Grand Rapids Auto Repair

We have a bird feeder outside of our lobby door. Last summer, we had an unusual bird arriving with a flock of sparrows. It was yellow and I thought maybe it was a finch. My ornithology knowledge is limited. One of our employees, David, has raised birds and recognized it as a parakeet. We watched it all summer as it showed up daily to the bird feeder. Reality set in when David said it would die during the winter. I thought it would fly south – hence, the comment about my ornithology knowledge above! Operation Save the Parakeet kicked into gear. For those of you who don’t know, air bags are shipped in something that resembles a live-trap style cage… we had just received one. That was the beginning of the plan. When everyone was finished devising the trap, it was similar to a Wyle E. Coyote setup. An air bag cage with a stick holding it up at one end, food inside the cage and a rope attached to the stick. The chance of success was low. One of the technicians, Grant, was walki ... read more

I’ve been the observer in many discussions about which vehicle is the best. Many people that love cars have a particular favorite, with stories and statistics to back it up. Chevy vs. Ford, BMW vs. Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen vs. Audi, Honda vs. Toyota etc. It’s like cat lovers vs. dog lovers. For every reason you love a particular brand, breed or make, someone has a reason you should choose something else. Everyone has an opinion. Cats are snobby and unloving and dogs are man’s best friend. Or, dogs are messy and cats are meticulously clean. Choosing a car is a very personal decision. I like speaking with people when they are in the shop having an inspection performed about a vehicle they are interested in purchasing. Most people do their homework to determine what fits their lifestyle and driving needs. Sometimes everything fits the criteria, but they drive the vehicle and they just don’t like it. Maybe they just can’t get comfortable in the seat or they don’t like the das ... read more

Our business was invited to a local high school for their Vocation Day. Cameron and I went to share information with students that are perhaps interested in a career in the automotive repair field. The students in the class had a lot of good questions. It was rewarding for both Cameron and I to be able to share our experiences working in an automotive repair shop. The automotive industry is suffering from a lack of technicians. There are far fewer people going into the industry than are retiring from it. At the same time, there are more automobiles being added to the nation's roads. Hopefully some of the students we spoke with will turn their passion for cars into a career that they love. What a great opportunity for high school students to be able to talk to people in so many varied careers. Many students that day where able to get questions answered and hopefully direct them to a great career. People will tell you ‘Do what you love and you won't work a day in your l ... read more

We rely on our cars, but, overtime as we drive, parts start to wear out. Normally people don't even think about this wear and tear – I didn't used to – but it is an important issue. 12 – 13% of auto accidents are caused by mechanical failure due to recommended work being deferred. The worn out part continues to wear down, the parts around it work overtime to compensate and suddenly, several pieces of equipment are worn down, not just one. When it comes to driving a car with worn out parts, the cold, hard reality is it is unsafe for the driver, passengers and the other people on the road. If that isn't bad enough for you, driving with a worn out part can also lead to higher repair bills down the road as it leads to multiple parts needing replacement. (If your shocks aren't working correctly, your ball joints, control arms, etc begin to break down from all the extra work.) You can't avoid wear and tear to your car, but you can avoid extra repair costs by being proactive. Whe ... read more