Shop Press - Auto Repair News & Ideas

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

Ralph Nader inspired a vehicle safety revolution and all he got was a lousy bolt named after him

In 1965, Ralph Nader published his best-selling takedown of car companies, “Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-In Dangers of the American Automobile.” The book accused automakers of prioritizing profits over personal safety, and caused an uproar from both politicians...

Before asphalt, automotive pioneers used the beach as their racetrack

If your idea of Jersey beach towns comes from “Jersey Shore,” Cape May is not that. As opposed to the ride-filled boardwalks of Ocean City or Wildwood or the casinos of Atlantic City, Cape May is a much more laid back, family-oriented shore destination. I recently...

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...

What’s in your toolbox?

Tools help ya earn your bread, which is why most automotive technicians have more than a passing interest in them. What brands do you buy? What do you buy, and what do you expect the boss to provide? Do you run a tab on the tool truck? Two Dormanites hash some of...

October Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: You will be where you are supposed to be, even if you aren't there now. When you’re undercar, rely upon intuition—and don’t forget the importance of timing. Keep the faith, because your goal is closer than you thought. Avoid Leo. This service writer is bound to...

Car Talk’s Ray Magliozzi calls on lawmakers to pass right to repair law

For 35 years, Tom and Ray Magliozzi helped coach car owners through their problems on Car Talk, with the last new episode recorded exactly a decade ago. Before they were Click and Clack, they operated their own repair shop in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Interesting...

Book review: “Car: A Drama of the American Workplace”

We’ve all taken a step back from a vehicle, groaned, and asked why-oh-why did they do it like this. Car: A Drama of the American Workplace helps answer that question. Mary Walton, the author, was embedded within Ford with what appears to me to have been excellent...

Fire the parts cannon! Is shotgun diag ever acceptable? (VIDEO)

Description Anyone who's turned wrenches knows at least one "spray 'n' pray" technician. Just keep throwing parts at the car until the Check Engine light goes off, right? But where does good intuition meet good guessing? What do you do when a flowchart suggests...

PSA: Hood, Trunk, and Rear Hatch Lift Supports Need Inspection, Too

Don’t forget the “other” struts on a customer vehicle; they’re there for convenience and safety.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Why We Take the Negative Battery Cable off First and Put It on Last (VIDEO)

Why We Take the Negative Battery Cable off First and Put It on Last (VIDEO)

Lemmy explains why this basic task always comes before removing the positive cable to help you understand the theory behind the practice.

Stress Test Vehicle Grounds

Stress Test Vehicle Grounds

Resistance is futile.

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

Stop beating your sockets to death.

ABOUT 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. With interesting stories from around the world, features on creative people and solutions, and all kinds of other stuff that’ll make you use your mind and your hands.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Alignment and Inner Tie Rod Play – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Alignment and Inner Tie Rod Play – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

A vehicle with MacPherson strut suspension is in for tires and an alignment. The technician finds play in the left inner tie rod end. What should the customer be told?

Airbag direction – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Airbag direction – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

When placing an airbag on a workbench, which is the safest direction for it to face? We have the answer.

A different type of timed event: the Bobby Bosch Relay Race

A different type of timed event: the Bobby Bosch Relay Race

Your daily work is also a cruel automotive penalty.

How to use a lockout kit (VIDEO)

How to use a lockout kit (VIDEO)

Powerful tools—if you know how to use ‘em.

Drag racing semi-trucks (VIDEO)

Drag racing semi-trucks (VIDEO)

Smokin’ tires and smokin’ stacks!

Want to contribute an article to Shop Press?

Are you a wrench and a writer? A counterperson and a communicator? A service writer and a scribe? Get paid to share your experience and expertise with thousands of Shop Press readers.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Don’t Overlook the Elementary

Don’t Overlook the Elementary

Draw a hard line when it comes to basic diagnostics.

When NOT selling helps business

When NOT selling helps business

You don’t want to sell every job. Trust me.

Why “topping off” a gas tank can be an expensive mistake (VIDEO)

Why “topping off” a gas tank can be an expensive mistake (VIDEO)

When the pump automatically shuts off after filling a vehicle’s tank, many people are tempted to add a little more gas. Unfortunately, this can do more harm than good, and the repair bills could add up quickly.

Why don’t you keep gloves in your car’s glove box? (VIDEO)

Why don’t you keep gloves in your car’s glove box? (VIDEO)

It isn’t the “registration and insurance card box,” after all.

Brake drum – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Brake drum – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

What do you check during drum brake service?

VIDEOS

Bitten by a misfire

Bitten by a misfire

Formal education teaches you theory and the real world teaches you the rest.

Beyond the basics: best tools for auto repair DIYers and technicians (VIDEO)

Beyond the basics: best tools for auto repair DIYers and technicians (VIDEO)

The right tools will expand your capabilities and help you to tackle more advanced jobs, but it’s not always easy to know where to start.

“Can you drive a stick?”

“Can you drive a stick?”

It’s been asked of every new mechanic for more than a century. Does it matter in 2025?