With the arrival of autumn, it’s not unusual to see large numbers of do-it- yourselfers putting on their sweatshirts and jeans, heading out to auto supply shops, and getting their wrenches ready for an afternoon of preventive car maintenance and winteriz- ing. Such maintenance, whether done by a compe- _ tent car owner or an estab- lished professional, is ‘an important ingredient in extending your car’s life, everyone agrees. _ But some automobile repair and service jobs are beyond the technical abili- ties of Saturday afternoon mechanics. And even the simple jobs are not always inviting; after all, there is always football, or autumn walks or camping . . . whatever! Face it, you'd better find a good auto repair shop. Locating good automotive help used to be frustrating, but much of the guesswork _ has been eliminated. There is an organization, highly respected in the automotive industry yet still relatively unknown among customers, that has devoted itself to improving the quality of automotive service and repair throughout the nation. The National Institute of Automotive Service Excel- lence (ASE), founded in 1972 by various segments of = the auto industry, is in the business of certifying the competency of auto and truck technicians. Says ASE President Ronald Weiner, ‘‘Don’t call; these pros and ‘mechanics’ - their skill, dedication, and eagnerness to master the new, high- tech components make the term ‘technician’ much more fitting.” ASE is an independent, non-profit ' group which gives voluntary certifica- tion exams to technicians. The tests are offered twice a year in over 300 locations. ASE devotes much energy to ensuring the fair- ness and accuracy of the exams. ASE’s Director of technical services William Kersten has this to say about the exams: ‘They are a tough, yet fair mea- sure of a technician’s skill and knowledge. “The written tests corre- late to real-world work situ- Autombile City, a division of Fred Schuler, Inc. is a Nissan dealer and provides service on all types of Nissan automobiles. With two locations at 1280 Sans Souci Highway and 206 Carey Ave., Wilkes-Barre, Automobile City provides both parts and service. In ations; any question which seems tricky or overly theo- retical is eliminated long before the actual tests are administered to the techni- cians.” The tests cover the full gamut of skills, basic tech- nical knowledge, repair knowledge and skill, and teasting and diagnostic knowledge and skill. Businesses that employ ASE Certified technicians usually display the ASE outdoor sign. It’s a large white sign with a distinctive blue seal on to which are printed the initials, A,S and E And the message at the bottom of the sign says it all: “We employ techni- cians certified by the National Institute for Auto- motive Service Excelence. Let us show you their cre- dentials.” ASE does not certify places of business, only the technicians who work there. existence for 34 years, 16 of them as a Nissan dealer, Automobile City is a family owned business and owned by the Schuler Family. Mary Schuler is president of the company while Fred- erick Schuler serves as gen- eral manager and Dave Schuler is sales manager. a © technicians certified by the Boa | Institute for outdoor sign. iis Member oH Ee Equal Housing __ Lender ditions may be. from Isuzu. 961-5863
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