April 29, 2025 • 44 mins
What does it take to keep a small-town auto mechanic shop thriving for nearly three decades? Rick Stolp of Rick's Auto in Pine City pulls back the curtain on 27 years of grease, grit, and community connection in this candid conversation about the changing landscape of automotive repair.
When Rick opened his shop in 1997, Google wasn't a verb, YouTube tutorials didn't exist, and diagnosing car problems required more intuition than electronics. Today, he navigates the delicate balance between traditional mechanical know-how and cutting-edge diagnostic technology. "Being the mechanic was the easy part," he reveals. "It's trying to run a business that's the hard part."
The conversation travels from amusing stories of extracting wildlife from engine compartments (including a live possum that required welding gloves to remove) to thoughtful reflections on how environmental regulations have transformed the industry. Rick doesn't hold back when discussing vehicle reliability, offering this gem of wisdom: "They're all good, they're all junk. Pick the color you like and drive it, because they're all going to be on a tow truck someday."
Beyond technical insights, Rick shares how his business became a cornerstone of the Pine City community—sponsoring local sports teams, offering special "high school rates" to young drivers, and creating a gathering place where locals drop by for coffee and conversation as often as car repairs. He's seen multiple generations of customers come through his doors, creating relationships that extend far beyond transactions.
For anyone considering a career in automotive repair, Rick emphasizes focusing on diagnostic skills rather than just mechanical knowledge. And for every vehicle owner, he offers this simple yet powerful advice: "Changing the oil is the cheapest thing you can ever do to a vehicle."
Whether you're a car enthusiast, small business owner, or simply appreciate authentic conversations with community craftspeople, this episode delivers honest insights from someone who's seen the automotive industry transform while keeping his hands firmly on the wheel of local service.
0:00 Meeting Local Legend Rick Stolp
3:08 Starting the Shop in Pine City
7:15 Business Challenges of Running an Auto Shop
16:32 Evolution of Auto Repair Technology
24:24 Advice for Aspiring Mechanics
29:57 Engineering Frustrations and Vehicle Quality
34:58 Finding Animals in Engine Bays
39:00 Emissions, Electric Vehicles, and Industry Changes
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode
of the ONTAP podcast.
Today we have local legend, theman, the myth himself, Rick
Stulp.
Rick, how long have you been anauto mechanic?
For how long have you ownedyour own shop?
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I've owned my own shop for 20, going on 27 years
27 years.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
So for those of you that don't know, aren't from the
local Pine City area, Rick ownsRick's Auto here in Pine City
city and it's been here.
You've had that shop for 27years yeah wow, okay, so it's.
Uh, it's safe to say that thisis a staple of pine city, like
if you're from the area, youknow of rick's auto.
Obviously you sell cars, youfix cars, you I'm sure you've
(00:40):
helped every single business inthe area with their fleet
vehicles.
T-ball teams.
T-ball teams.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Oh yeah, I've been on a good side of the team.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
I've sponsored all kinds of school events.
I mean, I never say no to theschool.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah, actually, now that I think about this, my
T-ball team was Rubenick Motors.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yep, so I was on the competitor's team.
I'm friends with him too.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Oh, I'm sure.
Yeah, it's a small enough town.
Everyone knows everyone.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, I just want to take a second to thank you, rick
, for saving me probablythousands in my lifetime on
vehicles.
I was I was thinking leadinginto this interview when I was a
senior in high school.
I was, I had some prettyserious work done on my vehicle
and you looked at me and you'relike, just so you know, as soon
as you graduate, the high schoolrate is gone.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah, and you weren't lying, but I thank you for that
yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
My dad also.
He owes you a lot of thank yous.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Yeah, yeah, Actually, I do too definitely.
I'm sure you worked on my HondaAccord from when I was in high
school plenty of times I think.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
So, yeah, I think.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I brought it in there a couple of times with the
brakes locked up.
Oh yeah, tire barely hanging onfor life.
Yep, you know anything?
Yeah, so I can.
I can also definitely say thankyou, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
So Rick you're not originally from Pine City.
No what.
What makes a person say youknow what?
This is the town I want to getmy shop going in.
So my wife's mom and dad had acabin up here for years and so
we kind of liked the area.
So we moved up here I think itwas 95 and then in 90 yeah, 95,
(02:16):
96 and then everything startedafter that.
So 97 is when, um, I wasdriving back and forth to the
cities when we first moved uphere and then finally I'm like I
don't want to do that anymore.
So I found a job up here andthen started working and then
eventually I got on the firedepartment, started my own shop
(02:41):
and started making friends andpeople like that.
So that's how it started.
We got married in 97.
Everything happened in 97.
Nick was born in 98.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, we didn't screw aroundhere.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Eventful time frame for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So now, over the 27 years that you've owned your own
shop, how has the definition ofbeing a mechanic changed to you
?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, being the mechanic was the easy part.
It's trying to run a businessis the hard part.
It's like, yeah, I knew how tofix the cars, but I don't know
how to do the paperwork.
I don't know how to.
You know, there's taxes,there's employee stuff and I
mean it's just a whole bunch ofshit.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
You gotta know.
Well, especially in 97, youcouldn't just go on your
smartphone onto Google and askit any question in the world.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
No, that's when it kind of just started popping.
The internet, you know, isstill the dial up and all that
stuff.
And, yeah, there is no YouTube,nothing.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
So do you think that the soul of car repair has kind
of been lost, as technologyadvances and these cars become
more electronic than mechanical?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I think it's just kind of shifted because, you
know, before your lab scopeswere like took up the whole room
of a building and now it's ahandheld scanner and it does
more than what the ones we hadin high school yeah, you can buy
one off tiktok now.
Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's crazy,and so I think some of it's
(04:17):
easier.
Some of the stuff is a littlemore technical than the old days
, but and I still have a bunchof old cars that.
So I go back and forth ondifferent things.
But yeah, that's if you keepwith it, you should be fine.
If you jump right into it, thenyou're going to be in a world
of hurts.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
So definitely, definitely.
Things have changed a lot in 27years.
Yeah, in the auto industry.
Yeah, so I mean what?
What are some of the vehiclesthat you look at when they roll
in and they're like I'm notgoing to work on that thing?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
well, like the lot of the electric cars I see you
must have the tesla out thereyeah so we'll do tires on that.
But other than that I can't donothing on that thing, right, I
have no way of doing any.
I mean I could tow it, that'sit.
But I mean we've done tires onthem and that's kind of weird.
On a tesla they got inside foam, inside the tires too, to keep
(05:13):
the car even quieter, right?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
yeah, they're already like a whisper going down the
street.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yeah, yeah I mean, they're pretty cool cars and
they go like hell.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
They're fast yeah yeah well, that's one thing that
has kind of blown my mind fromeven when I first started
driving in 2015, is you couldchange pretty much brakes on
anything by yourself, and now itseems like you have to have
some special tool just to getthe brake pads off.
It's made it harder for theaverage man to do their own work
(05:43):
, which might even benefit themechanic.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Right Well, I think it's a lot of the industry that
does that Like just on a regularbrake job, you have to use your
scanner to release the brakes,Like for emergency brakes.
You have to release it with ascanner, Otherwise you could
screw everything up.
Oh damn, and then that costs youa lot of money, yeah, and then
(06:05):
we get people doing that stuffand they come in and then it's
all screwed up and it's like,well, I'm sorry, but I mean,
this is now, you're gonna haveto pay more yeah, I definitely
know this wasn't an electronicbrake on mine, but my parking
brake was stuck on my hondaaccord.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
I'm pretty sure that was when I brought it into you
it was like sophomore, junior inhigh school yeah, we're driving
in huge cloud of smoke becausemy brakes are locked up, just
smoking, just driving through it.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, yeah I was telling, cody, before you got
here.
I remember when I was I was inhigh school and I brought in my
chevy blazer and, uh, it neededsome work.
I knew that before I brought itinto you.
And I come back in after schooland you're like here's the deal
, deal that that blazer, thatthing's fucked up.
It's going to cost thousanddollars to repair.
(06:48):
So I talked to your dad.
He's going to give you a loanfor that car and you're taking
that home today Sounds good yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
I feel like that's how.
How often do you have some youknow whether it's a older guy or
a young kid bring in just adeath trap of a vehicle and
you're like oh, it's gonna costx amount to fix it.
And they're like yeah I'm good.
Do you ever feel weird whenthey drive off the lot like, oh,
they're not gonna make it longin that thing?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
well, yeah, and I I mean I've made people cry too.
I'm like this car isn't worthfixing.
I'm sorry, I'm not.
I have to sleep at night.
I'm not gonna let you.
I mean, I'm not even whetheryou want me to fix it or not.
I'm not doing it and you needto just find something else.
Or you know, and I write it onthe bill too, like hey, this
(07:35):
thing, the frame's damaged, oryou know that it's.
You shouldn't drive, it shouldbe towed.
So I mean, I cover my own ass ohyeah, frame rusted out you
almost have to be a lawyer toowhen you're trying to do your
own business stuff, becausethere's always somebody trying
to stick it to you too, you knowyeah, I've had to sign waivers
for leaving with bad breaksbefore I've.
(07:56):
Yeah, yeah I mean I don't gothat far, but I mean it's like
it, I don't want to spendsomeone's money on a piece of
shit car, that they should justtake that money and put towards
something better.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Totally yeah, Especially these big jobs where
it's like hey this is going tobe over a thousand bucks.
Like you might as well just buya thousand dollar car.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Right, yeah, well, them days are gone too Good
point A thousand dollar cars.
You know it's like a hundreddollar car when I was a kid car.
It was like a $100 car when Iwas a kid.
So it's still a piece of shitat $1,000, unless you got a
grandparent or something that'sgoing to give you a smoking deal
.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Right right, that's what you got to look for.
Just start looking in theobituaries and start making
phone calls.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Yeah, that'll work.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I had a customer tell me that the other day, when I
was doing an estimate, I wastelling him I'm looking to buy a
house and he's like you know Iknow this sounds weird, but I'd
start reading the newspapers,looking at the obituary.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
That's when you find a good deal on a house, like
that is weird.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
But yeah, or advice, or divorce, yeah, good point,
yeah we got to get rid of thisthing and I don't want her to
have the money, him to have themoney whatever, yeah so we'll
sell it for cheap.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Yep, yep, good point I was just going to say I'm
pretty sure every four-wheeleror snowmobile my dad's ever had
was the product of a divorce.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
He's a man of the earth.
Yeah, he seems like he's a guyscoping out those kind of things
.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Get a guy when he's down yeah, he's worse than I am.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Do you think that technology has made you feel
more powerful or morereplaceable.
Um, I think probably morepowerful because, let's face it,
there's a lot of kids thataren't jumping into mechanic
jobs anymore.
They all want to do likecomputer stuff and you know, and
you know it's decent money, butit's not like you're making a
ton of money.
So when you're starting out, soyou can probably get a lot more
(09:50):
money doing some other stuff,but once you get good at it,
then you're gonna make prettygood money yeah so I feel that
we we don't have that manypeople knocking down the door to
take over my position, so verytrue.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah, I never even thought of it like that.
I I bet when you were growingup there was a lot more guys
looking to be auto mechanics.
It's it's the same thing withbeing in the masonry industry.
It was.
It's just not a lot of people.
All most of the companies thatare based out of minnesota, if
you look online, are out of pinecity and it's all of my friends
with their own company like it,the trades are definitely going
(10:27):
down in a weird way and it itmakes complete sense that,
especially with you not havingas much competition and then
needing to have the electronicsjust to work on people's
vehicles, it's kind of apigeonhole trade at this point
right it's like you don't reallyhave a choice right now, if I,
if my concrete, if my sidewalk'sbad, I can live with that for
(10:49):
20 years.
If my car doesn't get to work,I'm screwed yeah, yep yep so you
got a lot of like my, my job.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
You got a lot of money just tied up in tools and
and that's just tools in abuilding.
You know, like if you got acarpenter, you got a lot of
money in tools in a truck, butyou you don't have the, the shop
you got to deal with too, justright so there's the yeah, the,
the building, the cost, thetaxes that are in the property
(11:19):
taxes yeah, yeah people don't,people don't think about these.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
These also add up pretty fast yep yep, you know,
and the taxes are never going tobe less on the building that
you're in.
No, they.
Yeah yeah, people don't, peopledon't think about these.
These also add up pretty fast.
Yeah, yeah, you know, and thetaxes are never going to be less
on the building that you're in.
No, they just keep going up.
Yeah, so then that has toreflect in what prices you
charge for everything, but youstill want to be competitive
because you still want business,so you can't price yourself out
(11:43):
of work either.
Yeah, that's a really goodpoint.
Yeah, so now we were.
We were talking about uh beforeyou got here.
There has to have beenscenarios where people have got
their car fixed, but they can'tafford it or don't want it or
whatever, so they'll probablyjust leave it at your shop.
How does that work?
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Well, it doesn't work too good.
But a lot of times, people,this is a real good one is
you'll do the work, They'll tellyou to do the work, and then
they come to pick it up and thenthey want to negotiate the
payment plan.
Well, no, that's not how thatshit works.
You talk to me about itbeforehand and if I can afford
to do that at that time I'll doit maybe, but most of the time
(12:20):
it's not after the fact.
So, or if it's a car that's apile of junk and they don't want
to, they don't want to fix it,then they think that that I'm
the junkyard you know right,we'll just leave it there, yeah
we'll just leave it there, andthere's been times I've hooked
it and brought it right back totheir house, you know, because
I'm like take your own stuffback.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Well, you don't have a huge lot either.
You can't hold hundreds of carsover there especially in the
winter.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I gotta put snow somewhere.
So I mean we, we gotta thinnerdown the herd a little bit
definitely so.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
How long before are you able to take ownership of a
vehicle?
Speaker 2 (12:54):
someone leaves it there for x amount of time yeah,
there's a bunch of crap yougotta go through.
But, um, you know, you gottasend a certified letter.
You gotta wait a certain amountof time.
A lot of times I'll try to worka deal with the guy.
If it's a junker, just bring methe title in and then I'll just
keep the car and I'll fill itup with scrap and then I'll haul
it into the junkyard afterward.
(13:15):
And that's usually what I tryto do and it works out best for
everybody.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Definitely they don't have to get rid of.
Easier for them, they don'thave to deal with it.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Well, that's usually what I do now.
So what?
What role do you thinkintuition still plays in
diagnosing problems withvehicles in now, in a world full
of sensors and readings and allthese things Cause?
That's not always accurateeither, I would imagine.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
No, the best thing is just stay back to the basics.
You know, an engine's still anengine, it still has four
strokes, it's still going to.
You just got to kind of workoff of that and the sensors are
just telling the computer inputsand then it produces what's
supposed to happen.
So, from the basics, if it'snot working right, well then we
(14:06):
just start from there and workour way up.
So I mean, a lot of times youcan check the codes and 98 of
the time you're correct.
But it couldn't just be a badwire too so yeah right, I mean
so it.
Yeah, we've had our ass burnedplenty of times on stupid stuff
like that oh, I bet.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
So yeah, I bet, because there's a delicate
balance too.
Like you, don't want to spendtoo much time on the wrong thing
either no, is that?
Speaker 2 (14:27):
just is burning up your labor right, and I don't
want to charge somebody forsomething that we're not
actually fixing.
Yeah, exactly right so that's afine line.
You got to walk on that too, sono, that's a really good point.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
If someone was trying to get into the mechanic
industry, specifically in auto,what would you say would be the
best piece of advice that youcould give?
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Try to learn a lot of the diagnostic part of it,
because that's going to be whereyou're.
That's the hardest part of thejob.
I mean people can replace, takeparts off and put parts on.
I mean almost anybody can dothat.
I mean you might have to havespecial tools, but if you get
into the diagnostic, thedrivability part of it, that's
where a lot of the money's atthere for to do so.
(15:14):
That's what I would spend mostof my time on if I was to go
back into it again.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Yeah, no, that that is a good point.
We we also live in kind of aunique area here where there is
still a lot of mechanic shopsfor such a small town, I feel
like.
But then also we have PineTechnical Community College that
has a great auto program.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
So there's plenty of access to it if someone wants to
get into it.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
But, like you said, it's definitely not as popular
as it once was.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Right, no doubt.
Yeah, a lot of people.
I I mean, let's face it, theydon't like to get their hands
dirty.
It's a dirty job.
I mean, that's you, don't?
You're not going to be cleanwhen you get done with work.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
So oh, yeah, definitely but I think the
trades are a wonderful thing,because not everybody wants to
go to college and we need guysthat can do that kind of stuff
so I think it is swinging back alittle bit too, especially with
Dunwoody in Minneapolis gettingreally popular being a trade
school and just in high schoolin general, when I grew up there
was not one teacher.
That was like oh yeahconstruction is a good job.
(16:13):
Go for it and it's hard to blamethem because they all got a
four-year degree.
They're there for that reason.
But I think people are startingto realize like, oh man, we're
not going to even have thesepeople if the pendulum doesn't
swing a little bit.
Yeah, how many mechanics do youusually have a time in your
shop, and when you're lookingfor mechanics, do you go on
(16:35):
Indeed, do you put out an ad, orhow do you find guys?
Speaker 2 (16:38):
A lot of times people coming in and talking to me and
then I just talk to them alittle bit.
Most of my guys I just by wordof mouth and talking to people.
So some of my like my one guyis a retired concrete guy and
he's retired, so he I needed aguy to do tires and oil and and
(16:59):
that I asked him if he wanted todo that and he's like, yeah, so
that's that's, that's what hedoes you don't have.
There's certain part ofmechanics where you don't have
to have to go to school to learnsome of that stuff, you know.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Yeah, so.
So how do you, with that beingsaid, how do you sort of toe the
line of tradition andinnovation?
How do you always keep up onsomething new, like what are you
, what is a guy like you goingto look at to see what is the
new thing, what the new, bigger,better, best of your industry?
Speaker 2 (17:28):
well, a lot of times the parts stores offer like
little schooling updates ondifferent things and stuff, so
we'll take advantage of that.
A lot of that stuff you canjust watch on the be on the
internet now and they got likethe classes right on there so
you can watch.
You know the latest andgreatest stuff that's coming
down the pike and what to watchout for.
Um, you subscribe to a lot ofservices too that kind of guide
(17:52):
you on different mechanics.
They all get together and theyput in a deal and talk about you
know certain things and whatthey've done to fix things so
you kind of collaborate withthat too.
So definitely.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
I will say this too.
When I took my car down to thecity so I can't remember what
the closest like Tesla shop is Iwant to say it's like golden
Valley I took my car down thereand I it is the cleanest inside
shop I have ever seen, and thenI realized that they're not
dealing with oil.
They're not dealing with youknow, all these different things
(18:25):
that would make a shop appearto be not clean.
Right you know, is theresomething about getting your
hands dirty that, like modernshops, just don't get to
experience?
Do you think that there'ssomething about that that sort
of empowers the industry?
More of like a hands-onapproach.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
I don't know.
We got soap.
We can wash soap.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
It's good soap, we're good.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
I don't know.
I like the smell of a shop.
I mean that's just a good.
Definitely you get peoplecoming in and go.
Oh God, I remember that smell.
My dad was a mechanic and theyjust walk in and just randomly
say that I'm like, oh, I guess Inever thought of that, you're
here every day.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I do like the smell too.
That's how I think of Pizza Hut.
Yeah, nothing like that fryersmell after a long day.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Yeah, that is one thing about being up above a
pizza place.
We're a little bit spoiled.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
We get the the nice scent going up every once in a
while, yeah yeah, the fryers andthe pizza yeah, being being
good friends with, with bothyour sons shout out, shout out,
nick and justin.
You know they're quite themechanics themselves.
Was there ever a part of youthat wanted them to kind of get
involved in the business andmake it more of a family
business, or are you glad thatthey took their own routes?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
In a way.
I mean, maybe looking now,maybe it would be nice to have
one of them take over, but Imean I'm glad they're doing what
they're doing.
I wanted the fact that to makesure they knew how to fix their
own stuff.
Number one is because I'm sickof work was when their kids.
They had dirt bikes,snowmobiles, everything.
I'm like listen, you're gonnaneed to learn to work on your
(20:07):
own stuff, because I ain't doingthis every day.
Otherwise you guys can comehome and do homework all the
time, because that's the samefor me as it is to you.
So, realistically, I don'treally work on none of their
stuff anymore.
They can use my shop and ifthey have a question I'll let
them know.
But I think they're doing justfine with what they're doing.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Yeah, I've got to give them a thank you too,
because each of them have bothsaved me hundreds of dollars too
.
So shout out to the boys yeah,they're good kids.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
That's funny.
How do you think that man,machine and computer, how do you
think that relationship haschanged since you've started in
the mechanic industry?
Speaker 2 (20:51):
I think it's like in the 80s it was horrible, but
getting into the newer 2000s andstuff, I think it's a lot
smoother transition.
I think it's a lot smoothertransition and it's, I think,
it's easier to diagnose.
But there's a hell of a lotmore wires in a.
There's more wires in a carthan there is in your house
(21:11):
realistically?
Yeah, I suppose I didn't eventhink of that, yeah I mean, and
then they're a lot smaller andyou got to try to figure that
yeah, that, yeah, that's areally good point.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
So now in the learning process, was there ever
a time period of vehicles whereyou're like they just got to
figure this out.
This is just terrible.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Oh, yeah, well, you get into the engineering part.
You mean yeah, yeah, well.
I mean, of course everybody'dwant to strangle the engineer on
some of their things thatthey've designed.
And then it's like maybe youguys should try working on this
once and see how it works beforeyou design the damn thing.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Just as simple as an oil filter some of these oil
filters on a car.
You reach up in there and youget third-degree burns, trying
to get the damn thing off.
It's like what were youthinking?
Speaker 1 (22:01):
yeah, so actually just recently, uh, we took my
wife's vehicle into the, intothe shop in north branch, and,
uh, for some warranty work andthey were telling me that her
water pump was leaking and thequote for the water pump was
three thousand dollars.
I was like there's no way.
I was like I replaced the waterpump in my impala in high
school.
Yeah, and I'm like there's noway.
I was like I replaced the waterpump in my impala in high school
(22:22):
, yeah, and I'm like there's noway I can do that.
I look it up and it's like 30part.
I'm like, oh, 30 bucks, likethey're trying to stick it to me
.
Yeah, look up the how torealize you have to take apart
basically the entire engine toget to this thing yeah.
So I'm like, oh okay, this isdefinitely not something I'm
doing myself.
So so you know, word for anyonelistening if you see a 2018
(22:43):
Ford Explorer go for sale soon,don't buy it.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Oh yeah, we've done plenty of water pumps on them
and it is high buck.
I mean, we don't charge threegrand, but it's probably like
$2,300, $2,400.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Yeah, but you're doing timing chains and
everything.
Exactly, yeah.
Yeah, the second.
I saw that it was.
You know you could take off thetiming chain and I'm like, yeah
, I'm not, I'm not qualified todo that.
There's no way that's gettingdone in my driveway, yeah I was
just thinking.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
You know, as a, as a qualified man as you are, you've
had your hands in a lot offords, a lot of chevys.
I was wondering if you couldsettle the debate right here,
right now would you rather gofor what's better, ford or Chevy
?
What's the more quality vehicle?
What do you work the most on?
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Let's throw in Ram in there too.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Ram too, shout out, Okay.
Well, here's the thing.
I'm a Chevy GMC guy but ahalf-ton Chevy truck from 2013
to 2019, that's a big moneymakerfor us, because it's a shitty
design on the engine.
Um, but what's better?
They're all good, they're alljunk.
(23:46):
So there's no good answer.
Pick the color you like and ifyou like to drive it, drive it,
because they're all going togive you trouble they're all
coming into your shop.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
They're all going to be on a tow truck someday, so
don't worry about it, just gofor it just get what you want.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Basically exactly because yeah, there's no.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
There's no great one and one that's not so good so
what's the deal with oil changesif you go five, six thousand
over?
Is it really a big deal?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
yeah, it is a big deal it's.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I just always figured it's.
Oil is probably getting better,technology's getting good well,
there is synthetics involved.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
So I mean it's for people like you probably that
neglect, but a lot of stuff whenoil breaks down, then it plugs
stuff up and then that when,especially with the newer
engines, you got smallertolerances and then then shit
goes bad, like timing chains andtiming chains or running them
low on oil.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
Yeah, I got to get my truck in I was just looking at
the sticker right now.
I'm like three grand overprobably.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
So realistically they should have a hand that comes
out and slaps you in the headand says, hey, get your oil
changed.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
It's the cheapest thing you can ever do to a
vehicle is change the damn oil Ithink that hand is my dad's
hand, because there's been a fewtimes he looked at the sticker
and was like what is wrong withyou?
Speaker 2 (25:08):
boy, yeah, gotta get her in there, yeah you?
Speaker 1 (25:14):
have you ever messed up anything on your vehicle from
running the oil change too long?
Speaker 3 (25:18):
no, I've lucked out and I haven't had to learn the
lesson the hard way.
The biggest lesson I everlearned was brakes.
I will never listen to mybrakes grind ever again, because
I know exactly what that leadsto yeah it's so simple.
It makes you know you should.
It shouldn't be something youhave to figure out the hard way.
You can obviously tellsomething's going wrong and for
(25:39):
a good while, but until you youbring it in and have to get pads
, calipers, everything, thewhole assembly, yep, and it's an
over a thousand dollars forbreaks yeah you learn the lesson
right real quick yeah, Iremember one time I brought it
in I was working in the citiesand they quoted me at like 1400
and I was leaving for collegefor my second year college
(26:00):
college the next week, and I wasbasically in tears.
I call Rick and I'm like Rick,this is what I need, and he's
like, all right, I can do it,for this Saved me a couple
hundred bucks and saved my assOnce another story.
Yeah, yeah, I.
I just I wish that I was in aposition, because I, I grew up,
(26:25):
I I'm growing up.
I grew up as rick's neighbor.
I grew up hanging out with hiskids, who are great mechanics,
and yet I don't even know how tochange my own oil I probably
don't have to, because if you'rethe neighbor, why would you?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
we're gonna do it for you my dad.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
He taught me you ever need anything, you just go ask
Rick the first time I met hissister.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
She rolls over on a I don't know how old she was
probably 5, 6, 8, something likethat rolls over on a little
pink four-wheeler and the thingquits in my driveway Can you
help me?
And asking if Justin's home.
I'm like, really, this is howwe're going to start this.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
I've got to start working on the neighbor shit
right away.
So yeah, that's funny.
And then it just went on to bea lifetime of Rick.
Will you help me?
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Oh yeah, you know, and I don't mind, and people
help.
You know you help people, theyhelp you mean that's all that
shit works.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Definitely you need to look.
You need a lead on a good pizzaaround town.
Just hit up sam oh, yeah, yeahyeah, where's?
Where's the best food in town,sammy?
Speaker 3 (27:29):
oh, pizza hut yeah, exactly get their wings never
fail I don't know.
I think it's downstairs has gotit oh, it never fails I having
our studio above pizza pub isone of the worst things that
ever happened to me.
I can't stop eating it rightespecially like the shredder
pizza.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
I'm obsessed with it yeah, well, taking it back to
the industry, do you think isthere a human element?
Do you think that won't bereplaced when it comes to fixing
vehicles?
Speaker 2 (27:58):
I don't think you're gonna get rid of somebody to not
fix a vehicle.
You couldn't.
I don't think a robot could dostuff like that.
I mean, I don't, I can't seethat.
I can see him building it, butI can't see him fixing it.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
I don't, I don't see how that could be do you think
there's ever a time where youcan just pull your car into a
bay?
It locks on the wheels, likethose car washes where you drive
on, and it drives you through.
Do you ever see there?
Speaker 3 (28:21):
being a shop where you can just pull your car into
a bay.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
It locks on the wheels, like those car washes
where you drive on and it drivesyou through.
Do you ever see there being ashop where you pull in?
You know a computer hooks up toyour car.
They die.
You get out.
Obviously your computer hooksup to your car.
They diagnose it, they, youknow it dollies into the shop,
they do everything and then itspits it out in x amount of time
and then you just get in yourcar and drive away maybe an oil
(28:45):
change, you know, but what let'slook at?
Speaker 2 (28:49):
let's say mice, some of mice, choose off your wire.
How the hell are they gonna dothat with a roll it in and like
a car wash right?
Some stuff you just physicallyhave to see yeah, you said, oh,
that's the problem, yeah, it'snot your motor's, not blown up.
This wire is chewed yeah, andthere's a nest underneath the
hood, you know right?
Speaker 1 (29:10):
yeah, are they gonna?
They're gonna have to clean itout and then diagnose what's
going on.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Yeah, but how about this?
I had a guy, his daughter's carthey bring it in.
Yeah, I got a possum in my carin the underneath the hood.
We can't get it out.
I'm like, well, how about youbait it and trap it?
So no, we've tried.
So then we put it up in the airand the guys are taking stuff
apart.
I got welding gloves on.
(29:36):
We get this thing out of andit's still alive.
The thing takes off running.
You know, I mean what, whatkind of shit?
What kind of a thing is goingto do that?
Speaker 1 (29:45):
So you're also not only a mechanic, you're an
exterminator.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Oh yeah, we do it all .
Mice, rodents, squirrels.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Oh, I've had to trap a few mice out of my vehicle.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
We've had rats come out of people's cars.
I mean it's ugh.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
What are some other stories that you found of stuff
packed up in an engine bay?
I'd imagine squirrels got to bejust rattling stuff away.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Squirrels, mice is the worst Rats, for sure.
I mean my guy at the shop, Ryanthe car was filthy, of course,
you don't just get rats for thehell of it and he was under the
dash working on the heater andhe's seen the long tail go by
heater.
And he's seen the long tailcome go by and he's like, hey,
dude, there's rats in this thing.
I'm like yeah, get it the hellout of here I don't want them in
(30:29):
the shop I call the guy.
I'm like dude, you got rats inyour car.
I mean what the come on?
Speaker 1 (30:38):
uh, okay.
So, um, I have a buddy who hasa mechanic shop and he always
sends me videos of the insidesof people's vehicles and how
packed some of these vehiclesare full of stuff, like it
almost looks like they're livingin the thing.
Oh yeah, have there?
Has there ever been a timewhere you had to like literally
move stuff out of the way sothat you could even work on the
(30:58):
thing?
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Okay.
So back in my early days Iwould do that.
Nowadays I'm like you need toclean your car out so I can get
at it, because I don't want tobe in this I I don't need the
money that bad to be dealingwith that kind of shit.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
It's, that's, come on yeah, I've definitely dropped
my car off before and been likeman.
I hope rick doesn't give meshit about this.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Yeah most of the time I don't care.
I mean, if you get you, that'sthe way it is.
I mean, people got stuff laying, I do too, but if it's level
with the windows, I mean I, Ineed to have some room here
enough's enough yeah, you canyou probably don't need
everything in here yeah, youcould push away a little bit.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
So yeah, the spring mice are actually out and about
right now, because I saw one inmy room the other day I was
sitting on my bed getting readyfor work and see I didn't have
my contacts in.
So I just see a little blackthing come under my door and I'm
like that had to be a mouseyeah go get a trap, put some
peanut butter on it, set it upfor the day, come back didn't go
(32:04):
off.
So I must be going crazy.
Next day didn't go off again.
Well, the next day it didn't gooff.
But I'm looking at it, I'm likethere's no more peanut butter
on this yeah, I just didn't gooff.
Now I got two traps in, I got anew one and I'm hoping for the
best.
But yeah, the spring mice havebeen kicking our ass at the old
(32:25):
rat trap Spring mice.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Do you get the fall mice?
Speaker 3 (32:29):
too.
No, the fall mice is prettygood.
We had a good harvest.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I had mice at the shop upstairs and you can hear
them running around, so I boughta jug of peanut butter loaded
up.
The traps went upstairs.
I come back down, the son of abitch is eating the peanut
butter out of the peanut butterjar.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
I'm like really come on, do you?
Uh, do you think that theevolution of the auto industry
is a change in technology or achange in values, or a
combination of both?
Speaker 2 (33:04):
I think it's a.
It's a safety and emissionschange more than anything and
people.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
They just want something to tell them when it's
wrong so yeah, how much of thatdo you think is snake oil and
how much of that is actuallymeant to be good for emissions
and safety?
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Well, let's just start with the tire, bonnet or
system.
Okay, realistically, if yourtires are aired up properly,
you're going to get better gasmileage.
It's nice if you don't look atyour stuff and it tells you
you've got a low tire.
But it sure is a pain in theass when they're not working
(33:50):
right because they're in everyother day or if they've got a
low tire.
So it's a good thing, but it'sa bad thing too.
But emissions I think they'regetting a little nuts on that.
So we see a lot of people takingout like the, like the def
systems and diesel oh yeah,because of that there seems to
(34:12):
be more problems with that thanalmost anything else on the
vehicle yeah, that's, I meanthey do and it and it it sure
helps the engine, but it I can'tdo that that's a huge fine oh
yeah, yeah, they, they'vestarted fining, suing, shutting
down shops yeah that are tuningand deleting yeah, a lot of
(34:32):
these diesel emissions and Idon't get into that diesel stuff
that much more.
My stuff's gas stuff, my truck,my own trucks are diesel, but um
, that's because I pull campersand I got a tow truck and stuff,
so I mean, but I, I don't, youcan't mess with the emissions,
otherwise, yeah, you can get insome big shit about that so you
(34:53):
potentially get shut down?
Speaker 1 (34:55):
yeah, and that how much?
How much of the change do youthink comes from them just
needing more money in the autoindustry?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
um, I think it's more government mandates and and
there's.
I mean we don't want.
I don't want to get into thepolitics of stuff, but uh, I
don't know who's getting all themoney for the submission stuff,
but I, I don't have a goodanswer for that yeah, I've never
understood, because all mybuddies that have diesels their
(35:26):
whole thing is like I can't waitto get it deleted and then I
they don't have to buy deafanymore.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
Like what is deaf?
Speaker 2 (35:33):
I don't understand it's hog piss, that's what it?
Is.
It's literally urea, I mean,that's they're spraying that in
there to to knock down the sootit really, it really actually is
.
Yeah if you look it up, it's,it's urea and it's it's uh, like
a form of hog I've heard it.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
It smells terrible.
That makes yeah and it's verycorrosive.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
It's so you don't want to spill it on your paint
or nothing.
Like my truck, you know, everyfew few tanks of fuel I gotta
dump a five gallons of that shitin for to keep.
Otherwise, if you don't, it'sgonna shut your shutter down and
you will just be limited onpower and everything else.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
So yeah, they won't.
Even the engine is made in away where, if it senses you
don't have any deflute, it justwon't let you drive it right,
yeah, you're done.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Yep, yeah, that sucks .
Speaker 3 (36:25):
So now now we're stuck in the prohibition of of
getting your vehicles deleted.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
But here's, yeah, but here's the underground rail,
yeah but here's one of thethings that gets me too, because
it's like are you reallyoffsetting how much pollution is
out there when you got theseplastic jugs that you have to
now throw away every time youfill that thing up?
Yeah, like, those plastic jugsare not biodegradable?
Speaker 2 (36:50):
no, they're not well, just look at your electric car.
What are we doing with thebatteries?
What are we doing with?
Yeah, you know, they're miningthat stuff in another country.
Obviously right, and becausethey can do all the pollution
they want over there.
But they're mining that stuffin another country?
Obviously right, and becausethey can do all the pollution
they want over there.
But they're they're acting likeit's so green here.
Well right, don't you thinkthat shit floats over through
the air to?
Speaker 1 (37:10):
us.
Oh yeah, 100, come on.
Yeah, I just actually read athing not that long ago.
My grandma just sent me thisthing saying that it takes like
2 000 iphones worth of batteriesto make a car.
Yeah, and that's just one car.
Yeah, you know, like you can'ttell me that that's actually
good.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
No.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
At the end of the day .
Speaker 2 (37:30):
No, it's just some more bullshit.
They're trying to shove downyour throat.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Well, it's the same thing with wind, like when I was
growing up, it was always likethese wind turbines.
It's the future.
And then you find out likethose are just as bad, if not
worse, for the environment too.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Just need to stick to fossil fuels, baby yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
Pump that oil out.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Do you ever have situations?
Where people bring in their carbecause they're like it's
making this crazy sound and thenthey drop it off and you drive
it around for a little bit,won't make the sound.
They come get it, it makes thesound again.
They bring it back.
You can't get it to hear thesound.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
Do you ever have just confusing, frustrating
situations?
Speaker 2 (38:08):
Oh, a lot, a lot, a lot happens that all the time
it's like you go into the doctorwhen you got a pain and then
you get to the doctor and youfeel different before you even
get fixed.
But then they're like I'mfinally, I'll be like, let's
just go for a ride together andthen, and they're like you hear
that.
You hear that a lot of timeswith older people too, and they
get hearing aids and they gotthem cranked up.
(38:29):
They can hear every goddamnthing in that car.
Well, you know, my ears aregetting weak and I don't hear
all that stuff.
So them new hearing aids arepicking up everything.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
I'm like turn the hearing aids down, you're, it's
not that big a deal turn thehearing aids down or turn the
radio up, it's not even a bigdeal, yeah yeah, that'd be my
advice.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
I always just turn her up a little bit yeah, that's
not the whole thing, but I'msaying that a lot of times
people come in with that kind ofissue, so yeah where you're
hearing more than what youprobably should.
Speaker 1 (38:59):
You're probably hearing the road sometimes yeah,
you're hearing a lot of people.
That's like that was a potholethat you had yeah, it's not
something wrong with yourvehicle.
Speaker 2 (39:05):
Yeah, I mean, there is legit concerns, but sometimes
that's what it is so what?
Speaker 1 (39:11):
what keeps you passionate about this work,
despite all the changes, anddoing it for so long?
Speaker 2 (39:16):
um, well, the one thing is is when somebody brings
something in broken, it'salways fun fixing stuff and then
it leaves working better thanit came.
Plus you're helping people out.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
I mean, that's a huge satisfaction to me I believe so
I suppose owning a shop's agreat way to make friends too.
Oh, you just got people comingthrough all the time, oh yeah
you got there.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
I mean, I probably sell just as much coffee as
nickels cafe and I don't sell it.
I give it away because they'rein bullshit.
Yeah right, I mean you get alot of people coming in just to
talk, and I love doing that.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
So you've always been a big Nichols for lunch guy.
Does Mia's hold the samerespect that Nichols had?
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Well.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
I'm not trying to trap you here.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
Well, butch is a you know, a hell of a nice guy, yeah
, but they're good.
It's a good place to eat, it'sreasonable priced and that's
where we go usually, you know sodefinitely you miss seeing
butchy in there.
Oh yeah, yeah, it's always agood time butch still comes to
the shop, gets car, car service.
But yeah, I miss Butch.
But there's a time whereeverybody's got to be done, you
(40:26):
know.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Yeah, yeah, I miss ordering a huge stack of
pancakes and hearing from theback.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
Kathy Blue oh yeah.
Yeah, Something about the yellWell he's even made some really
funky-looking pancakes for me,sometimes on the you know, real
risky business there.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
That's funny.
Yeah, yeah Tough to see Butchgo, but it's uh, you know.
It's good to see new cafes, newbusinesses coming into the area
too.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (40:53):
You know teachers always talk about like, oh, I
had, I had her mom and now Ihave her, her kid.
Have you had being a mechanicwith your own shop for over 20
years?
I'm sure you've taken care ofpeople for 10 years and then all
of a sudden their kids come inand you get multiple generations
of customers coming through.
Do you have any customers thatstarted with you in 97 that are
(41:17):
still bringing their vehicle inevery time?
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Oh yeah, quite a few yep.
Well, I started, started off,you know, doing side work, and
then you kind of work your wayinto well, the wife's getting
pissed off because you're neverhome, because you're working at
during the day and at night, andthen pretty soon, um yeah, then
I got people.
There's been a lot of peoplethat I've started.
George johnson, you know himyeah principal.
(41:43):
Yeah, he and him and I've beenon, we're on the fire department
together and stuff too.
So he's been coming to me sinceday one.
Um, there's a I mean I, there'sa lot of people that I that
still to this day come to mefrom the beginning.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
George is a good, good guy.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Kept me out of a lot of trouble yeah, yeah, yeah, me
too yeah, I would say oh, goahead I, I just I wanted to go
into the fire department alittle bit and you know it's
always really interested me andI've always, anytime I've seen a
fire, I always try to get theretoo, in case they need my help
oh, that's good, never happened.
But I'd like to be in you incase they need another guy.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Yeah, we always need fire truck chasers.
That's real fun.
Speaker 3 (42:27):
Have some more traffic on the road.
One thing that you told methat's always stuck with me is
you've picked up more bodies on70 than any other road.
Do you still stand by that?
Speaker 2 (42:39):
Well, yeah, in my career when I was on on, yeah,
that was the worst road ever.
I mean they fixed it some now,but there for a while it was all
a lot because the road was soshitty and so straight too,
that's what really yeah, youknow when you're on just a
straightaway for long enough,that's when people really start
to doze off and they're haulingass, I mean
(43:03):
deer especially in the wintertoo.
You know, you lose it on someslush, and there you go.
I think 48 is just as bad, butthat wasn't in our area, so oh
yeah, I bet okay.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
So I guess, as uh, as a sort of a wrap-up question,
is there one piece of wisdomthat you could leave for the
next generation of mechanics?
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Just pay attention in school and math and and then,
like I said, the drivabilitypart of.
If you're going to get intothat, pay a lot of attention to
the, to that kind of stuff,because that's where you're
going to make the the most.
I think, out of it is thedrivability.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
So heck, yeah, sweet.
Well, rick, is there anythingelse that you want to drop on us
before we head out of here?
Speaker 2 (43:52):
not that I know you got any any social media to
shout out do I have social media?
I don't even know how to Venmo,for Christ's sake, we'll put
your Venmo up on the screen.
Somebody asked me do you knowhow to Venmo?
I'm like I don't even know howto spell Venmo, so no, I don't.
Cash or check, that's how we doit.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
That's funny, well, rick, thank you so much for
coming in today.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
We appreciate it yeah , thanks guys.
Speaker 3 (44:17):
It was an absolute pleasure.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
Yeah, this was fun.
I've never done this before.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
Well, we'll have to have you on again for a
follow-up here soon.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Yeah, that'd be cool.
Speaker 3 (44:25):
We'll have to get the boys on too.
Make it a little family.
We can have my dad come.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
Oh yeah, that'd be a hell of a good time We'd
probably have to cut half of itout.
I think, well, if you get usgoing?
Speaker 3 (44:39):
yeah it might.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode
of the ONTAP podcast.
Today we have local legend, theman, the myth himself, Rick
Stulp.
Rick, how long have you been anauto mechanic?
For how long have you ownedyour own shop?
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I've owned my own shop for 20, going on 27 years
27 years.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
So for those of you that don't know, aren't from the
local Pine City area, Rick ownsRick's Auto here in Pine City
city and it's been here.
You've had that shop for 27years yeah wow, okay, so it's.
Uh, it's safe to say that thisis a staple of pine city, like
if you're from the area, youknow of rick's auto.
Obviously you sell cars, youfix cars, you I'm sure you've
(00:40):
helped every single business inthe area with their fleet
vehicles.
T-ball teams.
T-ball teams.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Oh yeah, I've been on a good side of the team.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
I've sponsored all kinds of school events.
I mean, I never say no to theschool.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah, actually, now that I think about this, my
T-ball team was Rubenick Motors.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yep, so I was on the competitor's team.
I'm friends with him too.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Oh, I'm sure.
Yeah, it's a small enough town.
Everyone knows everyone.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, I just want to take a second to thank you, rick
, for saving me probablythousands in my lifetime on
vehicles.
I was I was thinking leadinginto this interview when I was a
senior in high school.
I was, I had some prettyserious work done on my vehicle
and you looked at me and you'relike, just so you know, as soon
as you graduate, the high schoolrate is gone.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah, and you weren't lying, but I thank you for that
yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
My dad also.
He owes you a lot of thank yous.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Yeah, yeah, Actually, I do too definitely.
I'm sure you worked on my HondaAccord from when I was in high
school plenty of times I think.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
So, yeah, I think.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I brought it in there a couple of times with the
brakes locked up.
Oh yeah, tire barely hanging onfor life.
Yep, you know anything?
Yeah, so I can.
I can also definitely say thankyou, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
So Rick you're not originally from Pine City.
No what.
What makes a person say youknow what?
This is the town I want to getmy shop going in.
So my wife's mom and dad had acabin up here for years and so
we kind of liked the area.
So we moved up here I think itwas 95 and then in 90 yeah, 95,
(02:16):
96 and then everything startedafter that.
So 97 is when, um, I wasdriving back and forth to the
cities when we first moved uphere and then finally I'm like I
don't want to do that anymore.
So I found a job up here andthen started working and then
eventually I got on the firedepartment, started my own shop
(02:41):
and started making friends andpeople like that.
So that's how it started.
We got married in 97.
Everything happened in 97.
Nick was born in 98.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, we didn't screw aroundhere.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Eventful time frame for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So now, over the 27 years that you've owned your own
shop, how has the definition ofbeing a mechanic changed to you
?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, being the mechanic was the easy part.
It's trying to run a businessis the hard part.
It's like, yeah, I knew how tofix the cars, but I don't know
how to do the paperwork.
I don't know how to.
You know, there's taxes,there's employee stuff and I
mean it's just a whole bunch ofshit.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
You gotta know.
Well, especially in 97, youcouldn't just go on your
smartphone onto Google and askit any question in the world.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
No, that's when it kind of just started popping.
The internet, you know, isstill the dial up and all that
stuff.
And, yeah, there is no YouTube,nothing.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
So do you think that the soul of car repair has kind
of been lost, as technologyadvances and these cars become
more electronic than mechanical?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I think it's just kind of shifted because, you
know, before your lab scopeswere like took up the whole room
of a building and now it's ahandheld scanner and it does
more than what the ones we hadin high school yeah, you can buy
one off tiktok now.
Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's crazy,and so I think some of it's
(04:17):
easier.
Some of the stuff is a littlemore technical than the old days
, but and I still have a bunchof old cars that.
So I go back and forth ondifferent things.
But yeah, that's if you keepwith it, you should be fine.
If you jump right into it, thenyou're going to be in a world
of hurts.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
So definitely, definitely.
Things have changed a lot in 27years.
Yeah, in the auto industry.
Yeah, so I mean what?
What are some of the vehiclesthat you look at when they roll
in and they're like I'm notgoing to work on that thing?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
well, like the lot of the electric cars I see you
must have the tesla out thereyeah so we'll do tires on that.
But other than that I can't donothing on that thing, right, I
have no way of doing any.
I mean I could tow it, that'sit.
But I mean we've done tires onthem and that's kind of weird.
On a tesla they got inside foam, inside the tires too, to keep
(05:13):
the car even quieter, right?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
yeah, they're already like a whisper going down the
street.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yeah, yeah I mean, they're pretty cool cars and
they go like hell.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
They're fast yeah yeah well, that's one thing that
has kind of blown my mind fromeven when I first started
driving in 2015, is you couldchange pretty much brakes on
anything by yourself, and now itseems like you have to have
some special tool just to getthe brake pads off.
It's made it harder for theaverage man to do their own work
(05:43):
, which might even benefit themechanic.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Right Well, I think it's a lot of the industry that
does that Like just on a regularbrake job, you have to use your
scanner to release the brakes,Like for emergency brakes.
You have to release it with ascanner, Otherwise you could
screw everything up.
Oh damn, and then that costs youa lot of money, yeah, and then
(06:05):
we get people doing that stuffand they come in and then it's
all screwed up and it's like,well, I'm sorry, but I mean,
this is now, you're gonna haveto pay more yeah, I definitely
know this wasn't an electronicbrake on mine, but my parking
brake was stuck on my hondaaccord.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
I'm pretty sure that was when I brought it into you
it was like sophomore, junior inhigh school yeah, we're driving
in huge cloud of smoke becausemy brakes are locked up, just
smoking, just driving through it.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, yeah I was telling, cody, before you got
here.
I remember when I was I was inhigh school and I brought in my
chevy blazer and, uh, it neededsome work.
I knew that before I brought itinto you.
And I come back in after schooland you're like here's the deal
, deal that that blazer, thatthing's fucked up.
It's going to cost thousanddollars to repair.
(06:48):
So I talked to your dad.
He's going to give you a loanfor that car and you're taking
that home today Sounds good yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
I feel like that's how.
How often do you have some youknow whether it's a older guy or
a young kid bring in just adeath trap of a vehicle and
you're like oh, it's gonna costx amount to fix it.
And they're like yeah I'm good.
Do you ever feel weird whenthey drive off the lot like, oh,
they're not gonna make it longin that thing?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
well, yeah, and I I mean I've made people cry too.
I'm like this car isn't worthfixing.
I'm sorry, I'm not.
I have to sleep at night.
I'm not gonna let you.
I mean, I'm not even whetheryou want me to fix it or not.
I'm not doing it and you needto just find something else.
Or you know, and I write it onthe bill too, like hey, this
(07:35):
thing, the frame's damaged, oryou know that it's.
You shouldn't drive, it shouldbe towed.
So I mean, I cover my own ass ohyeah, frame rusted out you
almost have to be a lawyer toowhen you're trying to do your
own business stuff, becausethere's always somebody trying
to stick it to you too, you knowyeah, I've had to sign waivers
for leaving with bad breaksbefore I've.
(07:56):
Yeah, yeah I mean I don't gothat far, but I mean it's like
it, I don't want to spendsomeone's money on a piece of
shit car, that they should justtake that money and put towards
something better.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Totally yeah, Especially these big jobs where
it's like hey this is going tobe over a thousand bucks.
Like you might as well just buya thousand dollar car.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Right, yeah, well, them days are gone too Good
point A thousand dollar cars.
You know it's like a hundreddollar car when I was a kid car.
It was like a $100 car when Iwas a kid.
So it's still a piece of shitat $1,000, unless you got a
grandparent or something that'sgoing to give you a smoking deal
.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Right right, that's what you got to look for.
Just start looking in theobituaries and start making
phone calls.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Yeah, that'll work.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I had a customer tell me that the other day, when I
was doing an estimate, I wastelling him I'm looking to buy a
house and he's like you know Iknow this sounds weird, but I'd
start reading the newspapers,looking at the obituary.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
That's when you find a good deal on a house, like
that is weird.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
But yeah, or advice, or divorce, yeah, good point,
yeah we got to get rid of thisthing and I don't want her to
have the money, him to have themoney whatever, yeah so we'll
sell it for cheap.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Yep, yep, good point I was just going to say I'm
pretty sure every four-wheeleror snowmobile my dad's ever had
was the product of a divorce.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
He's a man of the earth.
Yeah, he seems like he's a guyscoping out those kind of things
.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Get a guy when he's down yeah, he's worse than I am.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Do you think that technology has made you feel
more powerful or morereplaceable.
Um, I think probably morepowerful because, let's face it,
there's a lot of kids thataren't jumping into mechanic
jobs anymore.
They all want to do likecomputer stuff and you know, and
you know it's decent money, butit's not like you're making a
ton of money.
So when you're starting out, soyou can probably get a lot more
(09:50):
money doing some other stuff,but once you get good at it,
then you're gonna make prettygood money yeah so I feel that
we we don't have that manypeople knocking down the door to
take over my position, so verytrue.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah, I never even thought of it like that.
I I bet when you were growingup there was a lot more guys
looking to be auto mechanics.
It's it's the same thing withbeing in the masonry industry.
It was.
It's just not a lot of people.
All most of the companies thatare based out of minnesota, if
you look online, are out of pinecity and it's all of my friends
with their own company like it,the trades are definitely going
(10:27):
down in a weird way and it itmakes complete sense that,
especially with you not havingas much competition and then
needing to have the electronicsjust to work on people's
vehicles, it's kind of apigeonhole trade at this point
right it's like you don't reallyhave a choice right now, if I,
if my concrete, if my sidewalk'sbad, I can live with that for
(10:49):
20 years.
If my car doesn't get to work,I'm screwed yeah, yep yep so you
got a lot of like my, my job.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
You got a lot of money just tied up in tools and
and that's just tools in abuilding.
You know, like if you got acarpenter, you got a lot of
money in tools in a truck, butyou you don't have the, the shop
you got to deal with too, justright so there's the yeah, the,
the building, the cost, thetaxes that are in the property
(11:19):
taxes yeah, yeah people don't,people don't think about these.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
These also add up pretty fast yep yep, you know,
and the taxes are never going tobe less on the building that
you're in.
No, they.
Yeah yeah, people don't, peopledon't think about these.
These also add up pretty fast.
Yeah, yeah, you know, and thetaxes are never going to be less
on the building that you're in.
No, they just keep going up.
Yeah, so then that has toreflect in what prices you
charge for everything, but youstill want to be competitive
because you still want business,so you can't price yourself out
(11:43):
of work either.
Yeah, that's a really goodpoint.
Yeah, so now we were.
We were talking about uh beforeyou got here.
There has to have beenscenarios where people have got
their car fixed, but they can'tafford it or don't want it or
whatever, so they'll probablyjust leave it at your shop.
How does that work?
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Well, it doesn't work too good.
But a lot of times, people,this is a real good one is
you'll do the work, They'll tellyou to do the work, and then
they come to pick it up and thenthey want to negotiate the
payment plan.
Well, no, that's not how thatshit works.
You talk to me about itbeforehand and if I can afford
to do that at that time I'll doit maybe, but most of the time
(12:20):
it's not after the fact.
So, or if it's a car that's apile of junk and they don't want
to, they don't want to fix it,then they think that that I'm
the junkyard you know right,we'll just leave it there, yeah
we'll just leave it there, andthere's been times I've hooked
it and brought it right back totheir house, you know, because
I'm like take your own stuffback.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Well, you don't have a huge lot either.
You can't hold hundreds of carsover there especially in the
winter.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I gotta put snow somewhere.
So I mean we, we gotta thinnerdown the herd a little bit
definitely so.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
How long before are you able to take ownership of a
vehicle?
Speaker 2 (12:54):
someone leaves it there for x amount of time yeah,
there's a bunch of crap yougotta go through.
But, um, you know, you gottasend a certified letter.
You gotta wait a certain amountof time.
A lot of times I'll try to worka deal with the guy.
If it's a junker, just bring methe title in and then I'll just
keep the car and I'll fill itup with scrap and then I'll haul
it into the junkyard afterward.
(13:15):
And that's usually what I tryto do and it works out best for
everybody.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Definitely they don't have to get rid of.
Easier for them, they don'thave to deal with it.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Well, that's usually what I do now.
So what?
What role do you thinkintuition still plays in
diagnosing problems withvehicles in now, in a world full
of sensors and readings and allthese things Cause?
That's not always accurateeither, I would imagine.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
No, the best thing is just stay back to the basics.
You know, an engine's still anengine, it still has four
strokes, it's still going to.
You just got to kind of workoff of that and the sensors are
just telling the computer inputsand then it produces what's
supposed to happen.
So, from the basics, if it'snot working right, well then we
(14:06):
just start from there and workour way up.
So I mean, a lot of times youcan check the codes and 98 of
the time you're correct.
But it couldn't just be a badwire too so yeah right, I mean
so it.
Yeah, we've had our ass burnedplenty of times on stupid stuff
like that oh, I bet.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
So yeah, I bet, because there's a delicate
balance too.
Like you, don't want to spendtoo much time on the wrong thing
either no, is that?
Speaker 2 (14:27):
just is burning up your labor right, and I don't
want to charge somebody forsomething that we're not
actually fixing.
Yeah, exactly right so that's afine line.
You got to walk on that too, sono, that's a really good point.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
If someone was trying to get into the mechanic
industry, specifically in auto,what would you say would be the
best piece of advice that youcould give?
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Try to learn a lot of the diagnostic part of it,
because that's going to be whereyou're.
That's the hardest part of thejob.
I mean people can replace, takeparts off and put parts on.
I mean almost anybody can dothat.
I mean you might have to havespecial tools, but if you get
into the diagnostic, thedrivability part of it, that's
where a lot of the money's atthere for to do so.
(15:14):
That's what I would spend mostof my time on if I was to go
back into it again.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Yeah, no, that that is a good point.
We we also live in kind of aunique area here where there is
still a lot of mechanic shopsfor such a small town, I feel
like.
But then also we have PineTechnical Community College that
has a great auto program.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
So there's plenty of access to it if someone wants to
get into it.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
But, like you said, it's definitely not as popular
as it once was.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Right, no doubt.
Yeah, a lot of people.
I I mean, let's face it, theydon't like to get their hands
dirty.
It's a dirty job.
I mean, that's you, don't?
You're not going to be cleanwhen you get done with work.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
So oh, yeah, definitely but I think the
trades are a wonderful thing,because not everybody wants to
go to college and we need guysthat can do that kind of stuff
so I think it is swinging back alittle bit too, especially with
Dunwoody in Minneapolis gettingreally popular being a trade
school and just in high schoolin general, when I grew up there
was not one teacher.
That was like oh yeahconstruction is a good job.
(16:13):
Go for it and it's hard to blamethem because they all got a
four-year degree.
They're there for that reason.
But I think people are startingto realize like, oh man, we're
not going to even have thesepeople if the pendulum doesn't
swing a little bit.
Yeah, how many mechanics do youusually have a time in your
shop, and when you're lookingfor mechanics, do you go on
(16:35):
Indeed, do you put out an ad, orhow do you find guys?
Speaker 2 (16:38):
A lot of times people coming in and talking to me and
then I just talk to them alittle bit.
Most of my guys I just by wordof mouth and talking to people.
So some of my like my one guyis a retired concrete guy and
he's retired, so he I needed aguy to do tires and oil and and
(16:59):
that I asked him if he wanted todo that and he's like, yeah, so
that's that's, that's what hedoes you don't have.
There's certain part ofmechanics where you don't have
to have to go to school to learnsome of that stuff, you know.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Yeah, so.
So how do you, with that beingsaid, how do you sort of toe the
line of tradition andinnovation?
How do you always keep up onsomething new, like what are you
, what is a guy like you goingto look at to see what is the
new thing, what the new, bigger,better, best of your industry?
Speaker 2 (17:28):
well, a lot of times the parts stores offer like
little schooling updates ondifferent things and stuff, so
we'll take advantage of that.
A lot of that stuff you canjust watch on the be on the
internet now and they got likethe classes right on there so
you can watch.
You know the latest andgreatest stuff that's coming
down the pike and what to watchout for.
Um, you subscribe to a lot ofservices too that kind of guide
(17:52):
you on different mechanics.
They all get together and theyput in a deal and talk about you
know certain things and whatthey've done to fix things so
you kind of collaborate withthat too.
So definitely.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
I will say this too.
When I took my car down to thecity so I can't remember what
the closest like Tesla shop is Iwant to say it's like golden
Valley I took my car down thereand I it is the cleanest inside
shop I have ever seen, and thenI realized that they're not
dealing with oil.
They're not dealing with youknow, all these different things
(18:25):
that would make a shop appearto be not clean.
Right you know, is theresomething about getting your
hands dirty that, like modernshops, just don't get to
experience?
Do you think that there'ssomething about that that sort
of empowers the industry?
More of like a hands-onapproach.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
I don't know.
We got soap.
We can wash soap.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
It's good soap, we're good.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
I don't know.
I like the smell of a shop.
I mean that's just a good.
Definitely you get peoplecoming in and go.
Oh God, I remember that smell.
My dad was a mechanic and theyjust walk in and just randomly
say that I'm like, oh, I guess Inever thought of that, you're
here every day.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I do like the smell too.
That's how I think of Pizza Hut.
Yeah, nothing like that fryersmell after a long day.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Yeah, that is one thing about being up above a
pizza place.
We're a little bit spoiled.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
We get the the nice scent going up every once in a
while, yeah yeah, the fryers andthe pizza yeah, being being
good friends with, with bothyour sons shout out, shout out,
nick and justin.
You know they're quite themechanics themselves.
Was there ever a part of youthat wanted them to kind of get
involved in the business andmake it more of a family
business, or are you glad thatthey took their own routes?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
In a way.
I mean, maybe looking now,maybe it would be nice to have
one of them take over, but Imean I'm glad they're doing what
they're doing.
I wanted the fact that to makesure they knew how to fix their
own stuff.
Number one is because I'm sickof work was when their kids.
They had dirt bikes,snowmobiles, everything.
I'm like listen, you're gonnaneed to learn to work on your
(20:07):
own stuff, because I ain't doingthis every day.
Otherwise you guys can comehome and do homework all the
time, because that's the samefor me as it is to you.
So, realistically, I don'treally work on none of their
stuff anymore.
They can use my shop and ifthey have a question I'll let
them know.
But I think they're doing justfine with what they're doing.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Yeah, I've got to give them a thank you too,
because each of them have bothsaved me hundreds of dollars too
.
So shout out to the boys yeah,they're good kids.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
That's funny.
How do you think that man,machine and computer, how do you
think that relationship haschanged since you've started in
the mechanic industry?
Speaker 2 (20:51):
I think it's like in the 80s it was horrible, but
getting into the newer 2000s andstuff, I think it's a lot
smoother transition.
I think it's a lot smoothertransition and it's, I think,
it's easier to diagnose.
But there's a hell of a lotmore wires in a.
There's more wires in a carthan there is in your house
(21:11):
realistically?
Yeah, I suppose I didn't eventhink of that, yeah I mean, and
then they're a lot smaller andyou got to try to figure that
yeah, that, yeah, that's areally good point.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
So now in the learning process, was there ever
a time period of vehicles whereyou're like they just got to
figure this out.
This is just terrible.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Oh, yeah, well, you get into the engineering part.
You mean yeah, yeah, well.
I mean, of course everybody'dwant to strangle the engineer on
some of their things thatthey've designed.
And then it's like maybe youguys should try working on this
once and see how it works beforeyou design the damn thing.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Just as simple as an oil filter some of these oil
filters on a car.
You reach up in there and youget third-degree burns, trying
to get the damn thing off.
It's like what were youthinking?
Speaker 1 (22:01):
yeah, so actually just recently, uh, we took my
wife's vehicle into the, intothe shop in north branch, and,
uh, for some warranty work andthey were telling me that her
water pump was leaking and thequote for the water pump was
three thousand dollars.
I was like there's no way.
I was like I replaced the waterpump in my impala in high
school.
Yeah, and I'm like there's noway.
I was like I replaced the waterpump in my impala in high school
(22:22):
, yeah, and I'm like there's noway I can do that.
I look it up and it's like 30part.
I'm like, oh, 30 bucks, likethey're trying to stick it to me
.
Yeah, look up the how torealize you have to take apart
basically the entire engine toget to this thing yeah.
So I'm like, oh okay, this isdefinitely not something I'm
doing myself.
So so you know, word for anyonelistening if you see a 2018
(22:43):
Ford Explorer go for sale soon,don't buy it.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Oh yeah, we've done plenty of water pumps on them
and it is high buck.
I mean, we don't charge threegrand, but it's probably like
$2,300, $2,400.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Yeah, but you're doing timing chains and
everything.
Exactly, yeah.
Yeah, the second.
I saw that it was.
You know you could take off thetiming chain and I'm like, yeah
, I'm not, I'm not qualified todo that.
There's no way that's gettingdone in my driveway, yeah I was
just thinking.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
You know, as a, as a qualified man as you are, you've
had your hands in a lot offords, a lot of chevys.
I was wondering if you couldsettle the debate right here,
right now would you rather gofor what's better, ford or Chevy
?
What's the more quality vehicle?
What do you work the most on?
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Let's throw in Ram in there too.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Ram too, shout out, Okay.
Well, here's the thing.
I'm a Chevy GMC guy but ahalf-ton Chevy truck from 2013
to 2019, that's a big moneymakerfor us, because it's a shitty
design on the engine.
Um, but what's better?
They're all good, they're alljunk.
(23:46):
So there's no good answer.
Pick the color you like and ifyou like to drive it, drive it,
because they're all going togive you trouble they're all
coming into your shop.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
They're all going to be on a tow truck someday, so
don't worry about it, just gofor it just get what you want.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Basically exactly because yeah, there's no.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
There's no great one and one that's not so good so
what's the deal with oil changesif you go five, six thousand
over?
Is it really a big deal?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
yeah, it is a big deal it's.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I just always figured it's.
Oil is probably getting better,technology's getting good well,
there is synthetics involved.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
So I mean it's for people like you probably that
neglect, but a lot of stuff whenoil breaks down, then it plugs
stuff up and then that when,especially with the newer
engines, you got smallertolerances and then then shit
goes bad, like timing chains andtiming chains or running them
low on oil.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
Yeah, I got to get my truck in I was just looking at
the sticker right now.
I'm like three grand overprobably.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
So realistically they should have a hand that comes
out and slaps you in the headand says, hey, get your oil
changed.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
It's the cheapest thing you can ever do to a
vehicle is change the damn oil Ithink that hand is my dad's
hand, because there's been a fewtimes he looked at the sticker
and was like what is wrong withyou?
Speaker 2 (25:08):
boy, yeah, gotta get her in there, yeah you?
Speaker 1 (25:14):
have you ever messed up anything on your vehicle from
running the oil change too long?
Speaker 3 (25:18):
no, I've lucked out and I haven't had to learn the
lesson the hard way.
The biggest lesson I everlearned was brakes.
I will never listen to mybrakes grind ever again, because
I know exactly what that leadsto yeah it's so simple.
It makes you know you should.
It shouldn't be something youhave to figure out the hard way.
You can obviously tellsomething's going wrong and for
(25:39):
a good while, but until you youbring it in and have to get pads
, calipers, everything, thewhole assembly, yep, and it's an
over a thousand dollars forbreaks yeah you learn the lesson
right real quick yeah, Iremember one time I brought it
in I was working in the citiesand they quoted me at like 1400
and I was leaving for collegefor my second year college
(26:00):
college the next week, and I wasbasically in tears.
I call Rick and I'm like Rick,this is what I need, and he's
like, all right, I can do it,for this Saved me a couple
hundred bucks and saved my assOnce another story.
Yeah, yeah, I.
I just I wish that I was in aposition, because I, I grew up,
(26:25):
I I'm growing up.
I grew up as rick's neighbor.
I grew up hanging out with hiskids, who are great mechanics,
and yet I don't even know how tochange my own oil I probably
don't have to, because if you'rethe neighbor, why would you?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
we're gonna do it for you my dad.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
He taught me you ever need anything, you just go ask
Rick the first time I met hissister.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
She rolls over on a I don't know how old she was
probably 5, 6, 8, something likethat rolls over on a little
pink four-wheeler and the thingquits in my driveway Can you
help me?
And asking if Justin's home.
I'm like, really, this is howwe're going to start this.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
I've got to start working on the neighbor shit
right away.
So yeah, that's funny.
And then it just went on to bea lifetime of Rick.
Will you help me?
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Oh yeah, you know, and I don't mind, and people
help.
You know you help people, theyhelp you mean that's all that
shit works.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Definitely you need to look.
You need a lead on a good pizzaaround town.
Just hit up sam oh, yeah, yeahyeah, where's?
Where's the best food in town,sammy?
Speaker 3 (27:29):
oh, pizza hut yeah, exactly get their wings never
fail I don't know.
I think it's downstairs has gotit oh, it never fails I having
our studio above pizza pub isone of the worst things that
ever happened to me.
I can't stop eating it rightespecially like the shredder
pizza.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
I'm obsessed with it yeah, well, taking it back to
the industry, do you think isthere a human element?
Do you think that won't bereplaced when it comes to fixing
vehicles?
Speaker 2 (27:58):
I don't think you're gonna get rid of somebody to not
fix a vehicle.
You couldn't.
I don't think a robot could dostuff like that.
I mean, I don't, I can't seethat.
I can see him building it, butI can't see him fixing it.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
I don't, I don't see how that could be do you think
there's ever a time where youcan just pull your car into a
bay?
It locks on the wheels, likethose car washes where you drive
on, and it drives you through.
Do you ever see there?
Speaker 3 (28:21):
being a shop where you can just pull your car into
a bay.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
It locks on the wheels, like those car washes
where you drive on and it drivesyou through.
Do you ever see there being ashop where you pull in?
You know a computer hooks up toyour car.
They die.
You get out.
Obviously your computer hooksup to your car.
They diagnose it, they, youknow it dollies into the shop,
they do everything and then itspits it out in x amount of time
and then you just get in yourcar and drive away maybe an oil
(28:45):
change, you know, but what let'slook at?
Speaker 2 (28:49):
let's say mice, some of mice, choose off your wire.
How the hell are they gonna dothat with a roll it in and like
a car wash right?
Some stuff you just physicallyhave to see yeah, you said, oh,
that's the problem, yeah, it'snot your motor's, not blown up.
This wire is chewed yeah, andthere's a nest underneath the
hood, you know right?
Speaker 1 (29:10):
yeah, are they gonna?
They're gonna have to clean itout and then diagnose what's
going on.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Yeah, but how about this?
I had a guy, his daughter's carthey bring it in.
Yeah, I got a possum in my carin the underneath the hood.
We can't get it out.
I'm like, well, how about youbait it and trap it?
So no, we've tried.
So then we put it up in the airand the guys are taking stuff
apart.
I got welding gloves on.
(29:36):
We get this thing out of andit's still alive.
The thing takes off running.
You know, I mean what, whatkind of shit?
What kind of a thing is goingto do that?
Speaker 1 (29:45):
So you're also not only a mechanic, you're an
exterminator.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Oh yeah, we do it all .
Mice, rodents, squirrels.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Oh, I've had to trap a few mice out of my vehicle.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
We've had rats come out of people's cars.
I mean it's ugh.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
What are some other stories that you found of stuff
packed up in an engine bay?
I'd imagine squirrels got to bejust rattling stuff away.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Squirrels, mice is the worst Rats, for sure.
I mean my guy at the shop, Ryanthe car was filthy, of course,
you don't just get rats for thehell of it and he was under the
dash working on the heater andhe's seen the long tail go by
heater.
And he's seen the long tailcome go by and he's like, hey,
dude, there's rats in this thing.
I'm like yeah, get it the hellout of here I don't want them in
(30:29):
the shop I call the guy.
I'm like dude, you got rats inyour car.
I mean what the come on?
Speaker 1 (30:38):
uh, okay.
So, um, I have a buddy who hasa mechanic shop and he always
sends me videos of the insidesof people's vehicles and how
packed some of these vehiclesare full of stuff, like it
almost looks like they're livingin the thing.
Oh yeah, have there?
Has there ever been a timewhere you had to like literally
move stuff out of the way sothat you could even work on the
(30:58):
thing?
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Okay.
So back in my early days Iwould do that.
Nowadays I'm like you need toclean your car out so I can get
at it, because I don't want tobe in this I I don't need the
money that bad to be dealingwith that kind of shit.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
It's, that's, come on yeah, I've definitely dropped
my car off before and been likeman.
I hope rick doesn't give meshit about this.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Yeah most of the time I don't care.
I mean, if you get you, that'sthe way it is.
I mean, people got stuff laying, I do too, but if it's level
with the windows, I mean I, Ineed to have some room here
enough's enough yeah, you canyou probably don't need
everything in here yeah, youcould push away a little bit.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
So yeah, the spring mice are actually out and about
right now, because I saw one inmy room the other day I was
sitting on my bed getting readyfor work and see I didn't have
my contacts in.
So I just see a little blackthing come under my door and I'm
like that had to be a mouseyeah go get a trap, put some
peanut butter on it, set it upfor the day, come back didn't go
(32:04):
off.
So I must be going crazy.
Next day didn't go off again.
Well, the next day it didn't gooff.
But I'm looking at it, I'm likethere's no more peanut butter
on this yeah, I just didn't gooff.
Now I got two traps in, I got anew one and I'm hoping for the
best.
But yeah, the spring mice havebeen kicking our ass at the old
(32:25):
rat trap Spring mice.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Do you get the fall mice?
Speaker 3 (32:29):
too.
No, the fall mice is prettygood.
We had a good harvest.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I had mice at the shop upstairs and you can hear
them running around, so I boughta jug of peanut butter loaded
up.
The traps went upstairs.
I come back down, the son of abitch is eating the peanut
butter out of the peanut butterjar.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
I'm like really come on, do you?
Uh, do you think that theevolution of the auto industry
is a change in technology or achange in values, or a
combination of both?
Speaker 2 (33:04):
I think it's a.
It's a safety and emissionschange more than anything and
people.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
They just want something to tell them when it's
wrong so yeah, how much of thatdo you think is snake oil and
how much of that is actuallymeant to be good for emissions
and safety?
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Well, let's just start with the tire, bonnet or
system.
Okay, realistically, if yourtires are aired up properly,
you're going to get better gasmileage.
It's nice if you don't look atyour stuff and it tells you
you've got a low tire.
But it sure is a pain in theass when they're not working
(33:50):
right because they're in everyother day or if they've got a
low tire.
So it's a good thing, but it'sa bad thing too.
But emissions I think they'regetting a little nuts on that.
So we see a lot of people takingout like the, like the def
systems and diesel oh yeah,because of that there seems to
(34:12):
be more problems with that thanalmost anything else on the
vehicle yeah, that's, I meanthey do and it and it it sure
helps the engine, but it I can'tdo that that's a huge fine oh
yeah, yeah, they, they'vestarted fining, suing, shutting
down shops yeah that are tuningand deleting yeah, a lot of
(34:32):
these diesel emissions and Idon't get into that diesel stuff
that much more.
My stuff's gas stuff, my truck,my own trucks are diesel, but um
, that's because I pull campersand I got a tow truck and stuff,
so I mean, but I, I don't, youcan't mess with the emissions,
otherwise, yeah, you can get insome big shit about that so you
(34:53):
potentially get shut down?
Speaker 1 (34:55):
yeah, and that how much?
How much of the change do youthink comes from them just
needing more money in the autoindustry?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
um, I think it's more government mandates and and
there's.
I mean we don't want.
I don't want to get into thepolitics of stuff, but uh, I
don't know who's getting all themoney for the submission stuff,
but I, I don't have a goodanswer for that yeah, I've never
understood, because all mybuddies that have diesels their
(35:26):
whole thing is like I can't waitto get it deleted and then I
they don't have to buy deafanymore.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
Like what is deaf?
Speaker 2 (35:33):
I don't understand it's hog piss, that's what it?
Is.
It's literally urea, I mean,that's they're spraying that in
there to to knock down the sootit really, it really actually is
.
Yeah if you look it up, it's,it's urea and it's it's uh, like
a form of hog I've heard it.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
It smells terrible.
That makes yeah and it's verycorrosive.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
It's so you don't want to spill it on your paint
or nothing.
Like my truck, you know, everyfew few tanks of fuel I gotta
dump a five gallons of that shitin for to keep.
Otherwise, if you don't, it'sgonna shut your shutter down and
you will just be limited onpower and everything else.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
So yeah, they won't.
Even the engine is made in away where, if it senses you
don't have any deflute, it justwon't let you drive it right,
yeah, you're done.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Yep, yeah, that sucks .
Speaker 3 (36:25):
So now now we're stuck in the prohibition of of
getting your vehicles deleted.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
But here's, yeah, but here's the underground rail,
yeah but here's one of thethings that gets me too, because
it's like are you reallyoffsetting how much pollution is
out there when you got theseplastic jugs that you have to
now throw away every time youfill that thing up?
Yeah, like, those plastic jugsare not biodegradable?
Speaker 2 (36:50):
no, they're not well, just look at your electric car.
What are we doing with thebatteries?
What are we doing with?
Yeah, you know, they're miningthat stuff in another country.
Obviously right, and becausethey can do all the pollution
they want over there.
But they're mining that stuffin another country?
Obviously right, and becausethey can do all the pollution
they want over there.
But they're they're acting likeit's so green here.
Well right, don't you thinkthat shit floats over through
the air to?
Speaker 1 (37:10):
us.
Oh yeah, 100, come on.
Yeah, I just actually read athing not that long ago.
My grandma just sent me thisthing saying that it takes like
2 000 iphones worth of batteriesto make a car.
Yeah, and that's just one car.
Yeah, you know, like you can'ttell me that that's actually
good.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
No.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
At the end of the day .
Speaker 2 (37:30):
No, it's just some more bullshit.
They're trying to shove downyour throat.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Well, it's the same thing with wind, like when I was
growing up, it was always likethese wind turbines.
It's the future.
And then you find out likethose are just as bad, if not
worse, for the environment too.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Just need to stick to fossil fuels, baby yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
Pump that oil out.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Do you ever have situations?
Where people bring in their carbecause they're like it's
making this crazy sound and thenthey drop it off and you drive
it around for a little bit,won't make the sound.
They come get it, it makes thesound again.
They bring it back.
You can't get it to hear thesound.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
Do you ever have just confusing, frustrating
situations?
Speaker 2 (38:08):
Oh, a lot, a lot, a lot happens that all the time
it's like you go into the doctorwhen you got a pain and then
you get to the doctor and youfeel different before you even
get fixed.
But then they're like I'mfinally, I'll be like, let's
just go for a ride together andthen, and they're like you hear
that.
You hear that a lot of timeswith older people too, and they
get hearing aids and they gotthem cranked up.
(38:29):
They can hear every goddamnthing in that car.
Well, you know, my ears aregetting weak and I don't hear
all that stuff.
So them new hearing aids arepicking up everything.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
I'm like turn the hearing aids down, you're, it's
not that big a deal turn thehearing aids down or turn the
radio up, it's not even a bigdeal, yeah yeah, that'd be my
advice.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
I always just turn her up a little bit yeah, that's
not the whole thing, but I'msaying that a lot of times
people come in with that kind ofissue, so yeah where you're
hearing more than what youprobably should.
Speaker 1 (38:59):
You're probably hearing the road sometimes yeah,
you're hearing a lot of people.
That's like that was a potholethat you had yeah, it's not
something wrong with yourvehicle.
Speaker 2 (39:05):
Yeah, I mean, there is legit concerns, but sometimes
that's what it is so what?
Speaker 1 (39:11):
what keeps you passionate about this work,
despite all the changes, anddoing it for so long?
Speaker 2 (39:16):
um, well, the one thing is is when somebody brings
something in broken, it'salways fun fixing stuff and then
it leaves working better thanit came.
Plus you're helping people out.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
I mean, that's a huge satisfaction to me I believe so
I suppose owning a shop's agreat way to make friends too.
Oh, you just got people comingthrough all the time, oh yeah
you got there.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
I mean, I probably sell just as much coffee as
nickels cafe and I don't sell it.
I give it away because they'rein bullshit.
Yeah right, I mean you get alot of people coming in just to
talk, and I love doing that.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
So you've always been a big Nichols for lunch guy.
Does Mia's hold the samerespect that Nichols had?
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Well.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
I'm not trying to trap you here.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
Well, butch is a you know, a hell of a nice guy, yeah
, but they're good.
It's a good place to eat, it'sreasonable priced and that's
where we go usually, you know sodefinitely you miss seeing
butchy in there.
Oh yeah, yeah, it's always agood time butch still comes to
the shop, gets car, car service.
But yeah, I miss Butch.
But there's a time whereeverybody's got to be done, you
(40:26):
know.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Yeah, yeah, I miss ordering a huge stack of
pancakes and hearing from theback.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
Kathy Blue oh yeah.
Yeah, Something about the yellWell he's even made some really
funky-looking pancakes for me,sometimes on the you know, real
risky business there.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
That's funny.
Yeah, yeah Tough to see Butchgo, but it's uh, you know.
It's good to see new cafes, newbusinesses coming into the area
too.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (40:53):
You know teachers always talk about like, oh, I
had, I had her mom and now Ihave her, her kid.
Have you had being a mechanicwith your own shop for over 20
years?
I'm sure you've taken care ofpeople for 10 years and then all
of a sudden their kids come inand you get multiple generations
of customers coming through.
Do you have any customers thatstarted with you in 97 that are
(41:17):
still bringing their vehicle inevery time?
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Oh yeah, quite a few yep.
Well, I started, started off,you know, doing side work, and
then you kind of work your wayinto well, the wife's getting
pissed off because you're neverhome, because you're working at
during the day and at night, andthen pretty soon, um yeah, then
I got people.
There's been a lot of peoplethat I've started.
George johnson, you know himyeah principal.
(41:43):
Yeah, he and him and I've beenon, we're on the fire department
together and stuff too.
So he's been coming to me sinceday one.
Um, there's a I mean I, there'sa lot of people that I that
still to this day come to mefrom the beginning.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
George is a good, good guy.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Kept me out of a lot of trouble yeah, yeah, yeah, me
too yeah, I would say oh, goahead I, I just I wanted to go
into the fire department alittle bit and you know it's
always really interested me andI've always, anytime I've seen a
fire, I always try to get theretoo, in case they need my help
oh, that's good, never happened.
But I'd like to be in you incase they need another guy.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Yeah, we always need fire truck chasers.
That's real fun.
Speaker 3 (42:27):
Have some more traffic on the road.
One thing that you told methat's always stuck with me is
you've picked up more bodies on70 than any other road.
Do you still stand by that?
Speaker 2 (42:39):
Well, yeah, in my career when I was on on, yeah,
that was the worst road ever.
I mean they fixed it some now,but there for a while it was all
a lot because the road was soshitty and so straight too,
that's what really yeah, youknow when you're on just a
straightaway for long enough,that's when people really start
to doze off and they're haulingass, I mean
(43:03):
deer especially in the wintertoo.
You know, you lose it on someslush, and there you go.
I think 48 is just as bad, butthat wasn't in our area, so oh
yeah, I bet okay.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
So I guess, as uh, as a sort of a wrap-up question,
is there one piece of wisdomthat you could leave for the
next generation of mechanics?
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Just pay attention in school and math and and then,
like I said, the drivabilitypart of.
If you're going to get intothat, pay a lot of attention to
the, to that kind of stuff,because that's where you're
going to make the the most.
I think, out of it is thedrivability.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
So heck, yeah, sweet.
Well, rick, is there anythingelse that you want to drop on us
before we head out of here?
Speaker 2 (43:52):
not that I know you got any any social media to
shout out do I have social media?
I don't even know how to Venmo,for Christ's sake, we'll put
your Venmo up on the screen.
Somebody asked me do you knowhow to Venmo?
I'm like I don't even know howto spell Venmo, so no, I don't.
Cash or check, that's how we doit.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
That's funny, well, rick, thank you so much for
coming in today.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
We appreciate it yeah , thanks guys.
Speaker 3 (44:17):
It was an absolute pleasure.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
Yeah, this was fun.
I've never done this before.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
Well, we'll have to have you on again for a
follow-up here soon.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Yeah, that'd be cool.
Speaker 3 (44:25):
We'll have to get the boys on too.
Make it a little family.
We can have my dad come.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
Oh yeah, that'd be a hell of a good time We'd
probably have to cut half of itout.
I think, well, if you get usgoing?
Speaker 3 (44:39):
yeah it might.
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