Shop Press

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle.

From the creative minds at:

FEATURE STORY

Hot Off the Press

Seven tips to help you pass your ASE exams

If you’re reading this, you know what the ASE exams are, so I won’t bore you with a recap. I took a few ASE exams recently. Some were recertification exams and some were fresh certifications, but boy, hasn’t this process changed? When I first started taking these...

What are your least favorite repair jobs? (VIDEO)

Description Life can't all be brake jobs and pre-delivery inspections. Beating time is the name of the game, but it doesn't always work out. Watch as a few Dorman mechanics talk about the jobs that make more sweat than bread in this video.

The best auto racing movies to convert non-racing fans

There are two kinds of people in the world: race fans and people who haven’t watched these movies. If you’re not a fan, auto racing may seem like sort of the Earth-borne equivalent of space exploration: an oddly unsatisfying venture hallmarked by astronomical costs...

A few tips for tow truck operators

At one point in my automotive career, I ran a rollback wrecker.  Those days are getting smaller in my rearview mirror and the game has changed over the years, but I learned a lot of things that I wish someone had just told me. My recovery work is limited to salvage...

Why you should add a spring hook to your toolbox

As a young mechaniclet, I fought springs often. Specifically, helical tension springs gave me metaphorical headaches and literal skinned knuckles. I encountered them most often when performing brake jobs on vehicles with drum brakes. I went through a ton of tools,...

March Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: The rhythm in your current workflow gives stability and predictability. Don’t lose it! Your service writer will have plenty of work for you soon. Lean on your focus to plow through your list of tasks, and use any down time to organize your personal space. You...

Godspeed, Pat

Godspeed, Pat

Pat Goss died on March 19, 2022, at the age of 77. Pat owned auto repair shops in Maryland, and he also was heard on the radio, where he hosted multiple car shows. Pat also made a weekly appearance on YouTube for many years, but you probably know him best for the...
Meet the best auto tech in the United States

Meet the best auto tech in the United States

When Logan Brown first heard about a national auto technician skills competition, he was slightly skeptical. “Who the hell’s going to pay a technician $40,000 to show off his skills?” he said recently. The answer was the first annual U.S. Auto Tech National...