Articles by Richard McCuistian

Motor Age Garage: When customers need us — and we need them

Time and chance work both ways — customers need us, and we need them. Here's series of vehicles — and their owners — in need of help and repairs.

The perils of automotive diagnostics and repair

Some people will almost always believe a half-baked diagnosis, and some mistakes are very easily made.

Fixing vehicles right requires a sharp wit and grit

Every job isn’t interesting, but in our line of work, challenges are the spice of life, and it feels good to be a problem-solver. It feels even better to be appreciated, and usually we are, but that isn’t always the case.

Tackling catalytic converter issues

So, what damages the cat? Well, engine misfires can lead to overheating and potential meltdown of the substrate. It can be contaminated by silicone sealants (or liquid spray), coolant leaks into the combustion chamber that coat the strata, excessive oil steam blow, and more

Diagnosing and repairing high-mileage vehicles

The ones that just keep on givin’ sometimes need help.

How to approach vehicles with a laundry list of needed repairs

Whenever we get a vehicle in for one simple service and find a lot of other stuff that needs attention, any well-trained, reliable technician will make a list of the needed repairs for the customer, putting the safety-related ones at the top.

Professional cooling system service

From our side of the service aisle, it’s a foregone conclusion that cooling system service makes a LOT of difference, and it’s a great (and necessary) upsell on vehicles that are in need.

Disguised diagnostics: When one automotive issue cloaks another

One serious problem cloaks another one to the point that the first fix isn’t the final one — and some customers are more understanding than others.
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