Austrian MotorsThriving on Mercedes-Benz Repair
Most every motorist with a responsible job and a family to take care of – and many other things on their mind – usually relies on the expertise of their automotive service provider to keep their car or SUV running smoothly. More so, owners of sophisticated high-end vehicles know that they have little time and
The Top 5 Favorite Tools of Top Technicians
Chris Ringold, shop foreman Flint Bottom Auto Sales Burlington, IA Mac Mentor – Generic OBD II and Repair Trac are invaluable. ALLDATA – If Repair Trac doesn’t cover it, ALLDATA does. MechanixWear Fast Fit Gloves – Great protection and workability! Chilton Labor Guide and CD-ROM – Fast and effective for all estimates. Mini Maglite –
Odds & Ends: Book Report
The classic Sebring race of 1970 – when Mario Andretti’s Ferrari 512 passed the Peter Revson/Steve McQueen Porsche 908 in the closing minutes to win by a scant 23 seconds – is relived in a new hardbound book, 12 Hours of Sebring 1970. The book has more than 100 photos and includes comments from Andretti,
The Top 5 Favorite Tools of Top Technicians
Don Frantz Frantz Automotive Center Cary, NC I own and operate Frantz Automotive Center in Cary, NC. We are a six-bay shop with four techs – all of whom are ASE certified. I, myself, am ASE certified with L1 Certification as well. Frantz Automotive was recently voted "Best of Cary" by the readers of the
News: Cornwell Tool Rally Hits All-Time Attendance High
Wadsworth, OH – Cornwell Tools celebrated the best turnout ever at the 2005 National Tool Rally held last month in New Orleans. More than 100 exhibitors participated, contributing to a 44% increase in overall dealer attendance from last year. Bill Stemple, director of marketing, welcomed the trade show exhibitors March 11, touting the great benefits
Odds & Ends
Building The Mustang Ministock includes everything a racer needs to know to competitively build, set up and race a Mustang 3 car. Using eight informative chapters based on a project car built as an example for this book, Building The Mustang Ministock thoroughly covers all areas of race car fabrication, suspension systems, chassis setup and
Aftermarket Update: April
MEMA Releases Educational Counterfeiting Supplement Distributors, retailers and automotive technicians looking for more information about automotive parts counterfeiting need to look no further. The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) recently released an informational supplement focusing on the issue counterfeiting in the auto parts industry. MEMA’s Counterfeiting publication was designed to serve as a resource
Odds & Ends: Book Report
The last open road Author, vintage racer and vehicle enthusiast Burt “BS” Levy gives a fun, fictional account of the American racing industry of the 1950s in his book, the last open road. Originally published in 1994, the last open road is Levy’s first story in a three-novel series of books featuring 19-year-old Buddy Palumbo,
Servicing Saturns: A Different Kind of Car Repair?
On January 7, 1985, Saturn was born. That day, Roger Smith, the president of General Motors, announced the decision to create a whole new car company from the ground up. There were 99 people chosen to create a vision of what GM needed to do in order to prosper in the small car business into
Aftermarket Update
Free PR and Check-Up Forms for National Car Care Month Events Freebies abound for service providers offering in-house vehicle check ups during National Car Care Month in April. First, the official check-up forms are free from the Car Care Council. Simply estimate the number needed and call 1-240-333-1088 or order online at www.carcare.org. Second, there’s
Performing a Pre-Alignment Inspection: Step-by-Step, Brake & Front End
Rack on the floor Secure vehicle on rack. Leave transmission in park or 1st gear on manual transmission cars. Level and lock steering wheel with a holder. Perform a simple bounce test. Check for excessive bounce and noise. Underhood inspection Check engine mounts and struts by rocking the vehicle fore and aft. Inspecting these items
How Many Choices Does a Customer Really Need?
I was recently at a trade show and as I made my way through the hotel lobby I stopped to buy a cup of coffee. As I stood in line, I noticed I had the usual three choices – small, medium and large. Which to choose? I had to consider how thirsty I was, how