Directions: GM Leads the Industry in the Race for a Greener Refrigerant The switch to HFO-1234yf is expected to help GM vehicles meet the overall requirements of the U.S. EPA's latest motor vehicle greenhouse gas regulations. More

Mitch's World: Getting ‘Schooled’ in the Shop Mitch gives his take on the old saying — “Those who can, do…Those who can’t, teach!” More

Perspectives: It’s More Than Just Fixing Cars We are excited to offer you a new resource designed to help you grow your business — www.ShopOwnerMag.com and its accompanying e-newsletter delivered twice a month. More

Directions: Will You Be Servicing a 100-MPG Vehicle in the Near Future? Vehicles in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-PRIZE vie for $10 million in prizes that will be awarded to teams that develop production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 miles per gallon or energy equivalent (MPGe). More

Editor's Notes: Out From Behind Our Desks Business travel in June took the TechShop team to Maryland for the TEDA show, and to Orlando, FL, for both the ISN Tool Dealer Expo and a media event for Ingersoll Rand (IR). More

Directions: Will Driver Awareness on Recalls Drive Up Shop Stops? While new car recalls have been among the biggest news stories of the year, an analysis by Edmunds.com, assures consumers that despite these recent headlines, recalls were much more of a concern in decades past. More

Mitch Schneider: The Other Side of the Mountain It is rare that a situation or event will present itself in such a way as to so profoundly alter the way you see your world that you know you will never be the same. I'm talking about a paradigm shift so powerful it either reinforces everything you believe to be true or forces you to redefine even your most fundamental principles. I am muddling my way through such an event even as I write this; and... More

Perspectives: Are Empty Streets Around the Corner? Some of my peers in the media are preaching that kids aren't interested in driving anymore. In fact, one columnist recently wrote that the dwindling love affair with the auto will have a significant impact on car sales. More

Gonzo: Death of the Shadetree Mechanic Is it fair to say that the shadetree mechanic is a thing of the past? I think so, that is if we are talking about today's modern cars that we all drive and depend on, and we are trying to get a car repaired by your next door neighbor who is "pretty good at fixing cars." But, that doesn't mean you won't see a 68 Camaro or a Model T up on blocks in some guy's garage. I think that will be there for a... More

Grow or Die: Do You Have the Revenue to Survive? Can You Hit the Million Dollar Mark? It has been postulated by some shop owners and industry consultants that for a shop to survive today and in the future it will require an annual revenue of at least $1 million with a growth rate of 4-5% annually. The rational for this high revenue figure is that shops will need this revenue to support tools and training expenditures so they can repair late-model vehicles profitably. Being able to... More