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
Hybrid Engine Diagnosis & Service
The Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrids have been around since 2001; the Honda Accord, Ford Escape and Lexus RX 400h hybrids since 2005; the Honda Civic, Toyota Highlander, Mercury Mariner, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra hybrids since 2006; and the Lexus GS 450h, Saturn VUE Green Line, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima hybrids since
TPMS: What are Dealers Doing?
Service shops aren’t the only ones concerned about TPMS these days. Auto dealers, also, are handling an increasing number of TPMS-equipped vehicles in their service bays. While there’s strong competition for vehicle service, TPMS is forcing both auto and tire dealers to cope with a new side dish on their service menus. The common thread,
A/C Service: The Heart of the Matter
The heart of the business, feel the heart beat, he has a good heart. These familiar thoughts and sayings all refer to the same thing. Whether it is a figurative or literal reference, the message is the same. There is always a central and irreplaceable part or component or, sometimes, person to all things. This
News Update: AMI Announces 2006 Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship Recipient
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI), in conjunction with Babcox Publications, recently announced Steve Sallinger, owner and president, Ole Metairie Car Care, Inc., Metairie, LA, as the recipient of the “Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship.” The scholarship recognizes a management-oriented member of the Automotive Service Association (ASA) Mechanical Division. The recipient receives $1,000 to be applied
News Update: Heritage Equity Group Names Executive Council Members
Art Lottes, Leon Viars and Joe Bagwell have been named members of the Heritage Equity Group Executive Council, the company recently announced. The cornerstone of Heritage Equity Group is Beck/Arnley, a full-line foreign nameplate replacement parts company, that it acquired in 2005. Together with Heritage Equity Group owners Max Dull, Patrick Greene and Richard Crawford,
AftermarketUpdate
Mighty Auto Parts Named One of Wall Street Journal’s Top 25 Franchises Atlanta — Mighty Distributing System of America has been selected as one of the Wall Street Journal’s top 25 franchises. The parts distributor was selected from the nation’s more than 2,500 franchise brands. In the article titled, “The 25 Franchises that Made the
AC Update: Running A/C Diagnostic Tests Before Dash Surgery
I must have worked on Mercedes-Benz automobiles for 15 years before I ever replaced an evaporator. Through the 1970s, we pulled many an evaporator out of 107 and 116 chassis models to repair a poorly designed interior drainage system. The early models had little flappers on two interior tubes that carried the condensation to a
A/C Update: Underhood Service: January 2006
MACS Jumps on the Express Train 2006 Show Preview Although temperatures are always changing, one thing remains constant: hot summers and cold winters bring great volume to the air conditioning, radiator and heater repair business. “Nothing is more important to our industry than the weather,” said Elvis Hoffpauir, Mobile Air Conditioning Society Worldwide (MACS) president
Odds & Ends
Closed-Course, Production Vehicle Speed Records Set