New platform by Ontario woman looks to help those feeling overcharged by mechanics Zainal Abidin, 11/01/2026 Finding a trustworthy mechanic that won’t oversell or overcharge you can be a challenge for anyone, but a Waterloo, Ont., woman has launched a new service designed to help women with the challenge.AutoCate is a new platform which has been launched by University of Waterloo graduate and former auto mechanic Stefanie Bruinsma.Bruinsma says women can be charged up to 30 per cent more for auto repairs than men and she believes her service can help anyone who fears being taken advantage of at the mechanic to get a fair price.There have been a number of studies done over the years that go back to her claims, including a recent one which found that women in the US were paying more than $100 extra for car repairs.For Bruinsma, AutoCate is somewhat of a passion project as his love of cars began with the introduction of the Dodge Viper when he was 12 years old.Story continues below advertisement“It was a crazy idea. “A giant truck engine in a frame of a car that doesn’t handle very well,” Bruinsma explained.“I thought this was the most amazing thing ever and was like, I want to be an… Continue Reading
What Car Mechanics Never, Ever Do To Their Own Cars Zainal Abidin, 05/01/2026 Your car can be one of the most expensive and important investments you’ll ever make, but many of us don’t give our vehicles the kind of maintenance attention they need. Mechanics and technicians would know: As the doctors of cars, they see it all.“My job is to give you an overall state of health of your car, so you can make educated decisions on what to do with it, and to alert you to things that you may not know about, and that you won’t necessarily recognize or see,” said Bogi Lateiner, a Phoenix-based master automotive technician and the owner of Girl Gang Garage, a network that provides hands-on training for women in the trades.Too often, technicians say, we are making maintenance decisions ― or failing to do so ― in ways that create potential safety hazards and can lead to costly mistakes. We speak with car repair experts about their own big “won’ts” as lessons for us all:1. I won’t neglect car maintenance.Elena Popova via Getty Images“I equate oil changes to brushing of teeth,” master automotive technician Bogi Lateiner said. “‘Can you get away with just brushing your teeth once a month?’ You’ll survive,… Continue Reading
Auto Insurance Costs Climb Due to EVs, ADAS, and Advanced Materials Zainal Abidin, 21/12/2025 Join us…Headlines are screaming about auto insurance increases this year. For example, CNBC reports that auto insurance costs rise by 26% on average in 2024. While inflation is playing a major role, there are many other factors at work that are causing increases in costs on the auto insurance and repair side of the business.Opus IVS is a company that helps shops repair complex vehicles. Its areas of expertise include advanced automotive technology such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), driver autonomy systems, electric vehicles, telematics, and flash programming. We communicated with Opus IVS CEO Brian Herron, and asked what he felt was the leading cost driver for increases in automotive repair. “ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) is the driver of the increased repair costs,” said Mr. Herron.Examples of ADAS include Tesla Full Self Driving (FSD), Tesla Autopilot, GM Super Cruise, and Ford’s BlueCruise.While our initial inquiry to Mr. Herron was along the line of how EVs may be driving costs increase in vehicle repairability, he sees the issue in a different light. He told us that “ADAS is more of an ‘end of the world’ issue right now because 100% of vehicles or nearly 100%… Continue Reading
Firefighter injured while battling massive fire at Queens auto repair shop Zainal Abidin, 15/12/2025 WOODSIDE, Queens (WABC) — One firefighter was injured while battling a massive fire at a Queens auto repair shop that authorities say is being looked at as “potentially suspicious.”Officials say flames broke out just after 10:30 pm Wednesday at MS Auto Repairs.Battalion Chief Dennis Crichton said fire crews saw “fire through the roof, fire through the entire length” of the business of 34th Avenue.Officials say tires and other flammable materials inside the shop fueled the three-alarm fire.ALSO READ | Flight forced to return to New York City’s JFK Airport due to loose horsesA 747 cargo plane carrying a horse had to dump 20 tons of fuel and return to JFK after the horse escaped its crate inside the plane.“Because it is an auto garage and an auto repair shop, there is acetylene and there is definitely compressed gas, it really posed no danger because we were far enough away from the building, but definitely things exploded in there,” one fire official said .After five hours, the blaze was put under control from the outside, authorities said.One firefighter was treated for minor injuries.Authorities say no one appeared to be in the business… Continue Reading
Car repair shop chain steers path towards £400m auction | BusinessNews Zainal Abidin, 09/12/2025 One of Britain’s biggest chains of car repair shops is gearing up for a sale that could value it at around £400m.Sky News has learned that Steer Automotive Group has appointed City advisers to sound out prospective buyers.Sources said on Friday that a formal process was not yet under way, although initial discussions were being held with interested parties.Steer Automotive Group trades from 98 sites across the UK, and employs more than 2,500 people.Its customers include the major insurance companies Admiral, Allianz, LV and NFU Mutual.The company says it repairs more than 100,000 passenger, luxury and commercial vehicles annually.It counts the carmakers Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover and Tesla among its manufacturer approvals and recommendations.Mr Steer launched the company from a single site in Aylesbury in 2018 and has grown it impressively, according to industry insiders.He secured investment from Chiltern Capital and Keyhaven Capital in 2021 at an undisclosed valuation.Read more business news:‘Concern’ for retailers ahead of ChristmasWine growers destroy cargoes of cava and roseOne private equity figure who has been approaching about the process said he understood that Mr Steer was likely to remain heavily invested in… Continue Reading
Waterloo auto repair shops prepare for gas vehicles to be phased out Zainal Abidin, 03/12/2025 It may be more than a decade away, but Canada’s automotive industry is preparing for the federal government’s move to phase out the sale of gas vehicles.With more electric models set to hit the streets, auto repair shops in Waterloo, Ont. are trying to stay ahead of the curve.As the name suggests, German Autotech Inc. specializes in German vehicles powered by gas and diesel. But the plan to wind down gas vehicles by 2035 has put a bit of a wrench in how they operate.“There is a concern there,” said shop owner Mike Kedmenecz.His team of mechanics are anticipating an eventual dip in popular services.“There’s going to be less of the fluid changes. “Certainly you’re not going to have your annual oil change anymore,” Kedmenecz said.Although repairs will still very much be a part of his business.“It’s going to be an industry where we’re still going to have a lot of wear and tear components. Electric cars are going to be placed on heavier weigh scales.”But as an independent shop, Kedmenecz says he’ll be a few years behind dealerships and corporate affiliates when it comes to the latest electric vehicle training and… Continue Reading
Cox Automotive: Independent repairers gaining market share Zainal Abidin, 26/11/2025 General repair shops are increasingly gaining market share compared to dealership shops in the US, according to Cox Automotive research.In its report, “Under the Hood: Opportunities and Challenges in the Service Industry,” Cox Automotive says franchised dealerships are still the No. 1 preferred service provider, but have lost ground to service chains, such as quick lube locations and tire service centers.During the second half of 2023, Cox Automotive surveyed 2,493 vehicle owners, including 182 electric vehicle (EV) owners, who had at least one vehicle service performed in the past year. Employees with decision-making authority over fixed operations at 525 franchised dealers were also interviewed for the research.Dealership service accounted for 30% of all service visits in the US this year, down from 35% in 2021 (the last time the service study was released). General repair and service stations were a close second this year at 28%. The last 42% are made up of tire repair shops, body shops, and specialists.With inflation still elevated in the US economy, automotive care and service costs have increased by 45% on average per service visit since 2021, according to Cox Automotive. That amount includes warranty costs, however, so the higher… Continue Reading
Here’s why auto body shops are taking longer to repair cars Zainal Abidin, 22/11/2025 Some customers are forced to wait as long as six months for auto technicians to complete body work jobs.BANGOR, Maine — Auto body shops are extremely backed up, and according to shop owners, getting car parts is a pain.Supply chain issues took a heavy toll on the car industry during the pandemic. JC Autobody’s general manager Kyle Leighton said.For many, life has reset and returned to some form of normalcy. But auto technicians and mechanics are still struggling to make quick turnarounds for customers.Some customers are forced to wait as long as six months for auto technicians to complete body work jobs. Leighton said some parts take longer to come in than others.“Large body panels, doors, those kinds of things tend to take longer than the smaller, more common parts, Lamps, bumpers, those kinds of things we can normally get quicker,” Leighton said.Most repairs at Leighton’s shop are taking a little longer than a week, and he says he has about 85 cars on his lot that need repairs.General manager of Maine Collision Center Sean Sullivan said he has about 41 cars on his lot right now, and some repairs at his shop… Continue Reading
Here’s why auto repairs are so expensive right now Zainal Abidin, 14/11/2025 SAN ANTONIO – If you’ve had to take your car in for repairs lately, you’ve likely had to dole out more money than usual.Car repairs are not a luxury; they’re a necessity, which is why spiking auto shop prices are hitting customers hard.“The cost of doing business and the costs of parts and the cost of labor, it’s all increasing in today’s market,” said Miracle Body and Paint CEO Manuel Rubio.Rubio first pointed out the general vehicle inventory issue that has been a problem for a while.“You can go back to inventory of January 2020. There were 4 million cars in America available for sale. Today, there’s 1.9 million. That’s half,” he said. “Vehicles in general, have increased in the past four years, from 2020 to today, 20%. So what was running $35,000 back in 2020 is now costing $44,000 or $45,000.”Rubio says supply chain issues lingering from the pandemic and current inflation have forced a spike in the price of parts, up an average of 15%.“Parts have also increased anywhere from 10 to 20%. Headlamps are going up, tail lamps are going up, sheet metal is going up, doors and hoods. Really in… Continue Reading
Straightaway Tire & Auto Acquires 2 Repair Shops in Minnesota Zainal Abidin, 13/11/2025 Accurate Auto & Tire Service and Wayne’s Automotive have a combined experience of more than 60 years in the industry.Straightaway Tire & Auto expanded its reach in Minnesota by acquiring Accurate Auto & Tire Service and Wayne’s Automotivefacilitated by O2 Investment Partnerswhich announced the move.“We’re very excited to welcome the teams at Accurate Auto and Wayne’s to the Straightaway family,” said Jeff Matt, division president of Straightaway. “They have each earned loyal customer bases over their decades in operation, and we look forward to working together to uphold their reputations for great customer experience.”The two well-established businesses have a combined experience of more than 60 years in the automotive repair industry.Accurate Auto has been a cornerstone in the Maple Grove, MN, market for over 25 years, offering comprehensive auto repair services. Similarly, Wayne’s Automotive, with more than 35 years of operation, has been a key player in the Grand Rapids, MN, market.“The addition of Accurate Auto and Wayne’s will further strengthen Straightaway’s already robust presence in Minnesota,” said Joe Vallee of O2 Investment Partners. “Furthermore, the transactions highlight our commitment to support Straightaway’s continued expansion by leveraging platform-wide resources to drive localized… Continue Reading