It's easy to come down on auto repair shops. When was the last time you sat down at your desk on Wednesday and said to yourself, "The weather looks great this week, I think I'll take Friday off to have a coil pack replaced." The fact is most people who walk through the doors of the repair shop are already unhappy. The unfortunate shop owners and techs have to deal with their grumpiness, figure out what's wrong with the car, better not misdiagnose it, and then present you with a bill that for whatever reason seems to be more than you thought it would be. They're getting a bad rap. Not only are most mechanics honest and capable, some are even generously charitable.

A transmission repair shop in Plymouth, Michigan has launched a charitable program to provide free car repair to car owners that need a break. Gayle Otto, who co-owns American Auto Transmission, decided it was time for somebody to help needy car owners. Now that's what I call going above and beyond the call.

For more information, see the full article in The Plymouth Journal. Photo courtesy The Plymouth Journal.