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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 3:30pm

https://www.facebook.com/1556364067953905/

Gene's Auto Repair, 110 Clay Street, Meyersdale, PA (2026)

08/30/2026

Today was a good day!

I have 2 people in my life that I went to school with, see each other individually, but the three of us have not been in the same space in 32 years. Tonight that changed.

I invited both of them to have a cookout at the shop tonight. One knew it was normal to do this at the shop, the other found it odd. What's odd about having a cookout at a garage?

They show up, as well as dad, and we enjoyed an evening of reminiscing, and burgers on the rocket stove. Old conversations, new conversations, it just felt normal. By the end of the night it was basically a continuation of the friendship from 32 years ago.

As far as doing this at the shop, that requires some explanation.

I have been in one way, shape, or form a part of this building since i was 13 years old. I started out scrubbing the floors every weekend when it was Baker Chevrolet. I did this for several years. I painted every square inch of the interior during this time. Dad was the Service Manager here while it was Baker's, then into Matway Chevrolet. He left Matway, but always said he would own it some day. That day came, he bought it, ran his business, then sold it to me.

All during this time, I had a key to the shop. This turned out to be "home base" of sorts throughout the years. We always met up, or hung out at the shop. Hell, I even had my bachelor party there. We went out to eat, then came back to the shop and just hung out and drank some b**r.

I've hidden from the police in the shop! Just a little matter of drag racing on I.G.A. stretch. Many races, never been caught!

This shop is my "gravitational center". I don't find it odd at all to hold gatherings there. If I'm not home, Kristine knows exactly where to find me. She doesn't need a tracking app on her phone to locate me.

Having a cookout there was normal for me. Getting the 3 of us together after all this time was a bonus.

Today was a good day!

08/25/2026

Just had to put this out there while it's still fresh.

New customer. Waited a solid month for his appointment. He showed up this morning for his 8 o'clock appointment. Upon arrival, he saw me outside dealing with another customer. He blew the horn to get my attention...yeah, that didn't work. He parked in front of the door...yeah, that didn't work. I told him to park it in the lot, and I would get it in as soon as I put the trash out.

I hop in his vehicle to go for a test drive. Just an inspection, but that's the first step. He's hovering outside the door watching my every move. I drive it, come back to the shop, and notice him walking around the outside of the garage. I pull onto the lift and hop out. He says "I was looking for you. I thought you stole my truck!" What's the?

He's watching me like a hawk as I inspect his vehicle. Nothing to hide, just doing what I've done a gazillion times over the past 30 years.

I finish up, and go to the office to write up the sticker. This is the point that it starts making sense. He told me that the place he always went to took his truck to the back of the shop, and minutes later came back with a sticker on it. He was skeptical of me, but impressed that he could watch me doing my job.

I handed him my invoice. He threw down a fifty and told me to keep the change. He said "you look like a grumpy a$$hole, but I'm happy that you actually looked my truck over."

So, was that a compliment, or an insult? It's Monday morning, you blew your horn at me!

I enjoy encounters like this. I'm not always perky, and Monday's suck. He got to see with his own eyes how an inspection is supposed to be performed. He'll be back.

A tip and an insult all in one. At the very least his friends will hear about me. Grumpy a$$hole mechanic, but he does his job.

I'll take it!

08/23/2026

So, I sent this picture to Kristine a few weeks back. I knew what her response would be as soon as she saw it. "You better get something on that"! I responded, "I did. I dipped them in motor oil".

Trade workers are definitely a different breed. Our antiseptic is carburetor cleaner, and our bandages are electrical tape. How many times have you seen someone working at your house with tape on their fingers? It's not there for looks. It's there because it's convenient, and it works.

My hands are leather. I can't tell you how many times I've cut myself and didn't know it. Usually it's a matter of seeing blood drops in an engine compartment. When I see them, I do a visual inspection of my hands and arms. I'll find the offending cut, spray it, then wrap it in tape. Back to work. Hasn't failed me yet.

This isn't a matter of being tough. It's a matter of efficiency. We all have a job to do, and a certain amount of time to do it. If we followed OSHA guidelines, we'd be on bed rest for a few weeks after a good blood letting.

Wedding rings are another story. You will never see me wearing a wedding ring. It's not that i don't love my wife, it's that I love my fingers. I will never trust a mechanic that wears a wedding ring. He's either stupid or lucky. We deal with way too many rotating parts to wear a ring. If you come across a mechanic with a missing ring finger...take luck out of the equation!

It may sound dumb, but a trade worker is someone you want by your side when things go sideways. We're always thinking, can endure pain, and we can do a heart transplant with a spork!

Don't ever underestimate someone that makes money with their hands.

FYI, the pic is from a welding mishap. A welding spall landed on my finger. I didn't realize it was melting through until I saw the smoke. It only melted through the leather. Carburetor cleaner, oil dip, and electrical tape did the trick!

08/16/2026

I've been playing with A.I. generation for the past week. I've been wanting to add something new to this page for a while now. It's not going well!

The very first video I had created was literally two sentences of text. It is a video of a "transmission flush". It wasn't completely what I had in mind, but still has humor in it. The second video failed miserably. I have been in a surprisingly coherent conversation with an A.I. assistant for the past 24 hours over the reworking of this video. This is such an in depth conversation, I'm thinking about inviting it over for dinner! Reality has become a blur today.

I monitor my stats here after every post. I don't obsess over them, just monitor. Each week I gain and lose followers. I find it very difficult to ride that fine line of what you want to see each week. Some are here for car info, some for personal stories, some are just waiting for me to self destruct. I'm not that interesting. I usually just post in the moment...like right now.

If you've been here for awhile, you know what to expect. If you've come here from from a shared post about something odd, give me a minute. Something odd will happen again, I promise. You don't want to be the one person around the water cooler that missed out because you unfollowed this page. Have patience Daniel San!

Of unrelated information, Antiques In The Woods is happening on September 12th and 13th. This is the show that always falls on the week of our anniversary. We haven't missed one yet. Many of you have told me you wanted to go, but we have yet to see a single one show. It's in Columbiana, Ohio, just outside of Youngstown. A short day trip. A very beautiful walk through the Shaker Woods filled with dead people's stuff. Join us.

There you go. One post covered A.I., people's expectations of me, an obscure "Karate Kid" reference, and a perfect day trip. I'm doing my best here people! Every day is not a landmark moment in a garage.

08/09/2026

I wasn't going to reveal this yet, but I figured what the heck.

Friday i took the day off to drive 6 hours round trip to pick up our plaque. It was made in Franklin PA. This was a trip that I ended up making solo. A nice road trip that I don't get to enjoy very often anymore.

Along the way, I encountered a couple things that made me chuckle. My navigation rerouted me through Slippery Rock to avoid traffic. As I'm driving along, I saw a sign that said "No Peddling". When was the last time you used the word "peddling"? No solicitation is the word today, but peddling!?

Passing through Slippery Rock I came to route 8. As I made the left to continue north, I saw something straight out of a post apocalyptic movie. I saw a garage with cars piled up all around it. By piled up, I mean they were stacked upon each other. There was one passage to the open garage door. Hanging above that door was an "Inspection Station" sign.

Let's pause my story for a second.

Upon seeing a shop like this, I want a show of hands if you would let this shop touch your car. Come on, cars piled on cars with a lone path to the front door. I'd bet Jimmy Hoffa stopped by for an oil change and couldn't find his way out! I could've sworn I heard banjos playing in the distance. Just saying....

Anyway, our plaque turned out better than expected. I dropped $715 to have it made, but I am very pleased with the result. This is something that visitors can ponder over, and Kristine and I can say we did. A gift to the next generation.

Give me a minute to get it planted at the park. Hell, it only took me 2 years to have it made. Patience is a virtue, and I'm filled with virtue!

08/02/2026

All too often, I receive frantic phone calls pertaining to brake noise. The caller tells me that they back out of the garage and hear an awful sound. Up until now, it was just me verbally explaining the issue...now I have the proof.

Customer brings their vehicle in for inspection. He tells me that it's making noise when he backs out of the garage. We went down this road last year. Last inspection I explained the issue, but I pulled the pads off just to make sure. This year I did the same..just to make sure. No issues again, but I'm wondering how I can show him what's happening. Then it hits me...just add water, duh!

The humidity in the air creates a microscopic layer of rust on the rotors. This builds up over night. When you first move the vehicle the brake pads wipe this rust off. Some times it's a squeal, some times it's a rough grinding sound. Either way, after the first stop or two, it goes away. That's the key to putting people at ease. It goes away.

While I had his brakes torn down, I splashed some water on the rotor. The rust spots you see in picture "1" took 5 minutes to appear. Zoom in on pictures "2" and "3". You can see extremely fine orange rust on the edge of each brake pad. He drove a half mile from his house to me. That is the layer of rust that was wiped off in that distance.

While thinking about how to present this post I came across the old rotor in picture "4". It has been sitting beside my shop door for the past week. Look at the buildup in that amount of time from sitting on the floor.

I showed the customer my pictures, and explained that I tore the brakes down again to make sure I was correct. Upon seeing my evidence, he told me he would never bring it up again. My pictures told him a story that my words never could. He can now visualize what he's hearing.

I do my best to explain issues that may seem problematic to you, but really aren't. Some get it, some need to find another opinion. I understand the logic behind misunderstanding. I'm always trying to find a way to show people what is really happening. A picture is worth a thousand words holds true in this case.

Just keep in mind that I would never purposely dismiss you if I thought there was a real problem. My customer's know that if I feel it's an issue, I tell them to get it to me. I would never put someone in danger just because I'm "too busy".

08/01/2026

I've been sitting here watching videos from other shops tonight. This is how we pick up tips on fixing odd issues, but a common theme keeps popping up in these videos. All of these shops give back to their community. There is video after video of what they do to help the people that keep them in business.

This fact just got me thinking about what I do in my everyday life. How much Kristine and i have done over the past 5 years. Yes, we have our normal sponsorships, but there are other things that aren't public knowledge. Private donations, anonymous donations, and even giving a customer a bit of time to pay for the work that was done. It's all done in the background, without anyone else knowing it.

We have our annual Christmas fund drive coming up starting October 1st. I have already been looking into new ways to help even more people...anonymously. We can now help an extra 100 people with a minimal donation increase. I want to make this happen with or without support.

I don't care who you take your vehicle to. Dealership, Private shop, or "Bob" down the road. Ask them how they give back. If they stutter, I guess you know the answer. I won't stutter. I may not tell you everything, but I will give you more than you would expect from a garage.

Watching these videos I realized it's a mechanic thing! The good shops trying to pay it forward to make up for the bad reputation they receive.

That said...I never dumped the ticket stubs from my 5th anniversary giveaway. I will now add a stub from every customer I have in the shop. I will do a monthly drawing for various rewards. I may do a couple per month...it's been a good year. Free inspections, oil changes, gift cards, or whatever else I can come up with.

My normal post this week will be one of interest for most people. I came up with a way to prove why your brakes make noise when you first take off in the morning...with pictures. It's a common complaint, that I just can't sell people on the answer to. The pictures I have should put it to rest.

07/26/2026

If you ever walk in my shop...and my face looks like I've just swallowed a walnut shell whole...this is the reason.

How can an automotive engineer take something as simple as a thermostat and turn it into a full blown treasure hunt? A thermostat is normally a simple hour long job. Pop it out, pop it in, bleed the system, and you're done. Let me introduce you to the G.M. 3.6 liter engine!

I get that most of you have no clue what you're looking at, but I'll try to explain. A thermostat regulates engine temperature. It's typically located in an easy to get to place on the engine. Not this one. This one is located dead center in the middle of the engine. You have to remove the intake manifold and fuel injectors to even see it. Once unbolted, you can't directly remove it. You have to flip it upside down then maneuver it to the opposite side of the engine. Think of a slide puzzle.

Book time on this job is 3.6 hours. I called the customer and suggested we replace the spark plugs also. You have to remove all of this to change the plugs. There are more problems with this engine that I will cover in future posts. I discovered them while the intake was off, and it affects almost every modern engine today.

Why does the simplest job need to be so complicated? This is the equivalent of putting your toilet on the roof. You can get to it, but it's gonna take a while.

I picture the engineer pitching this "upgrade" to his boss. His boss goes wild and tells "Bob" that it's such a great improvement that he deserves a raise. Which one needs his nuts cut off..."Bob", or the guy that approved it? Either way, neither needs to reproduce their stupidity.

This one requires a big disclaimer : I apologize if I've hurt any engineer's feelings. I apologize for you being educated well beyond your intelligence. I apologize that your dad's nuts weren't the ones cut off. I apologize for a system that rewards sheer stupidity.

Maybe I need a disclaimer for my disclaimer!?

07/19/2026

First off...I want to thank everyone for the comments on my last post as a whole. I sometimes get lost in the hustle of the day to day grind. Those comments let me know I'm still on the correct path. Thank you!

Wheel bearings. This is one that seems to mystify people. Typically, the noise comes on gradually. A low growling sound or hum. If it's in the front, the noise should get louder and quieter when you turn the wheel from side to side while driving. A rear one will make no difference while doing this. This is the most common way a bearing goes bad.

A small percentage goes south in a different way, as is the example in the video of the customer driving around. Those are what I have labeled as "catastrophic" failures. One of the internal races have broken, and the wheel is now "wobbling" around. When this type happens, you have limited time before the wheel falls off. This can make a "crunching or high pitched squeaking" noise. It may even be fine one minute, then the noise returns. Chevrolet 1500's are well known for this issue.

This vehicle came with an added bonus. The A.B.S. light, and traction control light were on. The highlighted picture shows a chunk of missing "tone ring". This is a magnetic strip that the wheel speed sensor monitors. When it sees a missing signal, it thinks the vehicle is sliding. This can cause many misdiagnosed issues. The biggest one i see is a loss of throttle when you are driving. Many Ford's and Dodge's will go into limp mode if this signal is missing. You can hold the gas to the floor, but the vehicle won't go.

If you have a noise like I've described, swing by and let me take it for a spin. Buying tires, then finding that didn't fix it is a waste of money. Most of the bearings I install go beyond the typical 3 year warranty. I carry a line with a 5 year warranty for most vehicles. No price difference...I just get a better deal.

As a side note, I had someone pop in this week with a noise. I drove it, and told him it was the right rear wheel bearing. He said "I just had my buddy replace that one last week". I asked where he bought them from. Amazon...2 bearing set for $150. We'll, there you go. At least you have a second one to replace it with!

If you're still here: By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.
Robert Frost

07/17/2026

Today, I realized something, and I feel the need to get it off my chest while it's still fresh. I don't like flooding your page with posts, but this one hits different.

I realized today that this is a business where people feel free to open up..and I don't know why. I hear daily stories of happy things, exciting things, everyday things, and of course, sad things.

I came home tonight and told Kristine that I had a long conversation with a customer that stretched past closing time. We were talking about her vehicle, then she instantly went to tears. She told me that her husband may be facing a tough medical issue. This is something that I have happen more than I realized until today. I have a number of customers dealing with tough issues right now.

What I find strange is the fact that this is a garage. A place where people are usually frustrated with. My dealings usually consist of how much it's going to cost you. Yet, this shop seems to bring something else out in people. This is far from the first time a conversation has erupted in to tears unexpectedly over a family issue.

I give my full attention to everyone when this occurs. Mostly, these are people that I've had dealings with for years. This case in particular has been with us for 30 years. How can you not feel for them? I have them scheduled for more work in August, and I told her that I want to know how things are looking then.

Does every shop have dealings like this? Does every shop take the time to talk to the people they're dealing with? Hell, I even get pics and updates from customers when they're on vacation, or come across something interesting. Is this normal for any business?

If you are a true customer of mine...why does it seem like this place is different..or not? I'm not looking for cut and paste responses. I truly would like to know why people seem to open up when they walk into the office. Have I done something, or treated you in a way that makes you more comfortable...or uncomfortable over other places you've been? Did you go home and say "Well that was unexpected"?

This is just me being me. I've dealt with the loss of many good people over my career. Many went beyond just being customers. I've learned a lot through our conversations, and have gotten to know, and work for, their family.

Gene's Auto Repair

08/30/2026

08/25/2026

08/23/2026

08/16/2026

08/09/2026

08/02/2026

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07/17/2026

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Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 3:30pm