Staten Island Auto Repair

The Craziest Places Mechanics Call Home Posted June 22, 2015 by Bobby GagliniinShare7 Where there are cars, there’s a need for someone who knows how cars work. Within our country, there are almost a million mechanics working on cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, RVs and more. I was thinking about this the other day, and started wondering whether there were mechanic shops in the craziest, hidden and most desolate places in the United States. I’m a geography buff, so anything unusual landscape or climate-wise always intrigues me. For this particular example, I used the mechanics that we have listed in our Mechanic Advisor database, and limited it solely to auto mechanics. The findings were nothing short of awesome. 1. A and D Automotive & Jeep – Barrow, Alaska A fun fact about this shop…it’s also a car dealership. Oh, and it just so happens to be located in the northernmost populated settlement in the United ... read more

5 Things You Should Never Say To a Mechanic Posted October 10, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare37 We already covered 5 Things Your Mechanic Won't Say To Your Face, so now it's time to flip it around a bit. We've come up with a list of 5 things you should never say to your mechanic. Of course, you can say whatever you want, but this list is a good road map for better interactions with the people working hard to keep your car on the road.  1) "I went to college so I didn't have to be a mechanic"- Trying to denigrate someone's chosen profession is never a good thing to do, especially if you're expecting someone to do a good job working on your car. Mechanics need plenty of education to do their job, between trade school, certifications, and the most important education of all; real-world experience. Just ... read more

What Your Mechanic Isn't Allowed To Tell You Posted October 16, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare32 Mechanics have a lot that they want to say to their customers, but oftentimes they can't either because they risk losing their job, or because they don't want to offend their customers by being especially direct. We've come up with some things a mechanic wants to tell their customers, but really can't. Let us know if you think of anything else in the comments section below. 1) The hourly labor rate isn't just the time spent under the actual car - There is a lot more involved in working on a car than just the time spent physically wrenching it. Techs need to search for the correct parts, and then search for the best price for those parts. Additionally, some experienced techs can finish jobs quicker than others, and some techs may take longer to complete a job, but the cost to you will remain unchanged, which can be a good or a bad thing ... read more

10 Inventions That Changed Cars Forever Posted July 02, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare0 A car "shovel" meant to reduce the number of casualties among pedestrians (Paris 1924) Cars have revolutionized transportation and allowed mobility on an unprecedented scale. Without cars, we would be at the mercy of public transportation, horses, or our own two feet. The cars that we drive today, however, are a far cry from the original automobiles, which had few safety features, relatively simple engineering, and weren't very fast. Over the years, innovation has brought dynamic changes to the automobile, one breakthrough at a time. Here are the most pivotal inventions for the automobile: 1) Combustion Engine - The most important part of an automobile is the engine, powering the rest of the vehicle. Internal combustion engines power cars with the combustion of fuel and oxygen which occurs in a combustion chamber. Without this invention, we wouldn ... read more

5 Cars That Retain Their Value Posted August 18, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare0 Everyone knows that once you've signed on the dotted line and gotten the keys to your brand new car, it's already worth less than what you paid for it at the dealership. Cars are considered "depreciating assets" and there are few people who would argue otherwise. With the exception of classic cars that end up being collectors items, car values usually go in one direction: down. But in this respect, not all cars are created equal and some retain their value much better than others. Here is a list of the best performers: 1) Honda Civic - Having owned several Civics myself, I can vouch for the great resale prospects that come with ownership. Since they're at the lower end of the price spectrum, there are more potential buyers out there, and a reliable, fuel-efficient, and durable car like the civic doesn't need to be listed for long before it's sold ... read more

Should I Ask A Mechanic To Inspect A Used Car Before I Buy It? Posted March 27, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare0 Buying a used car is a process that most people hate for good reason. When buying used, you're basically at the whim of the seller and their willingness to truthfully disclose any issues with the vehicle, including prior repair work. I just bought a used car myself, but had the advantage of knowing the seller beforehand, eliminating much of the guesswork. If you're buying the car from a used car dealership, you should always determine what kind of a warranty program they're offering. When dealerships buy vehicles at auction, the reputable ones will fix any issues before selling to the public. It's best to look for a dealership with actual mechanic bays as they're more likely to offer a warranty and repair any issues you may encounter since they have mechanics on-site. When buying from a private seller, a good option i ... read more

The Craziest Places Mechanics Call Home Posted June 22, 2015 by Bobby GagliniinShare7 Where there are cars, there’s a need for someone who knows how cars work. Within our country, there are almost a million mechanics working on cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, RVs and more. I was thinking about this the other day, and started wondering whether there were mechanic shops in the craziest, hidden and most desolate places in the United States. I’m a geography buff, so anything unusual landscape or climate-wise always intrigues me. For this particular example, I used the mechanics that we have listed in our Mechanic Advisor database, and limited it solely to auto mechanics. The findings were nothing short of awesome. 1. A and D Automotive & Jeep – Barrow, Alaska A fun fact about this shop…it’s also a car dealership. Oh, and it just so happens to be located in the northernmost populated settlement in the United States ... read more

A Great Auto Mechanic Is Like LeBron James Posted January 05, 2015 by Bobby GagliniinShare0 Okay, so maybe making a buzzer-beating 3-point shot is different than reassembling a reverse idler gear, but when you think about it, a good auto mechanic is like superstar LeBron James in many ways. 1. They're the best in the game. This one goes out to all the people who think they’re mechanics. Maybe they got lucky when trying to fix something, just like a below-average NBA player can have one really great game. But try fixing every problem you come across? No chance. LeBron James can figure out how to beat almost every defender, just like a great mechanic can overcome almost every problem. Why? Because both have mastered their “game” inside and out. 2. The “How did you do that?” factor. Sometimes LeBron makes a play, and regardless of which team you’re rooting for, you can’t help but say, &ldquo ... read more

Your Check Engine Light Is On...Now What? Posted April 27, 2015 by Bobby GagliniinShare0 Over 8% of drivers on the road today have a check engine light on. Unfortunately, the vast majority of those drivers won’t get it checked out for months. But hey, can you blame them? If everything seems fine, why waste a costly diagnostic to get it checked out? Or, perhaps there’s that desire to avoid the possibility of paying a lot of money to get it fixed? Well, it’s not always so easy to decide what to do. Let’s go through a common example. You’re on the highway, driving home from work and everything with your vehicle is ship shape. Then, your car beeps loudly, and your check engine light is on. Your first thought is probably, “oh no”, and your second is to look for or feel anything different in your car. This is a pretty good idea. See if your engine is overheating, feel if your car is driving strangely, or listen to an ... read more

The Best Way To Keep Your Uber or Lyft Vehicle Healthy Posted May 21, 2015 by Bobby GagliniinShare10 Disillusionment within the taxi industry in tandem with Smartphone convenience has helped the ridesharing industry boom within the last few years. With Uber, Lyft, Sidecar, Gett and other companies expanding into new cities and gaining new users every week, being a driver for one of these groups is becoming a pretty common job. But, all of that constant driving can take its toll on your vehicle, and passing theannual ridesharing inspection that most of these companies require can be a challenge after so much use. So how can you give your car the best chance of passing the inspection? As simple as it sounds, being vigilant with ro ... read more