Pico Technology is a company that makes diagnostic tools for mechanics. Their scope tools let you “see” electrical signals so you can find problems faster than guessing.
A Picoscope is a diagnostic tool that shows electrical signals as a graph. Instead of relying on error codes, it helps you check whether sensors and wiring are actually behaving correctly.
TPMS service is about the system that monitors tire pressures. After you change tires or sensors, the car often needs to “relearn” so it knows the new sensor IDs and readings.
ADOS is an acronym used in some diagnostic or calibration workflows. The episode mentions it alongside other advanced safety diagnostics, but it doesn’t explain exactly what it covers.
This is a famous experiment that shows tiny things don’t always act like solid bullets. If you don’t check which path they take, they spread out and form a pattern like waves.
At tiny scales, things don’t act like normal objects. Electrons can behave like waves, which is why they can make patterns that look like water waves going through two slits.
Sometimes the spark can jump to the wrong wire instead of going to the right spark plug. That can make the engine misfire, and it can be tricky to find because it doesn’t always show up as a simple “bad plug” problem.
A changing electrical signal in one wire can “push” a voltage into a nearby wire. If that induced voltage interferes with the ignition signal, the engine can misfire.
Even if wires aren’t touching, electricity can still “leak” between them because of how they’re positioned. That leakage can cause wrong or weak spark behavior.
Think of it like invisible energy traveling through space. In cars, fast electrical events can create fields that affect nearby wires, even if they’re not directly connected.
Your measuring wires can affect what you see on the screen. If the leads aren’t ideal, they can add extra “noise” that makes it seem like the car is misbehaving.
Ringing is when a signal trace bounces back and forth instead of settling smoothly. Sometimes it’s not the car’s electronics at all—it can be caused by the wires you’re using to measure with.
“Cut quality” refers to how evenly and cleanly a mower trims grass, including how straight the grass is lifted and how consistent the blade action is across the deck. In the segment, they connect better cut quality to commercial mower design (lift, blade speed, and airflow).
Toro makes lawn mowers, and the speaker is saying the commercial Toro models perform better than the consumer ones. The difference shows up in how cleanly and evenly the grass is cut.
A zero-turn mower can spin and turn very sharply, almost like it’s pivoting in place. That helps you mow faster and more neatly when your yard has trees, edges, and obstacles.
Skag is a mower brand known for more commercial, heavy-duty machines. The hosts also stress that having a good local dealer can matter as much as the mower itself.
“Hydros” are the hydraulic drive system that powers the wheels and helps the mower turn smoothly. Commercial mowers use more robust versions so they keep working well for many hours.
They’re comparing how often and how long you’ll mow. Commercial mowers are built for long, frequent use, while consumer mowers are meant for occasional sessions.
Kubota is mentioned as having a “pretty decent mower at zero turn,” implying it competes in the commercial/serious-use segment. The hosts treat it as an alternative brand worth considering based on performance and availability.
X-Mark is a mower brand. They bring it up as one of the recognizable names when talking about zero-turn mowers that are built for tougher, more frequent use.
Bobcat is known for equipment, and they mention it here as having a zero-turn mower. The point is that it can be a legitimate option, not just a niche brand.
“Once cry once” basically means spend more one time to avoid regretting it later. If your yard is tough, a better mower can save you money and hassle over time.
Dealer support means how easy it is to get service and parts when something goes wrong. If the right dealer is close and responsive, you’ll have fewer headaches and downtime.
Pico Technologies makes tools for diagnosing electric and hybrid cars. The point is that EVs need special testing equipment because they have high-voltage systems.
Autel makes diagnostic tools that mechanics use to figure out what’s wrong with cars. In this segment, they’re positioned as helpful for modern vehicles and EV-related diagnostics too.
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) uses sensors to monitor tire pressure and alerts the driver when pressure is too low or otherwise abnormal. Servicing TPMS often involves sensor programming/relearning and ensuring the system is calibrated correctly after tire work.
Flat rate is a pay structure where technicians are paid a set amount of money (or time) per repair based on published labor times, rather than hourly wages. The segment highlights how flat-rate incentives can create contradictions—pushing speed and productivity while also holding technicians accountable if something goes wrong.
Game theory is the idea that when you set rules, incentives, and targets, people will adapt their behavior to maximize their outcomes. In this context, pay plans and flat-rate targets can lead to “gaming” the system—working in ways that hit metrics rather than necessarily optimizing overall quality.
Concept
diagnostic incentives
When a system makes it hard to succeed, people start looking for why they’re failing. In car repair, that can change how carefully someone diagnoses the problem—especially if they feel the rules don’t match reality.
Concept
labor times
Labor times are the “clock” numbers shops use to decide how long a job should take. If those numbers don’t match what’s actually happening on the car, it can make the work feel unfair or stressful.
A meritocracy is supposed to mean “work hard and you get rewarded.” The hosts are saying that even if a pay system is meant to reward performance, it can still be unfair or broken in how it’s set up.
A zero-sum game is when someone wins only because someone else loses. The point here is that a good shop pay system shouldn’t be set up so that every win for one side automatically means a loss for the other.
“Negative sum” means the system is set up so that, overall, things get worse instead of better. Here, they’re saying the pay plan might make techs feel like they’re losing while the shop leadership benefits, which can hurt everyone.
They’re saying that pay plans only work if the shop can reliably get the right parts in time. If parts are late or hard to find, even good mechanics can’t finish repairs quickly.
They’re warning that if you pay people based on a system, some people may try to “game” it. That can happen even without bad intentions, because the incentives steer behavior.
A hybrid pay plan mixes a steady paycheck with extra pay based on how well the shop does. It’s meant to balance stability for workers with motivation to perform.
Profit sharing means employees get extra pay when the business makes money. In a shop, that can encourage everyone to help the shop run well, not just finish one job quickly.
DeepSeek is one more AI system the hosts mention as an example of this type of technology. The episode isn’t focused on DeepSeek specifically—it’s using it to show what people mean by “AI.” Either way, you still have to verify anything it suggests on the car.
Perplexity is another AI example the hosts list. It can help explain topics or point you toward information, but it can still be mistaken. Use it to help you plan what to check next on the vehicle.
Grok is another AI system mentioned as part of the same “large language model” group. It can sound helpful and knowledgeable, but it may not be accurate for your specific situation. Always confirm with real diagnostic work.
Claude is another AI chatbot example mentioned in the episode. It can help you write out questions or think through what might be happening, but it doesn’t guarantee the answer is correct. You still need to check the car directly.
Large language models are AI tools that can write and explain things in a way that sounds natural. They’re like very advanced autocomplete, but they can also summarize and help you think through problems. They can be useful, but they can also be wrong, so you still need real-world checks.
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot example the hosts mention. It can help generate explanations or ideas about a problem, but it doesn’t “see” your car or know for sure what’s wrong. You should use it to help you think, then confirm with actual checks.
Gemini is another AI system the hosts list as an example of this “large language model” type of tool. It can help explain things or suggest possibilities, but it can still be wrong. Treat it like a helpful assistant, then verify with real car diagnostics.
Siri is Apple’s voice assistant, and the host is saying it’s in the same general AI family as these chat-based tools. That matters because it shows AI is becoming part of normal daily tech. Still, it won’t replace checking the car yourself.
This phrase means the AI is basically guessing what words should come next, but doing it at a much higher level. Because it can sound confident, it might tempt you to trust it too much. In car troubleshooting, you still have to confirm anything it says with real tests.
A pre-purchase inspection is when a mechanic checks a car before you buy it. The goal is to find problems early so you don’t end up paying for them after purchase.
LIVE
This is the Automotive Repair podcast network.
Welcome everyone to yet another episode of diagnosing the aftermarket A to Z.
I'm Matt Fonzeland. See, if you'd stick to your 12-point maintenance program,
we won't have to jumpstart you like this.
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All right, I thought I'd kind of go through some question answering
with messages coming in that, I don't know, I guess we could call it a mailbag type of an episode,
but I don't know, I guess I just thought some of the questions are pretty good
and they're worthy of discussion and many are kind of in the auto repair realm
and others, not so much.
And it seems I don't get messages and notes and comments and just in conversation
when I run into people that some people really, really like that
and some would like to stick to the automotive stuff.
So I guess I'll just kind of bounce back and forth and do a little bit of both, right?
The first question is, it's kind of rough.
It's asking why I, Matt, struggle when kind of like discussing electricity in the context
and there's a few of these messages like that where I kind of avoid the subject.
And I think it's because many classes get into like,
try to get into the fundamentals of electricity and it gets very, very messy really, really fast
and I don't know how it helps any of us.
And I don't even really want to communicate or mislead anyone into thinking
I really know what's going on either.
I think on a conceptual basis, yes, but it really, really comes down to it.
And by that I mean when it really comes down to it, it's math.
That's what it is because the reality is, is there's no way to visualize
an accurate representation of particles.
It's really what it comes down to particles.
And by particles, it's really quantum fields.
And that's the reality.
That is what makes up particles as excitations, if you will,
or if you want to sound like we're really, really, I guess, physicists
or know what we're talking about, we would say, preparations of a quantum field.
That's what particles are.
And sometimes they behave like the little spheres or ping-pong balls
or whatever you want to call them, orbs, that spheres that race across something.
And then sometimes they act like waves.
Really the best representation of that or the best example of that is
something called Young's experiment, or I think it's really most often
referred to as the double slit experiment.
You could actually reproduce this if you wanted.
I'm not saying it would be easy, but you can do it with a decent laser pointer
and either some string or if you're really, really, really good with tape
depending on the laser pointer itself.
What happens is, I guess we'll come up with a basically try to reconstruct
a thought experiment, if you will, you're standing in front of a wall
and the wall is, we'll just say, 20 feet away.
And in that wall, there are two missing columns, if you will,
the width of a basketball or a soccer ball or a kickball.
And then you have a whole bunch of like a row of soccer balls to just, you know,
that'll kind of almost like a pinball machine or whatever will set down in front of you,
you kick it, set it down in front of you and you kick it.
If you do that long enough, you're going to kick some through those slits, right?
Those columns, the missing columns.
Let's just say these soccer balls or we'll just say there's a wall behind this wall
with the slits that, you know, will leave a mark wherever these soccer balls hit.
You would expect to see two columns behind it where those soccer balls hit.
They go through the slit and they hit that wall behind their canvas or net or whatever
and you would see evidence of them hitting kind of the same area over and over and over
directly behind those slits. That makes perfect sense, right?
And that is on the macro scale.
Things go differently when we start winding down to the micro scale or the particle sizes
and it can go a little bit larger than particles themselves.
But what happens is that at that small size and now instead of using soccer balls,
let's figure out how we can do this where you are kicking electrons or your idea of an electron,
which it's not a sphere, but at least for the sake of this discussion, that's what we're going to say.
And now you start kicking the electrons.
The results aren't the same. You're not going to get two columns behind those slits.
You're going to get what's called an interference pattern where the intensity of maybe those two columns
right behind where the slits are will be the brightest.
But then there will be a gap to the left or right of that and there will be another column.
It's a little bit fainter and then there'll be a space of nothing, where it's clean.
And then there'll be another column. So this is called an interference pattern.
And if we just had waves of water crashing up against this wall with these two slits,
you would get the same pattern. And that's why we have what's called particle wave duality.
And that's just a hint of how messed up things are, right?
Like, to me, it's amazing. It's an amazing thing. Our universe is just full of wonder.
Reality is, in some cases, stranger than anything we could come up with, stranger than fiction.
I wrestle with that. How can I take that and roll that into something that's usable for us to fix taillights
or headlights or can communications? And I don't think I can. I don't think we should.
But then we need to kind of avoid the whole theory thing. Or if we talk about theory, let's just say what it...
call it what it is. This is like the applicability theory.
We're just going to keep this to where it's applicable to help you imagine something that's useful enough to do what you need to do 99.9% of the time.
And it will fall apart on certain things, explaining certain phenomenon like crossfire with plug wires,
the capacitive discharge or inductive misfire, like, you know, two wires running too close together.
And there's enough of a electromagnetic wave on the one to induce a voltage in the other, or at least significant enough, right?
The water theories and all that don't explain that at all. And it's fine.
It's usually not that big of a deal. Same with the noise when scoping high speed signals with certain types of test leads that we get noise or ringing.
The ringing isn't from the circuit itself. It's from our test leads.
That's where some of this stuff could help explain that, but does it matter? And I don't know that it does.
And that's why I hate talking about it, because one, I think it misrepresents my intent, which is honestly, how can it be as accurate as possible?
How can we really be accurate and applicable? And I think when it gets down to it, sometimes we just can't.
The truth is really, really complex. The reality is, is picturing things at quantum levels, if you will, which is where electricity lives cannot be done.
The human brain cannot visualize such things. We try to, we come up with gimmicks, and honestly, a lot of them are really good, and they're good enough for the vast, vast majority of what we do.
But that's why I struggle with it. That's why I just sit there wrestling with it, and I don't know what to do with it.
And, you know, why is it important to even bring up the truth if the truth is so complex? And it's like, well, because I think we all want to know the truth.
At least I do. I want to know what's really happening, what's really going on. At some point you hit where you're down the rabbit hole, far enough that find yourself climbing back out, dusting yourself off,
and sticking with some applicability for a while. But, you know, once you know what's down that rabbit hole, it's really hard to forget about it.
Really just wanting to be able to be on the level and have it useful. And sometimes it really is. Sometimes you can do it.
There's subjects where you can really do that. And then there's some where it's, I haven't figured it out. I don't know.
And then maybe it's me. That's really why I struggle with the discussion and what do you do with that?
Next question. A little less automotive related. And what's kind of cool is multiple of these. What lawnmower should I buy?
They must have heard, like, Pollock and I talking about this once, or I don't know, overheard it somewhere, or I'm sure we've talked about it on a podcast somewhere at one time.
I need to know more. I need more data. And it doesn't make sense, really.
One could make an argument that it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend commercial dollars, commercial or professional dollars on a mower if you have, you know, two tenths of an acre to mow.
I will tell you, there is a difference. The tip speed, if you will, is different. There's a big difference between a commercial, even a push mower.
And I'm not talking about like the big skaggs or hustlers or whatever where they almost look like almost like a snowblower setup, except it's a mower.
I'm not necessarily talking about those. Just even a 19, 21, 22 inch, 25 inch wide or diameter, if you will, push mower, self propelled or not.
The commercial grade Toro is much, much different than the consumer model Toro or whatever brand. And you can see it. The cut quality is much better.
You get better lift so the blades are pulled up straighter, more vertical. The blade comes through much faster and it's just a more even cut.
You get striping without really needing a roller or anything like that. It's a big difference. Is it worth it? I mean, I don't know. It's up to everybody.
You know, we start pushing into, you know, an acre or more and you maybe have a lot of trees or obstacles to go around.
Zero turns make a lot of sense. I did a podcast episode about that fairly long time ago, relatively long time ago, about learning from the logic of a zero turn about really blade to grass contact time for efficiency and productivity.
So there's a lot of logic to that. Now, what's the terrain if it's really flat and a fair number of obstacles? Do you really need a $20,000 skag? I mean, Pollock and I might argue you do, but it's a tough argument.
And then you have, like I said, I guess what I brought up earlier is there's a lot of these companies have two categories. There is the consumer line and then the professional or commercial line and they're much different.
They're much different. If we stick to a little bit with the zero turns, the hydros are probably the thing you will notice the most. Blade tip speed, yes, but the hydros. That's where you're going to really notice the difference.
What's driving the wheels allowing you to steer the response time, the power? If you take a consumer model zero turn on a bit of an incline, if you're going across the incline and you try to turn up.
So if you're going across and up would be to your right to go up this hill, a commercial model might not be able to make the turn. It might slip because the tire widths are not the same.
Clockwise doesn't exist where a commercial will do it without, with little to no hesitation. And they usually have much wider wheels in the back so they have better grip and the whole thing.
And they're just built, right? They're built to go eight, 10 hours a day, all every day, six days a week. And commercials or consumer models usually a little more towards the once a week for an hour or two.
So really it's just what do you want and versus what do you need? And I know people that have relatively large properties with a few obstacles and they buy consumer models and they buy them every few years and the money spent is about the same or slightly less than just buying the commercial unit.
But yeah, the big names that come to mind are like the Toros and the X marks and the Skaggs. I think, honestly, it could be built by one of these companies, but I've seen Kubota, I think has a pretty decent mower at zero turn and then bravely Bobcat.
I think Bobcat actually has a decent mower out now. Hustler's another one. And Walker, they're kind of their own thing, but they're a heck of a machine. But those are, you know, we're talking more of the commercial models.
And then you get into the more consumers and I just suspect that there's like a lot of things, three or four manufacturers like an MTD or something like that that build almost all of them and then it's down to the badging.
And then really then it's what color do you like and what accessories do you like, you know, cup holders, the seat fits you better, arm rests, stuff like that. It's about like anything. If there's any way to go try it, then do so.
Whatever it feels right, go with it. But yeah, if you've got a big yard with a lot of obstacles, you're probably better off by once cry once. Another one I don't want to forget also is the I think Cup Cadet had a has some pro line machines that are quite quite good.
So yeah, that's how do you answer that? It's rough without knowing a lot of details. That's the way I would push you to. And then honestly, I guess, you know, what the real answer is, I should know this should have been the initial response.
Actually, I'm kind of disappointed in myself. What's your dealer support? If you have a Skag dealer very nearby, and these other dealers are a long ways away. And the Skag dealer is good. They have good reviews. You've interacted with them before by a freaking Skag or Kubota or whoever's nearby.
Who do you have dealer support for or with? That's probably the real answer. It's not probably the real answer. That is the real answer. Because I think at the when you start getting to the commercial level, I mean, none of them really suck. They really don't.
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This episode of diagnosing the aftermarket A to Z is brought to you by Autel.
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Alright, the next question.
Setting me up.
Evidently, there's something going on like either online or maybe some other podcasts and I don't know, but what is my take on flat rate?
I am going to steal the answer of a great friend of mine, John Riggle. It depends.
I think we all know that when you start using certain tactics like pay plans to motivate and to manage, really manage people, it's probably not going to work out too well.
I think a lot of that is those plans are put into place to drive up production and kind of help with managing people by pay plan.
And that's usually a horrible idea.
You also have to just be very, very careful of what you're trying to motivate.
And what if we lean into a game theory a little bit, you are setting the rules of a game.
What happens is, is you have these rules set up and you have these targets and goals and all the things that set up a game.
And that's literally what it is.
It's a game and I'm not trying to compare it to Candyland, but it's the same thing.
When you have certain goals, you have certain rules, people start to learn how to either manipulate the game or work within the game to net the best results for them.
And you have to just be careful, right?
Because flat rate can be full of contradictions where I want you to just crank out the work as fast as you can.
But also, if something goes awry because of it, I'm going to hold you accountable.
And then, which fundamentally isn't so bad, but I mean, how do you not answer depends, right?
Because it depends on where the goals are, what it takes to get to those goals.
And then is the system set up in such a way that someone can actually hit those goals.
And then when somebody is unable to hit those goals, they're going to be looking for the reasons they can't.
And are those reasons in their control or not?
And if they're not in their control, now the game is set up against them.
And you wonder why there's a bad attitude.
You've set up these goals, you've set up these rules, but the system is not in place.
The system doesn't work to help people win.
It immediately breaks everything, right?
And I think historically, through all the things at work, society, when people deem something unfair, they either quit,
or try to break it.
That's what you see.
So is flat rate bad?
No, but there's a lot of stuff in the background that has to be done.
And there's a lot of things that have to be really fleshed out and everybody's understands.
And I think if everybody within that system agrees and believes that it is fair, you're fine.
But once it starts to be unfair, and I don't necessarily want to say like employees who are in that pay plan when they don't get such a good paycheck immediately decide it's unfair.
I don't know that that's necessarily the case.
I'm sure there's example after example of people listening to this right now where they're just like, well, so and so and so and I got all kinds of examples.
Are you sure?
And then some of it is probably true when people don't get what they want.
You know, it's like Dutch wrote in his article, right?
Looking in that mirror.
It's rough.
It's not just rough for an owner.
That's who he's talking to in his article and think of his ratchet and wrench where he's like a columnist.
It's everybody.
So why would you expect anything different to them?
And yeah, you better take a hard look in the mirror and a hard look at the system and go, is it really fair?
And look at them and go, do they really think the system is unfair?
Or are they just upset because they didn't achieve the goal?
And did they not achieve it because of them?
Because it can be a meritocracy, but there's issues with it, right?
They're just are.
They have to be addressed.
And then when it's all said and done, you could probably pick any pay plan.
And if it's deemed fair and everybody understands it and everybody buys into it, you're good to go.
It doesn't matter the pay plan anymore.
It's just, does everyone agree that it's fair?
Does everyone agree that the system is set up so that everybody wins?
I mean, I don't think we're talking about zero sum games, but we are definitely talking about negative sum.
And if somebody believes that they are in a negative sum game, basically where the system is making it so they suffer versus the
benefit of the shop, the benefit of management, the benefit of the owner.
It's going to hell in a ham basket. Game set match.
And you got to take a hard look at it.
Is it as fair as you think it is?
And then you got to hammer out those details.
You got to figure it out.
It can work, but it just can't be.
I need these production levels out of you or I'm going to pay you X amount of dollars per hour for this many hours build or whatever.
We all know what flat rate is.
But if you don't have the systems in place to order parts to get the cars in as soon as possible and get things moving so that those
is not just the technical or mechanical specialists have what they need to be able to hit whatever monetary goals they have is really all for not.
It will fall apart and you may find certain people that will play the game and just manipulate it to their favor.
And they don't do it because they're nefarious by any means.
It's what any intelligent human being would do.
Flat rate is not fundamentally bad.
It's a slippery slope though.
I think most of what we see are kind of hybrid plans where I work.
The shop is profit sharing.
So everybody has a base hourly or salary.
That's I think more than just livable.
But then the profit sharing is what really starts pushing people up into that, you know, whatever tier you want to say.
But I think I can prove it categorically that they're making well over the cost of living.
It's really what can we do to increase their spendable income?
That's what it's all about.
I want them to help me or help the shop generate as much ethical profit as they can.
That's the deal.
That's our game and not to oversimplify it.
That's ultimately what we're after.
Flat rate is not fundamentally bad.
It can be horrible, but so could pretty much anything that's mismanaged or not managed.
It's like anything.
I don't know.
That's how I would answer that.
Artificial intelligence.
What do I think about it?
That's a really vague question and almost.
I struggle with because what do we mean by AI?
And I really don't want to go into this too much because there should be an episode on this podcast or on Sean tipping and Tommy leave as podcast on mode of diagnostic podcast where we're going to talk more about AI.
A couple of years ago, Sean and I talked about it and now we need to update it a little bit.
He's talked a little bit about it here and there.
I've been holding off, but I guess what I will say is most of the time when people are talking about AI, they're talking about large language models, which would be chat, GPT, Gemini, Claude, deep seek, perplexity, grok.
Those are kind of the heavy hitters.
I suppose technically to a degree at least Siri, but I think Siri uses chat GPT.
Those are kind of like the heavy hitters that I can think of off the cuff.
And those are large language models.
And I guess what I would say is there's still it's much more complex than this, but they're very much akin to predictive text on steroids.
It's more complicated than that.
I don't want to oversimplify that, but that's really what it is.
They don't know anything, but you're going to start seeing, I mean, clearly we've seen some massive leaps.
That's all I'll say.
Do I think there's a use for them?
Yes.
Do I think we have a danger of losing jobs in our profession?
I don't think so.
Yeah, I think I'll leave it at that and then look for an episode.
And of course, I'll keep you posted with Sean and Tommy very much looking forward to that.
Been looking forward to it for quite some time.
Do I know any good marriage counselors?
No.
How do you answer that?
Margaret Light is legit and legitimately good, but she can really only deal with certain states, right?
And that becomes a problem.
If you're in Minnesota, that's an option.
I think Wisconsin, she's an option.
You can check it out.
Her website is, I just had it, her website's equilibrium therapy.
And just go on there, check it out.
I think you can send her a message and if she can't help you or work with you for whatever issues with licensing and all that, then hopefully she can refer you to somebody, which I would think she could.
And yeah, if you can, I don't know if she would do it.
I don't know how many would actually do it, but I think there is logic in sending the shop to marriage counseling, like all of them.
There's logic to it because communication is something else.
And, you know, you go to enough classes, all you hear about is communication.
It's all about communication.
You get to the point where in zombie says communication, you just want to throw up, right?
And then you have to go sit in on like a network class.
So fed up with the word communication, but the reality is, is it's all about good communication.
And there are some classes that you can hit that talk about that.
And I think quite well, one of them is Tracy Capriotos and Sarah Frazier's class and then Margaret, I think is doing classes.
So at expose also, I think she'll be online doing some virtual stuff too.
So keep your eyes peeled for that.
Could you do your Mount Rushmore of bands?
I don't know how you do that.
It's like make a Mount Rushmore of football players.
What position?
How do you answer that?
If you're going to do it, how do you not put the Beatles on there?
How do you not put Sabbath on there?
I only gets his fingers pinched off, detunes his guitar and creates a whole new genre.
How do you not?
Those are two.
And then after that, this might seem somewhat insane, but this is the stuff I'm kicking around.
Like I could be wrong, but it seems to me like the first kind of boy band, if you will.
And I don't mean boy band because they're all boys.
I actually am thinking more of like a assembled band.
It's the monkeys.
Part of me doesn't like that it's all staying out of, you know, these choices are kind of all in the same decades area.
But I'm trying to think like, I don't know how you make a Mount Rushmore of music bands without the Beatles.
And I don't know how you ignore lack Sabbaths.
Like I said, they created an entire genre.
The monkeys were assembled for a TV show and they end up knocking the Beatles off the number one.
Like that's not nothing.
That's interesting, right?
And I know like the Beach Boys and the Beatles had a thing back and forth.
Brian Wilson kind of competing with Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
Like that's not nothing.
But now how do you who'd go in that fourth spot and then do the monkeys really deserve to be in there?
I mean, they're important.
There's like a country band that I've never heard of that should be on there.
So people are screaming at their listening device right now, but I don't know any country bands.
I guess I remember my parents watching the country music awards when I was a kid.
But I don't mean I wouldn't be able to tell you who pushed the genre that my wheelhouse.
If I went with the I really don't like that they're all in this same kind of year range that kind of bugs me.
I think Sabbath and the Beatles have to be on there.
That's pretty defensible.
The monkeys might seem goofy, but I there is an intent there like a legit intent.
So they can be like in a question mark right now.
Do you count like the Supremes like that would be about like saying like Buddy Holly and the crickets, but that's a band.
You got what the Temptations Motown?
Are they the ones that really got it rolling?
What about the Sugar Hill gang right for rap?
I mean hip hop that they may be started it, but I don't know if I could put them on the Rushmore over say like Run DMC.
Well, so that this doesn't take freaking hour to do.
I am going to go with the Beatles Sabbath Run DMC and somebody might be able to really, really educate me, but I'm going to go with the Temptations.
As a Mount Rushmore.
I'm sure there's some country band out there that's good.
I doubt it.
It's just that I don't know anything about it.
It's not my thing.
I don't.
I'm sorry.
If you like it, I just don't.
I can appreciate the popularity and I guess honestly, it's purely American, right?
I should have some level of appreciation.
It hurts me to keep certain bands off the list.
Right.
I don't think there's been a bigger band than the Stones or I guess the Eagles.
Honestly, aren't they like widely considered the most popular band in history somewhere like them?
I don't think the Stones were.
I mean, they're up there, but I don't think they are.
But then you got freaking Metallica, which is just the juggernaut of heavy metal and thrash.
But without Sabbath, there's no Metallica.
But then also I have Run DMC up over the Sugar Hill gang.
And do you have Run DMC without Sugar Hill gang?
But Sabbath was very, very popular.
It's not like the Sugar Hill gang versus Run DMC where it's just like a big gap.
One did lay down the foundations, but the other one just took it and ran and it became one of the most popular genres of music we have.
I'd rather do genres.
So this just sucks.
I'm going to stick with it.
Beatles, Sabbath, Temptations and Run DMC.
Let me have it in the comments.
And if you like this type of stuff and you're watching this on YouTube, give it a like.
It really does help.
What you think of these responses and what your top, you know, what your Mount Rushmores would be.
I'm really interested to hear that you can leave it in the, what do they call it?
The doobly-doo in the on YouTube or you can email me at mattfonzlo podcast at gmail.com.
You can send me an instant message on Facebook Messenger.
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Thank you to the aftermarket radio network.
And until next time, take care.
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About this episode
A mailbag-style episode that jumps from quantum physics and why electricity is hard to explain, to practical advice on choosing lawnmowers, to a detailed take on flat rate pay plans. Matt also weighs in on artificial intelligence, marriage counseling, and even builds a Mount Rushmore of bands. The throughline is his preference for practical, honest, and applicable thinking over oversimplified theories or systems that don’t actually work in the real world.
In this wide-ranging "mailbag" style episode, Matt Fanslow dives into a mix of technical, professional, and lifestyle questions from listeners. The conversation moves from the intimidating complexity of quantum physics and why it makes discussing "basic" electricity difficult, to practical advice on commercial versus consumer lawn equipment. Matt also tackles the controversial topic of flat-rate pay plans and the importance of ethical systems in the shop, before wrapping up with some lighter notes on AI, mental health resources, and a controversial "Mount Rushmore" of musical bands.
Key Topics and Highlights
1. The Struggle with "Basic" Electricity & Quantum Physics
Matt addresses why he often avoids "fundamental" electricity discussions. He argues that what we call "fundamentals" are often inaccurate "gimmicks."
The Reality of Particles: Particles aren't just little spheres; they are perturbations of quantum fields.
The Double Slit Experiment: Matt explains the particle wave duality and how electrons create an interference pattern rather than simple columns.
Applicability vs. Truth: While "water analogies" work 99% of the time for fixing taillights, they fail to explain phenomena like inductive misfire or signal ringing. Matt wrestles with balancing "useful" information with the complex truth.
2. The Great Lawnmower Debate: Buy Once, Cry Once
Responding to listener interest, Matt breaks down the difference between consumer and commercial mowing equipment.
Cut Quality: Commercial mowers (Toro, Exmark, Scag) have higher blade tip speeds and better lift, resulting in a cleaner cut and natural striping.
Hydrostatics & Power: The ability to handle inclines and zero-turn response time is significantly better in commercial units.
The "Real" Answer: Dealer Support. Buy the brand that has a high-quality, reliable dealer nearby for parts and service.
3. Flat Rate: Ethical Systems vs. Gamification
Matt shares his perspective on flat-rate pay plans, echoing the sentiment that "it depends."
Game Theory: Pay plans set the rules of a "game." If the system (parts ordering, dispatching, management) is broken, employees will view the game as "negative sum" and either quit or try to break it.
Fairness: It isn't about the specific plan; it’s about whether the staff deems the system fair and ethical.
Profit Sharing: Matt discusses the success of his shop’s hybrid model: a strong base salary supplemented by profit sharing.
4. Rapid Fire: AI, Mental Health, and Music
Artificial Intelligence: Matt clarifies that LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT and Gemini are essentially "predictive text on steroids." He doesn't fear for automotive jobs but sees them as evolving tools.
Mental Health: A shout-out to Margaret Light and her work at Equilibrium Therapy, emphasizing the need for better communication and counseling within shop environments.
The Mount Rushmore of Bands: Matt puts his neck on the line with his top four most influential bands:
The Beatles (The Blueprint)
Black Sabbath (Founders of Heavy Metal)
The Temptations (Motown/Soul Influence)
Run-DMC (The Bridge for Hip-Hop)
Mentioned in this Episode
Sponsors: Pico Technology, Autel, and Independent Wrench Jobs.
Resources: Margaret Light (Equilibrium Therapy), John Riggle, Sean Tipping, and Tommy Oliva.
Connect: Email Matt at [email protected] or find him on Facebook Messenger.
What does your "Mount Rushmore of Bands" look like? Does it lean more toward the foundations of a genre or the bands that achieved the most commercial success?
Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology
Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Visit PicoAuto.com
Thanks to our Partner, Autel
From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com
Thanks to our Partner, Independent Wrench Jobs
Independent Wrench Jobs is a new, tech-only community to help you find better independent shops—fair dispatch, steady work, real leadership. No games.
