My Car Guru Podcast
My Car Guru...Lennie Lawson
Updated 2 days agoLennie Lawson is a 48-year veteran of the auto industry, a current new car dealer, motivational speaker, and financial coach. He’s a straight shooter who tells it like it is—no fluff, no sales pitch.If you’re buying, trading, servicing, repairing, or just trying to avoid an expensive mistake, My Car Guru gives you the insider knowledge most dealers would rather you didn’t have. Lennie pulls back the curtain on the car business and gives you practical advice to improve your Car-Life—and maybe your Financial-Life too.Whether you’re curious about industry trends, need help navigating repairs, or just want a dose of good old-fashioned common sense, this is the podcast that cuts through the noise. No gimmicks—just real talk from someone who’s been in the trenches for over four decades.
Are you the creator? Get your badge · Claim this podcast
Episodes (577)
I'm really not sorry for going to Hawaii....but I'm a little sorry I didn't stay there.
Send us a textSometimes, even a car Guru, who also happens to be a real, live new car dealer, has to take a break.....this was a big a__ break.I took my bride of 45 years to Hawaii for a 7-day cruise around the islands, and other than the 9 hour flight from Atlanta to Honolulu, it was fantastic. In this epic episode, the Car Guru takes takes you on a virtual vacation to Hawaii. Listen and escape with a GuruEmail Lennie at [email protected]
It's a new season of the CAR GURU with more miscellaneous ramblings of a car nut
Send us a textIt's been a tough few weeks here in GURU land. The cold weather wreaked havoc on my businesses sprinkler systems and forced me into a reconstructive mode. No, I'm not transitioning....I'm just repositioning some water lines and some of my priorities when it comes to restoring and selling cars and there's some good lessons in here for you as well.Email Lennie at [email protected]
The New Years Resolution Show
Send us a textI developed the great habit of setting New Years resolutions many years ago...a lot of people set them, but few achieve them. I am one of the latter. BUT, at least those of us who fail do take the time to step back, take a hard good look at our lives and identify the things that we need to change.....that alone is a good thing. Email Lennie at [email protected]
Driving your LEMON through the showroom window is the wrong answer
Send us a textA "problem car" can be a nightmare for the car owner. Life becomes less predictable when your transportation is unreliable. It screws up your CAR LIFE.A car is considered a LEMON in Federal and State law ONLY under certain circumstances. As a consumer, knowing what to do and how to do it is the key to solving the problem and getting your CAR LIFE back. Listen and learn from a real, live new car dealer who tells it like it is.Email Lennie at [email protected]
Freak your mechanic out! Listen and learn the basics how your car engine actually works
Send us a textNobody likes to be shamed by an auto mechanic, or a smart a__ salesman. Listen to this episode, and in under 23 minutes, you will learn everything you need to know about how your engine works.Email Lennie at [email protected]
"I'm stranded, it's freezing and my car won't start!"....how to avoid uttering these words
Send us a textWinter is upon us in a big way. Are you ready? More importantly....is your car or truck ready??This podcast could save your life....literally.....and freezing is no way to go. Find out the things you really need to pay attention to regarding winter prep for your car and about how your ability to stop your car is dependent on what you know about brakes......and when I'm done with you, you will know a lot more than you did.Lennie Lawson, The CAR GURUEmail Lennie at [email protected]
Which came first....The automobile or the hamburger?
Send us a textIn this Platinum, Christmas, New Year, Extravaganza Podcast (wow!), the CAR GURU, Lennie Lawson, explains how the automobile, perfected in the 20th century, created and transformed just about everything that we now know, use and take for granted in the modern world. In addition, there are tips that could save your butt when transferring ownership of a car.That's a lot of content to squeeze in about 22 minutes....but he did it.Email Lennie at [email protected]
Can't justify buying a new car? Then buy a used car...but listen to this before you buy.
Send us a textWhere to buy a pre-owned car and from whom? That is the question....A lot of people say CARMAX, or Carvana, or Billy Bob's Used Car Emporium.....but the best place to buy a used car is where they sell new cars and take trade ins.In this episode, the GURU lifts the veil on the used car business and provides some insider information on used cars, certified used cars and how to stay in control of the deal.Email Lennie at [email protected]
The future of the car business....REVEALED!
Send us a textI do have a crystal ball. I also know how to use it. My crystal ball is limited however....it only sees the future of the automobile and how it will affect our future CAR LIFE. From Electric cars to self-driving technology......from the fate of internal combustion engines to cars with no steering wheels....The Car GURU takes on the auto industry and government regulators that are doing their best to screw up everything that is good with modern transportation.Email Lennie at [email protected]
Christmas gift ideas for your car lover from the GURU
Send us a textSometimes it's an uphill battle trying to decide what to buy for some people for Christmas. If they are a car lover, listen to this episode and it will be a lot easier.Car lovers love things that help them take care of their car, keep it looking new or make it look unique and special. You just can't go wrong with a cool tool.In this episode, the CAR GURU sheds some light on great gifts for the car lover....and just in time for Amazon delivery to make it before Christmas.Email Lennie at [email protected]
Car Deal Junk Fees: How to sniff them out and avoid paying the worst of them
Send us a textIn the "sellers" car market that has existed the last two years, JUNK FEES have proliferated...and the Federal Trade Commission has noticed.Window sticker add-ons, last minute surprises, hidden charges and worthless "protection packages" have driven up the cost of buying new cars for the average consumer. The sad part is, if you aren't paying close attention, some car dealers will just slide some junk fees and products into your monthly payment and you won't even realize it. In this episode, I outline the things you need to look for and how to deal with those bandits who are trying to get into your pocketbook.Email Lennie at [email protected]
How to be "screwed-proof" when buying, trading or selling a used vehicle
Send us a textBuying a used car can be hazardous to your health...and your financial health. The stress of buying a car is bad enough already. The stress of owning a bad car, or having been deceived, is even worse.In this very important broadcast, Lennie lays down the law on buying, selling and trading a used car. Listen, and then pass it on.Good things become great things when we pass them on.The CAR GURUEmail Lennie at [email protected]
Ignorance is not bliss....it's expensive unless you have a GURU on your side
Send us a textYour car is the most important thing (device, tool, appliance) that you own. If it doesn't work OR you pay more than you should to acquire it, then you either had no advice or bad advice during your decision making process.Listen to this episode and learn why you need a car guru, why I decided to become an EV (electric vehicle) dealer (reluctantly) and how failing to change your timing belt in time can ruin your car life BIG TIME.Listen and learn what nobody else will teach you.Email Lennie at [email protected]
The Top 10 things a greedy mechanic doesn't want you to know
Send us a textIt's a love-hate relationship....you and your mechanic, that is.He knows there are 10 simple things you can do to prevent the most common and expensive car repairs from happening. But, he knows that most people won't listen, and he loves making money because of it. You hate to hear the bad news...he loves to deliver it......see...LOVE-HATE.Listen to this podcast, because HE doesn't want you to....Email Lennie at [email protected]
The Thanksgiving Special: Gratitude vs. Thankfulness
Send us a textI saw a bumper sticker the other day that read "I'm Blessed"You hear that a lot, but lately, it strikes me a little differently... because how do you know if you are "Blessed", and who "Blessed" you? Will you feel blessed when tragedy strikes? Why did you get blessed and others didn't? And most important of all, how do you even define the word?So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I decided to dive into the "blessing" discussion by looking at two key principles: Gratitude and Thankfulness......because I believe that these two concepts are at the core of feeling "blessed".So let's jump in.Email Lennie at [email protected]
I've got a name for you and your bad driving habit....yeah YOU!
Send us a textMy mom told me not to call people mean names. So I don't. But in this episode I do use semi-hurtful names to describe folks with terrible driving habits that cause me, you and most other excellent, responsible drivers some serious stress related anxiety. (I admit it...I'm guilty of a few....ARE YOU?)Email Lennie at [email protected]
The FTC is going after car dealer lies, distortions and rip-offs?...FINALLY!!
Send us a textThe FTC should change its name. They could still use the same three letters, they would just mean something different....The FEDERAL TRUTH COMMISSION instead of the Federal TRADE Commission.Just imagine if every business claim was true....you could actually grow your hair back. You could make those wrinkles disappear forever. You could buy a new car for $199 per month!Wouldn't that be great?Listen to this episode and find out how the new FTC rules could help you on your next car purchase.Email Lennie at [email protected]
I finally ordered my new ELECTRIC TRUCK.....and here is how it's done....by a GURU
Send us a textAccording to the Ford Motor Company, about two million of you fine folks are going to go electric in 2025....they hope you will go electric in the all new Ford F150 Lightning truck for the Mach E Mustang SUV. I reserved one of these electron-eating machines in July 2022...that cost me $100. Yesterday, Ford notified me that it was time to order my truck and kindly send them $500 more as a deposit (I didn't tell them I was a Ford dealer, but you think they would know that???)Anyway, in this episode, I explain how easy it is to spend $90,000+ in just a few easy keystrokes. Maybe there's a lesson here for you. Email Lennie at [email protected]
What does buying a car and buying a mattress have in common?
Send us a textThis episode is full of it....I mean full of car information and cool analogies. Like why buying a mattress and buying a car is a similar experience in more ways than one. And what's so special about the Shelby name? Nothing, unless you love Mustangs.Email Lennie at [email protected]
Salesmanship 101---what to sell before you ask for the money
Send us a textI have trained a lot of people how to sell...not just cars, but anything. In truth, everyone sells something. They sell an idea to someone they live with or work with. They sell themselves during a job interview. They sell a girl on the idea of going on a first date. They sell their kids on the value of being responsible. WE ARE ALL SALESPEOPLE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHERThe problem with most people is they are selling the wrong thing first...they try to close the deal before the customer is ready to say yes. Three sales have to be made, and made in the right order. If you don't sell these three things, the product (or idea, or plan) won't get sold. Email Lennie at [email protected]
The plight of the "ignorant car buyer"
Send us a textThe root word of "ignorant" is "ignore". I'm "ignorant" about a lot of things like calculus, electricity, plumbing, nuclear physics......But too many car buyers ignore the really important aspects of a car deal. They don't understand what the unscrupulous salesperson is actually up to when they switch the buyers focus to the monthly payment, and the innocent ends up getting ripped off.The dictionary defines ignorant as: "lacking knowledge, information, or awareness of a particular thing."The favorite prey (as in fresh meat) of a dishonest car salesperson and/or a dishonest dealer organization is the ignorant car buyer. Listen to this podcast....it is educational and it is insurance against the most common rip-off in the car industry.Email Lennie at [email protected]
Shocking truths about going electric
Send us a textElectric vehicles....they are all the automotive industry wants to talk about these days. Automakers have bought into the GREEN mindset "hook, line and sinker". Going EV involves many changes to your budget, your lifestyle, how you travel and, in some cases, becoming more dependent (and vulnerable) to government regulation. Who controls electric rates?....government and quasi-government agencies....not independent companies. Who controls the light switch? THEY DO.In this episode, Lennie delves in to the cost of going EV. Listen, learn and pass it on.Email Lennie at [email protected]
How to not loose your A__, PLUS the value of knowing the right people
Send us a textI know...catchy title, but it really sums up this broadcast. One of the fastest ways to lose everything is to be under-insured when it comes to liability coverage. In this episode, Lennie provides you an easy answer to sleeping better and not worrying about getting sued. Plus, learn the secret power behind relationships with the people who can make your CAR-LIFE run a lot better.Email Lennie at [email protected]
The top ten most important MUST HAVE FEATURES for your next car
Send us a textEveryone has an opinion, and a few other things, and this is mine. There are certain features of the modern automobile that are indispensable......to me. You probably have your own list, but maybe there is a feature on my list you haven't thought about that could change your life forever! (well, that may be a stretch, but you get the point)Listen and learn about features that the Car Guru, and maybe you, can't live without.Email Lennie at [email protected]
Don't learn about TOTAL COST TO OWN a new car until it's too late
Send us a textWe all have to learn how to "protect our flanks"----They teach that in military school, but they need to teach the concept to all students in every school."Protecting your flank" is all about being prepared, thinking ahead and understanding the possibilities--positive and negative. Too many people buy cars before they find out the total cost to own it, including fuel costs, insurance costs, maintenance costs, reliability issues and more. This is an episode for the folks who prefer to just "wing it" and hope for the best, even though experience teaches otherwiseEmail Lennie at [email protected]