Posted on 3/26/2018
The future of the automobile over the next few years is going to be very exciting, or even unbelievable. Who would think we will have driverless taxi cabs in the next two years? (Or so says the news; let’s hope this is not fake news.) As electronics, computers and great designs get more refined and smarter, running at incredible speeds at lower cost, they will dominate the automotive world. Electronics and motors are so very dependable now, cars are chock-full of them. I still remember the cars of the ‘60s: “Don’t get the option of power windows because it is just one more thing to break. That is not the case anymore; just about all cars in the U.S. have power windows. Advanced electronics give cars autopilot capabilities. Electric motors have landed in electric vehicles, including the Tesla, BMWi3, Fiat 500e, Ford Focus electric, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes B250e, VW e-Gu ... read more
Posted on 3/21/2018
The Internet has made a lot of great information available around the world. All of my businesses use the Internet for their websites, for seeking information, and for accessing paid information websites. We used to buy thousands of dollars of books on automotive repair annually; now we use automotive repair websites such as mitchell1.com or alldata.com. We pay more than $1,000 per month to use these sites and others for our shops. When repairing or servicing a vehicle, it is important to use high quality, reputable parts. We identify these high quality components thanks to years of installing brand name parts and monitoring their successful results. All parts, whether rebuilt or new, are not created equal. For example, I formerly used a particular rebuilder of starters and alternators, but the customer comeback rate – this refers to a vehicle not repaired properly the first time – regarding those parts was more than ... read more