A Reader's Sage Reminder - Fire!
A tow truck on a hot summer day in Chicago backfired at a red light while towing a disabled vehicle. A small fire began under the hood in the carburetor and the driver was using everything nearby to put it out. I had a small extinguisher and gave it to him and it immediately put out the fire and saved his truck. Another time an old car at a stop sign, same problem. I volunteered my small fire extinguisher and 'poof' his old car was still alive.See? I speak truths!
For only a few dollars, a small extinguisher in the glove box could save a lot of money.
Old School Trick, the Soapy String
Need an Oil Change ... and a Manicure?
Enterprising shop owners are always looking for ways to attract and keep new customers. These efforts usually amount to coupons or free gourmet coffee in the waiting room. From time to time, however, we find shop owners who have gone the extra mile, tapping the inner folds of their minds to come up with a truly novel idea. Elle Auto Care in Calgary has done their part to revolutionize the people part of auto service. Their waiting room is its own experience, with manicure and mini-spa services, WiFi, leather furniture, an indoor children's zone and reportedly one of the nicest bathrooms ever to grace an auto shop. And yes, they have gourmet coffee. I can't tell you whether it'll fly, but if a shop is this focused on the people side of things, chances are they will stand behind their work, too.
Read more about Elle Auto Care in the Montreal Gazette.
More Movement on Right to Repair
This just in. Five more members of
Congress declared their support of the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair
Act (HR 2057). Reps. Michael E. Capuano (D-MA), Christopher P. Carney (D-PA),
Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Michael K. Conaway (R-TX) and Brad Miller (D-NC) are
the most recent co-sponsors of Right to Repair, which has gained steady
support since its introduction. The bill now has 45 sponsors.
For those of you who aren't familiar, Right to Repair legislation has been gaining momentum on a Federal and state levels for some time now. If passed, the Right to Repair Act would give independent repair shops access to important repair information as soon as it's available to dealerships, and we know what that would mean!
Read more here.
Pay to Play Scenario Busted
Winter Maintenance Made Easy
Shop Aims To Be Female Friendly
Are You Prepared for an Emergency?
A Quick Thought on Safety
I've just returned from a 2-day road trip to Maine, we had had to pick up a customer's car and drag it back to New York for some serious massaging. The weather wasn't great, and the lobster wasn't much better. It seems 99% of the seafood shacks along HWY 1 close at the end of the summer vacation season. Thankfully, Bob's Clam Shack is open year round, so we stopped once on the way up and again on the way down for a basket of fried. It was a rainy, cool drive. We were cruising down 495 when out of nowhere appeared a stranded motorist parked on the side of the road. It was a flat tire. The car was black, the air was foggy, and I had to make a less-than-comfortable swerve to avoid drenching the poor guy with funky road water, or worse if he suddenly leaned outward. My point is this: I know the last thing you may be thinking about as you limp to the emergency lane is the convenience of other drivers, but it only takes one idiot to make your day that much worse. If you're pulling over to change a tire, steer as far into the emergency lane as possible, and use your emergency flashers so other drivers can give you a wide berth. It's well worth the effort.
Not The Best Choice of Repair Shops
It's tough to find a good repair shop sometimes, it's all about getting the right fit. In your search, there will always be a shop that stands out as the worst possible choice. Danbury, Connecticut has this shop, or did until police raided it. Guy Johnson's repair shop didn't fix cars at all. Instead, he was running a bar inside the work bays, complete with three refrigerators and a smoker for hors d'oeuvres! Police raided the joint at night and found a dozen people sitting at the bar drinking. I'd love to have seen the cops' faces when they opened the door on that scene. If you're looking for a new mechanic, here are some things to think about to be sure you make the right choice. A well-trained, honest mechanic can make your life better!
You can read more about the repair shop bar in The Danbury News-Times.

