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WHAT
DOES AN AUTO MECHANIC DO?
An auto mechanic
(or motor mechanic in Australian English) is a mechanic who specialises
in automobile maintenance, repair, and sometimes modification. An
automobile repair shop (also known as a garage) is a place where
automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics. A mechanic may be knowledgeable
in working on all parts of a variety of car makes or may specialize
either in a specific area or in a specific make of car. In repairing
cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and
quickly. They often have to quote prices for their customers before
commencing work or after partial disassembly for inspection. The
mechanic uses both electronic means of gathering data as well as
their hands, ears, eyes and nose. Their job may involve the repair
of a specific part or the replacement of one or more parts as assemblies.Basic
vehicle maintenance is a fundamental part of a mechanic's work in
some countries, while in others they are only consulted when a vehicle
is already showing signs of malfunction. Preventative maintenance
is also a fundamental part of a mechanic's job, but this is not
possible in the case of vehicles that are not regularly maintained
by a mechanic. One misunderstood aspect of preventative maintenance
is scheduled replacement of various parts, which occurs before failure
to avoid far more expensive damage. Because this means that parts
are replaced before any problem is observed, many vehicle owners
will not understand why the expense is necessary.With the rapid
advancement in technology, the mechanic's job has evolved from mechanical
to electronic technology. Because vehicles today posses complex
computer and electronic systems, mechanics need to have a broader
base of knowledge than in the past. Lately, the term "auto mechanic"
is being used less and less frequently and is being replaced by
the euphemistic title “automotive service technician”.
Fading quickly is the day of the 'shade tree mechanic', who needed
little knowledge of today's computerized systems. Due to the increasingly
labyrinthine nature of the technology that is now incorporated into
automobiles, most automobile dealerships now provide sophisticated
diagnostic computers to each technician, without which they would
be unable to diagnose or repair a multitude of common failures.
Education
In the United States, several programs and schools that offer training
for those interested in pursuing competencies as an automotive mechanic
or as an auto technician already exist. A few of the aspects usually
taught those studying for this career are: powertrain repair and
diagnosis, emissions, and suspension. Most mechanics are ASE certified,
which is a standardized method of testing skill level. The National
Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) is responsible
for evaluating technician training programs against standards developed
by the automotive industry and recommend qualifying programs for
certification. NATEF certifies programs in four different categories:
automotive, auto body, trucks (diesel technology) and alternative
fuels. Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) is a non-profit
partnership of automotive manufacturers, dealers, and high schools/tech
prep schools that aims to encourage young people to consider careers
in retail automotive service, and prepare them for entry-level career
positions or advanced studies in automotive technology. The technology
used in automobiles changes very rapidly and the mechanic must be
prepared to learn these new technologies and systems. The auto mechanic
has a physically demanding job, often exposed to temperature extremes
and well as lifting heavy objects and staying in uncomfortable positions
for extended periods as well as exposure to gasoline, solvents and
other toxic chemicals.
WHAT
IS AN AUTOMOBILE BREAKDOWN?
A vehicle breakdown
is the mechanical failure of a motor vehicle in such a way that
the underlying problem prevents the vehicle from being operated
at all, or impedes the vehicle's operation so much, that it is very
difficult, nearly impossible, or else dangerous to operate. Vehicle
breakdowns can occur for a large number of reasons. Depending on
the nature of the problem, the vehicle may or may not need to be
towed to an automobile repair shop.
Total breakdown
A total breakdown is when the vehicle becomes totally immobile and
cannot be driven even a short distance to reach a repair shop, thereby
necessitating a tow. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including
complete engine failure, or a dead starter or battery, though a
dead battery may be able to be temporarily resolved with a jump
start. When a total breakdown occurs, the motorist may be able to
have the service paid for by a roadside assistance plan. This may
be available through an organization like AAA, the vehicle's manufacturer,
the vehicle insurance policy, or in some cases, another service
the driver subscribes to, such as a mobile phone carrier.
Partial breakdown
In a partial breakdown, the vehicle may still be operable, but its
operation may become more limited or more dangerous, or else its
continued operation may contribute to further damage to the vehicle.
Often, when this occurs, it may be possible to drive the vehicle
to a garage, thereby avoiding a tow. Some common causes of a partial
breakdown include overheating, brake failure, or frequent stalling.
With other problems, the driver may be able to operate the vehicle
seemingly normally for some time, but the vehicle will need an eventual
repair. These include grinding brakes, rough idle (often caused
by the need for a tune-up), or poor shock absorption. Many vehicle
owners with personal economic difficulty or a busy schedule may
wait longer than they should to get necessary repairs made to their
vehicles, thereby increasing damage or else causing more danger.
WHAT IS A HYBRID VEHICLE?
A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a vehicle that uses two or more
distinct power sources to propel the vehicle.[1] Common power sources
include: * On-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and
a fueled power source (internal combustion engine or fuel cell)
* Air and internal combustion engines * Human powered bicycle with
electric motor or gas engine assist * Human-powered or sail boat
with electric power The term most commonly refers to Hybrid-electric
vehicle (HEV) which include internal combustion engines and electric
motors.
Environmental issues
The hybrid vehicle typically achieves greater fuel economy and lower
emissions than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles
(ICEVs), resulting in fewer emissions being generated. These savings
are primarily achieved by four elements of a typical hybrid design:
1. recapturing energy normally wasted during braking etc.; 2. having
significant battery storage capacity to store and reuse recaptured
energy; 3. shutting down the gasoline or diesel engine during traffic
stops or while coasting or other idle periods; 4. relying on both
the gasoline (or diesel engine) and the electric motors for peak
power needs resulting in a smaller gasoline or diesel engine sized
more for average usage rather than peak power usage. These features
make a hybrid vehicle particularly efficient for city traffic where
there are frequent stops, coasting and idling periods. In addition
noise emissions are reduced, particularly at idling and low operating
speeds,[2] in comparison to conventional gasoline or diesel powered
engine vehicles. For continuous high speed highway use these features
are much less useful in reducing emissions.
Hybrid types by engines
Hybrid-electric petroleum vehicles
When the term hybrid vehicle is used, it most often refers to a
Hybrid electric vehicle. These encompass such vehicles as the AHS2
(Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Saturn Vue), Toyota Prius, Toyota
Camry Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Honda
Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid and others. A petroleum-electric hybrid
most commonly uses internal combustion engines (generally gasoline
or Diesel engines, powered by a variety of fuels) and electric batteries
to power electric motors. There are many types of petroleum-electric
hybrid drivetrains, from Full hybrid to Mild hybrid, which offer
varying advantages and disadvantages.
Continuously Recharged Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Given suitable infrastructure, permissions and vehicles BEVs
can be recharged while the user drives. The BEV establishes contact
with an electrified rail, plate or overhead wires on the highway
via an attached conducting wheel or other similar mechanism (see
Conduit current collection). The BEV's batteries are recharged by
this process - on the highway - and can then be used normally on
other roads until the battery is discharged. This provides the advantage,
in principle, of virtually unrestricted highway range as long as
you stay where you have BEV infrastructure access. Since many destinations
are within 100 km of a major highway, this may reduce the need for
expensive battery systems. Unfortunately private use of the existing
electrical system is nearly universally prohibited. The technology
for such electrical infrastructure is old and, unfortunately outside
of some cities, is not widely distributed. Updating the required
electrical and infrastructure costs can be funded, in principle,
by toll revenue, gasoline or other taxes.
Hybrid fuel (dual mode)
In addition to vehicles that use two or more different devices for
propulsion, some also consider vehicles that use distinct energy
input types ("fuels") using the same tank and engine to be hybrids,
although to avoid confusion with hybrids as described above and
to use correctly the terms, these are perhaps more correctly described
as dual mode vehicles: * Some electric trolleybuses can switch between
an on board diesel engine and overhead electrical power depending
on conditions (see dual mode bus). In principle, this could be combined
with a battery subsystem to create a true plug-in hybrid trolleybus,
although as of 2006, no such design seems to have been announced.
* Flexible-fuel vehicles can use a mixture of input fuels (petroleum
and biofuels) in one tank — typically gasoline and bioethanol
or biobutanol, though diesel-biodiesel vehicles would also qualify.
Liquified petroleum gas and natural gas are very different from
each other and cannot be used in the same tanks, so it would be
impossible to build an (LPG-NG) flexible fuel system. * Some vehicles
have been modified to use another fuel source if it is available,
such as cars modified to run on autogas (LPG) and diesels modified
to run on waste vegetable oil that has not been processed into bio-diesel.
* Power-assist mechanisms for bicycles and other human-powered vehicles
are also included.
Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (PHEV)
The latest wrinkle in the rapidly evolving hybrid technology is
the plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles--PHEV. In this gasoline electrical
hybrid its battery pack is upgraded with a larger capacity battery
pack (usually Li-ion) that is recharged by both a battery charger
hooked into the electrical grid and the gasoline engine only if
required. The car runs on battery power only for the first 10 to
60 miles [16-100 km] with the gasoline engine available for faster
acceleration etc. After the battery is nearly fully discharged the
car reverts to the gasoline engine to recharge the battery and/or
return the car to the charging station. This may get around the
fundamental obstacle that has killed nearly all pure electric cars--the
typical battery pack can carry about as much energy as 1-2 gallons
of gas. Fuel costs (ignoring conversion costs), in principle, may
be as low as 5 cents/mile. Its not clear yet whether converting
an existing hybrid car will ever pay for itself in fuel savings--yet.
The biggest problem is finding a good, cheap high energy battery
pack--the same problem that has plagued the pure electrical car.
If everyone plugged into the utility grid to charge up their car
this would seem to be merely displacing the gasoline/diesel combustion
problem to the typical coal powered electrical generating plant.
But, if cars were recharged late at night this would allow the base
load of the electrical system to be more efficient with a much more
even base load and electrical power can also be generated by clean
nuclear, wind, hydro, tide etc, power. Since most travel is about
30 miles/day this may be the cleanest personal transportation system
presently available. There are a "cottage" conversion industry,
several large auto industry groups (GM, Toyota, etc.) and "serious"
studies by the Department of Energy investigating this system. There
are no large car maker's cars for sale--yet (late 2007). The typical
"cottage" industry car "converted" is a Toyota Prius (at $5k-$40k)
since it is a full hybrid with enough power in its electrical system
to maintain typical city speeds. AFS Trinity Power's Extreme Hybrid(TM)
demonstrator (built by Ricardo Plc) was recently unveiled at the
North American International Auto Show.
ABOUT ALISO VIEJO CALIFORNIA
Aliso Viejo is a city in Orange County, California, United States.
As of the 2000 census, Aliso Viejo population was 40,166. Aliso
Viejo became Orange County's 34th city on July 1, 2001, and has
been the only city in Orange County to incorporate since 2000. It
borders the cities of Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel,
and Laguna Woods. Aliso Viejo was originally part of the 22,000
acre Moulton Ranch. The Moulton family took title in the 1890's
to land originally granted to Juan Avila by the Mexican government
in 1842. In 1976, Mission Viejo Company purchased the last 6,600
acres for a new planned community that is now part of the City of
Aliso Viejo. The first residential units were offered in March of
1982 and the first residents arrived in November of the same year.
(previous information from The City of Aliso Viejo) Aliso Viejo
became Orange County 's 34th city on July 1, 2001. The first planned
community in Orange County, it was targeted to middle and upper-middle
income homebuyers. Aliso Viejo had only 7,600 residents in 1990.
Developers were building homes, condos and apartments so fast that
there were waiting lists and lotteries held for singles and couples
anxious to be a part of the community. By 2000, the population expanded
by 32,000 residents, making it the top city in population growth
in Orange County. The zipcodes of Aliso Viejo are: 92653, 92656,
92698
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Irvine
borders Tustin and is an incorporated city in Orange County,
California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed
by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated
on December 28, 1971, the 69.7 square mile (180.5 kmē) city
has a population of 202,079 (as of 2007). It has annexed in
the past an undeveloped area to the north, and has also annexed
the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, most of which
is to be made into a park called the Orange County Great Park.
Currently, Irvine is larger in land area than any other city
in Orange County because of its annexation of the southern
and eastern unincorporated areas. In June 2007, it was named
The Safest City in the United States (Irvine has held the
title since 2005)
Irvine
is home to the University of California, Irvine (UCI), the
Orange County Center of University of Southern California,
and the Irvine Campus of Alliant International University,
Concordia University, California State University Fullerton,
Pepperdine University and Irvine Valley College.
The Irvine Zipcodes are: 92602, 92603, 92604, 92606, 92612,
92614, 92616, 92618, 92619, 92620, 92623, 92650, 92697, 92709,
92710 |
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HISTORY OF
IRVINE
Evidence of early campsites and rock shelters
in the undeveloped parts of the city puts prehistoric man in the
Irvine area at least 12,000 years ago. Irvine was inhabited by the
Gabrielino Indians about 2,000 years ago. Gaspar de Portola, a Spanish
explorer, came to the area in 1769. This brought on the establishment
of forts, missions and herds of cattle. The King of Spain parceled
out land for missions and private use. After Mexico's independence
from Spain in 1821, the Mexican government secularized the missions
and assumed control of the lands. It began distributing the land
to Mexican citizens who applied for grants. Three large Spanish/Mexican
grants made up the land that later became the Irvine Ranch: Rancho
Santiago de Santa Ana, Rancho San Joaquin and Rancho Lomas de Santiago.
In 1864, Jose Sepulveda, owner of Rancho San Joaquin sold 50,000
acres (200 kmē) to Benjamin and Thomas Flint, Llewellyn Bixby and
James Irvine for $18,000 to resolve debts due to the Great Drought.
In 1866, Irvine, Flint and Bixby acquired 47,000-acre (190 kmē)
Rancho Lomas de Santiago for $7,000. After the Mexican-American
war the land of Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana fell prey to tangled
titles. In 1868, the ranch was divided among four claimants as part
of a lawsuit: Flint, Bixby and Irvine. The ranches were devoted
to sheep grazing. However, in 1870, tenant farming was permitted.
In 1878, James Irvine acquired his partners' interests for $150,000.
His 110,000 acres (450 kmē) stretched 23 miles (37 km) from the
Pacific Ocean to the Santa Ana River. James Irvine died in 1886.
The ranch was inherited by his son, James Irvine, Jr. who incorporated
it into The Irvine Company. James, Jr. shifted the ranch operations
to field crops, olive and citrus crops. In 1888, the Santa Fe Railroad
extended its line to Fallbrook Junction (north of San Diego) and
named a station along the way after James Irvine. The town that
formed around this station was named Myford, after Irvine's son,
because a post office in Calaveras County already bore the family
name. The town was later renamed Irvine, however, in 1914.[1] By
1918, 60,000 acres (240 kmē) of lima beans were grown on the Irvine
Ranch. Two Marine Corps facilities were built on the ranch during
World War II and sold to the government. James Irvine, Jr. died
in 1947 at the age of 80. His son, Myford, assumed the presidency
of The Irvine Company. He began opening small sections of the Irvine
Ranch to urban development. Myford died in 1959. The same year,
the University of California asked The Irvine Company for 1,000
acres (4 kmē) for a new university campus. The Irvine Company gave
away the requested land and the State purchased an additional 500
acres (2 kmē).William
Pereira, the University's consulting architect, and The Irvine Company
planners drew up master plans for a city of 50,000 people surrounding
the new university. The area would include industrial, residential
and recreational areas, commercial centers and greenbelts. The new
community was to be named Irvine; the old agricultural town of Irvine,
where the railroad station and post office were located, was renamed
East Irvine. The villages of Turtle Rock, University Park, Culverdale,
the Ranch and Walnut were completed by 1970. On December 28, 1971,
the residents of these communities voted to incorporate a substantially
larger city than the one envisioned by the Pereira plan. By January
1999, Irvine had a population of 134,000 and a total area of 43
square miles (111 kmē).
ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY:
Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States.
Its county seat is Santa Ana. According to the 2000 Census, its
population was 2,846,289, making it the second most populous county
in the state of California, and the fifth most populous in the United
States. The state of California estimates its population as of 2007
to be 3,098,121 people, dropping its rank to third, behind San Diego
County. Thirty-four incorporated cities are located in Orange County;
the newest is Aliso Viejo.
Unlike many other large centers of population in the United States,
Orange County uses its county name as its source of identification
whereas other places in the country are identified by the large
city that is closest to them. This is because there is no defined
center to Orange County like there is in other areas which have
one distinct large city. Five Orange County cities have populations
exceeding 170,000 while no cities in the county have populations
surpassing 360,000. Seven of these cities are among the 200 largest
cities in the United States.
Orange County is also famous as a tourist destination, as the county
is home to such attractions as Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm,
as well as sandy beaches for swimming and surfing, yacht harbors
for sailing and pleasure boating, and extensive area devoted to
parks and open space for golf, tennis, hiking, kayaking, cycling,
skateboarding, and other outdoor recreation. It is at the center
of Southern California's Tech Coast, with Irvine being the primary
business hub.
The average price of a home in Orange County is $541,000. Orange
County is the home of a vast number of major industries and service
organizations. As an integral part of the second largest market
in America, this highly diversified region has become a Mecca for
talented individuals in virtually every field imaginable. Indeed
the colorful pageant of human history continues to unfold here;
for perhaps in no other place on earth is there an environment more
conducive to innovative thinking, creativity and growth than this
exciting, sun bathed valley stretching between the mountains and
the sea in Orange County.
Orange County was Created March 11 1889, from part of Los Angeles
County, and, according to tradition, so named because of the flourishing
orange culture. Orange, however, was and is a commonplace name in
the United States, used originally in honor of the Prince of Orange,
son-in-law of King George II of England.
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Incorporated:
March 11, 1889
Legislative Districts:
* Congressional: 38th-40th, 42nd & 43
* California Senate: 31st-33rd, 35th & 37
* California Assembly: 58th, 64th, 67th, 69th, 72nd & 74
County Seat: Santa Ana
County Information:
Robert E. Thomas Hall of Administration
10 Civic Center Plaza, 3rd Floor, Santa Ana 92701
Telephone: (714)834-2345 Fax: (714)834-3098
County Government Website: http://www.oc.ca.gov |
CITIES OF ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA:
City
of Aliso Viejo,
92653, 92656, 92698
City of Anaheim, 92801,
92802, 92803, 92804, 92805, 92806, 92807, 92808, 92809, 92812,
92814, 92815, 92816, 92817, 92825, 92850, 92899
City of Brea, 92821,
92822, 92823
City of Buena Park,
90620, 90621, 90622, 90623, 90624
City of Costa Mesa,
92626, 92627, 92628
City of Cypress,
90630
City of Dana Point,
92624, 92629
City of Fountain
Valley, 92708, 92728
City of Fullerton,
92831, 92832, 92833, 92834, 92835, 92836, 92837, 92838
City of Garden
Grove, 92840, 92841, 92842, 92843, 92844, 92845, 92846
City of Huntington
Beach, 92605, 92615, 92646, 92647, 92648, 92649
City of Irvine,
92602, 92603, 92604, 92606, 92612, 92614, 92616, 92618, 92619,
92620, 92623, 92650, 92697, 92709, 92710
City of La Habra,
90631, 90632, 90633
City of La Palma,
90623
City of Laguna Beach,
92607, 92637, 92651, 92652, 92653, 92654, 92656, 92677, 92698
City of Laguna
Hills, 92637, 92653, 92654, 92656
City of Laguna
Niguel, 92607, 92677
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City
of Laguna Woods,
92653, 92654
City of Lake Forest,
92609, 92630, 92610
City of Los Alamitos,
90720, 90721
City of Mission Viejo,
92675, 92690, 92691, 92692, 92694
City of Newport
Beach, 92657, 92658, 92659, 92660, 92661, 92662, 92663
City of Orange,
92856, 92857, 92859, 92861, 92862, 92863, 92864, 92865, 92866,
92867, 92868, 92869
City of Placentia,
92870, 92871
City of Rancho Santa Margarita,
92688, 92679
City of San Clemente,
92672, 92673, 92674
City of San Juan
Capistrano, 92675, 92690, 92691, 92692, 92693, 92694
City of Santa Ana,
92701, 92702, 92703, 92704, 92705, 92706, 92707, 92708, 92711,
92712, 92725, 92728, 92735, 92799
City of Seal Beach,
90740
City of Stanton,
90680
City of Tustin, 92780,
92781, 92782
City of Villa Park,
92861, 92867
City of Westminster,
92683, 92684, 92685
City of Yorba Linda,
92885, 92886, 92887
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Noteworthy
communities Some of the communities that exist within city
limits are listed below:
* Anaheim Hills, Anaheim * Balboa Island, Newport Beach *
Corona del Mar, Newport Beach * Crystal Cove / Pelican Hill,
Newport Beach * Capistrano Beach, Dana Point * El Modena,
Orange * French Park, Santa Ana * Floral Park, Santa Ana *
Foothill Ranch, Lake Forest * Monarch Beach, Dana Point *
Nellie Gail, Laguna Hills * Northwood, Irvine * Woodbridge,
Irvine * Newport Coast, Newport Beach * Olive, Orange * Portola
Hills, Lake Forest * San Joaquin Hills, Laguna Niguel * San
Joaquin Hills, Newport Beach * Santa Ana Heights, Newport
Beach * Tustin Ranch, Tustin * Talega, San Clemente * West
Garden Grove, Garden Grove * Yorba Hills, Yorba Linda * Mesa
Verde, Costa Mesa
Unincorporated communities These communities are outside
of the city limits in unincorporated county territory:
* Coto de Caza * El Modena * Ladera Ranch * Las Flores * Midway
City * Orange Park Acres * Rossmoor * Silverado Canyon * Sunset
Beach * Surfside * Trabuco Canyon * Tustin Foothills
Adjacent counties to Orange County Are: * Los Angeles
County, California - north, west * San Bernardino County,
California - northeast * Riverside County, California - east
* San Diego County, California - southeast
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About
Mission Viejo California:
Located
in South Orange County, Mission Viejo is a planned community that
once had cattle grazing on its hillsides. The land was purchased
from the O’Neill family nearly half a century ago, and the
first homes were built in 1966. By the late 80’s, Mission
Viejo became a city, and now houses almost 100,000 residents. Locals
enjoy activities at the Mission Viejo Lake, shopping at The Shops
at Mission Viejo and the Kaleidoscope Courtyard, and their biggest
celebration of the year at the July 4th Street Fair. The community
is also proud of their world renowned Nadadores swim team and Saddleback
Community College, which offers some of the best courses in the
county. The zipcodes of Mission Viejo are: 92675, 92690, 92691,
92692, 92694
Mission Hospital
is the largest hospital in south Orange County and serves as the
area's regional trauma center. It also offers one of two Children's
Hospital of Orange County locations providing care for children.
Mission Viejo has numerous recreational areas such as the Norman
P. Murray Community and Senior Center[18] there are about two parks
per square mile. The city has three golf courses, The Mission Viejo
Country Club, Casta del Sol Golf Course, and the Arroyo Trabuco
Golf Club. At the center of the city is a man-made lake, Lake Mission
Viejo, a private association for Mission Viejo residents with custom
waterfront homes, condominiums, boat and paddle board rentals, fishing,
and swim beaches. Lake Mission Viejo also holds events such as music
concerts and movie screenings, usually complimentary for members
and typically during the summer season. The Shops at Mission Viejo
and the Kaleidescope Courtyards serve as the city's two main shopping,
dining and entertainment centers. Both cater to an upper middle
class customer demographic and feature family-oriented facilities
and services. Mission Viejo also hosts a number of athletic events
such as 5K runs and triathlons throughout the year. The city holds
a variety of annually recurring events to celebrate holidays including
a street fair and fireworks for Independence Day and public decorations
and interactive activities for children during the winter holiday
season featuring representation for multiple popular religions.
HISTORY
Mission Viejo was purchased by John Forster, a Mexican also known
as Don Juan. During the Mexican-American War, Forster provided fresh
horses to United States military forces which were used on the march
of San Diego to retake Los Angeles. Mission Viejo was a hilly region
primarily used as cattle and sheep grazing land, since it was of
little use to farmers. This city was one of the last regions of
Orange County to be urbanized due to its geologic complexity. In
1960, early developers dismissed most of the land in Mission Viejo
as simply "undevelopable".[8] Donald Bren, an urban planner who
later became the president of the Irvine Company, drafted a master
plan which placed roads in the valleys and houses on the hills,
and contoured to the geography of the area.[8] The plan worked,
and by 1980 much of the city of Mission Viejo was completed. During
the late 1970s and the 1980s, houses in Mission Viejo were in such
high demand that housing tracts often sold out before construction
even began on them.[9] The houses and shopping centers in the city
are almost uniformly designed in a Spanish mission style, with "adobe"-like
stucco walls and barrel-tile roofs. Many point to Mission Viejo
as the first and largest manifestation of Bren's obsession with
Spanish architecture. Bren's company was also the creator of the
developments in Irvine, and Newport Beach. The company expanded
its operations and went on to build the Lakes project in Tempe,
Arizona, Mission Viejo Aurora in Colorado and was the initial master
planner of Highlands Ranch, both in the Denver Metropolitan area.
The seal of the city of Mission Viejo was designed and drawn by
Carl Glassford, an artist and former resident of the city.
Sports
Mission Viejo has a major youth athletic facility, Mission Viejo
Youth Athletic Park. The park consists of eight baseball fields
and five soccer fields. It is host to Little League District 68,
AYSO Region 84, and four competitive soccer clubs: Pateadores Soccer
Club, Mission Viejo Soccer Club, West Coast Futbol Club, and Saddleback
United Soccer Club. The Mission Viejo Nadadores Swimming and Mission
Viejo Nadadores Diving Team won a string of national championships
and produced a number of Olympians and world record holders in the
1970s and 1980s. Olympians included Shirley Babashoff, Brian Goodell,
Larson Jenson, Maryanne Graham, Nicole Kramer, Casy Converse, Marcia
Morey, Dara Torres, and Greg Louganis. Mission Viejo hosted the
Road Cycling Events during the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los
Angeles. The old O'Neill Road was renamed Olympiad Rd. in honor
of the Olympic events in 1984. There is also a soccer facility,
now used by the town's youth soccer program, that was used as a
training field by the United States men's national soccer team before
and during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States.
Mission Viejo is the largest AYSO Region in the country. The Saddleback
College ballpark hosted the Mission Viejo Vigilantes minor league
baseball team of the Western Baseball League from 19962001. Now
the ballpark has a semi-pro collegiate team, the Orange County Fire.
Mission Viejo is also the hometown of NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez,
Minnesota Twins pitcher Phil Hughes, and Chicago White Sox first
baseman Adam LaRoche, former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Don August,
Boston Red Sox outfielder Allen Craig, Top Shot Season 4 Champion
Chris Cheng, and PBA Tour Champion Scott Norton.
Mission
Viejo neighbors the city of Lake Forest: Lake Forest is a planned
community that was once a stagecoach stop between Los Angeles and
San Diego. The community then called “El Toro” was in
fact formed after WWII with the help of the El Toro Marine Base.
Lake Forest became a city in the early 1990’s, and now prides
itself on having the first of Orange County’s historical parks
by establishing Heritage Hill; the park was created to preserve
Lake Forest’s vibrant history. Lake Forest also has a new
planned neighborhood, Foothill Ranch offers both wilderness and
community. Foothill Ranch is home to The Whiting Ranch Wilderness
Park, which consists of trails, rock formations, and streams as
well as a rest stop and exhibits. This community is close to shopping,
dining and entertainment in South Orange County. Within Lake Forest
are the communities of Portola Hills, El Toro and Foothill Ranch.
Lake Forest borders Aliso Viejo, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills,
Laguna Woods, Laguna Beach and Rancho Santa Margarita. Lake Forest
offers fantastic mountain views and quiet living for singles, couples
and families in Orange County. Residents enjoy swimming, tennis,
basketball, and volleyball at the brand new Concourse Park. The
community is just minutes from various shopping centers and marketplaces.
The zipcodes of Lake Forest are: 92609, 92630, 92610, 92679.
And
Mission Viejo neighbors the city of Rancho Santa Margarita:
Before it was owned by the O’Neill family, Rancho Santa Margarita
was home to Shoshonean Native Americans. RSM is one of the many
planned communities in Orange County and is also one of the newest,
having become a city in 2000. The community known as “A Small
City with the Soul of a Small Village” is the perfect place
for families and today nearly 50,000 people call it home. Community
activities such as the Fourth of July Celebration and the Summer
Concert Series are favorites among residents. Dove Canyon is a gated
community in Rancho Santa Margarita. Within
Rancho Santa Margarita are the communities of Dove Canyon and Coto
De Caza that border the Cleveland
National Forest and is best known for its choice golf courses. Rancho
Santa Margarita borders Ladera Ranch, San Juan Capistrano, Mission
Viejo, San Clemente, Talega, Trabucco Canyon and Laguna Niguel.
Residents enjoy the outdoors at the Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park
and the Wagon Wheel Park Bike Trails, as well as a variety
of community and family events such as the Boo Bash and Holiday
in the Park. The zipcodes of Rancho Santa Margarita are: 92688,
92679.
What
is An Auto Mechanic?
An auto mechanic (or car mechanic in British English and motor mechanic in Australian English) is a mechanic who specializes in automobile maintenance, repair, and sometimes modification. A mechanic may be knowledgeable in working on all parts of a variety of car makes or may specialize either in a specific area or in a specific make of car. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly. They often have to quote prices for their customers before commencing work or after partial disassembly for inspection. The mechanic uses both electronic means of gathering data as well as their senses. Their job may involve the repair of a specific part or the replacement of one or more parts as assemblies.
Basic vehicle maintenance is a fundamental part of a mechanic's work in some countries, while in others they are only consulted when a vehicle is already showing signs of malfunction. Preventative maintenance is also a fundamental part of a mechanic's job, but this is not possible in the case of vehicles that are not regularly maintained by a mechanic. One misunderstood aspect of preventative maintenance is scheduled replacement of various parts, which occurs before failure to avoid far more expensive damage. Because this means that parts are replaced before any problem is observed, many vehicle owners will not understand why the expense is necessary.
With the rapid advancement in technology, the mechanic's job has evolved from purely mechanical, to include electronic technology. Because vehicles today possess complex computer and electronic systems, mechanics need to have a broader base of knowledge than in the past. Lately, the term "auto mechanic" is being used less and less frequently and is being replaced by the euphemistic title “automotive service technician”. Fading quickly is the day of the 'shade tree mechanic', who needed little knowledge of today's computerized systems.
Due to the increasingly
labyrinthine nature of the technology that is now incorporated into
automobiles, most automobile dealerships now provide sophisticated
diagnostic computers to each technician, without which they would
be unable to diagnose or repair a vehicle.
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