Articles Written By Michael Anderson:
Dallas--How do you get a customer back to your shop? For quick lubes, the longtime answer was every 3,000 miles; however, times have changed. Quick lubes that simply change oil are a thing of the past, said Steve Christie, executive director of the Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA).
Fort Collins, Colo.--Giving back to the community is at the core of Houska Automotive. Take for example its annual Houska-Houska 5K run that benefits the national bone marrow registry or its Spring Women's Car Care Clinics.
"We always try to participate and help educate people on the importance of car care to help them protect their investments," said Co-owner Dennis Houska, who runs the family business with his wife, Noreen Houska.
The Houskas said they continue to support the community that has given so much to them. Chuck Houska, Dennis' father and founder of Houska Automotive, made a name for the family by opening a modest two-bay shop in 1952, Dennis Houska said. Today, the 24-bay shop has grown to 24 employees, he said.
St. Louis--A man grips a muffler with determination in his eyes. The crowd cheers as the muffler comes to a halt after he skids it across the floor. Its distance traveled is carefully measured.
Each year, the North American Muffler Sliding Championship signifies the final day of Showpower, an undercar and transmission expo held each March by MD Publications Inc., publishers of Undercar Digest and Transmission Digest.