Understanding the fundamentals of your vehicle can lead to significant savings on repairs and maintenance. Niall MotorMelt Jenkins emphasizes the importance of knowing how your car works, from monitoring the temperature gauge to recognizing the value of proper oil changes. He shares insights on avoiding costly mistakes and highlights the benefits of regular maintenance. With a mix of humor and practical advice, this episode aims to empower listeners to take control of their automotive knowledge and save money in the long run.
Question: how much do you understand about your present vehicle maintenance? Drop a comment to us!
Understanding your ride isn't optional - it's how you save real money and avoid real breakdowns. In this episode, we go back tot basics and talk about the " little service that's actually huge" - oil changes done properly. Back in the shop days, we didn't call it an oil change...we called it full-service maintenance, because it was our chance to give the entire vehicle a complete once-over. That mindset is something every vehicle owner needs to embrace. From spotting small problems early to protecting the systems that keep your car safe, reliable, and on the road - the fundamentals matter. Ignore them, and you'll pay later. Respect them, and your vehicle will take care of you. Tough times don't last - tough people do. And informed vehicle owners last even longer. Join the Motormouth Crew:
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"...vehicle got written off. 2018 Jeep Wrangler, it was, she was beautiful. Oh, very nice, very, very nice..."
The Jeep Wrangler is a tough, off-road vehicle that many people love for adventures. The 2018 version has some new features that make it more comfortable and easier to drive.
The Jeep Wrangler is a popular off-road vehicle known for its rugged design and capabilities. The 2018 model features improved technology and comfort while maintaining its iconic off-road performance.
"...you want to purchase from somebody that you can trust, you can seriously trust Earl and Louise Grant at City Auto Sales and Leasing. They do in-house financing as well..."
City Auto Sales and Leasing is a car dealership where you can buy used cars. They help people with different credit situations get financing to buy a car.
City Auto Sales and Leasing is a dealership that specializes in selling pre-owned vehicles. They offer in-house financing options, making it easier for customers with varying credit histories to purchase a vehicle.
"...They sell no junk. I'll tell you that right now. There's no beaters there, because Earl and Louise are car guys for over 25 years..."
A 'beater' is a cheap car that isn't in great shape. People often drive them without worrying too much about how they look or run.
A 'beater' refers to a car that is in poor condition, often used as a daily driver without concern for its appearance or performance. These vehicles are typically inexpensive and may require significant repairs.
"...your dashboard ain't just for tunes and speed. That temperature gauge is a heat warning system. If it's creeping past the halfway and climbing, it's time to pull it over..."
The temperature gauge tells you how hot the engine is running. If it gets too high, it means the engine might be overheating, which can cause big problems.
The temperature gauge is an instrument on the dashboard that indicates the engine's coolant temperature. If the gauge shows a high temperature, it can signal that the engine is overheating, which can lead to serious damage if not addressed.
"...let it cool and check the coolant. And don't try to muscle through it because when engines overheat fast..."
Coolant is a special liquid that helps keep the engine from getting too hot. It moves around the engine to absorb heat and then cools down in the radiator.
Coolant is a fluid used in the engine cooling system to regulate temperature and prevent overheating. It circulates through the engine and radiator, absorbing heat and dissipating it to maintain optimal operating temperatures.
"if you have an automatic transmission, if you're overheating the engine, you're overheating the transmission, you're cooking it too. All at the same time."
An automatic transmission is a part of the car that helps it change gears on its own, so you don't have to do it manually. If it gets too hot, it can break and be expensive to fix.
An automatic transmission is a type of vehicle transmission that automatically changes the gear ratios as the vehicle moves, allowing the driver to focus on driving without needing to manually shift gears. Overheating can damage the transmission, leading to costly repairs.
"If that temperature gauge is running too low, that means the engine is not staying at operating temperature, which is 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Period. Across the board. All makes some models."
Operating temperature is the temperature your engine should be running at for it to work well. For many cars, this is about 195 degrees Fahrenheit. If it's too low, the engine might not run efficiently.
Operating temperature refers to the ideal temperature range at which an engine functions efficiently, typically around 195 degrees Fahrenheit for most vehicles. Maintaining this temperature is crucial for optimal engine performance and fuel efficiency.
"the computer is opening the injectors longer to spray more fuel to try and get that the burn hotter, just like a fireplace."
Fuel injectors are parts of the engine that spray fuel into it. The car's computer controls how much fuel is sprayed to help the engine run smoothly.
Fuel injectors are components in an engine that spray fuel into the combustion chamber. They are controlled by the engine's computer to ensure the right amount of fuel is delivered for efficient combustion.
"...fire gets hotter to try and get that engine up to 195 degrees and keep it there. So what happens? If the engine's running cooler, you're wasting a ton of fuel..."
Engine temperature is how hot the engine gets when it's running. It's important to keep it at the right level so the engine works well and doesn't get damaged.
Engine temperature refers to the heat level within the engine during operation. Maintaining the correct temperature is crucial for efficiency and preventing damage. Most engines operate best around 195 degrees Fahrenheit.
"...take care of your cooling system and keep an eye on that 10th gauge, whether it's running a little too hot or it's running too cool, there's problems that need to be taken care of..."
The cooling system helps keep the engine from getting too hot. It uses parts like the radiator and coolant to manage the engine's temperature so it runs smoothly.
The cooling system in a vehicle is responsible for regulating the engine temperature, preventing it from overheating. It typically includes components like the radiator, water pump, and coolant, which work together to maintain optimal operating temperatures.
"Taking care of your oil change and not going to the drive through one. Folks, don't do it to yourself. I'll tell you right now."
An oil change is when you replace the old oil in your car's engine with new oil. This helps keep the engine running smoothly and prevents damage.
An oil change is a routine maintenance procedure where the old engine oil is drained and replaced with new oil, along with replacing the oil filter. Regular oil changes are crucial for maintaining engine health and performance.
"...the vehicles that used to come into my shop, Jenkins Automotive, it repairs on the Hamilton Mountain..."
Jenkins Automotive is a car repair shop where people can take their cars for maintenance and repairs. They help fix problems and keep cars running well.
Jenkins Automotive is a repair shop mentioned in the context of vehicle maintenance. Shops like this typically provide services such as oil changes, diagnostics, and repairs to keep vehicles in good working condition.
"...keep buying more and more and make a monthly payments, paying absorbent amounts of interest, being in partnership with the bank every time you turn the key?"
Monthly payments are the money you pay every month when you borrow money to buy a car. It's like paying for something little by little instead of all at once.
Monthly payments refer to the regular payments made to finance a vehicle over time, often including interest. This is common in auto loans where the buyer pays back the borrowed amount in installments.
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Good morning Niagara, you're tuned to car connection where the coffee's hot, the tools
are ready and the talk is always tuned up.
I'm your host, Niall MotorMelt 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
and 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, make sure you check your order before you leave the drive-through window,
sit back, not too far, not too relaxed if you're driving, secure your morning beverage and your
cup holder and join the crew because this is car connection, your Monday through Saturday morning
8 a.m. motormouth drive time pit stop, there's a mouthful for smarts, maybe, I am so smart,
SMRT and a few good laughs and you get motormouth Niall Jenkins shifting into drive right here
in the car connection workshop. How's it going out there? Haven't heard any comments from anybody?
So you know what they say? No good news is good good news. You can send us a comment through
our website, carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com, there is a email availability there so you can
send me a request if there's something specific you'd like to have me cover or cover in more detail,
I'd be more than happy to do that. You can also send me an email through our profile page
at Stevensvilleontheweb.ca, click on the businesses tab or profile opens, there is a website form
there also. Thirdly, you can always go to Facebook, Instagram, or leave us a comment here on iHeart
radio and any of the podcast platforms that you pull your podcasts from, just put us in the search
bar and you'll find us car connection, car connection workshop, all right? Yeah, it's early in the morning,
we're going to have a swiggy in just a minute, so prepare yourselves, prepare your passenger if you
have one to take notes, let them know the crayons are in the glove box and the brown paper bag so
they can take some notes down for you. All the information on how to connect with us, yeah,
you can also drop a comment on our YouTube channel in any one of our teaching videos. So ladies and
gents, single moms, widows, orphans, seniors, if you want to have power and authority over your
automobile and your repair bills, you got to learn some stuff. So that's what our YouTube channel
is all about, I always teach the five basics. What the component is, where it is, how does it work,
how does it break, and what could you have learned about the fundamentals of your automobile
to save yourself money. So I call it breaking stuff prevention, yeah, that saves you a ton of money.
So our YouTube channel is not designed for the, just the fellas, nope, it's designed for anyone
who wants to learn the basic fundamentals of how any automobile works. Yes, we worked on some older
stuff and some newer stuff, but the basics never change. And that's what you'll learn in our videos
as well, is I quite often repeat that over and over again, regardless of the age of the vehicle,
the basics never change. Just the components, what they're called, where they're located and
whether they're digital or high tech technology, they could be analog, old school, but the job,
those components perform is exactly the same. So even though vehicles have changed,
the basics and basic fundamentals have not really changed. Well, let's say good morning to our
program partners and say thank you for them making our YouTube channel possible and our podcast here
on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon, and Apple, and all the platforms. So again, wherever you pull your
podcast from, just type us in the search bar, car connection workshop, and you'll find us, we'll be
there, we will be there for you. So share us with your family, your friends, and become part of the
car connection crew, and our car connection community because we're everywhere, YouTube,
Facebook, Instagram, Stevensvilleontheweb.ca, and iHeartRadio, and we have a merch store
on our website as well. When you purchase merch there, you're actually helping someone
be able to get into an addiction campus to deal with whatever it is they're going through.
It doesn't matter. Men, women, single moms, whatever age group. Total Freedom Deering Center New York
is available to you for Canadian residents, and that is a men and women campus. Total
Freedom Sydney Manitoba Canada is a men only campus. Your new life awaits you, so if you or
somebody you know is struggling with an addiction, and just in the news this past week, very very sad
to hear of Rob Reiner and his wife being murdered by their own son, and there wasn't an addiction
in progress there from what I've read and listened to, and that's sad, but it happens,
it's true. Addictions are a powerful thing and make people do some very stupid things and make
some really bad decisions, and that's just an example. So when you purchase merchandise from
our store, proceeds from that helps those who are stuck and trapped in addictions to get somewhere
where it's not just a program, do your time and out the door. At Total Freedom, whether it's Darien
Center New York or Sydney Manitoba Canada, it's a campus. They're there and they work through it
to discover that there's a new life awaiting. I spent a little bit more time on that because
that's sad. That's really really sad to see that happen, but it's happening all the time. We just
don't hear about it or see it. It's kind of kept. Thank you to Crystal Ridge Dream Center,
serving men and women, children, meals, love, hope, single moms, seniors, whatever age group,
small humans, large humans, changing lives one at a time in the Niagara region. There's all kinds
of programs running for the kids after school. They feed them, they love on them, they mentor them.
I could talk about them all day, but Car Connection, our live call-in automotive program that just
closed up. We closed it up. That's right after 31 years, the end of October, and I decided it was
time for us to reach out to more and more people. How could we do that? Through podcasting, so that's
why we're here. We always for 31 years have come alongside a local non-profit faith-based organization
that is doing the real deal, helping, reaching, giving a hand up, not a handout. So if you would,
please consider being a part of the Crystal Ridge Dream Center community by donating safely online.
You can do that through our website, becoming a partner, a monthly, yearly, annual partner,
or donating your time, donating some goods, donating gift cards. Use your imagination,
if you're not sure, connect with them, and you can do that by clicking on their logo
as you can also connect with all our program partners by doing the same thing. Find their logo
on our homepage at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com, click on it, it will open their profile page
within our website, and all the pages are set up exactly the same to make it easy navigation
and connect with any of them. City auto sales and leasing. You know, you got involved in a
crack up, your vehicle's done, and you need to replace it, just happened to my good friend and
neighbor, Jen down the street. Two minutes from home, vehicle got written off. 2018 Jeep Wrangler,
it was, she was beautiful. Oh, very nice, very, very nice. I think we both cried over that one,
because I found it for her, her dream car, and we drove together to go look at it. So there were
some ties there, you know, we found a really good vehicle in two minutes from home, coming back from
the pet food store. A young chap in a pickup truck runs the stop sign, plows it in the side, and it
just got written off two weeks ago. Yeah, but Jen has a brand new Jeep. She's a Jeep girl and back
on the road, but you know that costs money. So if you're in the market to purchase a vehicle,
you want to purchase from somebody that you can trust, you can seriously trust
Earl and Louise Grant at City Auto Sales and Leasing. They do in-house financing as well,
so good credit, bad credit, no credit. All they sell is low mileage quality vehicles at fair prices.
They sell no junk. I'll tell you that right now. There's no beaters there, because Earl and Louise
are car guys for over 25 years, and they earned the title GTA's Premier Pre-Owned Auto Store.
Let them know that I sent you. You can buy with confidence and be treated with nothing less than
honesty and integrity. Rainbow Motors and Garage up in Scarborough with the brothers,
Rita and Ramiz Shenouda. They've been there for a long time. They have a great following.
Sales and service you can trust. So you can purchase a vehicle there, have it service there.
They service all year. Years makes and models up to light commercial vehicles. So they do
carry some inventory of vehicles as well. They sell no junk. If there's something specific
you're looking for, same with Earl and Louise at City Auto Sales, something, a vehicle specific
that you're wanting, you're looking for, let them do the legwork. Why? They have the resources,
the connections to find that vehicle for you, and they know how to pick them. Yes, that's what's
important. You don't have a game plan. You're drowning in debt. You've got a portfolio of
investments with the bank making you pittance. By the time they give you your share, it's in a
ziplock bag. And that's not funny. You need a, you got an estate, you have no estate planning,
you have no wills, no powers of attorney, nothing. You need to arrange a mortgage.
You don't have any life insurance. Oops. Or critical illness insurance. I can help you out.
And our certified financial planning professionals, my brothers for mother mothers,
we've known each other for 20 years and they have been, they have received so many accolades and
they are so humble. I mean, they are two, these fellas that I'm going to introduce you to are two
of the best of the best in all of Canada and they have been recognized for that. But they are very
humble fellas. They know their craft. Tony Miele and Larry Tietro, I am proud to say that I have
known them for 20 years and I personally work with them and they're through IG Wealth Management.
You are in safe and secure hands there. Get your questions answered. You know, family,
every, friends, workers, they all want to give you advice, but here's what my professor says.
If those who are giving you advice are not standing where you want to be, smile,
nod, be respectful and go find those who have the fruit on the tree. And here's how it works. Tony
and Larry don't need any more clients. They've got 50 years experience, they got a lot on their plate,
but they've promised all our car connection listeners through me because you know me to get
an hour and a coffee. That's what we call it, a discovery meeting. You book it, you can do it
by Zoom, by phone, go to the office, they'll come to you, you can meet in a coffee shop, whatever
you're comfortable with. No condemnation, no sales gimmicks, nothing. They're going to listen
and figure out how they can help you and formulate a game plan because you know what roadmaps are for
so you know how to get where you need to go. I know we have, you know, everything's digitals
nowadays, but imagine having to peel open a paper roadmap today and find your way.
It'd be good to have one, wouldn't it? Well, that's what they put together for you.
Thank you to Niagara Block, the Grimoire family, building Canada since 1931, located at 5000
Montrose Road, Niagara Falls, building supplies, hardscape, landscaping, softscape, materials
available to you to build that backyard oasis for 2026 where you can just hide out in a shazel along
with a cold beverage and a good book or some really good tunes or just simply chillax.
You have some white space and hide out. You can connect with them through our website,
give them a call, 905-356-2221. Without them we wouldn't be here and we're always looking for local
family owned and operated businesses, products, goods and service that I can personally put my
stamp of approval on. I've been in business for myself, by myself, you know, the cheese stands
alone, right? Yeah, for pretty much all my life. Well, let's move on this morning. Yes, I do have a
motor mouth moment for you this morning. Got your crayons ready, but let's have a beverage together
because I am ready to have a swiggy. We count it down. Remember, three, two, one, keep your eye on
the road and the other guy. And let's enjoy our morning coffee together. Three, two, one.
Man, that is so good. That is, that is an aha moment.
Yeah, absolutely. Well, I hope you're all healthy and happy and enjoying happy motoring. You know,
we only have a few more days till we reach the Christmas, the Christmas day. How's your,
how's your Christmas shopping going? Yeah, me too. I'm not there yet. Alright, we talked about the
sticky gas pedal yesterday. Here's what I got for you today. Keep an eye on the temp gauge. Even in
winter, many of you believe that you cannot overheat an engine in the winter. It only happens in the
summer. That is not true. You can overheat and seriously damage your vehicle's engine just as
bad in the winter as you could on a July, a hot, hazy human July day. Did you know that? Well,
that's why I'm here. I'm here to help you. Motor else going to save the day. Well, maybe not the
whole day. Maybe just a piece. Alright, listen up. Your dashboard ain't just for tunes and speed.
That temperature gauge is a heat warning system. If it's creeping past the halfway and climbing,
it's time to pull it over. Let it cool and check to coolant. And don't try to muscle through it
because when engines overheat fast, the repairs take a whole lot longer and a bigger bucket of
cash. I'm telling you, it happens all the time, even in the winter. Watch that temperature gauge.
If it's creeping up and it's not where the needle or whatever dashboard, electronic dashboard you
got, if it's that mark on the temp gauge is not sitting where it normally is and it's creeping
upward, you got problems. You got problems and it's got to be checked out. If here's the other end of
the scale. Most of us, I'm a gauge watcher. I always have been. Even on equipment, you know,
you really got to watch gauges when you're running equipment because it can take no time
to cost tens of thousands of dollars in damage to that piece of equipment. Our automobile is no
different. It costs money to fix it, right? Am I right? Am I right? Am I right? Yeah. So if we
can reduce that and still have a healthy vehicle, that'd be a good idea. So if your temp gauge is
creeping up, then you know something's not right. It's running hot for whatever reason. We need to
stop before it super overheats and costs you engine damage. And here's why we have to remember,
if you have an automatic transmission, if you're overheating the engine, you're overheating the
transmission, you're cooking it too. All at the same time. That's right. Sunderheads and transmissions.
Boom. Done. If that temperature gauge is running too low, that means the engine is not staying at
operating temperature, which is 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Period. Across the board. All makes
some models. 195 degrees Fahrenheit is normal operating temperature. If it's running too cool,
guess what? Your computer is opening the injectors longer to spray more fuel to try and get that
the burn hotter, just like a fireplace. You wanted to burn hotter stuff more wood in there. Well,
your engine works the same way. If the engine's running too cool, the computer looks at the
injectors goes and the coolant temperature sensor, that's not the one that controls the dash. That's
the one the computer is watching that's on the engine. The coolant temperature sensor tells the
computer the state of the engine. So if it's running at say 165, it could be even lower. Could be
running at 145. The computer will open the injectors, hold them open longer, dump more fuel so the
fire gets hotter to try and get that engine up to 195 degrees and keep it there. So what happens?
If the engine's running cooler, you're wasting a ton of fuel. You're burning through your fuel
like crazy. So you've got to take care of your cooling system and keep an eye on that 10th gauge,
whether it's running a little too hot or it's running too cool, there's problems that need to be
taken care of. So be safe and keep it under 100 and stay tuned for another motor mouth tech tip.
All right, let's jump into the topic today. It's actually a fairly big topic actually.
I'll try and keep it under four hours. Let's cut it back, scale it back to two this morning.
Understanding your ride saves you money. Regardless of what manufacturer, what make,
what model, what model year, understanding the fundamentals and you heard me say that if you
tuned in from the very beginning, you've probably heard me say that right from the get go this morning.
Vehicles change, models and years change, manufacture to manufacture, things change,
but the basic fundamentals never change. It's true. You can go to make some models all the way back to
the 1800s, 1900s. The fundamentals never change. So the more you understand your ride,
the more money you're going to save. It's that simple. So what do you have to do?
It's not what I have to do. I have to teach you and I don't mind doing it at all because if I can
help one person, that's the reason why I'm here. That's the reason to help that person.
You got to have that mindset of wanting to learn the fundamentals. No, that's the weekend.
Sometimes. Yeah, we act the fool around here. We have fun. Is it okay? Is it okay if we have some fun?
Well, for those that say it's not okay, they should probably go back in the closet. Yeah.
We're not inviting you to the party because you're not fun. You got to have fun.
As my old former boss who was a military automotive mechanic teacher, he'd say when we work,
we work hard, but when we play, we have fun. And it was true. We had a lot of fun together.
So learning the fundamentals is going to save you a lot of money. What does that mean?
That means grabbing hold of the basics and continuing to rotate the basic fundamentals
when it comes to repairs and maintenance. As humans, we want to complicate everything.
We turn shrubs into trees all the time. I don't know what it is. Is it just me?
There's more people that love and swim in drama all the time. I find it absolutely exhausting
to even watch it happening. Never mind listening, but I have a fix for that.
I just say no to drama and I go the other way because, man, it'll mess your head up.
So if we look at our automobiles as being chaos, confusion and drama, then we'll ignore it instead
of embracing it. But when you embrace it and say, you know what, I really need to learn some stuff
about my car because I know Diddley squat and I feel as though I'm getting
ripped off every time I take my car into the shop. Is that you? Yeah, show of hands. Is that you?
You take the car to the shop. You pay the bill. Your mind goes right to that area. You know,
did it really need $850 worth of work? Really? It seemed to be running all right.
Well, that's where knowing and understanding the fundamentals puts you in the driver's seat,
for real. I mean, we could teach monkeys to drive cars, but you know, you can't teach them to fix
them, though. Yeah, we've tried that. It doesn't work. Yeah, it turns into a whole lot of peanuts
very, very quickly. The fundamentals. What does that look like? I'm going to give you a run down
here. Just some stuff right off the top of my head, the basics. And I remember as a kid, I got into
a basic automotive class and that's where I got the bug. I found cars fascinating. I wanted to know
how they worked. How does this thing get down the road? Really? Those are the basics.
Taking care of your oil change and not going to the drive through one. Folks,
don't do it to yourself. I'll tell you right now. The vehicles that used to come into my shop,
Jenkins Automotive, it repairs on the Hamilton Mountain, that didn't bring their cars to me
to do the oil change service were the worst maintained vehicles on the face of the planet.
Junk on wheels. Why? Well, no offense against Skippy that's yelling, oil's out, filters on,
and you get a 20 minute oil change, maybe 18 if they're on the button. No disrespect here, okay?
They're not mechanics. They're kids. They might be learning, but they don't have a trained eye
to let you know that there's something wrong with your vehicle.
They can look right at something that's got a problem and not even report it because they're
trying to push their commissure up, sell an air filter, push wiper blades, push top-up fluids,
do whatever you can, sell them a radiator cap. Yeah, sell them a left-handed nose inhaler if you
can. You know, that's what's going on there, but your vehicle, if you think for one minute going
through a drive-through oil change that you've done maintenance to your car, you are sadly mistaken.
Nope, we're going to make you drink decaf coffee. Wrong, especially around this shop.
That is, yeah, that's contraband. Around the car connection workshop, do not come in with a latte.
Or decaf coffee. I'm just saying. There's no warning signs up. It's a silent thing.
So if you think, oh, I just got buzzed a car through the drive-through
oil change thing, and man, that's my maintenance. Nope. They're just taking you for whatever they
can and push the bill up as far as they can before you go out the other side, the other bay door,
and you think you've maintained it. Nope. Absolutely not. Absolutely not.
And I'm starting there. Why? Because that is the hugest basic fundamental.
I don't want you to feel like you're wasting a licensed mechanic's time, like myself,
doing your oil change service. Not true. I'd be more than happy to do it for you. If you ask
some techs out there, they'd be more than happy to do that for you. Why? Because then we can make
you aware of things we see that are going to require repairs, replacement, or maintenance of some kind.
That's where you save money. That's where you start to learn the basic fundamentals.
That's where it all happens. I never called them oil change services in our own shop.
I called, we had a basic service, then we had an intermediate service package, and then what we
called the full service, the full Monty package, where we checked everything, we rotated tires,
we did tire pressures, we did all the fluids, inspected belts, hoses, lights, wipers, the whole
schmiel got looked at. So all the basic fundamentals were covered on our full service maintenance.
That's what we called it. I didn't want people thinking, oh, it's just a lousy oil change.
No, it's not. It's a full service maintenance. When I worked on transport trucks of all sizes,
highway trucks, delivery trucks, that's what we performed to all those vehicles was a full
service maintenance. We had a check sheet for that, and that's how I did at my toolbox,
so I didn't miss anything. I've created that into a car connection maintenance schedule kit,
which we will, in the new year, we'll have those available. They're all printed. They're laminated.
You get everything you need to track your basic repairs and maintenance fundamentals.
Yes, and it will save you a ton of money. When you get to the bottom of the list,
you've now covered all the basics. You dry erase it off, because we give you a dry eraser as well,
but we don't give you the eraser. No, that's my eraser. I have my own. And if you were here,
you could go down to the four post lift and see my maintenance schedule is on the post by magnet.
So we give you stickies and magnets so that you can post it up and track it. And you even get a
clip holder to hold your dry erase marker. So you're all set to do what? To manage the basic
fundamentals of your vehicle's car maintenance. So whether you're a single lady, single gal,
living on your own, taking care of business, the car is very important to you to get you here
here, tether and fro A to B, we'll go with that. Yeah, is all age groups, whether you're 85 or
105, whether you're a single mom, or you're a senior, our car connection maintenance schedule
will lead you through all the basic fundamentals. So you know what, when you go to the repair shop,
you know what to tell skippy behind the counter. And remember what I've been teaching you the four
C's, which was what I had drilled into my forehead. Or was that the top of my head?
Well, my parents said, don't sleep on the side of your head because your brains will fall out.
Was that a good thing? I don't know. Yeah, was that a derogatory comment? Anyways,
my parents never had to worry about me experimenting with mind expanding drugs.
Yeah, true. So if you learn the basics, then you'll learn the four C's, the concerns,
the cause, the correction, and the confirmation. In order for me to input warranty for one of
the major car manufacturers, all the work orders had better be written up to cover the four C's.
One C missing, I can't input that claim for warranty. Period. Because the tech missed the
information. So all the techs, including the service advisors, self included, all had to
make sure that the four C's are covered on the work order. That's another basic fundamental
that you have to steer this vehicle through. Don't leave it to skippy behind the counter,
because I'll tell you what, I have seen some lousy written up repair orders just this year.
In fact, I have one on my message board right here next to me,
where I like to keep notes and things that I can pull and share with you like fuel saving tips.
Perhaps we'll go through that. And it was a invoice for a rather large repair bill that I went,
what? That's what I did. What? You know, one of those. Here it is, right here.
And it was handed to me to say, can you check this? This is what they just did to my automobile.
And I looked at and I went, you're kidding me, right? Nope. Are you serious about this? Yep,
seriously, a heart attack. And I looked it over and I'm going, oh my gosh, I'm just trying to get to
the bottom of the page here. You ready for it? $3,818.47. Yeah, I got it right here.
And I went, what? What? Almost $4,000. And they were saying to the lady that it even needed
further repairs. They're going, well, what else is left, guys, fellas? What else are you going to change?
Unbelievable. What they build for. That's what I'm saying.
Learn the basic fundamentals. How'd you like to receive one of those whoppers?
Just shy of four grand. So this is what I'm going to leave you with. Heading into a brand new year.
If you're willing, I'm willing. I'll teach you everything I know except for how to boil water.
Yeah, I have a secret for that. Just kidding. I'll teach you all the fundamentals to help you
understand your ride and save you a ton of money. And not having to replace your vehicle every five,
six years. Mileage means nothing when you understand the basic fundamentals of repairs
and maintenance and actually apply it. That's it. You know, new year's coming. Many of you will
make new year's resolutions and you'll suck 10 days afterwards. So I tell people, don't make new year's
resolutions. Why? Because we all know you won't keep them. You've got to make that decision.
And I love, I leave you with the analogy my professor taught me. Listen closely. Three frogs
on a log. One's deciding to jump in the water. How many frogs are on the log? Okay, that's enough
of that. How many? Most of you will say two. And I'll say, nope. One. No. None. Because
was three frogs on a log, one deciding to jump off. How many frogs on the log?
The frog didn't make the decision to jump off the log. He was making a decision
to jump off the log. But he didn't jump off the log. I didn't say one, three frogs on a log,
one jumped off the log. No, he was making a decision to jump off the log. So heading into
2026, are you still making the decision to take good care of your automobile and just keep buying
more and more and make a monthly payments, paying absorbent amounts of interest, being in partnership
with the bank every time you turn the key? You know what I like? I love the vehicles I drive
that have no payments. And I have no partners on them. And I take good care of them. And they keep
going and mileage means nothing. We have vehicles heading for almost a half a million kilometers.
They still start and run like they were new. And that's comments from people when I go and
fill up. Hey, is that for sale? No, why? Man, that's in good shape. What year is that?
Holy smokes. That's unrealistic. I know I got one that never needs parts, oil changes, but it needs
gas. Disappointed about that. They go, really? No, not really. I was just pulling your leg.
So happy motoring, friends. We'll see you tomorrow morning for some more of motor mouths,
morning drive. Come and join us. Get your morning beverage and take some notes, get some, get a
16 pack crayola crayons, a stack of brown paper bags. You know what I was thinking works makes a
really good memo pad? Leaf bag, fold it up. Yeah, fold it up so it's like a laptop and just keep
writing and then fold it, flip it over, write some more, flip it over, write some more. I think it
would work amazingly well. So keep it under 100. Happy motoring. Get that coffee on because we're
going to come to your house. Bye for now.
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