Karen Ellis, Director, Taylor P.L., TX
Library Journal

"The Grays, instructors and mechanics, revise the 2003 edition, covering more topics and including more illustrations and resources. While geared as a textbook, there is much more to this volume. Learn all about your car's systems and why things work—or don't work. Learn how to be a better car owner. Learn when to fix it yourself and when to take your car to a shop. Great diagrams and sections on how to buy a car and how to clean it make useful additions. Also included is a timely chapter on alternative fuels and auto designs. A very good automobile primer, despite the classroom slant; recommended for most libraries."

From LibraryJournal.com
Library Journal Issue 14: September 1, 2007

The prestigious Library Journal, founded in 1876, has 132 years of publishing experience. It easily holds the title for the oldest, most comprehensive, and most distinguished journal covering the library field. Library Journal is known as the 'bible' of the library world, being read by over 100,000 supportive members of academic, public, and specialized libraries.

St. Cloud State University - Outlook Magazine

Instructor, Mechanic, Author

"Michael E. Gray, New Windsor, Md., and his wife, Linda E. Gray, report that their primer, Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care, Maintenance and Repair, was reviewed by the Library Journal shortly after the second edition was released last fall. The Grays, instructors and mechanics, developed the book to help average car owners take preventative measures and make economical decisions about their automobiles. It is used by more than 250 universities, technology centers, community colleges and high schools and has been selected by more than 330 library systems."

From St. Cloud State University - Outlook Magazine.com
St. Cloud State University - Outlook Magazine: Spring 2008, Page 28

Illinois State University - Alumni Magazine

Under the Hood

"Cars have always fascinated Mike Gray, M.S. '02, who still remembers diagnosing and fixing automobiles at his family's service station while just a kid. With varied career experiences that ranged from the towing industry to the classroom, Gray had plenty of opportunity to help others learn about cars. He found the need for knowledge so great that he coauthored the book Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care, Maintenance, and Repair. Written as a primer on everything from how a car works to finding a repair facility and handling emergencies, the book is designed to make every driver a better car owner."

From Illinois State University - Alumni Magazine.com
Illinois State University
Alumni Magazine: Summer 2008
Page 37, Volume 9, Number 1

University of Redlands - OchTamale Magazine

Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care, Maintenance, and Repair - 2nd Edition

"This revised edition of Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care, Maintenance, and Repair, authored by Linda Mefford Gray '95 and Michael Gray, is a useful tool for learning the necessities of car ownership and maintenance.
Though written as a textbook, the guide offers essential information needed for car owners in their day-to-day lives as drivers. With chapters covering such topics as buying an automobile, auto care and cleaning, basic tools, and common problems and roadside emergencies, everyone from teachers to the everday car owner will find the book useful.
In addition, the website, www.AutoUpkeep.com, offers free activities for teachers and students to use alongside the book to help teach each chapter's main point."

From University of Redlands - OchTamale Magazine.com
University of Redlands - OchTamale Magazine: Spring 2008, Page 36, Volume 84, Number 2

"We are a Home Educating family (12th year) and have 2 teenagers and 2 more coming up. After reviewing this book online, we ordered a copy, along with 2 workbooks as our son had requested "Auto Shop" as an elective this year. It is our primary text for the first semester, covering everything from purchasing your car to maintenance/repairs and basic auto care. Our son is getting more out of it than we could hope for and wants to know when there will be a sequel on 'customizing' your car! =) We decided to make it a required course/text for all teens in our fam who are looking to purchase/own their own car. We highly recommend it!!! Oh, and the CD that comes with the kit puts the 'icing on the cake', including all the administrative extras you, as instructor, will need.+++ "

"Auto Upkeep is one of the greatest textbooks I have seen."

"I am currently teaching "Automotive Ownership" to high school students and I am using this book as a reference. It is a great book to give students the basic information about owning a vehicle. Many of my students do not know how a car works or how to treat their car, by the end of class they are prepared to own a automobile.

Great book and I suggest it to other teachers with a similar class."

Craig Christensen
St. Ansgar HS
St. Ansgar, IA

John Sweet, Automotive Department Chair
Victor Valley College, Victorville, CA

"I'm going to recommend that we use your book in at least 3 of our intro classes. My experience is that it is almost impossible to find a good textbook for intro classes, they either have too little or too much information in them. I feel yours is just right!!!!!"

Michael Farren, Technology Education Instructor
Valley Forge H.S., Parma Heights, OH

"The book Auto Upkeep is the single greatest textbook for the classroom teacher with an auto care class offering. The chapters are short, but complete, with many illustrations. This text is obviously geared toward the visual learner. The chapters do not intimidate students with reading difficulties. ... Since I started using this book as my classroom text, my students seem to love reading the chapters and enjoy discussing them. The lab activities are phenomenal, they all can be done in a single period with limited tools. They are very easy to understand and complete. Since I began using this text three years ago, my job has become more enjoyable. Thanks Mike, the new release is awesome, and I look forward to incorporating it into the curriculum as soon as it is published."

Adam Burlett, Automotive Instructor
Turner USD 202, Kansas City, KS

"This book provides the information needed to own, drive, and maintain a vehicle. For people who don't consider themselves very technical, it is perfect. It is simple and easy to read, but covers a lot of important material."

J. Bruce Osburn, Assoc. Prof. Auto. Technology
Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA

John Stokes, Automotive Instructor
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

"This text is a considerable improvement from the first edition. It is well thought out, suitably illustrated, filled with appropriate web links, and has just the right amount of information for a beginning or 'Consumer Auto' type class. I am looking forward to using it upon publication."

Jim Sainsbury, Automotive Instructor
Madison Memorial H.S., Madison, WI

"This is an easy to read book that covers the basics for students just interested in their own cars, but has enough information that it can serve as introduction to other auto technology courses offered at our school."

Tim Isaac, Automotive Instructor
Foothills Composite H.S., Okotoks, Alberta, Canada

"This textbook will be great for students entering the field of automotive repair as well as for students who would like general knowledge."

Eric Zebe, Automotive Instructor
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

"This latest edition is an expansion on the original version which covered many automotive topics in an easy to understand format. Now with even more subjects, illustrations, and resources, this book is a great place to start when studying automotive technology or just owning a car."

Rick Andruchuk, CTS Teacher
James Fowler H.S., Calgary, Alberta, Canada

"Wow, this is just what I needed for my intro class - good foundation for those who want to move on and great reference book for others who want to learn a little for the future car of their dreams."

Ray Quon, Dept. Chair and Coord. of Auto. Tech.
San Diego Miramar College, San Diego, CA

"It is a book that can help a student learn the bare basics of the automotive industry. This will teach a student how far he or she can go in repairs of their vehicles. Also this allows the student some knowledge if he or she has the vehicle repaired at a automotive repair/service shop."

Melvin Higgs, Automotive Instructor
J.M. Tawes Tech. & Career Center, Westover, MD

"I have been using the first edition for two years and find it a great fit for my General Auto Care class. The addition of more graphics and illustrations as well as the new chapters will vastly improve this text as a resource for my students. I'm looking forward to receiving the new publication."

David Farrell, Technology Education Instructor
Carmel H.S., Carmel, NY

"I thought the text was easy to read and very useful to my transportation systems course."

A highly recommended primer and self-teaching tool, MidWest Book Review

Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care by automotive expert Michael E. Gray is a practical and straightforward guide for anyone who owns a car or is considering buying one. The no-nonsense basics for beginners concerns everything from insurance payments, to fluid level checks, to simple facts about the fuel, cooling, ignition, steering, braking systems, and much, much more ... Auto Upkeep (is) an excellent and very highly recommended primer and self-teaching tool which is enhanced with accompanying CD-ROM containing activities, website links, and study questions.

Al Starrine, Assistant Professor, Automotive Service Technology, Northern Michigan University

The book is well written and is in a n easy to understand format. This is one book that explains important areas of car care in a way that won't overwhelm an average individual. Anyone could benefit from owning this book and it could be a second owner's manual for many.

The tech tips are quick and useful as a reference. The accompanying photos and illustrations are very well detailed, making the information easy to understand. The CD that accompanies the book is also valuable. The activities section and the study questions are well organized.  I have reviewed other books, but this one is by far, I feel, the easiest for the basic consumer to comprehend. This book is also reasonably priced.

Dave Cox, Mechanical Technology Instructor, Silverton High School

This text fits our program perfectly. Thank you for such a great text and I am looking forward to using this text in my upcoming classes.

Jeff Dvorak, Paxton/Patterson - Learning systems and supplies for vocational education, Chicago, Illinois

The book portrays a very realistic approach to owning, maintaining and basic repair of your automobile.

Finally, a book about cars that people can understand, A Customer

What a novice idea! Someone finally wrote a book that I can use in a beginning automotive class! I've taught for 30 years+ and have never seen an automotive book that doesn't intimidate students. They actually like this one and enjoy reading about cars. In my classes I usually have 20% girls. At the beginning of the year I always say things to set their minds at ease. After handing out these books, and letting the class look through them, I could see the tension and fear vanish not only from the girls, but from the guys also. I would highly recommend this book for students of automotive classes and for the novice out there!

Great information in an easy to follow format, A Customer

What a great book for those of us who are not mechanically inclined. It has tips and information on everything from purchasing a vehicle to how often to service the various components ~ from oil to tires to coolants. It also has great 'tech tips' on the various items and even gives basic estimates in the price guide portion of different items. A must for any new driver.

Ready to use information on auto care, A Customer

Auto Upkeep is an excellent, ready-to-use resource. This book contains information on every aspect of your automobile. I found that it is useful whether you read it from beginning to end or as a quick look-up reference on a specific topic. I have already referenced Auto Upkeep several times, and have used the information about insurance and tires for recent purchases. I would definitely recommend adding Auto Upkeep to your home library if you have not already done so.

Excellent book that covers all the basics, A Customer

This is an excellent book that covers all the basics. From buying a car to how the engine runs, everything is here. Beyond just telling you what kind of battery to buy, or what kind of oil you need, the author explains how the engine runs so that you can build your own car know-how. In addition to the "how & why" information that is presented, the author provides "tech tips" that give the reader the insight of an obviously experienced mechanic and share the author's "learned by experience" ideas. The book also comes with a CD containing projects and learning worksheets, and provides websites for interactive learning opportunities beyond what is on the written page. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the basics about their car, and the experienced car owner will no doubt benefit from the "tech tips" and the extras included in the book.

A great tool for auto owners, A Customer

I recently finished my copy of Auto Upkeep, and I was impressed with the easily understood language Mr. Gray used to explain the different components of an automobile. In this day and age, when so many people's knowledge of their car is limited to filling up the gas tank, this book is an invaluable tool. I would recommend it to all drivers with limited knowledge of how their car actually works. The information in this book will help readers understand the reasons for basic car care, and will help readers understand the mechanic at the unavoidable yet dreaded trips to the shop. This book will help car owners save money through proper care of their vehicle, and may help avoid "disaster" through preventative maintenance.

The author has also detailed the steps of auto shopping and financing, which will be very useful for the young car buyer contemplating a major purchase.

I was especially impressed with the author's frank commentary on the sustainability of fossil fuel powered vehicles in this country, and his information on more energy-efficient vehicles.

A great "common sense" book for the average vehicle owner, A Customer

This book has a wealth of information on everything from buying a vehicle, to proper cleaning and care, to fluid levels, and trouble guides. It gives a person that little bit of knowledge they need to be a responsible vehicle owner. I purchased this book for my soon-to-be 16 year old son and my daughter's boyfriend for gifts.

A must-read for auto owners, A Customer

I was impressed with the content of Auto Upkeep, and I wish I could have read it 15 years ago when I started driving. The money I could have saved... For most people in this country, their car is an essential part of their daily lives. Unfortunately, like myself when I began driving, the majority of people don't know the basics of car care and maintenance. This can lead to some hard, expensive lessons. Auto Upkeep is a useful tool for people to learn the components of their car, and to learn what they must do to keep their car working for them. It covers everything from the purchasing process to the exhaust system, and everything in between. I think this book is a wise choice for people new to driving, and for people who want to learn the proper ways to care for their car.

Finally a book about cars I can understand, A Customer

Caught between needing to know how to change my own oil and paying through the nose for a mechanic to do it, I hadn't found a book that gives me the information I needed in a language I could understand--until this one. Finally a book about cars I can understand! This book covers the basic things you need to know, from handling your own maintenance to knowing what is going on at the shop when your car goes in for service. There are tips about buying and servicing your car, with the basic principles to understand how the car works and why you should know how to do the basic upkeep. But more than that, the author gives you extra tips and the insight of a car expert. For anyone who owns a car, this book is a must-read!