leader by far is Jiffy Lube. We see variations on the theme, but we can safely say that Jiffy Lube has best suited the American public and their wants when it comes to oil changes.

This survey showed that the average customer would drive 5.7 miles for an oil change. If 50% of the customers drive 5.7 miles and 80% of the customers usually come from a three mile radius to get their car washed, I see additional synergy. These car washes with oil lube centers are achieving greater reach than the industry average. This is great news for car washes adding oil lube bays, but it also takes up space and if not marketed correctly it won’t work. The survey quickly showed that oil change facilities work best in middle-class areas, not high-end areas. They do poorly in low-income areas. All of this makes sense. Independent car washes were the most likely to have oil lubrication facilities on their properties. It is also interesting that the minimum wage did not prevail, normally companies pay $8.00-10.00 per hour. It makes realistic sense and I think good help starts in this country at $10.00 an hour in most metropolitan areas and $8.00 an hour in rural areas.

Only 23% of quick lubes had a website. Only half had internet access in the localities. The average employees were 5 full time and 3 part time. Luckily for the image of this industry, 74% had specific uniforms. The average store had 3 bays, not enough to do the volume if proper marketing blitz and community based marketing were going on. Median income was $32.00 per car. That’s a lot of upsell since the average advertised price I’ve noticed is around $19.99. Less than 30% were open on Sundays? Bad mistake as there is no time to change the oil and stand in line for most Americans. The average monthly gross was $2,400.00 per month per bay?

This is bullshit, this is not even a viable business, these people are wasting their time. Think about it, does it cost oil and filter too and labor? Forget that news. I question the viability of the entire oil change industry. The largest Jiffy Lube franchisee in the country with 180 units was delisted from NASDAQ, as was another prominent auto care and lubrication company recently. I like the Kwik-Lube Company and feel they are doing well, but I also question the return on investment of such an effort seeing these results and the cost to build the building and the time to build it. One good thing that oil lube bays have going for them is upselling, but as the consumer dollar gets tighter and credit card debt mounts and drop rates rise, where will they be? this extra boost income and extra sales cash? come form?

The industry is still expanding and new market entrants are hurting existing units and I question the saturation point, not out of necessity but out of desire. Nobody wants to spend money on oil changes, it is necessary. People buy what they want, satellite TV and beer. It’s not what they need so I see a frequency problem brewing and people are expecting 5-6-7 thousand miles between changes. So I think if an oil lube bay isn’t already tied to another reason to frequent the facility, you’ll soon be in trouble. The survey also showed that 93% OF OIL LUBRICATION BAYS USE ADVERTISING TO GET CUSTOMERS? WHY? We do not advertise, word of mouth and happy customers advertise for us. There you go again more cost.

Also 60% of those surveyed said that the competition was discounting. HMM? Do you have labor costs that are high, frequency is low, new car technology on the horizon, the cost of oil going to the big ones and sparking a price war? I see a problem as non-expert operators put facilities up for sale and exit the market. By removing installation and going mobile with the existing customer base of, say, a mobile truck repair business that can share the available band and fleet services, you could beat these other companies as they run red lines on saturations of mail-in coupons and phone book ads and not websites Many businesses are not looking at changing demographics in their locations and leasing or ownership costs and are unable to sell or borrow more due to lousy profit margins. And what can an oil change bay become? Cover the hole for a tire shop? What happens when the Hydrogen battery arrives and no one changes the oil. Can it be converted to filter type operation? Not really, as often the tires and wheels are offset and will land the modular car in the lube bay hole. We have the solution and we can beat them in almost every aspect. Some consultants have said; “Bunch of fools copying each other.”

Listen to this part of the survey, where advertising dollars were spent, this is where respondents said they advertised; TV 15%, direct mail 51%, radio 38%, newspaper 35%, billboards 18%, yellow pages 53%, other only 13%. It’s scary, all of that costs money and everyone is copying each other. This is what happens when people can’t think anymore and can’t adapt and do business at the speed of thought.

[http://www.speedofthought.com]

81% of respondents said they would honor competitor coupons. Whatever, why print them then? Let everyone else spend the money and take theirs? 80% said they have tried to use discounts to attract customers from other lube locations to theirs. Boy, this sounds like the carpet cleaning industry to me.

Breakdown of costs by job. 10% rental or ownership, 3% facilities maintenance, 26% labor, 30% materials, 4% utilities and many reported expecting it to double and some have already experienced a tripling in the west. Insurance 4% and it is expected to continue to rise and some said 8%, Customer claims for damages 1%, this is inexcusable, Advertising 10%. You want to add those for me. Why do they do it?

The average costs of the new installations were; Land $206,000, Improvements $505,000, New Equipment $36,000. WOW all that for little or no return? Average number of competitors within a 10-mile radius? 36% said 3, 19% said two, 19% said 5, 7% said 5 or more. How can anyone spend this kind of money per location when we can build a couple of units totaling $65,000 and nearly match the number of potential vehicles to service? Plus, with AAA building oil change facilities and Wal-Mart getting involved, the competition will be bloody, and that’s a lot of money to invest in a business with an uncertain future. Not a good bet, if you were a gambler.

We are really liking this industry because we know things that the industry does not know and we can criticize them because they have missed the boat. We have seen some companies that are looking at ways to change the oil in the water for yachts. What’s even better is that they all missed the boat at the same time and are fighting on the shore for a few little boats to get to the ship that is leaving port. Who will survive this oil change war. The one that best serves the customer, the way the customer wants to be served.

The water engine is really here and many people use it to drastically increase their fuel consumption. You can use water gas to increase your cars fuel consumption and save money, also save the environment with less carbon emissions. You can convert your gasoline or diesel engine to a water engine using a simple process and start saving big at the pump today.

The simple conversion process needed to convert your car is called a hydrogen oxygen converter or a hydrogen fuel cell. This will turn your car into an economical machine that will save you money. Water gas is upgraded gas or diesel fuel with hydrogen gas, which is converted from water. Upgraded gasoline or diesel gives you fuel that burns at a higher and cleaner rate, giving you far more miles per gallon than non-upgraded fuel. This causes people to refer to the engine as a water engine.

To turn water into hydrogen gas, you’ll need some inexpensive parts and a guide to follow. You don’t need to be a mechanic to convert your engine to run on water.

Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. This should turn into a gas called HHO gas.

Once a hydrogen converter is installed in your car or truck engine, it uses electricity from the battery to separate oxygen and hydrogen through a process called electrolysis. Electrolysis splits water into separate hydrogen and oxygen atoms, which are then called HHO gas or Browns gas.

The engine draws the HHO gas into the engine’s manifold or carburetor, where the HHO begins to burn at a higher temperature. The added hydrogen and oxygen from the water gas work with gasoline or diesel fuel to increase the power your engine produces with each gallon of gasoline or diesel fuel.
Therefore, the car fuel lasts longer by adding the HHO gas. You get more mileage with the same amount of gas.

Water is free and converting water to hydrogen gas is a simple process that is easily done. This makes your car run longer and use less gas or diesel. The results are many, from better fuel economy, a cleaner environment, less engine wear due to less carbon buildup, and up to a 65% increase in mileage.
The water engine is the most cost-effective way to run your car or truck to save on gas prices.

© Copyright Wing Family Trust. All rights reserved worldwide June 2010.

The water motor saves you money!

Starting a part-time wedding car rental business can be a great way to own and operate a classic or prestige car at little or no cost. You could even have free motoring.

If your annual mileage is very low (you may be retired or live very close to your workplace), having a classic car as your only vehicle can be profitable if you run a wedding car rental business part-time.

If the vehicle was manufactured before January 1, 1973, there is no need to pay road tax. You can also take out cheap classic car insurance with limited annual mileage.

However, if your annual mileage is high and you need a fuel efficient car for normal use, you can buy a second car suitable for wedding car hire and start this business for less than £2000. A friend of mine bought a 1996 Jaguar XJ6 for just £1500 from the estate of a late pub owner in 2009. It had only driven 45,000 miles, was in mint condition with full Jaguar service history and spare tool and bulb set from part were still in their shrink wrap! Don’t worry about being a vulture, no one else wanted this car because of its high running costs and license plate street credibility.

There are loads of cars like this out there, just take a look.

In your first year, if you do 15 weddings at £200 per wedding, you’ll get your money back and you’ll have a car that’s probably still worth what you paid for it, or maybe even more.

Ready for next year and you’re on your way to a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley, and you charge a lot more.

Don’t be tempted to start your wedding car hire business by buying a Rolls Royce for £5000. I know, we’ve all seen them advertised at this price, online and elsewhere, but be very careful before you buy. The Rolls-Royce Royce Silver Shadow and the Cornich are beautiful cars, a joy to drive, but the operating and repair costs are horrendous. There are plenty of old hacks out there that have been repainted white, filled with putty, and then killed on the wedding circuit. You will be buying a nightmare.

Personally I think a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley are the best cars for wedding car hire, but wait until you have around £10,000 then buy a good one with a full service history from a reputable dealer.

Start your business small, then work your way up.

You could also use your vehicle for film and television work, but that’s another story!

It wasn’t that long ago that UBER came on the scene. Now, just ten years later, they are considering a possible valuation of 120 billion as an initial public offering. LYFT, another ride-sharing company that started in 2012, is now valued at $15.1 billion seven years later.

Ride-sharing companies like Uber and LYFT were born out of the technological boom that we have all witnessed in the last 10 years. Companies like Groupon and Airbnb have become benefactors of a new era of growth never seen before.

Rideshare started because a company (UberCab) in San Francisco came up with an app that could request a ride using a smartphone, the rest is history.

Innovation, cutting-edge technology, recognition of a need in the market, and experienced leadership all play a part in creating a successful company.

The question is, can these innovative startups that have been so successful evolve once again? The answer is obviously yes.

Horse-drawn carriage services began operating in both Paris and London in the early 17th century. Proof that there is always room for new disruptive innovators.

How can the ridesharing industry reinvent itself?

When one industry has failed to meet the demands for growing market share, another is poised to take its place. The secret, of course, is recognizing and understanding the failings of companies like Uber and LYFT and filling that gap.

Where are these potential gaps?

Listening to the complaints of drivers and passengers alike opens up new opportunities for innovation.

RIDERS

Passenger Safety Concerns

Amazing surge charges

No traveling with small children: Uber and LYFT do not provide child safety seats.

You can’t request a driver you like.

DRIVERS

security concerns

You need a better pay structure for drivers. It pays the bills but that’s it.

Inconsistent, good as a temporary job but nothing for the long-term employee.

Unable to create own business book to create more consistency.

Interrupting the Disruptors

One such company by the name of TRYP Technologies, Inc. has identified many of these gaps and appears to be on the forefront of becoming a disruptor in the ride sharing industry. His model not only creates more independence for drivers, but also addresses many of the concerns passengers have. TRYP Technologies, Inc. is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and promises to become a major disruptor in the ride-sharing market starting in 2019.

For the TRYP Riders have targeted

• Security concerns that allow the passenger with a click to make the central office listen and act accordingly.

• Second, there are no overcharge charges, which has always been a common complaint.

• They promise to be one or two percent less than their competitors

• They have addressed the concerns of parents with young children about the availability of car seats.

• They can also request the driver of their choice.

• Referral program that earns points that can be converted into cash.

As for the TRYP drivers, they can

• Earn 100% of the fare and tip and you can get paid from the app instantly.

• Drivers pay a monthly software subscription fee of $199.

• The driver app includes security features when clicked, which will allow the central office to listen and act accordingly.

• Build your own business book that allows riders to request them.

• Referral program that earns every time a referred driver picks up a passenger.

• storage options

Tryp’s technology is designed to provide fast, efficient and affordable on-demand transportation with complete peace of mind throughout the journey. Their claim to closely monitor the safety of all their users at every point during Tryp’s journey makes them a disruptive factor for the ride-sharing industry.

If you are interested in becoming a driver, check out their driver program at: www.Fastzap.net/tryp

Article written by Scott Johnson, Independent Consultant for TRYP Technologies.

Copyright 2019

Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) are cool, modern, and seem like they could eat grass and jungle terrain for breakfast, or can they? Are we possibly victims of a simple bait and switch marketing trick? keep reading

An SUV is a jack of all trades, but it’s not a master of none. By definition, it is “a passenger vehicle that combines the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan or station wagon along with on- or off-highway capability.”

It seems that people were asking for a car that does everything. Well, whatever the customer wants, the manufacturers will blow up a brick just to generate revenue, and they’ll also paint it hot pink just to get the teen demographic.

But seriously, here are several factors why SUVs aren’t recommended for the serious gas saver.

Safety. SUVs have a higher tendency to roll over compared to regular passenger cars. This is because the SUV is built with a higher center of balance. In cornering situations, SUVs will have a 14-20% chance of gloriously rolling over.

Risk to other car owners. This may seem strange to you. But it makes a macabre sense. SUVs are built tall and tough, so when they do show up in a car accident, regular passenger car and motorcycle owners are more likely to die from the sheer inertia of being hit by a larger moving object at high speed.

risk of recoil. SUVs are more likely to hit someone when they are driving the SUV in reverse. The risk is high for SUVs without proximity alert. The height of the driver’s seat and limited visibility do not give an advantage to the driver of an SUV.

Wide bodies. SUVs commonly have bodies that are wider than a passenger because they leave less room for error when accidents occur. They also have some difficulty finding parking spaces and maneuvering in crowded areas.

Incorrect mental assumptions. In a psychological study of SUV drivers, studies show that SUV drivers tend to have more accidents because:

– Active to passive security mindset. This means the size and bulk of the SUV lulls them into a false sense of security, causing SUV drivers to rely on the car to protect them instead of using their eyes and ears to avoid an accident.

-4WD bad design. SUV drivers also assume that the four-wheel drive feature on their SUVs also aids in braking, which it doesn’t. 4WD is there to help with traction and doesn’t have a significant impact in assisting braking situations.

– More reckless driving. A 2004 study by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed that SUV drivers have an 11% chance of being involved in their own fatal crashes. The study shows that SUVs tend to be owned by drivers who are willing to take greater risks and are more likely to drive drunk.

Fuel efficiency. There is no other way to say it. SUVs use more gas than the average passenger car due to the following factors:

-Larger tires create a higher coefficient of drag. Wider and larger tires create better grip, but it is detrimental to overcoming wind resistance at high speeds, thus wasting gas.

-The taller profile creates a higher drag coefficient. The wider and taller profiles do not contribute to the SUV’s aerodynamics, which requires brute force to overcome wind resistance at high speeds.

-Heavier size and weight require more work to move the vehicle

-A larger engine consumes more gasoline. SUVs generally come in engine sizes above 2.0. If necessary, the most fuel efficient engine is a turbodiesel.

-In general, SUVs use 40% more gas than the average passenger car.

What can be done?

SUVs will still be on the road, so if you’re a passenger car driver, what can you do?

Honk! Yes. Keep them alert by beeping when you feel they’re getting too close for comfort.

Keep security mode active. Keep using your senses to react quickly to dangerous situations on the road.

Drive slower. You may also benefit from driving more slowly so you can react to situations in time.

What if I own an SUV?

Sell ​​the SUV and get a more fuel efficient and safer car. A good but drastic choice. If you love your SUV, you won’t do this.

Be more alert. Very good for you. Going into active security mode will help you. This still doesn’t solve the mileage issue.

Shared car. Save gas but limit mobility. However, your passengers will love it. You’ll also have more eyes on the lookout for danger.

Drive slower. You can save gas and have enough time to react. Your SUV is bigger and heavier, so you have nothing to worry about when something hits you, most of the time. Just remember to wear your seat belt.

Consider alternative fuels. 40% more wasted fuel is a big bill to pay. To save on fuel costs, you can use alternative fuels like a hydrogen-on-demand (HOD) system to supplement your gas mileage. This system creates hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) gas on demand from a water medium to mix with air and fuel in the combustion chamber for best performance.

What does a HOD system do?

Hydrogen when compressed and fed into an internal combustion engine:

-Releases more energy than ethanol-based blends, maintaining the car’s overall power

-Completely burns fuel giving cleaner emissions

-Raises the octane level of the fuel, preventing knocking, making the engine quieter

-Slightly reduces overall engine temperature

-Requires the engine to use less gasoline per cycle

It is safe?

HOD systems generate hydrogen only on demand and are therefore safe. When no electricity is routed through the HOD system, no reaction is generated. There is no hydrogen stored in this system, but it is held in a medium, which is basically water.

Cost?

Parts are sourced from everyday parts found in hardware stores and basic electronics stores. The total cost of a basic unit can range from $70 to more than $200 USD.

What most HOD companies offer are plans for DIY systems, with offers to build the system for the consumer if desired. In this way, the client can choose to build it himself or buy a unit once the concept is understood after obtaining the plans to avoid fraud.

For more information on HOD systems, increased fuel economy, and support, visit the URL below.

Restoring vintage Ford 4-speed gear shift knobs is a fairly simple project. To make the job easier, you will need a drill press, 1/2-20 tap, several grits of sandpaper, rubbing compound. Other supplies you will need are Armor All, Mink Oil, and White Appliance Touch-Up Paint.

To start with you will need to check the condition of the knob, some of these knobs are old and have seen some abuse over the years and sadly some cannot be reset. What you want to look for on the knob is the shift pattern, determine if the shift pattern numbers and lines are in good shape with deep stamped lines and numbers. If they don’t look right, it’s going to be hard to get a clean look when you’re done with the project because you have to lightly sand the knob to get a fresh look and if you go overboard in the sanding process, you sand them down.

Once you’ve determined you have a good resettable knob, clean it with carb cleaner and wire brush the paint from the shift pattern and numbers. Install the knob on the 1/2-20 faucet and insert the faucet into the drill press. Turn on the power drill and start with 100 grit sandpaper first, if you have a Mustang or Galaxie shifter with a concave top, start sanding the sides of the knob first. Sand down any chips or scratches, then move on to a finer grit sandpaper like 150 fine and finish with a fine saffron paper. Do the same for the concave area but start with 150 thin paper using your finger to apply pressure. Be careful not to go overboard, take your time to smooth it out. Also, while sanding the paper can get hot, so be careful, I don’t recommend wearing gloves because they can get caught in the drill.

After sanding check the knob, make sure there are no chips or scratches, if so, leave it in the drill and use some rubbing compound to smooth it down even more. I use three types of compounds, first is a heavy duty cleaner and then a polishing compound and I finish with a clear plastic cleaner and polish and finally polish with a clean rag. Each compound may need to be applied for a couple of minutes to achieve a smooth, clean appearance. Be careful in this process with the rags because they can get caught in the drill.

Clean the knob, take a small dental type tool to remove the rubbing compound from the shift pattern and you are ready to paint the pattern and numbers. Use the white appliance touch-up paint to paint the gear pattern and numbers. You don’t have to paint just the pattern and numbers, it’s easier to apply the paint on the face of the pattern. Let dry and spray with a paper towel carb cleaner and wipe the top of the knob until the extra paint comes off and the shift pattern and numbers are clean and white.

Paint can stain the knob, so just clean it with carb cleaner. Then take Armor All spray some on a paper towel and wipe it on the goatee to bring out the black color. The last step is to apply some peppermint oil and rub the goatee to bring out the shine. If all goes well, you will have a beautifully restored goatee in about 15 to 30 minutes. I have done many of these restorations for resale and they have turned out very well. What I think makes it easy to do is the material of the knobs, which is Bakelite. You can sand this material down and leave the knobs pretty clean and looking good.

This process works well with Ford shift knobs for 1964 1/2 -66 small concave for Mustangs and 1962-67 Galaxie and early Falcons and Fairlane etc. and the standard interior Mustang from 1967-68 and 69. All other knobs, like wood grain for a luxury interior Mustang, are not good to restore if you have a good original, keep it or get a good quality reproduction.

Everyone constantly talks on their cell phones every day and they consume a lot of battery, sometimes they run out of power before the day is over. There are so many devices and things that we need to worry about these days that we can sometimes forget to charge our phones, possibly our most important device that we carry with us on a regular basis. A great way to ensure your phone is always charged is to have multiple chargers, including one in your car, possibly one at the office, and especially one at home.

People who drive regularly spend a lot of time in their car going to and from work. This is the perfect time to be able to charge your phone and make sure the battery doesn’t run out over the course of the day. Even if you tend to talk on the phone while driving, you can still charge your phone with a car charger.

A car charger is usually compact, doesn’t take up too much space, and will save you a lot of headaches from forgetting to charge your phone at home or at work. Once you start using it regularly, it will become a habit for you to plug in your phone every time you are in your car.

There are different types of car chargers to choose from depending on the type of phone you have. If you have an iPhone or Blackberry, you may want to invest in a USB car charger or compatible charger. There are even more sophisticated ones that will provide you with a speaker phone system while charging your device. Find the capabilities that are right for you and you can’t go wrong. You will never have to worry about your phone turning off again.

The car tuning trend has been around for as long as I can remember, maybe it was called something else, but for as long as cars have been around, people have been tuning them.

Car tuning can be many different things, some people increase the power of their cars, others spend most of their time and money on differentiating their cars aesthetically, while a large number of people change their interiors with new upholstery, monitors TV, video game systems. , and even install laptops. Many car tuners do a combination of the above to really stand out from the crowd.

So what does the future hold for the car tuning industry? With the increasing popularity of hybrid and greener vehicles, one would think that the car tuning industry would die soon, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As the automotive industry changes, so do tuning companies, constantly adopting the latest technologies to keep up with the latest trends, and sometimes even creating technologies that automakers implement in their production models. There are numerous examples of tuned hybrid cars that produce massive amounts of horsepower with relatively good fuel economy.

As manufacturers produce more electric vehicles, we will see a shift in the car tuning industry towards electric motors. It is much easier to increase the power produced by an electric motor than the familiar internal combustion engine. There are already car companies that are using green technology to increase power instead of increasing fuel economy. An example of this is the sports car produced by Tesla and even Formula One is using small electric motors in its latest generation racing cars not only to increase power but also to reduce fuel consumption.

As we enter the second decade of the 21st century, the future looks very bright for car tuning and for the environment. Cars don’t go anywhere and as long as there are cars there will be people who love them and want to go faster and make their vehicles stand out from the crowd and can sleep better at night knowing they are doing it without harming the environment. .

The most important car accessories for outdoor enthusiasts are led light bars. This lighting fixture makes driving in dark places more enjoyable and safer by producing improved light output, in contrast to the light produced by your car’s headlights. However, if you want to buy one for your truck, ATV, or boat, then you can make sure you buy it from a reputable store. Here are some of the benefits of using these light bars:

Curved models are available

For those who want more than just simple truck light bars, there are some great curved LED versions available that you can use on your car. Curved LEDs usually have an improved structural design compared to regular light bars. Ergonomically designed, this type of lightweight device offers a perfect, seamless fit for your car. Regardless of whether you are going to install it on the bumper or the roof of your 4WD, it will definitely improve the exterior appearance of your car.

improve night vision

Putting one in your truck is not just for show off as many people think. They also have some important practical benefits. They can better illuminate the road so that you always see what is ahead of you. Indeed, they can offer better overall night vision due to their greater coverage. Also, the fact that you can position them higher than your normal car headlights makes it easy to see very clearly even in some dark conditions, such as driving outdoors.

Some have 3D reflectors

Specific models have 3D reflectors to further enhance the light fixture’s ability to produce high-quality results. Compared with general light reflectors, 3D reflectors improve the light extraction efficiency of LED bulbs. This means that these types of truck light bars have a much wider irradiance as well as produce a more intense and brighter light.

Made with solid shell.

Having great truck light bars is of no use if they don’t come with a strong and reliable housing to protect the many internal components. Fortunately, LED lights are known to have some very solid housing ratings with dustproof and waterproof capabilities. They are great add-ons for ATVs and cars as they are very hard wearing and therefore can remain exposed for a long time without developing any problems.

Truck LED Light Bars are clearly some cool and practical accessories that your car must have. Check out some of the best deals at http://www.backcountryledlights.com.

In the world of high-end luxury accessories, there’s no doubt that men have gotten a bit of a raw deal. Your means of sartorial expression are limited: a tie with a quirky pattern, a colorful suit lining, or perhaps a pair of tailored shoes. Meanwhile, favorite accessories of the past, such as cufflinks, have begun to fade or have become less valued, as in hats that have been transformed into baseball caps. But there is one accessory that has become as vital for men as having the right bag for women: the wristwatch.

Each watch is totally unique, the ultimate statement of prestige and status. It’s a badge of honor, it shows you’ve arrived.

In a world crazed by iPods and mobile phones that display the time, take photos and play music, it might seem like the days of the wristwatch are numbered. In 2005, sales of watches priced between $30 and $150 decreased by more than 10 percent from 2004.

But the luxury wristwatch, meanwhile, has evolved and transformed. It’s not so much about telling the time anymore. You have time all around you, in your car, on your computer, and in your office. It’s about self-expression.

In 2002, Louis Vuitton launched its first watch, the Tourbillon Tambour, which truly tests the idea of ​​luxurious self-expression. The watch can be personalized to incorporate the owner’s initials on its face. Prices start at $178,000. The watch takes six to eight months to produce and the company has averaged one watch a month since its launch.

This type of customization (the choice of types of watch straps, the color of the dial, the inclusion of precious stones or diamonds) has helped transform the wristwatch into something more. Now it is a piece of modern jewelry. And many wealthy men own at least four or five, each purchased, like a handbag, for a specific purpose (office, weekend, social events, and sports).

The watch can also be a subtle means of advertising social status, since you can’t bring a Porsche Cayenne or Lamborghini to a work meeting or business dinner. A quick glance at a person’s watch can reveal as much about the man as his handshake.

People who collect watches are all fascinating people. Watches grab people’s attention and start conversations. It’s a great conversation starter for people who have everything. And they talk about what they do. Just like knowing all the sports stats by heart for a favorite sports team, fans of luxury watches love knowing all the bells and whistles their watch has to offer. They love to talk about all the complications included in their watches.

Recently, the Luxury Institute, a research company that examines the spending habits of the top 10 percent of wealthiest Americans, announced the results of a study to determine the most popular ultra-luxury watch brands by tabulating the four key factors that come into play when buying an ultra-luxury watch: quality, exclusivity, status and that ever-elusive prestige of making the buyer feel special. At the top of the list was the niche tag Frank Muller closely followed by patek philippe and Harry Winston. For mega-millionaires, the Franck Muller brand is the one that can best make consumers feel special throughout the customer experience.

There is no doubt that the future of the luxury watch industry is assured. We are in a time of extraordinary growth in wealth, and when people make that first million, the first thing they do is go out and buy an exquisite watch.