.size-thumbnail{padding:1px 0px; width:80px; height:auto;} The Beatles said it best when they sang “Gonna try with a little help from my friends,” and the following repair saga came to its best conclusion with help from professional techs on iATN. 2008 Ford…
Our industry is undergoing a time of unprecedented change. Again. Getting bombarded with rapidly advancing electronic, material, manufacturing and powertrain technology is nothing new to ASA members. We’ve been here before, and each time someone predicted the end of the…
In the seven years that I’ve been in the automotive repair business, I’ve learned many lessons. One that really hit home concerns inspections. When I opened my shop in 2011, our inspections were not…
Progressive shops employ a special business-building process. They possess a positive culture that will create the top 10 percent of shops in the industry and provide careers for the owners and staff that are second to none in the automotive…
A customer comes in with a 2003 Chevy Suburban for some routine service work and rear shocks. The following Monday, the customer calls to complain about holes being cut into the plastic inner fender shrouds to gain access to the…
You, the technician, need a voice. I write these articles several times a year, and they also substitute for my therapist. After working on motor vehicles for decades, you start to question your perceptions. Did Nissan make the redesigned Rouge…
When I find myself talking to fellow shop owners about joining the Automotive Service Association, I’ve noticed that the conversation has changed a bit over time. It used to be that the benefits your association offers were front-and-center. Since taking…
The federal government and numerous organizations did not waste an opportunity of a major auto show to talk about new vehicle technologies and public policy. The U.S Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee held a hearing, titled “Driving Automotive Innovation…
Not only are long-term employees retiring faster than young ones are being hired, but the technological advances on newer vehicles become standard so rapidly that current techs are struggling to stay on top of them.
It is 30 years from now, 2048, and most vehicles are battery-powered electric cars. The fuel cell was tried, but the infrastructure was never built out. So the few fuel-cell cars from the 2020s are sitting behind repair shops, and…
Can your business operate without you? As I began investigating how shop owners felt about this topic, I discovered that not everyone thinks the same. The answers I received ranged from “Yes” to “No” to “Wouldn’t that be nice!” One…
In a perfect world, as owners, we all dream of running a successful business. We strive to work hard, hire great employees, provide the best benefits possible, have great customers, make a profit, give back to the community, enjoy family…
It’s critical today, in measuring shop finances, to break down the revenue and examine the type of revenue coming through the door. But most shops just measure parts and labor, and then look at their bank balance to see what…
A shop owner from Chicago writes: How do you balance what is written in your employee manual vs. the needs of your customers and your employees? My employee manual states that no employee can take more than five days of…
ASA-member shop owners always…
Early on in my youth, I began wondering why things didn’t work as intended: my bike’s chain derailleur, our lawn mower, mom and dad’s Rambler wagon. Decades…
Recent congresses have not been known for bipartisan initiatives. Unique to this analysis has been this fall’s autonomous vehicle (AV) legislation. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee passed a package of 14 separate bills, titled the SELF DRIVE Act…
