You e driving along and suddenly your Check Engine Light comes on. What does it mean? Check Engine Light, Check Engine Soon Light, Service Engine Soon Light, Engine Light, Engine Management Light, whatever you want to call it, simply means that your vehiclecomputer system has detected a problem.

There is lots of advice on where to service one's vehicle. Many argue that local shops are best, and that you only need to go to the dealer for warranty work and recalls. Others state that dealers are the real experts even though they're expensive. These arguments are interesting, but do little to clarify the myths and facts of dealership service versus local shop service.

The long arm of car repair insurance doesn't stop at extended warranties or tire road hazard insurance. Marketing gurus have found all sorts of knick knacks to insure. Among the top are ding and dent protection plans. Ding and dent insurance is growing steadily, and addresses those unsightly shopping cart and parking lot dings.