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A cheap bore scope is your best friend for prepurchase inspections

As the strong used car market continues, prepurchase inspections (PPIs) are an increasingly valuable resource for buyers seeking top-notch buys in a competitive market. The good news? While car values soared over the last few years, prices of borescopes (also called...

Test fuses without removal! (VIDEO)

How to test for blown fuses in a car or truck | Fast and easy methodDescription Checking fuses is one of the most basic (and important!) tests you’ll use when diagnosing a vehicle’s electrical system. Most cars and trucks on the road today use quite a few fuses, and...

Don’t let the grind of fixing cars wear down your love for ‘em

Fixing automobiles all day is tough. The work’s too hard, the customers get ornery, the money ain’t what it oughta be, working conditions aren’t always the best, and the hours are too long. In spite of that, I have yet to meet a tech, service writer, or counterman who...

Torque wrench vs. torque stick for installing wheels (VIDEO)

How to test for blown fuses in a car or truck | Fast and easy methodDescription What tools do you trust when installing wheels on a vehicle? The trusty torque wrench, or the straightforward torque sticks? Or maybe both? Three Dorman experts weigh in.Related Videos

A 3-minute video kept me from going ballistic over a $3,000 repair

If you’ve read my stuff before, you know I have a checkered history of repairing my own vehicles. It’s the inevitable outcome of going out of my way to deliberately (read: dimwittedly) buy a series of notoriously crappy cars and trucks that nonetheless looked very...

Service writers vs. technicians (VIDEO)

Description Familiar Dorman faces Chris and Lemmy are joined by a newcomer to Shop Press, Scott. The fellas discuss the ins and outs of the complicated relationship between service writers and technicians and examine a few of the highs and lows for both groups.

EPA emergency action allows nationwide summer sales of E15 gasoline

In April, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an emergency action that allows E15 gasoline - gasoline blended with 15% ethanol - to be sold at terminals and retail stations in states where it previously could not. The action is said to be aimed at...

What kind of car is that? A primer on esoteric body styles.

What kind of car is that? A primer on esoteric body styles.

We all deal with various body styles daily. I remember asking, “Lumina car or Lumina van?” in my salad days on the parts counter because I badly needed to know the body style for things like, say, a set of wiper blades. We all know the easy ones—sedan, convertible,...
The real history behind the fake turboencabulator (VIDEO)

The real history behind the fake turboencabulator (VIDEO)

I forget when I first saw the turbo encabulator video, but it was a long time ago, early in my life as a wrench. I came to understand most mechanics had seen it and was a bit of an in-joke, but had no idea it neither originated in the automotive industry nor was the...
Whaddya call two hybrid Toyotas?

Whaddya call two hybrid Toyotas?

No, it’s not a dad joke. Mike Principato and I recently were wondering what the plural of “Prius” is, because we needed to reference multiple vehicles in some copy. Now, even though we get paid to sling words around this joint, we don’t work in Latin too much, and I...
Detroit geology: all about Fordite, an automotive gemstone

Detroit geology: all about Fordite, an automotive gemstone

Ever heard of Fordite? Fordite, often called Detroit agate or motor agate, isn’t a rock at all. In fact, it has nothing at all to do with geology—but it’s not very different than a sedimentary rock. Unlike sedimentary formations, Fordite is not composed of layers of...