Montpelier Auto Repair

The 2014 Brakes for Breasts! Please join us in achieving our goal of raising $200,000 for the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Prevention Vaccine in 2015 $10,000.00 Raised by 5 Independent Auto Repair Shops in the state of Ohio in 2011$32,848.84 Raised by 27 Independent Auto Repair Shops across 16 states in 2012 $66,499.29 Raised by 66 independent Auto Repair Shops across 27 states in 2013 $115,236.53 Raised by 136 independent Auto Repair Shops across 28 states in 2014.Total Money Raised = $224,584.66 over the Past 4 Years! For more information about the Breast Cancer Prevention Vaccine and how to get involved, go to the Brakes for Breast website You can also find a shop close to you who is also ‘Putting the Brakes on Breast Cancer

Auto accessory company Axius determined that on a 95 degree Fahrenheit day, trapped hot air inside your car can make the dashboard hot enough to fry bacon and eggs! The steering wheel can reach 159 degrees, and the seat, 162 degrees. To keep your car as cool as possible, try these tips: Park in the shade whenever possible. Cover your steering wheel with a towel when you park. When you get into a hot car, open windows and the sunroof to let out the hot air before turning on the air conditioning. Using sunshades, Axius says can reduce heat buildup by more than 48 degrees F. And NEVER leave a child or animal in a hot summer car… it ... read more

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