Why I love - and hate - my job
(May 29, 2012) --
We got a lot of submissions for our fourth annual Reader's Issue. Among them was a good look at the industry by Scott Faris, a technician in Kemptville, ON. He puts the good and the bad under the microscope. ...more
Closing up shop
(April 26, 2012) --
Another engine rebuilder calls it quits. Technology just keeps moving forward, leaving more and more business models in question. ...more
Wheel Lessons
(April 17, 2012) --
When changing tires, never underestimate the importance of cleaning the mounting surfaces and ensuring the proper torque on lug nuts. A lot’s at stake! ...more
Our 2012 Reader's Issue
(April 03, 2012) --
Your day job is fixing cars, not writing articles. But over the years, you’ve shown that you’re remarkably capable when it comes to expressing your points of view. ...more
We need more thought leaders
(March 06, 2012) --
Negativity is hurting this industry and it’s time someone called attention to it. It needs to stop. ...more
Tax Time
- by Allan Janssen
(February 21, 2012) --
If you’re like many independent repair shop owners who started off as technicians before taking the reins of the business, you know more about ABS than GAAP. This time of year, however, it’s worth turning your attention to things like Generally Accep ...more
Words to live by
(January 23, 2012) --
Everyone needs inspiration sometimes. What words of wisdom do you rely on? I really want to know. I’d love to hear why it means so much to you. Tell me how you stumbled across it and when you first learned its motivating power. I’ll let others know a ...more
Feeling the pressure
(January 06, 2012) --
The relearn procedure can be especially long when there’s a young apprentice on the case! ...more
Letting your invoice be heard
(December 26, 2011) --
A professional-looking repair bill is your opportunity to reinforce the buying decision, and prevent post-purchase disappointment. ...more
Tips from the counter
(December 08, 2011) --
Service advisors are the liaison between the customer and the technician. It is hard to underestimate the importance of their job. Here are some tips from some of the industry's best. ...more
What tomorrow will bring
(November 28, 2011) --
Key automotive trends outlined at industry gathering are mostly good news for the aftermarket. But there's a threat on the horizon: the waking giant that is the automotive OE dealership. ...more
Adapting to the economy
(November 08, 2011) --
Chris Kennedy, owner of the Mister Transmission shop in Moncton, N.B., knows what a tough economy does to maintenance customers. It turns the three-times-a-year people into two-timers. It turns the two-timers into one-timers. And you can say goodbye ...more
UNDER INVESTIGATION
(October 21, 2011) --
NBC’s Today Show puts repair shops under the microscope... again. ...more
The Evolution of Technology
(October 12, 2011) --
Speaking at Automotive Service and Repair Week in Orlando Florida last week, Delaware shop owner Pete Rudloff said his success as a true problem solver is a direct result of his familiarity with scan-tool technology, and his understanding of the bene ...more
New Brunswick ponders changes to safety inspections
(October 03, 2011) --
Public meetings begin in New Brunswick this week to determine the direction of the province’s annual vehicle safety inspection program. Minister of transportation and infrastructure Claude Williams says the review was prompted by 400 responses to onl ...more
Wanna be a wheeler dealer?
- by Allan Janssen
(September 20, 2011) --
Getting into the tire business involves a lot more than putting up a few displays and hanging a shingle… it’s a unique business with unique challenges. ...more
Canadians spending less on maintaining/repairing vehicles
(September 06, 2011) --
Canadian Customer Commitment Index Study by J.D. Power and Associates 2011 reveals significant drop in annual service spending. Among automotive service customers, NAPA Autopro gets highest marks for satisfaction. ...more
The empty wallet syndrome
(August 04, 2011) --
AAA says repair shops in U.S. finding fewer customers able to pay for major repairs. ...more
Survey Says:
(June 07, 2011) --
What was the most bizarre question a customer has ever asked you?
“If I have a screw in my tire and I take it out will the tire go flat?”
Dennis Kokoai, Serbu Tire, Windsor, Ont.
“But do you think it’s safe?”
Perry V ...more
Email scam targets auto shops
(May 20, 2011) --
Shops beware. If you receive an email from “Richard Summer” (printed in all of its ungrammatical glory below), simply hit the delete button – Summer’s proposal is nothing but a scam. ...more
Jean Vanier students win big at CIAS skills competition
(March 22, 2011) --
A pair of automotive technician students from Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School beat out 19 other Toronto-area high school teams to win a unique skills competition at the Canadian International Auto Show. ...more
Consumer Reports Reveals “Worst of the Worst”
(March 08, 2011) --
The 2011 Autos issue of Consumer Reports has hit the stands, and once again, the magazine strives to identify those makes and models that are vehicular creampuffs and lemons. ...more
Tanks for the Oil Change!
(February 08, 2011) --
From two-seater convertibles to super-sized SUVs, the folks at the Jiffy Lube in Guelph, Ont., have seen it all when it comes to vehicles rolling into the shop for an oil change. But a tank? ...more
