See what makes us different ... and the same! In this issue of “Generationally Speaking,” we feature Mark A. Clark and Keegan Niccum, service advisers for Chumbley’s Auto Care in Indianaola, Iowa. Chumbley’s Auto Care is owned by Tim Davison.…
Every shop owner runs into ‘situations.’ How they handle them is important ... do you agree with these fellow ASA members? Dilemma: This shop owner had just hired a new apprentice technician. The technician was supposed to change the automatic…
For the most effective diagnostics, don’t just rely on the codes to troubleshoot. Actual testing will give you a bird’s-eye view. Last issue, we talked about a problem created by technician error and made worse by hanging parts without knowing…
It’s been a busy legislative season in the nation’s capitol and around the country. Here are some news items about legislation moving through state legislatures in North Carolina and New Jersey. Be sure to visit ASA’s legislative website, www.TakingTheHill.com, for…
Let’s take a look at Kia. Is it easy to service? Kia was a poorly made car when this Korean car company brought its 1994 Sephia to America. Kia made cars for Ford/Mazda prior to 1994, but most people had…
To quote a good friend of mine, Mark Saxonberg from Toyota, “Service readiness is the act of having received the service training, information, tools and parts necessary to perform any diagnosis, repair and/or adjustment that might be required to support…
Welcome, ASA-Connecticut! The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced a new affiliate: ASA-Connecticut. Dan Risley, ASA’s president and executive director, in making the announcement, said: “We are extremely excited to welcome ASA-Connecticut – formerly known as the Connecticut Collision Repair…
At our annual meeting in April my term as chairman will end. Therefore, this is my last Chairman’s Message. Donny Seyfer will become chairman, and I assure you he is more than capable. There will be one or two new…
114th Congress, 1st Session – January 1-December 31, 2015 I. Monitor Legislation in the 114th Congress A. The Washington, D.C., office will advocate positions before the Congress in support of or in opposition to legislation as directed by the ASA…
Every shop owner runs into ‘situations.’ How they handle them is important ... do you agree with these fellow ASA members? Dilemma: This happened to one of my competitors last year: A lady brought in her 2001 Mitsubishi Montero because it…
More issues call for more diagnostic ‘what-ifs’ With the average age of vehicles on the road hitting an all-time high of 11.4 years, I continue to revise my path of diagnostic “what ifs?” The preponderance of age-related issues creates the…
See what makes us different ... and the same! In this issue of “Generationally Speaking,” meet Bob Wills, owner of Wills Auto Service in Battle Creek, Mich., and John Teachout, technician. Wills serves as director of the Mechanical Division Operations…
Pete’s Garage takes on jobs that stump others. Often my shop encounters jobs that have taken a tour around our fair state and had multiple failed attempts to diagnose and repair. In our trade, these cars are often referred to…
Elections for the 2015 Automotive Service Association national board of directors are being held now through the end of February. All regular members in good standing with ASA are eligible to vote for one position of general director and one…
Famous racer Bobby Unser said, “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” Winston Churchill gave further clarification on the topic when he said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Lately…
A Report of ASA Member-Shops in 2014 Welcome to the 2014 “How's Your Business?” survey report! Using the most current figures available from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2012, the number of general automotive repair locations was…
Honda makes great small cars. How does the new Fit stack up? Hondas are a favorite of mine. So being critical of Honda is not easy for me. This month, we will examine the 2015 Honda Fit and see what…
Participants emphasize importance of inspection to vehicle safety. The Automotive Service Association (ASA), ASA-PA and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) – the light vehicle aftermarket division of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) – hosted the Vehicle Safety…
