Andrew Markel, Director of Content
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Viewpoint: Salary and Benefits Survey

The automotive repair industry beats national averages. I recently received the preliminary results for our 2006 industry survey and the results are very promising for our industry. The full results will be in the September issue of BRAKE & FRONT END, but I am going to share with you the results that receive the most

Travel Troubles En Route to the Big Easy

It sounds like a bad barroom bet: Buy a $250 car and drive it from New York to New Orleans and back. This is what a recent cross-country rally did when it challenged 28 competitors to take on the roads in a junker, jalopy or beater for the top prize of $1,500. The inaugural running

Viewpoint: Net Neutrality

Bigger issue than Right to Repair? Imagine that you are logging onto your usual websites for repair and parts information to fix a vehicle. OEM vehicle repair websites and other resources are crawling along or do not even work at all. When you try to access your parts supplier website, it does not come up

Viewpoint: Borrowing Brains

Can I borrow one of your tools? When you work as a technician, you hear this phrase far too often. Sometimes, it is a legitimate need. They may be asking for a tool that they need in a pinch and they might buy the tool for next time. But, you always have the chronic borrowers.

Viewpoint

I recently bought a 1967 AMC Rambler American for a “beater rally” that will take the car from New York to New Orleans (www.baberally.com). The 1,500 mile trek is not that extraordinary, but when you consider that it must be done in a $250 car, it takes on a whole new dimension. Also, the more

Communicating with Customers about Brake Pads

The common brake job is getting more difficult to sell every day. Every shop is confronted with competition offering brake jobs for lower prices. Also, vehicles and brake pads are becoming more advanced. With these trends influencing the marketplace, how can a shop maximize and grow its revenue from the lowly pad replacement and turning

Viewpoint, AAMCO, Cottman, Monro, Procare: With Size Comes Responsibility

In the past month, we have seen some historic events in the world of undercar service. The reunification of Cottman and AAMCO and the acquisition of ProCare by Monro Muffler have changed the landscape of the undercar service industry. Some people say that the Cottman and AAMCO deal was a shocker. When Rich Silva (Cottman)

Selling Services: Anti-Seize & Studs

Last month I received a great letter from one of our readers. He was absolutely livid about the story “Double Hit” in our February issue. Ed from the Cherokee Garage in Beckwourth, CA, pointed out several incorrect items in the article. In the article, it was advised that a light coating of anti-seize could be

Publisher’s Perspective

Thank You

A Brief History

In 1931, people thought Edward S. Babcox was insane for launching a magazine in the middle of the great depression. But, 75 years and almost 900 issues later, BRAKE & FRONT END is still going strong. For the past few months, I have been reading back issues of BRAKE & FRONT END non-stop. In musty

Wheel Bearing Failure Diagnostics

On a typical passenger vehicle weighing around 3,400 pounds, each pair of front-wheel bearings, as well as the rear-wheel or axle bearings, support saround 850 pounds, depending on the weight balance and driveline configuration. If it’s a 6,000-pound SUV, each bearing might carry about 1,500 pounds. This load is concentrated on the relatively small bearing

Viewpoint, Is the Wrench More Powerful Than the Pen?

nzy of press kits, executive fluff interviews and the free meals, the journalists become brainwashed by their own egos. They think that their words are selling cars and putting wind into the sails of car companies’ stock prices. But, many of their facts and opinions are quickly disproved in a very short period of time.