Niall Motormouth Jenkins dives into the fading culture of DIY family garages and how this shift is costing vehicle owners thousands. He shares personal stories, the importance of teaching kids car maintenance, and offers practical advice on saving money through proper fleet maintenance schedules. The episode highlights the pitfalls of neglecting basic car care, the financial traps of constant repairs, and encourages listeners to take control of their vehicle upkeep with accessible tips and resources.
" Planned Obsolescence on Wheels: Why They Don't Want You Fixing Your Own Car"
For generations, car ownership started in the driveway.
Dad under the hood, kids holding the flashlight, A box of donuts on the workbench.
Mechanical literacy passed down one bolt at a time
That culture is disappearing.
In today's episode we break down how "maintenance - free," modular components, dealer-only programming, and planned obsolescence quietly killed the DIY family garage-and why that shift is costing you thousands in ownership costs.
From 100 MPG carburetor experiments to fuel injection efficiency we know is possible... from 20-year ownership mindsets to 3-to-5-year disposable vehicles sitting in the U-Pull- yard...
This isn't an accident.
It's design.
We talk about:
1) The politics behind modern "sealed" vehicles
2) Why manufacturers don't want you touching your own car
3) How mechanical literacy is disappearing
4) The real cost impact on families
5) why dealer - only culture benefits everyone except the owner
This episode is part of our ongoing series:
"100 Lessons in Vehicle Ownership They Never Taught You."
season One wraps up at episode 100-and Season Two launches next week with Episode 101. We're just getting warmed up.
And here's the stat that blows my mind: 93% of our viewers on YouTube are NOT subscribed.
If you believe in keeping car ownership knowledge alive, now's the time.
Subscribe.
'Grab a coffee
Keep the driveway culture alive.
We'll see you on the workbench.
Motormouth
NMJ
Merch available at (ccbusnet.com) Grab some Gear join the crew helping those struggling with addiction get to a Total Freedom Addiction Campus Canada & USA where a New Life awaits them there! Thank You! NMJ
Happy Healthy Motoring Friends, your help is always appreciated Y'all. Peace Patience Kindness Always.
"...help you to create longevity for your engine and transmission, and keep these cars going as long as you possibly can."
Transmission longevity means how long the part of your car that changes gears keeps working well. Taking care of it by checking fluids and driving gently helps it last longer.
Transmission longevity is the duration a vehicle's transmission system functions properly without failure. Maintaining transmission fluid, avoiding harsh driving, and regular inspections help ensure the transmission lasts as long as possible.
"...help you to create longevity for your engine and transmission, and keep these cars going as long as you possibly can."
Engine longevity means how long your car's engine can keep working well before it needs big repairs. Taking care of your car by changing oil and checking parts helps it last longer.
Engine longevity refers to the ability of an engine to operate effectively over a long period without major failures or the need for extensive repairs. It involves proper maintenance, driving habits, and timely servicing to extend the engine's useful life.
"This morning's topic is a really, is, I'm loving it. I'm loving it, because we're talking about DIY family garage. Do it yourself, family garage culture is disappearing."
DIY family garage culture means families fixing and taking care of their cars themselves at home. It helps people learn about cars and save money but is becoming less common.
DIY family garage culture refers to the tradition of families working together to maintain, repair, or restore their vehicles at home. This hands-on approach fosters mechanical skills, bonding, and cost savings but has been declining in recent years.
"...that you listen to that fleet maintenance car connection, I'm going to call it the master program on how to take care of your automobile step by step..."
Fleet maintenance means taking care of many vehicles that a company owns so they don't break down and cost a lot of money. It involves regular checkups and repairs to keep them running well.
Fleet maintenance refers to the systematic upkeep and servicing of a group of vehicles owned or leased by a business or organization to ensure they remain reliable, safe, and cost-effective to operate.
"...with our car connection maintenance schedule that I drafted up originally as a fleet maintenance list so that when I was working on fleets..."
A maintenance schedule is a list of when you should check and fix parts of your car so it stays safe and works well for a long time.
A maintenance schedule is a planned timetable of inspections, services, and repairs for a vehicle to keep it in good working condition and prevent costly breakdowns.
"they're going to be stuck playing the automotive game the never and ever plan principle and interest and we're going to talk this is all"
When you borrow money to buy a car, you pay back the original amount plus extra money called interest, which is the cost of borrowing.
Principle and interest refer to the components of a loan payment: the principal is the amount borrowed, and the interest is the cost charged by the lender for borrowing that money.
"...how come you didn't have the 97 Jeep TJ Wrangler down in two months there's a reason behind that..."
The Jeep TJ Wrangler is a type of rugged SUV made for driving off-road. It came out in 1997 and is popular for adventures and rough terrain.
The Jeep TJ Wrangler is the second generation of the Jeep Wrangler, produced from 1997 to 2006. It is known for its off-road capability and distinctive round headlights compared to the previous YJ model.
"...lf heal doesn't work all right let's back up the bus and get things going here there goes a quarter of..."
The Volkswagen Bus is a classic van that people loved for traveling and camping. It’s famous because many people used it a long time ago, and it looks very different from regular cars today.
The Volkswagen Bus, also known as the Type 2 or Microbus, is an iconic van produced by Volkswagen starting in the 1950s. It is significant for its role in counterculture movements and its versatile design, often used for camping and group travel. It might be discussed for its nostalgic value or unique driving characteristics.
""and in the automotive world we've been laughing for a long time because the game is on it all started with a term cafe yeah which brings me to let's""
A 'cafe' in car or bike talk usually means a special kind of motorcycle built to go fast and look cool, inspired by riders who raced between coffee shops.
In automotive culture, 'cafe' often refers to 'cafe racers,' which are lightweight, powerful motorcycles optimized for speed and handling rather than comfort. The term originates from British motorcycle culture where riders raced between cafes.
"...for a three-day seminar put on by lindertech and got a chance to meet Jim Linder himself..."
Lindertech teaches mechanics how to find and fix car problems using special tools and training.
Lindertech is a company specializing in automotive diagnostic training and tools, known for educating automotive service technicians on vehicle diagnostics and repair processes.
"...she was training us how to diagnose vehicles and what a master technician let me tell you..."
A master technician is a very skilled car mechanic who knows how to find and fix tough problems with cars.
A master technician is an automotive service professional who has achieved a high level of expertise and certification in vehicle diagnostics and repairs.
""where are we going with fuel economy where are we going with alternative fuels and we were all given a piece of paper to put our name on in the company we represented as a service tech""
Fuel economy means how far a car can go using a certain amount of gas. Cars that use less gas to go farther are said to have good fuel economy.
Fuel economy refers to how efficiently a vehicle uses fuel, typically measured in miles per gallon (MPG) or liters per 100 kilometers. It is a key factor for consumers and manufacturers aiming to reduce fuel costs and environmental impact.
""where are we going with alternative fuels and we were all given a piece of paper to put our name on in the company we represented as a service tech it was really interesting now keep in mind we'll round it off at 2200 service tax was only a handful that hit the bullseye all of us talked about hybrids EVs hydrogen and just another alternative fuel source natural gas propane we went through it all""
Alternative fuels are different types of energy that cars can use instead of regular gas. These include things like electricity, hydrogen, or natural gas, which can be cleaner for the environment.
Alternative fuels are energy sources used to power vehicles other than traditional gasoline or diesel. Examples include electricity (EVs), hydrogen, natural gas, propane, and hybrid systems, which aim to reduce emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
""all of us talked about hybrids EVs hydrogen and just another alternative fuel source natural gas propane we went through it all""
Hybrids are cars that use both gas and electricity to move. This helps them use less gas and be better for the environment.
Hybrids are vehicles that combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. They can switch between or simultaneously use both power sources.
""all of us talked about hybrids EVs hydrogen and just another alternative fuel source natural gas propane we went through it all""
Natural gas is a type of gas that some cars can use instead of regular gas. It helps the car make less pollution.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel used as an alternative vehicle fuel, often compressed (CNG). It burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel, reducing some emissions.
""all of us talked about hybrids EVs hydrogen and just another alternative fuel source natural gas propane we went through it all""
Propane is a kind of gas that some cars can run on instead of regular gas. It helps keep the air cleaner.
Propane is a liquefied petroleum gas used as an alternative fuel for vehicles. It produces fewer emissions than gasoline and is often used in fleet vehicles and forklifts.
""all of us talked about hybrids EVs hydrogen and just another alternative fuel source natural gas propane we went through it all""
Hydrogen is a special kind of fuel that cars can use to make electricity inside the car. When they do, they only make water, which is good for the air.
Hydrogen fuel is used in fuel cell vehicles where hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen to produce electricity, emitting only water vapor. It is an alternative energy source with potential for zero emissions.
""at the end of the day we had a class on fuel injectors and the technicians I'll tell you they they could definitely""
Fuel injectors are tiny parts in a car that spray gas into the engine so it can run properly.
Fuel injectors are components in an engine that spray fuel into the combustion chamber or intake manifold in precise amounts for efficient combustion and performance.
"but why don't we see that out in the marketplace that's a question isn't it I have a carburetor
if you know what a carburetor is from the 60s that I scavenged off of a 68 or 69 Chevy Nova"
A carburetor is a part in old cars that mixes gas and air to make the engine run, but newer cars use better parts now.
A carburetor is an older engine component that mixes air and fuel for internal combustion engines, largely replaced by fuel injectors due to lower efficiency and emissions.
"one barrel carburetor Rochester
they get 60 miles to the gallon"
Rochester was a company that made parts like carburetors for cars a long time ago.
Rochester was a division of General Motors known for manufacturing carburetors and fuel systems, widely used in American cars during the mid-20th century.
"after the 1973 74 arab oil embargo some of you might be old enough to remember that to improve the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks trucks vans and sport utility vehicles"
In the early 1970s, some countries stopped selling oil to the US, which made gas very expensive and hard to get. This made the US want cars that use less gas.
The 1973–74 Arab oil embargo was a period when Arab oil-producing countries stopped exporting oil to the United States and other nations, causing fuel shortages and high prices. This event led to increased focus on fuel economy and the creation of regulations like CAFE standards.
"...the only issue that we ran would run into is the right hand drives there we got to switch a lot of stuff over but at the end of the day what we would get an engine and it would be sold to us from japan out a container"
Some cars have the steering wheel on the right side instead of the left. When you bring these cars or parts to a country where cars usually have the steering wheel on the left, you might need to change some parts to make them work.
Right hand drive refers to vehicles where the steering wheel is on the right side, common in countries like Japan and the UK. This often requires modifications when these vehicles or parts are imported to countries with left hand drive systems.
"changing a motor freezing to death in Antarctica with my pops in a barn that had just a few barnboards on it to call it a building in the middle winter"
A barn find is when someone finds an old car that has been sitting unused in a barn or shed for a long time.
A barn find refers to discovering an old, often classic, vehicle that has been stored and forgotten in a barn or similar outbuilding for many years. These finds can be valuable to collectors and enthusiasts.
"she needed $3,800 worth exhaust work that she needed the entire exhaust system replacing because the noise it was making needed uh and the exhaust was bad it needed the exhaust from front to back"
The exhaust system is the part of the car that carries away the dirty gases made by the engine and makes the car quieter and cleaner.
The exhaust system is a series of components that direct and treat the gases produced by the engine, including the exhaust manifold, catalytic converter, muffler, and pipes.
"i don't i'm not sure how you you get into that communal dodge caravan minivan community i don't know how you get into that but anyways come along have some fun with us"
The Dodge Caravan is a type of car called a minivan, which is great for carrying lots of people or stuff. Many families use it because it’s roomy and practical.
The Dodge Caravan is a popular minivan model known for its spacious interior and family-friendly features. It has been a common choice for those needing versatile passenger and cargo space.
Select text to request an explanation
Good morning Niagara! 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, 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, saving you money, giving you the confidence to understand what's under
that hood. From the classics, to the commuters, to the weird noises, to the 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, and a few good
laughs. I'm Niall Motormouth Jenkins, we're shifting into drive this morning. Thanks for coming along
with us, and thank you for letting me into your world as I'm inviting you into mind. Mind. That's
what I said, into mind. Yeah, my mind. Good luck with that. Wow, lots going on. Hope you're doing
well. Be careful out there. There could be some slippery spots this morning. We're gonna have
the morning weather in just a couple of moments as we get things rolling. If you're on your way
through the drive-through, I did a drive-through yesterday, first time, and I can't believe how
long, and it cost me $5.03. Yeah, and I'm looking at the cup and I'm going, that's a medium cup of
coffee? E-gads, man. Come to the workshop, I'll show you what a cup of coffee looks like. Yeah, and
I got a, picked up a, we called them Barney Burgers. I saw the Barney Burger on the rack
through the window. I'm like, I gotta have that. Yeah, I haven't had a Barney Burger in probably
30 years. Yeah, I think they call them Walnut Crunch. Yeah, we called them Barney Burgers,
because we bought a dog, six of us, when I was working at Peter Bill to Hamilton.
That was our guard dog, and we called them Barney, and Barney would leave you,
yeah, Barney Biscuits, and we had to take turns picking up the Barney Burgers. So that's where
that came from. So, you know, we often would look in the donut box and go, look, Barney's been here.
There's a Barney Burger in the donut box. Anyhow, I digress, I thought I'd share that story with you.
Barney, after we, the dealership closed, and there we were, myself and my friend Paul,
standing on the platform, concrete platform, with our toolboxes, and the place got chained closed,
and he goes, my cousin's coming to pick us up. He's got a trailer. And so, yeah, very interesting.
Some interesting times, let me tell you, very interesting times. You can't make this stuff up.
So if you're in the drive-through, it is a drive-through, check your order, exactly. Make sure
it's spot on before you pull out, lock it into your cup holder, pass the 16 pack of Crayola crayons
and the official leaf bag that makes up our car connection workshop,
yeah, laptop for taking notes. And if you missed the notes and you don't have a co-pilot,
we have a hundred lessons in vehicle ownership they never told you up on our iHeart radio library.
Yeah, we are going to be shifting gears into season two, episode 101 next week. So come along
and celebrate that with us. All those episodes, 100 episodes are there for you with titles, dates,
and episode numbers, season numbers, so that you can find them, share them with your friends
all over the world, and learn stuff about the basic fundamentals of vehicle ownership that will
help you to create longevity for your engine and transmission, and keep these cars going
as long as you possibly can. This morning's topic is a really, is, I'm loving it. I'm loving it,
because we're talking about DIY family garage. Do it yourself, family garage culture is disappearing.
Why? We're going to break that out this morning, and here's why that matters. Here's why it matters,
so we're going to cover that in just a few moments, but let's get all the things out of the way that
we have to in order to satisfy everybody that's involved with car connection. So everything we
talk about here on podcast, everything we do on our YouTube channel is all teaching you no matter,
I don't, no excuses, your size, your weight, your age, none of it matters. All the videos on our
YouTube channel will teach you all the basic fundamentals, so you know stuff, and you don't
get ripped off when you take your vehicle in for service. And so every video is teaching you the
five things, what it is, where it is, how it works, how it breaks, what could you have known
and done differently that would have saved you that money on that component, family.
And tomorrow, our fleet maintenance video will be up for you after 4.30. 4.30, it drops tomorrow,
and I would suggest, highly suggest, if on your list of things to do is to save money when it comes
to the automobile, that you listen to that fleet maintenance car connection, I'm going to call it
the master program on how to take care of your automobile step by step, and you can do it from
your very own home with our car connection maintenance schedule that I drafted up originally
as a fleet maintenance list so that when I was working on fleets for some other companies that
I was employed by, I did not miss a single aspect of that vehicle so that we would get in trouble
with the fleet manager and the following inspection after the fleet vehicles returned to their location.
And so I modified that to work on light truck passenger vehicles so anyone could follow along
if you can put it, if you can hold a dry erase marker and post up your schedule either with the
stickies or the magnets and check boxes that generally cost you money when you take the car
to the dealer for you know their whatever kilometer check up you know and you get a check a check a
check a check a check a check a check a check a check a check a check every one of those check marks
is like 30 bucks so my neighbor tells me so he's in his late 70s doing his own oil changes on his
beamer because he goes I'm not paying $800-$900 for someone to like look at stuff do nothing just
look at and go check car mats in they're anchored yep check 30 bucks clubbox light does that go out
wouldn't close it is the latch working check 30 bucks no we need to spend the money wisely and so
that video drops tomorrow being February what where are we at 27 tomorrow yeah 27 tomorrow
wow February wraps up this weekend Saturday is the last show of February already
wow I just need a moment yes you know what that means daylight savings time is coming
oh yeah in spring I haven't seen a robin yet I'll let you know because they generally arrive here
on the south shores of Lake Erie fairly early so I will sound the alert so I would again highly
recommend that you subscribe like share comment follow bring the notification bell so you don't
miss a single video because we got some amazing stuff already up there almost 200 teaching videos
and they're fun too because I am a bit of an idiot I'm just saying you know I'm just saying
others say other things but it's okay it's okay the description still works it's good to have fun
and release those dolphins because everyone needs to have a purpose in life put on pump okay next
let's move on so that drops tomorrow and you're gonna want to find out how to get
one of my maintenance schedules for yourself for your sons your daughters as we talked about
yesterday the importance of where were we yesterday we were here yeah teaching kids car ownership
moms and dads I really really mean that I do I live close to a high school and I see these cars
these kids are bombing around in some of them some of them look like they just barely escaped
the Beirut car bomb I wouldn't let my kid drive in them it's just they're total junk they sound like
the pizza delivery guy there can't be any exhaust on them anymore and they're beat up from corner to
corner crazy you know what that tells me about the kid that's driving it could give a damn about that
car just sees it as you know what when I'm done with it it's just going to go to the curb my parents
will get me another one that's the attitude the right of entitlement isn't that the disease we got
going on around the world the right of entitlement nope I don't know about you but as I talked about
yesterday I was not allowed to touch the family car after my brother wrecked two of them and I had to
get my own deal and I am a middle child and I understand my position in the siblings yeah and
I didn't have that opportunity to even have the keys to the family car and personally I didn't
want to touch it because you know you touch you buy kind of thing what did you do to it I didn't do
anything and then you end up paying for it so anyhow it was best that I had my own so you want
to get your kids going on the fleet maintenance thing on a car connection maintenance schedule
right from the get-go and I would suggest if you missed that podcast yesterday you missed a lot
you need to in fact I could have spoke for another hour just on the importance of making sure that
your son and your daughter okay you know here I get the deal you're the parents you want to do
everything for Sally and Johnny but you're not helping them when it comes to an automobile
you are not helping them you're enabling them they need to fully understand what it takes
to buy a car and maintain a car and take care of it or they're going to be stuck playing the
automotive game the never and ever plan principle and interest and we're going to talk this is all
going to circle back in just a few moments as we talk about DIY family garage culture is disappearing
this is all planned folks myself and my tech cronies that had shops on the Hamilton mountain
where's a group of us that were we're in it to help the customer we're in it to help the customer
save money where we can and we were in it and still in it for the love of automobiles and
teaching others that you know what you don't need to get stuck in the vortex of the never and ever
plan working going home to work home to work home to work home to work home to work home to work
home to work making a stinking car payment are you kidding me I've done it got the shirt
and I don't like the taste of it either done I'm done I'll go down to Kenny you pull it
in st. Catherine's and say I'll take that one right there as is and put it back together and
drive it for 10 years yeah because there's a ton of vehicles in there that look like brand new and
it's because you blew the transmission up and then realize we don't have eight thousand dollars honey
to put a transmission in it so you go in the hole and you buy another one see the never and ever plan
how it works yeah and I go in there and harvest baby harvest we got a van coming in uh Skippy and I
went down in July you can watch that video we just both died in that yard it was so hot that day
middle of July it was almost 100 and um we were wandering around just looking at the quality of
the vehicles in there and going my goodness it's like a car lot in here it's a smorgasbord we could
have plucked something out of there and put it on the road probably in two months very easily
and some people might say well how come you didn't have the uh 97 Jeep TJ Wrangler down in two months
there's a reason behind that everything for a reason I kind of had that vehicle done in six
months once we got to motor but teaching you what neglect does why did that vehicle end up in the
middle of a truck wrecking yard in Niagara on the lake how did it get there it was so out of place
it got there by neglect that's it neglect thinking that vehicles self heal doesn't work
all right let's back up the bus and get things going here there goes a quarter of an hour right
there anyways let's thank the Greenville family at uh 5000 Montrose road that's where you will
find Niagara block building Canada since 1931 with building supplies hardscape landscaping
materials that are absolutely stunning I gotta say outstanding materials and they can connect you
with contractors that you can trust to estimate accurately start the project finish the project
and there you are see yourself in your backyard makeover and that's your becomes your your secret
place that place where you can just sit relax with family friends or just be still just be
still they can help you with all of that at Niagara block so we thank them for bringing
to us this morning's weather report 19 degrees right now partly cloudy no snow on the south
shores of Lake Erie this morning Hallelujah for that wind is making it feel colder about 12 degrees
cloudy conditions expected around 6 a.m that's pretty soon and today's temperature range will be
from 19 degrees to 26 degrees and it'll feel more like 10 degrees to 24 degrees and yes that is
Fahrenheit somebody asked me yesterday oh is that Celsius or Fahrenheit I go I only speak English
yeah metric is the tool of the devil period inches feet yards miles and Fahrenheit thank you very
much so thank you to Niagara block for bringing that to us this morning next up yes we are going
to run the 30 day fuel savings challenge and I really got to thinking about it we're below 40
degrees Fahrenheit we need to be above 50 degrees Fahrenheit to truly run that that course and I'll
be your coach all the way and watch how much money you can put back in your pocket in your wallet
so it's two 30 day challenges there's part one and part two and at the end of that you will see
how important it is to make some subtle changes that put money puts money back in your wallet
see owning and operating an automobile is a science but it's not complicated we as people
and the talking heads the white noise and I'll tell you what I am so fed up disgusted and bored
with the white noise and the talking heads and I just can't simply understand how people can't see
through the lies because I just start laughing when I hear them talking they give themselves away
every single time they open their yaps they should not play poker ever because their body language
their facial expressions and the words they say they cannot help themselves folks they can't help
themselves from lying and I just start laughing and in the automotive world we've been laughing for
a long time because the game is on it all started with a term cafe yeah which brings me to let's
thank the brothers at uh Rainbow Motors Rita and Ramiz at Rainbow Motors and garage sales and service
you can trust in Scarborough for bringing us this morning's car connection swiggy are you ready
so whatever your morning beverage is here's how we do it we count it down three two one
and we have a swiggy together you're ready for it so thank you to Rainbow Motors and
garage you can buy a car there they can resource one for you if you're looking for something specific
and you can have any year maker model vehicle including light commercial vehicle service
by the brothers Rita and Ramiz at Rainbow Motors and garage in Scarborough sales and service you
can trust three two one it ain't coffee but you know it keeps me healthy so that's the thing
cortisol check it out dr. Mandel he's one of my favorites one of my favorite quacks
on YouTube's and I respect him a lot he shares a ton of knowledge to us and uh he's helped me with
this not having coffee for one hour after he wake up instead do something else and I got this recipe
from him and it makes a huge difference I just might get into my mankini this summer I just might
it's looking possible not impossible all right let's jump into the topic this morning
and I'm going to start off with um yeah we have to have the prerequisite this is the thing
you got to know what happened before where we are right now because where we are right now
with EVs and vehicles that just you know they're just not lasting you gotta step up you gotta you
gotta be smart you gotta be a prosumer not a consumer and that's why I'm here I'm here for you
I can fix anything out there on the planet almost I haven't fixed a train or a plane
but I have fixed boats yeah you know one time I'll share this with you one time I was working
at a shop up in Milgrove great family good peeps lousy coffee but anyways I rebuilt these two
engines these twin engines and then the owner told me who they were for they were for the owner of
Tim Hortons and so they were for his ship and so I built the two motors and then they had to be set
up the crane drops them in and then you get to be the dude that goes in the hull and you gotta go
out on the lake and in the boat underneath the floor and set these two engines up so that they're
running perfectly in time yeah and they are so screaming loud even with a headset on you can't
you can't even hear your heartbeat and you're setting these motors up and the boat is in motion
it's crazy that's all I got to say yeah that was an interesting time would I want to do that again
no no I wouldn't but anyways the motors were good I did a good job so back in the day I'm gonna take
you back to a conversation we had around the workbench from their coffee pot and box of donuts
and we could solve just about anything going on in the entire world at any level we were talking
about cafe and I spent three days with 22 to 2500 automotive service techs in the airport
international center in Toronto for a three-day seminar put on by lindertech and got a chance to
meet Jim Linder himself they have a shop in gasoline alley right close to the Indianapolis
motor speedway with like 22 service bays we don't have anything like that in Canada
and these guys I met a young lady she was four feet tall who was flipping burgers
and got bit by the the automotive bug and took training and she was training us how to diagnose
vehicles and what a master technician let me tell you a blonde bombshell and she that's what she
did she had a service bay there and her job was diagnose write the prescription skipy change the
parts then she would road test it and verify and confirm the repair is done went from flipping
burgers to becoming a master diagnostician in the automotive world how killer is that
the whole weekend the whole week it was a three-day deal was talking about and hammering out
where are we going with fuel economy where are we going with alternative fuels and we were all
given a piece of paper to put our name on in the company we represented as a service tech
and what we personally thought was going to be the alternative fuel
it was really interesting now keep in mind we'll round it off at 2200 service tax
was only a handful that hit the bullseye all of us talked about hybrids EVs
hydrogen and just another alternative fuel source natural gas propane we went through it all
and it all came down to something simple the cafe and that's what car manufacturers have to
meet the standards of cafe so let's jump into that so anyways at the end of the day at the end of the
day we had a class on fuel injectors and the technicians I'll tell you they they could definitely
built the space shuttle these fellas and fellas we have the ability to create a fuel injector
that will get a hundred miles to the gallon we have that ability
but why don't we see that out in the marketplace that's a question isn't it I have a carburetor
if you know what a carburetor is from the 60s that I scavenged off of a 68 or 69 Chevy Nova
which by the way means car no go I don't know why you'd call a car in an ova but anyways
a two barrel carburetor is it two barrel no it's a one barrel one barrel carburetor Rochester
they get 60 miles to the gallon
they don't make it anymore just like 283s they don't make them anymore why they lasted too long
they don't make that one barrel carburetor because it gets too too good a fuel economy
following me so our conversation back in 1992 early 92 to 95 was we were already talking about
alternative fuels so I want to read this to you because you have to understand
DIY family garage cultures disappearing all ties in with the cafe not the one you're drinking
it stands for corporate average fuel economy that's what it means and all automobile manufacturers
have to meet those standards set by yep the talking heads standards are regulations in the
united states and that's the cafe corporate average fuel economy standards are regulations
in the united states first enacted by the united states congress in 1975
after the 1973 74 arab oil embargo some of you might be old enough to remember that
to improve the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks trucks vans and sport utility vehicles
produced for sale in the united states more recently efficiency standards were developed
and implemented for heavy duty pickup trucks and commercial medium duty and heavy duty vehicles
cafe neither directly offers incentives for customers to choose fuel efficient vehicles
nor directly affects fuel prices rather it attempts to accomplish the goals indirectly
by making it here we go listen hard and rather it attempts to accomplish the goals indirectly
by making it more expensive for automakers to build inefficient vehicles by introducing penalties
cafe standards listen hard now cafe standards are administered by the secretary of transportation
via the national highway traffic safety administration the original cafe standards
sought to drive automotive innovation to curtail fuel consumption 100 mile to the gallon fuel injectors
and now the aim is also to create domestic jobs and cut global warming
yeah okay a study found that stringent cafe standards together with government incentives
for fuel efficient vehicles in the united states and this is north america why because we have
vehicles being made in the us come to canada made in canna go in the us cafe has to be met
should accelerate the demand for electric vehicles in 2025 fines for violating cafe standards were
largely eliminated there's lots more so if you want to googly that cafe c a f e you can read on
a lot more and i'll tell you what your eyes will be wide open because what's going on today
is very much tied into the politics around cafe
and i will be doing a series on evs and i want you ev owners if you're listening this morning
yeah your vehicle needs has mechanical components it has to be serviced pretty much the same
except to tune up you they do other things but i'm not focusing on in that series
on evs versus gas engines i'm looking at the behind the curtain what is really going on
behind the curtain with regards to evs the environment and the like and it's disgusting
i have to tell you what i have uncovered and i will provide links for all of it so all of you
and the armchair warriors can put down their snacks and what their favorite beverage and
read for yourself it's disgusting what's going on so we're going to talk about it here absolutely
the truth yeah sometimes the truth really hurts but it's better to know than not know
so how does this cafe thing now roll into the diy well this is why we have vehicles that
engines are blowing up because we're using super thin motor oils so that the engines
tolerances inside are running super duper tight and you can't you can't mix and match
fluids anymore you do that you contaminate and destroy it's that simple it it's all tied in
with cafe why why when skippy and i went into the uh what do they call that again the is it
kevin you pull it thing yard and st catheters that's the nearest one to us we go in there
and we film and look at the quality of the vehicles in there they're not rust buckets
like you you can't close all the doors and climb inside some of these things a lot of them
you could very easily have kept that sucker on the road for a long time they weren't rotted out
none of them none of them not one we couldn't find one that was rusted right through that was
ready for the crusher that there was nothing to pick off of it not one they were all really decent
so why is that it all has to do with cafe yeah it's called
obsolescence
yeah they don't want your vehicle to last so you're paying all that money
and they want it to be gone in three to five years now in japan they've been scrapping out
their vehicles since 1959 no matter what the mileage when they hit them up when they hit the
age so i think it's if i won't don't quote me on this because i haven't read that
for a long time it's three to five years and i think it's closer to three so you have a vehicle
you can have it for three years and then it gets scrapped and i used to buy engines and
transmissions from a company in toronto that they bought containers full of engines transmissions
you name it drive lines from japan and i put a number of those motors in they
they couldn't guarantee you the exact mileage on the engine but you could look at it and go
this thing looks like it just left the assembly line and i kid you not the bolts the hardware
the the hose clamps everything shiny new kid you not a real but to work on the only issue that
we ran would run into is the right hand drives there we got to switch a lot of stuff over but at
the end of the day what we would get an engine and it would be sold to us from japan out a container
from a company in toronto in the and i'll circle back in a minute why they do that it would be
complete starter alternator power steering pump exhaust manifold shiny new not a specker rust on
and we'd have to switch everything over but when we put the engine in you got all that stuff with it
so you got an engine that has they guaranteed less than 50 000 uh less than 5 000 kilometers
kilometers they guaranteed that but they couldn't tell you specifically whether it was 100 or a
thousand but every three years three to five years and again you can look that up no since 1959
they've scrapped their vehicles out by age not mileage and then they take them apart dissect them
and you companies are buying components so i did probably three or four engines like that
and i'll tell you what a treat it was because all the hardware is still all shiny new nothing
rusted corroded period and you're getting an engine with a brand pretty much a brand new starter
alternator power steering pump all the sensors like it just came off the assembly line at a decent
price and it's like starting all over again from ground zero in your car and all that included
it was crazy good the reason for scrapping out it stimulated the economy build more cars
build more cars build more cars and that's what's happening right now that's exactly what's happening
right now i just had this conversation a couple days ago and that kind of sparked it and i go
that's the tether i've been looking for how does this all weave itself together in the automotive
fabric of things yeah they don't want these vehicles lasting more than three to five years
and that's why engines transmissions are blowing up and you're adding to that component
i call it arranged obsolescence by not maintaining it by falling into that gap of you don't need to
maintain it it's maintenance free oh those are good for 200,000 50 225,000 kilometers they want it
to become obsolete up you know what i'm trying to say obsolescence yeah arranged obsolescence
so that's what's happening so that's why the recycle yards are filled with vehicles that
look like new yeah arranged obsolescence and they're making them more difficult for the do it
yourself or to work on they don't want you touching that vehicle they want you to have to tool up
your home garage with thousands of dollars of equipment like we do in order to do things that
you were able to do in your own backyard in your own workshop at home that's why the the DIY family
garage culture is disappearing sealed units you might be able to drain the transmission fluid but
you need equipment to pump it back in under pressure and it has to be at a specific temperature
when you do so engines oh there's no dipstick anymore just the one behind the wheel right
i couldn't refuse i couldn't resist that i had to say it sealed units i remember
ford came out with a twin overhead cam engine and we had a few of those coming apart and you can't
buy any parts for them obsolescence we'd hear well you got to buy a crate engine it's a modular unit
well what does that mean it means you got to buy the whole motor
there's no parts internal parts for it so if there's a problem with the engine you got to
buy another engine it's modular so that's what's happening with regards to the cafe the cafe is
forcing the manufacturers to make it the engineer vehicles that you it's hands off for you the
backyarder to do it yourself and the sad part about that is that's how i got my start in the
automotive world when i was 13 uh changing a motor freezing to death in Antarctica with my pops in a
barn that had just a few barnboards on it to call it a building in the middle winter yeah i think it
was like a 66 mercury pickup truck yeah it was a murk wasn't a well it was a ford you know still
made by famoco but it was a murk pickup truck in fact there's one i could take you to one and say
that's what that's the truck we put the motor in and uh yeah pops would do what he could to
pinch pennies and feed the three of us and uh my mom was a stay-at-home mom at that time
we worked on cars in the driveway but that's seriously going away and they want you to have to
only go back to the dealer and that seems to be the culture now you know that uh fixing cars and
dad's driveway and wrenching together that's how i got the bug of the automotive world and you know
it has the goods good and bad points but there's a ton of freaking politics in it too and uh that's
why i'm here i'm letting you know that you don't have to be blindsided by the politics you can get
passed it through it over it round it and under it as i've mentioned before the mice
have got to get smarter than the cat and when you figure out the game and that's why i'm here
to teach you the game you can win he who knows the rules best can cheat the bestest
and that's what we're doing we're out sneak in the sneak that's what my professor would say
if if you want to know how to catch a thief you have to out sneak the sneak
and then you'll get them every single time because they make mistakes
yeah so dad's driveway wrenching versus dealer only culture seems to be what's really taking
over and some people are finding out that the the dealer is not the place to be either it's
unsafe for your wallet and uh in the last couple of months of being on the air with our car connection
live in automotive calling program 31 years i had a lady phone in i'm going to share this with you
i'm no names i took the vehicle to the dealer i'm going to leave make a model out of it as well
but a really good brand of vehicle very good reliable brand of vehicle took it in
and uh this particular lady had a bit of an oil leak so the tax looked it over told her she needed
an engine so i sent the lady to to a shop that would take give it a second look
it just had a weed leak like it was spotting not leaving an exxon val d's oil slick in the
driveway it had a bit of a seal leak and they were able to take care of it cost a few bucks not too
many another lady always taking bought the vehicle at the dealer taking it back to the dealer told
her she needed $3,800 worth exhaust work that she needed the entire exhaust system replacing
because the noise it was making needed uh and the exhaust was bad it needed the exhaust from front
to back $3,800 so i gave her a couple of suggestions and she took one called me back and that was
great call me back say it cost her like just a little over $300 and it's fixed my question to
that tech would be if you owned this car and this was your car with your honey and your kids would
you be putting $3,800 worth of exhaust on it answer would be no what would you do what exactly what
she did what i told her to do and she did it to the t bam a little over 300 bucks fixed and she
said to me you know i've always trusted the dealer but now i see now i see what's really going on
now i see what's really going on you getting it i hope i'm not too rough on you but i'll tell you
what you gotta be rugged in this industry to play the game and it becomes fun because it's like
fishing in a barrel after a while because once you know the rules you can play the game
and you don't get caught up in the politics and everything else because wait till you hear the
series that i'm putting together and it has nothing to do with owning one it has everything to do
with the crap that's going on behind it that they're not telling you they're not telling any of us
but it's all out there for you to get it to dig and do the research and find out
what's goes on really behind the curtain when it comes to EVs because they're not the answer
they're not it's all political folks it's a fad and uh when the bottom falls out the truth hits
the surface it's going to be a whole new ballgame it sure is because what they're saying it's all
about is not what it's all about i'm gonna leave that park that right there so i don't spoil the
series what they're saying it's all about but what it's really all about are two totally different
things and it's disgusting that's all i'm gonna say it is absolutely disgusting what's really going
on with electric cars that none of the left-wing media will ever spew a thimble full of that
information because it would begin to turn a lot of heads in the in a different direction and go what
you didn't tell us that part why not hmm why not 100 miles to the gallon fuel injectors
they're real why aren't we putting them in the cars cafe interesting huh why aren't we going
to be able to do the the pops and sun working in the driveway thing where you know what lives are
carved out interests are built relationships are created
dad's driveway wrenching versus the dealer only culture loss of complete mechanical literacy
in the impact on ownership costs it's amazing what i'm watching unfold and i'm sharing it with you
you don't need to be part of that culture you don't that's why i drive a 99 an 07 an 08
because i'm it's safe in that area it's safe the things are creating today
created obsolescence people have said it before i think they're you know i think they know
you know they plan for this stuff to break uh huh yes they do the bottom line is yes they do
the prices keep going up but the quality keeps going the other way not on all but on many
and they that what happens is here here's the the other effect on the environment
if we're getting rid of our having to get rid of our vehicles every three to five years if it makes
it that far that's why they don't give you a seven-year hundred thousand kilometer warranty
it's more like 360 and three years 60 000 kilometers it's over whichever one you strike first
they want it gone so they can make more but they're making they're having to make more
vehicles to replace the ones that don't make it that end up at the you pull it wrecking yard
and uh the reason behind all that is is that good for the environment continuously having to pump
out more and more and more and more volumes of automobiles see what i'm saying it's the game
and the mice have got to learn to get smarter than the cat and then you play he who knows the rules
plays the game best and wins and you can win right here in the car connection workshop
grab hold of all the information i'm giving you i am sharing nuggets with you on on our youtube
channel facebook instagram stevensville on the web that's a website created by our videographer
skippy and she lives in stevensville my parents lived in stevensville my mom passed away in 22 my
pops is still there and some great businesses there great family owned and operated businesses
there in fact that's where i go to get my haircut done is in stevensville walk right in they take
care of you right away you're in the door out the door looking good touching wood that's right i think
he took a little too much off yesterday it's still not spring quite but anyways i said i'll see in
three months but uh that website was created to bring the business owners in the community together
and i love that i really do and and they have a you know what they have one of my favorite
coffees in stevensville donut diner there's still a donut diner alive and well in stevensville
yeah that's where i went yesterday i went wow you know what i'm gonna get a cup of donut diner
that coffee was really good and then country-style donuts is my other favorite coffee and my next one
in line would be mccafe they got it i think anyhow so tap in to the information that i have for you
i've had over 44 years experience my licenses are all up on the wall i just paid for another year
to have my tickets yeah we have to pay every year to keep our licenses i know it's crazy but again
it's another political scam is what it is we got to keep paying to have our ticket so we pay to get
a sticker to go on our license card and on our diplomas so yeah you've got a ton of information
to tap into youtube facebook instagram stevensville on the web tap on the businesses tab that'll open
our profile that skippy has put up there for us and you can email through there too if you like
we have our iHeart radio we're on all podcast platforms so saturdays i'm switching to do
in a one-hour program i almost do an hour anyway every day but it depends on the topic half an hour
and plus you know ads for our program partners that we love so much we have to do that and
say thank you to them for helping us and staying with us coming off radio and staying with us to
push us into the digital world so we can reach more and more people and skies the limit so we have
our iHeart radio there we're on every platform just type in car connection workshop you'll find us
there and our merch store so if you're wanting merchandise we have an online store and it's
safe and secure you can order what you like get yourself an official limited edition
car connection coffee mug and call it your own and send us a selfie having to have a beverage
out of our official after 31 years we finally have our own car connection coffee mug that's
insane proceeds go to help those struggling with addiction get to a total freedom addiction campus
for canadians and us residents alike there's a new life waiting for them there they've been
doing what they do best helping people get through an addiction and come out the other side
back into the real world ready to face you know having a job paying rent and feeding yourself
and taking care of yourself they're taught all those things from scratch at total freedom
addiction centers for over 20 plus years um is there anything else i want to share yeah make
sure you like share follow ring the bell leave a comment and subscribe 93 of you that are watching
our youtube videos i know you like them but you're not subscribed we need to get to a thousand
subscribers so we can get some money coming in so that we can pay for parts and fixed vehicles for
for widows orphans those going through a tough time and especially single moms so if you like
real world car advice with no bs or garage stories well maybe once in a while hit that subscribe button
because 93 percent of you are watching aren't subscribed and that tells me youtube showing
our videos to the right gear heads but you need to join us so join motormouth and my crew
and let's keep your ride on the road together i'm helping you help us so that we can help
a lot of others have i said before motormouth doesn't need another shiny thing it's all about
people and serving to who much is given much is required and that's how i live my life i don't
need it all i just need a little bit that's it i'm happy and content with that you know i've been
around a while and uh you do have to become um feel good in your own skin if you know what i'm
saying thank you to uh christa ridge dream center for doing what they do in times when community
sport is so crucial christa ridge dream center shines as a beacon of compassion and transformation
located at 385 derby road right in the heart of crystal beach they're changing lives one at a time
women children young men young women seniors single moms they have programs for all of you
after school programs for the kids they feed them they play games with them chocolate bingo one of
my favorite i wish i were a kid just to get in the chocolate bingo program but i can't i asked
i said come on you guys sneak me in nope just for the kids motormouth love hope
the whole schmiel they feed out the door now almost 300 people twice a week so if there's
anything you can do to help click on their logo have a look at them research them their nonprofit
faith-based organization doing what we should all be doing and that is serving one another
thank you to url and louise grant at city auto sales and leasing low mileage quality vehicles
at fair prices let them know what's vehicle specific you're looking for if they don't have it
they can find it greater toronto areas premier pre-owned auto store they sell no junk there buy
with confidence be treated with nothing less than honesty and integrity that's url and louise grant
husband and wife team at city auto sales in leasing if you or someone you know
is struggling right now with finances and a deep in debt and drowning there is hope
there is hope i'm going to give it to you right now tony mealy and larry teacher all my brothers
from other mothers they've got 50 years as fidu fiduciaries they're both well decorated certified
financial planning professionals the most humblest two guys that you'll ever meet are willing to sit
down with you leave your wallet at home nobody's going to sell you anything for what we call the
discovery meeting an hour in a coffee so whether you're a senior you got investments at the bank
you need to get them out of there if you're you know a mother and a father raising kids
and you've got investments with the bank you need to get them out of there
and let uh let the guys look at your portfolio and show you what they can do you'll actually
make money you'll your money will work hard for you they can put together a plan to take care of
debt estate planning powers of attorney health proxies the whole nine yards it's not something
you do yourself folks you just don't do it yourself mortgages i haven't had a mortgage with a bank
for almost 20 years a mortgage with uh i g wealth and i love it there interest rates are great and
they treat you like a people not a number and life insurance critical illness insurance they do it all
sit down and get that discovery meeting done all is not lost that's what the world says
all is not lost sit get your questions answered by my brothers from other mothers i've been working
with tony and larry for over 20 years that's why my i hope you can feel my heart here do it do it
today call book a meeting meet in person by zoom in the office the board room at a coffee shop at
your home but not in a box with a fox they won't do that i asked they said that's pushing it
motor mouth connect connect learn how to learn how to budget for your automotive repairs learn
how to budget to purchase that next vehicle and just learn how to be a caregiver of everything
that's been entrusted to us happy motoring happy healthy motoring have a great day at work it's
thursday we're almost made it to the weekend tomorrow's fun friday we're going to be poking at those who
have minivans so come along for the conversation we're going to have some fun some laughs and
and you problem if you're a minivan owner you're going to want to join us it's going to be entertainment
it's going to be the whole package and then some to start the weekend so that's tomorrow's conversation
can you look stellar behind the wheel of a minivan i don't know i've never owned one i'm not sure i
don't i'm not sure how you you get into that communal dodge caravan minivan community i don't
know how you get into that but anyways come along have some fun with us be safe out there keep
it under 100 and put that coffee on because we just might come to your house peace patience kindness
always
Request an explanation for:
4 cars
4 cars featured
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
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.
