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Car Pro Radio Show May 16 26 Hour 2

Car Pro Radio Show May 16 26 Hour 2

CarPro Radio Show May 16, 2026 34 min
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About this episode

A packed Car Pro Radio Show episode moves from upcoming review previews—like “my review of the Chevy Suburban” and “the Lexus IS 350F Sport”—into real-world ownership talk. Listeners share experiences with oil consumption on a 2020 F-150 5.0 V8, including “a quart of oil every 2,000 miles,” and discuss how to think about oil levels and warranty choices. The show also covers accident repair and diminished value claims, plus advice for selling cars with odometer issues and choosing between compact hybrids like the Corolla Cross and RAV4.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Chevrolet Suburban

"subscribe to the free weekly newsletter. [104.1s] It will come back in your inbox from yesterday, and you'll get the song, and my advice articles [111.3s] this week, my review of the Chevy Suburban that I really liked, and the Lexus IS 350F [120.2s] Sport that I also enjoyed, two very different vehicles, but both really, really nice in"

The Chevrolet Suburban is a big family SUV. It’s designed to fit a lot of people and luggage, and it’s built for everyday driving and road trips.

Car

Lexus IS 350F Sport

"my advice articles [111.3s] this week, my review of the Chevy Suburban that I really liked, and the Lexus IS 350F [120.2s] Sport that I also enjoyed, two very different vehicles, but both really, really nice in"

The Lexus IS 350 F Sport is a performance-oriented trim of the Lexus IS compact luxury sedan, centered on a 3.5-liter V6 and sport-tuned styling/handling cues. The “F Sport” package typically adds firmer suspension tuning and more aggressive interior/exterior details compared with standard trims.

Car

2026 Lincoln Navigator

"I had the 2026 Lincoln Navigator, the L version, which is the long wheelbase, and it's the black label, so it's the top of the line, is a big SUV, but boy, is it some kind of nice."

The Lincoln Navigator is a big, luxury SUV. The “L” version is longer than the standard one, and “Black Label” is the top, most upscale trim level.

Car

Toyota Chr

"... the opposite end of the spectrum, I had the 2026 Toyota CHR, which is a small SUV, and it is all electric. So..."

The Toyota C-HR is a small SUV, meaning it’s a bit taller and roomier than a sedan but still easy to park. In this context, the 2026 C-HR is described as all-electric, so it runs on a battery instead of gasoline. That’s why it comes up in conversations about choosing an electric vehicle.

Term

Coyote 5.0 V8

"However, I'll get to my point here, I bought a new 2020, F-150, and I got that Coyote 5.0 V8."

“Coyote” is Ford’s name for a specific V8 engine. “5.0” means it’s a 5.0-liter V8, so it’s a gasoline engine with eight cylinders.

Car

Ford F150

"However, I'll get to my point here, I bought a new 2020, F-150, and I got that Coyote 5.0 V8."

The Ford F-150 is a common full-size pickup truck. This one is a 2020 model with a 5.0-liter V8 engine, which is the “classic” engine choice many people like for the sound and feel.

Term

EcoBoost

"I know they always say the EcoBoost is more towing capacity or whatever, but I still like"

EcoBoost is Ford’s name for turbocharged engines. Turbos can help engines make strong power, and people often compare them to bigger gas engines when talking about towing.

Term

oil consumption issue

"However, 2020, the 5.0 has an oil consumption issue, and oh my God, it's been a headache for me."

It means the engine is using oil faster than it should. If you have to add oil often, something inside may be letting oil get burned or leaked.

Concept

burning oil

"So finally, I kept telling them, hey, the trucks burning oil, I'm adding a quart in between all changes... Sure enough, it's burning quite oil every 2,000 miles."

“Burning oil” means the engine is using oil instead of keeping it sealed in the crankcase. When that happens, you end up adding oil more often.

Term

conversion kit

"And we have to put this conversion kit on it. You'll have to drive it another 2,000 miles."

A conversion kit is a set of parts meant to update the car to fix a known issue. Here, they were told to install it to try to stop the oil problem.

Term

engine oil dipstick

"So I done what they suggested, I paid for the modifications on the engine oil dipstick. Sure enough, it's burning quite oil every 2,000 miles."

The oil dipstick is how you check how much oil is in the engine. The speaker is saying they made changes involving that dipstick as part of dealing with the oil problem.

Car

Ford Mustang

"No, I know. And the Mustang, everything, you know. Oh yeah, absolutely."

The Ford Mustang is a car made for sporty driving. It’s known for having a strong engine and a fun, performance-focused design. People often talk about it because it’s a popular model with many versions.

Term

quart of oil every 1,000 miles

"I see most cars today. In fact, I've written on this. I've seen most cars today that are using a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. Sometimes, sometimes every 800 miles."

This is a way to measure how much oil a car burns or uses while driving. If it’s “a quart every 1,000 miles,” you may need to add oil fairly often even if the engine isn’t broken.

Concept

oil consumption can be a characteristic of the engine

"Our first thought is, if a vehicle is using oil, something's wrong. That's not necessarily true anymore. It may just be a characteristic of the engine."

Sometimes a car can use a little oil even when nothing is “broken.” The important part is understanding what’s normal for that engine and keeping the oil level topped up.

Term

check the oil

"the problem that I run into today is younger people don't even know how to check the oil. Well, true, yes. So it takes some education, and I've written an article on this, too, about teaching your kids and your grandkids some very basic things about cars and checking the oil is one of them."

Checking the oil means making sure there’s enough oil in the engine. If the oil level gets too low, the engine can wear out faster or even get damaged.

Term

four cylinders

"But you take some of these four cylinders that only hold four quarts of oil, and you go down a quart, you're down 25 percent, and that's big."

Four-cylinder engines usually hold less oil than bigger engines. So if you’re low by a little bit, it can be a big percentage of the oil the engine has available.

Term

engine oil consumption

"I would get the EcoBoost this time, Clarence, because of the fuel economy and the extra horsepower that you get, and I don't think you'll have that engine oil consumption problem."

Engine oil consumption means the engine is using oil faster than expected. If the oil level gets too low, the engine may not be lubricated well, which can lead to damage over time.

Car

Mazda Cx5

"I have a 24 Mazda CX-5 with my daughter's car, and she got into an accident, front end, driver's front end, auto body shop, fixed the vehicle, but when they handed it over to me, there was a noise."

The Mazda CX-5 is a Mazda SUV that’s made for everyday driving. Here, the host’s 2024 CX-5 was fixed after a front-end crash, but it still makes a noise, so they’re trying to figure out what mechanical part is causing it.

Term

transfer case

"If the dealer comes back, says it's a transfer case, gearbox, or the transmission, I don't know what's going to happen."

A transfer case is a part that helps send power to the wheels on four-wheel-drive cars. If it’s damaged, the car can make strange noises or feel wrong when you drive.

Term

gearbox

"If the dealer comes back, says it's a transfer case, gearbox, or the transmission, I don't know what's going to happen."

A gearbox is the part that changes gears so the engine can drive the wheels efficiently. If it’s suspected after a crash, it means the problem might be inside the drivetrain, not just the body.

Term

transmission

"If the dealer comes back, says it's a transfer case, gearbox, or the transmission, I don't know what's going to happen."

The transmission is what helps the car shift gears to move smoothly. If they think it’s the transmission, the noise could be coming from the drivetrain rather than the repaired body parts.

Concept

total it

"If they can repair the car, or they're going to total it, nonetheless, what I'm curious"

When an insurance company “totals” a car, it means they decide it’s not worth fixing because the repairs cost too much. The host is wondering if the unresolved problem will push the claim into that category.

Term

diminished value

"The other thing that you've got here is, you've got a very strong diminished value claim or she does because once that wreck happened and it wasn't her fault, then the other insurance company owes you the difference in what the vehicle was worth before the accident and what's worth after the accident."

Even if a car is fixed, it can still be worth less than before the crash. “Diminished value” is the money meant to cover that drop in resale value.

Term

auto checks

"So given the car facts and auto checks, they're going to have a record of a $12,000 repair."

Auto checks are reports that look up a car’s history, like accident records and title information. They can be used to support how much the car was worth before and after a crash.

Term

trade it in

"The value of her car just plummeted. And when she goes to trade it in, she's going to take a bath."

Trading in is when you sell your current car to a dealer as part of buying another vehicle, usually in exchange for credit toward the new purchase. After an accident, a car’s trade-in offer can drop because dealers and buyers factor in the accident history and reduced market value.

Term

totaling it

"I would not bring up diminished value until you get the vehicle fixed properly because if you do, that's going to push them over the top as far as it's totaling it."

When an insurer “totals” a car, it means they decide it’s too expensive to repair compared to what the car is worth. Instead of fixing it, they treat it as a total loss.

Term

powertrain warranty

"So you're talking about a powertrain warranty, which is the least expensive of them all."

A powertrain warranty is insurance for the big moving parts that make the car go. It usually covers the engine and the gearbox, and sometimes the transfer case in trucks.

Term

extended warranty

"So for those reasons, I just get powertrain coverage and get covered the things that would cost a lot of money to fix and that'll get you out cheaper on the extended warranty."

An extended warranty is extra coverage you purchase after the original warranty ends. It can help pay for big repairs so you don’t have to pay everything yourself.

Topic

extended warranties

"One of the things I had in the article in the newsletter yesterday about extended warranties was some dealers will negotiate the price of the warranty with you, especially the dealers on my show."

This part is about extended warranties—how much they cost and how you might be able to negotiate the price. It’s basically advice on how to choose and shop for warranty coverage.

Car

Lexus 2026 NX350 AWD

"I just bought a Lexus 2026 NX350 AWD. Yeah. Tell me that I made a good decision."

The Lexus NX350 is a small luxury SUV from Lexus. “AWD” means it can send power to all four wheels, which helps grip on slippery roads like wet pavement or light snow.

Car

Cadillac XT4

"the only other one that I would have suggested that you look at would have been the Cadillac XT4. And the only reason I'm recommending it currently, it's going away. This is the last year for it, but they've got some big incentives on it right now."

The Cadillac XT4 is Cadillac’s smaller luxury SUV. The host is saying it’s a good deal right now because it’s being phased out, so discounts/incentives may be stronger than usual.

Car

Audi Q3

"I don't, I don't like the Mercedes GLA or GOB, either one, particularly well, the Q3 from Audi's okay, but there's nothing better, especially if you're going to get hybrid than the NX."

The Audi Q3 is a small luxury SUV from Audi. The speaker is saying it’s fine, but they still prefer the Lexus NX, particularly if you’re shopping for a hybrid.

Car

Mercedes GLA

"I don't, I don't like the Mercedes GLA or GOB, either one, particularly well, the Q3 from Audi's okay, but there's nothing better, especially if you're going to get hybrid than the NX."

The Mercedes-Benz GLA is a small luxury SUV. In this call, the speaker is basically saying they wouldn’t choose it compared with the Lexus NX.

Car

Corolla Cross

"And Pat, for me, the Corolla Cross price wise is fantastic for what you get, especially [1940.7s] with the Toyota Hybrid under the hood."

The Toyota Corolla Cross is a small “crossover” that looks and feels a bit more SUV-like than a regular car. Here, the host is saying it’s a great deal for the money, especially with a hybrid option.

Term

Toyota Hybrid

"And Pat, for me, the Corolla Cross price wise is fantastic for what you get, especially [1940.7s] with the Toyota Hybrid under the hood."

A hybrid uses both a gas engine and an electric motor. The electric part helps the car use less fuel, especially in city driving.

Car

RAV4

"RAV4 is going to be hard to beat if you really want an SUV. [1968.4s] But I will tell you that I think the Corolla Cross rides better."

The Toyota RAV4 is a popular small SUV. The host is saying it’s the better pick if you specifically want an SUV, and they point to how consistently it sells the most.

Term

suspension systems

"It's not quite as bumpy as the RAV4 and that's just the difference between the suspension systems. [1982.5s] So either one is going to make you a great vehicle."

A suspension system is the set of components that connects the wheels to the body and controls how the car absorbs bumps and maintains tire contact. Different suspension setups can make one vehicle feel smoother or bouncier than another, which is why the host links the RAV4 vs. Corolla Cross ride feel to their suspension differences.

Term

lease

"They're just so good quality wise, especially if you're going to lease by any chance, by far [2018.8s] that's the best lease vehicle out there in the SUV."

A lease is like renting the car for a few years with monthly payments. You usually return it at the end unless you choose to buy it.

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