"Your Automotive New Year Plan: The Maintenance Strategy That Saves Money & Keeps You Safe"
Car Connection Workshop
"Your Automotive New Year Plan: The Maintenance Strategy That Saves Money & Keeps You Safe"
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Term
dyag time
Dyag time is the time a mechanic spends figuring out what's wrong with your car. You should agree on how long they'll work on it to avoid surprise charges later.
Term
five o'clock surprise
A 'five o'clock surprise' is when you find out your car repair costs a lot more than you expected, usually right before you have to pay. It's a reminder to ask about costs upfront.
Term
gasket
A gasket is a part that helps seal two pieces together in your car, so fluids don't leak out. If it breaks, it can cause big problems.
Part
serpentine drive belt
The serpentine drive belt is a long belt in your car that powers several parts like the alternator and air conditioning. If you hear it squealing, it might be worn out and could break, which would stop those parts from working.
Car
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is a big car that many families used to drive because it has a lot of space inside and is comfortable. It was very popular in the past, especially in the 1990s, and people often talk about it because it was a common car back then.
Term
overflow jug
The overflow jug is a part of the car that holds extra coolant. It helps keep the engine from getting too hot.
Term
flip
'Flipping' a car means buying it and then selling it soon after, usually to make money. People do this when they think they can sell it for more than they paid.
Term
automotive new year plan
An 'automotive new year plan' is a way to think about how you will take care of your car or buy a new one in the coming year. It helps you stay organized and make good choices about your vehicle.
Car
Honda Civic DX
The Honda Civic DX is a version of the Honda Civic from 1999. It's known for being dependable and good on gas, making it a popular choice for many drivers.
Car
Lucid Air
The Lucid Air is a fancy electric car that can go really far on a single charge. It's known for being very high-tech and comfortable, making it a big deal in the world of electric vehicles.
Car
Toyota Fj
The 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser is a tough SUV that can handle rough roads and is popular for outdoor adventures.
Term
maintenance records
Maintenance records are like a report card for a car, showing all the work done on it. They help you know how well the car has been taken care of.
Term
vehicle maintenance
Vehicle maintenance means taking care of your car so it runs well. This includes things like changing the oil and checking the tires regularly.
Term
mileage
Mileage is how far a car has driven since it was made. It helps you understand how much use the car has had.
Term
structural integrity
Structural integrity means how strong and safe the car is. If a car has good structural integrity, it won't fall apart easily, which is important for your safety.
Term
rust proofing
Rust proofing is a way to protect a car from rust. It helps keep the car safe and looking good, especially if you live in a place where it rains or snows a lot.
Car
Nissan Rogue
The Nissan Rogue is a small SUV that is good for families and has a lot of space inside. The 2008 version can drive on all types of roads, making it useful in different weather conditions.
Term
all-wheel drive
All-wheel drive means that all four wheels of the car can get power from the engine. This helps the car grip the road better, especially when it's slippery or off-road.
Term
front end work
Front end work means fixing or checking the parts at the front of the car that help it steer and stay stable. It's important for keeping the car safe to drive.
Car
Jeep Wrangler
The 1997 Jeep TJ Wrangler Sport is a tough, small SUV that can go off-road. It's known for being fun to drive and can have its roof taken off for an open-air experience.
Concept
rescue
A 'rescue' means taking a car that isn't in great shape and making it usable again without doing a complete makeover. It's about fixing what's broken and cleaning it up so it can be driven again.
LIVE
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 Motor
Mouth 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, the weird noises to the what the heck moments, we've
got you covered. So grab your cup of joe, if you're just sliding through the
takeout window, a reminder, always check your order, lock that beverage down in
your cup holder, and watch out for the other guy, keep your eye on the road, and
join the crew this morning because this is car connection. Your Monday through
Saturday morning pit stop for stories, smarts, a few good laughs for sure, and I'm
Motor Mouth Niall Jenkins and we're shifting in to drive this morning. Thank
you for adding us to your day. I hope it's going well so far. You got your
favorite morning beverage in just a moment or two. We'll have a swiggy
together because that's what we do here in the car connection workshop as we
spend this half an hour or so together to get our day rolling. So make it a great
day. I've got another Motor Mouth winter tech tip for you coming up. Make sure you
got your crayons. I recommend 16-pack crayolas. They never run out of ink and
a ginormous brown paper bag folded up into a square and then you can get your
co-pilot over there on the other side to take notes while you're
driving. We always have our podcast archived on our website and our website
is the best way for you to connect with us. That's where all the information is
located in one spot at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com. Short form is
ccbusinsamnet.com. Come and visit us there. We have all our links for you in
the top right hand corner of our homepage. We have our YouTube channel Niall
Motor Mouth Jenkins. Come and like, share, comment your thoughts down below. Hit
the notification bell so you're notified when new videos come out each week, two
for Tuesday, one every Friday. All our videos teach you five things all the
time. They're teaching videos. We have a good time doing it and a lot of fun and
I'm guaranteeing you that you'll come away with some more knowledge about your
automobile. So five things, the component, the part, what it is, where it is, how it
works, how it breaks and what could you have learned that would have helped you
to better understand your automobile to prevent those unnecessary breakages
happening to you. That's how I can save you a lot of money. We have almost 300
videos up on our YouTube channel covering all the basics because whether
your vehicles a day old or 10 years old or 15, 20 years old, the basics never
change. What changes is how those functions work. So we've gone from hand
controls, manual chokes to get it started and all these very basic
components to now everything's electronic. Everything's digital, everything's
touch screen, but guess what? At the end of the day, everything still works like
it was 25 years ago. The functions have to work the same except for the controls
that make them work. So I want you to keep that in mind. So those five things we
teach you and the four things that you need to remember always, always, always.
Ladies, I know it's usually you that takes the vehicle into the shop, whether
you're a single mom, you're just single or widowed, whatever your position is, if
you're the one that has to take care of the automobile then you need to be armed
with as much information as possible. So the work order, we were trained to call
it the RO, the repair order. That's how it works in the corporate world, but
from the ground level, us minions, it's a work order and it's up to you, the
vehicle owner, to make sure that that work order is filled out correctly. So the
four things, concern, cause, correction and confirmation. Those were the four
things when I closed our automotive shop in 2001 and went working for one of the
corporate car manufacturers and also taking care of warranty claims. If those
four items were not covered on the RO, the repair order, the claim got denied. So
here's the deal. We need to adopt that into our everyday life of having our
vehicles maintained. So here's, I'm going to break it down for you. If you haven't
heard me say this before, you need to get it into your head or write it down or
re-listen and listen through our website archive broadcast. You can also connect
with us through Facebook, Instagram, Stevensvilleontheweb.ca, click on the
businesses tab, we have an amazing profile page there. That's where you'll see
bloopers and outtakes, you won't see anywhere else. On Facebook you'll see
reels and video shots there as well that you won't see on our YouTube channel.
And don't forget to let all your friends know about Car Connection Workshop on
iHeartRadio. We just came off 31 years of being on radio with our live
automotive call-in program called Car Connection and now the whole idea is to
reach more and more people. North, South, East and West all the way around the
world, get you to understand your automobile a whole lot more. So let's jump
into the four C's. Concern. So if you have say four items on your vehicle that are
of concern to you, you want to make sure the service rider gets them all down on
the sheet. Number two, cause. That's dyag time. That's what that means. You're
authorizing diagnostic time. Don't leave the gate open as we'd say on the dairy
farm because all the cows are going to get out. So when it comes to dyag time,
you say I'm authorizing one hour of dyag time then I need to be contacted to
have the secondary conversation. So if there's four, five items, or even one
item on your list of concerns, don't leave the gate open to diagnostic time
because that's when you're going to get the five o'clock surprise folks. Yeah the
what? I thought it was only going to be a couple of hundred bucks. Eight hundred and
fifty dollars. What? That's right. You're going to blow a gasket that's not
replaceable. So close that gate on one hour. I need to be contacted so we can
have further discussion and then if further dyag is required you give them
one more hour. Don't say well they say well we might need two three hours. One
more hour and then a report. That keeps you in charge of your repair bill. So what
is a cause? That's what they're working to get to. What are the causal components
that make up all the concerns that you have listed? So now once the cause has
been determined, that's what you tell them. When the cause has been determined
on the items on my list, I need a call or an email or a text, some form of
communication that you choose to be brought up to date. Then the correction
is what are all the parts and pieces that my vehicle needs to put it back to
right standing condition. All. You make sure you stress that. All the pieces so
that at the end of the day when you go to pay there isn't another $200 item. All
we we needed this because that's what happens. So you need to stay in the loop.
If you have a repair shop that's good with this and you feel comfortable that's
great. But for most of you, you don't. I have fielded thousands of emails in 31
years on the radio where why did they do this? How come it was this much? And I
start asking these questions about the repair order and that's where the
communication gap comes in. Because if you don't take control of that repair
order, the work order, the advisors sloppy and lazy, they won't put all the
information on that repair order. Now when you leave that direct communication line
is gone. The advisors now got a hand that work out to one of the guys in the
shop. So now he has to communicate what you said to the fella or fella that's
going to be working on your car. This is where the gap comes in and the
communication breaks down and this is where we have what I would always call
the five o'clock surprise communication breakdown and people are not happy.
They're unhappy and it becomes an intense moment of fellowship to come to some
kind of agreement. Well I'm not paying that. Well you have to because we put the
parts on. We can't send them back. And it's back and forth like a freaking
seesaw when it could have all been covered if you play the game properly.
Concern, cause, correction, right? Concerns, cause, dyag, correction. What parts are
you going to need? Be needed and then confirmation, road test. You make sure you
have them right that, right on the work order. Please don't call me until the
vehicle is road tested and verified it's fixed. How many of you out there have
gone in with the service light on, the money light? Because everybody panics it's
going to be hundreds and thousands of dollars to fix it because the money light
is on. The service light. You can narrow that gap down huge by using the four C's.
I want you to make sure by test driving my vehicle that that service light's not
coming on ten minutes after I leave the dealership or the repair shop. Because
this is what's happening out there over and over and over and over and over again.
I took it in just recently, email. I'll read it to you, almost verbatim because
I've heard it for 31 years on radio. I took it to the shop, the light came on,
they had it for three days, cost me 800 bucks, I'm halfway home and the light
comes back on. Ringy dingy, my light's back on, oh well, we can get you in next week.
So communication, I just wanted to touch on that and I will continue to touch on
that because that is the biggest pitfall right there. When you skip the steps in
filling out the work order with the service advisor, it leaves the gate
open and all the cows are going to be out in the yard. They're not going to be in the paddock
anymore, they're out wandering the yard and it's time for milking. So all the milk cows are out
because you left the gate open. Don't assume that the service advisor is a top drawer service
advisor and they're sitting there listening to you, talk away and tell them about your car
and they've probably tuned out about 25 seconds after you started talking and there's nothing
that you were talking about completely on the work order. So then what we have is an
incomplete RO, repair order, incomplete. So you want to make sure you make good eye contact
and then you want to look at that work order and then guess what? Then you sign it. But if you see
anything on there that's been omitted or doesn't look right to you, then you write the notes right
on that repair order and sign it. So then it holds them accountable. This is the only way folks,
because he said, she said, doesn't work. At the end of the day when there's a repair bill
and it's 50% higher than you expected, it could have all been avoided by communication.
So I hope you got something out of that because that is the number one email that I've received
in for 31 years being on the radio with our car connection live call-in automotive program
on several stations is I think I got ripped off motor mouth and then the conversation begins with,
well, and I go over the four C's and guess what happens? None of it was covered. None of it.
From the concerns to the confirmation, nothing. Nothing recorded. Oh, I didn't see that on the
repair order or, well, I told the fella, no, he said, she said, doesn't matter. When it's in writing,
now we got something. So slow down the check-in process when you're taking your vehicle in.
Make sure you give yourself extra time. So if you got to go to bed early, turn off that
goggle box and get to bed early because your car's going into the shop, you need to arrive there
early enough to make sure you can get all the information on the repair order. So if you've
got somebody picking you up and they're waiting for you, you've still got to take the time to make
sure everything gets down on the repair order as you want it to happen. So take control of that.
All right, enough said there. I think we better, I went off on a tangent, but that is a hot spot
and I hear it so many times. It's like a broken record. So we got to get it right. That's what's
important. We got to get the repair order correct so the communication gap is gone. I've always said
for 31 years, something I've seen a pattern in radio is it's a non-communication communication
business. Trust me when I say that. Not everybody's communicating what's going on and nobody's on the
same page. They're all assuming what this page is, but they don't communicate it to make sure that
everybody in the network is on the same page. Not saying that for every network, so keep your
hate mail away, but it's true. It's true. I worked with some great people at a number of radio stations
and I would hear that from their own people when I'd say, well you know you're in the non-communication
communication business, right? Yeah, we are. That's true. All right, let's have a swiggy together.
Keep your eye on the road if you're driving. We count it down three, two, one and have a sip
together, a swiggy of our favorite morning wake-up beverage. Three, two, one.
Man, if that got any better. I'm still on the herbal tea thing. I was doing good.
Then this winter cold thing, it's like a boomerang. I was, anybody else out there, you know, put a
send me an email through a website or through Facebook or through our YouTube channel in the
comments. Have you, have you had your turn on this winter cold this year? It just kind of
circles around. Everything's good. You're not hacking out your eyeballs in half a long
and you're sleeping at night and then all of a sudden, bam, reverse order. No, it's not working. So
still on the herbal tea. I'll have my coffee afterwards and my dental repairs are good. I'm
doing good. I've been very, very good with the soft food and everything else. The stitches are out.
We're on day six today. No, we're on day seven. It was seven days ago. I had surgery in my yap.
Yeah, it was, it was a moment. But we got to follow instructions. It makes a difference.
All right, got another motor mouth winter tech tip for you. Are you ready for this one? Get this one
down because we're running out when we get to 34. I don't have any more for you. I might have to
write some more number. Where are we at here? Where are you at? 33. I think we're at 33. I believe
so. Yes. 33 winter motor else winter tech tip number 33. If you hear some squealing on cold starts,
it's likely the belt. So we talked about that in a previous podcast, the serpentine drive belt.
You'll have to go back and review that because that was a, that was a really good one. So if you're
hearing some squealing on cold starts, and I've heard some in my neighborhood, it's likely the
belt. Ignore it long enough and you'll be walking at Tim Hortons instead of driving. I'm just saying
because it's going to let go. It's going to be a ripper when it does. And when that belt breaks,
if it's one belt drives all, it's about 15 to 16 feet long and it becomes an instant whip
under the hood. And the worst, the worst one I saw was probably back in around 1999. It was
on a Ford Taurus and it was dropped off overnight. The client said, my wife heard a noise and then
it was a horrendous noise and then all the lights came on in the dash and then it overheated.
And there's something wrong with the hood. Okay. So we, we get this, the message on the voicemail.
I go out to the car and I see a bulge in the hood itself. I'm like, wow, that looks,
that looks interesting. I popped the hood and I opened the hood and I stood there and I swear
my jaw was on the front bumper. The damage from the belt breaking was horrendous.
It had hit the hood, slapped it, I don't know how many times and pushed the hood up. It had
grabbed the overflow jug for the antifreeze and tore it right off, smashed a hole through the
washer bottle because it's in the same area. It grabbed hold of the upper radiator hose and
pulled the radiator right into the engine, broke it right off, plastic tank broke it right off
and now it was attached to the upper radiator hose and it ripped that right off the motor.
The bill was like close to $5,000. That was back in the late 90s and that torus,
that particular motor had one belt, drives all and it was huge. It was huge. So we laugh about it
that it may leave you walking to Tim Hortons. However, however, we can avoid that and make sure
that that serpentine drive belt is checked every time your vehicle goes into the shop.
A quick thank you to our program partners and recommended businesses for making our podcast
here on iHeart and all podcast platforms. So whatever platform you're pulling your podcasts
from, just type in the search box, car connection workshop and you will find us. We're on Apple
podcast. We're on Amazon Music, Spotify, iHeart and every platform you can pretty much think of.
iHeart puts us all out there so we can reach as many people as possible and that's what makes
podcasting so much better. You can share us with your family or friends. You can be part of the
listen and share. So I put all the details and all the links and how you can find us
in the description for every single podcast and also on our YouTube videos. So come and be a part
of our YouTube channel Niall Motormouth Jenkins. Thank you to Crystal Ridge Dream Center, our
faith-based nonprofit organization serving men, women and children, meals, love and hope and
changing lives one at a time in the Niagara region. Check out all our program partners and
recommended businesses at ccbusnet.com. Their logos are on our homepage. All you do is place your
cursor on the logo, click it, it opens. All the profile pages with all the contacting information
for each business is set up exactly the same. Just like McDonald's, bathrooms are on the right.
Whether you're here or you're in Bulgaria, I don't know. Do they have a McDonald's in Bulgaria?
We'll have to Google that. So if you want to be a part of a great organization and help change
lives, click on their logo, open it, check them out and be a part. I'd ask you, search your heart
and be a part of that community and do something that you know what the rest of us don't have the
time or the ability or the gifts and talents to do. We can give them a little something to
help them. They know how to take a nickel and bang it into a dollar. Thank you to Earl and Louise
Grant, their car guys, end quotes. Yes, they are for over 25 years. They're GTA's premier
pre-owned auto store, the Greater Toronto area. And they have low mileage, quality vehicles at
fair prices. They sell no junk. I will tell you that. These vehicles are well picked and detailed.
They look like brand new. Earl is a car guy just like I am and he's fussy. He buys no junk,
but they have all kinds of resources. So if you don't see the vehicle that you're specifically
looking for, let Earl and Louise Grant at City Auto Sales and Leasing do all the legwork for you.
We'll save you a ton of time and the opportunity to buy somebody else's junk.
Let them find it for you. They do in-house financing as well. So whether you got good
credit, bad credit or no credit, City Auto Sales and Leasing can help you with that.
Rita and Ramiz Shinura, the brothers at Rainbow Motors and Garage in Scarborough,
another place where you can purchase a vehicle. Again, if they don't have what you're looking for,
let them know. They have the resources to find it. They're mechanics that fix everything
every year make and model a vehicle right up to light truck and commercial vehicles.
Sales and service that you can trust. They've been with Car Connection for a long time and
you are in a very safe place at Rainbow Motors and Garage in Scarborough. Our certified financial
planning professionals are with us on purpose. Tony Miele and Larry Tietro, 50 years of experience
as fiduciaries. They can help you budget car repairs, how to purchase that next vehicle to
prepare for that ahead of time. If you have a portfolio, some investments with the bank,
they'll show you how to get them out of there so that that money is working hard for you instead
of you hard for the money. They'll answer all your questions regarding debt retirement, working to
get out of debt with a plan, estate planning, wills and powers of attorney, setting up mortgages.
I have all that life insurance, critical illness insurance all set up with Tony Miele and Larry
Tietro and I wouldn't think of ever going anywhere else. They are two of the best of the best. I
call them my brothers from other mothers because they pretty much are. I've known them both well
over 20 years. You are in good hands with either Tony Miele or Larry Tietro with IG Wealth Management.
And to Niagara Block, the Grimo family have been building Canada since 1931, located at 5000
Montrose Road, Niagara Falls, building supplies and hardscape landscaping supplies. So if you're
considering doing some landscaping this year or actually it'll be next year in 2026, you want to
start getting your game plan and your landscaper all hooked up by about the middle to the end of
January because with all the new builds, they need landscaping done when the spring gets here
because the builders have been building all winter, you get pushback. And we're doing the
addition here where we have the car connection workshop and studio. I waited two years for the
right landscaper and it was worth it. No headaches. So they can help you with all of that at Niagara
Block. They've got gorgeous, gorgeous landscape, hardscape building materials available there for
you to create your backyard oasis. Total Freedom Darien Center, New York is a campus for addictions.
So if you or someone you know is suffering from any kind of addiction, that's what they do.
And they have a fantastic success rate for all those who've made that decision to break free
from their addiction because there's a new life waiting for you at Total Freedom Darien Center,
New York. It took the campuses open to Canadian men and women and also Total Freedom Sydney
Manitoba which is facilitated by Rick and Robin. Great couple and I'll tell you, they have a
testimony on each about addictions. That's a men only campus but your new life waits for you when
you purchase merchandise from our car connection store which is also on the top right hand corner,
the home page of our website at ccbusnet.com. Portion of the proceeds goes directly to help
those with addictions to get the help they need. So this podcast and our YouTube channel and
Facebook and Instagram and our merchandise store and Stevensvilleontheweb.ca isn't about
making me a big shot because I'm just a little shot that just keeps shooting. I don't need any
shiny things. I'm quite content with what I have. I'm a car guy. I love working on cars and trucks
and all kinds of equipment and stuff. That's what I do and I love helping people. So let's work
together. Let's work together. Okay I got a couple of topics I want to cover. Time goes fast doesn't it?
It sure does. All right this morning. Thanks for inviting us into your car by the way.
Yeah and if you hear some kind of noise just turn the radio up. It'll be all right. Check it later.
And another little tidbit. If the money light comes on and it's flashing,
shutter down. That's what that means. Shut it off. Get roadside assistance because when it's
flashing that means the problem is serious. If the light has just come on and it's staying on,
don't panic. The car won't blow up. The wheels aren't going to fall off. None of that. And this is
what's happened is the world has turned shrubs into trees. That's what it does. Yeah it's you
know fear. Fear is such a disease today. Absolutely. Yeah fear knocks. Faith answers. No one's there.
Following a we're like days away from a brand new year and I like to call it the do over. A chance
to look back on the year past and go yeah that sucked with a K plus a capital T.
Yeah that didn't go good. That was a bad day. That was a bad week and we let's work together to fix
that when it comes to the automobile. The more you understand and you don't I don't put it in
technical language so that you know keep it super simple. Kiss right. Keep it super simple.
Tedding into a brand new year if you know I don't care if you have a vehicle 18 years old. Hello
that would be me. Hello yeah you can own it and it can still run and be trustworthy like it's new
and brand new vehicles break down as well. They're not perfect. They're built by man. So hey
yeah just mistakes made while you wait kind of thing. So what are you going to do differently
in 2026 to learn to take care of your automobile. They're not getting any cheaper folks. I see the
sticker price and I go not on this not on this land. I'm not having one of those parked here
paying the interest of being in business with the banks partnership. No thanks. Been there
done that got the shirt. It's over. So my question to you is that you know when I was working for
one of the major vehicle manufacturers after I closed my shop due to health reasons back in
early 2001 man I had my eyes made wide open. People at that time would pay $52,000 for a
vehicle and in six months. I'm not kidding you six months. A particular vehicle comes to mind.
It was it was fully loaded leather interior and the girl that used to bring it in had two
black labs drops the car off and these two dogs covered in mud
climb out of the back seat. The vehicle looked like it inside and outside. I kid you outside
the vehicle look 10 years old. Dents and dings and scratches and claw marks and
that car looked like it had barely survived the Beirut car bomb. I kid you not it was six months old.
The pet hair the smell inside the claws from the dogs puncturing holes through the leather seats
it was crazy but you know the young lady that owned it was spoiled and she didn't have any skin
in the game because her parents bought the car but nevertheless what happened 52 grand and how
do I know that because the salesman would come into the service side and go oh that's so-and-so's car
I said yeah go have a look at it because you're gonna you're gonna be taking the trade-in partner
just wait it's only six months going on seven go take a look he comes back he goes
that's not the same car I go yeah yeah two great big black labs covered in mud and
soaking wet climbed out of the back seat this morning when it was dropped off I said that's her
just imagine when that puppies when they're done with it what you're getting as a trade-in
is going to be real nice Clark real nice so again what are you going to do
in the new year that's just around the corner to take a better look and give the respect
the vehicle needs unless you've got pockets and wheelbarrows full of extra cash and you
can just go get a new one what are you going to do differently even if you replace that vehicle
that you presently have that you know you've not really taken care of it filthy dirty inside
stuff is broken falling off it's always got problems but you don't spend any money on it
you got to listen to that podcast that I did last week I think it was fix it but don't spend any
money yeah I'm going to write that book it'll be a best-seller I guarantee you that so how can I
help you well here's the thing if you're willing and this I'm just going to poke at the armchair
warriors a little bit you know I'll always let you be right just so you know because I don't care
about drama I just don't so if you have all the answers that's okay yeah motorbike says
that's just fine I'm good with it but if you're not going to follow some kind of a maintenance
schedule and sell out to that and say you know what I don't want to be replacing vehicles every
five six years or every three years and start that car payment all over again because even
if you're commuting and I do I do I don't do as much driving as I used to but I still get around
yesterday I was on the road all day all day yeah getting stuff done and I left about 10 o'clock in
the morning came back just before dark running errands getting stuff done you can have an older
vehicle and I don't care how much mileage is on it that's the salesman's cell you know all
that mileage getting up there you need to get rid of that car you know you know she's going to start
coming on glued and he's eyeballing it because he wants it because he knows he has somebody on
a waiting list that's looking for what you have and he can flip that baby and make some more
commission it's a game folks and when you realize it's a game and you get your game on that's what
I'm trying to help you with is if you in 2026 do you have a plan I have an automotive new year plan
that will work how do I know that because I just rotate the pattern that's why I have a 1999
Honda Civic DX hatchback with air that still works you can hang beef in there in the summertime
and it's a five speed two door and it's a cute little car that runs on just about farts in a
jar kid you're not you got to tap the fuel gauge you go you sure buddy is that correct you got to
kidding me exactly then all over the place there's still half a tank left yippee and then the next
newest one is 2007 heading for 400,000 kilometers do I care how many kilometers are on it nope just
rotate the pattern do the same thing over and over and over again when you get to the bottom of the
list go back to the top start again that's called the car connection maintenance schedule kit
I created it for myself when I was doing fleet maintenance on big trucks in the west end of
Hamilton that way I didn't forget something and I got the company I was working for in trouble
because that's what would happen we do the do full maintenance on these trucks and we'd have
sometimes we'd have the truck for a month because we totally take it apart and when it goes back
where it came from the fleet manager has one of their guys go over it to see if you missed something
and if you did ringy dingy let me tell you it wasn't it wasn't not a good day if it was used so I
created what I called my maintenance schedule a checklist so that when I'm working on one of those
trucks I I do the job and then check it off so that way by the time I get to the bottom of the
checklist I have everything that I needed to do and get done to the the truck all the boxes are
checked review my notes done we're there so I converted that into a vehicle maintenance schedule
that will pay you back dividends why I have a 1999 Honda Civic with over 300,000 k
that runs like the day it was born did I just happen to get a good one I bought off a nice lady
that took very very good care of it as though it were mine already followed the maintenance
schedule was a long time listener of car connection followed the rules of maintenance
exactly and it was offered to me I bought it in a heartbeat the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser I bought
that lady owned she took care of it she sent it back to the dealer where she bought it from
for maintenance all the time I have all the maintenance records
and all I had to do was is pick up where she left off rotate the pattern for vehicle maintenance
so here's your automotive new year plan I don't like to call it a new year's resolution because
new year's resolutions are there to break usually within the first 10 days it has to become a pattern
and then as I've already said you'd go down check in the boxes for maintenance when you get to the
bottom you erase it off and start again rotate the pattern for vehicle maintenance guess what
you can also be driving a 1999 vehicle heading for 300,000 k and or an 07 heading for 400,000 k
and I don't listen to any salesman because when their lips are moving they're lying
they're selling you and I smell what they're selling it mileage means nothing if you're
rotating the pattern so keep up with all repairs and maintenance keep up the structural maintenance
that means preventing the rusties from eating that car out underneath your driver's seat and
putting you on the black top take care of the structural integrity number one that's number
one because if it's rusted out and rotted out it ain't worth spending a dime on it because it's over
she's singing you know who I'm saying she's singing the lady is singing it's done
annual rust proofing and we're going to talk about that in the next podcast that's what I'm going to
unload on you is that you get an understanding of why do I do that all the time because here's the
deal I'll finish with this if the structural integrity and maintenance is being done on
the vehicle that means it's not rusting out rotting out and becoming a collector's piece
everything else is replaceable got it exactly have an oh eight
Nissan Rogue with just over a hundred it's got a hundred and twenty thousand k on it
if you want to watch the video on that we did brakes we brought all the maintenance up to a
hundred percent what a nice little ride that is and it's all wheel drive well it's called real
time all wheel drive it kicks in the back wheels when you're upside down and sideways in a field
somewhere so if it sees the rear wheel slipping or the front wheel slipping it locks up the other
set of wheels what a nice little ride yeah it's an oh eight so why it's now everything is fixed
it's top drawer but it was messed up it was messed up it needed a bunch of front end stuff and you
can watch all those videos on our youtube channel at Nile motormouth jaykins so I'm leaving you with
this what is your automotive new year plan to keep and respect the vehicle that you have or if
you're moving into another one because yeah I usually buy those off people and then I pull them
all apart clean them do all the repairs and maintenance and then flip it flip it to a family
that needs it for a son or daughter it's now a reliable vehicle inexpensive and it's back out on
the road just like that so what is your plan your automotive new year plan to take better care of
your automobile or are you just going to kind of fall into the same old pattern where you know you
beat the thing to death till it can it wants to limp itself into the wrecking yard and be put into
the crusher and if you want to watch a rescue we've been in just a little over a year now
we had it was a year in June that we received it in 1997 Jeep TJ Wrangler Sport it was dead
and it was destined for the crusher and it was given to us to rescue it and all I've been doing
to it is maintenance stuff that was left to just continue to fall apart and not do anything to fix
it there's a whole series for you and we're almost ready to wrap this one up we're putting the heater
system back together because that was messed up had some very unique upgrades and modifications
done by somebody but reversing that all out to make sure that the heater into frost and everything
works 100 again that's just not looking after the vehicle that's it so we've rescued it it's a rescue
not a restoration it's a rescue and that's what I see with a lot of vehicles out there is you know
what you still got a pretty decent car there if you just get to it clean it up get it cleaned up
inside so it's smelling and looking good you find that half a muffin a tuna sandwich that you lost
under the seat somewhere clean it up inside out do all the mechanicals now you got a decent ride
if you made it another five years it's money in the pocket so I leave you with that
following a vehicle maintenance schedule pays dividends keep up with all repairs and maintenance
all repairs and maintenance and keep up the structural integrity so till next time come
back and visit gonna talk about rust proofing is it worth it what's the good stuff do the
you got to come back just for that one yeah because we have the rust buster 2000
yeah we have a video on that so anyways we'll see you in the next one so keep it under 100
don't forget to visit us on our website at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com
top right hand corner all the links for all the platforms that car connection is available to you
are right there including our merch store buy yourself some merch and help someone
to deal with their addiction and you'll be doing a great thing so keep it under 100
put the coffee on I hope you have a great great Friday and we'll see you in the next one bye for
now peace patience and kindness
About this episode
A comprehensive guide to creating an effective automotive maintenance plan for the new year. Niall Jenkins emphasizes the importance of understanding vehicle maintenance through the 'four C's': concern, cause, correction, and confirmation. He shares personal anecdotes and practical tips to help listeners take control of their vehicle's upkeep, avoid costly repairs, and extend the life of their cars. The episode also touches on the significance of communication with service advisors and maintaining structural integrity to prevent rust and other issues.
Original notes
Start the year with a plan that actually works-your automotive New Year Plan. I n Today's episode ,Motormouth breaks down how a solid maintenance strategy can save you thousands, extend the life of your vehicle, and keep you and your family safe on the road. We talk structural maintenance, scheduled service, preventative repairs, and how setting a real plan-not New Year's wish list-is the key to reliability in 2026. If you want fewer breakdowns, fewer surprise repair bills, and a smoother, safer ride, this episode is your roadmap. This is more than car talk . every listen, like, comment, and piece of merch you pick up helps us serve those who can't afford repairs-widows, single moms, families in crisis, people quietly struggling. The mission is simple: provide safe, reliable transportation at no cost to those who need it most. That's what Car Connection is all about. JOIN THE MOTORMOUTH CREW: Like, Subscribe, and comment-it feeds the algorithm and fuels the mission. Pick up your Car Connection merch ( ccbusnet.com) all of our links are on our home page top right hand corner and Thank You! connect with our program partners and recommended businesses that have mu seal of approval. Every hoodie, mug, and tee helps us repair vehicles for free for those who need it most. Follow on Facebook @ Nile Motormouth Jenkins for exclusive reels. Visit StevensvilleOnTheWeb.ca ( click the businesses tab ) for bloopers, outtakes, and updates. Share the podcast to help us reach more people and build more Total Freedom campuses that set those with addictions break free, a new life awaits you. We're here to serve the struggling, one safe vehicle at a time. Thanks for watching on YouTube and Listening on iHeartRadio podcast and all podcast platforms search ( car connection workshop) Happy Motoring Friends, Drive Safe , Keep it under 100 & put that coffee on we're coming to your house ! NMJ Peace, Patience, Kindness . NMJ
Car Connection Workshop
Nile Jenkins
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