15 hours. On average. Give or take two additional hours due to accident coverage or appearances.

That’s how much time I spend in my 2007 Ford Escape for my traffic reporting duties each week — driving around the city and the county covering breaking news, community events, and traffic issues.

I’ve been in this job for over 10 years and driving is second nature to me. Don’t get me wrong, by no means am I a “gear head” like my friend CTV News Anchor Jim Crichton — that man knows his cars.

However, I do know the value of finding a reliable, hard working and dedicated mechanic. Having someone who can explain to you what’s going on under the hood is crucial to the lifespan of your vehicle and your peace of mind as a driver.

I recently took our 2005 Jimmy for service at Doctor “J” Auto Clinic at 857 Howard Avenue at Elliott Street, between Erie and Wyandotte Street in Windsor and spoke with Service Manager Jose Cornejo while he was busy on the shop floor fixing a number of cars of all makes and models. We chatted about how he started in the car business.

“I grew up in the automotive industry and based on that interest came the proper education and  eventually Red Seal interprovincial certifications,” he states.

The auto clinic opened in 2010 at this location and the team specializes in custom fabrication, custom performance exhaust and general auto repair, and all vehicle repairs including: Alignments, Brakes, Tune-ups, Oil Changes, and Vehicle System Flushes including coolant and transmission.

His crew also take care of vehicle air conditioning, and professional diagnostics all in a newly renovated and spacious building. “We stand behind our work with nine service bays available for our customers — we want your business,” says the manager.

So, what makes a good mechanic? Cornejo believes it’s all about trust: “For starters someone who is honest, trustworthy, qualified, knowledgeable

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