This week on Ron Ananian The Car Doctor, Ron opens with a real Tuesday-morning phone call: a Honda owner chasing the cheapest tie rod and wheel alignment in town after a “great cheap oil change” at the dealer. From there, Ron breaks down the wrong way to talk to a repair shop, why price-shopping without a relationship always backfires, and how skipped 30k/45k/60k services eventually come due—with interest.
Ron also takes listener calls from around the country:
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Billy in Colorado needs to flush a 2010 VW Jetta 2.5 cooling system loaded with oil. Ron walks him through an efficient DIY-style coolant exchange using the expansion bottle instead of a machine.
-
Andrea in Delaware hears a whining noise on her 2017 Ram 6.4 Hemi. After a transmission update and conflicting opinions, Ron explains how to separate real diagnosis from guesswork and why she needs a shop that actually listens to the truck.
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Nate in Oregon, a BMW tech and former Acura lube tech, shares a pro tip for removing stubborn Honda/Acura drain plug washers—and Ron talks about over-tightened plugs, stripped pans, and doing oil changes the right way.
Ron closes with stories from the shop: no-show appointments, pricey Mercedes run-flat tires, and why time and trust are the real currency in auto repair.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
You're listening to Ron and Nanian The Car Doctor, nationally
recognized auto expert trusted by Mechanics, Weekend wrenchers and vehicle
owners alike. Ron brings over forty years of hands on
experience and deep industry insight to help you understand your vehicle.
Join the Conversation live every Saturday from two to four
pm Eastern by calling eight five to five five six
zero nine nine zero zero. That's eight five to five
(00:25):
five six zero ninety nine hundred, your direct line to
honest answers and practical advice. Looking for more, visit cardoctorshow
dot com for past episodes, repair tips, and Ron's latest insights,
and be sure to subscribe to the Car Doctor YouTube
channel for exclusive videos, real repair footage and more. Now
start your enginies. The Car Doctor is in the garage
(00:47):
and ready to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hi, Riotomotive, how can I help? This is the way
the phone call started on Tuesday. Yeah, can I get
a quote on tyrod ends in a wheel alignment? And
that's whe that He said, Sure, you know who is this?
Have I seen this car before? What kind of car?
Is this? Your make? Model?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
No, it's never been there. It's a Honda. Well, let's see,
Honda makes fourteen different models the last count, so you
know which one, what variation, what version, or whatever the
number is. Well, I've been to the Honda dealer and
they do a really great cheap oil change. But now
they're trying to sell me tyrod ends because the outer
(01:30):
no he didn't say, the outer, he says said the
tyrod ends, I'm told are bad. They're split. You know,
these are real conversations that I have with people, and
I guess I'm talking to you about it. It's a
therapy for me, and I hope you realize, and I
appreciate you letting me do this as I open up
this week. But I also want you to understand what
goes on in a repair shop, because I want you
(01:52):
to understand the wrong way to talk to a repair
shop and to communicate. And this is absolutely the wrong
way to have a conversation because we're this guy's looking
for all the wrong things and he says all the
wrong things and he doesn't even know it, which is
the really interesting part. You know, you wonder how people
like this chew gum and walk at the same time.
(02:16):
The tyrods are split. Okay, so what are they telling
you you need? Well, I don't know. They said I
need tyrods, and I didn't like their price. So let
me see right off the bet. I know he likes
a cheap oil change. He doesn't want to spend money
on the car. He's not really concerned about what it
is they're changing. He just knows that he doesn't want
to buy it. Turns out it's a seventeen Honda Accord,
(02:36):
and I finally get it out of him that it's
the outer tyrod in boots that the dealership is telling
him are split open. He didn't like their price, he
didn't believe them, He didn't trust that they were telling
him the truth. Of course, he did trust him enough
to change the oil on the car because it was cheap.
So he went to a local tire shop and they
told him pretty much the same thing, But they also
(02:59):
told him he needed four tires, which the Honda dealer
didn't tell him he needed. So he had them do
the four tires because it was cheap. It was a
good price on four tires, and they did a wheel alignment.
But now he's trying to get the tyrod ends done.
The outer tyrod ends as he explained it to me
because they're split because the dealership that told him he
(03:21):
needed them that he didn't want to have do because
he didn't like the price because it wasn't cheap enough,
prompted his moving to a second repair facility to a
third repair facility.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Me.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I said, well, you know, it's kind of hard to say.
I said, it's sort of like asking me what color
rise do I have? And we've never met, you know,
just take guess your best, I told him. I said,
you know, it could be three hundred dollars, it could
be eight hundred dollars. What does it really need? What
else is there? What else is wrong with this vehicle
that's approximately six going on seven years old, that it
sounds like nobody's really looking after. Well, no, it doesn't
(03:57):
really need anything. You know. I take it in when
the oil chains light comes on. But other than that,
the car has been great. I haven't had to do
anything else to it. Well, how many miles do you
have on it? About seventy six thousand, and I'm thinking
in my head. So he missed the thirty thousand mile service,
he missed the forty five thousand mile service, He missed
a sixty thousand mile service and finally something is breaking,
but it has to be cheap in order for him
(04:17):
to be able to adjustify doing it. You know, it's
a machine, guys, it really is. It's something you have
to maintain. And if you don't understand that, then I
can't help you. I really can't, because you've got to
realize that that machine, that maintenance item that's growing in
your driveway keeps you safe. It's what you get into
(04:42):
after work at night to go home. It's what keeps
your family warm and secure in the cold winter months
coming when you're traveling back and forth, especially over the holidays.
Why aren't you spending any money on it? That's my question,
because are you going to break down on the side
of the road and hope you get a cheap time?
Is that the next thing that we're looking for? You know,
(05:05):
I think you're asking the wrong questions if you're like
this guy, and I think you're really looking for the
wrong thing. I think you should be looking for a relationship.
I think you should be looking for somebody you can trust.
And I know everybody's shaking their head and go ron,
it's not like that. That's not real world well, I
don't know. I think it's real world. I have a
great relationship with my guy at the diner. You know,
(05:26):
it's where do you want to go eat? I want
to go see adel I don't even it doesn't matter
the name of the it's I want to go see
Adele because I've been you know, I've been going to
the same diner for twenty some odd years. Adele takes
very good care of us. You know, he's one of
those guys when you walk in, you sit down, uh
before before I get my jacket off. Sometimes my cup
of tea shows up, the basket with bread and rolls
(05:48):
and butter shows up, my salad shows up, and then
he says, what are you in the mood for it tonight?
I don't know, Adele. I'm you know, I'm feeling like
something chicken. Go bring me something chicken, and he'll bring
me whatever the chef's make in that day. That's good.
That's a chicken. Something chicken to Reno at Chicken Marsala. Whatever.
It's a relationship. I have a great relationship with Adele.
(06:08):
Sam's good too. It's Sam and Adele at the same diner,
and I love them both to death. They do a
great job. I've got a barber that same way, right,
it's not even you know, you ever look at a
barbershop at the relationship they have with clients. People walk in,
sit down, what you want? Well, you know, I wanted
this short and can of you know in the back,
and that tells me they haven't been there enough. I
(06:32):
get in. You know, I went down. I got a
haircut the other day, and I went in and I
sat down, and Zach and I looked at each other.
We smiled, and I gave him the shrug and he
went okay, and he gave me the haircut he's been
given me for the past one teen years because we
have a relationship. I do that a lot with regular clients,
regular customers. You know, it's here's my keys, ron, fix
(06:55):
my car, keep me safe. I don't want to break down.
I don't want to have to make phone calls at
midnight or ten o'clock at night, and when I come
out of work late, when I go shopping, when I
go to the movies, when I go away for the weekend.
I want my car safe and reliable, not not the
guy who's coming around asking how cheap can you do?
This and for that matter. And I explain that to
(07:19):
this gentleman, I said, you know, I've got to tell
you more than looking for somebody to do tyrod ends,
I said, what you're really looking for is a mechanic.
Well why, and he kind of got insulted. It was
sort of hilarious. Well why why am I looking for
a mechanic? I said, because you've already been to two places,
And to be honest with you, the tire place kind
(07:39):
of ripped you off. Well, how can you say that
I paid for four tires, they gave me four tires,
and they did a wheel alignment. Yeah, but when I
do the tyrod ends, or whoever does the tyrod ends,
whoever succeeds at being the cheapest at the bottom of
the barrel for you that you actually like because it's
a cheap price, which is I think the other thing
that kind of insulted them. But I'm just being honest.
(08:00):
You know, you get to an age where you don't
have time to fool around. It's let's call it like
I say it. I said, when I do tyrod ends,
I'm gonna have to do another wheel alignment. But why, Well,
because I said, imagine if your wrist unscrewed, and you
unscrewed your wrist, and you know you wanted to index
your wrist or lock your wrist in a certain position,
and you had to put it back on, and how
(08:22):
long is it? You know, how much did you change
by unscrewing it? Well, that's sort of the same thing
with a tyrod end. You've changed the wheel alignment when
you change the tyrod ind So if they knew you
needed tyrod ends, they should have explained that to you
before they did the four tires. Did they No, They
just seemed like they wanted to sell me tires into
a wheel alignment after I told them I didn't want
to do the tyrods because it was too much money. Right,
(08:45):
So doesn't that mean they cheated you? Well, I got
what I paid for. Yeah, but now you're gonna have
to pay for it again. What are you looking for
in a repair shop? You got to look for a relationship.
It's that relationship. It's that safety factor. And I realized
not every can give that because some shops, hey, you
know what, some shops in my industry, they're from the
(09:05):
stone age. They just don't get it. I talk to
guys all week long. You know, we'll talk about certain
problems they're having, and we kind of kip its around,
and mechanics are great coffee clutters. And they'll be talking
about parts that I stopped using three years ago, and
I'll say, gee, why you're still using that line of
brake pad. I had nothing but problems with them. Yeah,
but it lasts pasted the warranty period. Answer most commonly given.
(09:27):
It lasts pasted the warranty period. And I get the
parts for free from the manufacturer, but I get to
charge the customer for labor again. Huh, Well, I guess
that's how we're drumming up business. No wonder. Everybody's asking
how cheap? No wonder, this industry has such a bad rap.
But you can change that. Mechanics can change that too.
(09:48):
They've just got to adopt better policies. But you, the
client can change that by demanding more and not just
demanding better pricing, demand a better relationship. Eighty five six
zero nine nine zero zero. I'm r on a nanny in
the car doctor. I'm here to answer your car questions
and everything else in between. I'll be back right after this.
(10:10):
Let's get out to Colorado. And talk to Billy this week.
He's got a VW he's working on. Billy, how'd you
make out with the Nissan? Does that resolved?
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Well, the new cat is in, but it'll have to
wait until this one's done and out of the garage.
Today I'm changing, yeah, exactly. So today I'm changing the
oil filter, housing and oil cooler on a twenty ten
Volkswagon jet at two point five liter.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Okay, there is a ton of oil in the coolert system, right,
So I don't have a machine for this. So I
was wondering your advice on the best way to give
this thing a thoral flush.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I have a machine, and I don't use it on Volkswagons.
And I'll tell you why. If you pop the hood,
look at the hood. Where's the coolant bottle on the
passenger side?
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Okay? How many hoses go to the top of the
coolant jug One?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Oh, give me just a step here.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
I believe it's one, one small diameter hose. Yes, yes,
that's right. Okay, check your check your flow of operation,
get that vehicle warm, let it cool down so it
doesn't burp in your face, and then when you're comfortable,
take the cap off. And then start it up again.
(11:29):
Coolant and I'm ninety nine percent certain is the way
it works, Bill, I'm I'm just being cautious. Coolant in
that vehicle comes in that small tube, that small hose,
and out the bottom tube. That tube is the reserc
right that that's it comes off. The engine, comes off
the block and feeds that coolant reservoir bottle, which then
feeds the radiator and the rest of the cooling system. Right, yes, Okay,
(11:53):
So if that's the way coolant flows, if you take
that small black hose off the coolant bottle, right and
put a splice in there. You know a bunch of
different companies make coolant tube splices. Okay, put a splice
in there with a long hose, go down into a bucket,
and it would theoretically drain all the coolant out down
(12:14):
that hose.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Sure, Okay, put another hose on the nipple that you've
left exposed. Put a rubber hose there, drop that down
to the ground. Make it long enough. Put a pair
of crimp pliers so you can close it off so
you're not pulling in air, right, or you're not giving
it a place for it to get excess and spill
out and get sloppy should it bubble up. And the
(12:37):
only thing you have to do here is if you
don't have one, is purchase a funnel with the right
adapter to fit the top of the bottle. It's going
to be a screw thread style funnel, so it's you know,
spend a little bit of money. But if you're gonna
work on Volkswagens, this is the trauma. Okay, And now
get the vehicle warm and all you have to do
is measure out your coolant beforehand, all right, and just
(13:00):
started up. Let it runs that white bottle, the round
bottle goes down, keep adding cooling to it. If it's
a two gallon system or whatever the number is. When
you're done pouring in your two gallons, you've effectively replaced
all the coolant, right, okay, Right, it's just the car
is actually going to do the exchange for you. It's
it's one of the simpler exchanges. I looked at it
(13:22):
once because on a Volkswagen you've got all those crazy
hose clamps with the clips and the plastic ends and
you can't get to anything. There's no adapter for that. Well,
there probably isn't in the Fatherland, but it's probably too expensive.
And you know, for the average guy to do it
as a di wire, it just doesn't work. So I
looked at it and I said, I wonder how cooling
flow goes on this? And sure enough, and I've done
(13:44):
it that way multiple times and it works really well.
Now you've got oil in the system. If you've got
some oil contamination, you want to pick some sort of
a corrosious corrosive clean or something not caustic, something that
won't hurt aluminum. You know, you're gonna have to it
down to your local advance and start reading you know, chemicals,
and you know what's good for aluminum. What does a
(14:05):
good flush? All?
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Right?
Speaker 2 (14:08):
And then you know, use that cleaner through however they
direct it, and then do your exchange and you should
be fine, right, that should that should work with that
should work without a problem. And of course, you know,
pick a good coolant, I know you will, right, You've
got to You've got to find some of that meets
I think it's G twelve is the spec Peak makes
great coolant for this application, like all the rest of
(14:28):
the applications. If you want to just go, just go
Google search peak coolant and they'll bring you to the
website and they'll talk about you could use all makes,
all models, or you can find their specific coolant whatever
they're making for that vehicle, and you'll be fine.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
But you know, and then over I have two gallons
of peak concentrate perfect in front.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Of me, perfect, and you know, and if it's if
it says two gallons and you mix up four as
as you want to overdo it, you can overdo it.
Just go get a big bucket, go to home depot,
get a Homer bucket, right, and just have this big
giant bucket of coolant, and you know it'll work fine,
It'll work absolutely fine. All right. Just you're gonna need
some hoses and adapters and yeah, Volkswagon actually that's one
(15:05):
of the things they do really well. They made cool
and flushes on those cars very very easy.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Okay, cool, all right.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Sir, You're welcome. Bill, You'll be well. Have a good week,
you too, hy Bobby. I talked to Billy a couple
of times this week. He was going through that Nissan
pathfinder we talked about last week, and I think he's
on the right path with that truck. He finally got
that solved, and you know, now he's onto the next thing.
I'd like to see his garage. He's he's he's out
(15:33):
there working in Colorado, i think, on all the neighbors
and the family cars and doing his thing. So but
definitely definitely always a good time talking to Bill. So yeah,
and that's you know what, and there, that's what this
show is about. Right. We talked in the beginning about
what's this show about about me explaining what goes on
in the shop. That's what this show is about. I'm
(15:55):
there for guys like Bill. I'm there for you. I'm
here to help you guys understand what it is to
cars and try and come up with simpler solutions, you know,
because we don't have time to waste. We had a
guy this week walking to the shop that made an
appointment new customer or tried to be a new customer,
and he had brake shake and he had taken it
(16:15):
to a couple of shops and they looked at this.
They looked at that. They put brakes on the car
within the last six to eight months and it sort
of fixed it, but it didn't and then it came
back and then it got worse and all right, listen,
I'm happy to work on the car. I'm happy to
work for you, all right. I need an hour shop time.
I've got to do some road tests. I've got to
put it up in the air, i've got to pull wheels.
I've got to get out a dial indicator. I've got
(16:37):
to start to look at things. I've never seen the
vehicle before. I have to baseline the car. An hour
of time sound reasonable to you, It sounded reasonable to me.
I've never been to a doctor's office where they didn't
begin doing some basic testing and you know there's costs involved,
and hey, that's great, I can deal with that, no
problem in hour. Okay, yeah, great, good. Well, Wednesday came
and went and he he never showed. And what do
(16:59):
you do with that?
Speaker 5 (17:00):
Right?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
You know, the great poet Carl Samberg said time is
the coin of life. I actually thought it was Kenny Wassmer,
kid I went to high school with, because that was
his yearbook quote. Kenny wrote, time is the coin of life.
Be careful lest you let others spend it for you.
I found out later on it was Carl Samberg's. I
guess that's where Kenny got it. From But regardless, it's
still true. Who's got time to waste? If you make
an appointment? If you make an appointment with me and
(17:22):
you don't show, you're on the no fly list. And
I hear a lot of shops doing that now because
who's got time to waste? It's too expensive the Runner
repair shop. But think about it, what are you looking for?
You're looking for a relationship. There's a right and the
wrong way to go about it. A five, five, five, six,
nine nine zero zero run a ding of the car. Doctor,
I'll be back right after.
Speaker 6 (17:40):
This, promises, sweets to the open road tonight, doctor car advice.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
To right, and let's go over to Andrea in Delaware. Andrea,
is it Andrea? Or Andrea?
Speaker 7 (18:14):
Which is Andrea?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Andrea? Let's get it right. So how can I help
you today, sweetheart?
Speaker 7 (18:19):
Yeah, So, my husband has a twenty seventeen Dodge Ram pickup.
It's a six point forward Leader tradesman, right, and we
bought it used in twenty one, I think it was.
And we just started noticing a whining sounds like it
maybe coming from the front end, and we noticed it
(18:44):
more on takeoff. It seems louder. At that point we
took it over to the Dodge dealer. We'd been taking
it there because we hadn't extended on it, and so
they checked it out and they said they they did
some updates actually on the transmission, and they also did
(19:06):
a relearn relearn, but they didn't find anything as far
as the whining, but they well, actually they didn't tell
us that at the time, so we took it home,
thinking the whining was was fixed because of the relearn.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
They said that.
Speaker 7 (19:25):
In that adaptive relearn, it probably would have taken care
of some road noise and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Okay, go ahead, Yeah, I'm not buying it, so that's
why you're here, but go ahead, right.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
So the wine was still there, so we ended up
taking it back.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
What a surprise, go ahead.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
And so at that point they told us that they
thought it was that we needed to replace the lower
ball joints and front wheel bearings and which they wanted
to charge us thirty two dollars to have done.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Well wait, wait, wait, wait, wait wait a minute, let's
let's back up the truck. No pun intended. How do
we get from Yeah, uh, so you know what, any
any diagnosis been done here? Andrea like has anybody driven
(20:22):
this has anybody you know? Is this wine? You know?
Is it? Is it there from the moment you start out?
Is it there if I sit still and put it
in neutral and rev it up? Is it the same
noise as park? Is it there only when I'm in drive?
Is it different if I'm in low? Is it different
if I'm in reverse?
Speaker 7 (20:40):
It's only there when we go to take off. It's
not there for sitting still or revenue the engine. It's
only on takeoff.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Okay, so it's it's at speed? Yes, okay, so you know,
goofy things? Are the tires chopped? You know? Are the
tires lumpy? Are they wearing funny? Can we put it
on a lift up in the air and have somebody
drive it at twenty miles an hour and have somebody
with a no pun intended mechanic stethoscope? Listen to the
(21:09):
two front wheel bearings. Listen to the front differential, Listen
to you know, carrier bearings inside the diff I mean
there's there's there's about ten or twelve steps we can
go through here process of elimination. Let's let's talk about
what's good. Does it need ball joints? Well, that should
be a simple answer of gee, guys, it's it's the
front ends loose, you know, the ball joints or the
(21:30):
rubber boots are torn or collapsed. Or of course, why
I didn't notice that when they were doing the transmission
work prior. I don't know. But maybe this is the
thing they need to sell this week, you know, you know,
so I understand why you have your doubt. I think
in this case, you've got to get a second opinion
beyond me. Oh okay, go ahead, I'm sorry I mean
(21:52):
to interrupt.
Speaker 7 (21:52):
Go ahead, that's good. Yeah, So we we got went
and picked up the truck to them. We were going
to get a second opinion. So we did, and this
guy said that everything was tight. It does not need
either of the repairs that this other guy said it needed, right.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
And.
Speaker 7 (22:14):
I'm just he couldn't really hear the wine. So my
husband took the truck back over there. He listened, He
had him, you know, listen with him in the truck.
They took it for a test dripe, and he said
he really didn't think it was anything, but potentially he
needed to have a transmission guy look at it just
(22:35):
to rule that out.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
So it sounds like people are thinking it's in the
trans Yeah.
Speaker 7 (22:40):
But so here's the thing. Since we've been driving it,
this has been three weeks now, and it seems like
the noise is getting less and less all the time.
So I'm wondering if those transmission updates might have been
the issue.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Could be it would listen. I never rule out I
never rule out software as a solution, all right. I've
seen software do some really strange things, So I can't
say no, it's impossible. My question. My question is, and
here you go, kiddo. You need a relationship, right, you
(23:18):
need to take it to somebody that you can trust
it'll guide you when they updated the trends, and I'm
sure this is I'm going to be pretty certain that
this is the plastic pan transmission with the filter built in.
That's you know, if we wait till Tuesday, there'll be
three more electronic updates available for it. I'm sure you know.
It's just one of those that you know, if this
vehicle has any kind of mileage on it, they're doing
(23:40):
all sorts of things. It seems to extend the life,
and a lot of it's through software and how they're
doing it. I don't think anybody knows except the software engineers.
So I think at this point, if you've got a
clean bill of health for safety, that the ball joints
are tight, that everything else is okay. I think the
next time this truck needs an oil change, you're going
(24:01):
to take it to the guy who gave you the
second opinion and start a relationship there and see how
he does. And in the meantime, if the wine goes away,
if the wine diminishes, then the software update did it.
It's not impossible. I've seen software do some really crazy things,
especially this year. But just you know, I'm just cautious
(24:23):
like you. Makes sense?
Speaker 7 (24:25):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
How many miles around this truck?
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Not that much?
Speaker 7 (24:29):
Actually, I think it's around seventy three.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Okay, did you do a sixty thousand mile service to it?
Do you know?
Speaker 7 (24:39):
I think so?
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, you may want to check into that because at
sixty especially on a truck, is he using it for
like work? Is he construction or something or no, just
personal vehicle? Yeah, you know, at the very least it
sounds like they service the trans But at the very
least you want to do a drain and fill on
the transfer case and it wouldn't hurt right process of elimination.
(25:02):
If you're doing a drain and fill on transfer caation
the front and the rear differential. Just look for any
signs of metallic in the in the fluid, any signs
of metal in the fluid. It might tell you something
that's coming apart. That might be the cause of your
wine too. But I'm surprised, and you know, I tell
people this and they seem it's like I've invented something new,
which I don't think I have. But I'm surprised to
(25:22):
not to hear that. It sounds like these guys don't
listen to things up on the lift of a mechanic stethoscope.
I've been doing it for forty years. It's it's just
something you do, you know. So I don't know why
they're you know, why they haven't brought that up, and
at least say and I would tell you, And I
would think they would tell you, Hey, Andrea, we listened
to it up in the air with a scope or
with a mechanic stethoscope, and we didn't hear any noise
(25:44):
or here's where the noise is, you know.
Speaker 7 (25:47):
It is that a normal practice for mechanics.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
I encourage it.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
I do it.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
I've seen other mechanics do it. I don't see it
nearly as much as I used to. And truth be told,
you know, I learned to listen to things like that,
true true story. I was a little kid. My father
went out to LaGuardia Airport. I was must have been
all of eight years old, because my father was an
airline mechanic during the war and he used to pick
up rugs after he left the airline business mechanic business
(26:15):
to become a rugman. He was what else would a
good Armenian boy do, right, He'd sell rugs. You know.
We went out this LaGuardia where he worked, and you know,
he saw the guys that he used to work with.
My father was superintendent of maintenance. Hey, Harry, come over here,
listen to this. And my father would walk over a
big giant screwdriver and he put it up to his
ear and he'd listen to the engine running. He goes, yeah,
you got a bed rod on, you know number three,
(26:37):
you know, and that's and why and he goes, he goes,
You learn a lot more by listening than you do
by by guessing. And I never forgot that I was
a little kid.
Speaker 7 (26:47):
It's an idea.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Just why not, you know, I mean, the vehicle. Listen,
the vehicle's got to be safe, it's got to be secure.
You're not going to do you know, fifty miles an
hour with it, but you can hear an awful lot
fifteen twenty thirty miles an hour up in the air
on a secure lift and you know, slow acceleration, keeping
your head clear of moving objects. You got to realize
there's a drive shaft spinning down there, there's tire spinning,
there's all sorts of moving parts. It's not the safest
(27:10):
thing in the world to do, but neither's working on cars,
putting a two ton vehicle over your head every day.
So these are the risks associated with the career. But
you know, and it's just you know, hey, listen, the
noise isn't this. The noise isn't that, you know, sometimes
and then we'll go. But sometimes, kiddo, you know, telling
me what's good will tell me what's bad. If the
front end doesn't make any noise, if the wheelbarings don't
(27:32):
make any noise, if it's not tire related, if it's
not this, it's not that well then it's got to
be this, and you know you would pay it. Here,
let me ask the question this way. If they could
give you a definitive answer for an hour of shop time,
would you pay two hundred bucks for that? Yeah? Okay,
well then they missed their they missed their mark. Right,
(27:53):
it's a concept diagnosis. I gotta go, kiddo. I'm up
against the clock. You'd be well and if you need more,
you know where to find me. Thank you very much.
Five six zero nine nine zero zero. We're back right
after this eight five five five six nine nine zero
zero on any of the Car Doctor. Don't forget our
YouTube channel and get out the card doctorshow dot com
for more information. Let's go over to Nate in Oregon
(28:15):
wants to check in and comment about some comments we
made last week about accurate drain plugs Honda drain plugs. Nate,
Welcome to the Car Doctor, sir. How can I help?
Speaker 5 (28:24):
Hey? So, I've heard you a couple of times mentioned
putting a drain bolt on a vice and trying it
off on Honda cars, and so I was a lubetech
about when I started my career about eight years ago
at Accura and my foreman saw me doing that one time,
you know, and when you see a lube tech with
a hammer and.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
A chisel get you nervous.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
It gets you nervous if he's not banging a wheel off,
you know. So it comes over and he's like, hey,
what's going on. I'm like, Oh, I'm just trying to
get this washer off, And he said, you're like, let
me show you and grab your cutters, and so you
take your big dykes and you right put one side
on the flange and then one side on the washer
and you just squeak and that thing will yeah off.
If not the first time, two or three times at
the most and you're done.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Sometimes I get you, I get one hundred percent and
eight I've done it that way. Sometimes I can't. Sometimes
they're so crushed on it's like they're formed onto the
head of the plug. And think of think of it
like this. If I don't tell somebody I have to
use a hammer in a chisel, the average listener is
not going to understand what we're talking about and how
hard it's how hard it is to get the darn
things off. Now, did you did you change the gasket
(29:26):
every every oil?
Speaker 4 (29:27):
Right?
Speaker 2 (29:27):
The gasket has to be changed every oil change, every time, right,
and it's it's it's amazing. And how many guys do
you see actually do it right? Honestly?
Speaker 6 (29:35):
Do they?
Speaker 5 (29:36):
The guys would flip it over usually and just reuse it, right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
And then and then over time, how many how many
stripped drain plugs do you think you ever saw or
did you?
Speaker 5 (29:45):
Oh my gosh, right, a lot, right, a lot.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
So it's you know, it's it's funny. It's just such
a simple thing. And I appreciate the comment. I really
do it. To listen. It takes courage to pick up
the phone and call into a radio show. I get
it one hundred percent, and it you're not wrong. I've
done it that way. I've also done it. If you've
done it where you'll you know, have a pair of
channel locks and you'll just be able to grab the
aluminum and just kind of twist it. Oh yeah, and
(30:09):
then sometimes that doesn't do it. It just boggles my mind.
And you know what it shows me. And I'm sure
you'll agree that whoever did the last oil change made
it too tight because they just crushed it to death.
And it's you know, I think it's like thirty foot
pounds if I remember the number. It varies a little
bit between making model between Yeah, you know, it doesn't
(30:32):
take a lot, but I'm not sure. I think these
guys have half inch breaker bars. And you know what,
it's not just Honda that has these moments of insanity.
We go through it on Toyotas. I don't know if
you've if you ever got the service Toyota's with the
with the cartridge style oil filters and the special cup wrench,
and you wonder how tight do they have to make that,
you know, is it holding the bumpers on? Is it,
(30:53):
you know, keeping the car from falling off altogether? What
are you doing now? Are you still an oil change
tech net or your native Have you moved on?
Speaker 5 (31:01):
No, I've moved on. I've moved on to BMW's I'm
gonna I wasn't a BMW dealer for years and now
I'm at an independent shop and that's where I'm staying.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Yeah, all right, so I love it you're doing You're
doing more than oil changes, You're you're doing general service.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
Doing everything. Yeah, I've moved on to doing just a
bit of everything. Whatever door is what I'm going out Nate.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
It's well cool beans. Listen. I'm happy to count you
among the listeners. And you know you you keep going.
We need guys like you in the industry, all right.
Speaker 5 (31:30):
Hey, thanks Sean. I appreciate it every welcome.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
You know what, Nate, stay on the line. Tom's gonna
get your information. Let's send you out a card Doctor
T shirt. I'm Ronning Ay and the Card Doctor eight
five five five six nine nine zero zero. I'll be
back right after this and Janell hopefully when I send
Nate his T shirt, I do it right because I
sent I sent who was at alex in Tennessee, his
(31:53):
two T shirts last week, and I was so tired
when I did it. It was late at night when I
was filling out the form. I sent them to myself.
So I sent them to the shop. And I had
a way for him to show up, because you know,
we have we have a company that makes the T
shirts for us. So I sent him from the shop.
They came from Texas to Waldwick and then from Waldeck.
(32:13):
I had to put him in a ups envelope. And
you actually admitted this, Yeah, Tom, I was tired. It
was it was two o'clock in the morning. I think
when I was doing it, because I was working late
that night. It's just you know, Ron never sleeps, he's
always doing something. And so Alex, if you're listening, your
t shirts are on the way. Actually he knows that
because I called him because then there was a problem
with the address and I got that straightened out. But
(32:34):
so I got to remember with Nate, I want to
send him directly to Nate, not to Waldwick, and then
to Nate to Oregon. So we'll get that right. It's
a there's a lot going on. Listen. The shops are
very busy place, and you never know, you never know
what's going to transpire. You never know what's going to
change the course of action. You learn to recognize the pitfalls, though,
and I think that's you know, that's part of it.
(32:55):
We had a gentleman come in Monday morning and he
needed a tire reed on his Mercedes Benz and we said, well,
we're a little busy this week, but you know, we're
happy to try and accommodate you. We'll get you in
and you know, comment to the shop, nice clean shop.
I walk past it all the time, YadA, YadA, YadA. Yeah,
you know, no good deed goes unpunished because it went
from you know what a great shop too? Well, you
(33:15):
don't need one. You don't need a tire repaired. You
need four tires, four tires, four run flats on a
Mercedes Benz in a wheel alignment. Oh there's two grand.
And you know it just transpired into family members getting
involved and why is it so much money? And he
just bought the car and it's a Mercedes, it's a
run flat. You know, you've got to explain the technology,
(33:37):
which leads me back to are you guys asking the
right questions, especially whether you're getting the car fixed or
when you're buying the car? Are you asking the right
questions about ownership? And if not, you need to I'm
run an eighty in the car, doctor, till the next time.
Good mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless. See you
You're listening to Ron and Nanian The Car Doctor, nationally
recognized auto expert trusted by Mechanics, Weekend wrenchers and vehicle
owners alike. Ron brings over forty years of hands on
experience and deep industry insight to help you understand your vehicle.
Join the Conversation live every Saturday from two to four
pm Eastern by calling eight five to five five six
zero nine nine zero zero. That's eight five to five
(00:25):
five six zero ninety nine hundred, your direct line to
honest answers and practical advice. Looking for more, visit cardoctorshow
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and be sure to subscribe to the Car Doctor YouTube
channel for exclusive videos, real repair footage and more. Now
start your enginies. The Car Doctor is in the garage
(00:47):
and ready to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hi, Riotomotive, how can I help? This is the way
the phone call started on Tuesday. Yeah, can I get
a quote on tyrod ends in a wheel alignment? And
that's whe that He said, Sure, you know who is this?
Have I seen this car before? What kind of car?
Is this? Your make? Model?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
No, it's never been there. It's a Honda. Well, let's see,
Honda makes fourteen different models the last count, so you
know which one, what variation, what version, or whatever the
number is. Well, I've been to the Honda dealer and
they do a really great cheap oil change. But now
they're trying to sell me tyrod ends because the outer
(01:30):
no he didn't say, the outer, he says said the
tyrod ends, I'm told are bad. They're split. You know,
these are real conversations that I have with people, and
I guess I'm talking to you about it. It's a
therapy for me, and I hope you realize, and I
appreciate you letting me do this as I open up
this week. But I also want you to understand what
goes on in a repair shop, because I want you
(01:52):
to understand the wrong way to talk to a repair
shop and to communicate. And this is absolutely the wrong
way to have a conversation because we're this guy's looking
for all the wrong things and he says all the
wrong things and he doesn't even know it, which is
the really interesting part. You know, you wonder how people
like this chew gum and walk at the same time.
(02:16):
The tyrods are split. Okay, so what are they telling
you you need? Well, I don't know. They said I
need tyrods, and I didn't like their price. So let
me see right off the bet. I know he likes
a cheap oil change. He doesn't want to spend money
on the car. He's not really concerned about what it
is they're changing. He just knows that he doesn't want
to buy it. Turns out it's a seventeen Honda Accord,
(02:36):
and I finally get it out of him that it's
the outer tyrod in boots that the dealership is telling
him are split open. He didn't like their price, he
didn't believe them, He didn't trust that they were telling
him the truth. Of course, he did trust him enough
to change the oil on the car because it was cheap.
So he went to a local tire shop and they
told him pretty much the same thing, But they also
(02:59):
told him he needed four tires, which the Honda dealer
didn't tell him he needed. So he had them do
the four tires because it was cheap. It was a
good price on four tires, and they did a wheel alignment.
But now he's trying to get the tyrod ends done.
The outer tyrod ends as he explained it to me
because they're split because the dealership that told him he
(03:21):
needed them that he didn't want to have do because
he didn't like the price because it wasn't cheap enough,
prompted his moving to a second repair facility to a
third repair facility.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Me.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I said, well, you know, it's kind of hard to say.
I said, it's sort of like asking me what color
rise do I have? And we've never met, you know,
just take guess your best, I told him. I said,
you know, it could be three hundred dollars, it could
be eight hundred dollars. What does it really need? What
else is there? What else is wrong with this vehicle
that's approximately six going on seven years old, that it
sounds like nobody's really looking after. Well, no, it doesn't
(03:57):
really need anything. You know. I take it in when
the oil chains light comes on. But other than that,
the car has been great. I haven't had to do
anything else to it. Well, how many miles do you
have on it? About seventy six thousand, and I'm thinking
in my head. So he missed the thirty thousand mile service,
he missed the forty five thousand mile service, He missed
a sixty thousand mile service and finally something is breaking,
but it has to be cheap in order for him
(04:17):
to be able to adjustify doing it. You know, it's
a machine, guys, it really is. It's something you have
to maintain. And if you don't understand that, then I
can't help you. I really can't, because you've got to
realize that that machine, that maintenance item that's growing in
your driveway keeps you safe. It's what you get into
(04:42):
after work at night to go home. It's what keeps
your family warm and secure in the cold winter months
coming when you're traveling back and forth, especially over the holidays.
Why aren't you spending any money on it? That's my question,
because are you going to break down on the side
of the road and hope you get a cheap time?
Is that the next thing that we're looking for? You know,
(05:05):
I think you're asking the wrong questions if you're like
this guy, and I think you're really looking for the
wrong thing. I think you should be looking for a relationship.
I think you should be looking for somebody you can trust.
And I know everybody's shaking their head and go ron,
it's not like that. That's not real world well, I
don't know. I think it's real world. I have a
great relationship with my guy at the diner. You know,
(05:26):
it's where do you want to go eat? I want
to go see adel I don't even it doesn't matter
the name of the it's I want to go see
Adele because I've been you know, I've been going to
the same diner for twenty some odd years. Adele takes
very good care of us. You know, he's one of
those guys when you walk in, you sit down, uh
before before I get my jacket off. Sometimes my cup
of tea shows up, the basket with bread and rolls
(05:48):
and butter shows up, my salad shows up, and then
he says, what are you in the mood for it tonight?
I don't know, Adele. I'm you know, I'm feeling like
something chicken. Go bring me something chicken, and he'll bring
me whatever the chef's make in that day. That's good.
That's a chicken. Something chicken to Reno at Chicken Marsala. Whatever.
It's a relationship. I have a great relationship with Adele.
(06:08):
Sam's good too. It's Sam and Adele at the same diner,
and I love them both to death. They do a
great job. I've got a barber that same way, right,
it's not even you know, you ever look at a
barbershop at the relationship they have with clients. People walk in,
sit down, what you want? Well, you know, I wanted
this short and can of you know in the back,
and that tells me they haven't been there enough. I
(06:32):
get in. You know, I went down. I got a
haircut the other day, and I went in and I
sat down, and Zach and I looked at each other.
We smiled, and I gave him the shrug and he
went okay, and he gave me the haircut he's been
given me for the past one teen years because we
have a relationship. I do that a lot with regular clients,
regular customers. You know, it's here's my keys, ron, fix
(06:55):
my car, keep me safe. I don't want to break down.
I don't want to have to make phone calls at
midnight or ten o'clock at night, and when I come
out of work late, when I go shopping, when I
go to the movies, when I go away for the weekend.
I want my car safe and reliable, not not the
guy who's coming around asking how cheap can you do?
This and for that matter. And I explain that to
(07:19):
this gentleman, I said, you know, I've got to tell
you more than looking for somebody to do tyrod ends,
I said, what you're really looking for is a mechanic.
Well why, and he kind of got insulted. It was
sort of hilarious. Well why why am I looking for
a mechanic? I said, because you've already been to two places,
And to be honest with you, the tire place kind
(07:39):
of ripped you off. Well, how can you say that
I paid for four tires, they gave me four tires,
and they did a wheel alignment. Yeah, but when I
do the tyrod ends, or whoever does the tyrod ends,
whoever succeeds at being the cheapest at the bottom of
the barrel for you that you actually like because it's
a cheap price, which is I think the other thing
that kind of insulted them. But I'm just being honest.
(08:00):
You know, you get to an age where you don't
have time to fool around. It's let's call it like
I say it. I said, when I do tyrod ends,
I'm gonna have to do another wheel alignment. But why, Well,
because I said, imagine if your wrist unscrewed, and you
unscrewed your wrist, and you know you wanted to index
your wrist or lock your wrist in a certain position,
and you had to put it back on, and how
(08:22):
long is it? You know, how much did you change
by unscrewing it? Well, that's sort of the same thing
with a tyrod end. You've changed the wheel alignment when
you change the tyrod ind So if they knew you
needed tyrod ends, they should have explained that to you
before they did the four tires. Did they No, They
just seemed like they wanted to sell me tires into
a wheel alignment after I told them I didn't want
to do the tyrods because it was too much money. Right,
(08:45):
So doesn't that mean they cheated you? Well, I got
what I paid for. Yeah, but now you're gonna have
to pay for it again. What are you looking for
in a repair shop? You got to look for a relationship.
It's that relationship. It's that safety factor. And I realized
not every can give that because some shops, hey, you
know what, some shops in my industry, they're from the
(09:05):
stone age. They just don't get it. I talk to
guys all week long. You know, we'll talk about certain
problems they're having, and we kind of kip its around,
and mechanics are great coffee clutters. And they'll be talking
about parts that I stopped using three years ago, and
I'll say, gee, why you're still using that line of
brake pad. I had nothing but problems with them. Yeah,
but it lasts pasted the warranty period. Answer most commonly given.
(09:27):
It lasts pasted the warranty period. And I get the
parts for free from the manufacturer, but I get to
charge the customer for labor again. Huh, Well, I guess
that's how we're drumming up business. No wonder. Everybody's asking
how cheap? No wonder, this industry has such a bad rap.
But you can change that. Mechanics can change that too.
(09:48):
They've just got to adopt better policies. But you, the
client can change that by demanding more and not just
demanding better pricing, demand a better relationship. Eighty five six
zero nine nine zero zero. I'm r on a nanny in
the car doctor. I'm here to answer your car questions
and everything else in between. I'll be back right after this.
(10:10):
Let's get out to Colorado. And talk to Billy this week.
He's got a VW he's working on. Billy, how'd you
make out with the Nissan? Does that resolved?
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Well, the new cat is in, but it'll have to
wait until this one's done and out of the garage.
Today I'm changing, yeah, exactly. So today I'm changing the
oil filter, housing and oil cooler on a twenty ten
Volkswagon jet at two point five liter.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Okay, there is a ton of oil in the coolert system, right,
So I don't have a machine for this. So I
was wondering your advice on the best way to give
this thing a thoral flush.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I have a machine, and I don't use it on Volkswagons.
And I'll tell you why. If you pop the hood,
look at the hood. Where's the coolant bottle on the
passenger side?
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Okay? How many hoses go to the top of the
coolant jug One?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Oh, give me just a step here.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
I believe it's one, one small diameter hose. Yes, yes,
that's right. Okay, check your check your flow of operation,
get that vehicle warm, let it cool down so it
doesn't burp in your face, and then when you're comfortable,
take the cap off. And then start it up again.
(11:29):
Coolant and I'm ninety nine percent certain is the way
it works, Bill, I'm I'm just being cautious. Coolant in
that vehicle comes in that small tube, that small hose,
and out the bottom tube. That tube is the reserc
right that that's it comes off. The engine, comes off
the block and feeds that coolant reservoir bottle, which then
feeds the radiator and the rest of the cooling system. Right, yes, Okay,
(11:53):
So if that's the way coolant flows, if you take
that small black hose off the coolant bottle, right and
put a splice in there. You know a bunch of
different companies make coolant tube splices. Okay, put a splice
in there with a long hose, go down into a bucket,
and it would theoretically drain all the coolant out down
(12:14):
that hose.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Sure, Okay, put another hose on the nipple that you've
left exposed. Put a rubber hose there, drop that down
to the ground. Make it long enough. Put a pair
of crimp pliers so you can close it off so
you're not pulling in air, right, or you're not giving
it a place for it to get excess and spill
out and get sloppy should it bubble up. And the
(12:37):
only thing you have to do here is if you
don't have one, is purchase a funnel with the right
adapter to fit the top of the bottle. It's going
to be a screw thread style funnel, so it's you know,
spend a little bit of money. But if you're gonna
work on Volkswagens, this is the trauma. Okay, And now
get the vehicle warm and all you have to do
is measure out your coolant beforehand, all right, and just
(13:00):
started up. Let it runs that white bottle, the round
bottle goes down, keep adding cooling to it. If it's
a two gallon system or whatever the number is. When
you're done pouring in your two gallons, you've effectively replaced
all the coolant, right, okay, Right, it's just the car
is actually going to do the exchange for you. It's
it's one of the simpler exchanges. I looked at it
(13:22):
once because on a Volkswagen you've got all those crazy
hose clamps with the clips and the plastic ends and
you can't get to anything. There's no adapter for that. Well,
there probably isn't in the Fatherland, but it's probably too expensive.
And you know, for the average guy to do it
as a di wire, it just doesn't work. So I
looked at it and I said, I wonder how cooling
flow goes on this? And sure enough, and I've done
(13:44):
it that way multiple times and it works really well.
Now you've got oil in the system. If you've got
some oil contamination, you want to pick some sort of
a corrosious corrosive clean or something not caustic, something that
won't hurt aluminum. You know, you're gonna have to it
down to your local advance and start reading you know, chemicals,
and you know what's good for aluminum. What does a
(14:05):
good flush? All?
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Right?
Speaker 2 (14:08):
And then you know, use that cleaner through however they
direct it, and then do your exchange and you should
be fine, right, that should that should work with that
should work without a problem. And of course, you know,
pick a good coolant, I know you will, right, You've
got to You've got to find some of that meets
I think it's G twelve is the spec Peak makes
great coolant for this application, like all the rest of
(14:28):
the applications. If you want to just go, just go
Google search peak coolant and they'll bring you to the
website and they'll talk about you could use all makes,
all models, or you can find their specific coolant whatever
they're making for that vehicle, and you'll be fine.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
But you know, and then over I have two gallons
of peak concentrate perfect in front.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Of me, perfect, and you know, and if it's if
it says two gallons and you mix up four as
as you want to overdo it, you can overdo it.
Just go get a big bucket, go to home depot,
get a Homer bucket, right, and just have this big
giant bucket of coolant, and you know it'll work fine,
It'll work absolutely fine. All right. Just you're gonna need
some hoses and adapters and yeah, Volkswagon actually that's one
(15:05):
of the things they do really well. They made cool
and flushes on those cars very very easy.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Okay, cool, all right.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Sir, You're welcome. Bill, You'll be well. Have a good week,
you too, hy Bobby. I talked to Billy a couple
of times this week. He was going through that Nissan
pathfinder we talked about last week, and I think he's
on the right path with that truck. He finally got
that solved, and you know, now he's onto the next thing.
I'd like to see his garage. He's he's he's out
(15:33):
there working in Colorado, i think, on all the neighbors
and the family cars and doing his thing. So but
definitely definitely always a good time talking to Bill. So yeah,
and that's you know what, and there, that's what this
show is about. Right. We talked in the beginning about
what's this show about about me explaining what goes on
in the shop. That's what this show is about. I'm
(15:55):
there for guys like Bill. I'm there for you. I'm
here to help you guys understand what it is to
cars and try and come up with simpler solutions, you know,
because we don't have time to waste. We had a
guy this week walking to the shop that made an
appointment new customer or tried to be a new customer,
and he had brake shake and he had taken it
(16:15):
to a couple of shops and they looked at this.
They looked at that. They put brakes on the car
within the last six to eight months and it sort
of fixed it, but it didn't and then it came
back and then it got worse and all right, listen,
I'm happy to work on the car. I'm happy to
work for you, all right. I need an hour shop time.
I've got to do some road tests. I've got to
put it up in the air, i've got to pull wheels.
I've got to get out a dial indicator. I've got
(16:37):
to start to look at things. I've never seen the
vehicle before. I have to baseline the car. An hour
of time sound reasonable to you, It sounded reasonable to me.
I've never been to a doctor's office where they didn't
begin doing some basic testing and you know there's costs involved,
and hey, that's great, I can deal with that, no
problem in hour. Okay, yeah, great, good. Well, Wednesday came
and went and he he never showed. And what do
(16:59):
you do with that?
Speaker 5 (17:00):
Right?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
You know, the great poet Carl Samberg said time is
the coin of life. I actually thought it was Kenny Wassmer,
kid I went to high school with, because that was
his yearbook quote. Kenny wrote, time is the coin of life.
Be careful lest you let others spend it for you.
I found out later on it was Carl Samberg's. I
guess that's where Kenny got it. From But regardless, it's
still true. Who's got time to waste? If you make
an appointment? If you make an appointment with me and
(17:22):
you don't show, you're on the no fly list. And
I hear a lot of shops doing that now because
who's got time to waste? It's too expensive the Runner
repair shop. But think about it, what are you looking for?
You're looking for a relationship. There's a right and the
wrong way to go about it. A five, five, five, six,
nine nine zero zero run a ding of the car. Doctor,
I'll be back right after.
Speaker 6 (17:40):
This, promises, sweets to the open road tonight, doctor car advice.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
To right, and let's go over to Andrea in Delaware. Andrea,
is it Andrea? Or Andrea?
Speaker 7 (18:14):
Which is Andrea?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Andrea? Let's get it right. So how can I help
you today, sweetheart?
Speaker 7 (18:19):
Yeah, So, my husband has a twenty seventeen Dodge Ram pickup.
It's a six point forward Leader tradesman, right, and we
bought it used in twenty one, I think it was.
And we just started noticing a whining sounds like it
maybe coming from the front end, and we noticed it
(18:44):
more on takeoff. It seems louder. At that point we
took it over to the Dodge dealer. We'd been taking
it there because we hadn't extended on it, and so
they checked it out and they said they they did
some updates actually on the transmission, and they also did
(19:06):
a relearn relearn, but they didn't find anything as far
as the whining, but they well, actually they didn't tell
us that at the time, so we took it home,
thinking the whining was was fixed because of the relearn.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
They said that.
Speaker 7 (19:25):
In that adaptive relearn, it probably would have taken care
of some road noise and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Okay, go ahead, Yeah, I'm not buying it, so that's
why you're here, but go ahead, right.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
So the wine was still there, so we ended up
taking it back.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
What a surprise, go ahead.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
And so at that point they told us that they
thought it was that we needed to replace the lower
ball joints and front wheel bearings and which they wanted
to charge us thirty two dollars to have done.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Well wait, wait, wait, wait, wait wait a minute, let's
let's back up the truck. No pun intended. How do
we get from Yeah, uh, so you know what, any
any diagnosis been done here? Andrea like has anybody driven
(20:22):
this has anybody you know? Is this wine? You know?
Is it? Is it there from the moment you start out?
Is it there if I sit still and put it
in neutral and rev it up? Is it the same
noise as park? Is it there only when I'm in drive?
Is it different if I'm in low? Is it different
if I'm in reverse?
Speaker 7 (20:40):
It's only there when we go to take off. It's
not there for sitting still or revenue the engine. It's
only on takeoff.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Okay, so it's it's at speed? Yes, okay, so you know,
goofy things? Are the tires chopped? You know? Are the
tires lumpy? Are they wearing funny? Can we put it
on a lift up in the air and have somebody
drive it at twenty miles an hour and have somebody
with a no pun intended mechanic stethoscope? Listen to the
(21:09):
two front wheel bearings. Listen to the front differential, Listen
to you know, carrier bearings inside the diff I mean
there's there's there's about ten or twelve steps we can
go through here process of elimination. Let's let's talk about
what's good. Does it need ball joints? Well, that should
be a simple answer of gee, guys, it's it's the
front ends loose, you know, the ball joints or the
(21:30):
rubber boots are torn or collapsed. Or of course, why
I didn't notice that when they were doing the transmission
work prior. I don't know. But maybe this is the
thing they need to sell this week, you know, you know,
so I understand why you have your doubt. I think
in this case, you've got to get a second opinion
beyond me. Oh okay, go ahead, I'm sorry I mean
(21:52):
to interrupt.
Speaker 7 (21:52):
Go ahead, that's good. Yeah, So we we got went
and picked up the truck to them. We were going
to get a second opinion. So we did, and this
guy said that everything was tight. It does not need
either of the repairs that this other guy said it needed, right.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
And.
Speaker 7 (22:14):
I'm just he couldn't really hear the wine. So my
husband took the truck back over there. He listened, He
had him, you know, listen with him in the truck.
They took it for a test dripe, and he said
he really didn't think it was anything, but potentially he
needed to have a transmission guy look at it just
(22:35):
to rule that out.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
So it sounds like people are thinking it's in the
trans Yeah.
Speaker 7 (22:40):
But so here's the thing. Since we've been driving it,
this has been three weeks now, and it seems like
the noise is getting less and less all the time.
So I'm wondering if those transmission updates might have been
the issue.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Could be it would listen. I never rule out I
never rule out software as a solution, all right. I've
seen software do some really strange things, So I can't
say no, it's impossible. My question. My question is, and
here you go, kiddo. You need a relationship, right, you
(23:18):
need to take it to somebody that you can trust
it'll guide you when they updated the trends, and I'm
sure this is I'm going to be pretty certain that
this is the plastic pan transmission with the filter built in.
That's you know, if we wait till Tuesday, there'll be
three more electronic updates available for it. I'm sure you know.
It's just one of those that you know, if this
vehicle has any kind of mileage on it, they're doing
(23:40):
all sorts of things. It seems to extend the life,
and a lot of it's through software and how they're
doing it. I don't think anybody knows except the software engineers.
So I think at this point, if you've got a
clean bill of health for safety, that the ball joints
are tight, that everything else is okay. I think the
next time this truck needs an oil change, you're going
(24:01):
to take it to the guy who gave you the
second opinion and start a relationship there and see how
he does. And in the meantime, if the wine goes away,
if the wine diminishes, then the software update did it.
It's not impossible. I've seen software do some really crazy things,
especially this year. But just you know, I'm just cautious
(24:23):
like you. Makes sense?
Speaker 7 (24:25):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
How many miles around this truck?
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Not that much?
Speaker 7 (24:29):
Actually, I think it's around seventy three.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Okay, did you do a sixty thousand mile service to it?
Do you know?
Speaker 7 (24:39):
I think so?
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, you may want to check into that because at
sixty especially on a truck, is he using it for
like work? Is he construction or something or no, just
personal vehicle? Yeah, you know, at the very least it
sounds like they service the trans But at the very
least you want to do a drain and fill on
the transfer case and it wouldn't hurt right process of elimination.
(25:02):
If you're doing a drain and fill on transfer caation
the front and the rear differential. Just look for any
signs of metallic in the in the fluid, any signs
of metal in the fluid. It might tell you something
that's coming apart. That might be the cause of your
wine too. But I'm surprised, and you know, I tell
people this and they seem it's like I've invented something new,
which I don't think I have. But I'm surprised to
(25:22):
not to hear that. It sounds like these guys don't
listen to things up on the lift of a mechanic stethoscope.
I've been doing it for forty years. It's it's just
something you do, you know. So I don't know why
they're you know, why they haven't brought that up, and
at least say and I would tell you, And I
would think they would tell you, Hey, Andrea, we listened
to it up in the air with a scope or
with a mechanic stethoscope, and we didn't hear any noise
(25:44):
or here's where the noise is, you know.
Speaker 7 (25:47):
It is that a normal practice for mechanics.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
I encourage it.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
I do it.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
I've seen other mechanics do it. I don't see it
nearly as much as I used to. And truth be told,
you know, I learned to listen to things like that,
true true story. I was a little kid. My father
went out to LaGuardia Airport. I was must have been
all of eight years old, because my father was an
airline mechanic during the war and he used to pick
up rugs after he left the airline business mechanic business
(26:15):
to become a rugman. He was what else would a
good Armenian boy do, right, He'd sell rugs. You know.
We went out this LaGuardia where he worked, and you know,
he saw the guys that he used to work with.
My father was superintendent of maintenance. Hey, Harry, come over here,
listen to this. And my father would walk over a
big giant screwdriver and he put it up to his
ear and he'd listen to the engine running. He goes, yeah,
you got a bed rod on, you know number three,
(26:37):
you know, and that's and why and he goes, he goes,
You learn a lot more by listening than you do
by by guessing. And I never forgot that I was
a little kid.
Speaker 7 (26:47):
It's an idea.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Just why not, you know, I mean, the vehicle. Listen,
the vehicle's got to be safe, it's got to be secure.
You're not going to do you know, fifty miles an
hour with it, but you can hear an awful lot
fifteen twenty thirty miles an hour up in the air
on a secure lift and you know, slow acceleration, keeping
your head clear of moving objects. You got to realize
there's a drive shaft spinning down there, there's tire spinning,
there's all sorts of moving parts. It's not the safest
(27:10):
thing in the world to do, but neither's working on cars,
putting a two ton vehicle over your head every day.
So these are the risks associated with the career. But
you know, and it's just you know, hey, listen, the
noise isn't this. The noise isn't that, you know, sometimes
and then we'll go. But sometimes, kiddo, you know, telling
me what's good will tell me what's bad. If the
front end doesn't make any noise, if the wheelbarings don't
(27:32):
make any noise, if it's not tire related, if it's
not this, it's not that well then it's got to
be this, and you know you would pay it. Here,
let me ask the question this way. If they could
give you a definitive answer for an hour of shop time,
would you pay two hundred bucks for that? Yeah? Okay,
well then they missed their they missed their mark. Right,
(27:53):
it's a concept diagnosis. I gotta go, kiddo. I'm up
against the clock. You'd be well and if you need more,
you know where to find me. Thank you very much.
Five six zero nine nine zero zero. We're back right
after this eight five five five six nine nine zero
zero on any of the Car Doctor. Don't forget our
YouTube channel and get out the card doctorshow dot com
for more information. Let's go over to Nate in Oregon
(28:15):
wants to check in and comment about some comments we
made last week about accurate drain plugs Honda drain plugs. Nate,
Welcome to the Car Doctor, sir. How can I help?
Speaker 5 (28:24):
Hey? So, I've heard you a couple of times mentioned
putting a drain bolt on a vice and trying it
off on Honda cars, and so I was a lubetech
about when I started my career about eight years ago
at Accura and my foreman saw me doing that one time,
you know, and when you see a lube tech with
a hammer and.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
A chisel get you nervous.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
It gets you nervous if he's not banging a wheel off,
you know. So it comes over and he's like, hey,
what's going on. I'm like, Oh, I'm just trying to
get this washer off, And he said, you're like, let
me show you and grab your cutters, and so you
take your big dykes and you right put one side
on the flange and then one side on the washer
and you just squeak and that thing will yeah off.
If not the first time, two or three times at
the most and you're done.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Sometimes I get you, I get one hundred percent and
eight I've done it that way. Sometimes I can't. Sometimes
they're so crushed on it's like they're formed onto the
head of the plug. And think of think of it
like this. If I don't tell somebody I have to
use a hammer in a chisel, the average listener is
not going to understand what we're talking about and how
hard it's how hard it is to get the darn
things off. Now, did you did you change the gasket
(29:26):
every every oil?
Speaker 4 (29:27):
Right?
Speaker 2 (29:27):
The gasket has to be changed every oil change, every time, right,
and it's it's it's amazing. And how many guys do
you see actually do it right? Honestly?
Speaker 6 (29:35):
Do they?
Speaker 5 (29:36):
The guys would flip it over usually and just reuse it, right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
And then and then over time, how many how many
stripped drain plugs do you think you ever saw or
did you?
Speaker 5 (29:45):
Oh my gosh, right, a lot, right, a lot.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
So it's you know, it's it's funny. It's just such
a simple thing. And I appreciate the comment. I really
do it. To listen. It takes courage to pick up
the phone and call into a radio show. I get
it one hundred percent, and it you're not wrong. I've
done it that way. I've also done it. If you've
done it where you'll you know, have a pair of
channel locks and you'll just be able to grab the
aluminum and just kind of twist it. Oh yeah, and
(30:09):
then sometimes that doesn't do it. It just boggles my mind.
And you know what it shows me. And I'm sure
you'll agree that whoever did the last oil change made
it too tight because they just crushed it to death.
And it's you know, I think it's like thirty foot
pounds if I remember the number. It varies a little
bit between making model between Yeah, you know, it doesn't
(30:32):
take a lot, but I'm not sure. I think these
guys have half inch breaker bars. And you know what,
it's not just Honda that has these moments of insanity.
We go through it on Toyotas. I don't know if
you've if you ever got the service Toyota's with the
with the cartridge style oil filters and the special cup wrench,
and you wonder how tight do they have to make that,
you know, is it holding the bumpers on? Is it,
(30:53):
you know, keeping the car from falling off altogether? What
are you doing now? Are you still an oil change
tech net or your native Have you moved on?
Speaker 5 (31:01):
No, I've moved on. I've moved on to BMW's I'm
gonna I wasn't a BMW dealer for years and now
I'm at an independent shop and that's where I'm staying.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Yeah, all right, so I love it you're doing You're
doing more than oil changes, You're you're doing general service.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
Doing everything. Yeah, I've moved on to doing just a
bit of everything. Whatever door is what I'm going out Nate.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
It's well cool beans. Listen. I'm happy to count you
among the listeners. And you know you you keep going.
We need guys like you in the industry, all right.
Speaker 5 (31:30):
Hey, thanks Sean. I appreciate it every welcome.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
You know what, Nate, stay on the line. Tom's gonna
get your information. Let's send you out a card Doctor
T shirt. I'm Ronning Ay and the Card Doctor eight
five five five six nine nine zero zero. I'll be
back right after this and Janell hopefully when I send
Nate his T shirt, I do it right because I
sent I sent who was at alex in Tennessee, his
(31:53):
two T shirts last week, and I was so tired
when I did it. It was late at night when I
was filling out the form. I sent them to myself.
So I sent them to the shop. And I had
a way for him to show up, because you know,
we have we have a company that makes the T
shirts for us. So I sent him from the shop.
They came from Texas to Waldwick and then from Waldeck.
(32:13):
I had to put him in a ups envelope. And
you actually admitted this, Yeah, Tom, I was tired. It
was it was two o'clock in the morning. I think
when I was doing it, because I was working late
that night. It's just you know, Ron never sleeps, he's
always doing something. And so Alex, if you're listening, your
t shirts are on the way. Actually he knows that
because I called him because then there was a problem
with the address and I got that straightened out. But
(32:34):
so I got to remember with Nate, I want to
send him directly to Nate, not to Waldwick, and then
to Nate to Oregon. So we'll get that right. It's
a there's a lot going on. Listen. The shops are
very busy place, and you never know, you never know
what's going to transpire. You never know what's going to
change the course of action. You learn to recognize the pitfalls, though,
and I think that's you know, that's part of it.
(32:55):
We had a gentleman come in Monday morning and he
needed a tire reed on his Mercedes Benz and we said, well,
we're a little busy this week, but you know, we're
happy to try and accommodate you. We'll get you in
and you know, comment to the shop, nice clean shop.
I walk past it all the time, YadA, YadA, YadA. Yeah,
you know, no good deed goes unpunished because it went
from you know what a great shop too? Well, you
(33:15):
don't need one. You don't need a tire repaired. You
need four tires, four tires, four run flats on a
Mercedes Benz in a wheel alignment. Oh there's two grand.
And you know it just transpired into family members getting
involved and why is it so much money? And he
just bought the car and it's a Mercedes, it's a
run flat. You know, you've got to explain the technology,
(33:37):
which leads me back to are you guys asking the
right questions, especially whether you're getting the car fixed or
when you're buying the car? Are you asking the right
questions about ownership? And if not, you need to I'm
run an eighty in the car, doctor, till the next time.
Good mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless. See you
Host
Ron Ananian
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