Point Of View: Who Will Fix Cars 10 Years From Now? Part Two
I hadn’t planned on writing a follow-up to my last column, but reader response was so strong, I felt compelled to continue the discussion on the Great American Technician Shortage. Actually, I’m going to let our readers write most of this column, but I can’t let the moment go without putting in my two cents’
Carley’s Corner: Gas Pains
gasoline in the Chicago metro area is averaging $3.19 a gallon. It makes the $2 a gallon gas we were all whining about two years ago sound cheap by comparison. So what can you do about it? Drive less? Americans depend on their vehicles for absolutely everything: going to work, school, church, shopping, doctor visits,
Coolant Service
It’s Getting Hotter Out There; Know How to Keep Your Customers Cool Coolant testers, pressure testers, flushers and exchangers. These are the tools and equipment shops need to keep their customers’ cooling systems cool. We’ve had an unusually hot summer this year. Record high temperatures across the country have left many vehicles steaming alongside the
Welding Equipment: Sparks and Arcs
MIG, TIG, stick, gas, gasless, oxy-acetylene, deep penetration, spot welding, plastic welders, pulse technology, high strength steel — if it seems like welding has gotten more complicated than you remember — it has! Today’s auto industry faces many challenges that are shaping and changing the way we stick two pieces of metal together. Once upon
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.
Scan Tools: Tune In, Tune Up, Cash In
What is with all the new interest in music? Everywhere in the car industry and the aftermarket, people are talking about the “tuner” market. Are they talking about the old stereo of Dad’s in the den? Maybe they are talking about the newest disk player that can support mpeg and iPod? No! The interest is
Brake FLuid Testing: Are You Testing Your Customers’ Brake Fluid?
When was the last time you tested a customer’s brake fluid? Never? Many shops don’t bother to test brake fluid for several reasons. Some don’t think fluid tests are necessary. Others don’t test the fluid because they don’t have anything to test it with. And others say why bother if they’re going to bleed the
Safe Shop: Meeting Your Shop’s Lighting Needs
Having reliable “mobile” or “task” lighting is very important so technicians are able to clearly see what they are working on, even in the crevices of an engine compartment. Not having the necessary lighting accessories will hinder productivity and prolong the time it takes to complete a job. There are many types of lighting available
Top 5 Tools
Frances Lenox, owner/technician Enginooity Import Repair Bryan, TX Power Probe and attachments Tru-Spark Ignition Firing Indicator Snap-on FZ936 Ratchet Head 1/4” Drive Impact Type Universal Sockets Mac Tools 3/8” Drive Air Impact Wrench Gary Lui, owner/technician West Valley Automotive, Inc. Alhambra, CA Snap-on Vantage Snap-on Scanner Mitchell 1 Information System Ingersoll-Rand Air Ratchet
Point Of View: It’s Show Time…An Opportunity for Training and Education
Shop owners need business skills training and need to invest in their business — including tools and technology,” commented Larry Samuelson, president of NAPA’s U.S. Automotive Parts Group Headquarters, at the 2005 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium*, last May in Chicago. He was speaking these words to many of the automotive aftermarket’s top manufacturers and suppliers,