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

Writers, Print Vehicle Service Histories for Every Vehicle

The fellas who taught me to write service were arguably some of the best I’ve seen do the job. They had all sorts of tricks up their sleeves, like the boomerang business cards you’ve read about before. Today, I’d like to share another tip my friend Sam gave me. It...

The JDM Class of 2001 Comes of Age

Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars during their heyday in the 1990s were the unattainable treasure, not for North American consumption, only accessible in video games. They were tantalizingly close but not truly attainable. Turns out all it takes is patience: 25...

It’s That Time of Year to Change Your Clocks. And Your Gasoline Blend.

For those of us wrenching here in Uncle Sam’s country, we prepare for the arrival of spring by “springing forward” an hour with our clocks. (And maybe even helping a few customers fix the time on their dashboards.) But there’s another seasonal change going on behind...

Ferdinand Porsche: Engineering the Shape of Speed

Ferdinand Porsche is one of the earliest designers featured in our “Automotive Paragons” series, and few figures loom as large over the modern automotive world. His career began at the dawn of motoring itself, when horseless carriages were still experimental...

Service Writers: Don’t Leave Your Greatest Diag Tool in the Shop

Today’s piece starts with a one-question quiz that’s not a trick question: in your shop, what is your best diagnostic tool? It’s not a meter or a scan tool or a stethoscope, though those all are handy items to have nearby. It’s your technician. And as much as leaving...

What’s the Deal with DIP Switches? Aren’t They Just … Switches?

When your work involves automotive electronics, you’re bound to encounter DIP switches at some point. Experienced techs will know that DIP switches enable multiple configurations for a single electronic component. In simpler terms, different switch combinations make...

Why Your Shop Should Be Using Loaded Knuckles to Save Time and Money

It’s midday on a Friday, and an older-model Subaru rolls into the bay in need of new wheel bearings. In the past, this would have meant a few hours with the shop press, possibly a torch, and maybe some choice words to get the job done. But it doesn’t have to be that...

Use the Little Radiator—and Have Customers Do the Same

Disclaimer: If a car is overheating and it is possible to safely exit the road and stop the car, that should always be the first course of action to avoid the risk of fire. The solution described in this article should only be used where that is not possible. If a car...

Shifting Gears

Tariff Talk: A Look Backwards at The Chicken Tax

by Lemmy | May 6, 2025

0 Comments

Well, the mood’s been a little heavy with all the talk about tariffs as of late. There’s an automotive tax that’s been around for a long time that is a perfect thing to mention if a conversation is getting uncomfortable. And if you’re a car nut, you should at least have some passing familiarity with it—it’s a large part of why the half-ton pickup truck is as common a sight as it is on American roads.

The Chicken Tax is an interesting curiosity that raises plenty of questions. Would the F-150 have been the best-selling vehicle all those years without it, for instance?

They say history doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes. I wonder if we’ll see any similarly unplanned effects in another sixty years.

The articles and other content contained on this site may contain links to third party websites. By clicking them, you consent to Dorman’s Website Use Agreement.