Randy Whitworth is a longtime Mr. Transmission franchisee, owning two stores in Alabama.  It should probably come as no surprise that each of his three children have followed his footsteps into the auto repair business.  Randy’s father was a mechanic and his brother is a builder at his Pelham store, so car repair “is in the family’s blood”.  Randy recalled his children coming into the shop before or after school when they were younger and pretending to fix cars and work behind the desk to talk to the customers.  They were drawn to the business and as an added bonus, they were able to spend extra time with their father and learn from him when visiting the store. Years later, Randy beams with pride when talking about how his children have each carved out successful careers in the auto repair industry.  “I’ve really been blessed.  They are all wonderful children.  I ... read more

Summer vacation season is almost upon us, and many of us will likely be driving a little more. So if you’re thinking of taking a road trip or a vacation somewhere in your car, you may want to do more than pack the sunscreen. Yep, that’s right. You probably should get your car prepared for the trip, too. Fortunately, we have a checklist. Get an oil change. As you probably know, one of the most important things you can do for your car is to change the oil on a regular basis.  If you get your oil changed a few weeks after the date on your oil change sticker, or a little after the mileage count, it isn’t likely to hurt your vehicle.  But if you let it slide and go a year between appointments, you’re really asking for trouble.  If you are planning on taking a long trip across a few states, it’s probably a good idea to get another oil change – assuming you aren’t doing them regularly. Not only will fresh oil keep yo ... read more

Mother’s Day has always had a very special meaning to one franchise owner in the Moran Family of Brands franchise system. Susan Trumble owns the Mr. Transmission/Milex Complete Auto Care store in Florence, Kentucky and has raised her son, Wyatt, around the business all his life.  In fact, she clearly remembers when the challenges of impending motherhood and running the business crossed paths hours before Wyatt was born in 2000. Susan went into labor at the store, but before leaving for the hospital, she told her staff what needed to be done while she would be away.  Susan admitted it was an overwhelming time but credits her dedicated staff that has been there for a long time in helping her get through. Without a center manager, Susan needed to return to the store just two weeks after delivering Wyatt and she brought him with her each day.  She was later able to get assistance from her parents before placing him in daycare when he was six weeks old.  Althou ... read more

Driving a car is sometimes exciting – in a way you don’t want it to be. Maybe you suddenly notice a small fire in your engine. Or perhaps you have a tire blow out. In other words, ignoring certain problems isn’t just a bad idea for your car – it can be dangerous. In the interest of keeping your vehicle running well and making sure you and your passengers are safe, we thought we’d point out a few things you don’t want to ignore when it comes to your car. How to avoid an engine fire. Regular car checkups are imperative to keep your car running well, but do you ever hear a loud sound from your exhaust system? Does your engine temperature occasionally shoot up from normal to very hot? Does your oil leak? You should bring in your car into a Mr. Transmission/Milex to be checked out. Another thing to be aware of – that fires don’t always start in the engine. Do you smoke? Occasionall ... read more

We know cars are not always the most environment-friendly things on the planet. However, in honor of Earth Day, we’re going to do our part and suggest some ways you can care for your car in a more environmentally friendly manner. How so? Well, try these tips. Don’t buy a new car. Keep your car well maintained. This column from Scientific American states: “It definitely makes more sense from a green perspective to keep your old car running and well-maintained as long as you can‚ especially if it's getting such good mileage. There are significant environmental costs to both manufacturing a new automobile and adding your old car to the ever-growing collective junk heap.” There’s another environmental benefit to having your car regularly serviced, though. If you have anything leaking from your car, your ... read more

Minor car collisions unfortunately do happen. The driver behind you wasn’t paying attention and didn’t hit the brakes fast enough. Your car was hit hard, but not too hard. Nothing seems to be initially damaged. Or maybe you were trying to back out of an odd-shaped driveway, and moments later, you’re examining a tree or telephone pole with scuff marks and a car that fortunately appears to be fine. You, your passengers and the care are fine. You may think you don’t need to call the insurance company. Life goes on, and so does your car. Well, not so fast. Maybe your car is in good shape and there is no problem.  But you will also want to consider if there is some damage that will impact the performance of your car.  Just as you’d want to get checked out with a doctor if you ever have any doubt about how you felt after a fender-bender, you should think about getting your car a wellness visit after a minor accident. Rear-end collisions can leave a ... read more

It can be easy to overlook the amount of air in your tires. There are no warning lights and the difference between a properly inflated tire and one that needs more air can be subtle.  You may figure that you’ll get your tires checked the next time you get your oil changed. If you get your oil changed regularly, that is probably fine. Still, you don’t want to not ever think about your tires. After all, if your tires aren’t inflated properly, you could have some problems. The operative word here is “could.” You may not have any issues whatsoever. But when your tires’ pressure gets low, more of the surface of the tires touches the road, the flatter your tire becomes. As you can imagine, the flatter the tire, the more friction is being developed where the rubber meets the road. That can make the tire overheat, and that’s when anything can start happening. Maybe your tire just gets worn down faster. Maybe the tread gets more ragged. And maybe ... read more

Sometimes, franchises will be referred to as turn-key businesses.  An established system is already in place and all you need to do is turn the key and open the door, and you can start work. Most franchise owners know that that’s hardly true and kind of an insult to the process. There’s a lot involved in buying a franchise, and often, you’re looking for a location and then going through the process of getting a building constructed. Then you hire and train a quality staff. It isn’t as if somebody just hands you keys to a business. The exception to this is when you buy an existing franchise, particularly when it has been around for some time and been very successful.  Jason Shastri did exactly that late last year, when he bought the Mr. Transmission/Milex franchise in Stafford, Texas, which had been in business for about 30 years. “One of the things I liked about the store is that it had a good reputation with its customers.  It didn&rsquo ... read more

What Those Lights on Your Car Dashboard Mean Often, lights are a good thing. They can brighten a room and we often talk about the light at the end of the tunnel or shining light on a situation. But lights on your car’s dashboard often aren’t so comforting. They are helpful, of course, and it’s a good thing that car manufacturers have them there. But they’re definitely not to be ignored. When those lights turn on, it’s often a cry for help from your car, and a sign that something is amiss. We wanted to mention a few of the common lights that cars – especially newer ones – often have. Keep in mind that if all of your lights turn on, as you start your car, that’s normal. It’s when one of those lights stays on, that it can be problematic. Here are a few rules of the road. Think of those lights as traffic lights. The analogy almost works. If you see any icon light up on your car dashboard, and ... read more

As the cold weather continues to grip many areas of the country, we all wish we could speed up the winter. While that is not possible, we can slow down the affects that a brutal winter can have on your car’s battery.  If you live in a cold climate, winter is not your car battery’s friend. It is more like your car battery’s mortal enemy. Extremely cold temperatures can slow the chemical reactions that occur inside a lead acid battery, making it harder for it to function. It also doesn’t help that when your engine is extremely cold, the thing that helps it heat up faster and run better is your car battery. When the temperature drops, your odds increase of coming out to the car and starting the ignition, only to hear that dreaded sound of silence. If you want to keep your battery running properly and protect it from the bitter temperatures, you may want to try the following. First, look for the signs of a bad battery. Look for the subtle si ... read more