There is a lot of chatter about self-driving or, autonomous cars. There are articles in trade magazines talking about their possible capabilities and what being a passenger in an autonomous car may look like. There is a lot of discussion about the improved safety on the road. On a long trip where being tired could cause you to doze off and potentially cause an accident, it makes sense. If you have elderly parents and would feel better with them not driving, that also makes sense. The safety features of the autonomous vehicle are understandable. From what I’ve read, they are able to teach the vehicle to essentially make decisions. It can discern the difference between a deer and a person in the road. The vehicle also can ignore screaming children, a ringing cell phone and a spilled drink. These are all causes of accidents that most people struggle to ignore while driving. Most people in Michigan know when a deer leaps into the road not to swerve. It’s hard to not try to avoid the deer t ... read more

I’m thankful for the Dads in my life. My own, my stepdad, my father-in-law and the fathers of the people my children married or are marrying. My Dad has a great sense of humor and an obsession with birds. My son recently said that sometimes it’s scary how many birds he can identify from all of his walks with Grandpa when he was young. He taught all of my kids how to fish and to appreciate nature. He taught me: “you get what life hands you”, “work for what you want”, and “to appreciate the good and tough out the bad”. My father-in-law demonstrated to Jeff how you always put family first and to stand up for your beliefs. Arie shared his love of cars with Jeff and that placed Jeff on the path to doing something he loves every day. My stepdad has been a part of my life and my children’s for many years and continues to be an important part of our lives. My children are either married or will soon be married. They are all fortunate to be marrying people who have excellent examples of what a ... read more

I always thought all coffee was the same. It didn’t really matter where it came from or how it was roasted. Then I met Craig. Several years ago, we began purchasing our coffee from Grand Rapids Coffee Roasters. They were a new business and very enthusiastic about their product. Craig Patterson explained the process of roasting the beans and why it was better coffee. We figured our customers would love a good cup of coffee. Grand Rapids small business community is amazing. You have a guy with a passion for good coffee and he has built a business that embodies the focus on buying local. All of us that work here at Arie Nol Auto Center, as well as our customers, appreciate the fruits (coffee beans are actually the pit in a coffee cherry) of Craig’s labor. We love being able to support a small, local business that employs local people. We also love drinking the coffee. It is an instant cup of happiness. Do you want to try out a great cup of coffee on a Saturday morning? Enjoy the ‘Saturday ... read more

Most of the educational opportunities I take advantage of now are management or marketing related. I also attend conferences geared towards women in auto care and female entrepreneurs. Mostly because I believe you should never stop learning, and keeping myself current by learning from people that are experts in their field helps me to be better at what I do. On occasion, I take advantage of an automotive technical class. Why? I work in the automotive industry and while I don’t repair vehicles, I need to expose myself to new technology. Several weeks ago I went to a class with Jeff and one of our technicians, Gordon. Contrary to what many people believe, diagnostics doesn’t simply consist of ‘hooking up the scanner’. Vehicles have many interconnected systems and our technicians need to know what to look for when one of them is malfunctioning. One section of the training was on catalytic converter (cats) diagnostics. While I have been exposed to many conversations about catalytic convert ... read more

It's that time of year again. Lots of new drivers on the road. College students preparing to leave the nest and head to their college campus. People are on the lookout for the used car that fits their needs, is reasonably priced and has been well-maintained. That can be a tall order when looking for a used car. Everyone's idea of well-maintained is different. To some car owners, that means following the manufacturer’s recommended services and having regular oil changes. To other vehicle owners, regular maintenance means putting gas in the car when the low fuel light comes on. It's hard to tell when looking at a used vehicle what the care of the vehicle has been over its life span. That's why you should invest in a pre-purchase inspection for any vehicle that you are considering purchasing. I know. It's sounds like a sales pitch. Here's the deal. Most people purchase a vehicle that fits into their budget. Rarely does anyone say, “I have $7000 for a used car but I'm going to set aside ... read more

“If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my ax.” – Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln is someone that can be quoted for many different situations. I think because his words were so simple yet so true, even today. In his day, an ax was an important tool used by people on a daily basis. It could be used for protection, acquiring fuel for your fire, and building your home. Your muscles were what powered this tool so your ability to perform a task was limited by your physical strength. The tools that we use in our business vary from a wrench or mallet to a computer. The correct tools are required now more than ever. We’ve gotten to the point where some tools are very vehicle specific. Some are even based on the year, make and model of the vehicle. What implications does that have for today’s car owner? One thing it does is limit your ability to work on your vehicle. As technology advances and cars become more technologically sophisticated, the average person i ... read more

Jeff and I went to Las Vegas last week to celebrate NAPA’s 90th anniversary. We were able to take advantage of training and to meet with vendors to see what new tools and equipment were available. There were people from all over the world at this event and many times you learn a great deal from the attendees. Conversations are started about issues and solutions that have occurred in another shop owner’s business. The classes we attend encourage you to look at your business and see where you can improve…always a good thing for your business and customers. Being a NAPA Autocare Center is something that we are proud of achieving. We are an independent business with access to training and programs, specials and parts that we might not have access to otherwise. We are affiliated with groups that reflect our values and commitment to our business. We just put up our new NAPA Autocare sign. I tried to get the NAPA Corporation to switch their colors to our signature burgundy and black but they ... read more

Michigan is a beautiful state filled with incredible landscapes, hiking paths, parks and an incredible amount of lakeshore. Most of these places require some driving to access. The best way to ruin a good hike is to get back to your car and find out your battery is dead and you need to find someone to jump start your car. Not many people think about how old a battery is or what it's life span should be. I think about batteries. I don't know if this is an indication that I have been around car repair conversations for too long. Probably. Mostly because I see the inconvenience a bad battery causes and I know it can be avoided with correct maintenance and testing. Michigan is tough on batteries. Hot weather and cold weather both affect longevity of a battery. Winters that include the description snowpocolypse, polar vortex or snowmeggedon are especially harsh on batteries. Our hot summers are equally tough on the battery powering your vehicle. The first sign that your battery is getting ... read more

Do you have a student heading off to college and taking a vehicle? If so, is the car ready? You've bought the microwave, mini fridge, extra-long twin bedding and talked about the importance of making good personal choices. But is their car ready? It's important that a vehicle headed to school be maintained correctly and any minor repairs be taken care of before your student leaves. Many times, your child is headed to a town that you're not familiar with and they may not have the number of a shop you can trust. Being proactive about vehicle repairs and maintenance BEFORE they leave saves you a potential phone call about a broken-down vehicle. We know it's stressful trying to find a shop to repair your student’s vehicle. We know it's stressful for the student trying to deal with something they may not have had a lot of experience handling. While it can be a teachable moment, it's one you'd probably rather avoid. Make sure that they understand several things about the vehicle. How to che ... read more

Our goal is to make our customer’s automotive repair experience as painless as possible. Even though we have several options to meet their transportation needs, sometimes it works out well for them to have us drop them off at their home or office. Sometimes, it’s an unexpected breakdown and they just need a ride home. It’s usually either Cameron or I that is available to drive the customer to their destination. I’ve had some of the best conversations with a wide range of topics. Many times, I’m asked if I’m related to anyone at Arie Nol and I share that I’m Cameron’s mom and Jeff’s wife. Riding in the car with someone gives you the opportunity for both of you to learn a little about the other person. Sometimes, they have had a very stressful day with their car braking down and their schedule has been drastically altered. I’ve stopped at the grocery store, driven through McDonald’s so someone can get some breakfast, listened to small children sing Disney songs and even been quizzed abou ... read more