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Welcome to the OnDemand5.com/ShopKey5.com newsletter.
This newsletter is provided to share information about our users, their shops, automotive industry news, things going on at Mitchell 1 as well as tips for using the OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com products. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, or ideas for what you'd like to see in it, please .
In this issue:
Missed a previous edition or want to read an article again? Just go to the Newsletter Archive page for a list of links to past headlines.
ProDemand™ and ShopKey®Pro Now Available
FASTER, EASIER, SMARTER
ProDemand and ShopKey Pro are now available to all OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com subscribers at no additional charge. For more information and to request ProDemand™ or ShopKey®Pro to be added to your account, click the link below:
Click here to request your free upgrade to ProDemand or ShopKey Pro.
- FASTER - eliminating the need for multiple information look-ups. By returning relevant content in one look-up, ProDemand and ShopKey Pro quickly give the technicians everything they need to complete the job.
- EASIER - allowing the technician to effortlessly navigate from procedures to TSBs to specifications to wiring diagrams and more. ProDemand and ShopKey Pro bring the information to the technicians so they can focus on the vehicle.
- SMARTER - intelligently cross referencing components, phrases, and codes in the database. Technicians don't have to know the OEM specific term because ProDemand and ShopKey Pro will find the information regardless of term entered.
Want to know more before you sign up?
Join us at one of our training workshops where we show you how the new product works. Workshops are held twice per day, every weekday at 12pm Eastern/9am Pacific and 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific. You only need to attend one 45 minute session. Click the appropriate link below to visit our training site and to sign up for a workshop.
Now Includes Improved Estimator/Quotes module, VIN Decoder and SureTrack Preview
Click here to request access to ProDemand or ShopKey Pro.
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New Mitchell 1 Shop Connection Blog
Mitchell 1 has a new blog site dedicated to providing the latest updates on our products as well as interesting and informative industry news and stories. Much the same content as you're used to getting here in the OnDemand5/ShopKey5 newsletter but expanded to cover more products.
Contents include:
- Product Highlights
- SureTrack Real Fixes
- Product Update Information
- Product Tips & Tricks
- Quick Product How-To Videos
- Industry News and Insights
- Automotive Repair Articles from Motor Age and Other Sources
- And Much More
Click here to visit the Mitchell 1 Shop Connection blog now.
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Internet Explorer 9 or 10 Compatibility
Before installing or upgrading to Internet Explorer 9 or 10, please read our page of information detailing what to do and issues that may occur with this update. Some users will get IE9 automatically from Microsoft.
Click here for more information.
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Labor Times the Mitchell 1 Way
If you're an automotive professional, you've probably either written an estimate or referred to an estimate a time or two. Well, hundreds of times, actually. Did you ever wonder about what goes into creating those labor times?
Mitchell 1 has been creating automotive labor time information since 1946, almost 70 years. Back then, Mitchell was a start-up company founded by Glen Mitchell, and labor times were the bread and butter of the information offered. As a point of interest, our history really began even earlier than that. The very first Mitchell 1 Manual traces all the way back to 1918, with Reed Electric publishing the first specifications and diagram manual - almost 100 years ago!
It goes without saying that accurate labor times are a must for creating accurate estimates. Automotive information providers take different approaches to how they calculate labor times. Mitchell 1's commitment to creating the most accurate estimating labor times possible begins with the experience of our team of in-house labor editors - many of whom are ASE-certified, including some ASE Quad Master Technicians - with a minimum of eight years of automotive repair experience (most have much more).
Mitchell 1 creates labor times that reflect how long it should take an average technician, with average experience, equipment, and motivation to complete a repair on an average vehicle, in an average shop, in average conditions. We develop our labor times by following a long established methodology, using proven procedures based on field research, time studies, information supplied by vehicle manufacturers, as well as feedback from automotive professionals from all over the country. When a customer tells us that they cannot do a repair job within the designated time, we always review the time and procedures, and make necessary adjustments with the customer's input.
In Spring 2013, Mitchell 1 expanded our labor estimating portfolio with the launch of the TruckLabor product, including information for medium and heavy trucks, covering Classes 4 to 8.
Source: ProDemand Blog
How To Read Block Wiring Diagrams - The Trainer Video Series
Motor Age -- As we've shared with you over the years, there are three areas you need (at a minimum) to be assured of success when tackling an electrical diagnosis. The first is a solid understanding of electrical fundamentals. You need to be comfortable in your knowledge of what voltage, resistance and current are and the relationship between them. We covered those as the main topic of a Trainer video we posted back in May of this year. Second "must have" is competence in a variety of electrical testing techniques, starting with the understanding of what your digital multimeter (DMM) can and can't do. You should know how to perform a static resistance test, static voltage test, dynamic current tests, and absolutely be confident in your ability to perform and understand a voltage drop test. We've covered these topics and more in videos and archived webinars that you'll find in the AutoPro Workshop and on our YouTube channel. Third on the list is the ability to read and understand a wiring schematic and/or wiring diagram. These are more than just the electrical road map that tells you what components are a part of the circuit you are troubleshooting. They are also instrumental in helping you understand how the circuit works and vital to organizing your diagnostic strategy. In this edition of the Trainer, we'll focus on the third. We'll show you how to identify the circuit elements (source, load, control(s), circuit protection and path) and, based on that information, how to decide on what type of tests you'll need to perform. Then we'll walk you through a simple circuit diagnosis and show you how to put all this "theory" to use! Source: Motor Age
Did you know...
 When you post a tip or question in the OnDemand5/ShopKey5 Live Tips system, there is a spell checker available. It is the right-most button on the tool bar above the text box. Just click the button before you click the post button.
Click here for more hints on using OnDemand5 and ShopKey5.
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SureTrack Real Fixes
Mitchell 1's long running a tip contest ended on July 31, 2013. We will be focusing on the new SureTrack system available in the new ProDemand and ShopKey Pro programs and will probably have a contest there in the future. We would like to express our gratitude to all have participated in the tip contest in the past. If you have not tried the new products and SureTrack, click here request your upgrade.
- Click here for the archive of OnDemand5/ShopKey5 tip contest winners.
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Want to discuss subjects on running your shop?
Join the free Mitchell 1 product users forum today. Click here to check it out.
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Click here for information on training resources available for OnDemand and ShopKey repair users.
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