Viewpoint: 50 Tips to Improve your Shop in 2008
Increase the labor rate. Chances are your customers will not notice. Send fewer cars to the dealership. Buy better uniforms. Secretly shop the competition. Attend more training. Take down all the old, dirty or out-of-date “push/pull” or “we install” stickers off your front door. Use your shop management system more effectively. Explore all menus and
News Update: Automotive Distribution Network Announces ‘Repair America’ Sweepstakes Winners
Parts Plus has announced the major prize winners of the “Repair America” sweepstakes promotion for professional service dealers. Throughout June and July, when service dealers were given the opportunity to win prizes in this special promotion, more than 62,000 entries were returned to headquarters, with an additional 7,500 entered online through www.partsplus.com. The winner of
Carley’s Corner: New Stuff from the AAPEX & SEMA Shows
Having just wrapped up a week in Las Vegas at the AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Parts Expo) and SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) shows, I have some interesting news to report. A company called Green Earth Technologies introduced a new high-quality synthetic motor oil made from dead cows. The oil is made from animal fat (beef
Management: We Can’t Fix It
Did you ever tell a customer you couldn’t fix his vehicle? Have you told a customer, "We don’t work on that type of car." Have you ever not recommended service because you don’t have the tools or equipment to do the job? Have you sent a vehicle to another shop or dealership?
Perspectives: ‘We Can’t Fix it.’
Did you ever tell a customer you couldn’t fix his vehicle? Have you told a customer, “We don’t work on that type of car”? Have you ever not recommended service because you don’t have the tools or equipment to do the job? Have you sent a vehicle to another shop or dealership? I would expect
News Update: Adrian Smith Appointed GM of Brembo North America
Brembo North America (BNA) recently appointed Adrian Smith as general manager of its North American operations with responsibility for its three offices in Costa Mesa, Detroit and Charlotte, NC. Previously, Smith served as technical director of Brembo SpA based in Curno, Italy, where he was responsible for a staff of 240 engineers and core engineering
Autumn Driving Tips from NAPA AUTO PARTS
The days are getting shorter and summer road trips are winding down, which can only mean one thing – it’s time to prepare your vehicle for autumn driving. Kit Johnson, NAPA’s 2007 Technician of the Year from East Helena, MT, offers important maintenance and cleaning tips to help prepare your vehicle for the demands of autumn driving.
Nondirectional Rotor Finishes: Do You Need Them?
You have probably heard that nondirectional rotor finishes can lessen the risk of new brake pads squealing. They can, but do you really need to apply a nondirectional finish to freshly turned rotors. And what about new rotors? Should you give them a nondirectional finish if they don’t have one? Like many issues concerning brake
News Update
Federal-Mogul Introduces EDGE Brake Pad System (aUG) Federal-Mogul’s Wagner brake products brand has introduced a new complete brake pad system engineered for drivers, their vehicles and the increasingly demanding driving environment. The new Wagner EDGE brake pad system is the first technology engineered specifically for lighter, leaner, more precisely tuned automotive braking systems and the
Honda Performance Upgrades
Service & Diagnostics Call it what you want — the compact performance market, sport compact market, import scene or the tuner market — but there’s no denying the import car performance segment has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade. According to SEMA’s 2006 Compact Performance Market Report, retail sales for this niche