Precision Automotive Technician Service (Pat’s) in Little Egg Harbor, NJ

Sometimes you just get LUCKY. Sometimes it’s because you are too hard headed or cheap. Then again, maybe it is a combination of good friends and those other things that gives you your LUCK. At any rate, I am feeling very LUCKY and GRATEFUL to have my car fixed. So, this is the saga about getting good Auto Repair service in Little Egg Harbor, NJ. I fully recommend you take you car to PAT’s. That’s all I heard from my friends and co-workers. “Take it to Pat’s!”, whenever I mentioned my car problems.

This goes back over a year ago when my 2002 Ford Explorer would not start in the cold morning air. I had been using another local mechanic for my car care (except oil changes where I got done where ever and whenever I had the time). This Ford Explorer seemed to need something done to at every turn of the calendar. The last time was the wheel bearing that sounded like maybe it needed brakes. Five Hundred dollars and that is not all the wheel bearings, just the ones the mechanic said were the problem. That was just back at the end of April so while it was in the shop, I asked the mechanic, “why does the engine not start sometimes when it’s cold outside?” Without a blink of the eye, I was told that FORD (Fix Or Repair Daily) Explorers are known for this problem and it is the intake manifold gaskets.

Oh, I said. How much would that cost to fix, I asked? That would be about another $500 because FORD made the job so difficult by its design. OK, I will put that on my list of things to save up to get repaired at a later date. I left the shop and began calling some backyard mechanic friends to see if I could get them to do the job for less. I am deeply indebted to my neighbor that fixed so many of my previous automobile problems. But, when I called this time I was told that the job was too big and he couldn’t help me.

So, there I was without help to get it fixed but that was alright because the summer weather was coming on strong. The SUV started up all the time in the warm weather so I put the repair off. But, I did start checking on the internet to see about the “big” repair job and what was involved. I found a link to “Serious Explorations” where I found step by step detailed instructions on how to do the job with pictures and all. It just didn’t seem that hard. I mean, I am no mechanic, but I do know which end of a screwdriver to hold.

As summer ended the problem re-surfaced and my aggravation along with my blood pressure sky rocketed. I checked out the web site and then checked out a Haynes Repair Manual. You know, you need to check a second source before you start taking things apart. So, I began calling to see if I could find a friend to help me with the job do the job. I needed someone with a little more knowledge about working on cars and someone that had the right tools. But, that friend said; “take it to Pat.” Who is this Pat? I wanted to know. I needed to know.

Pats, is Precision Automotive Technician Service on Radio Road in Little Egg Harbor, NJ and I did call him to ask for a quote on replacing my intake gaskets. He asked why I thought I needed the gaskets replaced. And, I told him about the starting problem and how I had been told that FORD has this problem and that’s why I was shopping for a price. After that he wanted me to describe the problem I was having with the SUV. He said that FORD does have that problem but he would want to hear it before he went and gave a price or made the repair.

Pat's Precision Automotive Technician Service

CLOSED ON SUNDAY

Long story, short. I dropped the SUV off and Pat and his team did a complete diagnosis of the problem I was having with my FORD Explorer starting problems. It was not an intake manifold problem but a fuel problem. And, I went back on the internet to find out if this could be correct. Sure enough, FORD Explorers seem to have quite a few problems starting and otherwise. The recommended repair is very extensive going from fuel pump to the many relays and circuits that tell the car’s computer system how much gas goes to the engine. This is all compounded by the design, which when working correctly is an engineering marvel.

I can’t give you all the details but the fuel pump is inside the gas tank with relays and sensors being hidden located in all sorts of places from the tank to the fuel injectors. With all the gasoline and electrical circuits it is not an easy troubleshooting problem. It is something that will cost you big time at any dealer or shop. Precision Automotive Technician Service did it in record time and did it right. I can’t troubleshoot or repair a car myself but, I do know when it was done right.

Precision Automotive Technician Service (Pat’s) fixed my car and did quickly and compared to what the other shop wanted to charge me for intake gaskets (a twenty dollar part) replacement, they were worth very dollar they charged, or, didn’t charge and could have.

THANKS, PAT. You give great service at a great price.

Pat's Business Card

You can call me! Cell Phone 609-290-7962 Office 609-296-3100

Email NJHomes@hotmail.com or leave a comment here. I will respond.

For Homes on the Jersey Shore…………..always http://www.Ask4Greg.com

Tuckerton’s Annual Decoy Show

This weekend, September 25th and 26th is the 28th Annual Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Showis at the Lake in Tuckerton. Every year during the last weekend of September (Good Bye Summer) Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor host the Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show. This show started small and was held at the Ocean County Park at Route 9 and Lakeside Drive known as Stanley “Tip” Seaman Park next to Lake Pohatcong, it has grown to include the Tuckerton Seaport across the street and both the Junior and Senior Pinelands High Schools making the event almost regional. See Map for location.

Directions to the Decoy Show

Here at the Ocean County Decoy Show you will be able to take in various contests from duck calling to art. Photography, oil and water colors that capture the beauty of the local area along with some of the best decoy cravings of the water fowl. You will see the works of such greats as Jode Hillman’s carvings(the son of the late Edwin Hillman) that includes Mallards, Swans and song birds that look so real you will want to feed them. Other events include the hunting dog retriever contest, skeet shooting, waterfowl ID contest, and boat building contests. Most entries have various age, gender, or, amateur and professional levels.

Watercolor winner from 2009

This is a celebration of our local heritage, the lifestyle and craftmanship found at the Jersey Shore. Learn how those that came before you and made a living to provide food and shelter for their families. Enjoy the exhibitions that includes a lot of food vendors and some great folk music this weekend. You will be sure to want to stay. And, that’s something I can really help you with. Call me for your housing needs at the BayShore Agency office 609-296-3100 or my cell phone 609-290-7962.

winner of photo art 2009

Visitors are encouraged to park at either Ocean County Freedom Park at Route 539or the Pinelands High School and utilize the free shuttle bus service to view the various events and vendors. Call me to see the house below, I’ll come pick you up.

Just one of many waterfront homes priced under $200,000 Available to you today.

You can call me! Cell Phone 609-290-7962 Office 609-296-3100

Email NJHomes@hotmail.com or leave a comment here. I will respond.

For Homes on the Jersey Shore…………..always www.Ask4Greg.com

Tuckerton Seaport hosts the 8th Annual RED Wine and Blues Festival

The Tuckerton Seaport hosts the 8th Annual RED Wine and Blues Festival this weekend. You know it has got to be good when they make it an annual event and each year gets better than the last. If this economy has got you singing the blues you will have a lot of company at the Tuckerton Seaport this Saturday July 15, 2010. It starts around 3PM and ends about 8PM. Wander in when you are ready.

Enjoy wine tasting from New Jersey wineries like Amalthea, Balic, Bellview, Hopewell Valley, Silver Decoy, Tomasello, and Valenzano while hearing the great licks performed by James Day & the Fish Fry, The Incenerators, Heart Fulla Bluz, and The Cobra Brothers. There will be plenty of Vendors and Crafters with a whole lot to eat.

It’s a family event with an appearance by the Blue Claws mascot and other familiar Jersey Shore friends ready to pose for that perfect Christmas Card picture. Check out the Tucker Island Light House Replica and the reconstructed Jersey Shore Shanties. There are also demonstrations by boat builders, basket weavers and other folks from yesteryear and the cars that made it special. You can expect about 2000 other friendly music lovers, so bring your beach chair. Come early and make a day of it. Shop at the Emporium and have lunch with Elvis at Stewart’s Drive In or dine at Scojo’s.

The Tuckerton Seaport Enterance is right across from the lake on Route 9 and is hard to miss once you get off Exit 58 on the Garden State Parkway. Cost is $20 for non members and $15 for members. Children under 5 are free and those aged 6 to 18 get the discount price of $5 (no wine tasting for minors).

Where to stay? There is the campers’ favorite Sea Pirate Campgrounds or the more luxurious stay there is the Inn at SeaOaks and JD Thompson Bed & Breakfast. Or, you can contact me to buy a home at the Jersey Shore. Summer weekly waterfront rentals are available, too.

I would love to hear from those of you that attended and willing to share your comments and experiences.

You can call me! Cell Phone 609-290-7962 Office 609-296-3100

Email NJHomes@hotmail.com or leave a comment here. I will respond.

For Homes on the Jersey Shore…………..always http://www.Ask4Greg.com

Tuckerton 4th of July 2010

Tuckerton celebrates the 4th of July This is a Re-Blog from my Active Rain Posting.
I love my community. This Saturday, July 3d, 2010, Tuckerton is going to celebrate the independence of America. No where is “grand old flag” sung with more passion than here in my town. My town is Little Egg Harbor and it surrounds the Borough of Tuckerton by land. We host Memorial Day and Veterans Day with parades down Radio Road and Twin Lakes Blvd in the Mystic Island section of our community. We have representatives of Bass River (New Gretna) to the south and Eagleswood (West Creek) to the north.

Those are the towns that share the school services of Pinelands Regional School District – two schools set to further the education of our children from 7th grade to 9th grade and 10th grade to 12th grade. It is in this community that we still speak of and honor GOD. We celebrate Christmas, not Winter. When the school holds one of its two annual plays, it is not unusual to have complete sell out of available tickets some nights.

During the annual Fish Off the whole town gets excited and grown men talk about the previous year winner has if they had reached some hero status. And, how if they had only caught the fish they had caught the previous week on that day it would be them that won the prize. They talk of points out at sea where only those salt water in their veins can find as if they were as recognizable as the corner store at the traffic light. Brand names of charts and poles with their respective reels are as important as the Nikes on your feet.

Tuckerton is the center of our land mass. It is often referred to as Clam Town USA. It is the place where we shut down part of the state highway system (Route 9) to march and carry the American flag in honor of all those men and women who gave all to make us a free nation. There will be floats hand crafted from local churches, children in Karate outfits throwing kicks and punches to an invisible foe, the volunteer fire fights and medics, the police, local businesses throwing out candy for the audience lined down the street waving and cheering on their friends, family and children. You will see the pets wearing the red, white and blue. Children being pushed in wagons going by the crowd waving as if they were the only ones in the parade. You will see neighbors driving antique cars they have hidden in the garage 364 days a year. It will be a grand olde time.

The best part of this celebration is – you’re invited! The parade starts at 10AM from the Village Shoppes Parking lot down Route 9. The best seats are along the street near Lake Pohatcong where there is a yearly Learn to Fish with our Hooked on Fishing NOT Drugs Day. Then it is a short walk to Tip Seaman Park where there will be a lot to do while waiting for the fireworks to light up the night sky. If you can’t make it there is a list of other Jersey Shore events that may be closer to you list at my other Blog Post. See the short video of one of our past July 4th celebrations below:

GOD Bless, America
You can call me! Cell Phone 609-290-7962 Office 609-296-3100

Email NJHomes@hotmail.com or leave a comment here. I will respond.

For Homes on the Jersey Shore…………..always http://www.Ask4Greg.com

Why LEHT Council should approve the school budgets as submitted

Little Egg Harbor Council should approve the school budgets as they were submitted because our children are in competition with all the other school districts in New Jersey, the United States, and the World. That is not just in academics but in all the extracurricular activities like sports, music and art. The very areas of education that can be cut in the budget are those extracurricular activities, and bus transportation. Special education is state directed and mandatory so town council will not be allowed to touch that section of the budget. But, we owe it to the children to provide them with a level playing field. So, let’s examine the field in relationship to dollars spent to see if it is level for our kids.

Of the four municipalities that send students to the Pinelands Regional School District (Bass River .47, Eagleswood .513, Little Egg Harbor .45, Tuckerton .543) Little Egg Harbor has the lowest levied tax per $100 of assessed property value for their children’s education. It would seem the board of education and the superintendent did a great job in containing costs for the community tax payers.

In terms of direct competition with the other districts in the immediate surrounding area, the elementary education costs per $100 of assessed property value (Bass River .599, Eagleswood .581, Little Egg Harbor .399, and Tuckerton .50) our school district cost is considerably less than the neighboring communities to provide a similar education to our children. Again, this appears to be the best bang for the buck and our board and superintendent should be thanked.

In addition, there seems to be a great deal of talk about teacher pay and benefits. Let’s just look at information on Southern Regional and Pinelands Regional median pay for the truth. Southern pays its teachers a median pay of $63,220 while the median salary of a teacher at Pinelands is $50,255 and the average in the state of New Jersey is $57,840. You tell me why our teachers should be willing to give up any raises and benefits. I see nothing but dedicated, hard working teachers whenever I visit the school for the many after school activities. Are our teachers not as good as those at Southern Regional? I think they are. But, if they are then we are really short changing our children.

Our school children are in direct competition with all the other schools. Look at Southern Regional High School budget that was passed for over 54 million dollars while the Pinelands budget was only 30 million and rejected by over 800 votes. When you remove the high dollars that Southern gets from the Long Beach Island Communities and compare the rate (.587) Stafford Township pays per $100 to educate the children of Manahawkin at Southern Regional versus Little Egg Harbor Township rate (.45) we are either getting much more bang for our buck or we are short changing our children.

Speaking about short changing the children, let’s look at the township web site. What is there to do for our children in this town other than school? The school provides the kids many opportunities that are not available anywhere else in town. See a snap shot of the LEHT web site below:

Information gathered was from the Press of Atlantic City and Wikipedia – you can Google it. Council should act responsibly and approve the budget and begin offering other things for the children of Little Egg Harbor to do – like give more than two hours time to the children at the Community Center with something to do other than sewing and scrape booking.

Clean Up of Seven Bridges Road April 24th 2010

The big 4 Oh! Earth Day has turned into Earth Week this year. And, the First United Methodist Church of Tuckerton plans to help celebrate with it’s own Change the World Day. This community event is set for April 24^th this year and includes a litter clean up along the Seven Bridges Road (aka Great Bay Boulevard). Members of the First United Methodist Church of Tuckerton will be undertaking the community clean up in coordination with the Alliance for a Living Ocean, an environmental group located on Long Beach Island.

The Alliance for a Living Ocean has been doing Earth Day events for seventeen years. This year they include clean up sites at Ship Bottom, Beach Haven, Holgate, Surf City, Barnegat Light and Cedar Bonnett Island. What adds to the spring cleaning day this year is the involvement from the United Methodist Church with the launch of their Change the World event. This event asks the members to look inside themselves and unite to help the community where they live on one day and help with a donation to bring an end globally to malaria.

It is amazing to look back to the beginning of the Earth Day event forty years ago. When America was full of hope and the belief that every citizen could make a difference in the world. Forty years ago we embraced nuclear power with the opening of Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant in Forked River. Back then we were changing the use of nuclear power from weapons of mass destruction to lighting up our houses. We were ending a war in far off Viet Nam. We were bringing and end to the social injustice known as discrimination. And, much as been accomplished to make our world a better place. Yet, much remains to be done.

You can still help Change the World by cleaning up our own community. We meet at the first bridge on Seven Bridges Road, Little Egg Harbor and start picking up the litter along this roadway and return it to its pristine condition. Meet at 9AM on Saturday April 24th at the first bridge on Great Bay Boulevard in long pants and sleeves with a pair of gloves to fill the bags. The bags of refuge to be picked up by the Little Egg Harbor Sanitation Department.

You can make a difference!

 You can call me! Cell Phone 609-290-7962 Office 609-296-3100

Email NJHomes@hotmail.com or leave a comment here. I will respond.

For Homes on the Jersey Shore…………..always    www.Ask4Greg.com

Steel Magnoilas comes to Little Egg Harbor

 

l Magnolias

Stee

The Little Egg Theatre Company

is about to preform the Two Act Play Steel Magnolias at the Community Center on West Calabreeze Way in Little Egg Harbor on April 23^rd and 24^th at 7:30 PM with a matinée performance on April 25^th at 2:30 PM. The play was made famous by the award winning movie of the same name and its stars Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Sally Fields, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine & Olympia Dukakis.

 You won’t want to miss this production with our own local stars; Mary Ellen Marzullo, Kathy Devitt, Ellen Voorhees and Rosalie Donadio along with Heather Matarazzo & Tara Klements under the Direction of Tara McQuaid as they recreate the drama and the comedy found in the southern beauty salon in Steel Magnolias, as the lives of six women unfolds over a two year period. You will walk away with a better appreciation of the often said, “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” Tickets are $12 at the door, or, $10 when purchased in advance by calling 609-442-7957. A portion of the net proceeds of this show will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Heather Matarazzo (Truvy) gets salon trained by Jane Allen of Jane's Cutaway for Kathy Devitts (Shelbys) wedding hair in Steel Magnolias

The theater group assembled several years ago and began by putting on their debut production in the summer of 2006 with their own interpretation of the Gilbert and Sullivan play “Pirates of Penzance” with a local flair for America’s 3^rd port of Entry, Tuckerton titled “the Pirates of Tucker’s Island”. And, performed for its audience at the reconstructed Little Egg Harbor Lighthouse, aka Tucker’s Lighthouse. The theater group has grown in experience and popularity with their performances of their productions of; The Boor, Taxi, Mornings at Seven, Dinner, Tony at the Heiress, Angel Street, Lend me a Tenor, Dracula, Love Letters, and Plaza Suite. They are yet another reason why the community calls itself “the Little Treasure by the Bay”.

For Cynthia

  For, Cynthia. My wife is a school teacher and she loves to tell this story. When she was just starting out as a new teacher, she had to develop a lesson plan for the children. That lesson plan would be evaluated by the school principle during the time she was giving the lesson to the children. It was a very big part of her performance review and may indicate if she could expect a new contract with the school board for the following year. She still gets evaluated every year but it is not quite as stressful as when she was younger and with little experience on the job.

Anyway, one of the children’s names was Cynthia. And for this lesson plan my wife decided to introduce her hobby of horticulture as part of a science lesson. Even back then, before the “no child left behind” rules, her lesson plans had to have specific measurable goals under the assigned curriculum; science, math, reading, health. But, I regress. As, you can imagine, when she held up the beautiful group of bright yellow blooming branches that she had cut and placed in a vase earlier and announced, “These are Forsythia”. She was unable to complete her sentence as the children heard Cynthia and not Forsythia.

The children immediately began announcing that they too wanted one of the beautiful flowering branches of the Forsythia bush. Not expecting the misunderstanding and not prepared with enough branches to give one to all the children, the lesson plan was quickly changed into more of a weather plan lesson talking of the arrival of spring and the tell tale signs of the yellow flower. While one persistent little boy continued to demand that he too, be given one of the branches.  

I hope you enjoy the story as much as I do. I love the signs of spring and Forsythia plants are one sure sign. They are very hearty plants that grow as quick as a weed. If you have ever wanted one, just ask for a cutting and place it in a vase filled with water in some direct sun light and in a couple of weeks you will have enough roots to plant your own. Another trick to growing a plant from the Forsythia branch is to find a bush that has grown wild with its branches bent over touching the ground. There you will find the plant has re-rooted itself and ready to grow a new off shoot. Dig it out and cut it off from the main bush and you will have the beginning of a great bush that can be turned into a hedge and enjoy the new bloom every spring.

For Homes on the Jersey Shore, always Ask 4 Greg or visit his web site at www.GregoryBain.com cell phone 609-290-7962. He knows where the flowers bloom in Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton, West Creek, and New Gretna

Atlantic City Rescue Mission Shoe Drive

Atlantic City Rescue Mission Shoe Drive is being conducted by the local Girl Scouts and using the BayShore Agency mainland offices in Tuckerton and the Mystic Island section of Little Egg Harbor as drop off points. So, if you are going to do your spring cleaning, do it now. Get your old, clean, usable shoes down to one of the BayShore Agency offices before March 19th and the Girl Scouts volunteer to get them matching feet.

      

 New packages of socks are also needed. Please help make this shoe drive a success. Clean out your closets and drop off your old shoes today. Point of Contact: Diane Disbrow

You can call me! Cell Phone 609-290-7962 Office 609-296-3100 Email NJHomes@hotmail.com or leave a comment here. I will respond. For Homes on the Jersey Shore…………..always http://www.Ask4Greg.com

Big Price Reduction at 4 West Brig, Mystic Island, MLS 3038361

There is a big Price Reduction for MLS 3038361 at 4 West Brig, Mystic Island section of Little Egg Harbor, NJ.

This Cute waterfront home with curb appeal. Shows well with easy access. This 3 Bedroom 1 Bath home could be yours as a summer or year round residence. House is an estate sale. Seller makes no warranty to condition. Great potential for the right buyer. Should be easy to obtain a 203K loan (Borrower can finance 97.75% of monies needed to purchase home and make the necessary repairs). Bathroom was updated recently, kitchen area has newer stove and countertop. Mostly replacement windows and doors by Anderson. Vinyl sided with pavers to the front door. Fully fenced yard with blacktop drive and a shed. Roof appears in good repair and does not leak. Good Hot Water Baseboard heat for the winter and a wall Air Conditioner for the Hottest of Summer days. Electrical system has partial update but with the original fuse box still in place for a section of the home ($ estimate on file to upgrade to code). Bulkhead needs to be replaced ($$ estimate on file to replace dock and bulkhead). Front bedroom has been used as a storage and utility room with the clothes washer in the closet but it can be converted back to a bedroom by the buyer. The other 2 bedrooms do not have closets. Floating dock in good repair with an estimate for the replacement of dock and bulkhead on hand – buyers responsible for replacement. Want a summer place? Wide lagoon for swimming, boating, crabbing enjoyment. Walk to the the local stores for ice cream, newspapers, breakfast & lunch. Short drive to the white sandy beaches of Long Beach Island and the casino night life in Atlantic City. Great for family get away, starter home, or, to down size and live the dream. Come to the Jersey Shore and see it for yourself.

Prepared by: Gregory Bain Email : gb@ibayshore.com
Bayshore Agency – LEH Off. Ph# : (609) 296-3100
835 Radio Road Agt. Ph# : (609) 296-3100
Little Egg Harbor, NJ 08087 Cell Ph# : (609) 290-7962