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Bob Lacivita

Lifelong auto researcher and educator who took his first engine apart at the age of 12 and has taught countless students and Family Handyman readers how to maintain and repair their vehicles.

Maintains his ASE Master Technician, MACS Section 609 Refrigerant Recycling, PA safety and emissions inspector certifications, credentials, and licenses; and participated in more than 100 hours of updated technical training through MotorAge, Snap-On, Automotive Technician Training Services and others.

Worked for one of the largest Oldsmobile retailers in the country, earning Pontiac and Oldsmobile Master Technician Elite status as one of the top 20 GM technicians in the country.

On top of serving as a Family Handyman auto repair pro for decades, working on print and digital content has been published in The Family Handyman Simple Car Care and Repair a bestselling Reader's Digest nonfiction book and Classic Bike Rider magazine.

Awarded Pennsylvania Outstanding Vocational Educator of the Year.

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    • Family Handyman
      8 articles

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    • —Family Handyman
    • What Cars Come With Standard Transmissions?
      19 Mar—Family Handyman
      When I first began driving in the 1960s, knowing how to drive a standard transmission wasn’t an option. Most trucks and muscle cars of that era used standard transmissions. Now, as an ASE and General Motors master technician, transmission specialist and vocational educator, I can count on one hand the number of standard transmissions I’ve had to repair or rebuild. Meanwhile, I’ve lost count of the thousands of automatic transmissions I’ve rebuilt, reconditioned or replaced. That bares out in...
    • Pros and Cons of Buying a Classic Car
      6 Mar—Family Handyman
      With over 50 years in the automotive repair industry, I worked on many iconic, classic “muscle cars” of the late 1960s when they were new and way before they were considered classics. I also restored two of my own personal cars. This makes me very knowledgeable about the process, expenses, and headaches you can run into when dealing with classic cars. I also know the pure joy and exhilaration of driving one. “Old” vs. “Classic” Cars: What’s the Difference An old car is just that: old. A...
    • When Exactly Do You Need To Use Your Parking Brake?
      30 Jan—Family Handyman
      In my 50 years of experience as an ASE and General Motors master technician and automotive technology instructor, I’ve found that the parking brake (aka, emergency or hand brakes) is rarely discussed, much less properly used. Some people forget to use it altogether. When four-wheel disc brakes were first widely introduced in cars around the 1980s, the mechanical parking brake mechanism was integrated into the hydraulic brake caliber as a kind of self-adjusting system. If the driver didn’t use...
    • All of the Car AC Buttons, Explained
      15 Jan—Family Handyman
      Whether you need to physically push your car AC buttons, twist a knob, or touch a screen, gone are the days when cars came with just a basic heater and defroster. Today’s vehicles have complete heating, air conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) climate control systems. These complex systems allow you, or your front and back seat passengers, to customize the temperature and airflow in whatever zone in the vehicle they are sitting. With that comes an array of AC buttons, dials and other controls...

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