Audra Fordin’s shop was not selected for this reader profile article because she’s a female in a predominantly male occupation. Far from it. Rather, she represents a new breed of repair shop owners and technicians who go out of their way to educate customers, specifically female customers.
Instead of using a shop’s in-house scan tool, CarMD Pro Scan allows you to use the company’s app in conjunction with the plug-in hardware device in order to scan the vehicle, obtaining all data from their remote location directly to your smart phone, laptop or tablet.
We recently surveyed our readers to find out what you’ve seen with regard to tire wear and damage. While the leading causes you mentioned came as no surprise, some things will surely raise eyebrows, and provide a chuckle at the same time.
Today’s SUVs (sport utility vehicles) and CUVs (crossover utility vehicles) face the same steering system issues as other types of vehicles, in terms of steering system component wear, braking system operation and wheel alignment concerns.
Exotic Motorwerks is a one-stop center for all motorized objects of desire of Germanic origin. It comes as no surprise that the shop’s ausgezeichnet (German for excellent) reputation draws enthusiasts of German sportwagens (sports cars) from near and far.
Like most shops, mine has become increasingly populated with cordless power equipment, ranging from impact wrenches, drills, saws, grinders, vacuums, a wide array of flashlights, tablets, cell phones, cordless desk phones and on and on.
If you’re looking for an ideal example of a quality-minded shop located in a small town setting, look no further. Smitty’s Car Service has been taking care of locals since 1939 in a town that rivals the idyllic Mayberry for its charm and all-American flavor. Located about 13 miles southwest of Akron, Ohio, Smitty’s lies on the immediate outskirts of 200-plus-year-old Doylestown.
It’s all about information. The more we know, the better job we can do. No one is an expert on everything. That’s where information sharing becomes so critical. Every tech has faced a problem wherein the remedy isn’t easily found in a repair manual. When a specific problem is faced and a technician discovers a fix, sharing that information with others helps those who may be faced with the same challenge. We’re in this together, so let’s help each other out.
Toby Cossette, co-owner of The Main Street Garage in St. Augustine, Fla., obtained an associate of arts degree from North Dakota State College of Science. However, he followed his passion and served as a master technician for import and exotic import diagnostics and repairs at Sports Car Engineering.
Turbochargers are essentially compressors that direct more air into the engine’s cylinders in order to produce additional power. A turbo derives its energy source from both temp and pressure of exhaust gas. Intake air enters through the air cleaner into the turbo compressor inlet. The air is compressed which raises air density and volume.
This happens frequently, with many shops experiencing a frustrating issue with what we tend to identify as “difficult” customers. A passenger car enters the shop for a reported “brake noise.” Your inspection reveals badly scored front rotors, a badly rusted right rear rotor, stuck calipers, badly worn front pads and flexible brake hoses that have seen better days.
Neubauer’s Auto Repair is located in Ellicott City, Md., in northeast Howard County, approximately 10 miles north of the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Following is a brief history of the business, in owner Jim Neubauer’s own words.
Diagnosing chassis issues, including noise, vibration and drivability concerns ranges from the simple to the difficult-to-pinpoint. In this article we’ll discuss a variety of tips, both vehicle-specific and generic. As part of the article, we’ve included insightful comments from Federal-Mogul Motorparts and Arnott.
Automotive A/C systems, once a stand-alone and relatively simple design, have evolved and continue to evolve, offering greater efficiency and reduction of atmospheric pollutants.
A number of potential problems can easily result in operational issues and/or customer complaints following brake system service. Here we’ll discuss a few points that will help to avoid these concerns and help give your customers a “sweet” ride.
Quite often, vehicles enter your shop which feature a trailer hitch (bumper hitch, frame-mounted hitch receiver). This should alert you to that fact that the customer may, on occasion, be using their vehicle to tow a recreational or commercial trailer.
Judy’s Automotive is located in historic San Rafael, Calif., in the North Bay region of San Francisco. The one-person shop opened in 2005 and offers maintenance and repairs for all Asian and American cars, light trucks and SUVs.
Do you fear the engine cover? Of course not. You work on late model vehicles every day, and you’re accustomed to popping them off in order to gain access to a variety of vacuum lines, spark plugs, sensors, etc.
Likely the leading cause of system failures lies with the condition of the sensor batteries. Sensor batteries are expected to last around six to 10 years, with newer sensors lasting longer due to battery improvements.
Our industry is made up of dedicated people who share a passion for all things automotive. Technicians who service vehicles on a daily basis routinely discover solutions for various repairs that go beyond what a service manual provides.
Who among us doesn’t smile when we watch the classic 1973 movie “Magnum Force,” as Clint Eastwood, playing his iconic character Detective Harry Callahan, walks slowly away as the corrupt Lieutenant Neil Briggs’ (Hal Holbrook) car explodes and he mutters his infamous line, “A man’s got to know his limitations”?
Cunningham’s Automotive Repair is located one mile north of the historic town of Ottsville, Pa., in picturesque northern Bucks County, 50 miles north of Philadelphia and 24 miles southeast of Allentown.
Airbag deactivation procedures differ among makes/models/years, so always refer to the appropriate service manual for the correct method. NEVER assume that any specific deactivation procedure is correct for all airbag-equipped vehicles.
