It has been quite awhile since I wrote a column for my favorite local newspaper. A lot has happened in the last few years.

In February of 2000 I opened a shop in Canby. My wife says this is the last one, but we'll see.

One thing I have learned is that without good employees you cannot continue to grow. I have been blessed to find the right guys for each position. The industry has a lot of great technicians and all you need to do is search them out.

I would like to start writing this column monthly, but time will always be a problem. If you have a topic or question you would like me to discuss I would be happy to listen.

You can mail it to one of the shops or contact me through telephone or email.

What I would like to talk about this month is preventative maintenance or scheduled services. Now that I am actively working the front counter again it has come as a big surprise how many people still do not fully understand how to properly maintain their automobiles. If everyone would take car of their cars on a regular basis the cost per year for auto repair would decrease. I know some of you have let your cars get to the point where you think you might not be able to save it, but I am here to tell you it is never too late to start taking proper care of your car.

The best way to get started is to have a complete vehicle inspection performed by a professional full service facility that can do all your repair work. Many auto facilities perform specialty repair, this may be O.K. if all you need is that particular repair, but for an overall evaluation of all your repairs needs, I highly recommend a complete general auto repair shop with A.S.E. certified technicians. There are plenty in the general area. Of course, I would like you to use one of mine, but I really would like to see more cars being maintained and repaired regularly. This makes driving safer for my family and yours.

After you have the evaluation done, you can decide which way to go as far as getting your car back into good working order. Even if you spend a couple of thousand dollars to repair your car, this would be a good investment if you can get a few more years life out of it. A new car sometimes seems like a good idea, but once you set down and figure out the insurance costs and car payments, repairing your current car is always a great option.

Let's say your new car payment is $500 a month. This equals $6,000 for the year and that's not including the insurance. If you spend the money to fix your old car, you should be way ahead when it's all done and said. If your old car lasts 3 years, you would have saved $18,000.

So let's go. Call, make an appointment, and start taking proper care of your car and the safety of your family and mine.