Everyday friends and customers inquire of Autoworks owner, Stephen Kosacz, about the new updates on the Memorial Bridge. Since his early involvement with the group, “Save the Bridges,” he has direct contact with the NHDOT Chief and organizers of the bridge project. This morning, January 27, 2012 he received another new update that the dates for the bridge center span have been moved again.

According to Bob Landry, Chief of Consultant Section, Bureau of Bridge Design New Hampshire Department of Transportation, the float out of the center span is now scheduled for: February 6th starting at 7 am to February 9th at 9 am.

A huge barge will be coming into the port to remove the bridge and take it down to Chelsea shipyard in Boston where it will be cut into pieces by a huge shear. It will be a sight that you will not want to miss.

Read the details carefully or better have an automotive service professional view the details. At the time of vehicle purchase, the sales person will tell you it covers everything (how soothing you think – what a relief against the anxiety of the unknown costs to repair your car after the factory warranty expires!). Then the day of doom comes – your car has 135,000 miles, it needs some work and NOTHING is covered and the salesperson has long forgotten about you with their commission in hand and the insurance company is laughing all the way to the bank…

Winter is finally here and it is very important that you keep your wiper blades up off the windshield if you know that it is going to be a real cold night or if you know there is going to be a snowstorm. The rubber blades can easily break when trying to be forced off. It also makes it a lot easier to scrape off the ice and clean the snow if the blades are not in the way. If you have to start your car, make sure the wiper blades are not frozen to the windshield. Starting your blades will put excessive pressure on them, which may cause them to break.

Save yourself the struggle and keep them up!

Happy New Year! What’s your New Year’s resolution? Mine is to get outside more and enjoy all of what New England has to offer: skiing, skating, fishing, and getting out on my bike. Although, it seems that I will not be able to ride my bike across Memorial Bridge until summer 2013!

On Monday, January 9, 2012 the Memorial Bridge will be permanently closed to pedestrian traffic. Since last July when the bridge was closed to vehicles, pedestrians have been allowed to walk or ride their bikes across. It has been a great spot for family photos and an easy commute for workers to get back and forth without all the traffic. Now what are all the commuters from Kittery to Portsmouth or Portsmouth to Kittery suppose to do? Walk around? Swim? Skate? Ski?! (Implying that we do ever get snow).

Well the answer right now is a shuttle service that takes effect also on the 9th. The shuttle capacity is for 12 passengers and 7 bicycles, so make sure you are first in line. It will run from 5am to 1am, on the hour in Kittery and on the half hour in Portsmouth. In Kittery, the location for the shuttle will be just North of Warren’s restaurant on Water Street. In Portsmouth, the location for the shuttle will be at the corner of Daniel Street and Bow Street.

Will this shuttle be a success for the next year and a half? I am thinking that two shuttles might make the most sense with pick up and drop off at each location every half hour. This would make it easier for workers to get to work or to get home on time instead of waiting around for an hour for the next shuttle. Twelve passengers just does not seem like enough capacity. We’ll see what happens though, but I think I can speak for everyone in saying; I am very much looking forward to the new bridge!

Sunday morning, you’re at the diner having breakfast. Two men at the counter are having a loud discussion about “Check Engine lights.”

“The only reason for ‘em is to make you spend money. The light in my Taurus has been on for two years. I put a piece of tape over it. Car runs fine.”

“Yeah, it’s just another case of computers trying to take over the country.”

Well, maybe, maybe not. The fact is that today’s cars and trucks are pretty smart and a Check Engine light usually means something is not working properly or has failed. Your vehicle may run and operate fine, or it may not. The problem with ignoring that light is that a simple fix could turn into a major and costly repair down the road. (A $150 ignition coil today could be a $1500 catalytic converter next month.)

Have that light checked out.

Autoworks Tech Staff

We couldn’t help ourselves when one of our customer’s kids broke out into an exercise routine right in the waiting room–we had to get the camera. Also see our Service Advisor Jeremy Maddox giving a lesson on how to use our remote control helicopter…

So next time you need a car repair and you’re wondering what to do with the kids in the meantime…Bring them! We have toys, games and even hot cocoa for your little drivers-in-the-making.

If he’s not cruising around in his muscle cars, fishing or watching drag races, you can probably find Gary gardening…even at work!

In between State Inspections and a multitude of projects around the shop, our resident Green Thumb has managed to produce a beautiful bumper crop of red and yellow cherry tomatoes, eggplants and squashes!

With a little bit of compost and abundant sunshine behind the shop, these veggies are ripe and delicious. Come by to grab a free batch, and make sure to thank Gary for tending the Autoworks Farm!