Precision is Key to Success
Precision Incorporated: The Facts Owners/Consultants: Mike and Chris Klinger Locations: Tucson, AZ Shop Stats: 4,000 square feet, 9 bays, 9 lifts Employees: 1 service manager, 1 parts manager, 2 service advisors, 6 technicians Recognition by Phoenix-based dealer Showcase Honda as its single largest purchaser of Honda genuine parts in the state of Arizona is a
Travel Troubles En Route to the Big Easy
It sounds like a bad barroom bet: Buy a $250 car and drive it from New York to New Orleans and back. This is what a recent cross-country rally did when it challenged 28 competitors to take on the roads in a junker, jalopy or beater for the top prize of $1,500. The inaugural running
Mitch’s World: Experiencing One of those ‘Brunswick Days’
Experiencing One of those ‘Brunswick Days’ I call them “Brunswick Days” — those days where accomplishing anything feels as if it would be easier to go to the local bowling alley, pick out an appropriate sized ball, tuck it under your arm, head for the closest hardware store, pick up a 25-foot roll of garden
Fundamentals of Electrical System Diagnosis
Electrical principles, like voltage, amperage and resistance, can be described as cars passing along the roadway. Voltage would be the vehicle’s speed, amperage would be the number of vehicles on the road at the same time, and resistance would be the potholes in the road’s surface. Basically, electricity is a supply of atoms with an
Ignition Misfires
A flashing Check Engine light and a P0301 to P0312 diagnostic trouble code is a sure-fire indication that one or more cylinders are misfiring. Occasional misfires may pass unnoticed, but a steady misfire is hard to miss. The engine usually feels rough, lacks power and uses more gas than usual. Sometimes a misfire may feel
Safe Shop: Out of Sight, Out of Mind…
It’s strange, the way things work out. How one seemingly isolated, non-related event can force you to confront the impossibly complex way virtually everything in our world is tied together. For instance, you wouldn’t think a cancelled speaking engagement would lead you down the rabbit hole of environmental responsibility, but it has and it’s a
Top Five Tools
Ron Promisson, owner Promisson Automotive Service Center Bushnell, IL Power Probe II — This is an indispensable tool for all kinds of diagnostic problems. Probably the one tool I couldn’t do without. Raytek AutoPro ST25 Infrared Thermometer — This is another favorite that can be used for many different applications. Snap-on Vantage — The diagnostic
Point of View: Who Will Fix Cars 10 Years from Now?
I am so tired of hearing about the technician shortage. If this industry is in such dire peril of not having enough technicians today and tomorrow, why the heck aren’t more people in this business doing something to improve the situation? The Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) was held in Dearborn, MI, earlier this year.
Monroe Billboard Campaign Drives Home Need for Regular Maintenance
Sponsored by Monroe Shocks and Struts, a brand of Tenneco Inc., the innovative billboard campaign encourages consumers to follow a regular vehicle maintenance schedule, a key element to catching and preventing potential problems with a vehicle’s shocks and struts.
Selling Safety: Helping Customers Understand TPMS
There’s an old television commercial that starts: "How do you spell relief?" Thinking about tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) instead of stomachs, a tire dealer might ask himself or herself: "How do I spell opportunity?" Try S-A-F-E-T-Y!