Latest news with #vehicleparts
Motor 1
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
'This Is Why I Have an 04 Camry:' Man Takes Ford F-250 to San Antonio. Then He Sees What Happened to It in the Hotel Parking Lot
When the owner of a Ford F-250 walked out of his hotel one morning, the truck was exactly where he left it—except for one small detail: the tail lights were gone, cleanly removed. No glass, no wires, just two neat holes where $1,000 worth of lighting used to be. That's what happened to online creator Alex (@3.6slowvvt_) during a recent overnight stay in San Antonio. In a TikTok clip that's been viewed more than 184,000 times, viewers see that his Platinum edition F-250 has had its tail lights removed. News reports in San Antonio recounted a rash of recent tail light robberies in the area. Why are People Stealing Tail Lights? Tail lights from trucks like the Ford F-Series are surprisingly valuable. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) sets can fetch several hundred to over $1,000 apiece , and in some higher trim models, replacement can cost even more. They're also relatively easy to remove : thieves only need to open the tailgate and undo a few screws, with no heavy tools or complex hacking required. Once removed, tail lights are typically not traceable, making them ideal for quick thefts. Alex's situation isn't an isolated TikTok incident. It's part of a growing wave of vehicle part stripping affecting truck owners nationwide. In the Houston area, police recently uncovered a theft ring responsible for stealing tail lights from 34 Ford trucks over four months between September 2024 and January 2025, with the stolen parts valued at more than $92,000. More on Ford's Tail Light Problem Police Are Fixing Ford's Taillight Theft Problem Thieves Have a New Target: Ford F-Series Taillights While catalytic converter thefts have dominated headlines in recent years, law enforcement agencies nationwide are increasingly reporting a shift toward more discrete, high-value parts. Tail lights, bumpers, and grilles—especially from full-size trucks—are now common targets , as Motor1 has reported before. These components are easy to remove, often untraceable, and in high demand, making them attractive to thieves seeking quick payoffs with lower risk of detection. Ford Super Duty and F-150 trucks are disproportionately affected by this type of theft, in part because of their widespread use among contractors, farmers, and outdoor enthusiasts, groups that keep demand for replacement parts, especially tail lights, consistently high. The design of these trucks also makes them more vulnerable. OEM parts are modular and carry significant resale value, further incentivizing theft. Additionally, the trucks' elevated ride height provides easier access for thieves to reach and remove components like tail lights without much effort or visibility, especially in poorly lit or unsecured parking areas. What Can I Do to Protect My Car? While these kinds of activities can spread to just about any area, Texas authorities have seen enough incidents already to offer some preventative guidance : Park strategically: choose well-lit, secure locations; front-in spots near building entrances are ideal. Lock screw access points: installing tamper-proof screws or bolt kits makes removal far more difficult. Secure your tailgate: thieves often gain access through unlocked tailgates—secure yours. Install surveillance: Dashcams with motion sensors or rear-facing cameras can act as deterrents and evidence collectors. Equip vehicle alarms: systems with tilt or movement sensors increase the risk of detection during tampering. Engrave parts: Marking lights with unique identifiers can aid in recovery if stolen. Insurance Options Comprehensive auto insurance policies typically cover the cost of tail light theft and other non-collision damages, under the 'other than collision' or vandalism coverage segment. However, policyholders should be prepared to pay their deductible—from $0 to $2,000—before their insurer covers the remaining repair costs. Given the surge in demand for replacement parts like truck tail lights, owners may also experience delays in getting replacements if parts are back‑ordered, resulting in longer wait times for repairs. Law enforcement agencies frequently advise owners to engrave their VIN or photograph parts, such as tail lights or glass, before installation. This practice helps substantiate insurance claims and can improve recovery chances if stolen parts are located. VIN‑etching of windows and components has been credited with increasing the odds of recovering stolen vehicles by authorities. Motor1 reached out to Alex via direct message. Now Trending 'It Saved Me Money:' Woman Goes to Discount Tire for New Tires. Then She Pulls Out Her Costco Card 'I've Already Made A Payment:' Woman Purchases Lexus RX 350 from Carvana. Then They Send Her Another One Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Cheshire gets huge car parts centre the size of NINE FOOTBALL PITCHES creating 200 new jobs in the region
Car giant Stellantis has opened a new vehicle parts distribution centre in Ellesmere Port just months after it closed Vauxhall's van factory in Luton, putting more than 1,100 jobs at risk. The parts centre will become the vehicle component hub for 10 Stellantis-owned brands across the UK and Ireland. It will streamline the company's supply chain, delivering approximately four million parts per year. Of the 240 staff on site, 200 are new jobs for the region. This is on top of the 1,100 people Stellantis already employs in the Cheshire town. The enormous 60,000 square metre warehouse - which is equivalent to the size of nine football pitches - sits adjacent to the company's electric van factory, the first dedicated mass-production site for EVs in Britain since its conversion in 2023. The auto firm invested £100million into the 60-year-old car factory - which previously assembled Astra family hatchbacks - to 'strengthen' its commercial vehicle manufacturing operations in Britain. It comes after Stellantis shuttered the doors of its Luton van factory on 28 March. Some of its 1,100 Bedfordshire workforce were offered roles at Ellesmere instead, which is some 150 miles away. Stellantis UK has opened a new Parts Distribution Centre at Ellesmere Port, after the closure of its Luton van factory in March. It will supply up to four million parts a year Stellantis, which owns Peugeot, Citroen, Vauxhall and Fiat, employs over 5,000 people in the UK and is Britain's biggest van manufacturer. Andy Kite, parts and service director at Stellantis UK, said: 'The opening of our new UK Parts Distribution Centre enables us to enhance our aftersales service. 'Its central location offers improved UK coverage and delivery times, with the ability to deliver parts to repairers for the next working day – ensuring the shortest possible wait time for customers. 'With all our brands under one roof, from long-established names like Vauxhall to newer brands like [Chinese EV newcomer] Leapmotor, Stellantis customers benefit from the reassurance of knowing they can quickly access the parts they need.' The centre employs 243 members of staff - 200 being new jobs - operating over two shifts five days per week, distributing up to 140,000 parts housed in the building and supplying 19 regional hubs. It's size is equivalent to nine football pitches The last Stellantis van rolled off the Luton production line in March marking the end of 120 years of manufacturing Stellantis' decision to shutter Luton's 100-year-old factory put 1,100 jobs at risk. Staff at the Bedfordshire site were offered roles at the Ellesmere Port plant, though this is 150 miles away The opening of the Ellesmere Port parts centre follows the transformation of the nearby vehicle manufacturing plant. The former car factory originally opened in 1964, producing Vauxhall Vivas. But in more recent years became the home of the Astra, with production of Vauxhall-badged models for the UK market and left-hand-drive Opels in mainland Europe. When production of the latest Astra was moved to Germany, the UK car factory was converted into the nation's first EV-only volume manufacturing site in 2023. A year later in November 2024, the company announced it would be closing its 100-year-old Luton van factory to shift all manufacturing to the refurbished Cheshire site. Despite opposing calls with unions dubbing it a 'slap in the face' for the people of Luton, Stellantis pushed ahead with its closure, transferring all van manufacturing - and some staff - to the North West town. The parts distribution centre is the first UK warehouse to achieve outstanding BREEAM accreditation, the world-leading sustainability assessment method for the built environment and infrastructure The enormous 60,000 square metre parts warehouse sits adjacent to the company's electric van factory (pictured), the first dedicated mass-production site for EVs in Britain since its conversion in 2023 The new parts distribution centre is the latest consolidation of Stellantis' EV ambitions in the UK - part of its strategy to globally sell 75 EV models by 2030. In 2024, Stellantis saw a significant increase in battery vehicle sales, particularly in the UK, where it was the leading electric van manufacturer and took 10 per cent of the electric car market. Keeping with this zero emission mindset, Stellantis says the parts centre was designed with sustainability at the forefront. It can harvest up to 7,000 litres of water through a storage tank, there are 32 EV charging points, and LED lighting to lower energy usage. It is the first UK warehouse to achieve outstanding BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) accreditation, the world-leading sustainability assessment method for the built environment and infrastructure.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Winners And Losers Of Q1: FTAI Aviation (NASDAQ:FTAI) Vs The Rest Of The Vehicle Parts Distributors Stocks
As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here's a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q1. Today, we are looking at vehicle parts distributors stocks, starting with FTAI Aviation (NASDAQ:FTAI). Supply chain and inventory management are themes that grew in focus after COVID wreaked havoc on the global movement of raw materials and components. Transportation parts distributors that boast reliable selection in sometimes specialized areas combined and quickly deliver products to customers can benefit from this theme. Additionally, distributors who earn meaningful revenue streams from aftermarket products can enjoy more steady top-line trends and higher margins. But like the broader industrials sector, transportation parts distributors are also at the whim of economic cycles that impact capital spending, transportation volumes, and demand for discretionary parts and components. The 4 vehicle parts distributors stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts' consensus estimates by 1.1%. Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 9.7% on average since the latest earnings results. With a focus on the CFM56 engine that powers Boeing and Airbus's planes, FTAI Aviation (NASDAQ:FTAI) sells, leases, maintains, and repairs aircraft engines. FTAI Aviation reported revenues of $502.1 million, up 53.7% year on year. This print fell short of analysts' expectations by 2.1%. Overall, it was a decent quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts' EBITDA estimates. FTAI Aviation scored the fastest revenue growth but had the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. The stock is up 14.9% since reporting and currently trades at $123. Is now the time to buy FTAI Aviation? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. Established by a founder of Century City in Los Angeles, Air Lease Corporation (NYSE:AL) provides aircraft leasing and financing solutions to airlines worldwide. Air Lease reported revenues of $738.3 million, up 11.3% year on year, outperforming analysts' expectations by 3.9%. The business had an incredible quarter with a solid beat of analysts' EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts' EBITDA estimates. Air Lease delivered the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 18.1% since reporting. It currently trades at $57.59. Is now the time to buy Air Lease? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. Originally founded to ship beer, GATX (NYSE:GATX) provides leasing and management services for railcars and other transportation assets globally. GATX reported revenues of $421.6 million, up 11% year on year, exceeding analysts' expectations by 1.1%. Still, it was a slower quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts' EBITDA estimates. Interestingly, the stock is up 5.4% since the results and currently trades at $156.06. Read our full analysis of GATX's results here. Headquartered in Texas, Rush Enterprises (NASDAQ:RUSH.A) provides truck-related services and solutions, including sales, leasing, parts, and maintenance for commercial vehicles. Rush Enterprises reported revenues of $1.85 billion, down 1.1% year on year. This print surpassed analysts' expectations by 1.4%. More broadly, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded EBITDA in line with analysts' estimates. Rush Enterprises had the slowest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $51.18. Read our full, actionable report on Rush Enterprises here, it's free. Thanks to the Fed's rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been on a steady path downward, easing back toward that 2% sweet spot. Fortunately (miraculously to some), all this tightening didn't send the economy tumbling into a recession, so here we are, cautiously celebrating a soft landing. The cherry on top? Recent rate cuts (half a point in September 2024, a quarter in November) have propped up markets, especially after Trump's November win lit a fire under major indices and sent them to all-time highs. However, there's still plenty to ponder — tariffs, corporate tax cuts, and what 2025 might hold for the economy. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Quality Compounder Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.
