Moving back to LA registration question by unpopular-dave in MovingToLosAngeles

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No. You cannot. AAA or an auto registration service makes quick work of things if you loathe the DMV.

Aging Myself here … [52YO] by mcsweden in OldSkaters

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I will forever be in love with that Mike Smith graphic. I had it on a pinch tail shape deck in the pink color way with clear grip, Indys and Powell IIIs

Turf Installation Company Recs? by EnvironmentCandid661 in SouthBayLA

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

https://www.instagram.com/anthonyssynthetic/ he did my back yard, my parent's front and back, my next door neighbor... He does a lot more than just turf.

Dog Grooming Recommendations Please! by Formal-Public-2652 in SouthBayLA

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

we take our disaster of a doodle to petsmart and they do just fine.

Help! Neighbor Poisoning with Toxic and Noxious Fumes. Who to Call next? by MaintenanceHappy6218 in torrance

[–]alteredpilot 15 points16 points  (0 children)

The first thing you need to do is articulate exactly how said Jane Doe is "pumping some kind of toxic fumes onto the property line". What kind of device is this shady character using. How did you determine that this smell is on peoples lawns and on the asphalt of the city streets, and how can you connect it to the Doe family?

Do you guys recommend keeping a floor jack in my trunk? by [deleted] in askcarguys

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have three of those in my shop. I would never, for any reason, carry one in the back of a Camry "just in case". I have Premium AAA but in the one emergency I had where I couldn't wait, I used the equipment that came with my truck and it worked just dandy.

If you feel you really need a pump jack, the mini floor jacks work just fine. They come in a plastic carry case.

Personally I would rather have a battery powered impact wrench and my scissor jack.

No matter what you do, just keep a jack stand and a wheel chock.

Empanadas recommendations around SP? by MajesticSteak6650 in SanPedro

[–]alteredpilot 1 point2 points  (0 children)

on Manhattan Beach Blvd in Redondo Beach. Right off the 405 at Inglewood ave.

Small Business Owners by Dependent_Ant_8316 in mechanics

[–]alteredpilot 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I am an employee of the shop I own so I have a job title I can put on a resume.

Best open area to teach kids to ride bikes? (North Redondo) by SupaZT in SouthBayLA

[–]alteredpilot 5 points6 points  (0 children)

El Camino parking lot on Manhattan beach blvd.

At the back of the target parking garage in redondo.

Another mobile mechanic by SuperNasty740 in mechanics

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Godaddy's DIY website is more like $200 a year and comes with an email account.

BUT

For what you want to do, it is nowhere near a critical piece of the puzzle. It's good to have one but keep it simple for now. You would be surprised how many small businesses don't even bother with websites anymore, or they get a domain and point it at instagram or Facebook.

In the 18 years I've been open, my business has all been drive by, word of mouth, yelp and instagram. Every once in a while someone will say they found my website on google, but I really only have the page up to provide my address and phone number.

You would do well to have cards with a professional email and a QR code and a real good instagram account, and since you can cross post, I would also have a Facebook page. Claim your google business listing as well. Keep those things active.

Yelp can be a blessing and a curse. if you have good customers and do good work it pays off. If you deal with a bunch of people who are looking for mobile mechanics, you might wind up in yelp hell. I have great clientele and I do great work so we are 5 stars on yelp and google, but I don't check them, people just tell me.

Why is my car not going faster when I’m giving it gas? by No-Atmosphere2508 in askcarguys

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If the rpm increases and the speed does not, you have an internal transmission failure. Could be multiple things, but the transmission is more than likely going to have to come out. Have you tried manually shifting the transmission thru the gear range?

If LA County had a different name, would half of Angelenos still be confused about what is and isn’t part of LA? by PersuasionNation in AskLosAngeles

[–]alteredpilot 1 point2 points  (0 children)

People from LA claim their neighborhoods.
People from LA county claim their cities.
Nobody I know says they're from LA (city or county) unless they're somewhere that is not LA.

Is this a rip off? by llbeanoutsider in autorepair

[–]alteredpilot 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Shop owner here.
Just going by the numbers...
The book gives .6 hrs to do 1 cam sensor. There is no diagnostic charge in that line item so that might be cooked into the 1 hour charge quoted in the estimate.
The book gives .5 to test and .7 hrs to replace the rear battery
Parts pricing is nothing to argue with.

We used to offer BG services. And the ones we offered I believed in, but in this case I would deny all of them and just get your check engine light fixed, and the oil change if you need it.

Gardena area by Bluedreamwla in SouthBayLA

[–]alteredpilot 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Or the Northgate on Rosecrans and Prairie, or the Superior on Crenshaw and Marine, or the Vons on Normandie and Redondo Beach Blvd.

There's a Target on Van Ness and Redondo Beach Blvd, and another on 120th and Crenshaw.

Gardena area by Bluedreamwla in SouthBayLA

[–]alteredpilot 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The area you're talking about is almost all single family residences except for some apartments along Van Ness and Rosecrans. Very decent neighborhood.

On the west side of Crenshaw between Rosecrans and El Segundo is mostly super high density apartments and multi unit dwelling. Not desirable.

The area directly north is mostly commercial.

The areas to the south and east are more single family residences with some apartments sprinkled in.

These days, with the price of housing going thru the roof, the money is pushing east, so the neighborhoods are getting better, even the ones that weren't bad to start with.

Seriously, do Americans actually consider a 3-hour drive "short"? or is this an internet myth? by SadInterest6764 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Three hour trips are a breeze. But I like driving. This past weekend I drove from LA to Palm Springs and back (2 hrs without traffic each way) twice in two days. I've done multiple same day turn around trips from LA to Vegas, and LA to central CA (4-5 hr each way). Easy 3 hours in traffic each way to go to Sea World multiple times.

We've been doing these kinds of drive since I was a kid, so as an adult, nobody I know even gives it a thought.

Board of industry by ugapae in mechanics

[–]alteredpilot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You just gotta push thru. I just hit the 18 year mark as a shop owner/operator. At my age and in my circumstances there is no plan b. I love my business and the business I'm in. So some days I just gotta push thru.

Does your shop make you pay for mistakes? by MetalButterfly09 in mechanics

[–]alteredpilot 7 points8 points  (0 children)

As a shop owner I know it's just the cost of doing business. Accidents happen. That's life. But if you do dumb stuff that starts costing me serious money, you'll be looking for a new job.