Natalie Josef
Natalie Josef is an automotive expert at RepairPal, the leading online source of auto repair resources and estimates. With many ASE Master certified mechanics on staff who have decades of experience, RepairPal knows all the fine points of car repair.
Posts by Natalie Josef
It was the summer of 1982. REO Speedwagon’s “Keep on Loving You” dominated the charts and Raiders of the Lost Ark played on movie screens across the country.
It was the summer of 1982. REO Speedwagon’s “Keep on Loving You” dominated the charts and Raiders of the Lost Ark played on movie screens across the country.
Back in 2002, I left California with my bandmate to head out to Nashville to pursue a music career. Driving a U-Haul and towing a car with our four cats, we set out one afternoon full of excitement and anticipation.
Back in 2002, I left California with my bandmate to head out to Nashville to pursue a music career. Driving a U-Haul and towing a car with our four cats, we set out one afternoon full of excitement and anticipation.
Buying a new car is stressful—Can you afford it? Is it the right car to buy? Are you getting the best price you can? Should you go for the upgrades? How much will maintenance be? It stresses me out to even buy a plane ticket, so the thought of purchasing a new car makes my stomach hurt. Back in the late 1990s, my best friend bought a new Honda Civic.
Buying a new car is stressful—Can you afford it? Is it the right car to buy? Are you getting the best price you can? Should you go for the upgrades? How much will maintenance be? It stresses me out to even buy a plane ticket, so the thought of purchasing a new car makes my stomach hurt. Back in the late 1990s, my best friend bought a new Honda Civic.
My late grandpa, whom I loved dearly, had lots of wonderful qualities—humor, intelligence, forethought, compassion—but being a good driver was not one of them. I remember riding in his car, white-knuckled, shooting worrying glances at my mother as we narrowly avoided perilous accidents and helpless pedestrians.
My late grandpa, whom I loved dearly, had lots of wonderful qualities—humor, intelligence, forethought, compassion—but being a good driver was not one of them. I remember riding in his car, white-knuckled, shooting worrying glances at my mother as we narrowly avoided perilous accidents and helpless pedestrians.
Though the times they are a changin’, in many ways, this is still very much a man’s world. Trust me, I know.
Though the times they are a changin’, in many ways, this is still very much a man’s world. Trust me, I know.
Automatically, without a doubt, the first thing I do when I get in a car is put on my seat belt. I am sure most of us do.
Automatically, without a doubt, the first thing I do when I get in a car is put on my seat belt. I am sure most of us do.
According to AAA, 94 percent of Thanksgiving travelers are choosing the roads over the skies this year. While gasoline prices are still rather high, it’s still cheaper to drive once you factor in those extra baggage fees, taxes, and tacked-on costs that come with air travel.
According to AAA, 94 percent of Thanksgiving travelers are choosing the roads over the skies this year. While gasoline prices are still rather high, it’s still cheaper to drive once you factor in those extra baggage fees, taxes, and tacked-on costs that come with air travel.
Next month, the nation’s first mass-market electric cars will go on sale and while utility companies are happy for the revenue this will bring, they are also concerned about the impact it will have on the demand for electricity. When plugged into a standard 120-volt socket, an electric car can draw as much power as a small house.
Next month, the nation’s first mass-market electric cars will go on sale and while utility companies are happy for the revenue this will bring, they are also concerned about the impact it will have on the demand for electricity. When plugged into a standard 120-volt socket, an electric car can draw as much power as a small house.
A picture is worth a 1000 words, right? That could not be more true when it comes to auto repair. Everyone has heard of an alternator, but where is it exactly? How does coolant really flow through an engine? While we do our best to provide you with content that is clear and concise, sometimes words aren’t enough.
A picture is worth a 1000 words, right? That could not be more true when it comes to auto repair. Everyone has heard of an alternator, but where is it exactly? How does coolant really flow through an engine? While we do our best to provide you with content that is clear and concise, sometimes words aren’t enough.
Walking onto a dealer lot to purchase a new car is daunting. All of us worry about whether or not we will get a good deal and if we are being treated fairly.
Walking onto a dealer lot to purchase a new car is daunting. All of us worry about whether or not we will get a good deal and if we are being treated fairly.
Of the many things I don’t understand about this world, one of the most perplexing to me is the Hummer. Since it was originally designed for military use, I don’t understand how exactly it made the transition to family vehicle and grocery runner.
Of the many things I don’t understand about this world, one of the most perplexing to me is the Hummer. Since it was originally designed for military use, I don’t understand how exactly it made the transition to family vehicle and grocery runner.
Leave it to Oprah … Volkswagen hasn’t even released an official picture of the 2012 Beetle, but already the media giant has given 275 of them away. On November 22, 2010, Oprah, a noted Beetle fan, surprised the members of her studio audience by giving them each a 2012 Beetle.
Leave it to Oprah … Volkswagen hasn’t even released an official picture of the 2012 Beetle, but already the media giant has given 275 of them away. On November 22, 2010, Oprah, a noted Beetle fan, surprised the members of her studio audience by giving them each a 2012 Beetle.
Last month, my partner went home to visit her father in Denver. When she came back, she had wonderful photos she had taken of her father’s workshop where he restores classic cars.
Last month, my partner went home to visit her father in Denver. When she came back, she had wonderful photos she had taken of her father’s workshop where he restores classic cars.
Even after all of the discounts for being a good driver, having home owner’s insurance, and being a long-time customer, Americans still pay an average of $1,000 a year for auto insurance and rates have been climbing even faster than inflation in the past few years. So, how do we keep up? What discounts are on the horizon? Apparently, the next big step in reducing the cost of auto insurance will be the installation of new driving monitoring systems, such as in-car video cameras.
Even after all of the discounts for being a good driver, having home owner’s insurance, and being a long-time customer, Americans still pay an average of $1,000 a year for auto insurance and rates have been climbing even faster than inflation in the past few years. So, how do we keep up? What discounts are on the horizon? Apparently, the next big step in reducing the cost of auto insurance will be the installation of new driving monitoring systems, such as in-car video cameras.
According to the National Association of Attorneys General, complaints about auto repairs consistently rank among the top ten grievances filed by consumers. In 2008, auto repair complaints ranked #6 on the list.
According to the National Association of Attorneys General, complaints about auto repairs consistently rank among the top ten grievances filed by consumers. In 2008, auto repair complaints ranked #6 on the list.