Tech Feature: Ford Hybrid Braking
A hybrid vehicle is a different animal than many of us are used to seeing. After all, if the engine of a typical vehicle were to stall out at a traffic light, the driver of that vehicle would know something was wrong with it. If that same vehicle still drove with the engine off, then that would mean they were probably going down hill. But in the hybrid world, that is all normal. Several systems around the vehicle are impacted by two key elements.
Mitch Schneider: So…What’s on the Menu?
Mitch addresses “loss-leader” advertising and/or the kind of “menu pricing” environment in which it normally flourishes.
Tech Feature: Mazda Driveability Diagnostics and Check Engine Light Complaints
From a torn air intake hose to ignition system concerns, Bob Dowie tackles driveability issues as well as some of the more common ailments that will bring Mazda vehicles into your bays with a check engine lamp complaint.
Master Cylinders: Reliable, Hard-Working Components Still Need Periodic Inspections
If nothing else, modern master cylinders are notable for their long and relatively trouble-free service lives. The modern master cylinder evolved from the single-piston types popularly introduced in the 1930s to the modern dual-piston, dual braking system cylinders in use today. Master cylinders intended for drum brake use contain one or more residual pressure check valves that maintain a slight pressure in the system.
VIEW POINT: Read the Instructions
Can reading the directions save time?
Vehicle Repairs Cost an Average 34% More at New Car Dealerships than Independent Repair Shops
Vehicle repairs cost an average 34 percent more at new car dealerships than at independent repair shops, resulting in $11.7 billion in excess costs annually to consumers, according to a first-of-its-kind study just released by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). The study reveals dramatic differences in the costs of parts and labor between domestic and import vehicle nameplates and from city to city ….
Management: Good Enough?
Almost every reputable and profitable shop owner I know is looking for the best parts – not the cheapest ones. If parts manufacturers make the best, good shops will buy them. Why? Because a comeback and the hope that the parts manufacturer will cover the labor for the warranty claim clearly outweighs the up-front profit made by installing a cheap part. Cheap parts that compete only on price have the potential to turn the automotive repair industry into a ….
Winners Announced in Raybestos Brand Ted Nugent Promotion
Five grand prize winners have been announced in the Raybestos brand "Ted Nugent Exotic Big Game Hunt" promotion. Launched in March 2008, this outdoor-themed campaign served as yet another way to reward loyal Raybestos brake customers for their steadfast reliance on the best brake products in the world ….
Viewpoint: Good Enough?
I was talking to Jim Currier of Jim & Sons Transmission in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, and he said something that stuck in my head. I was commenting on how clean his shop was and how it looked better than some dealerships in the area. Jim said, “It has to be this way. After all, I
Get the Drift: The Ins and Outs of Sport ‘Drifting’
Drifting is not a sport for SUVs. If it were, it would probably be called “rollovering.” Nor does it lend itself very well to cars with front-wheel drive. Drifting is all about sliding around curves with the rear wheels smoking all the way. Drifting sounds like an activity dreamed up by the tire manufacturers to