In Search Of SILVER BULLETS We asked, and readers responded with some great ideas to make everyone's lives easier.A Motor Age exclusive
We've known for years that our readers hold more knowledge than can be contained in any book. Those who spend their days fixing other people's problems have an uncanny knack of finding that elusive "silver bullet" - the sure-fire way to fix that difficult repair ... to move cars in and out of the bays quicker ... and to make someone's day by uncovering the problem that no one else could find.
However, the biggest challenge is sharing all this undocumented information with more than your co-workers in the shop. Online databases, chat rooms, Web forums and other electronic delivery methods have made it easier, but sometimes putting it down on paper can have the greatest impact. For three years now, we have asked readers to send in their best tech tips; since late last year, service professionals have responded with some interesting fixes and time-saving tips to share.
Now, it's time to do your part. The following pages are filled with some great ideas, and Motor Age believes that these individuals should be rewarded for their unselfish sharing of knowledge. Each entry has been assigned a reader service number. We are asking you - their co-workers and peers -- to name the Top Tech Tip in each category.
Voting is simple: You can fill out the voting form accessed by clicking
here. To keep it honest, please vote only once. Voting will close
Jan. 1, 2006, so vote now.
Entries receiving the most votes in each category will be awarded prizes, and we will publish the list of winners in our
February 2006 issue.
Go
to this year's entries ...
It's not over Now that this year's competition is done, we're looking ahead to next year. Motor Age will publish another Tech Tips issue in November 2006, and we'd like to hear from more of you. Rules for the 2006 competition are as follows: 1. The competition is open to automotive service professionals, such as technicians, shop owners, service writers, apprentices, etc.
Motor Age employees, as well as our advertisers and their employees, are not eligible. 2. All entries must be received no later than July 31, 2006. 3. Your entry must include your name, title, place of employment, address and phone number in case we need to contact you.
Motor Age reserves the right to exclude any entry that does not provide this information.
In addition, this information will be kept strictly confidential
and will be used only for the Tech Tips contest. 4. Your entry should be no more than 250 words in length. Keep it as short as possible. 5. Entries can be submitted under the following categories:
Brakes, Engine/Mechanical, Transmission, Suspension/Steering, HVAC, Electrical, Diagnostics, Tools, Fuel and Emissions, Shop Management, or General. Tips can be model-specific, but you must include the category at the beginning of each tip submitted. 6. Entries can include a photo, but it must be submitted as a high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi @ 4 inches wide)
.jpg, .eps. or .tif digital file. We cannot accept photos embedded in Word documents; they must be sent as separate files. 7. There is no limit to the number of tips you may enter; however, Motor Age reserves the right to limit the number of entries per person in a single category. 8. All submissions are subject to publication and may be edited for grammar and space. 9. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. 10. How to enter:
* E-mail your entry to: [email protected]
* Submissions can be made online using the Web Site Entry
Form.
* Entries may be mailed on disk (CD/DVD preferably) to:
Motor Age Top 100 Tech Tips
Two Northfield Plaza, Suite 300
Northfield, IL 60093
