Montpelier Auto Repair

Why do Vermont Vehicles Rust More Than Any Other State in the US? Vermont is a very special place to live. GREAT people, Beautiful land, mountains and lakes to play in, yummy food and beer, and a safe place to raise a family. But with over six months of winter and 8,000 miles of unpaved roads, Vermont is tough on the people and on the vehicles. With the combination of dirt roads, mud season, brutal winters and the amount of salt brine that is sprayed on roads and ends up in every nook and cranny of the vehicles, it’s no wonder most of our vehicles rot away long before they would any where else. Almost every week Auto Craftsmen condemns at least one customer’s vehicle because it has rusted away. The engine has plenty of power, the transmission has plenty of life, but the underbody, brake lines, fuel lines, steering and suspension parts are rusty and falling apart. It won’t pass the state inspection, is unsafe to drive and doesn’t make ec ... read more

Earlier this month, May 2nd and 3rd, I had the pleasure to attend and help judge the New England tri-state competitions of the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition which took place in Epping New Hampshire at the New England Dragway. The Auto Skills competition is an opportunity for the best of the best 11th/12th grade automotive technology students throughout the nation to prove their talent and dedication while gaining experience in the field. Ford/AAA are dedicated assisting students in starting careers in the automotive industry by hosting the competition and providing scholarships, and kick ass swag for everyone participating. To qualify for the skills contest the students must complete an online automotive exam. The top 10 scoring teams from each state will then move on, and compete in a “hands on” challenge. They must diagnose 10 bugs, both technical and mechanical, in a 2014 Ford Fiesta SE in under 90 minutes. They can only use the equipment they br ... read more

I was invited by my good buddy Bib [the Michelin Man] to test drive the brand new Michelin Premier® All-Season Tire with EverGrip™ down in South Carolina March 2014 at the Laurens Proving Test Track. All the test driving was done on a ‘wet-track’ that simulated driving through a torrential downpour. With the windshield wipers on high, I drove very aggressively through very sharp curves, around cones and slammed on the brakes a lot. We compared these tires to various other top named brands driving a variety of vehicles: Cadillac, Camry, Sienna Van and a BMW. This new Michelin tire handled the extremely wet roads superbly. All tires wear out over time. As they lose tread, they also lose their gripping ability in wet conditions. This causes an increase in the stopping distance and the likelihood to hydroplane. I was able to experience this first hand driving on the ‘wet-track’. A number of times my car spun out. It was exciting and ... read more

Finally April has arrived & winter has painstakingly comes to its end. National Car Care Month reminds you to take care of any issues that the harsh road conditions of winter may have caused your car. Just like it’s time to put away your winter boots and take out your sandals… Now is the time to get your car ready for spring driving and summer road trips! AND What about those potholes! Spring driving brings its own hazard such as slick, wet roads & potholes. Here in Vermont we also have ‘Mud Season’. It is important to make sure you tires, brakes and windshield wiper are ready for anything spring can throw at your car. Click here to view the Car Care Maintenance Guide. If your car rattles down the road, and each thump and gr ... read more

According to VT Based ‘Cars.com’, here is a list of 2013’s bestselling cars: Ford F-Series – 763,402 Chevy Silverado – 480,414 Toyota Camry – 408,484 Honda Accord – 366,678 Ram Pickup – 355,673 Honda Civic – 336,180 Nissan Altima – 320,723 Honda CR-V – 303,904 Toyota Corolla / Matrix – 302,180 Ford Escape – 295,993 BUT according to MSN Auto the top selling car in Vermont is….. (I bet you can guess it?) The Subaru Outback!! Runner-ups = Chevy Silverado and next in line is the Subaru Impreza

Sometimes it feels like a guessing game when pulling up to the pump. Will the number be higher or lower today? It makes it challenging to budget for gas when you can’t predict the amount that will come out of your pockets. Fortunately, if you follow these easy steps, you might find a few extra dollars in your wallet. Do the math. The next time you fill up the tank, record the odometer reading and reset your trip gauge to zero. From then on, every time you fill the tank, divide the miles you traveled between fill-up by the quantity of gas you bought. This is the miles per gallon or mpg . For example: You traveled 300 miles and put in 10 gallons of gas. 300 ÷ 10 = 30 mpg. Not happy with the miles per gallon your car is getting? Check out the suggestions below. Continue to track your mileage use ... read more

Vermonters are experts when it comes to winter. We know how to stay warm and dry with products made right in our home state from ‘Darn Tough Socks‘ to ‘Vermont Castings Wood Stoves‘. You’ll find sap buckets filled with rock salt waiting to be sprinkled on our pathways and shovels are lined up ready to do heavy lifting. Vermonters are not always so proactive when it comes to their cars. Please remember that cold weather tests the limits of your car’s mechanical abilities and the consequences can be dire. It’s beneficial to heed Ben Franklin’s advice when it comes to taking care of our car in the winter; “An ounce of pr evention is worth a pound of cure.” To keep your car going the extra mile during the harshest conditions ... read more

Pink Wiper BladesShow your Support forBreast Cancer Awareness Month With any service or repair during the month of October, ALL our Pink Windshield Wiper Blades will be 1/2 off! With every blade sold a donation is made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation “Change your Blades, Change a Life” Call (802) 223-2253 or Email: [email protected] If you live FAR Away – You can purchase PINK WIPERS ONLINE.

The Car Care Council Women’s Board (WB) announces Amy Mattinat, owner of Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier Vermont, has been elected the new president of the organization, effective following the WB reception at AAPEX on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nev. In this position, Mattinat will preside over all meetings and board leadership, and supervise the activities of the board for a three-year term. “I love being a part of the Car Care Council Women’s Board and I am honored to be the next president,” said Mattinat. “I am looking forward to presiding at our meetings and helping our group of dedicated automotive women move forward with our mission of providing career leadership to women in the automotive aftermarket, providing car care information to female audiences and encouraging young people to investigate opportunities in the automotive aftermarket.” Mattinat is owner and manager of Auto Craftsmen, an independent auto repair sales and service center in Mon ... read more

An Underground Movement is spreading across the United States by Independent Auto Repair Shops! 64 Auto Repair Shops Across the U.S. are PUTTING THE BRAKES ON BREAST CANCER! For the Month of October, Auto Craftsmen and 64 other Independent Auto Repair Shops across the US are Giving Away Free brake inspections and Giving Away Free brake pads and will ALSO be D onating 10% of every brake service directly to Dr. Vincent Touhy & The Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Research Fund. 2013 marks the third year for the Breaks For Breasts fundraiser. ... read more