Guides
Practical guides for auto repair shop owners: answering every call, filling your bays, getting estimates approved, getting paid faster and earning more reviews.
Guides
Section 609 Certification: What Repair Shops Need
Who in your shop needs Section 609 certification, what the test costs, the one-time equipment statement your shop sends EPA, the records …
Guides
ADAS Calibration for Independent Repair Shops
Should your shop offer ADAS calibration? What triggers it per the automakers, static vs dynamic, facility needs, ASE's L4 test, pre- and …
Guides
Right to Repair for Independent Repair Shops (2026)
Where automotive right to repair stands in October 2026 for independent shops: the 2014 MOU, Massachusetts' data law, Maine's new commission, the …
Guides
Mechanics Lien in Auto Repair: A Shop Owner's Guide
The legal basics of the mechanic's (garage keeper's) lien: what it covers, when you can hold a car, how the lien is …
Guides
Auto Repair Shop Storage Fees: Rules and Rates
How much a mechanic can charge for storage, when it can start, where to disclose it, and what California, Florida and Rhode …
Guides
Abandoned Vehicle at a Repair Shop: What to Do
What to do when a customer won't pick up a car from your shop: the paper trail, contact attempts, when storage starts, …
Guides
Auto Repair Shop Workflow: Check-In to Pickup
A stage-by-stage auto repair shop workflow from appointment to follow-up, with an owner for each stage, handoff rules, key control, a cycle-time …
Guides
How to Price a Brake Job: A Guide for Repair Shops
A method for pricing brake jobs: labor, parts at your matrix, resurface or replace by spec, honest add-ons, three-option estimates and what …
Guides
How Much Should a Shop Charge for an Oil Change?
Oil change pricing for independent shops: a cost build-up, loss leader vs profit center, a tiered price list, published reference prices and …
Guides
Parts Markup Matrix for Auto Repair: Build and Check It
How a parts markup matrix works, the margin and markup math, an example matrix, how to check your real parts margin, and …