The most Expensive "Cheap" Maintenance Mistakes ( Why Drivers Stay Car Broke )
Car Connection Workshop
The most Expensive "Cheap" Maintenance Mistakes ( Why Drivers Stay Car Broke )
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Car
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is a tough, boxy vehicle that people love to take off-road, like on dirt trails or rocky paths. It's famous for being able to go almost anywhere, which is why many people enjoy driving it for outdoor adventures.
Car
Nissan Rogue
The Nissan Rogue is a small SUV that is great for families because it has lots of space inside and is easy to drive. It's known for being reliable and good on gas, which makes it a popular choice for everyday use.
Concept
fleet maintenance service
Fleet maintenance service is when a company takes care of all its vehicles, like cars and trucks, to keep them running well. This helps prevent problems that could stop the vehicles from working and costing the company money.
Concept
warranty
A warranty is like a promise from the car maker that if something goes wrong with the car, they will fix it for free for a certain amount of time or distance driven. It helps protect buyers from unexpected repair costs.
Term
vehicle ownership
Vehicle ownership means you own a car and are responsible for everything about it, like taking care of it, getting insurance, and deciding what to do with it.
Term
sticker price
The sticker price is the price shown on a car's window that tells you how much the car costs. It's what the manufacturer suggests the dealer should sell it for.
Term
PDI
PDI means Pre-Delivery Inspection. It's a check that car dealers do to make sure the car is working properly and is safe before you buy it.
Term
shipping freight
Shipping freight is the cost of getting the car from where it's made to the dealership where you buy it. It's an extra fee that you might have to pay when buying a car.
Term
out-the-door price
Out-the-door price is how much you actually pay for a car after adding everything together, like taxes and fees. It's the total amount you need to pay to own the car.
Term
72 month loan
A 72 month loan means you have six years to pay off your car loan. It usually means smaller monthly payments, but you might end up paying more in interest overall.
Term
wear and tear
Wear and tear means the normal damage that happens to a car as you drive it. Things like tires and brakes get used up and need to be replaced eventually.
Term
fluids
Fluids are the liquids that help your car run smoothly, like oil that keeps the engine working and coolant that keeps it from overheating. They need to be checked and replaced regularly.
Car
Toyota Fj
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a tough SUV designed for off-road driving. It has a unique look and is known for being able to handle rough terrains well.
Term
exhaust upgrade
An exhaust upgrade means changing parts of the exhaust system to make the car run better and sound nicer. It can help the engine work more efficiently.
Part
manifolds
Manifolds are parts of the car that help move exhaust gases away from the engine. In older cars, these parts can rust or break down, which can cause problems.
Part
catalytic converters
Catalytic converters are parts of the exhaust system that help clean up the gases that come out of the car. They make the car less polluting.
Part
stainless steel exhaust
A stainless steel exhaust is a type of exhaust system made from a special metal that doesn't rust easily. It lasts longer than regular exhausts.
Term
preventative maintenance
Preventative maintenance means taking care of your car regularly to avoid problems later. It's like going to the doctor for check-ups to stay healthy.
Term
fleet vehicles
Fleet vehicles are cars or trucks that a company owns and uses for work. They need to be kept in good shape so the company can keep running smoothly.
Term
structural integrity
Structural integrity means how strong and stable a car's body is. Keeping it strong helps the car last longer and stay safe to drive.
Term
rust proofing
Rust proofing is a treatment that helps stop cars from getting rusty. It makes the metal last longer and keeps the car looking good.
Part
door hinge
A door hinge is the part that connects the door to the car frame, allowing it to open and close. If it gets worn out, the door might not work well.
Part
brakes
Brakes are the parts that help a car slow down or stop. If they are new, it means they work well and keep you safe while driving.
Term
transmission fluid
Transmission fluid is a special liquid that helps keep the car's transmission working well. It cools the parts, cleans them, and helps them move smoothly.
Part
CVT transmission
A CVT transmission is a special kind of automatic transmission that can change gears smoothly without the usual steps you feel in regular automatic cars. This helps the car accelerate more smoothly and can save on fuel.
Term
deferred maintenance
Deferred maintenance means putting off important car repairs or services. This can cause bigger problems later and can be more expensive to fix.
Term
alignment
Alignment is how straight your car's wheels are set. If they're not aligned properly, your car might pull to one side and your tires can wear out faster.
Part
front end suspension
The front end suspension is what helps your car's front wheels stay connected to the body of the car. It helps with steering and makes the ride smoother.
Car
Gmc Jimmy
The GMC Jimmy is a type of SUV made by GMC. It was popular for many years and is known for being tough and able to handle different types of driving conditions.
LIVE
Good morning friends! You're tuned into Car Connection, where the coffee's strong, the
stories are real, and the wrenches never stop turning. I'm your host, I'll MotorMouth Jenkins,
coming to you from the Car Connection workshop, where the smell of fresh oil and a little
elbow grease is all part of a balanced breakfast. Around here we don't just talk cars, we live
them. Whether it's a 25 year old Jeep Wrangler getting a second chance at life, or a Nissan
Rogue getting its brakes back in order, or perhaps a Mystery Leak that's got everyone
scratching their heads. This is where we roll up our sleeves and get it done, with a little
wit, a little wisdom, and a whole lot of fun. The Car Connection isn't just about nuts,
bolts, and diagnostics, it's about connection. Connection to our vehicles, to the people
who drive them, and to the community that keeps Niagara rolling. Because when you fix
a car, you're not just turning a wrench, you're restoring someone's confidence, freedom, and
maybe even their sanity. We're here every week with the MotorMouth 8am morning drive,
Monday through Saturday, helping you keep your ride safe, reliable, and ready for whatever
road lies ahead. So whether you're a weekend wrencher, a daily commuter, or someone who
just wants to understand what that strange rattle really means. Welcome aboard. Stick around
for shop talk, expert advice, a few good laughs, and maybe a story or two. Well, lots going
on this morning. I can't speak for everyone, but in our own backyard here on the south
shores of Lake Erie, we have copious quantities of the white stuff. Uh huh. Yep, seems like
we have been putting on the banjo just about every other day. This year it's a great Canadian
winter, eh? So for all of you commuting this morning, give yourself a lot more time to
shovel out, crank up the snowblower, and fall in love once again with the sounds of winter.
Exactly. I'm on. I put my Mimo in for the January thaw. Nothing yet. I'm trying. I'm
pulling for us. So give yourself a lot of extra driving time as well. Take it easy out
there. It's better that you get to your destination in one piece than have a vehicle upset, because
in one single minute, life completely goes upside down and sideways. And that's what
we need to really think about is, you know, getting to bed earlier, changing our schedule,
so we're not rocket launching down the road through the drive-thru. And if you're there
right now, double check your order. It is Monday morning, you know. Is it Monday morning
every day of the week? Pretty much when it comes to the takeout window. If you don't
want to be disappointed and begin your day with the wrong order, just check it. I've
learned my lesson on that one. Yeah, one time, I went through a drive-thru, you know, the
golden arches three times. Yeah, I got down the road to take a swiggy. I got hot water.
I go back, sit in line, back through. They give me another one. I got hot water. I circle
the building. I go back and I go, look, this is it. I'm going to snap. I've just lost 20
minutes of my time to get to my meeting. And I need coffee right now, three times. So,
I actually called the, I called the Golden Archies Service Department. They were really
nice. I said, how is that possible? Really, really. Anyhow, lock that beverage down in
your cup holder. And thanks for joining us this morning. I'm your host, Nile Motormouth
Jenkins. And I'll tell you, I have a million stories. One day, we will write that book.
And you'll have to make sure that you put your cup down when you get to some of the
stories because you just can't make that stuff up. You can't. I lived it. Absolutely lived
it. So, thanks for inviting me into your car wherever it is. You sit and be still and
have a great cup of whatever your morning beverage is, your beverage. We call them
beverages. Yeah, we like to sound important. And let's get going this morning. We got a
super title. Most expensive, cheap maintenance skips. What the heck does that mean? Really?
Yeah. So, again, take it easy out there. Take the time. Clean the vehicle completely off
so that you can see out all the windows. And that way, you know what? You've got full
visual. And make sure your wipers are not frozen to the windshield this morning and
you just turn them on. See my neighbor do that. And one of these times, bam, they be
brokey. He doesn't check nothing. He just gets in and hits the wipers. I watched it
yesterday. I'm going, is he going to turn the wipers on? Yes, sir. He just turns them
right on. That's how you get caught, folks. It's when you use the word assume. Everything's
just jolly. And then it's not. So, first and foremost, when you're cleaning off the car
today, if you haven't lifted up the wipers overnight, that is a great, cheap fix for
those headaches not to happen. Because I know it's cold out and we all want to get in where
it's nice and warm and get in our nice little warm comforter or nice warm spot next to the
fireplace and cozy up. But it's well worth the extra time just to lift the wiper arms
straight up like antennae. Then you don't get to experience the wiper mechanism horror
show because it goes from zero to a thousand bucks in no time parts and labor in today's
world. So I'm going to unpack this for you. I hope you got your crayons ready and your
leaf bag folded up. If you've got a co partner this morning, a co pilot, then hand that over
and say you're in charge of taking notes. Let's begin our morning with a swiggy together.
If you haven't joined us, it would be nice that we're all in the car connection workshop
and the heats on and coffee pots going and we can sit around and chin wag and have a
natter, but we can't. So this is the next best thing. Raise your favorite beverage.
Keep an eye on the road, one eye on the road, one eye on your co pilot. And we count it
down three, two, one and have a swiggy together of our favorite morning beverage. Here it's
99.5% octane boost all the time. No decaf. No frappes. No lattes. Just good old fashioned
coffee. Three, two, one. Mm hmm. I have a hint of something in there. Might have been the
screwdriver I stirred that with this morning. Hmm. Yeah, I'm thinking, I'm thinking there
might be something foreign in there this morning. It's extra. That's an extra. People pay for
that. All right, I wanted to unpack this for you. But before we do that, remember everything
we talk about lives at our website at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com. What does that mean? It's the biggest
drawer in our toolbox that we put together with our web maintenance gurus that you get
to the homepage. Everything you need is available to you to follow us to connect with our program
partners at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com. The top right hand corner of the homepage.
You'll see all the links for our YouTube channel. If you haven't subscribed to that, you are
missing a ton of education, education. You are going to learn so much about vehicle ownership
that it will stuff your wallet full of cash towards falling out to learn the basic fundamentals.
That's what we're going to be talking about this morning. Most expensive, cheap maintenance skips.
What does that mean in dollars and cents? Well, if you sign up for our YouTube channel,
you're going to see the work that we do here in the carconnection workshop and always,
they're teaching videos. Like I said, I've said before, we're not building hot rods,
custom rigs, monster trucks. We're just doing basic fundamental auto repairs.
What is the problem? What it is, where it is, how it works, how it breaks, and what could you have
learned as a basic fundamental and operation of that component that would have saved you money
because driver error occurs. When driver error occurs, what does that mean? Get your wallet out.
It's your dime. Something else I'm going to kick off with this morning as well. I'm just
setting that off to the side so I don't forget. On the homepage, all the links are in the top
right hand corner, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Stevensvilleontheweb.ca. I'm there and my pops
lives there and the businesses there are amazing. There's a lot of amazing, talented people that
are business owners in the Stevensville area. You might want to check that out sometime.
That's where the Safari Niagara is located. There's some great eateries there, some of my faves,
and they built us a profile page. Thanks to Skip, who built the website and monitors the website
and maintains the website to bring together the community of Stevensville because they're people.
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It is a lifestyle change, and there is a new life waiting for those who say, I'm ready.
We cannot, we cannot, as much as we love them, and I've been in a relationship like that,
as much as you love them to pieces and you want to shake them and scream at them, you know,
what are you doing, vain sticking out, they're not ready till they're ready, and it's that simple.
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but you also can say, I'm helping someone who needs help with addiction.
All right, let's jump in this morning. You ready? Did I hear somebody say I'm ready?
And don't, I haven't forgotten, we've got our 30 day fuel savings challenge coming up after
family day here in Ontario, which I think is around the 17th or so of the month of February,
and then we'll, prior to that, we'll go through all the details. You're going to have to sign up
and send me an email to let me know who's on board so that I can, I can cheer for you
and be your coach, because at the end of the day, if you have two vehicles in the homestead
and you're the one that signs up, you're going to save about $100 minimum a month
in your wallet, back into your wallet. And then once we get through the fuel savings challenge,
I have another challenge for you to do that will also put vehicle ownership in control of you
and again, putting money back in your pocket. So I have over 44 years of experience
with vehicle fleet maintenance service. And they, let me tell you, when the company hires a fleet
manager, they're in charge of making sure that all the trucks, whatever the fleet is, it could be
cars, it could be big rigs, it could be, you know, moving type vehicles, but product moving vehicles
and hundreds of them. The fleet manager has to make sure they're all being serviced to the
nines. We don't have vehicles down losing the company money. Well, I took that and adapted it
into what if we treated our own automobiles like it was a fleet vehicle? Because fleet vehicles,
they pack the miles on. So this big lie about three years, $60,000. You know what, Mr. CEO
of the big, big three, if that's all you can give me for warranty on your, your thing,
I don't want it. If it's only good for three years or 60,000 kilometers, are you kidding me?
And I got to go get another one. And then I got to go get another one. That's what car
connection is all about, to prevent that from happening. Because the first thing they want,
and I have, I have a lot of dealership experience too, on purpose, and put myself after I close
my shop into a dealership so that I could see the nuts and bolts and the politics and everything
that makes a dealership run. And I still say it today, the best dealership out there still has
not been built, period. They all gots problems, all of them. And the customer is generally in the
middle. There are others that are really good, they're really decent, but they still gots problems.
So I have that experience to share with you as well. Their, their, their motive operandi
is to move sheet metal and rubber over the curb. And what we've seen from service technicians and
my buddies that are all service techs in the last 10 to 15 years, the game plan for the car
manufacturers is to get you out of that vehicle. And I'm talking domestics mostly, get you out of
that vehicle into another one in three to five years, maximum. So they're not pushing service.
That's where you have to be in charge of your fleet. So mama, if he won't do it, you do it.
If she won't do it, be the man, put the zipper in the front, and you do it. If you have a couple
of vehicles or three vehicles in the driveway, you have a mini fleet that you need to track
the maintenance. Stay ahead of the curve. Then you know what, you're not doing the home to work,
home to work, home to work, home to work, home to work, home to work, home to work,
trading time for money just to have a ride. Are you kidding me? No, I've never bought a brand
new vehicle in my life. And I don't know if I would even if I had drips of cash falling out of
my pocket, you know, the stuff's falling on the floor and just going, can you clean that up for me?
Thanks, appreciate it. Just put it with the rest of the stuff. Yeah, yeah, no. That's my answer.
Yeah, no, I'm not interested in in doing that. I've had car loans. And believe me, I've paid
through the nose for that vehicle. And I still have one from my 20 something years, 22. When I
was 22 to 24. Yeah, I'll share that story with you 17.93% back in the early 80s. And you're going
what? No, you're lying. I wish I was 17.93%. On a vehicle I could have bought
on that day if I had the cash $11,200 $11,200 at 17.93% for five years. And I had to refi at once.
Yeah, I had a mortgage back then was 14% back in the early 80s. 14%. That's right.
Living the dream, Jerry. Living the dream. All right, let's jump into this. That's kind of a segue
into where we're going. So remember, our homepage on our website is the best way for you to connect
with our program partners and our recommended businesses, their logos are there, click open
profile page, all the information you need to connect car connection brought to you by your
certified financial planning professionals, my brothers from other mothers, Tony Mielly and Larry
Teatro 50 years of experience as fiduciaries. They work with IG wealth management, one of the
number one companies in the world for managing monies for trillions, trillions of dollars.
They manage Tony and Larry will take care of your portfolio. If you've got an investment
with the bank, you really got to get it out of there. They're making money on you like you
wouldn't believe you're making a Ziploc bag of cash. They deal with debt, estate planning,
that's powers of attorney, the whole nine yards, you don't that's not something ladies and gents,
you go and buy a packet for 20 bucks. If you read the whole thing, it will tell you,
you need to have an attorney check this for you. So what's the use? It doesn't stand either,
just so you know, the recipe does not sell. At the end of the day, you need a proper estate plan
with wills and powers of attorney that everything is locked and your last wishes are locked up tight.
So there's no in fighting at the end. So I say that because I've seen it and experienced it
also through my own estate planner. And it's really sad how that can damage families forever.
They arrange mortgages. I haven't had a mortgage with a bank for decades.
And life insurance as well as critical illness insurance and that is something I would highly
recommend. I have all this stuff taken care of through IG wealth management and I can sleep
straight at night knowing if I go to my great reward, I have not left family friends in a great
big mess to clean up. Don't do that. Sit down and get your questions answered. We call it an hour
and a coffee. It's a discovery meeting. Tony and Larry don't need one more client. These guys
are two of the best in Canada. Connect with them. They're giving you their time because
they're my brothers from other mothers. And I love them dearly because they have a passion
like I do to help you put money back in your wallet instead of it falling out all the time.
So connect with either Tony Miele or Larry Tietro. Book that hour and a coffee. You can do it by
Zoom, by phone, in a coffee shop at their boardroom. They'll come to your home, whatever you're
comfortable with. Lay all the cards on the table. That's what I will say. Don't hide nothing. There's
no condemnation, no sales, no sales gimmicks, nothing. These guys will pour it out if you pour
it out. So it's an olive branch for you. So if you're struggling with any of those areas,
instead of taking the advice from somebody who you respect that's not standing where your feet
need to be, that's what my professor would say. If that person's giving you advice, but they're not
where you want to be, then you should smile and run because that's not going to help you. You need
to get advice from those who have the fruit on the tree. And this happens in the neighborhood
with car repairs. Believe me, push, pull, and drag. Hey, motormouth kid, take a look at this.
Well, I had somebody, you know, one of the guys I work with said, you know, bring it over and
it's screwed up. Can you look at it? And I'm like, all right. I open the hood and I go,
oh, yeah, it's screwed up. All right. My recommendation, that fella, don't let him touch
a bicycle. Got it? I'll do it. I'm pretty upfront. I'll say I'll fix this mess up for you. But don't
do it again. Just don't. Don't let him touch it. All right, let's get going here this morning.
The most expensive cheap maintenance skips. Well, first of all, the cheapest maintenance skip
is you. I've already mentioned it once already. And that is, you have to buy into 100%. Ladies
are gents. I don't know who I'm talking to. You got to buy into 100% something called vehicle
ownership. That means it's your jalopy. It's your ride. And it's your business. You get to make
all the decisions. But in all seriousness, if all you're doing is being stuck in a vortex
that goes on and on forever while you're trading time for money, home to work, home to work, home
why? Because your mindset is not right. You never sold yourself into vehicle ownership.
And that's where fleet maintenance just crushes you, all of you. Because fleet companies that run
fleets of vehicles, it is of utmost important that every single unit gets out on the road,
runs the load and makes the company money.
How do they do it?
All the vehicles that they buy or lease,
most of the time they lease it,
they know they still have to maintain it.
It's not taken care of by the leasing company.
That's their deal.
If they want those fleet vehicles to make the money,
they gotta keep them rolling.
So what do they understand?
Yeah, exactly.
Vehicle ownership.
Let me share some numbers with you.
I thought I would start with this.
All right, this all came from a conversation I had
and I was in a dealership locally
and I was getting some parts.
That was an interesting thing.
Very interesting.
I see the vehicle in the showroom
for just under $59,000 sticker price.
I'm going, eat Gads, man.
That's just shy of $60,000.
So if you had 60, $1,000 bills
and you set them on the kitchen table,
would you leave the room?
That's a question my professor would ask.
Would you leave the room?
Hold her mouth like, oh, heck,
if I lose 20 bucks in the driveway,
I'm gonna trip you on the way there
to find it before you do.
So let's run through this.
What does that look like?
What does that look like at the end of the day?
In the first year?
So we decide to plug this in,
$2026, $59,000 sticker price.
Put the taxes on there.
And that's not including shipping freight and PDI.
And I could talk about that all day.
Yeah, I, no, I won't, yeah, no, I won't go there.
So that's not including that stuff that gets tacked on.
Shipping, PDI and freight.
Yeah, brings the total now to $59,767
for that ride, for you to take that home.
A six year loan is gonna cost you $830 a month.
Okay, stay with me.
So the total of the vehicle at $59,767
doesn't include interest for the first year.
So I asked chat, what is the average interest rate?
So you can fact check me if you want.
You might get a different answer today.
I don't know, 6%.
So that's average based on your credit rating.
So if your credit rating is in the tank,
it's gonna be probably eight to 12.
So interest on that $59,767 out the door,
is gonna be for the first year, $3,586 in interest
on that $59,767 out the door.
Here's the keys, thanks for coming, okay?
So you're gonna make payments that in the first year,
now this is a 72 month loan, all right?
72 months, talk to a certified financial planner
and they'll give you a cinder block
to bang your head against on that one.
So in one year, you will have made $9,960 towards
the whole loan, yeah.
So just under 10 grand, home to work, home to work,
home to work, home to work, home to work,
$9,960 just to have that vehicle in the driveway.
So at the end of the year,
you will have paid $6,374 just to principal.
So that'll come off your $59,767 out the door.
It gets better.
So your new balance then, at the end of the day,
you will have paid $9,960 in interest
and $6,374, I'm sorry, I'm backing up.
No, $3,586 in interest for the first year
and $6,374 towards principal.
So your next year, your purchase price now changes.
So the balance changes and now the interest
is calculated on that new balance.
So you're now down from $59,767,
you paid off $6,374 in principal,
bringing you down to $53,393 is your new balance
for them to calculate interest.
So the interest in the second year
will now be $3,203.58 at 6%.
So if we add that all together,
principal and interest for one year
comes to $63,353.
Okay, now I'm gonna flip over to my other little doodle.
So the question here is,
you still have to gas and oil insurance
and anything not covered under warranty
is out of your pocket.
What's not covered under warranty?
Anything that's wear and tear,
anything that's normal wear and tear,
tires, brakes, fluids, filters, lights,
that's pretty much it.
Everybody has to pay for that.
None of that is covered under warranty.
That's what normal wear and tear,
that's what they call vehicle ownership.
So someone said to me,
well, I just don't think it's a good idea.
And I've had this conversation,
I can't tell you how many times.
So it's just, it just rotates.
I just can't see putting money into an older vehicle.
You're spending money on something that's old.
Well, you still have to maintain
what you just bought, brand new.
They don't cover everything.
They're still wear and tear.
It's your baby.
The warranty items, yeah,
are covered for mileage or time,
whatever runs out first.
So if you're a high miler,
you're never gonna take advantage of any warranty.
And here's the thing,
if anything major is gonna happen,
it's gonna happen in the first year.
So how many people, including my pops,
who bought an extended warranty for like three grand
on a used vehicle he bought?
How much money did you get to collect on that pops?
Nothing.
Three grand, gone.
Would have been better to put the 3,000 bucks
in an account off to the side and use that for repairs.
So now I'm gonna use my own vehicle
as an asset or a liability.
And here's where you got,
and it all ties in with the most expensive,
cheap maintenance tips,
cheap maintenance tips.
Is vehicle maintenance.
Regular maintenance, scheduled maintenance,
preventative maintenance.
The key word is what?
In everything I just said, maintenance.
You don't wait till stuff breaks,
you stay ahead of the curve.
That way, stuff doesn't get away from you.
All right, so I have a 2,000 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 379,000 K.
It's gonna be a member of the 400,000 K Club.
It's 19 years old.
I bought it in 12, 2012.
I gotta do an exhaust upgrade this year
because the exhaust manifolds are looking decrepit.
I've never seen anything quite like it before,
even on vintage vehicles I work on.
The manifolds are just, they're rotting, they're rotting.
And they're the factory ones.
But anyways, we still press on.
I got 379,000 K.
The exhaust upgrade is gonna,
and the manifolds with catalytic converters
included gonna be all in.
The entire back half of exhaust is all stainless steel now.
So I got fed up with changing it to said,
Jesse, let's just put stainless on there
and we'll take care of the forward stuff later.
So 1,500 bucks all in is what it's gonna cost
to bring the old 7FJ right up to stuff
and get those exhaust manifolds with cats,
catalytic converters changed out.
Okay, so stay with me.
So if I take that $1,500 and I divide that by 12 months,
that's $125 a month.
What can you buy this afternoon for $125 a month?
The truck is not falling apart.
Why?
I didn't pay $45,000 for it.
The lady I bought it from did.
Yeah, exactly.
Best car in the driveway,
from any certified financial planner's mouth to your ears
will be the one that's paid for.
So what are you gonna drive for $125 a month?
The original exhaust manifolds with catalytic converters
lasted 19 years.
Because I've been throwing a ton of parts on this
in 19 years.
It's never left me by the roadside.
Touch wood.
Why?
Stay ahead of the curve.
Do the little stuff.
Regular maintenance, preventative maintenance is the key.
That's how fleet vehicles keep their stuff running up
and down the highway making the company a profit.
Moving product, moving product.
You're moving product every day.
You gotta get your butt to work and home to the kids
and the kids get them taken care of to their programs.
This, that and the other thing
and doctor's appointment and dentist and everything.
Yeah, you're a fleet vehicle owner.
So if I total this all up over the course of 19 years
of owning this 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser,
it will have cost me $78 a year over 19 years
to do the exhaust manifolds.
Can you buy something for $78 a year?
And it's still going.
I'll make it to the 600,000 kilometer club.
You say, well, here's what I always get thrown at me
and I got a great answer for it.
But you're a mechanic.
Okay, but the vehicle still needs maintenance.
Hello?
Okay, I can do it myself.
But the vehicle still has maintenance
that has to be done.
Hello, right?
How about your own?
It still has maintenance that needs to be done.
So even though I can do it myself, what are you saying?
What is it you're saying when somebody says that?
Well, you're a mechanic.
I know some mechanics.
I wouldn't even take their car into the corner store,
but I'm pretty anal retentive about,
you know what, these things are worth a lot of money.
That lady that I bought this FJ from paid $45,000
first owner right out of the dealership.
I have the paperwork.
She gave me all the paperwork on it.
And you know what, she maintained it.
She maintained it to the nines.
It was worth buying.
I just had to take over where she left off.
So the answer here is on my 2007 FJ Cruiser,
have I been foolish to put parts in it?
Have I been foolish to do preventative maintenance?
Stay ahead of the curve.
Don't let stuff break, fall off,
or it get you hauled in on the back of a flatbed.
That doesn't happen to maintenance to fleet vehicles
because if it does, next time the tender comes up,
you're the man.
Yeah, you're not gonna get the tender.
Our job as service techs working on fleet vehicles
was to make sure we missed absolutely nothing.
And as our boss would say,
if you can't look at a component and say yes,
it can remain in service, it's not a maybe, it's a no,
it can't, it needs to be changed.
Because if we lose the contract,
we lose the contract, we lose a lot of work for the shop.
And the maintenance manager will probably get fired
and they hire another one.
Just like when the team doesn't pass the grade,
the coach gets fired the next day.
Yeah, it's always a coach.
Can never be the parts, right?
The components to the game.
So here's my question to you.
This 07 Toyota FJ Cruiser is an asset or a liability to me.
Asset or liability?
That's where you have to go mentally.
As you, Mama, if you're the one listening or fella,
it's time to look at your vehicles seriously and say,
how much home to work, home to work, home to work,
home to work, home to work, home to work,
pay the monthly payment and fix it.
Are you going to do before you wake up and go,
how come he can do that?
How come this guy called MotorMouth can do that?
I haven't done it once.
My vehicle before I got the FJ,
I needed something bigger to tow the boat.
And exactly on the boat, the best day to own a boat
is the day you sell it.
If you don't maintain it,
that thing will sink you to the bottom of the lake.
Same thing.
Snowmobiles, I heard them out last night,
just putting a giver to it.
Play hard, pay hard.
That's what happens.
I have a snowmobile.
I bought it in 1996 and it's still like brand new.
And being along the lake, it's good to have
in case we get totally snowed in.
We can yank the cord out the door and get to the store
and maybe help some people get medication
or some groceries or whatever, help them
because they're stuck indoors.
So living along the lake,
when I moved down here at 05, my neighbor said,
you got a snowmobile?
I go, yeah, I do.
So somebody keeps telling me I have to sell it.
And I'm going, he goes, no, you don't.
You don't sell that.
Because the moment you need it and you can help others,
it's gonna be an asset.
So here's what I wanna remind you.
Is that everything that you skip on your vehicle,
most of you know that you don't spend money on the car
until you absolutely necessarily have to, have to.
That's a dangerous way of living with a car.
Is even though it may be getting older,
if you keep them going longer, it's money in your pocket.
Even though I have this $1,500 coming up,
probably sometime early summer, when the money's there,
$78 over 19 years.
That's what those exhaust manifolds have cost me
now they gotta be replaced.
So if I put $78 away once a year in a cookie jar,
from the day I bought it to prepare for that replacement,
is it worth it?
You think?
Yeah.
I got people that wanna buy it off me all the time
and I go like, what would I buy?
You give me 25 grand for it.
What can I go and get tomorrow that's not got problems?
That doesn't have to have money spent on it.
So you've got to sell yourself into fleet maintenance.
It's not just a car.
And if you, like I said, if you have two or three
of these things in the driveway,
you need to track the maintenance
and keep them going as long as you can.
Because what I teach is how to keep your vehicle long term
and make money on it.
That's how fleet companies make money on moving product.
No downtime.
That is the purpose of the maintenance manager
is to make sure, just like the coach,
make sure they win, coach, or else, yeah.
The fleet manager, make sure we don't have vehicles down
because the maintenance didn't get done.
Exactly.
We have to adapt to that same mindset
that it's not going to cost you a fortune to keep it.
It is a piece of machinery.
It is a tool that takes you to and from work.
It is a tool that gets you to your vacation destination
unless you fly or boat, whatever.
You know what I'm saying?
It gets you from A to B.
That's what it does.
You don't need to drive a vehicle
and make massive payments to impress people.
You don't even know, really,
and you may not even like.
Yeah.
It's a tool.
And that's the way you view it.
And we have a bit of a fleet that we take out in the summer
to fundraising events and car shows
to get in and around the people, meet the people,
hear the people, and people say,
oh, you got lots of toys.
No, they're tools.
We take them out into the community
to get a chance to talk to the people of the community,
let the kids have their pictures taken in the cars,
and they're thrilled.
And it's usually the mothers that are even more thrilled
and look at the husbands go, can you buy this for me?
How come I don't have one?
So it's a lot of fun.
And we've done it for 31 years
and we paid next to nothing for the fleet
and have maintained them.
And we have to keep them maintained to keep them going.
And it's that simple.
It's a fleet.
We have to stay on the maintenance
so they're ready to go at a moment's notice
to get to a fundraising event that can help
nonprofit based organizations build their kitty
to run their programs for free for the community.
So that's how it all works.
It all comes together and circles around fleet maintenance.
Is getting the vehicle,
even though there's no bells and whistles on
and you gotta stop extending oil changes.
This is the big killer.
That all this maintenance free talk
is nothing but a bunch of crap.
I didn't make it 19 years with the old seven,
FJ Cruiser and almost 400K without maintenance.
I don't extend any service.
That's how I got there.
Fleet maintenance.
That's how I got there.
Not once.
The rocket is 320,000 kilometers.
1999.
I have a small truck that I bought
and it's named a Moe because it's a Moe Harvey.
So I've always called them Moe.
My little Moe I bought in 1984.
11,200 dollars at 17.93% interest.
He has 169,000 kilometers now and I did the rear breaks
for the very first time two winners ago.
I worked on them all winter,
brought everything right up to speed
because I had packed them away and moved out of town
and left them in a bar and it was sad.
That was just stupid.
I shouldn't have done it,
but life got busy for 13 years
and then I found them and brought them out, fixed them up.
If I can do it, you can do it.
And in February we'll make our car connection maintenance
schedule kit available to you.
It's based on fleet maintenance
so you can track your vehicle maintenance top to bottom.
When you get from the top to the bottom checking boxes,
that's all you gotta do.
It's not a, you don't need to be a brain surgeon
or a scientist to operate the maintenance schedule
I created for myself when working on fleet vehicles
so I didn't miss anything.
And so I've turned that into a way for you
to track your vehicle maintenance.
Somebody in the house has to be the big boy
and take charge of your fleet maintenance.
Whether you have one vehicle or multiple,
it's still part of a fleet.
That's your fleet and it's important.
So if you don't wanna be doing all that trading time
for money and every three to five years
getting in that vortex of buying another vehicle
and treating it the very same way,
you're always going to be car broke.
There I said it.
I'm all about honesty, let me tell you.
Somebody said, what's the word they describe me?
I can't remember now.
Anal retentive, yeah, that works.
Yeah, that works.
Not as much as I used to be, come on now.
But anyways, yes, I like to do the job, do it once,
do it well and share it with others
to show you how you can save a ton of money.
Own an automobile, pack the miles on it,
stop listening to the salesman's lips slapping away
like a broken armpit and you can do it.
If I can do it, you can do it.
And at the shop I worked out
where we did a ton of fleet maintenance,
we did, the Hamilton Wentworth School Board,
we did CHCH TV, we did Brinks,
separate school board.
At that time was the Big Al Farm Markets
we had all their fleet vehicles coming in
and then it turned to GAL, food companies.
And I was surprised because I went by the same building
where we used to go and pick the trucks up and take them back.
It's still there, but it's got a different name
on the building again now,
but it's still the same place that I always remember that.
We worked on a lot of fleet service vehicles
and our job as service techs was to make sure
that when that vehicle went back into the fleet,
back into service, nothing broke.
Nothing, not a thing, not a leak,
not a zip, not a pop, not a doodah, nothing.
So if we adapt to that, guess what?
You will not be car broke anymore.
Stop looking at it as age and mileage, age and mileage.
If we keep the structural integrity of that vehicle
strong and healthy by rust proofing every single year,
it's pennies a day to do it, pennies.
To keep the structure tight and right,
everything else, we can change it up, service it,
repair it and get it back down the road.
Just like that, over and over and over again
until you don't want to, but you will not be car broke.
You won't.
Give me the worst vehicle with pattern failures on the planet
and I'll get it to the 400,000 K club very easily.
In fact, I just have one.
It was gifted and it needed a lot of work
to bring it back up to top drawer condition.
And now it is, it just certified
and it's on the road legitimately and ready to roll.
And there's only a couple of things left to do on it.
It needs a door hinge and I have it.
It's worn out on the driver's side.
It's got a little wiggle to it.
So instead of keep slamming the door,
fellas, until you break the door latch
and split the door and the striker plate is all messed up,
you change the stinking hinge.
That's what you do.
It's worn, change it.
That's what I'm talking about.
Don't wait till it gets to the next level of destruction.
The hinge was like 78 bucks.
Change the stinking hinge.
Get the door working right so you don't have to slam it
and turn the car inside out.
Number two, it's all got brakes, 100% emergency brake,
all brand new, it's all working, all of it.
Got a little wiggle on the shifter.
There's a clip broken in there.
I'll pull that off when I go and get some transmission fluid
from Nissan because it should have had
two transmission services by now.
It's got a CVT tranny, which is known to be
yeah, so how do you take care of it?
Stay ahead of the curve.
Change the oil with the factory oil.
It has to be factory from all the articles I read up on it
and change it every 30,000 miles.
So every 50K transmission service, keep going.
Don't pull a trailer with it.
That's where the problem starts.
Don't abuse it.
Don't drive it like you stole it.
Take care of it.
Treat it like, here's what you have to do
and I leave you with this.
This is my closing remark.
Most expensive cheap maintenance trip, tricks and skips,
all of what I just talked about.
All of it.
You gotta stay ahead of it.
Not wait till it's decrepit, till it's on a flatbed,
it's leaking more fluids than it has.
Tires are worn out, the alignment's way out to whack.
Front end suspension's all killed and crushed
because you drive it like you stole it.
You drive it like you live like a rich man, but you're not.
That's the truth.
You live like a rich man, but you're not.
You don't really have the money to replace it
and you don't really have the ability
to treat the next one the same and be car broke
for the rest of your life.
You don't have to be.
If I can do it, you can do it.
Have a great day, make it a great day,
happy, healthy, motoring my friends
and you know what, you're awesome.
You can do this.
I'll coach you and put a lot of money back in your pocket.
In fact, my former landlord from 2005,
still driving his old, very old GMC Jimmy Blazer thing.
Yeah, it's from the 80s
and he's still driving it
and it still looks really, really good.
How does that happen?
How does that happen?
Fleet maintenance, don't be car broke,
stuff cash back in your wallet
and drive a vehicle that still looks really, really good.
Really, really good all the time.
We'll see you tomorrow morning, 8 a.m. sharp
for another motor mouth morning drive.
Have a great day, peace, patience, kindness always.
Bye for now.
About this episode
Exploring the costly consequences of neglecting basic vehicle maintenance, this episode emphasizes the importance of treating your car like a fleet vehicle to avoid being 'car broke.' Host Nile Motormouth Jenkins shares personal anecdotes and practical advice, highlighting how preventative maintenance can save money in the long run. He discusses the financial implications of ownership, the significance of regular servicing, and how to keep older vehicles running efficiently. The episode is packed with insights on maintaining your vehicle's value and performance while avoiding common pitfalls.
Original notes
Most Drivers think they're saving money by skipping small maintenance items- but those "cheap" decisions are often the most expensive mistakes you can make.
In this episode, I explain why treating your personal vehicle like a fleet vehicle changes everything. Fluids, belts ,hoses, preventative inspections, courtesy checks, and scheduled maintenance aren't optional - they're what keep keep vehicles profitable and reliable.
You don't need to be car broke. Think like a maintenance manager, stay ahead of. the curve, and your vehicle will last longer, cost less, and keep money in your pocket.Time and mileage don't kill vehicles neglect does..
" If your vehicle doesn't make the company money , it doesn't belong in the fleet."
More episodes and ... project details & links are available at Car Connection Business Network.com (ccbusnet.com) you'll find everything on our homepage if you'd like to follow the build/repair work we do & connect with our program partners just click their logo to connect Thank You! Grab some Car Connection Motormouth gear, join the crew and help those struggling with addiction get to Total Freedom Canada & USA Where a new life awaits. Happy Motoring Friends, Tnx for watching & listening, Nile Motormouth Jenkins. Peace, Patience, Kindness Always, NMJ
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