May 2008
The people behind the tests
John Ibbotson
Job: ASE-certified technician at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Division
Hometown: East Haddam, Connecticut
All-time favorite car: "The Chevrolet Corvette ZO6. It has an awesome balance of power and handling but can also be driven comfortably every day." John has owned a few Corvettes, but sold the last one to buy a house and start a family.
How he got into auto testing: John's enthusiasm for cars started with his first plastic car kit at age 7. "I was intrigued by all the parts of the car. My father used to professionally drag-race so cars are in my blood." He never got to see his father race, as he quit when John turned 2 to devote time to the family. But he still keeps tabs on the car, a '68 Camaro DZ302 still owned by his father's mechanic.
At age 15 John knew he wanted to be around and work on cars. "I lived in the woods and if you wanted to go anywhere you had to have a car. I bought an old Chevy pickup and fixed it up to be ready for driving at age 16. I enjoyed working on it so much I knew I wanted to become a mechanic."
John studied full time at the Porter and Chester Institute in Wethersfield, CT. After graduating, John's path took him from working in a garage and a transmission shop to selling aftermarket auto parts and managing auto parts stores. "That allowed me to work with several garages and see the problems with many vehicles being repaired and what they needed."
John's maintenance/repair background is unusually broad and deep. John has worked on just about every type of automobile to touch the road -- cars from the '50s to the latest '08 models; Chevy's to Porsche's; stock cars to highly customized models and racecars. He's solved challenges as small as a spark plug and as big as complete engine/transmission rebuilds. And through his career, he's built unique skills in diagnosing complex problems in areas such as engine, suspension, electrical and drive-ability.
John Ibbotson
Job: ASE-certified technician at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Division
Hometown: East Haddam, Connecticut
All-time favorite car: "The Chevrolet Corvette ZO6. It has an awesome balance of power and handling but can also be driven comfortably every day." John has owned a few Corvettes, but sold the last one to buy a house and start a family.
How he got into auto testing: John's enthusiasm for cars started with his first plastic car kit at age 7. "I was intrigued by all the parts of the car. My father used to professionally drag-race so cars are in my blood." He never got to see his father race, as he quit when John turned 2 to devote time to the family. But he still keeps tabs on the car, a '68 Camaro DZ302 still owned by his father's mechanic.
At age 15 John knew he wanted to be around and work on cars. "I lived in the woods and if you wanted to go anywhere you had to have a car. I bought an old Chevy pickup and fixed it up to be ready for driving at age 16. I enjoyed working on it so much I knew I wanted to become a mechanic."
John studied full time at the Porter and Chester Institute in Wethersfield, CT. After graduating, John's path took him from working in a garage and a transmission shop to selling aftermarket auto parts and managing auto parts stores. "That allowed me to work with several garages and see the problems with many vehicles being repaired and what they needed."
John's maintenance/repair background is unusually broad and deep. John has worked on just about every type of automobile to touch the road -- cars from the '50s to the latest '08 models; Chevy's to Porsche's; stock cars to highly customized models and racecars. He's solved challenges as small as a spark plug and as big as complete engine/transmission rebuilds. And through his career, he's built unique skills in diagnosing complex problems in areas such as engine, suspension, electrical and drive-ability.
