April Showers Bring May Profits
As you well know, your customers are not always educated on their vehicles. Often, they will procrastinate on addressing even the smallest of repairs or regularly scheduled maintenance items, such as wiper blades. And since April is Car Care Awareness Month, this may be a good time to address wiper blades as they relate to
Boosting Your Shop’s Competitive Edge
What are the building blocks of your shop’s success? Lately, have you thought about what factors are directly linked to your shop’s profitability? Such an evaluation will provide direction for new initiatives and put the spotlight on areas where improvements are needed. In a recent survey of ImportCar readers, we asked, “What changes will you
Servicing Brake Hydraulic Components
Anyone who works on brakes should be familiar with basic hydraulics and the various components that make up the hydraulic portion of the brake system. So if you’re not as familiar with this subject as you should be, keep reading and we’ll refresh your memory. We’ll start at the heart of the system, which is
Head Gasket Replacement
During some point in their service lives, most import engines built with cast-iron cylinder blocks and aluminum cylinder heads will need a cylinder head gasket replacement. The vulnerability of aluminum-head engines to head gasket failure is caused by the aluminum cylinder head expanding approximately 1.5 times more than the cast-iron block. Although measured in thousandths
Mazda Clutch Replacement and Installation Tips
As import specialists, our work can be both difficult and rewarding. We are required to perform a variety of repairs, ranging from routine maintenance to high-end diagnostics and troubleshooting, all of which require certain skill sets and equipment to accomplish. There are few professions that will have you using a high-tech, computer-driven labscope on one
Mending Hondas and Acuras with Quality OEM Parts
ho will pass along the news of their good experience. “There are very few things we use that aren’t factory,” Dan says, adding that their association with the local Honda dealership helps attract business. “We sell the jobs by pushing OEM parts. There are rare instances where we’ll offer a customer something that’s not an
Investing to Preserve Our National/International Interests
If you think oil and gas prices are getting bad now, and world supplies are critical, just wait a few years. It will only be worse, and it will have a drastic impact on the U.S. economy as well as the automotive service industry. You see, when oil and gas prices rise, Americans drive fewer
Oil Change Intervals
Contaminants Can Be Engine Killers Contaminants tend to accumulate in all engines as the miles add up. Short-trip, stop-and-go city driving, as well as excessive idling, accelerate the rate at which these contaminants form. Changing the oil and filter regularly and using gasoline that contains an adequate amount of detergent to keep the fuel system,
Tech Tips: Safety Issues for Servicing Hybrid Vehicles
The hybrid concept of combining an internal combustion engine with an electric motor and electric power supply is becoming more popular as vehicle manufacturers look to reduce emissions and fuel consumption in vehicles. Consumer interest in these vehicles has been favorable, which is why you can expect to see more of these types of vehicles
Matching Your Techs with the Right Job
Just a single decade ago, many industry experts speculated that 80% of the workflow passing through an independent repair shop would involve some type of high-level diagnostic process. Today, it’s obvious that, with the infusion of electronic operating systems, high-level diagnostics is now approaching that level of total workflow. Nevertheless, many others continue to ridicule