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Tire service tips (that aren’t just for new technicians)

Recently I had occasion to watch the following video from Dorman Training Manager (and ASE Master Tech) Pete Meier:I was fortunate enough to be there live and talk to Pete after he was done shooting, and this video really stuck with me. If you think about it, the...

TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: The Mystery Box, Part 2

Description The Proving Grounds crew takes on another round The Mystery Box Challenge with new parts and a few new faces. Could you guess these auto parts simply by the way they feel? It’s more difficult than it looks.

Don’t let your scanner go unprotected

This article is a quick reminder to buy (and use!) a surge protector on your (or your shop’s) scan tool(s). The modern vehicle scanner has WiFi, a screen, and touch input. It is, for all intents and purposes, a computer, and it doesn’t like “dirty” power. Protect it...

Give your customers extra grease

I’ve mentioned the easy business you can score by offering to perform trailer service for customers that pull. When doing a job not long ago, someone asked me why I was adding lubricant to the dust caps. It’s a fair question. When getting into bearings, I know I’m...

This tungsten scraper is my new favorite tool.

Disclaimer: I purchased this tool at full retail price at my own expense, with no compensation to write about the item. I was watching a video the other day of Eric O. at South Main Auto replacing a manifold on a Pentastar. We have a little experience with that here...

A day in the life of a service writer (VIDEO)

A day in the life of a service writer (VIDEO)

A day in the life of a service writer (VIDEO) Description The hardest job in an automotive shop might just be that of the service writer. Taking heat from the boss, the techs, and the customers isn’t easy. That the role is for dynamic individuals becomes...
It’s totally fine to run your fuel tank down to empty

It’s totally fine to run your fuel tank down to empty

One of the pieces of automotive wisdom that’s been repeated by publications and mechanics alike for ages is that it’s not good to run a fuel tank below some arbitrary fill point, like a quarter of a tank. At some point, that probably wasn’t bad advice. But today? It’s...
Is side work OK for service techs?

Is side work OK for service techs?

Do you do side work? If you do, is that OK? There are tons of reasons for and against doing work outside the shop. I think my views have changed a little as I’ve been in the game a little longer, but this aspect of the job is contentious. I’ve heard various rationale,...
Schedule more work by improving the life of the waiters

Schedule more work by improving the life of the waiters

Everyone else knows a “waiter” as someone who brings you a burger. You and I, however, know a waiter to be a customer stranded in your customer lounge. Making waiting less painful can increase the likelihood folks schedule service. That seems pretty basic to me, but...
Trailer bearings: a hidden moneymaker for auto repair shops

Trailer bearings: a hidden moneymaker for auto repair shops

You already can see where I’m going with this based on the title. Trailers are the simplest things in the world, and yet unless you’re at an RV shop, a dedicated trailer shop, or you live in a rural or coastal area (ag and marine use), you probably rarely see trailers...