This is a special discount on a Ford where the price is based on what Ford employees can pay. The host is saying some dealers may not be fully honest about how that discount is handled, so you should verify the actual price.
The Porsche 911 is a sports car made by Porsche. It’s known for being fast and for having a recognizable design. It’s brought up here because the discussion includes how special employee pricing has worked over time.
Lincoln is Ford’s luxury car brand. The host is saying Lincoln also has an employee-style discount program, and dealers get some support money to handle those sales.
A stipend is a set amount of money paid for a specific purpose. In this case, the host means Lincoln gives dealers a fixed payment to help cover the work of processing employee-price deals.
The factory invoice is a paper from the manufacturer that shows what the dealer paid for the car. If you see it, you can negotiate with more confidence because you’re not guessing the dealer’s cost.
Ford Motor Company is the company that makes Ford cars. In this segment, they’re talking about Ford’s internal pricing programs that affect what different people pay for the same vehicle.
A Plan is a Ford program that gives eligible people a discounted price on a new car. Instead of negotiating from scratch, the price is based on Ford’s rules for that program.
A trade-in is your old car being used to reduce the price of the new one. The dealer can offer less than you expect, so it’s important to compare the numbers carefully.
Concept
use the process
“Use the process” means don’t rush the car-buying decision. It suggests doing things step-by-step—like checking the full price and what you’re actually getting—before you sign.
Dealer add-ons are extra add-on items the dealership tries to sell when you’re buying the car. They can make the final price higher, so you should ask what they are and whether you can remove them.
Term
maintenance on your car
“Maintenance” here refers to the scheduled service work that keeps a car running properly over time, such as oil changes, inspections, and replacing wear items. A dealer that supports you after purchase typically means they’ll help with service scheduling, warranty/coverage questions, and ongoing upkeep.
When people say “sticker” in car shopping, they mean the price printed on the car’s window sticker. The caller is asking not to pay that printed price, but to get the same discount deal as other listeners.
They’re talking about how much the dealer typically makes on a car. The caller wants to pay that usual dealer profit amount instead of paying a higher price or adding extras.
A lift is a device that helps someone get into or out of the vehicle more easily, especially if they use a wheelchair. It’s usually built into the van so it can raise and lower a person safely.
A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a van that people often modify for special needs. Here, the person bought a 2012 one and had it changed so it could work better for someone who needs a lift to get in.
The Honda Element is a Honda vehicle from the late 2000s with a roomy, practical interior. In this story, it’s the car the person bought before learning that dealership perks aren’t really free.
A dealership is where you buy a car and usually get service like repairs and maintenance. The point here is that “free” offers often aren’t truly free—you’re paying for them somewhere in the deal.
The Chrysler Pacifica is a minivan. The host says it’s a good choice for accessibility because the floor is lower, which can make it easier to use and modify.
This means changing the van so it works better for someone with mobility needs. The host is talking about making it easier to use, like for wheelchair access.
A “lower floor” means the inside of the van is closer to the ground. That can make it easier to get in and out, especially if you’re using a ramp or lift.
Electric vehicles are cars that run on electricity from a battery. The discussion here is about how much money car companies are putting into EVs and whether that gamble is paying off.
A recall is when a car company admits there’s a problem and tells owners to get it fixed. It’s usually related to safety or something that could cause trouble later.
An oil change is when the car’s engine oil is replaced. The speaker is comparing what the oil level looks like after the normal time/mileage since the last change.
The dipstick is a small metal stick you pull out to see how much engine oil is in the engine. Here, the speaker says the dipstick showed essentially no oil, and warning lights started flashing.
Oil consumption means the engine uses up some engine oil over time. The question here is: how much is normal before you should worry or get the car checked?
A quart is a measure of how much liquid. The host is saying some manufacturers consider it acceptable for the engine to use about a quart of oil over roughly 800 to 1,000 miles.
The caller mentions that engines use oil, which is normal to a degree because oil lubricates moving parts and helps seal the combustion process. Excess oil consumption, however, can indicate wear or a problem that may need inspection.
“Gold certified” usually means the dealer is reconditioning and certifying the used car. The details depend on that dealer’s program, but it often comes with extra checks and coverage.
This is an extra plan the dealer offers to help pay for certain repairs or maintenance. Whether it’s worth it depends on what it covers and what it doesn’t.
A hybrid engine system is the gasoline engine plus the electric parts working together. If a warranty excludes “the hybrid,” it usually means certain hybrid components may not be covered.
An extended warranty is extra protection you buy after the regular warranty runs out. If something covered breaks later, the warranty can help pay the repair bill.
A hybrid battery is the battery that powers the electric part of a hybrid car. Some warranties cover the engine but may not cover the battery as well, since battery repairs can cost a lot.
A transmission is the drivetrain component that transfers engine power to the wheels and manages gear changes. Repairs can be expensive because it’s a complex system and often requires significant labor to access.
The Ford Explorer is Ford’s family-sized SUV. Here they’re talking about what the 2025 model costs through employee pricing and how trims are being described.
The Ford Five Hundred was a mid-size sedan made by Ford. It was meant to be a comfortable family car for everyday driving. The podcast mentions it because the conversation is about Ford employee pricing and older Ford models.
Out-the-door price is the final total you pay when everything is included—like taxes and fees. It’s the number you care about most when comparing deals.
The Kia Soul is a small SUV with a distinctive, box-like shape. People usually choose it for everyday driving and space. The podcast mentions it because the speaker’s Kia Soul was targeted by theft attempts.
“Kia boys” is slang for people who steal certain Kia cars. In this story, the host says their Kia Soul was stolen twice because of that kind of theft. It’s basically talking about a real-world theft problem.
They’re talking about whether the 2025 Kia Soul and the 2026 Kia Soul are different. They say there’s no real difference, and they also mention the car is being discontinued. So the model year matters less if the changes are minimal.
An electric car (EV) is powered by one or more electric motors drawing energy from a battery pack, rather than using a gasoline engine. The segment suggests discussing EVs with the show’s host to decide whether the lifestyle and charging needs fit you.
The Dodge Charger is a popular American car model from Dodge. In this episode, they’re talking about a 2026 Charger that’s a four-door sedan and uses gasoline instead of electricity.
“Horses” here refers to horsepower, a measure of engine/motor power output. It’s used as a quick performance indicator, though real-world feel also depends on gearing, weight, and drivetrain.
This is an Audi Q3 with the “S line” package. It usually makes the SUV look and feel a bit more sporty inside and out, but it’s not automatically a super-fast performance car.
This is a Lexus IS 350 with the “F Sport” package. It’s meant to feel more sporty than the base versions, with changes to how it drives and how it looks.
This is a 2006 Toyota 4Runner that the caller bought as a project. They found rust holes near the front tires after purchase, which is the kind of issue that can get expensive to fix.
Four-wheel drive sends power to all four wheels, which helps the car grip better on rough or wet roads. It can also mean more parts to maintain, so it’s worth checking everything works correctly.
Rust holes mean the metal has corroded so badly that it actually has holes in it. That’s a serious problem on a used car because it can spread and may be expensive to repair.
The frame is the main metal structure under the car that everything else bolts to. If it’s rusted or damaged, it can be expensive to repair and can affect safety.
Rust is metal corrosion. It usually lowers what the car is worth because fixing it can be costly, especially if it’s on important parts like the frame.
Safety Cat is a company that makes pre-made metal repair pieces. Instead of building the repair from scratch, a shop welds these sections in to fix rust or damage.
Prefabricated sections are pre-made replacement pieces. For rust or damage, they’re welded in so the repair is more straightforward and consistent.
Term
warrantied
Warrantied means the repair comes with a promise from the shop or supplier. If something goes wrong with the repair later, you may be able to get it fixed under that coverage.
That’s the name of a person on the show you can call for advice. It doesn’t refer to a car part or a car system.
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Having the right people in your corner for life's biggest milestones makes all the difference.
Like a friend who's there when you're house hunting or checking out a new ride,
State Farm is there too, helping you choose the coverage you need.
With a State Farm agent, you know someone is there to help you along the way.
And with so many coverage options, it's nice knowing you have help choosing a plan that fits your needs.
So you can continue celebrating all of life's milestones.
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
Welcome to The CarPro Show.
Jerry Reynolds, The CarPro, was in the auto industry for over 35 years.
And in addition to getting his sixth win from the Texas Auto Writers Association for Best Radio Show in Texas,
he's a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, along with fellow members Dan Rather and George Carlin.
His co-host, Todd Chambliss, just became a member of Applebee's Hall of Fame
for finishing off 84 check-in nuggets without using a dipping sauce.
Now let's get to straight talk and honest answers about everything automotive on The CarPro Show.
Yep, it's The CarPro Show and we are here to help you.
That's what we do every single day, particularly on the weekends when we are talking to you on the air.
I've been on the air for 24 and a half years now, coming up on 25 next March.
No, this September.
September, yeah.
Yeah, that's right.
25 coming up on this September.
And we've helped thousands and thousands and thousands of people buy a car, have a good experience and save some money.
And my process works, but making no mistake, it is a process.
So I've been asked a couple of times today talking about Ford employee pricing because it's a big deal.
So why should I drive out of my way to one of your dealers if all the four dealers have the same pricing?
That's a fair question.
That's a fair question.
It's a good one.
Here's the problem.
I've seen this movie before.
This is not the first time Ford employee pricing has ever been done.
In fact, the first time employee pricing was done was right after 9-11.
25 years ago this September.
And a lot of the dealers want to play games with employee pricing because they're getting paid by Ford Motor Company in the case of Ford employee pricing.
Same with Lincoln.
Lincoln's getting paid by Lincoln, but it's a stipend, if you will.
Ford pays them a minimal amount to handle the sale and do employee pricing.
So guess what?
That leaves room for a lot of things to go wrong, a lot of games to play.
My dealers are not going to do that.
If you find one of the dealers at my show, they're going to give you the true employee pricing.
They'll show you the factory invoice if you want to see it.
And before anybody tells me, oh, they've got three sets of invoices, nobody does that.
Nobody does that.
The crookedest dealers in the country don't do that.
They don't fake invoices.
So my dealers will show you the actual factory invoice.
Ask them to have it notarized if you have any doubts on whether it's the real invoice or not.
And on that invoice, it'll show what Ford Motor Company employees pay.
It's called A Plan.
There's a D Plan.
That's what dealership employees pay, which is about $100 more than factory employees.
I don't know why, but that's the way it is.
They'll show it to you.
They're going to give you full value on your trade-in.
If you go somewhere else, they're going to hold back on your trade-in.
If your trade-in's worth $10,000, they're going to try to get you to sell it to them at $8,000 as a trade-in.
Don't mess with it.
Just go straight to one of my dealers.
You hear the stories.
You think I'd be on the air 24 and a half years non-stop if it didn't work?
Yeah.
And the odds of you finding a great dealer close to you, right around the corner, is about 10%.
Did you hear that?
I did.
I wasn't talking to you.
Maybe you were.
I'm sorry.
The odds of the closest dealer to you being a good dealer that's going to shoot you straight is about 10%.
It may not even be that much.
I'm being generous.
So, use the process.
It's there for you.
Todd.
I use the process numerous times.
I got to tell you.
You want to go to a dealership where not only are they going to say, oh, it's one of Jerry Reynolds folks, one of his listeners, that they roll out the red carpet, that they're not going to go pull any fast ones on you, dealer add-ons, and they're going to be there to support you after you make the purchase with maintenance on your car.
If you have any questions, all that kind of thing.
It's the only way to go.
I promise you.
Yeah, it is.
And, you know, I buy cars myself, and that was hard for me at first, after being in the car business, as long as I was in owning dealerships and driving nothing but demonstrators for three decades.
Just, hey, getting a new car for me was easy.
I just walk outside.
Picture one I liked.
Which, that was a pretty one.
Give me that one.
The next day, I don't like it.
I park it back.
Give me that one.
That's how easy it was for me.
It's a little different ball game now for me.
But when I go to one of my dealers, they want to make me all these special deals.
Guess what?
Because then they want to advertise that I bought a car from them.
But I tell them the same thing every time.
I want to pay the average profit that your customers pay.
And they all just look at me like, what?
I go, yeah.
I don't want a better deal than my listeners get.
Just give me the same deal.
Yeah.
You know, I don't want to pay a sticker, but my listeners don't pay stickers.
So give me the deal that you give my listeners.
If your average profit on a car is $1,200, charge me the $1,200.
I'm fine with it.
Yeah.
I don't want anything extra.
It's that simple.
That's the way I do it.
Let's talk to Nelson in Friendswood, Texas in the Houston area.
Hello, Nelson.
What's happening?
Good afternoon, Jerry.
Thank you for calling.
I love your show and I'm a little nervous.
This is my first time on the air.
Don't be.
It's just me and you.
Okay.
And a couple of million other people.
Okay.
Now you really made me nervous.
My son, Jerry, who's got your name, is a quadriplegic 30 years old.
And I bought a Sprinter 2012 Sprinter and converted it with United
Access with a lift.
Yep.
I'm tired of the diesel.
I'm tired of the tall van.
I'm looking for an SUV, like a Toyota or a Ford.
And I welcome your suggestions.
I'd go.
By the way, one question.
You asked, what did I learn after I brought my 2009 Honda Element?
Yeah.
Is that I got a lifetime oil change for free from another dealer and I was pissed.
Well, there you go.
That's the question of the day.
What would you wish you had done differently when you bought your last car?
But let me tell you something, Nelson.
You don't get anything free for free at a dealership.
You're paying it somewhere.
Okay.
So don't feel bad.
All right.
You're paying, you're paying it in the price or you're paying it somewhere.
There ain't nothing free.
If I were you, I would go with the Toyota Sienna or the Chrysler Pacifica.
Why the Chrysler Pacifica?
Because it's going to be the least expensive.
It's got a very nice interior and it converts to handicap use easier than most.
The Sienna would be next on that list of vans that convert easier.
But the Pacifica's got a lower floor and that makes them real easy to convert.
That's probably your best bet right there.
You don't have to go it alone when you buy your next vehicle.
The car pro will help you for free.
Call the chase.com car pro listener line now at 1-800-926-7777.
You know, working with you, Jerry is a great job and I love it.
But I think I'm in the wrong like job.
I think the kind of job that I want is the kind of job where I can make more money than like a year or so ago
and cost my company millions and millions of dollars and be rewarded for it.
If I can find that kind of job where what I do was a negative flow on the company and make more money,
wouldn't that be the most perfect job?
Yeah, except you got to live in Detroit.
Well, that would be the fallback because I don't want to live in Detroit.
No, you don't.
We're talking about Mary Barra of General Motors.
Highest paid chief executive among the Detroit three took home nearly 30 million last year.
That's up 1.4% from 2024, but she's earned over 300 million and that's in the wake of a reported $2.7 billion of net income.
55% decline for GM in 2025.
She drove the ship of rushing into electric vehicles.
Oh, yeah.
And have cost that car company billions of dollars by rushing into it.
Yeah.
It's not that it's not like I didn't tell her.
I mean, I did.
You did.
I told her I wrote about it.
Look, the Ford CEO had a great year too and he did the same thing.
They got all wrapped up in electric cars and it's going to be the future and this is where we're headed and blah, blah, blah.
And we're going to sink billions of dollars into electric cars.
And guess what?
The tally that I'm keeping up with it.
You can count on that.
The tally right now stands at over $100 billion.
You got any idea how much money that is?
I couldn't even imagine.
$100 billion and she's taking home $30 million for screwing things up.
Dad, sign me.
I will screw things up for a mere fraction of that.
So would I.
I'll screw it up for 10% of what she's making screwing to that.
It makes me, it raised my blood pressure.
Faces get a little bit red there.
No wonder.
I'm about to stroke out.
It makes me so freaking mad.
Wow.
I don't blame you though.
That's crazy.
You know, there was a lot of stockholders that took a bath.
Oh, I'm sure.
Because of her and she's going to make $30 million.
Are you kidding?
Let's keep her in the job and let's reward her for doing all that.
Fine idea.
Yeah, Ford CEO.
Hey, you did the same thing, pal.
And I like you.
I like you, Jim Farley.
You're a nice guy.
Chris Farley's cousin.
That's kind of crazy, isn't it?
Yeah.
But guess what?
Under your leadership, they had more recalls than any car company in the history of cars.
What are we doing over there in Detroit?
And you're knocked down millions too.
Don't get me started.
How'd your video do it?
It was number five this week.
Number five.
I was in the top five.
I'll take that.
You're the fourth loser.
That's right.
The fourth loser.
Never looked out of that way.
You were number three.
Look at you.
That was the second loser.
Oh, I'll hurry it then.
All right.
Let's talk to Rodney in Santa Clarita, California.
Rodney, welcome.
Hey, pal.
I'm here.
Hold on.
I'm here.
All right.
I think I put you on.
Is he there still?
Yeah.
He's there.
I'm here.
I'm on hold.
That's okay.
Hi, Jerry.
Hey, Rodney.
Good to talk to you.
Sorry.
But yeah, I was at the market right now.
Anyways, we bought a K5, Kia K5 2024 lease.
Sorry, lease.
And as soon as we bought it, my wife said I started doing acceleration, losing power.
And then we got our 5,000 mile oil change and then at 10,000, the dipstick is at zero,
lights are flashing.
And my question is, what is the standard for oil loss consumption?
Well, nowadays, it's more than it's ever been.
And part of it is they're getting a lot more horsepower out of smaller engines.
The factories will tell you now that 800 to 1,000 miles, you'll use a quart of oil.
I wrote a story about that very subject in my newsletter.
So, you know, I don't like the thought of that, but it becomes now with cars, it has
become necessary to check your oil in between oil changes.
And not all of them.
Some car companies have bigger problems than others.
But some, and there's no connection between long life of that engine and oil usage.
And Subaru is a great example of that.
Their engines use oil, and yet they'll go 300,000 miles.
So, if it's less than a quarter of a thousand miles, it's within their specs.
At 1-800-926-7777.
Tina is calling from Hamlet, California on the chaise.com carpro hotline.
How can I help you, dear?
Hi there.
First, I want to say I really enjoy your show even before I was looking for a car.
Thank you.
And I wanted to share a comment about Cabe Toyota.
I heard Happy Customer a minute ago.
I purchased my last vehicle from Cabe and had wonderful experience with the same gentleman,
Evan, and I just thought I'd give a vote for that.
Oh, that's nice.
Thank you.
So, the reason I was calling today is I'm actually in the process of replacing my
vehicle that I bought at Cabe at another dealer.
And I'm in the middle of the final negotiations, and they're offering a...
So, let me tell you the vehicle.
Sorry, it's a 2023 VINZA, and it has 26,000 miles on it.
It's being refurbished now to be gold certified.
Nice.
And, yeah, I'm pretty happy with the purchase, but the question I had for you today was whether
or not I should invest in the platinum vehicle service package that's being offered because
I mean, I've had a Toyota for 16 years now, and so I'm very familiar with how the longevity
is.
Yes, great.
But this is a new vehicle to me, and I wanted to know if there was a value you felt that
I should do, that I would gain from getting it versus getting it over the counter from
another company.
The reason my question is being posed is because when they presented the platinum details,
it said the hybrid is not covered, and I mean, the hybrid engine part is not covered.
And I just wanted to hear your thoughts on that.
Quickly, how many miles a year are you driving?
About 16.
Okay.
I get extended warranties myself, and I think one thing is it just makes me feel more secure
because of repair costs today, and I think what I think when they tell you that the hybrid
is not covered, I think they're talking the battery, probably not the engine.
I've never seen a warranty that didn't cover a hybrid engine, but many don't do a hybrid
battery.
Talk to them and talk to chaise.com, C-H-A-I-Z.com, and let's see what they can do on a warranty.
Whether you're buying the lowest price car or the most expensive luxury vehicle, call
the car pro first for free advice.
Call the chaise.com car pro listener line now at 1-800-926-7772.
Having the right people in your corner for life's biggest milestones makes all the difference.
Like a friend who's there when you're house hunting or checking out a new ride, State
Farm is there too, helping you choose the coverage you need.
With a State Farm agent, you know someone is there to help you along the way, and with
so many coverage options, it's nice knowing you have help choosing a plan that fits your
needs.
So you can continue celebrating all of life's milestones.
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
And welcome back to the car pro show with Jerry Reynolds, the car pro.
I'm Todd Chandler's boy.
There are so many stories besides the suits and settlements, which have all kinds of lawsuits
and things going on in the legal system with the automobile news.
Boy, there is no problem finding plenty of stuff.
You had some spillover too, because there are two other stories that you had that weren't
part of the suits and settlements that are on the newsletter.
There was like an auto theft ring that was broken down.
And then now I'm reading the story about this doctor who changed the vans on vehicles and
put these cars into service and using stolen vehicles, basically to build up his business,
felony charges for a still practicing doctor in Georgia.
And you know, they're all they're all robbers because they wear mask.
Well, you know, I can't argue that point.
And this one's just more of a robber than anything else.
And he's already I'm assuming if he's a surgeon, he's probably doing OK.
So why would you need to go and do something so illegal like that?
I don't know. Thirteen stolen vehicles.
You're changing vans already.
You just have trouble right there.
Yeah, I'll continue to put legal stories in the newsletter that I think might affect
a lot of people or that are unusual.
That one was unusual. Certainly is.
Let me give another Ford employee pricing example.
OK, real quick before we go back to the phones.
And by the way, Tina, if you're still listening to my last caller,
we're talking about extended warranties and I had to rush rush off real quick
because I was up against the break.
But I get on myself because with the cost of repairs today,
I just think it's a good idea.
I mean, Toyota makes a great car, arguably the best in the country.
But things can still go wrong after the warranty runs out.
And, you know, a transmission is going to cost you seven thousand to eight thousand
dollars these days. An engine is going to cost you ten or more.
You know, I think for the cost of a warranty.
Boy, I just it just seems to me like it's worth it.
It's a smart investment. Yeah.
All right. Employee pricing for twenty twenty five Ford Explorer.
This is the S.T.
This is their took the place of the XLT.
OK, what used to be the XLT is now the S.T.
Forty nine five eighty on the sticker price.
The employee price that Ford Motor Company employees pay is forty six
oh nineteen. And then in Texas.
There's a six thousand dollar rebate on top of that.
Oh, that gets it to forty thousand and nineteen dollars four oh one nine.
That's ninety five hundred and sixty one dollars off sticker.
That's crazy. Mad money for an explorer.
I use twenty twenty three or bring forty grand.
Yeah, you got a brand new one with all the the latest.
And of course, the, you know, the protection of having brand new stuff
and warranties and all that. Yeah. Yeah.
And keep in mind, depending on where you're listening from,
that six thousand dollar rebate is in Texas.
There is the amounts will vary.
Some will be more in other parts of the country.
Some will be less.
But that's kind of what you're looking at right now.
If you want a Ford and I look forward,
look very much forward to finding out what the other automakers are going to do
to try to counteract what Ford's going to do in the month of May.
That's going to be a busy week for you to keep up with all that.
Oh, yeah, it is. Oh, yes, it is.
All right. Next up on the car pro show is Debbie.
And she's calling from San Antonio, listening on W.
Oh, I good. Oh, good day, Debbie.
Good afternoon, Jerry.
And I have to say this goes first, go.
Yes, love my spurs, but I'm pulling for him to.
My Mavericks, my Mavericks suck this year.
So I'm all here.
Yeah, I'm sorry.
Oh, my, you know, that kind of was.
Yeah.
Well, let's talk about your talk about your football team.
Oh, wait. Oh, no.
Oh, here we go.
We blame Jerry Jones for that.
I blame him.
I blame him when the weather's bad.
I like that.
I agree. Have you not heard my Jerry Jones song?
No. Oh, my God, you missed it.
In my free newsletter, I wrote a song about Jerry Jones.
And look, I know the man.
I've eaten dinner at his house.
OK, that's the truth.
But he has failed.
Thanks. This is foul.
This team up.
He has fouled this team up so bad.
I it blows my mind.
And I wrote a song.
I've been writing songs lately and I wrote a song about it.
You've got to go on my website and and it's called Mr.
Owner, Where's the Winds?
And it's pretty good.
Oh, it is good. Yeah.
Yeah. So anyway, you didn't call about sports.
Say Tom Landry and his hat are rolling over in their grave.
Don't you know? Absolutely.
Don't you know?
All right, he was a class that he was never be another one.
Let's talk cars.
All righty. Sorry about that diversion.
My fault. I had two Kia souls.
The second one was the victim of the Kia boys, not once, but wait for it twice.
So I went a different direction, was not happy.
And I've been without a car for a few months, trying to get everything lined up.
I want another Kia soul.
I love the Kia soul. I do too.
Is it is there a significant difference between the 2025 and 2026?
No, there's no difference.
And you know, I mean, you know, the soul is going away.
This is the last year.
Yes, you've got to get my newsletter, Debbie.
You're missing all kinds of stuff. Listen to this.
I get your newsletter and sometimes I don't have the time to read it all.
Well, read the damn thing.
Read it. Come on.
My bad. That's OK.
That's OK. Now, they are they're they're doing away with.
I need to see it because for the money, there's just nothing.
They just stopped selling.
I mean, they killed off the hamsters, which was a major mistake.
They got tired.
And my opinion, too, they were guinea pigs.
No, they were hamsters.
Other hamsters. I love those ads.
I did, too.
Classic ads.
But the answer to the question is no, there's no difference.
But they've already stopped building them.
So if you're going to get one, you need to do something quickly.
Or you're because they quit selling very well.
I get it. And the dealers quit ordering them.
So there's not many of them out there, but get one.
And I guess I've been working with your guys at Ensyrokea here in San Antonio.
They are awesome people.
And in the next week or two, and they I'm going to be pulling the trigger.
And I just, you know, they keep sending me stuff about 20, 25.
And I just wanted to make sure that I'm not missing out on some.
No, not at all.
They made no change.
And that's one of the reasons that it's going away.
Because they got they were doing so well for so long
and they didn't invest any money into changing them.
And then they killed the hamsters.
And so now it's going away.
I hope they learned a lesson there.
I'd get the 20, 25 and save some money.
I really would. Debbie, I've so enjoyed your call.
Thank you so much. You call me anytime. OK, kiddo.
If you wonder whether an electric car is right for you,
talk to the car pro about it.
Call the chase dot com car pro listener line now at 1 800 926 77 77.
Well, every single year, Jerry Reynolds drives over 100 vehicles
as he test drives and reviews them to put on the car pro dot com website.
And of course, the free newsletter that's released every Friday
that you should be getting.
And if you don't go to car pro dot com at the bottom,
there is a sign up link to get it immediately.
But with that, what have you been driving this week?
And I think you already know what you've got next week, right?
I do. I've been driving a 2026 Dodge Charger.
It's the four door version, which we haven't had in a long time.
It's gasoline. They were electric.
Yeah, I remember that.
It's got 420 horses under the hood.
It's a nice, good size, midsize sedan, 10
stretching out a little bit, maybe to the larger side,
but a good looking car and coming in at a $55,000
price tag with 420 horses under the hood.
That's pretty good. That's a win for me.
And a 2026 Audi Q3 S line,
which is a sporty little compact luxury SUV.
Yeah, I recommend the Lexus NX a lot
because it's so good.
But if somebody's not going to try to get 200,000 miles out of one
and maybe, you know, only get one hundred and fifteen, have some fun.
This this Audi Q3 is super nice
and coming in at 50 grand.
Horse Piraman is what?
No, it's not really to 75.
OK, so yeah, so not a high performance car.
No, no, no, no, but great guess,
much, OK, great guess, super interior.
Next week, I've got the Lexus IS 350 F Sport.
Oh, a nice little sedan.
Let's talk to Eric in Humboldt, Texas.
Eric, welcome. Thanks for calling and welcome to the show.
Thanks. I've got a question.
And I bought a 2006 forerunner,
the four wheel drive as a project and went back and forth with the guy.
And at the I knew it had been in the northeast for a little bit,
but I bought it at night and up underneath the next morning,
I looked and it had a couple of rust holes just behind the two front
tires, I guess, and I approached the guy with it.
And he said, you know, in up to that point that it was a solid car
and asked him specifically about the frame.
And he said nothing wrong with it.
Two side shots and sent it to me.
And so I'm dealing with the rust issues.
I've already kept the vehicle.
I started working on it.
Got the frame fixed, if you want to say that.
But I didn't sign the title.
So I'm pursuing some small claims with him
and for Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
But I guess my my bigger question is if I ever just wanted to get out of it
and, you know, when you go to trade in a vehicle,
they ask you about rust and whatnot, but what's the reality of that?
What probably wouldn't get much out of it if I just traded it in?
Would I? Well, rust is rust is a value killer.
I mean, it nobody wants to mess with it because it's expensive to fix.
Got it. Is it visible on the outside?
Or do you have to get it up on a lift or crawl under it to see it?
You have to crawl under it to see it.
But at the same time, like I said, it's been fixed.
I had the whole frame.
There's a thing called Safety Cat, which is a northeast type company
that sells prefabricated sections that you can weld in.
Yeah. And I had that done by a fabricator here in Houston.
And it's been fixed and it's warrantied and everything else.
So I'm going the next little benefit or I'm going the next bit.
Fix everything.
I've already put wheels on it and tires.
And Eric, before we run out of time, if it's not visible,
there's no loss of value for you.
It's only when it's visible and well, you you you you fix the frame.
I mean, honestly, I don't I don't.
I think you're fine.
It's a great vehicle. Keep fixing on it.
You you fix the part that really matters now.
The rest of it is kind of like so what?
They're great vehicles that will run forever.
I I wouldn't even think about trading it or so.
I keep it.
It's not all about cars and trucks.
It's about what suits how you drive.
Call now for free advice from Jerry Reynolds, the car pro.
Call the chase dot com car pro listener line at 1-800-926-7777.
Well, Mary, you got the last word this hour on the car pro show.
Mary, what's going on?
Hey, Jerry, thanks for taking my call. You bet.
I I have been driving a Nissan Rogue.
I the last two cars that I bought have been
Nissan Rogues have been very happy with them.
And I but I'm thinking of just upgrading a little bit.
And I was wondering your thoughts about
a Morano or or the smallest SUV of a Lexus.
Oh, the next comparison. I'm so ignorant.
I'm so ignorant about cars. No, you're not.
No, you're not. But that's why I'm here.
Um, have you looked in person at an X?
I have not. OK.
It's great SUV.
My only concern for you is it's pretty small compared
compared to the Morano.
And it's going to be roughly the same size as the Rogue
that you used to. But if you're looking at a Morano,
it makes me think you may be trying to go a little bit bigger,
which is great.
But if you're not, then the NX is a wonderful SUV.
How long do you think you're going to keep this thing?
Well, I'm going into retirement,
so I'm hoping it's my final car. How's that sound?
It sounds like you need to get the NX.
I think it'll go a lot further with fewer problems than the Morano.
And I like Nissan's.
They have a few things, you know, their their their CVT
transmission seemed to be doing a lot better over the past five or six years.
But it's still, you know, I don't it's just not going to go as far as the NX.
So if you drive it and you love it and it's big enough for you,
that's absolutely your answer if you want to try to keep it for 15 or 20 years.
Go to my website.
I got a good Lexus dealer there that'll help you drive it, though.
Take a good, long drive.
It's better to be good than look good when it comes to your next vehicle.
Call the CarPro Jerry Reynolds for advice.
Call the Chase Dotcom CarPro Listener Line 1-800-926-7777.
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About this episode
Jerry mixes dealer advice, listener Q&A, and blunt commentary on automaker strategy. He warns that Ford employee pricing can be gamed unless you work with the right dealer, recommends the Toyota Sienna or Chrysler Pacifica for a wheelchair conversion, and says modern engines may use oil without trouble. The show also covers a strong Ford Explorer deal, the end of the Kia Soul, and his criticism of GM and Ford’s EV spending and executive pay.
