Auto mechanics reap bounty of downturn
The gloom of an economic recession is turning into a potential boom for the automotive-repair business.

AUTO REPAIR SHOPS SEEING BUSINESS UPTICK IN SLUMP: Owners spend to keep their cars running
DALLAS ? Ken Kirkpartrick's business differs from many these days. His auto shop is actually making money. Car repair companies across the country are reaping the benefits of a scaled-down economy as people patch up aging vehicles instead of splurging on newer ones.

GE Money, Volvo to offer financing for auto maintenance
GE Money and Volvo Cars of North America have signed a multi-year agreement to provide consumer financing on service, parts and accessories to Volvo customers through their retail dealer network.

Mechanics driving smoothly over rough economic road
FORT COLLINS - With more and more people choosing to fix their old cars rather than buy a new one, the auto repair business appears to be thriving despite the general economic woes.

Investigators find body at north Spokane auto body shop
SPOKANE, Wash. - Spokane fire dispatch has confirmed crews have found a body inside a north Spokane auto body shop that caught fire early Wednesday morning. Spokane fire investigators are looking into the cause of that fire in Empire Auto Body, an auto repair shop at the corner of Market and Gordon.

Owner says Miller Auto Center is not for sale
Miller Auto Center co-owner Jim Oliver on Wednesday refuted rumors that he's selling his downtown Redding dealership. The recession has prompted Oliver to think about downsizing, which might lead some to assume he's getting out of the car business, he said. "I'm not going out of business. I have four kids; I still have to sell cars," Oliver said while sitting in his office. Last month, ...

Economic woes drive business to car repair companies
Car repair companies across the country are reaping the benefits of a scaled-down economy as people opt to patch up aging vehicles instead of splurging on newer ones.

Sullivan Tire re-signs MVP for promotions
Dustin Pedroia, the American League?s Most Valuable Player, renewed his contract as a promotional representative for Sullivan Tire & Auto Service. Terms were not disclosed.

Auto warranty warning issued
A Chatham senior citizen is ringing the alarm bell on a program offering automobile warranty coverage that's been called expensive and unnecessary. And service managers [...]

All-Electric MINI E Hits LA Auto Show Floor With "Hottest. Deputy Mayor. Ever." [Mini E]
The all-electric MINI E was just revealed live here at the LA Auto Show. Although we already knew it had an expensive lease and we already knew all the details about its two seats (instead of the...

Chrome Thrills
Harbor City's Boss Hoss Motorcycles roars to the L.A. Auto Show.

Old fashioned service key to Toma's Garage success
There are few places a car owner can turn to for friendly, committed care, and at prices that won?t bankrupt the family budget. Toma?s Garage is one of those places, offering its customers a wide variety of services performed by trained specialists.

Middle Class Families Seek Help
These are hard financial times and people are trying their best to cope. Some businesses say they've noticed people are cutting corners on necessary home and auto repairs, and some people are going to charities for help, for the first time in their life.

Tough times for the auto industry: Locals weigh in
The slowing economy has led many in consumer America to be more heedful when making purchases, tending to buy recycled products or paying to fix those already owned.

Gold Star award winner learned valuable lessons from namesake
When looking to buy a home a number of years ago, Dave Fitzgerald received a valuable customer service lesson from the namesake of the award he won Nov. 14 at the Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce Meeting and Dinner.

Auto repair shops seeing uptick in business
DALLAS - Ken Kirkpartrick's business differs from many these days. His auto shop is actually making money. Car repair companies across the country are reaping the...

Talking Business: Art's does more than auto electrical work
Art?s Electric, by any other name, is still sweet on fixing cars. The 43-year-old Longview mainstay was founded by Art Hixson to repair and rebuild electric generators and automotive starters on Third Avenue.

Color of Money Book Club
Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary will host a discussion with Laurence Shatkin, author of "150 Recession-Proof Jobs."

Station solar joint cleaning continues on today's EVA
Marking the international space station's 10th anniversary, the Endeavour astronauts are gearing up for a second spacewalk today, a planned six-and-a-half-hour excursion to service the station's robot arm, to continue cleaning and lubricating a damaged solar array rotary joint and to make preparations for the next shuttle assembly flight in February.

Auto Industry Woes Impact Auto Parts, Service Shops
The automobile industry's troubles are trickling down to where the rubber meets the road.