The Jeep Commander is a larger SUV meant to carry people and handle everyday driving. In the podcast, it’s brought up as a vehicle someone in a family used often and enjoyed. It’s basically a family car with SUV capability.
They’re talking about keeping a simple log of car maintenance. The idea is to write down what you did and when, so you don’t miss important service items.
Starting mileage is the car’s odometer number you write down at the start. It helps you know when the next service should happen based on how many miles you drive.
The Jeep Wrangler is an SUV made for off-road driving, like trails and rough roads. The podcast mentions the Rubicon version, which is a more off-road-focused trim. It also comes up because it’s the kind of vehicle that needs planned maintenance if it’s used hard.
Concept
environmentally friendly cleaning
They’re saying the cleaning method they recommend is better for the environment. That generally means it’s safer and less harmful than harsher chemicals.
A warranty line is basically when the car’s warranty stops covering repairs. The host is suggesting that some fixes may come later, after the warranty period, so the owner has to pay if it breaks again.
The “400,000 kilometer club” is just a way of saying a car has gone a huge distance—around 400,000 km—and is still doing fine. The point is that with good care, cars can last a very long time.
The Honda Civic is known for lasting a long time. In this segment, the host mentions a 1999 Civic that’s almost at 400,000 km to make the point that maintenance matters.
The host is basically saying: treat your car’s needs seriously, like you would a person’s health. If you handle small issues early and keep up with care, the car is less likely to break down later.
The “maintenance-free” myth is the belief that some parts never need upkeep. But fluids and internal parts wear out over time, so skipping service can cause trouble later.
Transmission service is routine maintenance for the car’s gearbox. It usually involves checking or changing the transmission fluid so the transmission stays cool and shifts smoothly.
Shifting is when the car changes gears as you drive. If it shifts late, jerks, or feels rough, that can be a warning sign the transmission needs attention.
Synthetic oil is a refined engine lubricant designed to resist breakdown better than conventional oil. It can allow longer oil-change intervals in many applications, but it still isn’t truly “never change it.”
The Nissan Rogue is a popular SUV that many people use every day. Here, the host talks about working on the transmission of a 2008 Rogue to show that you can often fix and maintain an older car instead of giving up.
A CVT transmission is a type of automatic that changes ratios smoothly rather than using set gears. The point here is that it needs the right care and fluid so it doesn’t wear out early.
Using the correct transmission fluid matters because CVTs rely on specific friction and viscosity characteristics to protect the belt/chain and pulleys. The host specifically calls out using NS2 Nissan transmission fluid, implying the wrong fluid can cause problems even if the service is otherwise done correctly.
A flushing machine is a tool that pushes new fluid through the transmission fast. If the transmission is already worn, that aggressive cleaning can loosen gunk and cause problems instead of helping.
Dropping the pan means taking off the bottom of the transmission so you can change the filter and gasket. It’s a safer, more careful way to refresh the fluid than forcing everything through at once.
This means using the specific type of transmission fluid the car maker recommends. The wrong fluid can make the transmission shift poorly or wear faster.
Inside an automatic transmission, some parts (clutches and bands) slowly wear down. The worn material can mix into the fluid, making the transmission dirtier over time.
Thermal breakdown means the fluid gets damaged by heat. If the transmission runs too hot for too long, the fluid can stop protecting the transmission properly.
An automatic transmission shifts by itself using fluid pressure inside the gearbox. If it gets too hot, the fluid can’t protect the internal parts as well.
The cooling system keeps the car from overheating. On many cars, it also helps cool the transmission fluid—so if it’s not working well, the transmission can overheat.
“Dump and fill” means draining some old transmission fluid and adding new fluid back in. It’s usually a gentler approach than a full flush, which can be risky on older, higher-mileage transmissions.
In an automatic transmission, the torque converter is the part that uses fluid to transfer power from the engine to the transmission. Some old fluid can stay in there even after a drain, which is why repeated services can help.
Term
transmissions are wickedly expensive
They’re saying the transmission is one of the expensive parts to fix. That’s why it’s important to keep up with service on time.
A visual inspection means you look closely at the parts to see if anything looks worn or leaking. It’s one of the first ways to spot suspension problems.
McPherson struts are a common suspension setup where the spring and shock are built into one assembly. If they wear out, the car rides worse and steers less precisely.
“Bolt-in” means you swap the old suspension part for a new one using the normal mounting bolts. It’s usually faster than taking everything apart and rebuilding it.
The upper bearing plate is a small mounting part near the top of the suspension. If it gets stuck or loose, the suspension can feel sloppy and start making clunks.
Coil springs are the metal springs that help support the car and keep the ride from feeling bouncy. If one breaks, the suspension can get loose and start making loud clunks.
A 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan is a family minivan. Here, the discussion is about a broken rear spring that should have been found during inspection, because it can cause clunks and a rough ride.
A shock absorber helps control how the suspension moves over bumps. In this story, shocks were replaced, but the broken spring was still the real problem.
When you remove a shock, the suspension can suddenly drop. Mechanics have to hold/support it so the spring doesn’t release and cause a dangerous, sudden movement.
Tire pressure is how much air is in each tire. If pressures aren’t set correctly, the car can sit unevenly, which makes suspension measurements less accurate.
After a bump, the suspension can bounce a bit. If the shocks/struts are weak, the bouncing doesn’t settle as quickly, which can wear parts out faster.
Concept
upgrade the back
They’re talking about replacing suspension parts in a balanced way. If you fix the front, it can help to also refresh the rear so the whole car rides evenly.
Alignment is setting the wheels so they point in the right direction. After suspension repairs, alignment helps the car drive straight and helps tires wear evenly.
Structural integrity means the car’s body and frame are still strong and safe. If that’s compromised, the car may not be worth keeping even if it drives.
A pre-purchase inspection is when a trusted mechanic checks a car before you buy it. It helps you avoid surprise problems that could cost a lot of money later.
Tie rod ends are part of the steering system that helps control where the wheels point. If they’re worn, the steering can feel loose and the tires may wear unevenly.
Ball joints are joints that let the suspension move while keeping the wheels aligned. If they wear out, you may hear knocking and the car may feel less stable.
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a rugged Toyota SUV. Here it’s being used as an example of a car that’s been driven a ton of kilometers and still gets checked and maintained as parts wear out.
A brake inspection is when a shop checks how worn the brake parts are and whether anything needs fixing. It helps prevent brake problems from getting worse later.
Switching tires from winter to summer means swapping to a different tire compound and tread designed for warmer weather. Winter tires are optimized for cold temperatures and snow/ice traction, while summer tires generally provide better grip and handling in heat.
“Normal wear and tear” means parts wearing out over time because you drive the car. The host’s message is that this happens to new cars too, not just older ones.
The Dodge Hornet is a car model name mentioned in the podcast through a personal story. The speaker talks about having a “green hornet,” which suggests they connected that car with their everyday activities. The episode uses it more as a memory than a technical topic.
LIVE
Good morning Niagara, you're tuned to Car Connection where the coffee's hot, the tools
are ready, the talk is always tuned up, I'm your host Niall 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, the weird noises, to what the heck moments, we've got
you covered.
So grab your coffee, sit back, join the crew because this is Car Connection, your Monday
through Saturday morning pit stop for stories, smarts, a few good laughs.
I'm Niall Motormouth Jenkins inviting you to join us for the morning Motormouth 8am drive
time.
Thanks for checking in with us, if you're just scooting through the drive through.
It is the weekend, things shut down if you know what I mean, no disrespect intended.
Double check your order, sip taste, sip test it to make sure you never just look, sip
test, very important, then you really have all the answers.
Make sure your snack is not as stale as a hockey puck dipping it in milk, that would
be bad, it's still going to be hard, that puck will still be hard even though it's stale
and you dip it in milk, not going to happen, or hot coffee.
So join us this morning, lots to get through if you're on a working weekend, we will pray
for you, exactly.
If you're heading kind of cracking open your weekend, well it is Mother's Day weekend,
thank you to all the mothers out there, because if we didn't have mothers, how many of us
would be here, yeah like in a hatch from some kind of oceanic goo in a teacup, no, out from
under a rock maybe, perhaps, baked in the sunshine, popped up out of the dirt, probably
not, mothers, we all need them, we've all had mothers.
My mother's been gone now for four years and missed my mom all the time, she was a lot
of fun, and the commander in chief in the family household keeping things all screwed
tight together, tightly together, so I dedicate this program this Mother's Day weekend to
my mom, Patricia, Mary, Nightingale, Jenkins.
So happy Mother's Day everyone, and make sure you get her something nice, not tie in
socks or under pants, something really nice, do something nice, okay, and take her out
for dinner or make your mom a really nice barbecue, and don't forget everybody's going
to need their snow pants.
We got the weekend weather coming up, and I wish I had a better forecast for you that
would say the moms are going to have a wonderful sit, do nothing, Mother's Day barbecue, gathering,
get together, desserts, great food, and company, and maybe some music in there, it's probably
going to be indoor sports, I'm just telling you.
Well we got three questions picked out, thank you to all of those of you who took the time,
the necessary time just to create a very small email with your question in it, thank you
for doing that, you're amazing, that's right give yourself a pat on the back, you are amazing,
outstanding, so we got three outstanding questions today to share with you because it is Saturday,
Q and A Saturday here in the car connection workshop, questions and answers, so your questions
have to be in to the studio by noon, high noon, in the car connection corral, okay, so you got
to send them over, motormouth.jankins at gmail.com, if you don't get them in, you don't ask the question,
I have no idea what the answer is going to be, but I'll probably tell you 28, the last I checked
that was the average answer to a non-question, 28, just so you know, so you can you can take that
for me on that, we have our morning swiggy coming up, so if you're joining us for the very first
time, couple housekeeping tips, you need a package of 16 Crayola crayons, they're the best on the
market and they taste awful, I don't know why I said that, you need a pressed out leaf bag,
which is what we call our car connection laptop, never breaks down, never a black screen of death,
you can just take your crayon and continue to take your notes, exactly, simple, doesn't run out of
battery, don't need a plug in it, and you can smash it with a hammer and it still works every
single time, so secondly, you're going to need your weekend, Saturday morning, go to beverage,
whatever that is, ours is special today on Saturdays, I have a special treat on Saturday
morning before I have my morning coffee, yes I get my natural elixir in, but then right after
that I follow that up with a favorite Saturday morning beverage, all in good time, yeah, all in
good time, like to say thank you to City Auto Sales and Leasing, Earl Louise Grant for making
today's podcast possible, selling low mileage, top quality vehicles at fair prices, that's what
has earned them a title, Greater Toronto Area's Premier Pre-Owned Auto Store, for that specific
reason, Earl Louise, our husband wife team, they've been doing what they do, pick out top quality
pre-owned vehicles at fair prices and I'll tell you their vehicles look like brand spanking new,
so that's how they've earned their spot with car connection, I don't just sign up anyone folks,
if you don't meet the criteria, I'll give you a list of things you need to take care of,
but for the most part, businesses that I'm referred to and that they're amazing people,
doing amazing things, offering amazing products, goods and services that they're passionate about,
that's Earl and Louise Grant at City Auto Sales and Leasing, they have in-house financing available,
if you do not see the specific vehicle in their inventory, do not hesitate to ask,
if the vehicle you're looking for is out there and it meets their requirements to be
a quality vehicle, they'll find it because they have the resources to find the low mileage,
top quality vehicles that they provide already for the last almost 25 years, so connect and
if you're 90 minutes away and you can get to a vehicle that is nice, really, really nice
and you're dealing with amazing honest people, it is worth the drive, absolutely, buying a vehicle
privately, we're going to talk about that because I'll tell you, people lie like freaking carpets
when it comes time to buy a vehicle off them in their driveway, oh yes and I can give you some
telltale signs that would be red flags, if that's what you want to do, but for most people,
it's good to have that referral, so City Auto Sales and Leasing bringing to us this morning
our weekend weather, so let's jump right into that, as you prepare your morning beverage,
so if I caught you off-guard and it's still dripping or whatever, it's espresso, whatever
it is you're making, some green goo in the blender, whatever that is, that's your morning
shtick, well here's what we got, as I said a few moments ago, it's Mother's Day weekend and it
would be nice if it was going to be sweet outside to have a nice family barbecue with
the moms being the center of attention, you may have to change those plans, Saturday's low is
going to be 44 degrees between 1am and 2am, I'm still kind of out of town at that time,
the high will be 61 degrees between 2pm and 3pm, temperature range will feel like 40 to 56 degrees,
wind will make it feel cooler than the actual temperature, precipitation
possible 0.1 of an inch, well let's take a look at Sunday now, what is Sunday going to bring us
in the Niagara region anyway, if you're in my region of the Niagara region on the south shores of
Lake Erie, this is what we're getting, I can't say for wherever you are, but by all means in the
comments through our YouTube channel, let me know where you're tuning in from, where you're viewing
from, on the podcast you can do the same thing, go into our YouTube channel, all our podcasts
automatically export over to there, so they're sitting there for you, let me know where you're
listening from, that's kind of cool to know that, so today on the south shores of Lake Erie in the
Niagara region, it's Sunday, Sunday's low will be 44 degrees after 11pm, great, the high will be 56
between 3pm and 4pm, the temperature range will feel like 43 degrees to 50 degrees, wind will
make it feel cooler than actual temperatures, so you know what I have to say to that,
not good, am I looking at the right day, yeah, sun and cloud, high of 56,
gonna feel more like 44, do we have any rain for Sunday, well let's have a look you see,
glad you asked, let me pull that up, zero, there's a winner, we'll take it right,
it's all we got, that's it, nothing warm, you're gonna be snow pants if you're outside barbecuing
or at least get out of the wind, so you can take advantage of that, balmy 54 degrees,
whoot whoot, exactly, not gonna get our 30 day fuel savings challenge in until we get the weather
to hit 62 to 65 and stay there, thank you, all right let's jump into our morning swiggy together,
here's how we do it if you're brand new, 321 we swiggy, you got it, okay, so let's say
thank you to Kathy Dave and Dan Grimo at Niagara Block, 5000 Montrose Road Niagara Falls Building
Canada, since 1931 they have all the bricks, blocks, designer type, plain old cinder blocks,
they've got it, interlocking brick, hardscape, landscaping materials, they can help you with
a contractor, line you up with a contractor as well, you got to talk to Kathy Grimo for that,
she has the list, the secret list, so you can get someone you can count on to get your project off
the ground, estimate it, get it started, get it done, so you can enjoy that beautiful outdoor
space that you've always wanted, make sure you got a kitchen ladies, this is the diva center,
yeah, so it's not just outside living, it's also kitchen space, that's right, so the fellas
can make dinner for you on rotation schedule and then you just fire hose it down to clean it off
when you're done, piece of cake, so they can help you with all of that and more, they have all the
designer rocks and they can create a beautiful, I call it English rock walkway, you know where the
moss kind of fills in, hey, is the order up, oh, false alarm, okay, can you rustle me up a hot
cup of coffee in one of those donuts with little chocolate sprinkles on, that'll be nice, thank
you so much, you are so cool, yeah, let's get our swiggy done, so you can find all our program
partners and recommended businesses as we continue to build back at lightning speeds, our car
connection business network website, because it got pretty much annihilated during the COVID days,
yeah, that took 26 years to build it and four years to wreck it, yeah, the wrecking ball came in,
so we're building back, so if you're a business owner in the Niagara region or wherever you are,
we'd love to have you part of our recommended business lineup, I'd like to find out who you are,
where you are, the products goods and services you provide, so that we can bring you on board
and make your business our business to tell others about your business and grow your business,
that's what we've been doing for 32 years, so we're building back at lightning speeds,
where have I heard that before, it's almost like a cartoon, that must be it, must have been the
cartoons, so everything we talk about lives at our website, it's the biggest drawer we have in our
toolbox, so everything is there in one place for you to connect with us, be part of our online
community with Instagram, Facebook, our skippy, our videographer, she puts up reels and bloopers
and funny stuff, it's very creative individual, putting together things that make me look stupid
and foolish, which is great, yeah, it helps with digestion, exactly, we're also featured
in the Stevensvilleonthewheb.ca website, I'm just saying, yeah, we are in there as experts,
you know what an expert is, you know when you back the car out over the garden hose
and it closes off the water and then you finally get off the garden hose and the water shoots out,
that's an expert, that's what I'm glad somebody explained that to me, so we are featured as a
automotive expert on that website and our skippy created that website to bring the businesses in
Stevensville together with the community and the community with the surrounding businesses and I
think that is so so cool to have Stevensville communal website, so check it out, you'll find
us there and you'll find all kinds of amazing local businesses in Stevensville and you might
run into my pops, he's been, they've been there almost I think 40 years now, wow, you might run
into Skippy and all her friends and family, they're there as well, I know a lot of people in Stevensville,
I hear their people, I do, Stevensville has people, you'll also see our iHeart radio icon,
we are on all the platforms, so if you type us in, even if you're on Podbean, yeah, what kind of car
would you own that you could give it the name Podbean, send me an email, I want to see if you
pick the same vehicle that I have in mind for to call it Podbean, motormouth.jankins at gmail.com,
so type us in, car connection workshop, wherever you're pulling your podcast from, we are there,
Apple, Spotify, Amazon, the like iHeart radio, we're there and you can find us there, we have an
amazing online store, thank you to Total Freedom Darien Center New York, Freedom Expressions, put
that together for us and they make all the items on the Total Freedom Addiction campus
and that helps them to be self-contained, they don't get any outside funding, so what we have
done is all the merchandise that you purchase, all proceeds go to the Total Freedom Addiction
campuses, Canada and USA, so thank you to all of you for taking time to making a cool purchase
online, we have our own official car connection, beverage mug as well, we call it coffee mug
because that's what we've made it into, it's our coffee mug, okay, have whatever your beverage in
there, it's all right with us, no problem, we won't tell anyone yet that you're having a smoothie,
a smoothie, yeah it's okay, you buy safely online, order online, size, color, whatever it is you
choose, pay for it, it gets shipped directly to your door from Freedom Expressions Darien Center
New York, so how cool is that, that is super cool, thank you again for those who are taking time to
support our online store and to help, those who've made the decision to say goodbye to their addiction
for good, we want to help them get to a Total Freedom Addiction Campus, Canada and USA,
all right swiggy time, you ready, I did say I'd count it down, 321
man that is so good, I can't make that a habit, everything in moderation,
I'm having another swiggy, let's just do it, Saturday, it's weekend,
how many of you could guess what beverage I'm having Saturday morning after I've had my naturals,
charges my battery and deals with that cortisol thing, makes you look like the
Stay Puff Marshmallow Man, we have built and redone what we called many years ago our car
connection maintenance schedule kit, it is now completely revamped and put together just for
you, our car connection listeners, our YouTube family over there, Facebook, Instagram, Stevensville
on the web dot ca, all of you, it's all been put together and revamped just for you because how
long would you and would your car last, how long would you keep it, how long could you keep it
and how long would your car last if you actually follow the proper maintenance plan,
exactly, so we have built laminated reusable car connection fleet maintenance system that
makes it super simple for all age groups sizes dimensions everything, so no excuses, it's laid
out in so easy terms, if you can make a grocery list and mark the products off as they go in the
basket, you got this licked, it is super simple, but this is what it's going to do for you, it's
got all your maintenance, all your services, all there right before your very eyes, you don't have
to think about a thing just put a check mark in the box, could you do that, could you put your
starting mileage on the top of the sheet, could you use a dry erase marker, could you put these
stickies or the magnets on the back of it and hang it up where you're going to track your very
own vehicle maintenance, could you do that, could you email me if you get stuck, the instructions
are about like four lines, but if you get stuck, I'll help you out, but first and foremost, we
put a whole page together on our website, carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com, totally
dedicated to our car connection fleet maintenance system, I would highly recommend you take a moment
in time, wherever you can pinch that off and check it out because this is your Rubicon,
get yourself a car connection fleet maintenance system, get it set up, post it where you're
going to see it, don't put it where you're not going to see it because then you won't use it,
post it where you're going to see it and work it, and when you get through the whole year,
you know what you do, you get a damp cloth and not a damp cloth, a damp cloth and wipe it off
and start again, environmentally friendly, yep, there's no CO, CO's released into the atmosphere
on this and it's completely environmentally safe, friendly, non-toxic, non-flammable,
the whole nine yards, you can't ask for any more than that, it's like having me with you,
but I'm not there, so check it out, stay ahead of the breakdowns, keep your older vehicle and
stay away from this junk that they're putting out because it's costing the consumer a fortune,
yeah, they want their stuff just to last, hopefully they know where the breakages are
going to come, where they've short changed the vehicle and the product quality, they know that,
it's been a well-known fact Narmie for a number of years, since the early 90s, I've been tracking
this since the early 90s and here it is and it's gotten worse and when a manufacturer says these
words, we, if we have to change a component for a second or third time, our hope is that the third
time round, they make it over the end of warranty line so when it breaks again, they get to pay,
not my words, go and do your homework, that is a disgusting statement friends, that's where I go,
not today or tomorrow, that's when I change brands and move on, that sends the signal to them,
when we decide to become prosumers instead of consumers and not be loyal to them, watch what
happens when the bottom line falls out because they're losing market share, their heads stick up
like a marmoset, let me tell you and change will come quickly, especially when the other guys
are taking their lunch money, biting their sandwich, putting it back in their lunch bucket
and stealing their milk money on top of that, when they're losing market share to the other guys,
yeah, they're going to be uncomfortable and puckering, you bet, so thank you to,
well I just dropped that on the floor, who did that, can we get a name here,
dropped my stuff on the floor, I can't believe it, thank you to our certified financial planning
professionals, Tony Miele, Larry Tietro, pay attention folks, they got 50 years of experience,
they work with one of the largest financial companies in the world, IG Wealth Management
and here's what they do for many people, they don't, neither Tony or Larry need another client,
they're super busy, but because they know me and they are my personal financial planners
and have been for over 20 years, these guys are my brothers from other mothers,
they will sit down with you, listen to where you're at, answer your questions
and formulate a game plan to help you move forward at no cost, complimentary, so you can
leave your wallet, leave your purse at home, book yourself for the discovery meeting, we call an hour
and a coffee, get your questions answered on your investment portfolio, if you got it at a bank,
they're going to tell you you need to move it, it's not making you no money and they'll show you why,
debt retirement, proper estate planning, not something you do yourself fellas, it's not a
hey honey look what I did today, no no no times no plus no equals no, you need a proper estate
plan that includes any 18 year old or older family members that are living under your roof,
are they set up that you're their health proxy, good question huh, mortgages, I haven't had a mortgage
with a bank and I will never go back, been treated like rubbish by most banks, I'll change that,
all banks that I tried to deal with, horrible and then when you become a business owner,
yeah when your bank manager looks at you and says you know what Nile, I hate small business,
see ya Frank, yeah I got out of there went over the back to the credit union, their mortgage rates
very competitive, the ladies in Winnipeg and the mortgage department are phenomenal to deal with,
you got a question, you'll get an answer ASAP, life insurance, critical illness insurance and a
whole lot more services, so make sure you say thank you to our certified financial planning
professionals Tony Mealy and Larry Tietro for making today's Saturday more motor mouse morning drive
Q&A session, so let's jump right in, it has been a crazy week in the automotive
world, what's going on out there but you know what, if you want to keep your vehicle long term and be
part of the 400,000 kilometer club like our 07 FJ Cruiser is on the back door of being 400,000k
and running strong, it is doable all day long, our 99 Honda Civic Rocket we call it is like at 399
and still running strong, what else we got out there it's got some mileage, I think those are the
two highest ones, yes those are the two highest ones, right now the 08 Rogue has 121,000 on it so
it's not even warmed up yet, it's still quite a baby but you know when you take care of stuff
and you be the next caregiver like you'd look after a human being, if you look after your car
like it's a human being you'll never need to make car payments, you won't and as I've said already
everything you need to know and ever needed to know about taking care of an automobile is in
everything that we do, we now have made it through car connection, you have more ways
to watch, listen and engage, if you haven't signed up for our YouTube channel you are missing the boat
that's what I can tell you, it's like having your own automotive shop classroom
right with you and you can sit and watch it and learn, again it doesn't matter what age group
you are, my pops is 89 years old, he has all his faculties praise God, he still drives and he takes
care of his automobile, so what's your excuse and he's on his own, so I have ladies down the street
they're widows, they're on their own and I'm teaching them how to take care of their vehicles
because their husbands used to do that, single moms, just single ladies, quite often get ripped
off at the automotive repair shops, so sign up for our YouTube channel, make sure you like,
subscribe, share, ring the notification bell so you're notified when new videos come out every
Tuesday, two for Tuesday and one every Friday, so there'll be 11 will have dropped yesterday
at 4.30 in the early evening, join us on our YouTube channel, there's well over 200 plus videos
and all the podcasts that are there, there's a hundred and what are we at today, 160 podcasts
for you to listen to and that's not a repeat of what's on the YouTube channel, there's no crossover
I know how not to do that after 32 years of radio, there's no crossover, so everything you tune into
is different from the other, same with the descriptions I write and put together for the
YouTube videos and the podcasts, I put a load of nuggets in there, again no crossover,
what you see here or there is different than from one another on purpose, because that's how
you learn, question number one, you mind if I have some more of that, all right time gets away,
there's 30 minutes gone right there, so that gives us 30 minutes, that gives me 10 minutes
a question to give you a proper answer, so listen up, get your crayons fired up, get that leaf bag
ready, position to take notes, question number one comes in from Arthur, not the place Arthur,
the person named Arthur, question one, I heard your podcast on maintenance free,
dot, dot, dot, I listened to the day quote unquote and I have 140,000 plus kilometers
with no transmission service, now what, have I ruined my transmission?
Hmm, well I don't have a crystal ball, but he's not mentioning that transmission's
acting up or shifting on or some weirdness going on, so I'm going to do something I don't normally
um, is say the word assume, so I am going to assume his transmission is still functioning,
full, full, fully functioning and going through all the gears, so that's a great question
and I do have a great answer, but before I say that I say this, please folks, the best hunk of
advice I could give you after 44 years as a service tech and I think that's actually shallow a few
years, um, but who's counting? Stop listening to the talking heads, would you, because they know
how to play the car game, manufacturers know how to play the car game,
the dealers know how to play the car game, the dealers play against the manufacturers
and they hate them and the manufacturers play against the dealership and they hate them,
but they all have the same vision for you, stack the deck in their favor, that's what they do
and they've been doing this since like early nineties, I opened my shop in 1991 on the Hamilton
Mountain and we saw this garbage back then and now it's really gotten ugly and it's really coming
out and being spoken about now, you've really got to stop listening, if anyone opens their mouth,
I'll tell you this, whoever it is, I don't care who it is, opens their mouth and says the words
maintenance free, insert the word liar because that's what they are, there's inserting and giving
you a lie that is from the pit of hell and it smells like smoke, don't fall into that, that's
called they're stacking the deck, they don't want you to take care of your automobile, they want
something big to fail like a transmission that would, when they tell you how much it's going to
cost to fix it out of your pocket, could be as high as $16,000, what are you going to say next,
toss them the keys and say I'm just, I'm not fixing it, I'm just going to get another car,
they win, that's what they're looking to do and those are the words I heard just this last week
that made my hair stand up, it was actually the quiet part was spoken out loud, their hope is that
they can tick you off enough with your vehicle breaking down that you will do just what I said,
toss them the keys and go see the salesman who's going to lie through their stinking teeth
to sell you a piece of junk that they probably don't even drive themselves, in fact I would be
pressed to say oh what vehicles do you drive in your home, what vehicles do you have in the
driveway at your home, what are you driving today that's owned by you not a loaner car
or a company car, I would love to be a fly on the wall when that question's asked to see how many,
how many would be driving their own junk, hmm wouldn't that be interesting,
that'd be an interesting question, so that's what they why they'll tell you the words maintenance
free, oh that has synthetic oil you don't need to change it, it's maintenance free because what
they want is for the engine to fail or the transmission to fail or both major components
that now you're on the tab to pay for it out of your pocket and when they tell you the price tag
you're going to say I need to talk to the salesman I'm not putting that money into this thing I want
to get rid of it and then they're going to offer you pittance for it and you'll buy the same junk
that's the part I can never understand I'd be so far out of there gone they wouldn't even be able
to see the back of my trousers I'm gone I'm looking at something else I'm getting out of there I'm
going to try something else it's like you go to a restaurant three times in a row they they serve
you a meal that sucks three times in a row so why did it take three times before you go I don't
even want to pay for that but will you go back a fourth time if you do I I don't have an answer
for that I can't I can't wrap my head around that decision so answering Arthur's question if a lot
of you are in that position and your tech saying oh no you don't want to touch that it's got
over 140,000 k that's when things are going to go wrong you need a new technician fired see you
at 140 here's what I'm recommending and I've done it a bazillion times in fact you
can go to our YouTube channel you can watch me changing the transmission oil on the 2008
Nissan Rogue and I've never owned a Nissan ever and I did all my homework on it before we decided
let's fix this thing let's rescue it let's bring it back to life it had sat about 11 12 over a year
it was October to October so that's let me figure that out okay that's 12 and a half months it was
sitting and it needed a ton of work all the brakes done emergency brake done but you can watch all that
so I learned that it had not had a transmission service it's got a CVT transmission that needs
to be loved you don't abuse that baby you pet the fur in the right direction and you you tender
loving carrot so I changed I went I did my homework you put nothing else but NS2
Nissan transmission fluid in there regardless of what the talking heads say I go talk to the hand
the ears aren't listening we need to do more of that folks talk to the hand the ears aren't listening
right now you're doing a lot of this and I want you to do this yeah tight lips
so I went and got the fluid it's got 100 it had 119 and change on it and I did the service
so it took five almost six quarts I think it was
was it 56 I think it was six I bought six with 158 bucks but the transmission is like
in the tens of thousands of dollars so how many would you like to replace at that price so I don't
have any records on this vehicle I don't know if it ever was changed the fluid that came out
wasn't burnt or anything showing indicators the transmission was running hot at any point
so hallelujah for that we got a solid transmission to work with let's pick up the services and move
on from here so I would just I'm not going to put it through the flushing machine no Surrey
that wouldn't be a good idea not with some mileage on it so all I'm going to do is I'm
going to drop the pan on the the rogue you don't drop the pan but on a lot of transmission drop
the pan get a gasket and filter kit right from the manufacturer and put the manufacturer spec
oil in there drain out as much as you can and replenish that with fresh oil that's going to
remove any any oil that's contaminated because that's what happens it picks up clutch and band
material and metallic particles and it travels in the oil so I don't care what flavor oils in
there's synthetic wise it still suffers thermal breakdown from heating cooling heating cooling
heating cooling heating cooling getting it it's running hot all the time and that's why I'd say
your cooling system works hand in hand with your automatic transmission if the cooling system is
not healthy you're cooking your transmission just so you know yeah so you're not only cooking the
burger you're burning the bun okay got a visual on that that's what you're doing so you got to
make sure that your cooling system in your vehicle where it houses the transmission oil cooler lines
that the cooling system is top drawer 100 of the time because that system is not a maintenance
free system either if you want to watch some really cool videos I just went through my whole
cooling system on the 2007 fj with its spring evaluation and those videos are just popping up
now so you can see what a proper evaluation and service of a vehicle's cooling system looks like
first-handed and that's how I do it so watch those videos you will learn a lot so Arthur
thank you for your question I do what I call a dump and fill and if it's vehicles that
transmission is equipped with a pan that can be removed and a new filter a new gasket put in
I am going to do that and I am not going to shop the cheapest Chinese piece of filter kit you can
get on the planet no no no plus no times no equals no you got it that's no I could Margaret Thatcher
know you yeah have you heard that before yeah if you watch her she goes no that's how she
does it so a dump fill filter gasket and on this rogue that I just did when we get to the tail end
of October I'm going to change the oil on it again why because I know there's old oil in there in the
torque converter that I can't get it out it won't come out when you dump when you do a dump and fill
so I've put fresh fluid in there I wanted to commingle with the old oil and torque converter
for 56 months and then drain it out again and now guess what there's going to be more and more
clean fluid in there and all the grit and everything that gathers in the old oil
is going to eventually be out so then I'll be back on track with the oil change and here's
what you need to know you ready what is the oil change interval on most transmissions
automatic transmissions every not once in a while or if you think about it at the dinner table
hey honey do you think it's time you change the automatic transmission fluid in my transmission
oh yes sweetheart I'll get on that right away this week that's that conversation is probably not
going to happen to me can you pass the butter and the uh the pepper please thank you um
30 000 some transmissions require 30 000 kilometers some 50 I can tell you for sure on the 08
Nissan Rogue with the CVT if you got a Nissan with a CVT you need to pay attention folks
because that transmission does not have a really good resume but if you want to pull something
with it you're going to burn that thing out if you want to drive it like you stole it every day
and never change the oil you're going to burn that transmission out and when you find out how much
that puppy is you're going to say goodnight Irene holy smokes you got to be kidding me
yeah third that it needs to be changed every 50 000 kilometers so it's now at 121 and change
and I did a service so we can take 50k off of that it still should have had
almost two more transmission services to get to the 121 you know what I'm saying so that's why I'll
catch it up do another one in the end of October before winter hits and we'll be moving in the right
direction so you've got Arthur's got a vehicle with 140 000 k he listened to the white talking heads
that say everything is maintenance free life is good I would be doing a service on it right away
immediately and again in six months and then get back on track that's what I would be doing
and then from there on in check with the manufacturer to see if it's 30 000 or 50 000
but either way you do not go past the 50 000 k you change it early not pushing it extra 10
push it an extra five no on time on time transmissions are wickedly expensive question number two
comes from marg thank you marg for sending that into us for the motor mouth saturday morning q
and a program how do I know when to replace my shocks are they good for the life of the car
I'm hearing the talking heads again saying what maintenance free they're like a little bird
maintenance free maintenance free don't worry maintenance free the sky's not falling
yes it is I just scored another swiggy it was good very good can I have a moment
how do we know okay first of all age age and mileage is going to play a factor
uh visual inspection make sure that we don't have any worn pushings we don't see any oil
residue on the shocks and or McPherson struts you might have a combination shocks and McPherson
struts those have coil springs on you may have what we call coil overs coil over shocks the
07 fj has coil over shocks front and back I believe the the little Honda Civic the rocket that has
coil overs on the back and struts on the front and what's cool is you can buy those right out of the
box so I don't waste anybody's time and labor to break them down and get all the pieces and
you know what you can just buy them complete offload the old ones bolt in new ones
way you go down the road that's to save the labor the additional labor that's the best way to go
putting a little more money on the parts but you're not spending it on labor
while I rebuild old shocks and struts it's not worth it anymore and there are some really good
quality brands out there that I have used myself that are decent decently priced so
we're going to do a visual we're going to check make sure there's no pushings worn out
we're going to check the front end make sure there's you know that the McPherson struts don't
have an upper bearing plate that's seizing up or that's loose that's worn out so we got some sloppy
loose um suspension so there's going to could be some thunking banging going on so
road test is going to indicate that as well but last and not least we don't see any broken coil
springs and we just did a video on that 2010 Dodge grand caravan needs another grand spending on it
rear broken coil spring that was not reported even after being to another shop in the local area
and they replaced the rear shocks
hmm how did they stink and miss that I don't know because the suspension hangs
when you unbolt the shock so you've got to support the rear suspension on whichever side
you're doing first you unbolt the shock you have to be support supporting the suspension otherwise
it's going to swing down coil springs going to pop out slam you right in the face and you got to go
to Dennis for emergency weekend dental dental surgery yeah it gets ugly so they would have
had to support the rear suspension then unbolt the shock absorber one side at a time but if they
were really fancy they could do both sides at the same time and support the axle how they missed
broken coil spring that was broken in two points is beyond me yeah
I don't know I can't answer that one period
so even a blind hog can find an acorn once in a while you know what I'm saying
so they missed that but yet put brand new shock absorbers in about a year and a half ago
crazy but it's true so that's the stuff we're going to look for some visual implications that
the suspension is weak but here's where we can nail it I have a booklet a manual a measuring tape
and I can look up the year making model and we parked the vehicle on a flat surface in the shop
that we know is flat not tapered we go around we check all the tire pressures make sure the
tire pressures are all set exactly the same on all four tires so we know that the vehicle
was sitting square and then the book shows me where I need to take from road surface to vehicle
measurements on and it shows you exactly where you're going to take the measurements and then I
just go around with a clipboard and a notepad and I draw a picture of the car
where the four points are and I write down the measurements and then we compare those measurements
with what's written in the book to be actual and then we can see if the vehicle is sagging
anywhere so if it's sagging in other words it's lower to the ground in reference to the
specifications in the book then we know we have sagged out suspension and that tells me
we have weak shocks and struts so if the measurement at the back on both sides is good
then we don't need to do anything there if there's nothing broken nothing missing nothing leaking
we're good but if it's at the front end of the car the vehicle sitting an inch or two lower than
it should be then that tells us that the McPherson struts the gas charge is out of the cylinders
and it's not supporting the vehicle so the coil spring is taking the brunt of what we call
spring oscillations they're working harder than they should and that's when the coil springs
tend to break and if they break on the front what tends to happen is you get like this moon sized
section of broken coil spring with a very sharp point on it and it can are the muffins done oh good
thank you i'll be done here in a minute appreciate that you're awesome give yourself a pat on the
back that coil spring can turn and go right into the sidewall of the tire so yes suspension is
something you really need to pay attention to so mark you are on it girl well done you we're
going to take those measurements we're going to do it as i just mentioned and be able to report back
to you yes no maybe so do we need front suspension replaced or rear shock suspension replaced or
maybe all four corners the measurements will tell us and the visual inspection will tell us
what needs to take place there so you're not paying for something that you don't necessarily need
i mean if you're going to do the front and you've got it in the budget to upgrade the back the same
mileage is on the rear of the car is the front would you agree i think you would so if the money's
there in the budget to do all four corners and keep the vehicle completely the same age
then just do it bring it up to speed that's what i call an amazing upgrade and here's what i would
always hear from customers after they drove home after we've done all the suspension work done an
alignment they call and they go this thing has never ridden like that since the day i got it
because you don't realize how rough it's gotten until you make correction and then all of a
sudden you know what you're kind of thinking hey i gotta put the the ball cap on and the shades and
and go for a country drive yeah you're styling you the car feels good it feels good to you
put some good cool tunes on and head you know grab a bevy and go for a little drive
because you're now falling back in love with your old car we're bringing it back to life for you
question number three which will take us to the very end of the program today perfect timing
sandra question three she brings it to the table with my mechanic tells me
my vehicle is getting old i should think about replacing it why well that would
that would be what i'd be asking buddy yeah sparky i'd be saying sparky like uh
why like what's your criteria for condemning my car is it structurally unsafe
yes or no is it is there compromise on the structural integrity of my vehicle somewhere
yes or no i'd be saying well sparky are you wanting to like snatch it out of my pocket
and say hey i'll take it off your hands for a couple hundred bucks i can't tell you ladies
the number of times i've seen that happen so you want to be stinking careful because that's
how i ended up with the 99 uh honda civic dx two-door hatchback five-speed with air
for my friend jillian who's a 26 plus year listener to car connection and i'll tell you i
got a folder with that car from jillian that is outstanding documentation on all the service work
and she followed everything all those years listening to me on the radio
so that vehicle was i was very pleased to be able to have the opportunity to buy it off of her
and i have loved that thing inside and out since i got it i can't tell you i'd have to look at the
file folder to see when i got it but that vehicle is top drawer because it was well maintained
but somebody was trying to snatch it out from under her when she said she was thinking of
getting rid of it oh well it's pretty old you know so that she got in touch with me and said
would you be interested i'd really like for you to take it because i know it'd be looked after
i said you know what timing's perfect yeah we'll take that on so it's been a
blessing car since the day we got it it's always been a spare an error in a spare and uh if somebody
needs a ride and they can drive the stick i let them take it for the day so yeah it's been the spare
and now it's had its first car show now things have totally changed it's like a superstar
the rocket so that happens what i just told you happens so that's where i would highly recommend
to marg or sandra sorry stay with it stay with the program fella um get a second opinion
i would absolutely want a second opinion from someone who has no ulterior motive to snatch
a quality vehicle out from under me by condemning it and saying well it's all you know you really
shouldn't put any more money i've heard those stories so many times and you know the ladies
trust these people and they get burned they end up giving up a really good car when they really
didn't want to i mean if you really want to get rid of it and my friend jillian wanted to get
a mum fan so she now has mum fan and that suits her her lifestyle more betterer that's good english
right i can hear my english teacher rolling his grave going yeah that's typically you jankins
yeah he had a really bad hairdo i'm just saying um yeah you need a second opinion on that and maybe
even a third opinion because okay it's old but who cares it may have mileage on it who cares
what is this the integrity of the vehicle what is a full value evaluation look like like i just
answered the question for marg we're gonna well let's do some measurements and see if the suspension
is in good shape and if it is we check market on the uh fleet maintenance schedule and away we go
next belts hoses fluids filters suspension the rest of the suspension and steering tie rod ends
ball joints control arms sway bar links let's look it over that's all if you're going to look at a car
to buy it what do you do go yeah it's the right color i'll take it no you're going to go for road
test i'm sure and you're going to want to look it over and you may even want your automotive tech
that you can trust to look it over for you to make sure there's nothing no boogity things you know
there's no boogie monster hiding in there when you get at home and all of a sudden you got to spend
34 grand on it you don't want that who needs that headache so that's where a proper
evaluation a full complete evaluation and that's what you'll see in the youtube videos on our very
own 2007 Toyota fj cruiser just shy of 400 000 kilometers i show you my spring evaluation
i and it all started it was the last one to come in have the tires changed over for from winter to
summer do a brake evaluation as i'm changing the wheels over and that's what i'll be doing tomorrow
that's all i have left to do is change the wheels over go from one wheel to the next one pull it
the so the winters off do a brake inspection evaluation and a service put the summer wheel
on go to the next one and then do the next one and then do the next one now all set for the summer
another review evaluation in october so marx uh sandra's question i keep saying marx that's because
i know a few marx that's what it is they're not marge it's marx you'll be you'll you'll stand
corrected there's no e on the end so it's marx not marge or margret it's marg
so i i respect that marg great question number two girl you you knocked it out of the park
sandra get a second evaluation and you want it written down not a verbal you want to see
everything and anything that could possibly or potentially be a cash sucking pig yeah so if
there's whatever the boogie monster is and is found it's got to go on the evaluation sheet good
bag ugly it doesn't matter put it all you want it all on there because you're going to make a decision
whether to keep moving forward or go find another older one in great shape and move on
somebody will pick that car up trust me in this day and age it'll get snatched up overnight
so you don't want to lose something that you already have and that being a really good
vehicle that's got great structural integrity and it may just need some upgrades no big deal
no matter what you keep we'll always need some upgrades there's what's called normal wear and tear
just like that doesn't matter if it's a three-year-old eight-year-old 15-year-old vehicle
they're always going to need maintenance no different than just a lawnmower it's just a
stinking lawnmower right yeah well they get more expensive as you go along and they're built lousy
so you want to keep the older one going as long as you can because it's far better than the new junk
at two and a half times the price so even something as simplistic as a lawnmower has value
though some of the best i gotta tell you that story some of the best lawnmowers i ever had in my life
i bought on the side of the road for 20 bucks
and when i moved from a place when i moved down here in uh south shores of lake irie i i always had
what i called my green hornet and why the lawnmowers were green all the time i don't know but i picked
one up for 10 bucks sometimes free be a free sign on it and then you still feel like you're walking
away it says free right on it am i stealing this somebody gonna come out for me with a stick or
something those are the best lawnmowers i ever had so i always kept one of those to cut the ditches
keep my good lawnmower for the the the main grass patches itself and i'd use the green hornet to
cut the ditches and keep the blade sharp and take care of it and you know cut the ditches keep them
trimmed so when i went to move from a rented house my landlord says man your ditches look like 10
times better than mine can i have the lawnmower the green hornet he knew it was the green hornet
and it started first pull the thing was like 35 years old the deck was solid he's like
can you leave the green hornet behind so i can continue with the ditches keeping them looking
nice do you mind i go well where we're moving to there's no ditches there we're moving over to
north side of town it's sidewalks so i think i i said you know jeff you've been good to me i'll
let you have the green hornet you're kidding how much you want for it i go no you can have it you
can have it just take care of it okay and i knew he would he's a car guy so i gave him the my last
my very last green hornet i had three of them and uh yeah it's just a lawnmower well it's just a car
we don't need to make it um
bigger than it is an evaluation is going to give you all the answers you need
and sandra that's what you need you need a complete evaluation let's look at it from
stem to stern top to bottom north south east and west and be honest in the evaluation and
take a good look and see what the list looks like and let me tell you if to get that vehicle
in top drawer condition you're going to need to spend three grand how many car payments is that
with interest not too many a couple of months maybe maybe one month i had a neighbor is truck
payment 2200 a month when he said that to me i went like Mike what what did you say
yeah my truck payments 2200 a month i gotta get rid of it i go you know it's just a piece of sheet
metal and rubber right it's not it's not the earth we're standing on i said it's depreciating just
after today because i gotta get rid of it i can't keep it just keep me in the poor house 2200
so sandra if you're listening what do you think honey i think if it needs three grand worth of
work and she's solid you keep running it you take it to you beat me and take it to 500
thousand kilometers don't worry what's on the odometer just take care of it that wraps up this
edition if you would like your answer to your question heard on the air on the podcast it's
simple every friday by noon i need your questions in to my email box at motormouth.jankins at gmail.com
come and join us anytime for a morning podcast monday through friday motor mouse morning drive
8am on all podcast platforms thanks for tuning in if you've been this is your first time joining us
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can be a professional consumer a pro consumer instead of a con consumer and learn just like
i have in 44 plus years how to play the car game and win every single time and put money back in
your pocket keep your car till it gas splits last breath and it's still running amen we'll see you
monday morning for another edition of motormouth's morning drive till then have a great mother's
day weekend spoil her rotten okay absolutely we'll see you then happy healthy motoring
peace patience and kindness always and thank you for your likes your support and joining our
online community and buying some gear in our online store on our website so everything
you need to do to connect with us is all there for you on the homepage of our website car connection
businessnetwork.com we'll see you bright and early monday morning put the coffee on we're
going to come to your house bye for now
About this episode
Mother’s Day weekend kicks off with a Q&A-style chat that quickly turns into practical maintenance myth-busting. The hosts promote their revamped maintenance schedule kit and stress tracking starting mileage, while challenging “maintenance free” marketing—especially around warranty timing and synthetic-oil claims. They dig into transmission care, including CVT fluid specifics, avoiding flush machines, and why cooling-system health matters. The suspension segment covers shock/strut leak checks, ride-height measurements, and what to do when springs break. Older-car advice centers on safety and thorough inspections, not age.
Good Morning Motormouth Crew and welcome back to the Saturday Morning Drive Q&A for Mother's Day weekend! We had some fantastic questions this week covering transmission maintenance myths, worn suspension components, and the all-too common "your car is getting old" conversation many vehicle owners hear far too often.
Arthur asks the big one-did waiting too long for transmission service ruin his transmission after hearing "maintenance free" advice? We break down why so many manufacturers and talking heads stopped pushing maintenance years ago and why keeping up with fluid services still matters if you want longevity out of your vehicle.
Marg wants to know when shocks should actually be replaced and whether they're truly "good for life." We walk through visual; inspections, leaking shocks, worn bushings, excessive suspension travel, weak springs, and how ride height measurements help determine if a suspension system is sagging and needs attention.
Sandra brings a powerful question after being told by a mechanic that her car is " Getting Old"and she should think abut replacing it we discus why every vehicle deserves a proper structural. and mechanical evaluation before anyone starts talking replacement. If the structure is solid, many older vehicles are well worth repairing and maintaining instead of taking on massive monthly payments.
A vehicle getting older does not automatically mean it's finished. Proper maintenance, honest evaluations, and staying ahead of wear and tear items is what keeps good vehicles on the road.
And with it being Mother's Day weekend-thank you to all the Moms out there. If it wasn't for Mom, none of us would be here turning wrenches, driving cars, or enjoying this community together.❤️
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Don't forget to grab your Car Connection merch in our online store at (ccbusnet.com) proceeds all go to Total Freedom Addiction Campuses Canada & USA helping those who are ready to say goodbye to their addiction for good get there🚗 Thanks Again Friends👍
