The Car Connection Workshop hosts a no-nonsense “focus on the basics” talk, using shop stories and real-world examples to argue that cars break down when ignored—not when convenient. Nile Modermouth Jenkins connects maintenance discipline to safety, highlighting how warning lights (especially TPMS) should be acted on immediately, not treated like an “opinion poll.” The show also covers practical fundamentals: checking fluids and oil levels, avoiding severe-service neglect, replacing cabin air filters, and planning for seasonal rustproofing and emergency-brake reliability.
Today's episode is all about the basics-and why ignoring them is costing drivers thousands.
Modern vehicles communicate with you every single day: TPMS warnings, oil lights, fluid levels, noises, vibrations...but too many many people ignore them until it turns into a breakdown.
I witnessed it firsthand - a driver pushed a failing tire until it destroyed the fender, liner, and more....all because he didn't stop and check.
if this were an airplane, it never would've left the runway. In this episode, we break down the simple "circle check" that takes minutes but can prevent major repairs, reduce stress, and keep money in your pocket.
Thank You to all of you that have grabbed some merch from our online store at ccbusnet.com
that decision is helping those struggling with addiction get to a Total Freedom Addiction Campus Canada & USA where a New Life awaits them there! You Guys Rock! Skippy & Motormouth. Tnx Friends.
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 & connect with our program partners, click their logo to meet them. Thank You for supporting them with your business. Thank You Friends, Nile Motormouth Jenkins.
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"You know, here's something that we have to remember.
Cars don't break down when it's convenient.
They break when it hurts.
And we're going to talk a little bit more about that in just a few moments."
Cars usually fail at the worst time, not when it’s easy. That’s why you should pay attention to warning lights and strange sounds early, before the problem gets big.
This is a common real-world pattern: vehicle failures often happen at the worst possible time—when you’re busy, far from home, or during bad weather. The point is to treat warning signs seriously so you don’t end up stranded or facing expensive repairs.
"That's getting a transmission service, a upper door hinge on the driver's side. The door is hanging a little bit and you don't want to let that go."
The upper door hinge is what holds the top of the door in place. If it’s worn, the door can sag and not close right, which can lead to drafts or leaks.
The upper door hinge is the hinge assembly that supports the top of the door and allows it to swing open/closed. If it wears or loosens, the door can sag or not align properly, which can affect sealing and create wind noise or water leaks.
"That's getting a transmission service, a upper door hinge on the driver's side. The door is hanging a little bit and you don't want to let that go."
A transmission service is routine maintenance for the car’s gearbox. It usually involves fresh fluid so the transmission can shift smoothly and stay healthy.
A transmission service typically means changing transmission fluid and sometimes replacing the filter (depending on the vehicle). It’s done to keep the transmission’s internal components lubricated and to help prevent shifting problems.
"Yeah, I finished one car yesterday. There still is a service light on it."
A service light is a warning on the dashboard that something needs attention. It could be a routine maintenance reminder or a problem the car detected.
A service light is a dashboard indicator that alerts the driver to a maintenance item or a detected fault. Depending on the vehicle, it may be triggered by scheduled service intervals or by a specific system needing attention.
"We have a heated gas organizer, a HEGO. So it is an oxygen sensor, but it's what we call what we call them a HEGO."
HEGO means a heated oxygen sensor. It checks what’s in the exhaust and helps the car adjust the fuel mixture so it runs cleanly.
HEGO is a common automotive acronym for a heated oxygen sensor. It measures exhaust oxygen content and helps the engine control unit adjust the air-fuel mixture for efficient combustion and emissions control.
"[295.3s] It's been a while since I manually tested one.
[298.9s] I don't have a lab scope or an engine analyzer yet."
Manual testing means using the repair manual’s instructions to check parts the right way. For oxygen sensors, it helps you confirm the sensor is working and that it’s in the correct spot in the exhaust.
Manual testing refers to following a service manual’s step-by-step procedures to verify sensor and circuit operation. It’s especially important for oxygen sensors because you often need to confirm heater function, signal response, and location-specific behavior (upstream vs downstream).
"[298.9s] I don't have a lab scope or an engine analyzer yet.
[305.7s] We will get one when funds are readily available."
A lab scope is a tool that shows electrical signals as a graph. In car repair, it helps confirm whether sensors are sending the right kind of signal.
A lab scope (oscilloscope) displays electrical signals over time. For automotive diagnostics, it can verify sensor output quality, heater operation, and whether signals are noisy or missing.
"[309.1s] I've got my eyes on what it is that I would like to have in the shop.
[313.6s] Especially Bluetooth would be great so that I can see the output and input signals of all the sensors."
Bluetooth is being referenced as a way to connect diagnostic hardware to a phone/tablet to view live sensor data. Wireless data logging can make it easier to compare sensor output during tests.
"[321.6s] So I don't have that, but I do have a scan tool that gives me,
[326.3s] at least points me in the direction."
A scan tool plugs into the car and pulls codes and sensor readings. It helps you figure out what’s wrong without guessing.
A scan tool reads diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) and live sensor data from the vehicle’s onboard computer. It’s used to narrow down which system or sensor is causing a fault when you don’t have lab-grade equipment.
"[351.2s] Now when you get to the FJ Cruiser, I think it has two dozen.
[355.0s] No, not quite."
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is being used as an example of a car with lots of oxygen sensors. That matters because those sensors help the car control fuel and check how well the emissions system is working.
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is mentioned here as an example of a vehicle with multiple oxygen sensors. More sensors (upstream/downstream across banks or systems) can mean more diagnostic points when troubleshooting emissions and fuel control.
"[356.4s] It has quite a few oxygen sensors.
[359.6s] And there's upstream and downstream on both sides of the engine."
Oxygen sensors tell the car whether the exhaust has too much or too little oxygen. That helps the engine adjust fuel and helps the car confirm the catalytic converter is working.
Oxygen sensors (often called O2 sensors) measure the oxygen content in exhaust to determine whether the engine is running rich or lean. Their readings are used for fuel trim and, downstream, to evaluate catalytic converter performance.
"what we used to call the car connection maintenance schedule. We converted that into the car connection fleet maintenance system."
A maintenance schedule is the “when to do what” for your car—like when to change fluids and filters. It helps you stay on track instead of waiting until something feels wrong.
A maintenance schedule is the manufacturer- or shop-recommended timeline for routine service items. Converting it into a system usually means organizing tasks by mileage/time and tying them to specific vehicle conditions so nothing gets missed.
"So this morning we're going to talk about focus on the basics. We don't need to let our automobiles overwhelm us."
They’re saying you should start with the simple stuff first when a car acts up. That way you don’t get lost chasing complicated ideas.
“Focus on the basics” is a troubleshooting philosophy: start with the fundamentals (symptoms, simple checks, known failure points) before jumping to complex theories. In diagnostics, this often prevents wasted time and unnecessary parts replacement.
"...then I will have saved a bumper cover and about six or $800 worth of paint supplies and labor is what it would cost to have someone else do it."
The bumper cover is the outer shell on the front or back bumper. If it gets cracked or scuffed, you often have to replace it and repaint it, which is why it can cost a lot.
A bumper cover is the outer plastic (or sometimes composite) panel on the front or rear bumper of a modern car. It’s often one of the first parts to get damaged in low-speed impacts, and replacing it can be expensive because it may require painting and proper fitment.
"...then I will have saved a bumper cover and about six or $800 worth of paint supplies and labor is what it would cost to have someone else do it."
“Paint supplies” refers to the materials needed for refinishing a damaged body panel—typically primer, basecoat, clearcoat, sandpaper/abrasives, masking materials, and related consumables. The cost can add up quickly, which is why DIY bodywork is often framed as a way to avoid shop labor.
"...and about six or $800 worth of paint supplies and labor is what it would cost to have someone else do it."
In collision repair, “labor” is the shop’s charge for the time and skilled work required to remove/replace parts, prep the surface, paint, and blend/finish. Even when parts are relatively straightforward, labor dominates the total cost because paint and body prep must be done carefully.
"So get that done and let them know that car connection sent you. That is your special privilege to get an hour in a coffee with either Tony Mele or Larry Tietro."
They’re talking about a car help group/podcast called “Car Connection.” The point is that you can get guidance without being pressured into buying something.
“Car Connection” is referenced as the source that can connect you with help and a special privilege (an hour in a coffee) with specific people. In a listener context, it’s likely the podcast/brand offering guidance rather than selling parts or services.
"When the neighbor says, oh yeah, I had that same code. My service light was on."
A “code” is the car’s way of saying what it thinks is wrong. It’s better to use the code to diagnose the real cause instead of just guessing and swapping parts.
A “code” refers to a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) stored by the car’s onboard computer when it detects a malfunction. The segment emphasizes that people often chase codes by replacing parts without confirming the root cause.
"...and all the gauges are reading where they should be reading and they're within spec not out of spec."
“Within spec” means the numbers are in the safe/normal range. If they’re outside spec, something may be wrong and you should stop and investigate.
“Within spec” means the readings are within the manufacturer’s allowable operating range. For engines and systems, staying within spec helps ensure components are operating safely and as designed.
"No different than you've got a tire pressure monitoring system. There's a basic you know for years I heard a lot of people crying and whining and complaining"
TPMS is a system that checks your tire pressure for you. If a tire is low (or something’s wrong), it lights up on your dashboard so you don’t drive on a potentially unsafe tire.
A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) watches the tire pressures and alerts you when they’re too low or when there’s a problem. Many systems use sensors in the wheels and can show which tire is affected.
"I don't know what model it was and the front tire is like flapping outside the wheel well on the passenger side front."
The wheel well is the space in the car body where the tire sits. If the tire ends up outside that area, it usually means the tire or suspension/wheel area is damaged.
The wheel well is the body opening that surrounds the tire. When something is “outside the wheel well,” it often indicates the tire/wheel has shifted position or the tire has failed structurally, which can be caused by wheel damage, suspension failure, or tire delamination.
"So buddy obviously he's trying to get somewhere so I guarantee you here's where I'm going basic fundamentals I guarantee you his TPMS tire pressure monitoring system flagged him that the tire was going down."
TPMS is a system that checks your tire pressure. If a tire starts losing air, it warns you so you don’t keep driving on a dangerous flat tire.
TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) watches tire pressure and alerts the driver when a tire is losing air. It’s designed to prevent exactly the kind of tire failure that can happen when you keep driving on a deflated tire.
"...it's chewing up a very expensive polished Cadillac aluminum alloy rim that's probably used about a thousand dollars..."
That’s the wheel, usually made from aluminum. If the tire comes apart, it can grind up the wheel and make it costly to replace.
An aluminum alloy rim is the wheel made from an aluminum alloy, commonly used for weight savings and appearance. When a tire fails and the wheel is chewed up, the rim can be expensive to replace—especially if it’s a polished or premium finish.
Concept
ignore warning vs act immediately
"monitoring system warning you you got a limb going down on the car you don't ignore it and say well
I'll take a look at it when I get home no you pull off you take a look at it now"
The speaker contrasts ignoring a warning with stopping to investigate right away. In vehicle safety terms, warnings often indicate an active failure mode (like low tire pressure) that can worsen rapidly while driving.
"do you just walk around it put the lights on put the four ways on that'll tell you that the
rear end of the car all the lights back there working including the brake lights"
“Four ways” means your hazard lights—the ones that blink on all sides. Testing them helps make sure your car can warn other drivers if something happens.
“Four ways” is common slang for hazard lights (both left and right turn signals flashing together). Checking them as part of a pre-drive routine ensures other drivers can see you when you need to warn them.
"put the lights on put the four ways on that'll tell you that the
rear end of the car all the lights back there working including the brake lights
do you do a 30-second walk around look at the tires"
Brake lights tell people behind you when you’re slowing down. If they’re out, drivers may not realize you’re braking in time.
Brake lights are essential for communicating deceleration to drivers behind you. If they’re not working, it increases the risk of rear-end collisions, especially in traffic or bad weather.
"probably not because here's what a technician said online hardly anyone pre-trips or at least
regularly checks their own vehicle"
A pre-trip inspection is checking your vehicle before driving—often including tires, lights, and basic condition. The speaker argues that many people don’t do it regularly, which increases the chance of breakdowns or dangerous tire failures.
"you haven't even checked to make sure that you have all the motor oil in the engine
I did an oil change yesterday"
Motor oil is what keeps the engine parts from grinding against each other. If there isn’t enough (or it’s wrong), the engine can overheat and get damaged.
Motor oil lubricates engine components and helps carry heat away. Running with too little oil—or using the wrong amount—can cause overheating and severe engine damage.
"you're not going to fix it when you see how much that is after you smoke a transmission because
the fluid level is low yeah these are the fundamentals"
It’s a dramatic way of saying the transmission overheated and failed. Usually it happens when the fluid is too low or not in good shape.
“Smoke a transmission” is slang for catastrophic transmission failure, often caused by overheating from low or degraded fluid. It’s used to emphasize that ignoring fluid levels can quickly turn a fixable issue into a major repair.
"good change it because you probably haven't changed it and it's restricted it's full of human hair pet hair every dust bunny that's in your vehicle is trapped in that filter"
If the filter is clogged, air can’t pass through easily. The fan has to push harder, and the airflow inside the car gets worse.
A restricted cabin filter reduces airflow into the HVAC system. That can lead to reduced comfort, fogging/defogging issues, and increased load on the blower motor.
"... examples of cabin air filters in fact the nissan rogue that's in the service bay right now I pulled tha..."
The Nissan Rogue is a small SUV meant for daily driving and carrying people and cargo. A cabin air filter is a part that helps clean the air that comes into the car’s interior. Mechanics talk about it because it needs periodic replacement to keep the airflow fresh and strong.
The Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover SUV known for being a common, everyday family vehicle. It often comes up in service discussions because routine maintenance items—like the cabin air filter—directly affect airflow and interior air quality. That’s why it’s a frequent example in a shop setting.
"examples of cabin air filters in fact the nissan rogue that's in the service bay right now I pulled that filter out there was a half eaten chocolate something in there"
The cabin air filter is like a little air screen inside your car that keeps dust and debris out of the air you breathe. If it gets clogged, the air conditioner and heater don’t work as well and can wear out faster.
A cabin air filter cleans the air that enters the vehicle’s HVAC system (heat/AC) for the occupants. If it clogs, airflow drops and the HVAC components can work harder, leading to poor performance and potential damage.
"they're protected by rust proofing that kills the acids of the road salt so we're at that temperature right now right now is when you ought to be getting your vehicle in and getting rust proofed"
Rust proofing is a protective coating that helps stop the metal from corroding. It’s especially important in winter because road salt can speed up rust.
Rust proofing is an anti-corrosion treatment applied to a vehicle’s underbody and other vulnerable areas to slow oxidation. The speaker emphasizes timing—getting it done when temperatures are right—so road-salt corrosion is reduced.
"be talking about emergency brakes again because that seems to be a pattern failure failing component"
A pattern failure is when the same kind of problem keeps happening again and again. That usually means there’s a common cause, not just a one-off accident.
A “pattern failure” means the same type of problem shows up repeatedly across similar cases, suggesting a common root cause (like a specific component design or maintenance neglect). In this segment, the host claims emergency/parking brake-related issues are showing up often.
"epidemic in people not understanding or not utilizing their parking brake because it needs to be used every day in order to keep the brakes going properly on the rear of your automobile"
The parking brake is what keeps your car from rolling when it’s parked. Using it regularly helps prevent the rear brake parts from getting stuck over time.
A parking brake (often a rear-mounted mechanical system) is designed to hold the car stationary and help keep rear brake components working correctly. The host emphasizes that it needs regular use so the rear braking hardware stays free and functional.
Select text to request an explanation
Good morning folks, you're tuned in to Car Connection where the coffee is hot, the tools
are ready and the talk is always tuned up.
I'm your host, Nile Modermouth Jenkins, coming to you, straight from the Car Connection
Workshop, where we mix a little humor, a little know-how, and a whole lot of horsepower.
Here it's not just about fixing cars, it's about keeping you rolling, saving you money,
giving you the confidence to understand what's under that hood.
From the classics, to the commuters, the weird noises, to the what the heck moments we've
got you covered.
So grab your coffee, sit back, join the crew, because this is Car Connection, your Monday
through Saturday morning pit stop for stories, smarts, a few good laughs, and I'm Nile Modermouth
Jenkins, and we are shifting into drive right here in the Car Connection Workshop.
You can find us on all podcast platforms out there, Apple, Amazon, and the like, did I
forget some, probably about a hundred.
So if you're looking for us, and maybe this is the first time, first morning you're joining
us, you've heard about us from somebody else, we're in our 32nd year with Car Connection
and now with more ways for you to watch, listen, and engage.
You know, here's something that we have to remember.
Cars don't break down when it's convenient.
They break when it hurts.
And we're going to talk a little bit more about that in just a few moments.
So hang in there, get your favorite morning beverage ready.
We'll have the daily weather coming up in just a few moments.
But welcome aboard.
Get your 16 pack of Crayola crayons, a folded up leaf bag.
We got a fresh pile.
I see that.
A fresh pile of brand new Car Connection laptops.
Yeah, they're ironed and ready to go.
So if you have a co-pilot this morning, pass the crayons, pass the leaf bag, take some notes,
fella.
Thank you.
Make sure you say, always say please, always say thank you, and smile.
It's a good thing.
It's a very good thing.
Smile even when it hurts.
Yesterday we had a very, very busy day in the shop shooting videos.
You're going to have to keep an eyeball out for that.
We put some really good material out there for you yesterday and we're loading them all up.
So you get two for Tuesday.
That's right.
Two will be loaded in the hopper and ready to go for tonight, early to evening, every
4.30.
That's when we drop our videos on Tuesday and Friday, another one coming up Friday.
So three every week, they're all about basics.
Bacon's not bacon.
Oh yeah, I could go for that right now.
Bacon and three eggs, maybe a hash brown.
That'll be good.
Can you get that through the drive-through with a breakfast coffee?
Probably somewhere, I would imagine.
So if you're just scooting through the drive-through, double check your order.
It is only Tuesday.
People are still coming out of the weekend and lock that down.
We'll have a swiggy in just a few moments.
So hang in there.
I'll round this thing up and get us back to the beginners.
So we have lots to talk about on YouTube.
If you have not signed up for our YouTube channel, we are way over 300 items on our YouTube channel.
We have a brand new series coming up.
We're working towards it now as we're getting through our car connection
fleet maintenance system on our own vehicles at the moment.
That what came in the shop late last night.
Oh, the 2008 Rogue is in the staging lane in the workshop.
That's getting a transmission service, a upper door hinge on the driver's side.
The door is hanging a little bit and you don't want to let that go.
We'll talk about that another time.
And I am shooting a video on that today myself without Skippy.
She has a job as well as being here each and every Monday morning at 7am.
We go through the lineup of videos and then we hit the shop floor and we get them done one after another.
So we actually shot more videos than we thought we needed yesterday.
But the the subjects were willing.
Yeah, I finished one car yesterday.
There still is a service light on it.
We have a heated gas organizer, a HEGO.
So it is an oxygen sensor, but it's what we call what we call them a HEGO.
Heated exhaust gas organizer.
So I just got to do a little update.
It's been a while since I manually tested one.
I don't have a lab scope or an engine analyzer yet.
We will get one when funds are readily available.
I've got my eyes on what it is that I would like to have in the shop.
Especially Bluetooth would be great so that I can see the output and input signals of all the sensors.
So I don't have that, but I do have a scan tool that gives me,
at least points me in the direction.
So now I just need to go through my manual and just check.
Make sure that I know how to test a heated exhaust gas organizer correctly
to be able to say yes it's good or no it's not.
But there's two, but one is a HEGO, one is not.
So there's a upstream and a downstream in the exhaust system.
Now when you get to the FJ Cruiser, I think it has two dozen.
No, not quite.
It has quite a few oxygen sensors.
And there's upstream and downstream on both sides of the engine.
So there's four.
Yeah, just for fun.
There's four just for fun.
So what are we going to get into this morning?
We're going to take a step back now.
It's spring and as we go through our car connection, fleet service,
maintenance, I've got to take photos of the kit today, get that over to our webmaster
so that we can get that page up for you.
Because how long would you keep your car if you actually followed a proper maintenance plan?
So we're helping you with that by redoing and revamping my car connection,
what we used to call the car connection maintenance schedule.
We converted that into the car connection fleet maintenance system.
And it is a system and the system is the secret.
If you follow the system I've been using since the early 80s,
many things are going to change for you with regards to always replacing your automobile.
You'll see then what I know and it will be like having me personally with you.
So I've been licensed for over 44 years.
I still continue to keep my licenses up and I'm hands on tech, period.
I'm hands on tech.
I don't have all the answers, but that's what shop manuals and doing your own research is all about
is a service tech is don't guess, get the answers, do some research.
Just as I mentioned, I just need to step back and review the proper way to test a heated
exhaust gas organizer and there is actually a way and I don't remember that,
but I know where my manual is in a course that I took where you can actually use your body
to ground out the oxygen sensor and verify if it's working or not.
And that's what I want to test and see if it works on the heated exhaust gas organizer,
the HEGO.
So that's what I'm looking at and if that works, then I will show you that on a video
how quickly you can use your body to ground out the circuit and see if it's working.
Yeah, and you won't get fried.
It doesn't happen.
That was one of the big takeaways back in the 90s.
Three days with LinderTech in Toronto at the International Center.
Wow, did we ever suck on a fire hose for like three days?
I think I burned out two or three pens, but that's what it's all about is getting in the room.
We were in the room and working with service technicians that were top drawer.
They were diagnosticians and they showed us how to diagnose a vehicle,
electrical issue in less than one hour.
That's how I know it can be done in an hour.
You can get down to the nuts and bolts of what's going on.
So this morning we're going to talk about focus on the basics.
We don't need to let our automobiles overwhelm us.
That's where we make the mistake.
If you didn't listen to yesterday's podcast, you need to grab that one
because it is a program of reality.
What can happen?
Doesn't happen often, but it can certainly happen.
And when it happens, poo poo hits the fan.
You know out of four vehicles that are on the road, we were down three and one to share.
And it was getting pretty testy around here.
Let me tell you, I'm taking it.
No, I got to have it.
No, I need it.
I got to go for a few hours, then I'll be back.
Well, it gets tough, so you got to have a spare.
Well, we have a spare, but I took the whole nose off the car.
And you'll have to watch that video to see what I'm up to there.
I'm not working on something.
It's a trial and error thing.
And I'm hoping that if I do everything right and do all the prep work right and it works out,
then I will have saved a bumper cover and about six or $800 worth of paint supplies
and labor is what it would cost to have someone else do it.
So I'm seeing if I can do it.
And I got a little bit of knowledge from those who know how that have body paint and body experience.
So I got some some technical tidbits, just like I'm giving you.
And then you go for it and don't skip a step.
You go for it.
Well, let's have a morning swiggy together.
Brought to us by our Certified Financial Planning Professionals.
Tony Miele and Larry Teichel connect with them.
You've got issues with an investment.
If you have folks, I'll tell you straight up.
You have that have investments at the bank.
You are losing so much money.
I cannot even begin to tell you, you've got to get them out of there.
You're not working with a CFP certified financial planning professional.
They're selling you product.
GICs, they don't make any money at the bank.
You're making pittance like a Ziploc bag of change.
So you need to sit with Tony and or Larry and let them take a look at what investments you have,
where they are and listen to them.
I've sent friends to Tony and to Larry and they moved their investments from the bank
and they are so happy they're making more money on their money than they ever could have really
imagined. So yes, I made it to their Christmas gift giving list and get a Christmas card every year.
Thanks, man.
So sit down, discuss your debt load, a state planning.
If you have kids at home over 18, you need to make sure you're their health proxy.
All these little things can be covered in what we call the discovery meeting, the hour and a coffee.
So you get to tap into the knowledge that both Tony and Larry have 50 years experience.
They'll give you one hour of their time.
So I would suggest don't waste it.
Don't set up a meeting and do a no show.
You're not doing these fellows a favor.
They don't need any more clients.
They've been around quite a while, but they want to help through car connection.
They want to help you get back on your feet.
So investment portfolios, debt retirement, estate planning, arranging mortgages through
IG wealth management.
I'm never going back to the bank.
I've had a mortgage with IG and the team, the ladies out west and Winnipeg and the mortgage
department are amazing to deal with and the rates are fabulous.
They are fabulous.
Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and a whole lot more services are waiting for you.
So say a big thank you to Tony Mele and Larry Tietro for making our morning swiggy available
and giving you an hour of their time in person by Zoom conference call.
They'll come to your home, meet in a coffee shop wherever you're most comfortable.
And here's the kicker, leave your wallet at home, leave your purse at home ladies.
There's going to be no fee for you.
They're not selling you anything.
They need to see where you're at and where you want to be.
So get that done and let them know that car connection sent you.
That is your special privilege to get an hour in a coffee with either Tony Mele or Larry Tietro.
So a big thank you to them.
They're willing to sit and help you get out of your stew, whatever it is.
So instead of doing an opinion poll even on your automobile, I can't tell you how many
Skippy and I were laughing about it yesterday in the video.
I said, you imagine Skippy, how many gas caps and oxygen sensors have been changed
and it didn't change a darn thing.
Wouldn't it be nice to have a nickel from every one of those boo-boos?
Yeah, that's called getting the parts cannon out.
When the neighbor says, oh yeah, I had that same code.
My service light was on.
I just changed the fuel cap.
What he's not telling you was the service light came back on.
Yeah, you want to get the information from those who have the fruit on the tree.
So on three, two, one, whatever your favorite morning beverage is,
I'm starting with my morning herbals to get me going.
Three, two, one, you ready?
Three, two, one.
Takeoff.
Three, two, one, takeoff, you bet.
That is exceptionally good this morning.
How about yours?
I hope it's as good as my own.
But I do look forward to having coffee, absolutely.
But that one gets me going, protects me from the cortisol thing,
so you don't turn into the amazing blimp.
And it works.
It absolutely works.
That was a tech tip from on YouTube.
Dr. Mandel gives away some amazing tips and I have health tips
and that was one I grabbed from him.
I had no idea.
If you drink coffee an hour before the first hour you have awakened,
it does something to the cortisol thing that makes you blimp out around your waist.
And I'm like, hello.
I mean, I don't have like, you know, a tank on me or anything,
but you know, a little, you know, some love handles that can go.
It's extra weight you're carrying.
So his advice was no coffee for one hour after you wake up.
Do some herbals and I grabbed a recipe from him.
I've been doing it ever since I'll tell you what,
feel like a million bucks all crumpled up all the time.
All right, let's get into the morning weather.
See what we got going on today.
I hope we know more wet stuff.
And you know, I don't know about you,
but I'd really like to see the blue sky and the sun a whole lot more.
Thank you to Earl Louise Grant for bringing the daily news report to us.
Serving the greater Toronto area with low mileage,
top quality vehicles at fair prices.
No junk there, folks.
You're going to get a Primo product.
Let me tell you, because Earl, he is fussier than I am.
When it comes to bringing vehicles onto the lot,
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So whatever vehicle you're looking for,
if there's a good one out there and they don't have it,
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So let them save you thousands of steps.
And also you can get in-house leasing and financing.
But I'll tell you what,
Mama Louise is not going to let you go out the door car broke.
She's going to have a little chitty chat with you
and kind of straighten you out a bit and give you some suggestions.
They don't want to see you go out the door
and you can just barely make the payment,
but you can't even maintain it.
That's not going to help you.
So low mileage, quality vehicles at fair prices,
greater Toronto area's premier pre-owned auto store
that's city auto sales and leasing by with confidence
be treated with nothing less than honesty and integrity.
Well, here's the morning forecast.
It's 52 degrees right now and hazy.
And yes, it is.
I verified that.
Wind is making it feel cooler about 49
cloudy conditions from 7am to 8am with rain expected again at 8am.
So today's temperatures range will be 49 to 65
and presently feels like 47 to 56 this morning.
The precipitation totals for today 0.7 of an inch.
So there you go.
Not a little more than a half an inch.
Thickness of your thumb or maybe not.
Maybe you have a skinny thumb.
I don't know.
I don't know.
It's an IDK.
Well, let's jump into our topic.
Our topics this morning.
Thought we'd take a step back, especially after yesterday's podcast
as I brought you into some reality that you can have four vehicles and end up with a catastrophe.
And it all happened and it all hinged on one vehicle that I thought I'd get a jump on first.
And I probably shouldn't have.
So I made that vehicle car down because I took I was doing some body work on it.
I want to paint out the front bumper.
It's red.
The car's red and the sun just bakes that plastic like you wouldn't believe.
And I was just tired of looking at that.
It makes the car look shoddy and I don't want that to happen.
So as I always talk about, don't let the little things go.
It's the little things that are huge things and putting in a little bit of little more effort
will net you out some really good results.
I know many are stretched for time.
I am too.
And I'm not whining and complaining and I don't need anybody feeling sorry for me.
I put about 80 hours a week in to get everything and keep everything rolling and moving forward.
Because as we move forward, it means more doors open for opportunities to help more
and more and more people just like you and me.
And the podcast yesterday was just a follow-up to let you know crap happens.
Poopoo happens.
Poopoo hits the fan even here and I do my best to function and operate not in the now, in the future.
That's how motor mouth rolls.
I look into the future and try and head stuff off before it happens.
So putting together a game plan ahead of time to prevent stuff.
And sometimes you get caught out and that happened.
I made a mistake on taking a vehicle that was plenty road worthy,
but I wanted to get hopping on the aesthetics of it and tidy up a couple things that were
really kind of annoying me.
And I thought let's take that on.
Let's see if we can do it and then we'll show you and then it show you and explain how you can do it as well.
How about them apples?
So today the focus is on the basics.
You know cars can really tick you off can't they?
Like you just want to hoof it right in the tailpipe.
Yeah like not once but you know while nobody's looking maybe two or three.
Maybe a fourth one.
Just so you know it's like I call it tailpipe therapy.
And I even talk to the car and I go you're going to get a smack bottom and I don't care who knows.
Exactly and then head back there and give it one or two until you feel better.
It does help I find it you know it does help it relieves stress.
But it's it's about being in the know.
There's as I always mentioned and I will always mention it just so you know there's those out
there that haven't heard this before.
There's two ways to own a car living in the unknown or living in the know.
One creates stress the other gives you freedom peace of mind.
So just learning the basics the basic fundamentals are going to help you a great deal.
Having that aha moment after watching one of our training videos and going oh I didn't know that.
You're going to have a lot of those moments through our YouTube videos and you're going to laugh.
So you know you want to make sure that you don't have a hot beverage in your hand.
We make it all fun.
But all I'm showing you are the basic fundamentals of an automobile owning it and operating it and
have to fix the stupid thing.
It is a piece of machinery folks.
And I often say imagine if we all drove bulldozers.
Yeah that wouldn't be good.
Yeah road rage would go to a whole new freaking level wouldn't it.
Yeah maybe that was a bad example.
Airplanes or helicopters.
Imagine that would you be OK just hopping into it every day and just firing that airplane up and
taking off the runway without checking a single thing.
Would you be OK with that hopping into that helicopter and leaving the helipad not checking
anything just firing the baby up not even looking at the gauges to make sure you know you got oil
pressure and all the gauges are reading where they should be reading and they're within spec
not out of spec.
All you do is fire it up and you just take off.
Would you be OK with that.
I'm going to say I'm going out on a limb here probably not.
There would be a lot more crashes don't you think.
Oh yeah absolutely.
Oh the landing gear light is is not on but I told it to go on.
Do we have landing gear.
Oh just go down in the hall stick your head out and have a look and see.
It's not that simple folks.
So would that be of concern.
You've asked and requested landing gear down you're coming in.
You're coming in for a landing and the lights not going on and turning green letting you know
the gear is down.
Now what.
Well we'll just take a chance.
What the heck.
No different than you've got a tire pressure monitoring system.
There's a basic you know for years I heard a lot of people crying and whining and complaining
about this.
Ready for it.
If only our automobiles could talk to us.
Are you kidding me.
And it's here even wireless.
You can check your vehicle wireless on your phone and run a test and it'll report back to you.
If it sucks.
Yeah it'll tell you you're good or not so good something's going on.
And so now we have automobiles that chat to us and give us warning signs like hey hey buddy
you got a tire cutting down.
Oh that's inconvenient right now.
It's probably not reading correctly.
Is any of this heading home.
Because even my own pops did that.
Yeah it was on my way to he was taking me to dental surgery on the Hjalta mountain.
I said your TPMS TPMS light is flashing on the right rear.
Oh that'll be all right.
I go well pops how do you know like it.
You know there could be a bolt or something sticking out of that tire and cutting down.
Oh no it will be all right.
I'll have a look at it when we get to the other end.
There you go.
There you go folks.
The warning lights on.
You could prevent a tire blow out and you lose control of the vehicle and then your day
is a total disaster at that point.
Especially if you clip another car.
So what's the purpose then of the tire pressure monitoring system if you're just
going to ignore the fact that it's telling you and flashing that you got a tire problem
and it's telling you which one.
Could you not get out of the vehicle and go and look.
Now I'll tell you a story about that.
I come down from the studio.
Yeah this is all has everything to do with focus on the basics.
You got a warning light on.
Don't ignore it.
Don't go asking your neighbor because he doesn't know anything.
He knows a lot about nothing and you're going to throw some parts on the car and the light's
still going to be on and then you got to go and have somebody that knows what distinct
they're doing.
Go and take care of it.
So opinion polls and service lights do not mix.
There's a fundamental.
Don't ask the guy at work.
Don't ask the name.
He's just going to be trying.
He's going to try and be helpful.
So God bless him for that.
But he's you're going to throw parts on the car that don't solve anything because nobody's
diagnosing it.
You're taking an opinion poll.
So anyways I'm at the kitchen window the other side of the campus.
So I got to come down out of the studio cross the shop floor through the breezeway.
Now I'm on the other segment of the campus.
Yeah there's no basement here.
We're on slab.
We're on whatever you call it slate because we're close to the lake.
No basements here which is good because they flood out because the lake so close the water
travels under the shale fills up your basement for you and that happens over and over again.
So anyways I'm looking out the window.
I hear this funny noise.
I can't really put my ear to it.
I'm going I sort of think I know what that is but I'm not sure.
So I had it outside because I'm like Mrs. Kravitz.
I keep an eye on the neighborhood.
You need to know who's who and if there's new people it's good.
It's good that you know and understand the the workings of your neighborhood.
If something doesn't look right and it's out of place it's probably because it is.
So I hear this noise getting louder.
So I head outside and I looked down both ways down the street and then I see
a cat a catalact thing coming SUV.
I don't know what model it was and the front tire is like flapping outside the wheel well
on the passenger side front.
So that's what I could hear slapping was the tires coming apart.
And he's driving it and I think my my job was why I'm pretty sure my mouth was wide open
for sure because I'm going what are you stinking doing dude.
That'll rip the fender the inner fender lining kiss a goodbye if it grabs onto the
wheel speed sensor cable that is done and if it grabs hold of the caliper flex hose
there goes the braking system is going to be wide open now you don't have any you don't have
a brake pedal and it's probably going to wreck the fender for sure because they're made out of
Reynolds aluminum these days so thin they only have one side.
So I stood there watching this in awe and I should have gone and grabbed my phone and
taken a short video to show you how stupid that was.
So buddy obviously he's trying to get somewhere so I guarantee you here's where I'm going basic
fundamentals I guarantee you his TPMS tire pressure monitoring system flagged him that the tire was
going down. Okay for sure it's a Cadillac it's definitely going to have TPMS he definitely got
more than enough warning to say warning warning you have a tire cutting down no no no no we don't
pay attention to that we decide to drive it buddy goes past me and the fenders all ripped open
the inner fender liner is broken and it's flapping and the tire is basically
sorta kinda still on the rim but now he's chewing up a very expensive polished Cadillac
aluminum alloy rim that's probably used about a thousand dollars was that smart do you think
and he goes past me and I give him a wave and he's just like two hands on the wheel
looking straightforward he didn't even see me and this thing is just the tire is coming completely
off the wheel so half the tire is off the rim already and it's shredded
so tells me he's been driving quite a ways on a flat tire that he was warned that he had a flat
tire coming by the TPMS system folks that's why those things are there is so that you can
understand the basic fundamentals I would imagine he went past me went to the stop sign
turned left towards the lake and I heard the slapping continue and then it stopped
so my thought he must live around the corner from me here somewhere I don't get down that way very
often for any reason and I'm thinking how far did he travel probably quite a ways
before that tire started to slice open and come off the rim and he had to make it home
was would it been a better idea to even if you had to pay 250 bucks to get the car
back to your driveway or get it to a shop now he's got to get it to a shop anyway
you see what I'm saying that is a best basic fundamental in knowledge of your tire pressure
monitoring system warning you you got a limb going down on the car you don't ignore it and say well
I'll take a look at it when I get home no you pull off you take a look at it now that's a basic
fundamental take a look at it now so for all of you who have vehicles that do not have
tire pressure monitoring systems do you do a walk around on your vehicle every day like before you
get in do you just walk around it put the lights on put the four ways on that'll tell you that the
rear end of the car all the lights back there working including the brake lights
do you do a 30-second walk around look at the tires make sure they're all up
probably not because here's what a technician said online hardly anyone pre-trips or at least
regularly checks their own vehicle see you guys and gal gals are getting out there on the highway
every single day and you check nothing you don't check the automobile over whatsoever
so the main concern in my mind is I'm happy you don't fly airplanes and that you don't own one
because you do not leave the runway till you go through your pre-flight checklist hearing me
that you have a checklist a pre-flight checklist to make sure that the vehicle
qualifies to leave the runway the earth's crust
so if you flew an airplane to work every day would you do a circle check would you
take the time to go through the entire pre-flight checklist I don't know but I can tell you from
what I've seen and what we video recorded nope none of you are doing pre-flight checklist
but you get on that highway doing a buck 40 you know who you are yeah the the 100 that's just
for the slow people oh I forgot that's just a suggestion
ding ding ding so you get out there on the highway you don't even do a circle check
you haven't even checked to make sure that you have all the motor oil in the engine
I did an oil change yesterday
what I took out was not even close to what I put back in it was about half
half that will blow the motor up that will definitely blow the motor up because you've
been running the engine on the above the suggested speed limit Monday through Friday
or six days a week and you've not a ever done a circle check b check to make sure all the lights
work c check to make sure you have fluids where they should be and that the the reservoirs are full
brake power steering even something as wimpy as windshield wash yeah motor oil oh there's a
so you don't bake the transmission because then it's going to the you pull it yard because
you're not going to fix it when you see how much that is after you smoke a transmission because
the fluid level is low yeah these are the fundamentals I'm tearing it open for you so
you get a big picture this is how stuff goes awry and then you go how much it's going to cost to
fix that oh I'm just going to go get another one and then you're going to do the home to work home
to work home to work home to work home to work make the car payment but nothing changes you
still won't do a circle check you still won't check your fluids oh that's complicated no it's not
you're complicating it ladies I'm talking to you here you need to learn how to do it
should something happen and your fellas no longer around I see it here in my neighborhood I look after
three ladies their fellas are gone
and they miss them but they're taking it on themselves and I've had to say you know you're
going to have to do this stuff you know you can run it down here for me to do it I'll be happy
to do it but you know if something happens to me where you going next I said you've got to learn
this stuff so I've taught them that and they're all subscribed and they're watching the videos
and they love that they're in the neighborhood and your own vehicles are in some of the movies
and they're doing it they're checking their fluids it's exciting take it on it's not that
difficult you know it's a very expensive piece of equipment that you're driving that you're working
your butt off to pay for it you got to take care of it folks it's your decision as for me in my house
that's what I do I am not getting into the car payment game I'm a car game car game player and
I am very good at it and know how to save money and still own and operate an older automobile
okay next next thing up for bids we covered tps tire pressures fluids we just talked about that
do not the videos out already on our youtube channel do not overextend oil changes and do not
not check the oil and the video I shot was a prime example prime example I'm driving it into the shop
it's scrolling on the dash oil change overdue oil engine oil low
and I read that just once and I'm going e-cads man so I actually shut the engine off and I
coasted into the shop why I don't want to damage that motor it could be me the goon that's touching
it last and then guess what the conversation is well you were driving it last you know you
should have checked those things it's not that they drove it from like 12 kilometers away
to the car connection workshop and the oil just fell out while it was parked here waiting to come
in do you think that happened I don't think so you think maybe one of my neighbors sucked it out
with a turkey baster probably not they drove it here and half the oil that it requires actually
less than half you want to blow it up that'll do it you want to work more hours to replace the vehicle
and now you're going to do the same thing to the next exactly I've seen the same thing happen
for 44 years people don't pay attention to the car communicating with you they just don't
and that is a prime example the vehicle I had in yesterday nobody's checking the oil
was half empty or half fall depends on how you look at it but just the same the amount of oil
that came out wasn't the amount of oil that went back in it takes four liter it took four liters
exactly of 5w20 and I gotta I'm gonna say just a tad over two out including what was in the oil
filter folks here's what you gotta know the engine is not designed for you to say well it's low
it should be enough the engineers designed it to run on last but they're telling you it's four
liters but they don't really mean that they mean as long as there's some in there you're okay
wrong that's not true it's a lie from the pin of hell and it smells like smoke so it brings me back
to hardly anyone pre-trip so when you're heading out to work and you're toodling down the road at
135 140 maybe 142 and you only have half the motor oil that engine is wearing out like you won't believe
it's probably not going to last much longer it needs all the vehicle requires all the fluids
to be to their capacity all the time that's money in the bank and extending those services
is not a good idea either well I only do short trips yeah you should be changing your your fluids
and getting more service more often short trip vehicles are the worst maintained vehicles on
the market the worst because you all push push out all your services because your mindset is
well I don't drive it much your vehicle falls into a category we call severe service severe service
it's not working the vehicle doesn't work it's parked just like the vehicles we put away
that we use for fundraising events car events they'll be coming out first of june
and every single one has to be gone over from nuts to bolts top and bottom fluids included
because poo poo happens when they're parked the less they work the worse they are and that's a fact
I would rather buy a vehicle off of someone that's got 269,000 kilometers than someone
who has 6900 kilometers and it's the same age between five and 10 years old
severe service so I'm telling you the truth if your vehicle is short-tripped you need more
oil changes not less fluids decay because of contamination condensation moisture in other
words next filters you need to learn where your cabin filter is how often it should be replaced so
you don't burn out the blower motor we're heading into the season where you're going to want air
conditioning and here's what I'm going to tell all of you all of you listen up now take index
finger from right hand right hand place in right ear tell me when you're ready good change it
because you probably haven't changed it and it's restricted it's full of human hair
pet hair every dust bunny that's in your vehicle is trapped in that filter as well as outside
product leaves nettles little seedlings a hamster uh gerbil possibly you're missing a squirrel in
your neighborhood he's in your blower motor change the filter if your vehicle is equipped with one
and buddy doesn't want to change it at the shop because some of them are a bit of a bear to get to
it needs to come out and you'll see why and if you go in our youtube channel you'll see
examples of cabin air filters in fact the nissan rogue that's in the service bay right now
I pulled that filter out there was a half eaten chocolate something in there
yeah some kind of candy got in there and the wrapper but the filter was almost plugged solid
that's how you burn out your blower motor and on some vehicles changing that blower motor you might
as well stand on your head or take the body off the car because I think that goes in first and
then they build the car around it that's just my engineering idea so there's some basics for you
focus on the basics and all these things that I talk about
are there for you where you can watch on our youtube channel you can watch and see
so come and see what you're missing and learning the basic fundamentals fellows and ladies
so that you know what's going on with your car and you know what that's going to save you
not hundreds of dollars thousands of dollars in needless repairs
I'm not kidding I've seen it for four plus decades I'm here to help you and this is the lane
I'm carving out and have been carving it out for over 40 years those who do see the benefits
those who don't see the benefits in your mind's eye won't do it and those are the people I hope
that we can make believers in taking care of that piece of equipment you own called an automobile
it is a piece of equipment and you don't need to be replacing them forever you don't
our oldest one in our fleet maintenance system is the 99 yeah that is the oldest one I just
think for a minute yeah that is the oldest one that gets used all the time this is the first time
I took it off the road for the winter I kind of want to save it from the from the salt it's it's
worthy of saving it from the salt so let the other let the other vehicles get assaulted but they're
protected by rust proofing that kills the acids of the road salt so we're at that temperature right
now right now is when you ought to be getting your vehicle in and getting rust proofed but I would
suggest to do this first think about the service tech first get any work that needs to be done on
suspension steering anything under body on your vehicle brakes emergency brakes we're going to
be talking about emergency brakes again because that seems to be a pattern failure failing component
and I have a van that's here that we have a noise in the back right rear and we're going to videotape
that this week probably Thursday we're going to take it for a road test I'm going to be laying in
the back we're going to record the sound for you then we're going to bring it into the shop
back it in lift the back of it pull the wheel off and have a look you see what's going on I have an
idea in my mind's eye what's going on but the owner is going to be here as well while we do that so
they're going to be able to see what I see when I see it and then you're going to be able to watch
that on video so we have an epidemic in people not understanding or not utilizing their parking
brake because it needs to be used every day in order to keep the brakes going properly on the rear
of your automobile I don't care what what it is what flavor car it is doesn't matter if it's got
four-wheeled disc it has parking brake system in the rear braking system and it all needs to work
together in order to for the rear brakes to work properly so I'm going to pull over and park and
leave it there we'll see you tomorrow morning at 8 a.m for another edition of motor mouths morning
drive and I hope you got a takeaway from today because all that comes directly from my heart
you don't need to be working as hard as you're working to make car payments you just need to
put in a little more action that's all put in a little more action will net you money in your bank
it will put money back in your bank so as we get closer to 60 degrees and we we taper off
and maintain that then we'll kick into high gear the 30-day fuel savings challenge because I don't
know about you but fuels two dollars today in our neighborhood two dollars a liter that's eight bucks
a gallon yikes just waiting this isn't going to get any better folks and I don't talk politics not
even around the workbench but I'm telling you when you don't do your own homework this is what you
end up with a bag of hammers don't forget our homepage of our website has everything you'd
need to follow follow the builds the repair work connect with our program partners join our online
community skippy and I were just talking yesterday she's going to be putting more reels up than she
has been on the facebook and instagram and also on our profile page on stevensvilleontheweb.ca
we're dean professionals over there and we're going to be putting some articles up as well
some featured articles don't forget to like share follow ring the notification bell to be notified
when new videos go up on our youtube channel which happens every week there's over 300 and 10
connections you can make through our youtube channel all our podcasts are there now
and we're heading towards 300 videos on their own so we just added 135 podcasts there
the entire season one is there and all the way into season two and when I sign off and load this
youtube vid this podcast up it will automatically populate on our youtube channel as well so you
can find our podcasts on our youtube channel all the links and everything are there for you on the
homepage or website carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com that's the long version short version is ccbusnet.com
grab some car connection merch when you do that you're uh standing with skippy and I and the crew
to uh help those who are suffering and struggling through addiction get to a total freedom addiction
campus canada and usa where new life waits for them there so grab some merch and know that you're
standing with skippy and I and the crew to help those who are ready to take on their addiction
and beat it thank you so much for all of you who have already done that for those of you who are
subscribed to our youtube channel and for those of you who have joined our online community
through facebook instagram Stevensville on the web dot ca and we'll see you tomorrow morning so
thank you to crystal ridge dream center today's a big day for them they will be serving hot meals
out the door between 260 and 300 mouths to feed today so pray for them and if there's anything
you feel you could do donate some grocery cards send a one-time gift or become a weekly monthly
annual partner they would appreciate anything you could do to help become a volunteer find out
how you can do that they're serving men women children meals love hope and changing lives
one at a time in the niger region during a time where community support is crucial
and at crystal ridge dream center they shine as a beacon of compassion and transformation so
search your heart see what your heart would tell you to do and take a look at the dream center
crystal ridge dream center on our website get involved they don't get any outside funding
it's small business owners and people just like you and me make it a great day stay out of the
puddles have an extra coffee today get that octane octane boost in you we'll see you
bright and early at 8 a.m for another round of motor mouths morning drive happy healthy
motoring friends peace patience kindness always bye for now
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