Car Wars (Or is that Star Wars?)
If you read my previous blog post you know I have been studying to recertify for my NJ Motor Vehicle Inspectors license. And this time around for the first time all inspectors have to know light, medium and heavy duty diesel regulations, whether you inspect the vehicles or not. Trust me I don't expect ...
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Back To School...Or Have I Always Been There?
Tuesday this week coming is a big day. In order to stay certified in the State Of NJ all private inspection station motor vehicle inspectors have to be tested by the state. You need an 80% score or better to pass. That's right, out of 50 questions you can only ...
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The Future Is Behind Us
You may have missed it but a few weeks ago I brought up an issue I was having at the shop with a broken hammer handle. It seems they are difficult to replace due to liability and legal issues. We are such a litigous society now that the ...
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Power Door Locks for Everyone!!!
Ever buy a vehicle without power door locks or a remote starter option? In other words a basic vehicle. With the economy tight right now many of you are doing just that. Basic vehicle; engine, radio, 4 tires and maybe ...
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Did You Hear About The Recall?
Well, did you. You know, Toyota last week had 2. One for floor mats getting wedged and causing gas pedals to be stuck and the other was ...
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Like Your Relatives at Christmas
There are parts of a car that just do not get along. If you think about it, the environment you place them in is hostile to begin with. Moving metal parts are subjected to high heat and explosions, such as the pistons, connecting rods and crankshaft. Talk about your tough relationships. But, sometimes the problems that occur are not located in such a harsh environment. Take the case of the steel stud, and the thermostat housing, on a 1999 Ford Escort, that recently...
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Hot Rod Update
Well, I took a large step closer to finishing the hot rod this week. My friend Ken from Van Grouw Welding in Wyckoff, NJ showed up this week and welded in the plates for the roll bar. Quite an event; trying to line the bar up, keep it ...
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Drive By Wire
Where would we be without wires? Automobiles wouldn't work would they? About ten years ago the term drive by wire came up with reference to the accelerator pedal and the connection to the engine. Instead of mechanical linkage sensors and motors started being substituted so as you pressed on the pedal an onboard computer would see the movement and track/move the throttle plate accordingly.Thus the term drive by wire. But today I am also talking about a different scenario. When you come...
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Rust Never Sleeps
There's a song somewhere with a lyric like that, isn't there? In all the challenges that auto repair can come up with rust is big one. It is always happening, day and night, sitting still or while the vehicle is in motion. Here is a classic example. A 2002 Toyota Sienna mini-van came into the shop this morning. Customer complaint of...
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Life & Death On The Open Road
It happens fast and without warning. One minute you're driving along keeping up with traffic and the next you're on the side of the road. The steering failed and you couldn't control the vehicle. Or perhaps a tire fell off from carelessness on the part of the person that installed it. And even worse yet perhaps ...
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Keeping Your Focus
2003 Ford Focus came into the shop today. Check engine light is on and it has a trouble code P0103. In English it translates into ..... Let the diagnosis begin....
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Power Windows and Cable TV
How complex is a car? As much or more than cable tv! And it costs more plus is driven hard by millions of people everday (althought the argument could be made so is cable)
A 2005 Toyota came into the shop this week. The drivers side power window ...
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Champagne Taste, Beer Pocketbook
The question is not how much car can you afford to buy? It's how much car can you afford to maintain? True some manufacturers still offer "free" maintenance but the truth is you are really paying for the maintenance in the price of the vehicle. I was reminded of this automotive maintenance issue today at the shop.
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The Front Of The Horse
My late father-in-law always told it straight. "If you want real answers deal with the front of the horse; always go to the guy in charge." Well, come this Saturday that's exactly what I'm doing.
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MAKING THE CAR DR BETTER
That's one of the personal goals I have set for myself this year. Not that I haven't worked to achieve this in years past. This year is ...
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1934 Packard!
I was visiting Harry and the crew at Montclair Auto Top in Monclair NJ last week. Harry is helping me ...
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TGIF
A tough physical week. Monday was the Evaporator core for the air conditioning on the 99 Volvo. To replace the core you need to remove the ENTIRE....
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TGIF
A tough physical week. Monday was the Evaporator core for the air conditioning on the 99 Volvo. To replace the core you need to remove the ENTIRE
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The Rusty Oil Pan
It's a funny thing. Oil pans getting rusty and leaking. One would think that since it holds oil it can't happen; but it does. The reason is that...
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Things People Say
Let's get personal for a minute or two. I know if you've read some of my blogs in the past it may seem like a rant or raving. ... please let me do it again without judging me if you did in the past.
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JOHNNY B. GOOD!!!
On a recent weekday morning I was greeted at the front door by the Waldwick Police Department. "Hey Ron, who did the burnout in front of the shop?"...
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What Price Safety?
Or another way to look at it is how much money will you have to fix it when you break down on the side of the road or worse; have an accident?
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What Price Safety?
Or another way to look at it is how much money will you have to fix it when you break down on the side of the road or worse; have an accident?
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I See Spots...The True Story Of A Radio Exec & His Truck
How was your weekend? My was great. Good radio show Saturday, jammed phone lines and busy as all get out...
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I have GM on my mind....
What if GM did go bankrupt? How would our world change? Would it?
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UNDER THE BUS!
Their is a camaraderie among car guys,er, people, uh, folks (What is the politically correct term these days?) One of my car buddies, John B, has a 55 Chevy station wagon...
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The 10,000 Mile Oil Change
Hi Ron,My husband and I just purchased a 2000 Crown vic with 46,000 miles;
driven by an older couple ...
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Airplanes
I was talking to my Uncle Steve via email the other day. We had a discussion about the mechanical limits and issues that aircraft can have during their lifespan. He relayed this story to me as such...
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Repair or Replace; You Decide!?
Hi Ron: Thanks for addressing my email on the air yesterday, Saturday. I'd like your further opinion to something you mentioned.
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Blowing My Own Horn
GM makes a good product. However they...
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A SHARP STICK IN THE EYE
Some cars are like relatives; they never want to leave... 1995 Volvo came into the shop middle of last week....
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My New Electronic Screwdriver
A long time ago in a garage far, far away a young man of 16 became involved with the repair and maintenance of automobiles. The entire process immersed him ...
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The $700 Rear View Mirror
I always said and still do that tough economic times will simplify the car industry. As the economy dives so too...
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You Might Be A Car Nut IF....
How to tell if you or someone you know is a car nut. These all start
with "You might be a car nut if..."
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You Might Be A Car Nut IF....
How to tell if the other person or persons in your life is a car nut. These all start
with "You might be a car nut if..."
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Can You Fix My Car?
The phone rang at the shop early this morning. The slightly mumbled and hushed voice on the other end inquired if ...
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Where Is Joe Isuzu When You Need Him?
2004 Isuzu Rodeo is in the shop this week. Runs terrible, loss of power is the complaint. The entire left bank of the V-6 engine...
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The Best Car No One Wants To Buy
2006 Buick Lacrosse came in for service last week. About 56,000 miles on the odometer ...
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Texas Oil Refinery Conspiracy Theory & Stuff
Is anyone paying attention to the price of gasoline? We all know its on the rise but is anyone asking why? Are we so thrilled that ...
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Texas Oil Refinery Conspiracy Theory & Stuff
Is anyone paying attention to the price of gasoline?
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Checking Your Oil Level
A listener writes in with a pretty basic but important question about checking the oil in your cars engine...
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Motor Oil 101 - Basics
Should I expect to get a different reading checking the oil hot or cold? I was told that the reading is...
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On The Mend...
Carpenter Bob lives. He was released from the hospital yesterday and is expected to ...
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Flying Without A Net
This past weekend I went to a Christmas party. Sure I know its a little late, since this is February, but hey ...
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Car Doctor Car Crash Update
You may recall that my wife and daughter were in a car crash about 2 weeks ago. Here is the update...
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Cold Weather Car Care Tips
Just some warm ups for car care in this frigid month of winter. Here are some tips you Mom or mechanic may not have told you...
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Roy Rogers and Gabby Hayes
I just came back from the hosptial. No, not for me. Carpenter Bob had a stroke. If you have
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Monday Morning Auto Repair
One of the greatest energies in auto repair is the Monday morning rush. You're not sure how many cars you can really have...
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Auto Repair Snow Days, Bad Dashboard Gauges and Other Stuff...
Snow days in auto repair are different than all the rest. They can be one of two different types. Flat out crazy or ...
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So, How Was Your Day? Can You Say Car Crash?
I knew it the minute my wife started speaking. "Rachel and I are OK (car crash came to the forefront of...
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$900 Worth of Sockets and Wrenches
As the economy slides and businesses disappear the effect spreads out everywhere. We recently lost our MAC tool salesman of 18 years. Very sad. Mike was a
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THE DIPSTICK AND THE MECHANIC
It seems as though a mechanics work is never done. There is always another broken car to look at or work on. Take this past Sunday...
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WELCOME TO FRIDAY...
What a long strange trip its been. Sunday was the snow plow truck incident... Monday was very busy; multiple cars with multiple issues; some customers...
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THIS MUST BE HOW INDIANA JONES GOT STARTED...
I was plowing snow yesterday morning, early, about 6:15. .... my excitment as I did and watched out of the corner of my left eye as the big blue plow truck started to drive away. GOOD GRIEF! I forgot to...
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WE WON, WE WON!!!
It was a very tired and cold crew that left the shop today. Even when you are indoors you never seem to warm up on a day like today...
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BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE AND SO FAR WE'RE WINNING...
Friday is a tough day in the repair shop. Today is a little tougher. It is 6 degrees here outside the shop and so far the phones are still ....
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A DAY IN THE LIFE...
Radio has brought me many opportunities. In my 18 plus years on air I have interviewed and spoken to many interesting and knowledged individuals but none to date as impressive as ...
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WHEN THE HORSE IS REALLY MULE...
I wonder why some people are allowed to own and oeprate a motor vehicle? Let me tell you this story... A semi-regular customer dropped off a vehicle recently to have it checked out before they shipped the car west some 2500 miles away in Colorado. We went through the car and found...
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WITH THIS MUCH WORK IT MUST BE JULY?!?!
I have to tell you. For the first week in January, just after the holidays, we are BUSY. My theory of watching...
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THE DAY BEFORE XMAS
The day before Christmas is a busy time. It seems that the gremlins of auto repair ...
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NEW DOES NOT MEAN GOOD
New does not mean good. New means it Never Ever Worked. I see proof of this all week long. Take today for example. A car came in...
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A LITTLE BIT PREGNANT
A BMW was dropped off at the shop this week. Customer complaint/concern of overheating. "I was sitting in traffic and the temp gauge went into the red.
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