EDITOR’S NOTE: Two technicians – Isaac Rodell and Johnathan Dickerman – were interviewed for this article. We appreciate their input. Time has proven that American drivers love SUVs. But do technicians who have to fix them feel the same way?…
Sixty-seven years ago, ASA printed the first issue of what is now AutoInc. magazine. Beginning in 2019, the magazine will no longer have a print edition. Instead, the magazine – and the same outstanding content – will be offered on…
As a business owner and chairman of ASA, I often find myself wishing for more time. It’s not an unusual situation, and one that most of you reading this I’m sure have experienced. Growing a business while raising a family…
Experience isn’t a problem at Gentile’s Collision in Shelby Township, Mich. “We are four generations strong,” said Mark Gentile Jr., whose family has owned the business for nearly eight decades. “We have three technicians who have been with us more…
During the 1970s, concern about the impact of ozone depleting substances reached a feverish pitch. Although there was much interest in those substances that likely depleted the ozone, the use of the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-12, used at the time in motor…
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) are here, not a lot of them, but they have arrived. In 1999 there were 23 hybrids sold in the USA. Now, we have millions. FCEVs are sold or leased mostly in California, but if…
No matter which business performance number you’re looking to improve – productivity, cycle time or profitability – all roads lead through your paint department.
There’s roughly a four-to-one ratio, men-to-women in employment in the automotive industry. Our industry has over the past four to five years begun to see more clearly the value of having not just women, but women in leadership, and influential…
Vehicle repairers have watched a slow hemorrhage of state vehicle safety inspection programs for a number of years. These programs go back to 1926 beginning with a voluntary program in Massachusetts, and increased to 31 states plus the District of…
Cybersecurity continues to occupy much attention in the automotive world. We are soon going to have millions of connected land, sea and air vehicles traveling the globe. Those vehicles, connected businesses and other users will all require and rely on…
Choosing and correctly installing the right part is no simple task these days.
For many shops, hiring women is about putting forward an atmosphere of friendliness and trustworthiness, particularly to women customers, who, as we all know, account for 85 percent of all purchase decisions. It turns out that hiring women involves more…
I’ve been experimenting with specials to be used in direct mail, boosted Facebook posts and other such advertising mediums. One such special is a summer kickoff special, which is an air conditioning inspection and service for only $139. The wording…
"They” say new car dealers are feeling aggressive and confident. Car dealerships are also looking at aggressive methods to keep the purchasers of their used cars in their bays. Dealerships want the lucrative aftermarket business, they are going after it,…
A multi-store shop owner sends in the following situation: We recently had a 2015 Ford F150 V8 with 46,000 miles brought into one of my shops with a check engine light on, as well as a drivability problem. My technician…
