As you stock up on sunscreen and prep for fun in the sun, Mr. Transmission Milex Complete Auto Care has a handy list of road trip tips to follow to stay safe this summer. And we’re here to make sure your car is ready for high temperatures.   Road Trip Tips Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer season as schools let out for summer and workloads lighten. At least 44% of people plan to travel more than once this summer, and 79% are gearing up to take a road trip, according to a survey conducted by The Vacationer, a vacation resource.   Road trips can be an exciting and memorable experience, but they can quickly become a nightmare if you aren’t prepared. Whether you're planning a short weekend getaway or a cross-country adventure, you should do a few things to prepare for the trip and travel safel ... read more

Owning a business isn’t for everyone, but for some, it’s a calling. You know who you are. But if you haven’t started a company but have thought about being a business owner for years, it’s probably because you’ve been thinking, what do I sell? How do I get started? What if I build a business and nobody comes? Those are all good, smart questions. We’ve all read the statistics about how numerous businesses fail. Which is one reason a lot of business owners think about franchising. Of course, franchises can flop, too, for a variety of reasons (Blockbuster never saw Netflix coming…), but generally, if you buy into a good one, you at least have a strong brand name going for you and a business model ... read more

So you’ve just paid off your car. It only took a million years, but finally, you can relax and not worry about monthly payments. For at least a week. Because you’re already thinking that you may need to buy a new car. After all, while it didn’t really take a million years to pay it off, it did take awhile, and your odometer shows that you’ve been driving it for well over 100,000 miles now. Isn’t it time to get a new car? Not necessarily -- and especially not if you’d like to hang onto your car for as long as possible. It’s also financially smart to try and keep your car running for as long as you (safely) can. According to Consumer Reports, motorists who have a car that hits 200,000 miles – which generally takes 15 years -- end up saving $30,000 or mo ... read more

Driving in the fog is a unique experience and it’s far more dangerous to drive in the thick, soupy stuff than you likely realize. According to the Federal Highway Administration’s latest numbers, over 38,700 vehicle crashes occur annually as a result of the fog. Over 600 people killed every year because of it, and 16,300 people are injured. So the next time a fog settles over your community, and you have to go driving out in it, please think about these driving tips. Turn on your low beams. You would think since you can’t see, like, anything, that you’d want to turn on your headlights to the brightest setting possible. But fog is made up of little drops of water, and when you turn on your lights to the brightest setting, the light is reflected on the water. In other words, the light is diffused in a way that can make it harder for other drivers – an ... read more

How long have you owned a Mr. Transmission franchise? I have owned the Mr. Transmission franchise in Decatur, Georgia for 16 years. What did you do before opening a Mr. Transmission store? Prior to joining Mr. Transmission, I owned an automotive dealership in Decatur.  Before that, I worked with a company that rehabbed apartment complexes.  I received my EPA certification and then opened a turnkey service that handled a wide variety of apartment restoration projects such as painting, HVAC repair and carpet, upholstery and tile and grout cleaning.  I also owned several barbershops and hair salons in the Decatur area.   How has that experience helped you now that you own a Mr. Transmission store? Although I always loved cars and doing some projects on them growing up, my time with the auto dealership gave me a better ... read more

Catching a problem early is the best way to help prevent long-term damage. This is true of many things. For example, if you roll your ankle, you should ice it, elevate it and take some time to rest as soon as possible. Failure to do so could lead to a more serious, long-lasting injury.  When it comes to your car, the same holds true. By addressing problems early, you’ll likely increase the life of your car and save yourself some money in the process.  You just need to keep an eye out for warning signs that your car may not be running properly.   Battery Trouble One of the most common car problems is an aging or defective battery. Typically, a car battery should be replaced every three years or so. After four or five years, the majority of car batteries will become unreliable. If you find your car will crank, but not start, that’s a good indi ... read more

How to Prep Your Car for the Summer Trip High on the short list of terrible things that can happen on a summer road trip – along with getting lost in a different state or forgetting your valuables in a rest stop bathroom – is having your mode of transportation fail on you. Car troubles are bad enough when they happen during your everyday life. Having something happen to your car while you’re on a road trip just compounds the frustration, fear and confusion. Here at Milex Complete Auto Care, we want your summer vacationing to be as pleasant as possible, so the only screams you hear are ones of delight as your family spends time making memories, and not waiting for roadside assistance. Here are our tips for preparing your car for the rigors of the summer road trip. 1. Check fluid levels! This might seem like a massive checklist already, but the ... read more

For Immediate Release Media Contact: Kevin Behan [email protected] 919-459-3595 Car Care Experts Show How to Prepare Vehicles for Winter Weather Five Winter Road Warrior Tips to Keep Cars Safe in Cold Midlothian, IL (December 9, 2015) – Cold temperatures, snow and ice wreak havoc on our roads and our vehicles. Yet according to the Car Care Council, more than 70 % of motoristsadmit they don’t prepare their cars for winter weather!  Car care experts at Moran Family of Brands, one of the nation’s leading franchises of transmission and general automotive repair, urge motorists to shape up their cars with 5 Winter Road Warrior Tips. “If you don’t prepare your car for winter you can have breakdowns and accidents that could leave you stranded in miserable weather,” says Peter Baldine, President of Moran Family ... read more

Automobiles come with numerous parts, and with those parts comes a multitude of myths surrounding them. The transmission in particular remains a mystery to many drivers today. The professionals at Mr. Transmission banded together to help you determine what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to these popular claims: Manual transmissions get better mileage than automatic ones. While this particular myth may have been true in the past, it’s not so much the case anymore. Inefficiencies that plagued automatic transmissions in previous years have been smoothed out and replaced with more variable speeds – perhaps giving them an advantage over manual models when it comes to mileage.\ “Inefficiencies that plagued automatic transmissions in previous years have been smoothed out.” Manual transmissions are cheaper to repair than automati ... read more

It’s a good time to be a part of the automotive industry. While all industries — including the automotive industry — took a hit in the recession of 2008, we have seen great growth along with the rest of the economy. In fact, automotive sales have increased over the past five years, from 2009 to 2014. This growth is being fueled by a stronger economy overall and increased consumer confidence in the economy. That means consumers are more willing to make big purchases, like a new car and automotive aftermarket accessories. But there is another industry trend at play in the recent years. While many people are buying cars, just as many are holding on to their cars for longer. On average, they keep cars for 63.9 months, which is 4.5 months longer than in previous years. This trend has led to an increase in consumer demand for auto repairs, su ... read more