Q. What is "ASE" and how important is it that my mechanic be ASE-certified?

A. The designation "ASE-certified" comes from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, a non-profit organization founded in 1972 to assure that the mechanic working on your car is properly trained for the systems on which he (or she!) is working. The organization provides training, develops courses and administers certification examinations. Certification is not easy, and approximately one-third of applicants fail. Although there are certainly competent mechanics who have not gone through ASE training, the only way to be sure your mechanic is thoroughly trained for your car's maintenance is to look for the ASE patch on his shirt or an ASE certificate on his wall. All AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities employ ASE-certified technicians.

Q. My windshield has a small mark on it that looks like a stone bruise. Is it dangerous and can it be fixed or do I need a new windshield?

A. Where the bruise is will dictate whether the windshield can be repaired or if it should be replaced. Most windshield dings can indeed be repaired by some windshield specialist companies. They may have to actually inspect the windshield to give a firm answer. As long as the ding is surrounded by solid glass (in other words, it is not on the edge of the glass), it should be repairable. If there are signs of cracking or "spider webbing," it is not safe to attempt a repair and the windshield should be replaced.

Back to top