From driverside.com
By: Josh Sadlier
If you think your mechanic doesn’t have to deal with getting certified like other professionals, you are quite possibly mistaken. We say “quite possibly” because mechanics generally aren’t required by law to get certified in this country, so it’s conceivable that Bub down at the local filling station doesn’t have any meaningful credentials hanging on his wall. However, since the founding of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) in 1972, a culture of professionalism has emerged and today about half of the country’s auto mechanics are ASE-certified. There are other kinds of certification, too, and other issues to consider when searching for the right mechanic. We’ll walk you through the details.
ASE Basics
The ASE was created because drivers had no reliable way of knowing whether a given mechanic was a wizard or a charlatan. It’s the closest thing to an official certifying body that auto mechanics have got. An independent nonprofit organization, the ASE certifies mechanics based on two criteria. The first criterion is a passing score on at least one subject test. There are eight subjects for regular mechanics—Engine Repair, Engine Performance, Electrical/Electronic Systems, Brakes, Heating and Air Conditioning, Suspension and Steering, Manual Drive Train and Axles, and Automatic Transmissions—as well as specific exams for collision repair technicians, engine machinists, and other specialists. The second criterion is two years of relevant work experience. Once certified, a mechanic must be retested every five years. According to the ASE, 385,000 of the roughly 750,000 mechanics in the U.S. are ASE-certified as of 2011. Read the rest of this entry »
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays to decorate for and my house just wouldn’t be complete without some carved pumpkins sitting on my doorstep. I started searching for some ideas and found several patterns on DLTK’s website which I have shared with you below. Being a “Nightmare Before Christmas” fan, I think I might give the “Jack” pattern a try. Share pictures of your carved pumpkin on our Facebook page! Read the rest of this entry »
By: Leslie Land
Clean up time, aka late fall, is a joyful time in the garden. The weather is pleasant, warm enough to be inviting, cool enough for work. There are no bugs.
And there is major satisfaction in restoring order to what is usually pretty untidy by now. But before you get carried away, a few suggestions:
*Before you remove all the evidence, make a rough map/post mortem report that can be used for planning next year. Include relevant outside factors like deer predation — which you’d THINK you’d remember but if you’re like me you tend to have denial problems about the smaller, less painful losses. It’s also helpful to note things like the amount of rain: lousy tomato taste, for example, may be blamed on too much water and the too little sun that implies; But that same rain is probably why the hollyhocks hit 10 feet. Read the rest of this entry »
The vacations are over, the kids are back in school and cooler evenings have begun. Take advantage of the lull to prepare your vehicle for the winter ahead, advise the pros and the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Breakdowns, never convenient, can be dangerous in cold weather period. The following tips from ASE should give parent and student alike a road map to fall car care.
First things first… Read your owner’s manual and follow the manufacturer’s recommended service schedules. There are usually two schedules listed: normal and severe.
Engine Performance
Have engine drivability problems (hard starts, rough idling, stalling, diminished power, etc.) corrected at a good repair shop. Cold weather will make existing problems worse. Replace dirty filters air, fuel, PCV, etc. Read the rest of this entry »
Savings and CD interest rates are the lowest in years, and the stock market is in an iffy position. It could even suffer a second dip.
So where can you invest your money and get a decent return? Consider buying a home and renting it out. In the United States, the average rent is at its highest level in history and going up every year.
Writing in Kiplinger Personal Finance, one veteran developer and house rehaber says now is the time to strike. You could buy a $120,000 house in the city for $42,000. Add $10,000 for repairs and renovations and, depending on the property, you can rent it out for up to to $1,000 a month.
Some of the rehab costs could be saved if you can patch a few cracks in the walls and do some of the cleaning and yard work yourself. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re anything like me then you love fresh baked cookies! That’s why Dream Cars Austin has decided to set up an Otis Spunkmeyer cookie oven at the new dealership – now customers can enjoy the warm, delicious, gooiness of a fresh baked cookie while they wait. Right now we stocked up on chocolate chip, cranberry oatmeal, and peanut butter cookie dough for our guests to sample. I’m excited for the dealership to open its doors at our new location in Cedar Park on Monday so that I can grab a sample, too!
Dream Cars Credit is moving to Cedar Park and opening for business on August 22nd. Remodeling of the current building is underway and moving quickly. Yesterday the Dream Cars Austin sign was put up at the new location: 910 S Bell Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Vehicles can be expensive to maintain and can be even more costly if you haven’t done your research. Although all cars need to be maintained regularly to run properly, there are possibly some ways that you can save some money. MSN Money recently released an article listing 20 ways to waste your money on your car that I would like to share with you as well as some additional notes/tips from Dream Cars.
From MSN Money, By Des Toups
Here, then, are 20 ways you waste money on your car.
Premium gas instead of regular. Buy the cheapest gasoline that doesn’t make your car engine knock. All octane does is prevent knock; a grade higher than the maker of your car recommends is not a “treat.”
Dream Cars Note: The recommended octane for your vehicle can be found in your owner’s manual or it is sometimes listed on the gas cap. Do not use a lower octane than the manufacturer recommends. Read the rest of this entry »
By Borgna Brunner
‘July’ for Julius: The Roman Senate named the month of July after Julius Caesar to honor him for reforming their calendar, which had degenerated into a chaotic embarrassment. Bad calculations caused the months to drift wildly across the seasons—January, for example, had begun to fall in the autumn.
The high priest in charge of the calendar, the pontifex maximus, had become so corrupt that he sometimes lengthened the year to keep certain officials in office or abbreviated it to shorten an enemy’s tenure.
Effective January 1, 45 B.C.: The new calendar went into effect on the first day of January 709 A.U.C. (ab urbe condita—”from the founding of the city [Rome]“) and put an end to the arbitrary and inaccurate nature of the early Roman system. The Julian calendar became the predominant calendar throughout Europe for the next 1600 years until Pope Gregory made further reforms in 1582.
Certain countries and institutions in fact adhered to this ancient system. Until well into the twentieth century the Julian calendar was used in Russia until 1917 and in China until 1949, and to this day the Eastern Orthodox Church Adheres to Caesar’s calendar.
The month Julius replaced Quintilis (quintus = five)—the fifth month in the early Roman calendar, which began with March before the Julian calendar instituted January as the start of the year. Unfortunately, Caesar himself was only able to enjoy one July during his life—the very first July, in 45 B.C. The following year he was murdered on the Ides of March. Read the rest of this entry »
Autumn leaves add brilliant color to your walk.
Many people struggle with depression as summer comes to an end. Some of us can’t enjoy autumn because we know that the cold days of winter follow it. Regular exercise releases endorphins, a natural hormone that boosts energy and improves mood. Incorporating walking is easy to do and inexpensive, and the benefits are great.
Getting Started:
1 – Buy a good pair of sneakers.
Sneakers have become as specialized as surgeons! It’s important to wear shoes that are made for the activity that you are doing. A tennis shoe is made for lateral movement, whereas a running shoe is constructed for forward movement, with extra cushioning for a heel or a toe strike. Shoes that spread the impact to the foot along the length of the foot are best for walking. The shoe box will generally state what activity the shoe is designed for. Read the rest of this entry »
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