NETWORK NATIONAL CONVENTION: Telematics is an opportunity for the aftermarket, Kaufman Tells Network National Convention
The market for telematics technology is growing worldwide and the automotive aftermarket is in the best position to move the those products and services along faster than the OEs, says Derek Kaufman, president and founder of the C3 Network. Kaufman, who presented "Telematics: A Major Threat or Opportunity for the Automotive Aftermarket" at the Automotive
NETWORK NATIONAL CONVENTION: Sires Addresses ‘Knockout Customer Service’
In scenes reminiscent of a TV game show, Mike Sires made two phone calls to unwitting parts professionals — only the calls were made and broadcast in front of about 150 people to see how well the counterpros did their jobs. The result? They were better than most out there, Sires said. Sires, president of
NETWORK NATIONAL CONVENTION: Act Like Every Day Is Opening Day, Consultant Urges
Somewhere, sometimes, you have to do things you don’t get paid for, says Mike McKinley, consultant and president of Alive! Alive! Associates. “Do it in the hope you’ll be paid back later. You have to go the extra mile.” McKinley’s rousing and upbeat address, “If We Fail to Change, We Fail,” was given twice during
NETWORK NATIONAL CONVENTION: ‘Businesses Don’t Just Die, They Commit Suicide’
Tom Shay believes businesses don’t just die, they kill themselves. Shay, who owned a family business that operated for decades, believes that more than anything, business owners sabotage themselves and that leads to their downfall. “I believe people who are small business owners are the best people on earth,” Shay said to crowd of attendees
Why does Dodge refer to some of their engines as “magnum” engines?
The Magnum was first used in 1992 for the redesigned/updated 318cid engine and in 1993 on the 360cid engine. The Magnum designation means updated cylinder heads, intake manifolds and fuel injection (so it could meet 1994/1996 emissions/OBDII standards). The Magnum name was also used on the 239cid V6 that was basically a 318 with two
I have a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix with a 3.8.
I have a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix with a 3.8. It currently has 66,000 miles on it. At 60,000 miles I noticed a slight miss. I checked the spark plugs and the insulation was cracked on #5 plug only. Now at 66,000 miles, I noticed the same type of miss. #5 plug was cracked again. This time I replaced all the plugs and plug wires. Is there something else causing just this plug to crack??
Is universal antifreeze really universal?
Universal anti-freeze in general terms is only supposed to be used for topping off a system, to my knowledge. Always best to use what is recommended by the car manufacturer. Read everything on the label on any product you are recommending, as well as err on the side of caution. Call the manufacturer if you
My truck sat for a year and a half. I had to replace the fuel pump and inline filter. When it starts up, it sounds like a train trying to take off. What else could it be?
Recently a gentleman was in the store and had the same problem. He first took the spark plugs out and filled them with Marvel Mystery Oil. He let them soak overnight and then he turned the motor over the next morning to squirt the fluid out of the engine and replaced the spark plugs. This
How do you feel about smoke breaks versus productivity?
If you’re asking about the effect of smoke breaks on productivity, I’d say it’s detrimental. Any time spent away from the counter on things other than the job (with the exception of bathroom breaks and lunch — if you can break away long enough for one!) means productivity suffers. From a financial perspective, if your
The Super Stores
O’Reilly makes largest store count leap with purchase of CSK.
What’s the best way to change a water pump on a 1993 Mercedes Benz 190-series sedan? What tools will I need?
Replacing the water pump on a 1993 2.3 liter Mercedes 190 is fairly easy, so may I assume this is the 2.6 liter engine? The labor time for this job is 7.5 hours for a very experienced technician, a full day’s work! Coolant should be drained and the following components should be removed in sequence:
Where can we look up new spark plugs that are coming out?
I’m assuming that it isn’t just new plugs in general, that there is a specific application you have in mind. I probably would start with the electronic catalog, not necessarily because it’s better, it’s just more readily available. If I didn’t find what I wanted to know there, I’d move to the old faithful paper