A shop foreman who did it for a year gained some firsthand experience that might help you answer the question.
HOT OFF THE PRESS
What type of part should you use to repair a car?
There’s a spectrum of parts ranging from fresh and new to tired but cheap. What should you use and when?
Is side work OK for service techs?
Does the shop retain right of first refusal, or is moonlighting A-OK?
Ranking the best fictional TV mechanics
From Colonel Hogan to Mr. T to Fonzie, here’s a completely unscientific list of television wrenches.
SHOP STUFF
Auto care news and advice you can use.
Square drive: make or buy before you need ‘em
Female metric square drive plugs were new to me. They might be to you, too.
This guide to being a mechanic-saboteur could teach you to be a better tech
The CIA’s Simple Sabotage Field Manual can help mechanics both frustrate the enemy and think about being more effective in the shop.
7 things in Car Mechanic Simulator that will make a real mechanic’s eyes roll
How accurate is Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 to being a real mechanic? Let’s just say, not really, as any real mechanic can tell you.
Detroit geology: all about Fordite, an automotive gemstone
It looks and sounds like a semi-precious stone, but it’s not. Fordite is a cool byproduct of the car manufacturing process.
Meet the best auto tech in the United States
*According to the first annual U.S. Auto Tech National Championship, a new auto repair skills competition.
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.
Snap-on to expand Tennessee manufacturing plant
Company makes $44 million investment to expand plant.
Can ICE vehicles be outlawed?
If gas vehicles are outlawed, will only outlaws have gas-powered vehicles?
You don’t need a moonroof, either.
A hole in your vehicle’s roof, no matter what you call it, is a great way to introduce new problems and complexities to the automobile.
What the first federal right-to-repair law could mean for auto service shops
If passed, the proposed REPAIR Act in U.S. Congress would give vehicle owners and independent repair services full access to vehicle data, parts, and more.
Are daytime running lights really a bad idea?
DRLs can have the strange, unintended effect of hurting visibility overall.
VIDEOS
Fire the parts cannon! Is shotgun diag ever acceptable? (VIDEO)
Nick and Lemmy discuss the pros and cons of throwing parts at a problem.
Spoiler alert: Manual transmissions are not ‘100% useless’ as claimed
Is this what automotive enthusiasm looks like now?
Trailer bearings: a hidden moneymaker for auto repair shops
Why not capitalize on easy, predictable service that’s almost never a rush job?