Women get lesson on car care...

Keeping women in touch with their car was the subject of the day at Stang Auto Tech in Broomfield. The owner, Robert Blaes hosted a free clinic for ladies Saturday, teaching them, as well as encouraging them, to know what's going on under the hood.

The three-hour clinic was accompanied by a slide show illustrating maintenance tips from changing the oil, to cleaning the cabin air filter - a device on newer cars that filters the air coming into the interior of the auto.

Seven women attended the first clinic, and while Blaes hopes more will attend the next one, he said he was happy to point them in the right direction.

Blaes encouraged woman to pay attention to the strange noises they hear and tell their auto mechanic without feeling embarrassed. Most importantly, he said, ask questions.

After the slide show, Blaes, along with service technicians Michael Hale and Mike Mahan, asked women to bring their cars in the service bays, where they were inspected.

One car was clearly yearning for maintenance attention. When Blaes opened the hood, he found piles of autumn leaves collected in and around the engine, and the radiator was nearly empty of the necessary coolant.

Stang Auto Tech offers a free vehicle maintenance inspection with any lube and oil filter service, which would search out such issues.

Blaes advised women to choose any auto shop they prefer, but also to establish a relationship with one mechanic, or service provider, to build an honest and trusting relationship.

"Now, we can't have people hanging out in the bays for safety reasons," Blaes said, "but ask your provider if you want to see your car and he can escort you back there. You should be aware of the process."

Stang Auto Tech is at 7202 W. 116th Ave. Call (303) 404-3813 to schedule an appointment. Visit the shop online at www.stangautotech.com Stang Auto Tech, (Stang is short for Mustang), has been in Broomfield for almost 11 years, but Blaes, along with his wife Kerri, started in auto repair and maintenance 26 years ago.

Each of the three technicians operate their own bay, own their own tools, which include computers, and do their own diagnostic and repair work.

Hale said these days, a technician can't afford to specialize in just one area, such as brakes or transmission.

"We need to be able to work on the car from bumper to bumper," Hale said.

To do that, Blaes sends the technicians to classes once a month. The classes, offered by auto-parts companies such as AC Delco or Carquest, touch on the newest technology.

Brand new to Broomfield, Suzanne Buckley recently lived on a ranch east of Colorado Springs. Her new Ford F-150 pickup truck gets a lot of use on the country roads.

"My ex-husband was a mechanic so he used to work on the car," Buckley said.

Attending the clinic was a way for her to shop around for an auto tech she could trust.

"Now I'm a single mom. I want my own (auto repair) place, just like I would have my own doctor," she said.

Saturday's class ran long, becuase of the multiple questions asked by women. Because of that, Blaes said Stang Auto Tech will offer additional clinics in the months to come to address more maintenance and repair issues.

There are just too many things to talk about in a limited amount of time when it comes to cars, he said.

After her visit to the car clinic, Buckley said she was happy with what she learned and would probably come back for service.

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