A fast Q&A session tackles reliability, oil-change habits, and expensive A/C failures. Nile “Motormouth” Jenkins argues that today’s tighter engine tolerances and thinner oils are contributing to early powertrain failures, especially in certain GM and other modern designs, and pushes the idea that 10–15-year-old, well-kept cars can be more dependable than new “plastic” builds. He recommends changing oil early (even with synthetic) and never cheaping out on filters. For A/C, he warns that letting it sit dead for months can contaminate the system, driving repair costs up—often requiring an accumulator and flushing.
It's Saturday Q&A at the Car Connection Workshop, and we're tackling three questions every driver should hear.
Jim's looking at replacing his current ride and wants to know - are domestics really that unreliable, and what should he be considering before buying?
Elisha asks about oil changes using synthetic. How long is too long - and what 's the safest interval to protect your engine?
And Steve's dealing with an A/C system that quit last summer...what's it going to cost, and what happens when you leave it sitting too long?
We break it all down:
1) How to approach buying you're next vehicle the smart way
2) Why oil change intervals should be based on time and mileage
3) The real cost of delayed A/C repairs - and why timing matters
Car Care isn't guesswork. It's about understanding the system and staying ahead of problems before they get expensive.
#CarQ&A #AutoRepair # CarMaintenance
Grab some Car Connection Motormouth Gear & join the crew supporting those struggling with addiction get to a Total Freedom Addiction Campus Canada & USA where a New Life awaits them there! Visit our online store at ccbusnet.com.. Thank You So much Friends for Joining the Fight against addiction. Motormouth & Skippy.
More Episodes and ...project Details available at Car Connection Business Network.com (ccbusnet.com)
you'll find everything on our homepage if you'd like to follow the build & repair work we do, connect with our program partners click on their logo to meet them. Thank You for giving your business to them! Much Appreciated Friends NMJ.
Like, Share, Follow, Subscribe, Comment, Ring the bell to miss nothing, join our online community, watch & Listen. These little things helps to keep the ignition on engine running smoothly. We can only grow with your help, we love y'all very very much! Skippy & Motormouth.
"...was that better technology and better value for your money then or now and my answer is the stuff I'm seeing in the mechanical failures..."
They’re talking about whether what you pay actually gets you a car that lasts. If the car breaks a lot, it’s not really good value even if it looks good or is new.
“Value for your money” is the host’s framing for reliability and cost—whether the price of a vehicle and its parts results in dependable ownership. This concept ties directly to maintenance planning and avoiding expensive failures.
"[948.7s] be thicker by at least a millimeter at least yeah price does not reflect the
[957.1s] quality of the goods sold I saw that in a hardware store many years ago"
They’re basically saying the price you pay doesn’t always mean the product is better. The speaker argues that modern stuff can cost more while being made with worse materials or workmanship.
This is a pricing/value concept: the idea that what you pay doesn’t always match the actual build quality or durability. The speaker uses a historical example (a store sign) to argue that modern pricing may be disconnected from product quality.
"there's no way I would want to be on a hook for a second or third engine and I'm out of warranty"
Out of warranty means the free repair coverage has ended. If something big breaks—like an engine—you usually have to pay the bill yourself.
“Out of warranty” means the vehicle is no longer covered by the manufacturer’s included repair coverage. For major engine failures, being out of warranty can shift costs to the owner, including potential engine replacement.
"exactly what you said the tick is gone I said well let's hope the wear and tear isn't too bad and that it can it can rise to the to the cause you know and last for a while quite a while okay"
Wear and tear is just the normal aging of parts as you drive. Regular maintenance can slow it down, but if something is already worn, it may still need repair.
“Wear and tear” refers to the gradual degradation of components from normal use—like friction, heat cycling, and contamination. Maintenance can slow the rate of wear, but it can’t fully undo damage already done.
"when you're looking to buy a vehicle maintenance free all you don't have to change the spark plugs for 225,000 kilometers this that and the other thing"
Spark plugs help the engine start by creating a spark. Even if a car is advertised as “maintenance-free,” spark plugs usually still need to be replaced after a certain mileage or time.
Spark plugs are the ignition components that create the spark needed to ignite the air-fuel mixture in a gasoline engine. They do require periodic replacement, even if marketing claims “maintenance-free” ownership.
"I'd be on top of consumers reports reading blogs and I mean you got to spin a filter on when you read blogs"
They’re talking about doing research before buying—like using Consumer Reports and reading online posts. The goal is to learn what tends to go wrong and what owners report.
The speaker mentions using Consumer Reports and blogs to research vehicles before buying. This highlights the importance of gathering information from multiple sources when evaluating reliability.
"...time and energy to put together a top 10 list of vehicles that you could count on for reliability..."
“Count on for reliability” suggests the speaker is emphasizing predictable ownership—cars that are less likely to require frequent repairs. This is a key filter when comparing vehicles beyond just performance or styling.
"...they can generally rattle off three to five things that are dealbreakers for them so... put a line across the middle top half things I like bottom half deal breakers that's the things that you know what I just I cannot accept... so that vehicle's gone..."
A “dealbreaker” is something about a car that you just can’t accept. If the car has that problem, you move on—even if it’s otherwise a good deal.
“Dealbreakers” are the specific issues that make a car a no-go for you, even if the rest of the car looks good. Examples could be reliability concerns, safety features you need, or recurring problems you refuse to live with.
"I like it I will put it on my list if I don't like it you won't see my face again I'm not here to talk numbers be square with them I'm here to look at it and a little road test around the block and see how it feels"
A road test is just a short drive to see if the car feels good to you. You’re checking things like comfort and how it drives, not just looking at it in the showroom.
A road test is a short drive to evaluate how a car actually feels in motion—comfort, steering feel, braking, visibility, and any noises or weird behavior. It’s especially important because specs and reviews can’t fully predict your personal fit or driving experience.
Concept
goals vs what you can afford
"you think you know what you want and when you start looking at what you want versus what you can afford you've then got to make some changes right"
This is about realizing your dream car might cost more than you can spend. You may need to change what you’re looking for or accept certain compromises to make it work.
This is the budgeting reality check in car buying: your ideal requirements (“goals”) may not match your budget. The discussion emphasizes adjusting expectations, making trade-offs, and deciding whether specific compromises are acceptable for the long term.
"...I think it was 66,000 miles when I got it 98 1998 Honda CRV I sold that thing and it's still going..."
They’re talking about a 1998 Honda CR-V. It’s an older Honda SUV that they drove for a long time, showing how some cars can last a lot of miles if they’re cared for.
The speaker is describing a 1998 Honda CR-V, a compact SUV known for long-term durability when maintained. In the story, it’s used as an example of a vehicle they wouldn’t normally shop for but ended up keeping for a very high mileage.
"...when I went to get some automatic transmission oil for the CVT transmission..."
They’re talking about the fluid inside an automatic transmission. Using the right fluid matters because it helps the transmission work correctly and last longer.
“Automatic transmission oil” refers to the fluid used to lubricate and control the transmission’s internal components. Different transmission types (like CVTs) often require specific fluid formulations, so using the wrong fluid can lead to poor shifting behavior or accelerated wear.
"doing I go yeah I said these CVTs you got to be good with them you got to be gentle on them you got a care give to them but I think they can go the distance"
CVT means “continuously variable transmission.” It’s a type of automatic that changes smoothly instead of shifting gears, but it needs the right fluid and regular service to last.
CVT stands for continuously variable transmission. Unlike a traditional stepped automatic, it uses a belt/chain and pulleys to keep the engine in a good efficiency range, but it’s sensitive to fluid type and service intervals.
"if you're changing the fluid with the factory fluid every 50k and he goes be nice"
“Factory fluid” is the exact type of fluid the car maker says to use. Using the wrong fluid can make the transmission act weird and wear out faster.
“Factory fluid” means the specific fluid formulation and specification the automaker calls for (often with a particular brand/spec code). Using an incorrect fluid can affect friction characteristics and hydraulic performance in a CVT.
"and then I got a piece of junk that's always got the same pattern failures on it no it's my money and I'm spending it wisely"
They mean the same kind of problem keeps happening to that car. If a model has a known repeat issue, it can get expensive even if you try to maintain it.
“Pattern failures” refers to recurring, known issues that show up repeatedly in a particular model or component. This is a key reliability concept: if a car has a consistent failure trend, maintenance alone may not prevent costly repairs.
"Nissan Rogue I've never owned a Nissan I'm kind of really liking it so far it really is good on fuel incredible on fuel"
The Nissan Rogue is a common SUV that many people use as a daily driver. The host is saying it can be really good on gas, but you still have to treat it and maintain it the right way.
The Nissan Rogue is a popular compact crossover SUV known for being easy to live with and generally efficient for its class. In this segment, the host highlights fuel economy and the idea that driving style and maintenance habits matter.
"mechanicals rustproof number one guess what winter winter chicken dinner period"
Rustproofing helps protect the car from rust, especially if you drive in salty winter roads. It can help the body and undercarriage last longer.
Rustproofing is applying protective coatings or treatments to slow corrosion, especially on underbody and hidden panels. It’s particularly relevant in winter climates where road salt accelerates rust.
"...if you buy one you buy a beamer or Mercedes or a Volvo or an Audi or Volkswagen..."
BMW is a European brand, and the point here is that it often needs specialists for repairs and maintenance. That can mean higher costs than many U.S. cars.
BMW is one of the European brands the speaker lists as requiring different service expectations than domestic cars. In practice, BMW ownership often means higher labor rates and parts costs, plus a stronger need for techs familiar with BMW systems.
"...Audi or Volkswagen anything like that don't expect your domestic automotive service tech to be able to work on that..."
Volkswagen is another European brand they’re grouping in. The takeaway is that you may need a specialist shop rather than a generic domestic mechanic.
Volkswagen is listed among European brands the speaker says require specialized service. The speaker’s point is that you should plan for different parts sourcing and technician expertise.
"...a beamer or Mercedes or a Volvo or an Audi or Volkswagen... get out of that pipe dream that you're going to buy an Audi and treat it like a Chevy Trax..."
Audi is used as an example of a European brand. They’re warning that you can’t assume the same repair experience or costs as a typical U.S. car.
Audi is called out as an example of a European car brand that the speaker says needs the right service approach. The underlying message is that parts availability, pricing, and technician familiarity can differ from domestic cars.
"those vehicles and have a domestic tech work on it again it's apples to oranges and those vehicles they really like the same name brand parts Toyota on Toyota"
It means “these two things aren’t really the same.” So you shouldn’t compare them like they’ll give the same results.
The phrase “apples to oranges” is used to say two things aren’t directly comparable. In this context, it’s about comparing different vehicle types or brands and assuming they’ll behave the same.
"and those vehicles they really like the same name brand parts Toyota on Toyota Honda on Honda Nissan on Nissan etc that's the way they run the best absolutely"
Toyota is the car brand being used as an example. The point is that using the right parts and systems for that brand can help the car last longer.
Toyota is mentioned as an example of a brand that uses compatible, brand-specific parts and systems. The speaker argues that this approach contributes to reliability over time.
"there are some things you can certainly put on aftermarket that would be just fine like brakes tires etc suspension and steering when you get into the electronics"
Aftermarket parts are replacements made by other brands. The idea here is that some are safe to use, but electronics can be more problematic if they don’t match the car well.
Aftermarket parts are components made by companies other than the original manufacturer. The speaker suggests that simple wear items and mechanical parts (like brakes and tires) are generally fine aftermarket, while electronics are riskier.
"because now you're talking a whole new breed of animal if you didn't like doing maintenance on a gas jobby you are certainly not gonna like a diesel"
Maintenance is the regular work you have to do to keep a car running well. The speaker is saying if you don’t like doing that for a gas car, diesel may be even more frustrating.
Maintenance refers to routine service and repairs needed to keep a vehicle reliable. The speaker emphasizes that diesel ownership can involve a different maintenance experience than gas, and that dislike for maintenance is a warning sign.
"...asks how often should I check and change my cars engine oil I'm [using synthetic] well I'm gonna tell you what I do..."
Engine oil is what keeps the engine from grinding itself to death. Changing it regularly helps the engine last longer and run better.
Engine oil is the lubricant that reduces friction inside the engine and helps carry heat away from moving parts. Keeping it clean and at the right intervals is one of the biggest factors in long engine life.
"...I changed my oil I probably I'm gonna say I do put out better oil than what most have in their automobile in fact the oil change I did this week..."
An oil change replaces used, contaminated oil with fresh oil to restore lubrication and cleaning capability. The interval matters because oil degrades and collects contaminants over time.
"...it's acidic it's cheap compared to that engine block in there any day of the week extending oil change services..."
The engine block is the big main part of the engine. Keeping oil clean helps protect it from wear and damage.
The engine block is the main structural casting that houses the cylinders and many internal components. Protecting it from corrosion and wear depends heavily on clean, properly maintained lubrication.
"[3561.7s] less every filter I buy is a Wix filter I've done that since the early 70s they haven't let me down yet"
Wix makes replacement filters for your car. The point here is that the host trusts Wix because they believe the filter quality helps protect the engine and other systems.
Wix is an aftermarket filter brand known for oil, engine, and cabin filters. In the segment, the host argues that using Wix filters is a cost-effective way to maintain filtration quality over time.
"they dissipate a lot of heat but for the average Joe average Joe they're not going to see the feature benefits out of running a full synthetic"
Full synthetic means the oil is made completely from synthetic base oils. It can be better for heat, but the big advantages may not matter as much for everyday driving.
“Full synthetic” means the oil is entirely synthetic, not blended. The episode frames it as having benefits like better heat handling, but suggests that the average driver may not see the same “feature benefits” as racers do.
"no it fell out well possibly there's a leak well if there's a leak that means the refrigerant leaked out"
An A/C leak means refrigerant is escaping somewhere in the system. Usually you have to find and fix the leak, not just add refrigerant.
An A/C leak is a failure mode where refrigerant escapes through a seal, hose, or fitting. Leaks are important because they can lead to loss of cooling and may require both leak repair and refrigerant recharge.
Select text to request an explanation
good morning friends and folks you're tuned into car connection where the
coffee's hot the tools are ready and the talk is always tuned up I'm your host
Nile motormouth Jenkins coming to you straight from the car connection
workshop where we mix a little humor a little know-how and a whole lot of
horsepower here it's not just about fixing cars it's about keeping you
rolling and saving you money giving you the confidence to understand what's
under that hood from the classics to the commuters to the weird noises and to
the what the heck moments we've got you covered so grab your coffee sit back
not if you're driving join the crew absolutely because this is car
connection your Monday through Saturday morning pit stop for stories smarts
few good laughs and I'm Nile motormouth Jenkins we're gonna shift this thing
right into drive right here on the motormouth morning drive 8 a.m. here we
are on Q&A we've made it to the weekend we are officially in the weekend and for
those who work weekends just like me for the last 32 years we take a break
wherever we can and come up for air don't we that's exactly what we do so like
say thank you to Crystal Ridge Dream Center our faith-based nonprofit
organization serving men and women and children meals love hope and changing
lives one at a time in the Niagara region in times when community support is
crucial Crystal Ridge Dream Center shines as a beacon of compassion and
transformation located at 385 Derby Road they don't get any government support
whatsoever they have to raise their own funds so if there's something you could
do to help them send some gift cards grocery cards gas cards they do all
their own running around and I'll tell you every single program they have
running for men women children widows orphans single moms and children of all
ages young adults they have a plan and a program for every single walk of life
and there's no charge they feed out the door between 260 folks per week as
high as 300 on Tuesdays and Fridays see what you can do click on their logo on
the homepage or website and check them out and thank you in advance for
searching your heart and discovering how maybe you could be a volunteer a
weekly get donator a monthly donator or one-time donation let me tell you I will
tell you this they can take a nickel and hammer it into a dollar there is no
waste there whatsoever every penny is spent on running the programs and
helping those that I just spoke about car connection brought to you by City
Auto Sales and leasing Earl Louise Grant over 25 years as the greater Toronto
areas premiered pre-owned auto store low mileage vehicles quality vehicles at
fair prices in-house financing and leasing available you can buy with
confidence be treated with nothing less than honesty and integrity thank you to
our certified financial planners Tony Nellie and Larry Tietro 50 years
experience as fiduciaries they're with IG wealth management they look after
investment portfolios whether you have a little or a lot helping to put together
a debt retirement plan a state planning powers of attorney beneficiaries health
proxies all of it all in one package to make sure that everything is protected
your estate is protected from the tax man mortgages if you need a mortgage
fantastic rates great people to deal with in the mortgage department out in
Winnipeg Ontario Canada haven't had a mortgage with a bank for 15 years and I
really really appreciate IG wealth management life insurance critical
illness insurance all available to you you have questions they have answers
here's how it works they Tony and Larry do not need any more clients they are
busy fellas in 07 2007 we started a segment on our program to help all of
you who are struggling to not only purchase a vehicle save for the next
vehicle and be able to afford to keep a vehicle so the upkeep so that's how we
started a segment called the planners and Tony and Larry have been with us
ever since and they want to be a part of being able to meet you and answer your
questions and get you on the right path we call it the discovery meeting an hour
and a coffee so you can get an hour with Tony or Larry and they'll be happy to
sit down with you lay all the cards on the table and believe me will not say
or do anything that you'll be condemned for we all make mistakes but the most
that most of it is if we learn from our mistakes get answers from those who have
the fruit on the tree get yourself booked into an hour and a coffee leave
your wallet and your purse at home sweetheart because they're not there to
sell you anything they're there to listen and then devise a plan that will
work just for you Niagara block at 5,000 Montrose Road Niagara Falls they
have been building Canada since 1931 they have all the building supplies that
you require to meet your project whether it's hardscape landscaping they
have all those materials as well they can also connect you with contractors
that Kathy Grimo wife of Dave Grimo has a list of contractors that she could
refer you to to get the job estimated get it started and get it finished how
cool is that total freedom Darien Center New York and Sydney Manitoba those are
addiction campuses where those who are suffering with addictions have made that
decision that they'll do whatever it takes to get through it over it on it or
under it and around it and start a new life that's what happens at total
freedom Canada and USA there's a new life waiting for them there and on our
website on the homepage we call that the biggest toolbox in our drawer in our
drawer the drawer in our toolbox the thing of me in the doohickey yeah no
it's a everything we talk about lives on our website and I've done that on
purpose for 32 years is instead of giving you all kinds of choices if you
want to email me our website you want to connect with me our website you want to
send me an email our website you want to like share subscribe follow put your
comments down below on our videos so that and ring the notification bell so
you don't miss anything follow us on Facebook Instagram Stevensville on the
web you'll find us under the businesses tab in our our skippy our videographer
has built that website and they have over 7000 visitors on that website to
Stevensville which has been designed to connect quality businesses family owned
and operated businesses in Stevensville with the community so it's turned into a
communal website and that is so cool you can also click on our YouTube channel
and our iHeart radio platform for our podcast we are on all the platforms
Spotify Amazon Apple and the like so wherever you're pulling your podcast
from type in card connection workshop you'll find us there all our podcasts
we're in season number two right now episode 123 the first hundred actually
we're right up to date as we podcast once they're scheduled and light up they
automatically populate over to our YouTube channel so all that is available
in the top right hand right hand corner at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com
that's ccbusnet.com and I put all this information into the description boxes
for YouTube videos we have almost 200 videos there and now over a hundred
podcasts are available to you as well in our lineup there and our program
partners who are very important to everything we've been doing as we
switched over to new platforms digital platforms so car connection now with
more ways to watch and listen and engage so everything you need to know and
everything you'd need to connect and follow us is available on our homepage
of our website now I'm getting to our merchandise which is available in our
online store top right hand corner of the homepage or website again and proceeds
from the purchases on our merchandise store go to fight addiction so grab some
motormouth car connection merch and join the crew here with the battle against
addiction to help those who are struggling with addiction who have made
the decision that today is the day today's the day to deal with it we want
to be able to help them get to a total freedom addiction campus so that they
can meet the crew that is going to help them to beat that addiction and find a
brand new life so come along with Skippy and I and grab some merch and know that
you have joined us in the fight against addiction well we have a ton of things to
get through this morning and I guess my first question to you we have three
questions that are absolutely outstanding you guys and gals are really
hammering it out making my my two little gray men in my head my brain cells
work really really hard to answer the question so I don't want to meander around
too much because it's gonna this is a one-hour question and answer a program and
again thank you to our program sponsors for making that possible and thank you
for giving them your business and for supporting Skippy and I in all that we
do with all the platforms we're involved with all those things like like share
subscribe follow join the community all those little things that you can do to
help us are huge are absolutely huge so we are truly thankful and grateful and
love each and every one of you for taking the time to help us to grow keep
the ignition on and our engine running on all cylinders so thank you thank you
thank you so much for that we are growing we're not growing at the pace we'd
always like to however we're growing and that's what really matters and it's you
folks that make that happen so thank you for listening and watching
subscribing and all those little things that I include to remind you in the
description boxes of our YouTube videos and also for our podcasts and I remind
you that I put a lot of information into those description boxes that will help
you better understand your automobile as well so not only are you getting
something out of the videos but you're also getting a lot out of the podcast as
well in each one the YouTube channel is its own entity we don't double up so
whatever you watch on YouTube you're not gonna hear on our podcast our car
connection workshop podcast it's all different totally different so we've
created that way so that we can entertain you and teach you and connect with
you and stay connected so that we can teach you the basics and the basic
fundamentals of vehicle ownership and the fact that yes you can keep a 10 to
15 year old car running and reliable and in tip top work in order and stay out of
the car game because there's a lot of people losing in the car game right now
engines blowing up with less than a thousand miles on them come on we you
know we didn't even see that back in the 70s in the 80s in the 90s and here we
are where was the better technology I asked that to myself all the time you
know when I look at mr. green jeans he's 1967 and I go was that better
technology and better value for your money then or now and my answer is the
stuff I'm seeing in the mechanical failures for the price they're asking
for this stuff it's insane the price of the goods doesn't reflect the quality
that you're getting the return is not there every single day I'm hearing of
more and more engines and transmissions dropping out of these things and it's
the domestics they have slid so far backwards folks I can't tell you how
many mechanics I watch on YouTube that I know these are great guys giving away
great golden nuggets quality cars versus affordable older is better and
reliable I can't tell you how many guys agree with what I've been saying for the
last 15 years that the 10 to 15 year old vehicles are far superior than the
crap they're putting out today and I'm picking on the domestics they need to
pull up their socks and put down the pricing for Pete's sake put something on
the lot that I'd be interested in buying and I'll buy it but as far as it goes I
I don't want to work on your junk every day you know the worst vehicle I ever
had was a Cadillac and then I turned it into an Oldsmobile I'll tell you that
story sometime and I turned it into a real freaking car I totally gutted it and
swapped it over to Oldsmobile and I'll tell you that was the best Cadillac on
the face of the planet 350 Olds rocket engine and a four-in-a-quarter Oldsmobile
transmission you hit that gas pedal and the rear bumper would scrape the road with
the Cadillac stuff in there I'll tell you a story sometime about almost getting
car jacked in in Cleveland Ohio Cleveland freezing Cleveland and it was
winter yeah so let's jump into it some great questions and yeah I'm picking on
the domestics come on you guys stop putting out your garbage all made of
plastic and the sheet metal so thin we might as well run Reynolds aluminum it
be thicker by at least a millimeter at least yeah price does not reflect the
quality of the goods sold I saw that in a hardware store many years ago and it
was a hardware store from like the 1920s and it was an old wooden sign that have
been hanging in that store I talked to the next generation who owned it was a
general store and it was here in Fort Erie it's not there anymore it's a
shame it was a real good old-fashioned general store that sold everything from
soup to nuts from dog food to horse horse food everything farming supplies
hardware you name it they had it and the sign read price of goods sold reflects
the quality of the product and today I'm looking at this stuff and listening to
what's going on I was watching another program this morning I've never seen
before channel was excellent I can't even tell you what the channel was but I
did I did ear market the number of GM engines failing right now with hardly
any mileage on to 30,000 miles the engines junk the vehicles already had
two two engines third one on the way and here's what's going on I'll give you a
short story on it we'll jump right into the questions they're making the
tolerances way too tight on the bearing surfaces the crankshaft bearings and
connecting rod bearings and and camshaft bearings that's why we're having to run
this crappy oil 0w 20 5w 20 5w 30 it's thinned right out what happened to 10w
30 across the border 2050 1540 well the tolerances were bigger which meant a lot
of oil could get into those those bearings and from the oil pump and keep
everything well lubricated well on today's engines yeah they're high revving
and you guys are driving the bags off them and you know it so they've had to
tighten the tolerances on the bearing journals and that's why they've gone to
this lousy motor oil that's so thin it only has one side to get the oil onto
the bearings but it's still not good enough it's not good enough the
tolerances are too tight and we can't get enough lubrication bearings are
spinning bearings are coming out the engines are tearing themselves apart
inside one after the other that's an engineering problem folks yeah the
pattern failure I'll tell you right now I would not touch a GM vehicle right now
with what's going on there's no way I would want to be on a hook for a second
or third engine and I'm out of warranty that would not impress me I'm telling you
right now I don't know about you but that would not impress me less anything
failing less than 60,000 miles not kilometers I'm talking miles 60,000
miles come on you can't build something that's better than that well you did in
the past you did in the past GM you did it before but you're skimping and
charging a lot of money for your crap lots of plastic plastics cheap lots of
plastic on the engines plastics cheap and it let's go it fails it's not a matter
of if it's when in the bearings the engines are just not holding together
it's a bad design again I look at mr. green jeans 1967 C 10 fleet side 327 V
8 original motor yeah we boarded 30 over it's got some juice but that's the
original motor it's not a second or a third or a fourth you read this stuff
online and watch it on YouTube's my goodness how could I throw some month
that much money down and wonder Cadillac Escalades the Escalades I don't care
what page it has on it's still a suburban to me dress you know you can put
lipstick on a pig it's still a pig it's still the same driveline you can put all
that badgery on there it's still a suburban yeah you can't hide it and
they're all blowing up people are do they're they're dealing with the lowest
one was 700 miles and the motor let go on a Denali are you kidding me that's
crazy you think I'd be going and looking for something used 700 miles it was on
its second motor already at 700 miles anyhow I better stop before I have to
go for therapy there's no way we should be seeing this quality of engineering
come on this is 2026 you built stuff that I was willing to buy back in 1967
1978 and I'm not letting Ford or Chrysler off the hook you know the the 3.6
Pentastar is a bucket of hammers it's got all kinds of problems and when you go
out of warranty heaven forbid the bolts don't fall out of the the camshaft
sensors yeah the variable valve timing the VVT's they know the bolts rattle loose
and then they drop down into the engine while you're driving Kablooey oh sorry
you're out of warranty here's a there is a huge class action suit on that in the
US you might want to check on some of this stuff before you bring it home to
the driveway and the hammy tick for Pete's sake yeah let me tell you if you
got a hammy don't think you got a bulletproof engine boy you do not you
got a sucker under there under the hood strapped to the crossmember that the
worst design for valve lifters I've ever seen in my life stupid and beyond dumb
and that's what starts ticking and you can take it in and they'll sing a dance
and tap a tune and tell you all kinds of crap but it the engine's going that's
what's happening the the roller lifters are coming up apart and then the rollers
themselves lock up and now they grind start grinding the lobes off the
camshaft if you hear that hammy tick you send me an email and I'll tell you what
you can do if it's not too late it may help may or may not help yeah I don't
want to say it on the air because the the armchair warriors that have way too
much time on their hands and not enough knowledge I don't need to see those
emails I got 44 years experience and I will eat your lunch and take your milk
money in a very nice way yeah it's a stupid stupid design and I got a widowed
lady lives down the street here and you can see some videos on her truck 2010
Dodge Ram 2500 it's on its second engine the first engine let go at 45,000
kilometers and the truck sat for six months while they found a used one out
in BC and had a chip to Ontario and replaced it now that engine it's got
the hammy tick and she knew what it was she goes yeah it's got the hammy tick
she goes you know what I'm not putting any money into that motor I don't know
if I'll keep it beyond having to put another motor in it or not but we'll
just see how far it goes and that's it's the lifters they're letting go so if
you got a hammy you had better pay attention to oil changes and stay with
it change the oil sooner than later and if you want a little tip or a trick on
your hammy send me an email and I will tell you privately what to do and it
will it will stave off if it hasn't started it hasn't been ticking already
for a while it'll stave it off it'll buy it time I just did that for I heard a
fellow at the supermarket I heard his truck start up I pulled him off site
it and I I got out and I went and talked to him and I said how long's it been
doing that he said it you know I've just started like a couple of months ago so I
wrote him down the recipe and I did meet up with him again and he just goes
thank you so much he said I would never have believed that if I didn't do
exactly what you said the tick is gone I said well let's hope the wear and tear
isn't too bad and that it can it can rise to the to the cause you know and
last for a while quite a while okay today it's Saturday yes it is we made it
and today's low will be 20 degrees Fahrenheit I always speak in the English
language I'm not a lover of the metric system whatsoever cost me about a hundred
grand in retooling when I was still an apprentice paying for tools again out of
my own pocket and you can't write it off because if you don't own the shop you're
working for you're working on contract you still can't write it off anyways
Saturday's low will be 20 degrees between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. and we're there and
the high will be 33 degrees between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. today the temperature range
will feel like 12 degrees to 9 degrees wind will make it feel a little colder
than the actual temperature and on the precipitation scale today we have and
hold a zero nothing happening so we got any sunshine in there did you hear any
sunshine in there let me see oh we're gonna see the sun sunny conditions will
continue for the rest of the day when gust up to 22 kilometers an hour are
making the temperature feel more like 25 we'll take the sun right absolutely so
that's today's forecast and join your weekend let's jump into the questions
my question to you is how long would you your car last if you actually followed
a proper maintenance plan grab hold of my coattails I am not in the corner of
the manufacturer or the selling dealers or parts stores or parts manufacturers
I'm in your corner to help you and educate you on how not to get trapped
into playing the car game because the talking heads they they're they're good
word salad makers and they study the buzzwords that your ears want to hear
when you're looking to buy a vehicle maintenance free all you don't have to
change the spark plugs for 225,000 kilometers this that and the other thing
you don't have to service that it's a lota bologna vehicles are a piece of
equipment they're built by mankind mankind is not perfect so guess what
neither is that your make or bottle of vehicle you're looking at sorry to tell
you and bring on the bad news like a bad bad donkey but them's the facts the
sales guy no disrespect but they're lying when their lips are moving you have
to be a prosumer not a consumer so let's jump right into it thanks to Jim and
Alicia and Steve great questions all three are going to take some time to
cover so we better jump into that right now Jim asks looking at replacing my
old ride I hear a lot of bad things about the domestics and reliability any
suggestions on what I should be looking at vehicle wise man that's a deep one
that is a deep hole I think I just came out of that a little bit oh my well you
know many years ago I would that would be the number one question I would always
be asked hey motormouth looking to buy a vehicle what what vehicles should I stay
away from what would you pick what should I select and for many years I do all
kinds of research I'd be on top of consumers reports reading blogs and I
mean you got to spin a filter on when you read blogs because man I'm glad cows
don't fly jeepers the things people put down they really you know it's like those
who go to the big W store really should check their outfit before they get there
okay I'm just saying no disrespect but you know some of those outfits you just
can't get them out of your head they're like stuck there for their lifers my
answer would be like a top 10 and then I'd meet up with them and guess what they
bought nothing on my top 10 list I gave I would go through all that work effort
and time and energy to put together a top 10 list of vehicles that you could
count on for reliability the money spent to buy it would be well worth it in
return on investment and they go and buy something not even on the list so I
got smart so when I get asked that question I have a long answer and I have
a short answer but I will definitely not steer you to any year maker model
whatsoever I'm going to make you do your homework and I'm gonna help you get
there but I'm gonna put it on your plate your plate because no matter what I
mentioned you're not gonna buy it for whatever reason because you already have
your mind set on something so I'm gonna help you to decide whether that is a
viable prospect or a suspect okay that's my short answer no that is my actually
part of my long answer my short answer is buy what you like but here comes but
do your own homework I have gone as far as seeing someone in a particular vehicle I
was interested in flagging them down before they leave the parking lot and
just asking one question how do you like this vehicle and would you buy another
one same and if they look at you and within 15 seconds go no there's a good
answer right there from someone who knows something about that particular
vehicle then I'll usually say what happened that has really changed your
mind against buying this vehicle a second time and they'll tell you you can't
you can't put a price tag on that information if you're bold enough to
ask someone those three questions I'll tell you what you'll get you'll get the
answer you'll get an answer it might not be the one you're looking for they're
not agreeing with you but they're being honest and telling you you know what no
I wouldn't I wouldn't buy this again for this this this and this they can
generally rattle off three to five things that are dealbreakers for them so
how am I gonna answer this question if any one of you out there asked me this
question please don't be afraid ask but I am gonna tell you first thing you need
trip to the dollar store yep I'm not joking trip to the dollar store you
want to get a little a little spiral bound notebook that you can take notes
on then you're gonna sit down with a cup of joe or your favorite beverage or
cold snack and you're gonna write out on each page the vehicle that you're
interested in not all listed on one page each page will have the year make a
model of vehicle you're interested in okay so if it's eight nine or ten you
got ten vehicles that's ten pages on each one of those pages you're going to
split that page in half so put a line across the middle top half things I
like bottom half deal breakers that's the things that you know what I just I
cannot accept the stuff that's on the deal breaker section so that vehicle
gone you're going to do that for every single one of those vehicles as you
road test them you take that little notebook you can slip it in your back
pocket in your purse in your jacket that's why I said get it it's about
sizing your hand and you can take notes on it if you wish to be extra techie you
could do that and set that up in your phone and do a spreadsheet and you'll
put colored dots beside them representing you know whatever you can
split that split an atom all day long but whatever way works for you I just
find the little notebook where you can quickly write it down and then get to
the next place where you can road test the next vehicle on the next page in
your little booklet and you do that for all of them you do not sit down and
discuss price you're there and you tell the salesman no no no no no no no no you
don't need to go talk to the manager I'm here to road test this vehicle to see if
I like it that's all I'm here for if I like it I will put it on my list if I
don't like it you won't see my face again I'm not here to talk numbers be
square with them I'm here to look at it and a little road test around the block
and see how it feels see if it you know it relates to me or not and even show
them your booklet I've got vehicles written down in here I'm interested in
and I'm not making a decision till I road test it every single one and if
yours is the selection you'll see me again and if not you know please don't
be discouraged just means that vehicle did not suit me that's all be honest
with them tell them up front I'm here to road test this I'm not here to to make a
deal I'm not here to trade anything in I'm not here to sit down talk numbers
I'm just here to get this vehicle on my list or off my list that's it they're
all suspects until you can move them to prospects that's what I say that's how
you do it it's the second largest purchase you're ever gonna make you're
not ordering a Timmy's you're not going through McRochies you're not getting a
Wendy's double bacon cheeseburger or a dish of their awesome chili I might add
I'm hungry so no is the answer you're not doing that this is a lot of money and
you need to spend as less as possible that's why I am a huge advocate of
pre-owned the best pre-owned our rental vehicles did you know that I'll talk
more about that in a minute let me finish you off here so write down your
choices go and road test what you like what you don't like the deal breaker list
that's what I call top list is the things you like bottom side of the paper is
the deal breaker list go to the next vehicle same thing go to the next one
same thing repeat the process rotate the pattern things I like things that are
deal breakers take a look the consumers reports when you get down here's what I
tell you when you get down to three you know what you do next road test a second
time why because the first one is only the honeymoon the second one could
potentially be you're engaged to it you're engaging it you're engaged to it
you'll find things on the second road test let me tell you this you will find
things on the second road test that you missed the first time you will and it
will generally be something added to the deal breaker section on the page so
you're down to three that means three more road tests then from that you can
review your lists and then see and it may end up you know what even those three
you've found more deal breaker things and now you're looking for something you're
looking in a different direction now that's how it works with homes you go
out there you think you know what you want and when you start looking at what
you want versus what you can afford you've then got to make some changes right
you got to make some sacrifices in order to pull it off in order to find
something hey can we could we live with this could we live with this problem is
it that big a deal can we overcome it can we compromise or not it's the goals
exactly the same way when you're looking for an automobile number one you need to
also know that you're dealing with people that aren't trying to sell you're
something they're trying to help you find that vehicle that works for your
family's needs to get the things done that you need to get done with the kids
with yourself on the road every day all the chores you've got all the things you
like to do does that vehicle suit all those things and it happens all the time
you get down to the last three and go I think they all suck really I can't see
myself living with that for five or seven years and paying that kind of money
for it be honest with yourself you know it's not here's one my good friend Mike
Basil would say motor mouth it's not the last car on the face of the planet that
you're gonna see if you don't like it you don't like it we move on and that was
when I think it was like the fifth or sixth car and then he phones me and he
says motor mouth yes get your butt over here I've got a vehicle for you and play
pay close attention to this one okay Mike I will and I bought it and you know
what it fit exactly it really did it wasn't anything I would have gone out
there to look at but it came in on a trade one owner lady driven truly and it
I drove that thing for 229,000 miles it had 60,000 on when I got it I bought it
out of Basil Toyota Lockport New York Mike Basil a really good friend right
from day one with car connection and I drove that thing for 229,000 miles well
I'd less 60,000 miles and I think it was 66,000 miles when I got it 98 1998 Honda
CRV I sold that thing and it's still going I don't know how many owners it's
on now it's still going it worked I as I mentioned I never would have looked at
something like that I never owned anything like that and it was super in
fact I almost cried getting rid of it because I was attached to it and I
wouldn't if I didn't have to sell it to get a down payment on what I was really
looking for that's how I end up with the old seven FJ cruiser and that has
proven to has suited everything I need to do that FJ cruiser has been able to
do it and even the cleanup the cleanup is a snap and that's what I needed has
rubber mats inside no carpeting beautiful perfect for this fellow okay
that's one side of the decision point reliability yeah gotta look at whatever
you can find online and sift through the blogs consumers reports and try and
find some information on reliability what is the market out there saying not
the sales dude what is the market saying you know like even the last week when I
went to get some automatic transmission oil for the CVT transmission that's in
the 2008 Nissan Rogue the fellow said to me in parts he goes you know what you're
doing I go yeah I said these CVTs you got to be good with them you got to be
gentle on them you got a care give to them but I think they can go the distance
if you're changing the fluid with the factory fluid every 50k and he goes be
nice if everybody else thought like that that was his answer he goes that is
that you're doing the right thing I said well it was gifted and you know when
I'm the next caregiver and I want to do my very best knowing that that CVT
transmission is not it is not the rocket Gibraltar from of transmissions
but but again but you TT get your butt out of the way and take care of it the
way it needs to be taken care of so again do your own homework buy what you
like but do your homework older is more reliable I will say that and I will
agree with a lot of the technicians out there that are seeing it the new stuff
ain't making it on the domestic side on the other side of things they pretty
much got it together you know not to say they're all perfect they're not each
vehicle has its own but you got to pick the one that you know what I much rather
just be doing regular maintenance staying on top of it then stupid things
that always break and have always broken for decades on end and the car
manufacturers don't give a crap to actually fix it and take care of it and
get out of that rut for Pete's sake come on you cry you know what I heard a guy
say vote with your wallet what a statement that is oh yeah I have had
people say well you know you're not supporting their your own the domestics
I go you know what no I'm not paying to put their kids through university and
the ginormous benefit package and everything else that goes along with it
and gets all added into the sticker price no thanks and then I got a piece of
junk that's always got the same pattern failures on it no it's my money and I'm
spending it wisely I have no domestics in the driveway none I got neat the
Nissan Rogue I've never owned a Nissan I'm kind of really liking it so far it
really is good on fuel incredible on fuel but then I don't drive it like an
animal either you play you play hard you pay hard so again I'm an advocate fight
on something 10 15 years old low mileage in great shape buy it care for it clean
it wax it take care of the body take care of the interior take care of the
mechanicals rustproof number one guess what winter winter chicken dinner period
so I hope that answered that question yeah if your older vehicle Jim is in
great shape man I'd be looking at that with both eyes at the same time being
able to look through a keyhole with both eyes at the same time and see your car
in that that keyhole that's how I'd be looking at it it ain't looking so bad
because the sticker price does not reflect the quality of the vehicles and
I'm particularly pointing my compass needle at the domestics not impressed I
am not impressed with the stuff nope even if I wanted on a roll up the rim to
win it would be in the paper for sale if it isn't one of the brands I like you
know that have proven themselves over and over and over again to be true blue to
me and reliable why would I want to look for something else that's why I was a
little nervous about taking on the the Nissan Rogue never had a Nissan before
period ever ever ever and I'm kind of liking it I see there are things that
you've got to be a lot more gentle with and on top of and with the maintenance
and you got to do it Honda's the same way there's certain things those cars like
Volkswagen there's certain things those vehicles like and one of them is Volkswagen's
like Volkswagen parts period Volkswagen's like Volkswagen tax not domestic tax you
cannot service any European car like it's a domestic it is a different animal
have a 2000 Millennium Silver sob 9 3 I've learned a lot about that car I used
to work on sobs and you know I found them to be a very interesting different
animal and I have a mindset of a year as a European tech would they're not
domestic cars and if you buy one you buy a beamer or Mercedes or a Volvo or an
Audi or Volkswagen anything like that don't expect your domestic automotive
service tech to be able to work on that like it's a GM Chrysler afford not going
to happen you've got to be prepared for that difference it will not work right
they are a totally different breed of automobile the European stuff not a
domestic vehicle so you cannot own a high-end quality built European car and
treat it like a domestic get that out of your head period you need to have deep
pockets stuff's expensive it just is it's the quality that you're paying for you
cannot expect to buy aftermarket parts to throw on that European car isn't
going to happen so get out of that pipe dream that you're going to buy an Audi
and treat it like a Chevy Trax not going to happen it's totally 110% unrealistic you
got to be ready if you're going to go that route for Volkswagen Audi BMW
Mercedes Saab any of that group European car group you got to be ready because
there's no deals on parts and there's no domestic techs going to be able to work
on it it's going to have to go to a shop that specializes in European vehicles
period okay enough said on that hallelujah and it's the same it's the same with you
know the Nissan's the Mazda's I mean Mazda is a Ford Mazda we called it a
foreign domestic it is Mazda has always been in bed with Ford it's a foreign
domestic conglomeration the Mazda's have a Ford engine in there has a Ford power
train has for years you know started way back in the early 90s we started
calling them foreign domestics you'd be working on it and going this is a Ford
in here the powertrain and the electronics so it's a conglomerate so we
we put that in a different category it is a foreign domestic Honda Nissan Toyota
Lexus Acura all that stuff again it's a niche don't expect to buy those things
those vehicles and have a domestic tech work on it again it's apples to oranges
and those vehicles they really like the same name brand parts Toyota on Toyota
Honda on Honda Nissan on Nissan etc that's the way they run the best absolutely
there are some things you can certainly put on aftermarket that would be just
fine like brakes tires etc suspension and steering when you get into the
electronics but you know what I got a Toyota FJ Cruiser gonna gonna be hitting
300,000 K heading for 400 and all the electronics have been top drawer why
because they put top drawer electronics on them the domestics they buy the cheap
and nasty electronics that's why all the stuff fails cheap and nasty why don't we
have things like wiper motors powers power window switches door locks all
that stuff going south on the Hondas and Toyotas you just don't because the
electronics are good I can't think of one Toyota I've owned and I've had lots
where I had to replace that stuff that I was replacing on my Chevy stuff
especially that Cadillac that was a car from hell let me tell you it sure was
till I turned it into an Ozenbeil and then I sold it at the Stratford Auto
auction yeah anyhow next question Alicia another great question so Jim I know
that's probably not the answer you really were looking for but that is the
total answer I gave you for all those who are thinking about buying another
vehicle right now you really gotta you better do your homework or you're gonna
get stuck with a skunk in a mink coat and you're not gonna be happy it's gonna
eat your bank account alive and again don't go out there buying a diesel
thinking that's going to be your trip down the Rose Garden for fuel economy
because now you're talking a whole new breed of animal if you didn't like doing
maintenance on a gas jobby you are certainly not gonna like a diesel because
you treat a diesel like a bad bad donkey kiss your bank account goodbye they
have to be maintained to the nines they are not maintenance free by any means
whatsoever fluids filters lubrication in the in the diesel in that blue death
crap that you know the environmentalists are all big about its its absolute
stupid and its junk and garbage in the like yeah so we'll talk about diesels
another time but don't think you're gonna go out and buy a diesel truck a diesel
powered anything and that's your answer to fuel economy and it's maintenance free
forget it don't even put it on your list you are gonna lose your savings in a
hurry at least asks how often should I check and change my cars engine oil I'm
using synthetic well I'm gonna tell you what I do you're allowed to do whatever
you want to do but I'll tell you what I've done for I've been driving since I'm
16 was 16 and I'm now 63 so there you go cats out of the bag I don't look or
feel like 63 but it doesn't matter I changed my oil I probably I'm gonna say
I I do put out better oil than what most have in their automobile in fact the
oil change I did this week I know I'm my FJ the FJ is ready for an oil change and
I change it out at 3500 kilometers you know why oil is cheaper filters are
cheaper than that engine I want that engine to go 500,000 miles not
kilometers how am I gonna get there clean motor oil I don't want it carboned
up I don't want it gassed up and it's acidic it's cheap compared to that engine
block in there any day of the week extending oil change services I don't
care if it's synthetic semi synthetic or double decaf with a half calf in there I
don't care what it is that's your cheapest form of insurance for your engine it
doesn't give you a warning lamp that it's contaminated it doesn't give you a
warning lamp that it's over carbonated it's the cheapest listen to me it is the
cheapest form of insurance that you can get to not kill your engine to not kill
them wear that motor out prematurely I just talked about not that many minutes
ago in this podcast with the tight tolerances on these engines because you
guys are running the bags off them out there and the trade-up is they got to go
to the zero oil to try and get more oil into the tight nooks and crannies on the
bearing surfaces and the engines are going kablooey and I'll share with you
everyone Alicia great question thank you for this one don't listen to what is put
down on paper by the manufacturers don't create your own pattern at the very
least use this pattern change your oil I don't care if it's the best purple oil
or whatever it is flavor of the month on the planet it gets dirty it gets hot and
cooled and heated and cooled and heated and cool and it does suffered thermal
breakdown I don't care whose oil it is it's a fact and that's when the
lubricity disappears and that's when the protection factor starts to drop off
change your oil at 5,000 kilometers no more don't push it if you're going to go
over change it a little early but don't go over that's what I do I change my oil
my decision is to go early 3,500 because I don't do as many long trips
anymore I do more shorties than long ones so I've selected 3,500 is probably a
very good number for me for my vehicles when I was running up and down the
highway from 6 a.m. in the morning till 6 p.m. every evening five days a week I
changed my oil and filter every 5,000 K synthetic semi synthetic like I said
double decaf the half-calf flavor of the month whatever brand it is change the
oil early don't go over and use a top quality oil filter I just saw on YouTube
somewhere oh how to save five bucks on an oil filter are you out of your freaking
mind no guess what you're getting exactly what you're looking for a bar
goonie oil filter it probably doesn't even have a pressure release valve if for
some reason the oil filter got plugged that's the cab Louie is what happens to
the motor I don't want a $6 filter I don't want a $3 filter I buy Wix
filters gold brand period.com.org.net.ca period that's what I use not a penny
less every filter I buy is a Wix filter I've done that since the early 70s they
haven't let me down yet they put out a damn good product whether it's a cabin
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark.
Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.
