Category Archives: Book Review

Book Review: Help! I Gotta Sell My Car Now! @bayareacarguy

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I follow a variety of Automotive-related people on Twitter in order to stay tuned into Automotive News.  One of the people I follow is @bayareacarguy, Mr. L. James Johnson.

Help! I Gotta Sell my Car NOW!

James is a former Internet Sales Manager at an Automobile Dealership.  When a close friend called to ask his advice on how to sell his Cadillac online, James helped guide his friend to a successful sale.  He then took his advice and expanded it into this book, Help! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW!

This book is in Adobe acrobat format (pdf), and is available through e-Junkie, which means that it is easy to purchase online, and download safely.  The book itself contains 12 chapters spread across 138 pages of content, and appears to have been professionally edited.  The Author is using file header marking with the Buyer Name and email address.  This does not impact the reading experience, but does help discourage unauthorized distribution.

I found the text easy to follow, and persuasive.  The text is clearly written, and the Author uses frequent “Take-Away” boxes to ensure that the important points of each section are conveyed.

The book is largely text instruction and explanations, although the section on how to photograph your vehicle for the most effective online advertising contains example pictures and angles.  The book is written in an easy to understand format.

The book is supplemented by a variety of online links to the bayareacarguy.com site and other internet resources.

The chapters for the book are laid out in a logical fashion to walk you through the steps needed to successfully sell your vehicle online:

Chapter 1 – NEW RULES for Selling Vehicles Online — Even the Pros are Having Problems Figuring It Out
Chapter 2 – Getting Your Vehicle Ready — Common Sense Suggestions that will Put Money in Your Pocket
Chapter 3 – Pricing Your Vehicle — Learn from the Professionals.
Chapter 4 – Setting Yourself Apart — Use Your Natural Advantage when Competing against Car Dealers
Chapter 5 – Marketing for Free — Part I Craigslist
Chapter 6 – Marketing for Free — Part II Craigslist
Chapter 7 – Premium Websites — Posting Your Ad on AutoTrader and Cars.com
Chapter 8 – Matching Your Words to the Buyer’s Needs — Discover the Buying Criteria that Best Describes Your Vehicle
Chapter 9 – Photos – Photos – Photos — Take Effective Pictures that SELL Your Vehicle!
Chapter 10- The Video Walk Around — A Secret Weapon that Anyone Can Master
Chapter 11 – Handling Inquiries and Test Drives — How to Negotiate Like a Pro – And Be SAFE
Chapter 12 – Handling the Paperwork and Counting the Money — Be Confident – Be Safe

One of the things I like about this book is that the Author not only describes what to do, he also explains why you need to do that, and he explains HOW to do it.  This is not a glossy, quickly-written overview.  This Book is a step by step instruction manual on how to prepare your vehicle, how to get attention from customers, and how to get the best value when selling your used vehicle.

Read More about the Book and Purchase your Copy.

This video by the Author explains the topics covered in the book, and gives you a feel for the overall flavor of the Author’s approach:

Recommended Improvements:  I would include a link in the footer of each page back to the table of contents page.  I would also show the Chapter Number and Title in the Footer as aids to navigation.

Highlights: Well written and edited. Clean layout. To the point, step by step instructions on how to sell your used vehicle.

Disclosure: The Author sent me a free copy of the book to review.  Based on my review of the book, CaddyInfo has signed on as an affiliate for the book.  Sales of this book via the links provided benefit CaddyInfo (a portion of the sales price is returned to the site).

Cadillac CTS Press Book Review #Cadillac #eBook #bookreview

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CaddyInfo Community Member Roger Martinsen was nice enough to review my new book, Cadillac CTS Pressbook, 2003-2011:

Cadillac CTS Press Book $4.95

Hi Bruce!

Now i have read your excellent book…Very interesting reading and very fine pics, the description was excellent, very easy to understand with all the diagrams!  I didnt know that the CTS were rear wheel driven and with the engine standing straight…it must make it easier to repair the engine and transmission regarding to space!

If I ever sell my STS 1995 i will surely consider a CTS…When i get around to get a new Cadillac i will look at the CTS!

That is terrific praise — Roger not only enjoyed the book, but it improved his opinion of the Cadillac CTS.  Give people the facts “…and let the best car win!” as GM likes to say.  Because of the size of the book Roger had some issues getting it through the interwebs into Sweden, but he enjoyed it once it arrived.

The Cadillac CTS Press Book is available for sale online with instant download; click on the image link to purchase for US$4.95.  There is a 30 day “no questions asked” money back guarantee available with every order.  The book is in easily accessible Adobe PDF form, so you can grab it and read it on your desktop, or laptop, etc.

This CTS Press Book would also be a great asset for Cadillac Dealer Staff Sales training, or as a year by year shopping guide for Cadillac buyers.  Knowledge is power.  Great reading for when you are on the plane and have time to spend enjoying Cadillacs.

I have started working to compile the next book in the series, the Cadillac DTS Pressbook, 2000-2011.

Cadillac Books: Cadillac: The Tailfin Years

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I received a copy of Cadillac: The Tailfin years by Robert J Headrick Jr. from my brother for Christmas (thanks!).  This 126 page book was published in 2008 by Iconografix.

Cadillac: The Tailfin Years courtesy Amazon

The book covers Cadillacs from the years 1948 through 1964, the peak of the years that Cadillac used prominent tailfins.  The approach the author took, as explained in the preface for the book, was to use the advertising literature of the time to address each model, year by year.  Each chapter addresses one year’s production, with illustrations drawn from actual sales brochures, and actual Cadillac marketing copy to tell the story of that year model.

On the face of it, I like to read advertising copy.  However, the illustrations often contain text that is too small to read (I considered but did not procure a magnifying glass to see if the text is legible if magnified).  Often the text in the ad is repeated as text in the book surrounding the ad.  This is useful, but problematic.  I would prefer to see the ACTUAL brochure or advertising copy, presented in the form/format it appeared at the time.  Then I would like the Author to add some background or context to help me understand what was happening at the time, what Cadillac was trying to do, and how it worked out.  In other words I would like the book to be very clear to segregate the period advertising copy from the Author’s text.

I am left with the feeling that the Author may have attempted my desire in terms of adding context, but because it is impossible to tell where the vintage advertising copy picks up and where the Author’s text ends, I am left wanting more clarity in the presentation.

The back of the book contains a number of full-page Cadillac ads, all marked ‘From the collection of Frank Nelson’.  It escapes me why the Author chose to credit Mr. Nelson on each brochure.  Certainly the brochures themselves would be property of Cadillac to the extent they retain any intellectual property rights.

I do like the year by year photos. Overall although initially I was put off by the presentation, I did find myself coming back and reading through year by year.

The book itself has a full color paper card cover, and 126 pages of text.   The volume is one of the thinner books in my Cadillac library.  It is printed in China.   The suggested price for the book is $34.95, which seems quite dear for this volume.  I would prefer to see it priced under $23, perhaps at $15 or $19.  As a gift, it is a nice addition to my collection of Cadillac books.