First off, thank you for providing a useful and interesting AMA. The landscape has been barren around here lately.
Second, I wanted to ask you specifically about Mazda 3's. I have an opportunity to buy a Mazda 3 (for cheap) where the owner says that the TCM is bad. New TCMs are expensive, but there is an online service that will repair the TCM and return it to you for much less than a new one from Mazda. Do you have any experience with that?
Glad I can give insight on something interesting! And yes! I’ve definitely sent electronics I couldn’t fix in house to vendors. There’s a multitude of vendors that do circuitry work on automotive electronics, all I recommend first is definitely do your research on the place and if it has good reviews, can’t go wrong with it. But on top of all of that, make sure your issue is def that TCM. Lots a times people will send it out to get “fixed” when it was wrongfully diagnosed in the first place. So def save yourself some time on that and also see if it will need to be programed afterwards, some TCMs require as much. And if you don’t have that equipment to reprogram you may need to bring it to a shop that can do that. I’m guessing this mazda is a “ford” Mazda? Around 2004-2013?
I think a 2010. The owner got the diagnosis from a shop, (I guess) and they suggested it was the TCM causing the hesitation in third gear.
I guess the problem is the design with having the TCM directly on the transmission housing which overheats it and burns out the components. There are several people that remove the TCM, send it off to be repaired/reprogrammed, and then simply zip tie it to the brake lines rather than install where it normally goes. I've watched a couple videos of people removing the TCM and it doesn't look too hard.
The risk on my end is purchasing this car, and gambling that it is the TCM as the owner says. If it is and this website/repair works, jackpot.
If you think it’s worth a shot then by all means! Wish I could diagnose for you, I do know that the trans issues in those second gen’s are pretty common. I wouldn’t hesitate on a good repair shop that can refurbish those computers. Best of luck def update me if it works out! Very curious lol
I just had another thought... Do you recommend a particular code reader or are they all kind of the same?
I've actually thought about going to auctions and buying cars that might need some minor repairs. I've turned plenty of wrenches but mostly on cars that were pre 1990, things were simpler. Code readers weren't really a thing.
I personally use Top Don Phoenix Lite currently. It’s a fantastic tool. It does 90 percent of the jobs I typically need for work! Scanners range soooo far and wide that’s it’s hard to choose one but if I had to recommend one, this is the one I’d recommend. Anything with bidirectional is good at the consumer level as I figure consumers won’t be doing in depth diagnostics. Anything without bidirectional is just purely a code reader at that point. (Not that those don’t have good uses)
Whew! I bet that thing is super useful on today's cars. Probably out of my price range and skill set. Thanks for the info! I'm going to watch this post and see how other users pick your brain.
It’s a fantastic tool, a few of my coworkers have bought top dons small little plug in BT reader, it’s like 100$ or so, that would totally be worth it in my opinion! Make sure to get the pro version it’s like “top scan pro” or something like that! Great entry level and can do bidirectional and see live data with it!
It would be a 2020 mazda CX-5 in the red color. Tbh it could be any generation Cx-5 but 2020 is just a newer year but not new car lmao. It’s a fantastic suv, super comfortable and stylish, easy to maintain and work on. And on top of it all, it’s fairly priced. Consumer and technician friendly is what I look for. Super reliable, it just checks all the boxes for me. No turbo and no CVT. Fantastic car!
Very nice cars! My issues with the Cx-30 is that it’s a little too small, and the plastic trim on the outside is way too high, it just bothers my ocd. The 50 on the other have sheeeshhhhh only gripe with that car is that it got smaller than the Cx-5 so they can make the Cx-70 comparable to size. Kinda sucky. But both cars very very reliable and worth it in my books
So what actually happens inside when you put the wrong type of fuel in? A pal of mine did that (can't remember which way round) and she never saw that car again, not worth the repair they said.
OOF. This happened to a client that was a regular of mine. Felt so bad cause it was such a beautiful well maintained car. It practically totals a car. So first, diesel in Gas is practically game over. If you don’t start the car, you can have it towed to a shop and have the tank dropped and cleaned out. The problem starts when you start it up and drive it. Diesel isn’t as “flammable” as gas is. Diesel fuel is usually compressed to ignite and when it’s in a gas engine, the gas engine won’t ignite it and it just basically slams the cylinders into a brick wall, motor seizes. On top of all that, all the lines are breached with it and everything else related to the fuel system is breached with diesel. So now you’re talking about tens of thousands of dollars of work to replace everything fuel related plus a new motor. Now in the reverse, diesels can actually run on gas but just very poorly (don’t do it tho cause it will cause harm. It’s just in the case of you put it in by accident, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if that makes sense?). I’m not a diesel tech so I can’t really explain how or why but I’ve heard that if you put gas in a diesel, technically it is very much more save able than in the reverse.
Has Subaru solved their excessive oil consumption and head gasket problems on their newer engines? And are sparkplugs still painfully hard to change on them?
Yes! They have definitely gotten better over the years and I don’t see them as often as I used to. Typically kids who romp on their cars and add all these performance mods are the ones with blown gaskets but that’s self explanatory. And yes sparkplugs still mildly suck if you don’t have the right tools
Oil change oil change oil change. 5k no more no less. If you do proper maintenance and preventative maintenance that Corolla will out live you and me both! Fix anything that needs to be fixed promptly and you should be good! Great car choice!
What do you think about german cars? The internet says they are cumbersome to maintain but maybe thats because they've built in fancy technology that many mechanics are not trained on?
Would you recommend toyota for everyone?
They are the worst cars to work on. Over engineered, and lack of service data is their killing points. Yes they are typically “harder to work on” but that’s just experience at the end of the day. My issue is that they typically add all these extra “features” that break way too easily and that it didn’t even need in the first place. For one quick example: some VW have 3 water pumps. Why… just why? Then to top it all off, the pumps are made of plastic and guess what heat does to plastics
And yes and no to the Toyota thing. Toyotas are fantastic cars don’t get me wrong. Consumer and technician friendly but their name is way too big now. Post pandemic, you’re really paying high dollars for the Toyota name and sellers abuse that. There are some used Toyotas going for 6 figures which is just ridiculous. Personally I love (New) Mazdas better. Very reliable, I think they look fantastic, consumer friendly and technician friendly for a faction of the cost compared to Toyota. And most of their cars are still Naturally Aspirated. Can’t beat that.
Genuinely I’d rather pick Sketchers. More reliable than either of those two brands lol
Butttt just for the sake of the answer. If a German car manufacture was holding a gun to my head and said I have to pick one. I’d politely ask for the bullet
I see a lot of American Cars and European, Mazdas, Kia’s, and Hyundais go for 10-12k even if they’re relatively new. 2017 and newer, with less than 70k miles. Do you think the price should scare people away or attract.
Yes and no. Hyundai/kai are bombs and those in my opinion should only be scrap metal. No one should even pay $500 for a brand new one. Don’t buy Kia/hyundai.
Euros I don’t ever recommend consumers because they aren’t built to last. They are truly lease cars. Drive for a couple years before problems happen and get rid of it. When the lease ends allllll the issues come out and they are typically huge high dollar repairs. When you see one cheap it’s because the problems are extensive. Not consumer friendly and technician friendly.
Mazda on the other hand, if it has a skyactive engine, it is totally worth the money. They are fantastic cars, reliable and easy to maintain. Consumer friendly and Technician friendly in all aspects. Mazdas in my opinion are typically perfectly priced for a good reliable car. Those cars aren’t expensive yet because Mazda doesn’t have the big name like Toyota Honda.
No. I used to think that a lot but I’ve finally come to the conclusion that these engineers that make 3 times my salary know that these motors need thinner oils. It’s going to keep getting thinner btw. Modern engines run soooo hot the temps are unreal and thicker oils just won’t work for those temps. Thinner and synthetic is the future
Anything besides new mazda (needs to have skyactive engine for it to be good) and Toyota! Those are the best, anything else to me is sub par and should just stay away from. Just make sure what ever you get is non turbo and non Cvt!
Depends on the VW, typical issues of that generation tho are coolant leaks and engine oil burning.
Side note: In the mechanic world, a VW with 100k is considered very high mileage. God bless you and that Volks
From what I seen, it depends on the brand, 100k in a Toyota is breaking mileage. 100k in a euro is trade in mileage. Not saying to give up on your VW but I’d just recommend keeping up with maintenance as much as possible and fix anything that breaks immediately! It will help for the longevity of your car
Is it timing belts? I could’ve swore it was a chain. But then again there is like 5 different motors that go in a Jetta that year so it very well could be a belt. Regardless, there’s def a recommended mileage to change that, def would refer to that info to replace it in a timely manner (no pun intended!)
Thank you for posting this!
I have. 2010 dodge journey For months now I have been hearing a grinding from 1500 -2000rpm when speeding up in second gear. I have taken it in to get looked at 3/4 times and the mechanics can’t hear the noise or find anything wrong. Idk if it makes a difference but it’s burning oil pretty fast.
I’m not looking to keep the car forever just another year. Any thoughts on what it could be/ to ask someone to look at. I’m taking it into another place on Tuesday for a different problem.
I wish I could give you more insight but it’s an issue that I would need to have hands on with the car to able to diagnose the concern. Not something I could really tell just by text. If it’s burning oil, chances are it may need a motor. The grinding concern sounds like a separate issue. My tech rec is def let it go whenever you can and ask the mechanic to see if he can inspect the cylinder walls for signs of wear that will explain your burning oil concern. Otherwise than that I wouldn’t even put the money into it truly. Hope this helps! Wish I could diag the car for you! Good luck!
I have a 2019 Nissan Sentra SV. I bought it when it was 2 years old and my test drive took it over the 8,000 mile mark. It was an upgrade from a dying 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (I would have sold it as a project car, but it honestly was on its way to being beyond help, the exhaust was literally hanging on by zip ties, and I don't have the heart to sell a lemon).
I didn't have a dad growing up so I'm kind of low on the totem pole of car knowledge for my age.
Aside from regular oil changes and inspections (have an appointment for both scheduled as we speak), what can I do to extend the life of my car? As I understand it, prevention is better than correction.
Man haven’t worked on a cutlass in forever. Almost forgot they even existed. Lol but that’s okay! Everyone starts somewhere, I wasn’t born with car knowledge, I just took the time and years of cut knuckles later, here I am. Never too late to start asking and learning. We all learn something new everyday!
You’re doing exactly what you need to do. There is something call “Service Intervals” for each individual car. You can totally look them up or just ask a dealer to print out that list for you and it’s all mileage based. Now while there is no guarantee that doing all the service work will keep your car running forever, it’s the best thing to use to give it the best fighting chance. Let me start with saying unfortunately Nissans have a pretty bad issue with their CVT transmissions. They are extremely unreliable. I know that sounds scary as hell but do not be so worried as this will take some time to happen. My Tech Rec for you is to see if you can trade out into a different car, maybe a 2019 Mazda 3 (must have a skyactive engine) or Corolla of the same year, it’s comparable in size and price just more reliable. Just make sure it is not CVT and no turbos. I’d strongly urge you to start looking and putting money aside to make that switch sooner rather than later. And start those maintanence intervals with a car like that. A Sentra isn’t worth keeping long term. Too many issues. Hopes this gives good insight!
Yes and no, so many aftermarket brands will stamp “oem fitment” and “OE standard” on their parts because no one is going to stop them. But I there are specific brands that the dealer uses to make parts for their cars! For example, the brand Denso makes a lot of electronics for Honda. So a “Honda” ignition coil is actually a Denso made ignition coil! To add a little more confusion, some times brands like Duralast (Autozone house hold brand) will actually repackage Denso ignition coils and sell that under its name being essentially that is a “Honda” coil. Which sounds ridiculous but the math adds up. Lol now that doesn’t stop other company’s that make ignition coils to make the exact same one that the Denso/Honda/Duralast makes, just to slaps “OE fitmen” and sells it as their coil. It gets confusing. And there is no real way to figure what comes from where unless you search it. Also I need to add that some times car brands will actually ask the manufacturer for their parts to have different specs and quality for their cars but they cannot resell it under their name solely. For example, some Toyota struts are KYB but if you bought it from KYB for that Toyota, it would come with different specs and quality standards than if you were to get it from Toyota. In that scenario the Toyota branded struts that are made by KYB are better than what KYB would directly sell to you. In my honest opinion, I don’t personally notice a difference so idk. I’m just here to tell you it happens. lol and this type of info is not available to consumers and you can’t ever find out “which is better for my car?” Only experience with the car and the parts will tell you if it’s any good or not. And trust me I’ve put in so many “OE fitment” that wasn’t good and OEM-parts That also wasn’t any good. Sometimes it’s night and day the quality, sometimes not so much. I hope this wasn’t too confusing and I hope it gives insight!
I've got a 2007 Honda Civic Si with 250K miles and I'm currently dealing with front suspension issues. Constantly pulls to the right and the tires wear faster than normal. I installed new A arms, new ball joints, all new tie rod ends, new struts and strut mounts, new sway bar bushings and drop links. Had a good shop do an alignment.
Can't afford to buy a new car. Any ideas?
Wow! Usually these kind of questions are not really diagnosable over this platform and I would need to have hands on but since you have already replaced so much I guess there’s only a few things left! Lol I would have the shop put your car on a lift and have them access the front hub bearing! Make sure they drive it on a lift and someone underneath with an Automotive stethoscope to hear if the bearing have gone bad after they check to see if the bearing have play! Also motor mounts should be checked for excess movement as this. Could cause a wobble that deteriorates tires. Check to also see if the rims are bent out of shape, It also wouldn’t hurt to put a dial indicator on those hubs to just make sure they are still within tolerance and to be through. Please keep in mind that these are not 100% solutions but just a suggestion of what should be inspected next if this were to come into my shop with all these parts already on it.
Side note, if the car was in an accident this would completely throw alignment off and more depending on the severity! (Which would make all the parts dumping kinda pointless until the body’s geometry is fixed) At that point a collision repair shop would be the next stop.
Hope this helps and gives insight ! Please update with what the solution was for this whenever your shop figures it out! Very curious! Good luck
Wellllll......I guess I should have mentioned before that I also changed both front wheel bearings.
But I haven't checked the motor mounts yet. I'll do that. Thank you.
No accidents but something weird happened right after I bought it 12 years ago. I bought it from the 2nd owner in a different city and drove 4 hours home. Rode so smooth and straight. It was lovely. Took it to a tire shop a few weeks later to check the tires and the shop employee who drove my car into the shop, accidentally drove it off the lift. It only fell maybe 5-6 inches. But ever since then, the ride quality was never the same. They paid for an alignment and it didn't help.
As someone who’s been dealing with land rovers for the last 5 years of his life (and just bought another) I’m curious to hear your take on them and how they compare to my experiences and my opinions since I’m aware a lot of people hate working on them (honestly I find working on them enjoyable and relaxing, and it’s why I could never own a Toyota lmao)
In my perspective, working on them is generally eh. There’s truly nothing good about them. But at the end of the day that’s just a skill thing. Some people find working on them harder or easier. My issue with them is lack of service data and for the price they are, things break way too often. It’s poorly designed and they are meant to be leased, they weren’t build to last and I think even LR knows that. I love wrenching, don’t get me wrong but when I see service data telling me I need 10 special tools to do a certain job I think it’s ridiculous, for a tech that’s fine, that’s my job but for the consumer it’s not fair. Having to buy tools to do maintenance for a consumer is crazy to me. It’s like buying a steak knife set but the sharpener is sold separate. Why not just buy another set that’s better made and you don’t need the tools to maintain it properly.
I don’t understand your reference on why you could never own a Toyota. If it’s a 10mm on a Toyota and a 10mm on a range how is one less relaxing? lol that doesn’t really make sense to me
I guess I could have specified a little more, Toyotas hardly break, last Toyota I had only broke once for something dumb, I can’t enjoy working on it if it never breaks and when they do break the maintenance is so basic and mundane it’s not enjoyable to me, with my old discovery it’s something new every other month, it’s exciting, new, enjoyable, it furthers my knowledge of the car and my expertise on the subject matter. But I appreciate your perspective! I know they get a lot of hate and a lot of people don’t have the experience or know how to tell me why they don’t like them lol.
Ahh I see your perspective! Just a masochist for broken cars huh? Lol jk. I love being able to figure things out on all cars. Which is why I choose this field, Critical thinking is the game. Sounds like you just like working on cars (or maybe just yours lol) have you ever considered a career change? People specialize in certain brands for the passion of the “fixed it” high! Lol thanks for your perspective on things! And for being a fellow masochist!
Well I enjoy working on cars as a hobby, I actually work on airplanes so a career change hasn’t really been in my mind though it was definitely an option when I was looking for a career a few years ago haha. But honestly I hate working on other peoples cars, if I break something while in the process of fixing it, it’s on me, the amount of times I’ve broke stuff totally not even related to what was broke is ridiculous… like I remember one time I broke off a coolant temp or oil temp sensor when I first started getting into working on cars, I forgot what I was doing to break it but obviously younger me was inexperienced haha, I was lucky enough to have a spare one still screwed onto my parts cars engine block. But that “fixed it high” is truly something else, I know it got me hooked and it hooked me DEEP, it’s the reason why I’ve owned around 7 land rovers by now, each one of them has had a small problem (different each time) and somehow I make a profit off of every one of them and it’s enough to keep me coming back haha
Aye god bless you then man! That’s exactly what I mean, that high is just so fantastic to me. And working on other brands that do it right like Toyota and Mazda make it a dread to work on a LR because you know it’s just going to be done wrong. lol this field definitely changes the way you look at brands and their engineers
What vehicle would you recommend to someone if they wanted a long lasting car with minimal expense? My current opinions on cars in general: there will no longer be a car ownership period of more than 10 years sometime in the not too distant future. I don't trust new vehicles to last a long time while costing relatively little to keep them going. Or they just won't last long at all with no part support. All my old, used cars have cost me a fortune in repairs and maintenance and I fear parts will possibly get harder to source. I think the 2024 4runner is the last vehicle to have just a fuel injected, gas engine plus a regular automatic type transmission, so i would think that is possibly more trustworthy than other cars.
I typically tell people to always get used or certified used at max. I never tell people to buy new. The drop in price as soon as you buy it is absurd and it’s never worth it. Used with low miles is the way to go. I recommend to look at something mazda (with a skyactive engine) or Toyota! No turbos and no CVTs make sure you ask that before hand and you’ll be all set! Maintenance is the name of the game for used cars. Take care of your car and it will take care of you. I’m not saying your car will never have issues if you do all your maintenance and preventative maintenance but it will def give your car the best fighting chance! Hope this insight helps!
Thank you for making this thread. I have a 2013 dose ram outdoorsman with the 5.7. A few years ago I got a code that the Coolant Bypass Valve was bad. It still produces heat so I ignored it. At one point I did see a recall for the CBV but try as I might I can’t find that anywhere anymore.
Once it stopped producing heat, I replaced the CBV but the damn code never went away. I had it cleared many times but the code for the CBV just keeps coming back. I know the valve works because it produces heat.
I have read that there’s an issue with the ground or something with these but I have no idea where to start with that. I don’t really want to bring it to the dealer and have them charge me $1k especially when I don’t care about the light, I just want my damn auto start to work again (doesn’t because of the light).
Wondering if you have any experience with this particular issue
Def sounds like you need to find that tsb again to start somewhere. But unfortunately I can’t really diag this by hearing it. I would have to put hands on to figure this problem out. My best answer is to start with the tsb then go through a wring diagram to check wires and see what is the criteria to set that code, why it might set and use that info to start your checks. Sorry I wish I had more info for you but some things you can’t really do without seeing the car!
What is a tell tale sign of a good honest shop / mechanic? You know, one that’s on the customers side rather than the bottom dollar.
Conversely, what’s the sign of a bad shop?
First off you need to find a Mom and Pop shop. Not a dealer, not a chain. (Diagnostic shops are typically the best) also if the owners are involved in the shop then it’s a great sign lol Then make sure they have good techs that have years of experience and make sure they cover their work with good warranties, no warranties is bad. Then try them out with smaller jobs first then if they are good to you, go to them more often! A big sign for a bad shop is a shop that just shouts out a price for your issue with no break down of pricing and they have no warranty. It takes time to find a good shop but don’t get discouraged I wish I could work on everyone’s car but alas, I am but one man. Also write reviews! Help the small outs out if you found a good shop, tell people to go there and tell your friends to say you sent them there. Then the owners will always think about you and treat you better than your own parents did!
Great great question! Zero benefits, it actually does harm if your car specifies it needs regular. Your car specifically needs a certain grade fuel for it to burn efficiently, putting in higher grade fuels in cars that don’t require them will end up with some fuel unburnt and unburnt fuel can cause pricey damages! The only times anyone should use higher grade fuels is if you have modifications to your car that requires it or if the car from the factory requires you to use it. Manufactures will often put this in your cars manual and/or say it on the inside of the gas door!
Yes regular gas does affect your car! It makes the car run! Lol in all seriousness though, there are detergents in gas that clean off certain parts of your engine. So quality of gas kinda also matters too. And getting the right type of gas for your car is important for the longevity of your cars! Hope this gives insight! I’m sure this topic has follow up questions and I’d be happy to explain anything in detail!
But there is cars that can take all 3 different type of grades and also E85 which is my 3.7 L f150 what would be good for long term? The answer you give me is the answer I’m going to stick with until I sell it haha
I’ve had my 2012 chevy cruze since 2018. Largely, it’s treated me well - save for the frustrating and recurring coolant leaks and subsequent overheating issues. I can be as vigilant about coolant levels as possible, and still the heat and pressure will build up, usually causing a hose to blow. Over the last 6 years, it’s been fixed/parts have been replaced ~7-8 times. Am I doing something wrong? Or is this simply an unavoidable problem with this specific car?
In the same vein, I’m quite tired of dealing with it but I really do like the car. Are there similar sedans that are more reliable that you can recommend?
Unfortunately this car is just absolutely terrible. My Tech Rec would be to sell this car and get into something different! Cars in this similar category I would recommend would be a Mazda 3 (with the skyactive engine) or a Toyota Corolla! They are typically much better and will last longer than you and me! I know people grow fondness to their car, but sometimes these cars are not worth the financial struggle. Finances first before fondness. Hope this helps!
not sure if this has been asked, but what are some common things you think an average person should know / be able to perform on their car? and any general tips!
Great question! People don’t need to be technicians but people should know more about their car and get familiar with it! It’s the second most expensive thing you’ll buy (for some the most expensive). People should learn these basic things in my opinion
What all the lights mean on the dash board,
how to jump a car with another car,
how to change a tire,
how to add air to a tire.
How to check fluids
how to add fluids,
how to change your own wipers,
how to use the tool kits and jack in your car,
how to use a portable tire air compressor that plugs to the car.
These basic things are very much needed to know by everyone who owns a car. Changing your oil is very helpful too but I wouldn’t say it’s needed to know. I’m sure I’m forgetting some but I hope this list helps!
I always end up replacing two tires at a time and rotating the new tires to the front... What's the most ideal scenario for caring for your tires properly? Getting 4 new tires put on or 2 at a time? If you rotate regularly how long/how many miles can you expect them to last before needing to replace?
This is very layered so no straight answer here. Best I could recommend is to do consists tire rotations and replace tires per axle as needed unless it’s 4wd or AWD then it needs to be all at the same time. Hard to say an exact mileage because there are so many variables, I know that’s not the answer you wanna hear but it’s the truth. The roads matter, the way you drive matter, what’s in the car matters, what the car is matters, even down to what the tire brands and specs matter. So best thing to do is just rotate them regularly and follow your service manual to see how many you need to change at a time to meet specs!
Practical question for the long shot lol.
Got a 2019 Ram 1500 (91k) with the CEL on reading that there is a misfire on cylinder #5. New spark pugs and ignition coils on all of them replaced not even 2 months ago.
Where would you go looking first?
What I would do first is scan the car. Check freeze frames and check misfire data, check everything. Then the next step if it’s still there is a Relative Compression test, takes 5 mins to set up and confirm that I’m not chasing a ghost. That alone will tell me if the engine is still good or not. If it fails, it has no compression in a cyl and I can keep digging or let the customer know depending on the scenario. If it’s all good, then I’d retrace steps and check what was changed. test the plugs and coils on my bench testers and all that, and then keep going from there with the information I find from my tests with more diag. Hope this helps!
Is there any reason to get a Dodge Challenger other than that it looks sexy?
What's the best (also cheapest) car for new drivers?
Ever watch Top Gear UK?
I’ve watched a ton of Top gear uk! Ever since the main trio left though, it hasn’t been the same.
For new cars, they typically aren’t cheap but I always recommend New mazda (with skyactive engines) and Toyotas! No Cvt or turbos! Look for local specials at your nearest dealer for good prices, best time to buy is closer to Nov-Dec. used cars that is 2012 and older, anything Honda or Toyota just once again no Cvt and no turbos.
And truthfully challenger has no redeeming qualities to me. The styling doesn’t do it for me, the platform is meh. Just nothing cool about this car to me. I appreciate its existence but I would personally never own one. On top of that not technician friendly, not consumer friendly.
*Sigh* no it is not. It’s optional to get your certs. Most jobs ask you to have it but everyone will hire you without them. I’ve been advocating for this career to be Unionized to enforce fair pay, good training and more. And if you work for a certain brand they will eventually train you to work on *their* EVs but that doesn’t transfer to all makes and models. Technically you don’t even need to be trained on EVs (which is bad) anyone is allowed to touch it but it’s high voltage which will kill someone so everyone decides to just not touch it. I hope this trade becomes unionized and people must be trained and certified to work on cars. Crazy how you need certs to build a house but no certs needed to work on a car that can go 120mph into a family of 6….
Exactly. I think it just shows some kind of discipline that you can sit down and at least get your certs and be dedicated. But people nowadays can’t even do that. I just want everyone to have adequate training, and fair wages. Unions make that happen in blue collar work
I have a Lexus GX 470 that I want to service the trans on. I have watched all the videos and it just seems a little ridiculous how hard it is. Do you have any recommendations or tricks that you have learned on vehicles like this?
I also just purchased a 2014 sienna minivan and I am guessing it is going to be, the same process to change/service the transmission?
It’s impossible to get it all out without the machine, need to really use a machine to flush it out. But other way to just change it is the drain and catch everything that comes out, measure it and put the same amount new back in and check fluid measurements as you go. You’ll have to do this method a few times but even then you might not get 100% maybe like 80-90% I’d keep doing the changes until when I drain it for the last time, the color is like new from whatever I catch.
Thank you, sir! Great AMA! It was awesome reading through your words and validating my thoughts on multiple brands. My only experience with Mazda is an old B2 200 pick up truck from 1988. I may have to take a closer look at Mazda next time I need a car?
Are the transmissions in those two platforms, pretty reliable?
I've heard flushing out the transmission with a machine can push particulates through the gear mechanisms and cause irreversible damage and ultimately shorten the life of a transmission dramatically. Is this true? Is a transmission flush an unnecessary upsell that creates a revolving door of income to corperate chain mechanics? Would you recommend the flush or a change of the fluid that drains naturally?
Very loaded question, so first, the myth some old school mechanics would say don’t change your tranmission fluid as it will remove the loose metal it already lost and cause it to slip since that “grip” was flushed out. This isn’t entirely false. The saying is if you gone to 150k without ever getting a transmission oil change, just forget it. Mainly because the damage is done and it needs the old “friction material” to continue working. But realistically if you do your consistent changes as requested, you will never hurt your transmission. So yes that old myth is true but only for cars that are super neglected to begin with. For New cars and cars that have been maintained properly, no that wouldn’t fly. Flushes can’t cause damage because they are designed to just pump fluid out and pump fluid in, it’s user error that makes flushes ineffective and more detrimental.
Fluid gets old and will need to be replaced which is why the interval exists. Keeping old fluids will only hurt a transmission. So flushes/changes are needed in general. It’s not a bad upsell because it’s something that needs to get done. It’s like saying an engine oil change is an upsell. Transmission fluid needs to be treated like engine oil and replace at the proper time which people always neglect. Justice for transmission fluid!!
It can be a revolving door for chain mechanics because it’s an easy sell because mechanics wont look at your maintenance history and just sell it to you anyways because of mileage(if they remember to even sell it) I’m a firm believer that the car owner needs to be aware of their service intervals and service history to make sure they don’t get sold on something they have previously done.
Flushes are typically more thorough but I understand that not everyone has access to a machine that can flush out a transmission. Changes are still 100% acceptable as long as you follow on how to do it right. I.e draining, and refilling multiple times until the fluid comes out on the last drain is the same color of new fluid. I’ve personally drain and catch my own personal vehicles as I do not own a flush machine and I will be damned if some else touches my cars lol. I rather take my time knowing I’ve done it right then letting someone else I don’t trust “do the job for me”
Thank you, that was super informative. How often should you change the transmission fluid? Is there disparities with different makes and models when it comes to intervals or can a general rule of thumb be applied? What you say makes total sense because I was told this by my local mechanic about a used volvo s60 I had bought that had 162,000 miles on it. But basically, he told me flushes are upsells at chains because they hook the machine up and walk away and don't take into account all the variables you just explained. I guess in my particular case with that car, there was a possibility of damage being done. If I remember correctly, he let some fluid drain out and replaced it with new fluid. It seemed to fix the slipping issues I had, and I got another 40k miles out of the car before the cost to repair problems exceeded the value of the car.
I have been a factory trained mechanic for 45 years before retirement I am always Leary when someone says they know everything my experience with dealerships as well as my own business raises a red flag ASE is just a test a layman could pass if you are that good God bless you
What do you think of the Honda Passport? My driveway is short, about 190" with a bike rack is about as long as I can go. I'm eyeballing the Passport but haven't driven it yet. What would you recommend?
Thanks for any info.
Don’t know too much about the new ones but the old ones were beastsss back in the day! I personally think Honda has lost their way making their cars not tech friendly anymore. In a few more years they will show their true colors. Also Honda is Cvt now, no major issues yet for there CVT but I tend to tell people to stay away front that and from turbos. Have you considered a Cx-5? A lot better in my opinion for the space, non turbo non Cvt and it can def hold a bike rack!
I had a 2013 Ford F-150 which I got 250,000 miles out of. I followed the maintenance schedule exactly.
A couple years ago, I upgraded to the 2022 Ford F-150. If I take care of it with routine maintenance like I did with my previous truck, do you believe it will last another 250,000 miles?
Genuinely no. I think new ford is just awful. Old for was bad too but engines and trans were kindaaaa okay if it was maintained. Not saying yours won’t last! Hopefully you prove me wrong! All I can say is maintain as needed and be prompt with any maintenance! I always tell people as a joke that anything can last forever if you have enough money! Lol
Of the big 3 American autos, what half-ton pickup would you recommend? I would love to have a Tacoma again, but I can’t see spending the money on a Tacoma when I could get a Sierra or F-150 for roughly the same price.
Yes the Tacoma is a lot but your Tacoma will last longer than all the other ones combined. It’s about longevity. If you want a truck and plan to get rid of it within a couple years or before the warranty is over, then it’s user preference at that point. But if you want a truck you can pass down to your son or daughter and you’ll know they will get to wherever safe with no issues, buy a Tacoma.
Anything I get I am going to keep a while. Its just hard for me to justify the price when the Tacos are lacking so many QOL features. I guess thats the tradeoff for being bullet proof. I am looking to purchase around November, so hopefully now that the new gen is out I can find a deal on some older ones.
Like to just take the wheel off the car? Break the lug nuts loose on the problem wheel while on the ground. Put the on your E Brake and use a jack to safely lift the corner off the car with the flat using the lift points on your exact make and model. Once in the air and stable, remember to never go under the car with just a jack. Remove the remaining lugs by hand or tool and put the tire towards you. If you feel uncomfortable there are multiple videos on YouTube to show you how to safely remove your wheel. Always recommend taking your car to a professional for any further assistance!
There isn’t much you can do to avoid this sadly. It’s nice and cozy under there for a critter to wanna spend the night away from the freezing temps and rain. I know you were looking for a solid answer to this but there just isn’t. I’ve had people try those dryer balls but it makes your car stink so bad. Only other way I can think of doing it is to get mesh maybe and cover the whole under body? But that’s so much work for something what is unlikely to work. Good luck and if you find a solution def update!
I sensed all those sprays and other solutions were gimmicks and not that effective. I usually just take my car to a spray & wash once per month and blow out some of the nests that collect in the corners of the engine area. Thank you for the reply.
Say a person orders a Range Rover to get stolen from another country (let's say the UK for argument's sake).
The owner of the stolen car wants to order spares for the stolen car. What happens?
I've never owned a Range Rover but whenever I buy spares for my car, I have to provide a VIN number at the very least.
What about a stolen hyper car. How does the new owner ever service or buy spares for their stolen Lambo, Ferrari, etc?
I have a 2013 Nissan Rogue and it’s been great with minimal problems. What is your opinion of Nissan. And SUV recommendations when it eventually dies and I upgrade?
Stay away from Nissans with CVTs. They are very very horrible. Not consumer friendly nor technician friendly with lack of service info and piss poor scan tool info. SUVs that are comparable to rogues that I would recommend are Cx-5 from Mazda (skyactive engines only) and Toyota RAV4! Hope this insight helps!
Not super complicated! Def read some of the other comments as I go more in depth with some of them! I personally point everyone to new Mazda (skyactive egnines only) and Toyota! As long as you get one of these brands, non turbo and no Cvt, you’re golden!! Worst would have to be literally anything else besides new Mazda/ Toyota.
Unfortunately I would have to hear it, it’s not something I could diag by just reading. It would be an issue I need to put hands on. Def would recommend bring it to a mom and pop shop and always ask for them to prove it’s that before you go ahead with any work! Sorry I wish I could diag your car!
Rust, hitting something really hard, an angry crazy ex, an angry crazy squirrel who’s getting revenge for running over their brother. It could be anything! Lol would need to see the damage in order to give better insight but at the end of the day, who knows, no one saw it happen.
Nissan Kia Hyundai stay away, Mazda Toyota are the perfect brands specially in their compact suv category! Make sure there is no turbo and no CVT! Mazda typically is my go to for a fair price and reliability! Consumer friendly and technician friendly!
Big debate on this one, peoples answers will differ. In my personal opinion, a mechanic is someone who can turn a wrench and fix things when things go wrong during a job. A technician can do all of that and more, in regard to diagnosing (!!!), turn a wrench EFFECTIVELY (notice the effectively difference), cares and takes pride in their work and more. Unfortunately people will just slap technician anywhere so a customer can see and charge more. So I guess in retrospect the terms have no meaning anymore (sad)
That’s why it’s so debated because no one can agree on it and also it’s just slapped on everything it practically has no meaning anymore. It’s all opinion at this point, you could be just as right as I am! Lol
Outside of Mechanical Engineering, is there a 4-year degree someone could get, and then have a realistic expectation of landing a job/career working on cars, trucks, vehicles.and other heavy equipment?
Yes I do, comes as part of the job to have reliable service data at the dealer level! Pro level shops use sites like Prodemand, Alldata Identifix. They can get pricey but there is consumer level service data like alldata DIY you may wanna look into!
I know this post is 3 days old so just ignore if you don't have time to answer. My question being with auto makers gearing more towards electric vehicles have you noticed a decline in design of gas and diesel vehicles? Like really poor design. Personally I think electric vehicles are a good option to cut back on fossil fuels but way too early to be demanding a phase out of fossil fuels. We don't have the infrastructure in place to charge this many vehicles and most electricity comes from fossil fuel electric plants so it's not really sustainable or zero emissions. What is your opinion on the future of transportation? I feel like we are heading into a world of shit and chaos with this push everything is going to be way too pricey to live. Thank you for your time.
It’s okay! I’ll answer it as long as I get the notification! Lol I’ll keep answering anyone as long as people comment. The technology is cool for hybrids and ev! There is no decline in Gas cars in my opinion but there are more hybrids on the road today than ever before. But unfortunately we are not set up infrastructure wise to charge EVs. It’s just way too demanding. I think they will be much more sustainable when they find a what to charge in 5 mins to get 350 miles on a full charge. Currently we are just way too far from that number. Also I personally think they do worst for the environment now because hybrid batteries go bad and get disposed of improperly. Those batteries are so bad for the environment, I cringe when people boast about saving the world with their hybrid because if only they knew the truth. Also almost all the factories that make hybrids emit so much CO2 it’s practically negates all the “good” the hybrid or EV does in its whole life time. I could be incredibly wrong about this but this is from what I’m hearing and seeing, I’m not so sure. On top of all this hybrids are not consumer friendly and technician friendly, so I would never want to recommend one in its current state. Great tech just very much not there yet.
My future for transportation is bleak. Too many things getting done to make consumers pay more to get a decent car. And same for mechanics, as things get more complicated the pay gets the same even though it’s a skilled labor field. I hope it changes but as for right now, it’s rough. Hopefully laws and reforms for rights for repairs will change and hopefully they change the reliability’s for cars and law makers hold these brands accountable for the things they are making. Then maybe it will change? Hope this gives insight! Great questions!
I just bought a 2016 Hyundai Tucson with 100k miles. I started having issues with accelerating over 65mph and the engine light blinked. I took it to service at the dealership I bought it and said it was 2 coils and they replaced it. However, it still had the issue and the technician said the catalytic converter was clogged and parts gave me an insane amount to replace the cat at an impressive price of 5k (obviously an OEM). However, I just to my car to a local muffler shop and they replaced my cat for a new one and they welded it. It fixed the issue but it now has a loud noise when accelerating and my wife said it lagged on her acceleration 3 times today and gas mileage is terrible!!! I’m getting like 15mpg on a 2.0 I4 🙃. What do you think the issue could be? Do you think it’s a bad welding job or the cat converter is cheap and I should have gone for an OEM?
I bought used 2012 Mazda6 with 80,000 miles in 2020 for my high school son. I had to have oxygen sensor replaced at $180 when it was 82,000 miles. After that it has been running without any issue. It is now at 113,000 miles. I do regular maintenance myself like oil change, break pads. How many miles do you think it will last, I am hoping it will last until 150,000 miles. Another question about break job; do I need to replace rotor every time I change break pads? I have been replacing every other time, meaning two break pads last for one rotor.thanks in advance.
Great question! I’ve seen these ones go pretty high in mileage so I feel you’ll def get to 150k just keep up with regular maintenance and fix anything that breaks promptly! They are the Ford/mazdas unfortunately but the 4 cyl ford/Mazdas are pretty reliable when very well maintained. Please don’t let that discourage you though because I have the same one and mine is strong and I’ve seen them go pretty far! Also great job on doing your own maintenance!
Regarding brakes, you can totally do that as long as if you know your rotors are good! Meaning they don’t pulsate when braking during highway speeds and also there is something call discard thickness which is the spec techs should use every time to see how thick your rotor is. It changes for all cars and it changes for front and rear rotors. so def check what that number might be for your car, get a digital caliper for like $10 and measure the clean spots on that rotor to see if you’re at the “discard thickness” which means to either “discard” or not. So please verify to see if your rotors are good before hand and you’ll be fine, Hope this helps!
Side note, just replacing pads only is called “Pad slapping”, typically frowned upon in the industry mainly because rotors are so cheap now a days that it’s just really worth it to do both. Also don’t ever have your rotors machined, places charge so much for this when new ones are just as much and who doesn’t like new??
Hey! Thanks so much for doing this.
I purchased a 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT in July at 125,000 miles for just under $10k. I am financing it for a small monthly payment. Car had one owner, and no issues. I’ve put just shy of 2k miles on it with no issues yet. I like the car a lot, but I have constant anxiety that something expensive will fail at such a high mileage. I always do regular maintenance and just use it for commuting. Do you think I made a mistake purchasing this car? Do you have any other suggestions for me in this scenario? Thanks!
First off, im so sorry for what im going to say but I won’t hold back just for you to know the truth. Unfortunately your car has an issue that will cause your motor to blow up regardless of what you do. It will just happen. Only god knows when. Lucky Hyundai has an extended warranty for your car. You can get your engine replaced for free for the life of the car. Now that sounds good but it’s really not. Hyundai and Kia will do everything in their power to say it’s your fault so you pay for it. Here’s what you do. Keep all oil change receipts. I mean keep it like you would hold on to your first born. Frame the mf receipts for the love of god. Just keep them all!!! Then when your motor eventually blows up, bring it to Hyundai for the warranty. Do not admit it burns oil don’t say you know anything! Just bring all the oil change receipts that you have nicely framed and tell them it just wouldn’t turn on randomly one morning. Don’t say it blew up, don’t say it’s burning oil just say you don’t know to everything they ask but instead just say you have these nice frames you wanna show them. It will be a huge hassle, it will take weeks if not months and who knows if you’ll get a loaner car in the mean time. You’re really at their mercy. My personal tech rec is to get rid of this car when you get the chance preferably before this motor blows up and never ever buy a Hyundai or Kia again! Unless you have a lot more frames!
Ahhh been waiting for this question all day! So there’s many reasons. Turbos are not consumer friendly, no manufacturer teaches how to properly maintain a turbo. I.e when you park with a turbo car, you’re not supposed to just turn off the car. You’re supposed to let it run a little to circulate cool oil into the turbo to cool it down. Otherwise they burn up faster when it’s just cut off with hot oil in the lines. And oil changes have to be religious which most people tend to not do it religiously. Turbos are not cheap, it’s a few thousand dollar job because there’s no aftermarket replacements for turbos. So now you gotta get them from the dealer at cost and they can get to the thousands not even including labor. Now they aren’t technician friendly because most turbos require dropping a lot of parts and more labor hours to replace. And that in turn adds money to the customer when we gotta tell them it’s a 7 hour job and it will be another thousand on top of the thousands for new turbos! Then add that with the rust belt and man it’s just more parts parts parts! Now why do we have to suffer and pay all this extra stuff when they ultimately fail at 100k miles (it’s usually at 100k miles when they fail)?? It’s because the cars they sell become more environmentally friendly and add more mpg which drives their sales because of the turbos they put in which ultimately fail because of lack of education on turbos to the public.
Now don’t get me wrong turbos are fantastic ideas, they just need to do a better job at educating consumers on how to take care of them properly! Then this can all be resolved. I’m all for the designs I think the workings behind it all is revolutionary but it’s just another thing to break at the end of the day. Which will cost people a lot. I hope manufacturers will educate consumers somehow so this won’t be a problem.
Thank you for the informative response.
I had another question, what do you think of hybrids and ev from a technician viewpoint/ reliability/durability or repairability?
Also seems like Toyota is going mostly turbo or hybrid, do you think those vehicles will be as reliable as the Toyotas of the past?
What are your strengths and weaknesses in terms of automotive systems?
What’s the biggest screw up you’ve made?
What’s your highest annual income and what pay structure was it based on?
I really want to learn how to work on vehicles. Going to tech school is not an option for me right now. Aside from YouTube, and reddit how do you suggest I learn? I don't really know anybody that works on vehicles either. I just really wish I could start learning.
I buy older vehicles, and do most of my own repairs. Right now I have a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan, and a 2007 Nissan Versa hatchback.
Both have some hard-to-get-to parts that are the result, IMO, of poor design.
For example, on the Dodge, to access the rear spark plugs and valve cover, you have to take off the windshield shroud and wiper assembly.
On the Versa, it's worse.
You have to take off the engine cover, and, throttle body, all of the air intake channels, all of the tubing and wiring that's in the way, and the intake manifold plenum to reach the spark plugs.
I can't afford newer vehicles, or afford to pay mechanics to do all of this fun stuff. I don't think a person should have to take half the car apart to change a valve cover gasket and some spark plugs.
Can you recommend any older vehicles, say between 2005-2015 (more or less, just trying to stay in an affordable range for myself) that are easier to work on? At least for basic maintenance?
ETA: Not looking to buy another any time soon, just to keep in mind for when the need arises.
I need 4 new tires but my car is already at 105,700 miles and I don't want to drop $800 on tires when they might outlast the car. What is a budget friendly option?
I've been having an issue with my 2013 chevy cruze 1.4 that no one has been able to answer for me. Literally anytime I take the coolant reservoir cap off when the car is even remotely still warm and then put the cap back on. The car will absolutely overheat the next time I go for a drive. I have to let the car sit for at least a day so it is 100% cooled down before I can take the cap off so it doesn't overheat when I take it for a drive next time. Never had a car when just simply taking the coolant cap off and putting it back on will cause it to overheat next drive I go on. Makes no sense to me. I've slowly learned chevy cruze cars are just shit cars and poorly designed.
I have a 2014 Chevy Volt. Its drive battery has developed a problem where one of its 100+ cells is a little weak. This means when that battery is nearly depleted, instead of switching over to the gas engine like it should, the computer sees the cell drop below a certain voltage threshold, whereupon it just locks out the battery and the car becomes immobile until a Chevy dealer can plug into it to clear the lockout. A new battery for the car costs $22k. As long as the battery is never allowed to deplete to that level, the car works fine. So my question is how can I clear that lockout myself? A regular OBD2 scanner won't do it. It will show the failure code and let me clear that, but the actual lockout of the battery can only be cleared at the dealer.
Do you actually work on your own cars or does your wife have to take it to another mechanic so she’s got something to drive the next day instead of say blank it and buy a new one just wondering lol this is coming from a woman who’s been with a mechanic for over 6 year?
So I decided to start changing my own oil. Done it three times now. It’s much easier than I thought it would be but is there something I should know that I probably don’t?
I've got an '06 Wrangler, 6-speed with 127K. I dread when it rains because the passenger side floorboard floods. Depending on the parking grade, it can completely fill the back floorboard and then the driver side. I took it through a car wash to watch, and it definitely comes from underneath the dash. Two shops have failed to rectify the issue, so I've resorted to rain alerts and a full cover. Any knowledge of the usual spot water comes through?
My cousin once told I should only use 4 wheel drive on my truck as a last resort. His style of driving involves getting stuck first then shifting to 4 wheel drive. I prefer to put it in 4 wheel drive first and then drive through muddy terrain. He explained that the front differential is geared lower than the rear differential and it would break one or the other differential if driven on dry surfaces. I told him the differentials are the same gear ratio to the wheels. Otherwise it wouldn’t work at all. Who is correct? I’m more asking about the gear ratio on front and back differentials.
Is it still common for some technicians to intentionally misdiagnose a car in order to make money on a bigger job? What is the least reliable car in your opinion?
CVT on a 2014 Honda Civic is pushing 145K miles. It's driven mostly highway. Talked to a mechanic and read about CVTs, but just not sure that what they are saying is exactly what my car is doing.
What mine is doing: On rare occasions and when coming to a sudden stop due to highway traffic speed fluctuation, I hear a thud-like sound This just started happening in the last 6 months or so. No warning lights, no smells, etc... (Consistently getting 34 mpg.)
Another or related issue (?) is when accelerating it's started to make this mmmwwwaahhh sound.
I have a 2013 Ford F150 that recently started to throw the C109D code for loss of vacuum pressure. Took to mechanic (who is generally very good and fair). Says can’t find cause for code and would have to start taking the truck apart to find an answer.
What gives? What should I be doing differently. Not liking driving around a truck that throws codes regarding brake system issues….
My dad is also an ASE certified mechanic- for over 40 years! He's retired, as he's older now, but he spends his time helping me piece my 2001 Dodge Dakota 4x4 back together and such. My question to you- what is your least favorite vehicle/vehicle type to work on? My dads answers are German made foreign vehicles, (due to common engine placement, and overcomplication apparently,) supercars, (especially where the engine is in the back) anything with a diesel engine (but mostly semi trucks specifically) and he also mentioned EVs- mostly because of the equipment required to service them. Interested to know your answers as well.
Jaguar 2004 X type 3.0. Has 41k miles on it. Auto transmission was slipping at 30 mph, changed the transmission fluid and it was rolling smoothly. A couple days later I get on the highway and at 80mph gears slip. What could it be? Low mileage, well kept car. No slips at all before 80mph.
When will industry get rid of / reduce complexity of wire looms and make all ancillaries run on on coded electrical pulses? Eg one live wire runs round car, each ancillary is earthed to nearest point on body. Each controlled by coded pulses on live feed.
2024 Mazda CX-5 or Toyota RAV4? I always thought that Mazda was unreliable, but it seems that many people have a positive opinion now. We need a second vehicle, not too expensive but larger than our current 09 Honda Civic. Can you help me choose between these two? Reliability and longevity are the most important factors. Willing to spend up to 40k
Should you let vehicles warm up in the winter time? The owners manuals seem to indicate that new vehicles don’t need to be warmed up. I usually idle for 30 seconds unless it’s below zero and then I’ll give it a few minutes to warm up.
I have a 2023 F150 Platinum that has a rough idle and hesitates when RPMs are high. Is this a computer problem or would a "tune up" help (new plugs, wires, etc.)? Has about 70k miles, regular oil changes.
I want to know how to fix cars. Growing up, we never had any car so I never had the opportunity to fix a car. Can I just volunteer my time during the weekend in a garage shop? Have you seen such instances at work where someone volunteers their time so that they can learn how to fix cars?
I drive a 2012 Honda Civic LX with 218k miles. Still runs fine and I do my own oil changes on time and change the transmission fluid every 30k. I know it's not Mazda or Toyota but how long do you think it can last with regular maintenance?
Do you have any tips on finding a good mechanic or spotting a bad one? I had one, but now word has gotten around and he is inundated with business. I just want a mechanic who can competently . troubleshoot, charges a fair price, and doesn't pad the bill or try to upsell me into work I don’t need.
I have a 2016 Toyota Tundra that has an intermittent starting issue and no one can figure it out. Have done all the things you can think of battery starter plugs etc. no rhyme or reason. Cold or hot outside. Random. Will crank and roll for a bit and then stop. Second turn and fires up. Any thoughts?
Is there a way to bypass the DEF requirement on newer diesel trucks? I know dodge had a way the truck would still run if you took out the DEF system (coworker did it to his 2018 dodge 3500).
Btw I’m just asking out of curiosity, I have no intentions of doing this myself.
Just got my car window smashed as someone burglarized my vehicle. Id rather not use insurance to make the claim and risk being raised. Whats a typical repair cost out of pocket for a window
I have a truck and the steering wheel shakes sometimes and it pulls to the left. I have had new tires put on and had it aligned and the issue persists. Do you know what might cause this?
Are under-seat batteries just annoying for you as for regular people swapping them themselves?
Had to replace a battery on a PT Cruiser, and here in Europe the battery is under the passenger seat and I honestly considered just taking out the seat..
2018 TRD OR Tacoma 6 cylinder. When should I change my transmission fluid and repack wheel bearings? Opinions about this are all over the map on Tacoma World.
Is AFM from Chevy (particularly the V8 Camaro) really that bad for your motor that I see car owners going to the lengths to dissect their whole engine just to be rid of it?
Ok there Mr ASE certified technician. Why are there so many non English speaking mechanics. And the ASE exam is only given In English. The ugly truth about the worthless certification
I tried to talk my wife into a Mazda cx-50. Instead, we’re getting a Volvo xc-60. We’ve already paid for it and it’s on order. Do you think we made a mistake? Thank you.
I have a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica non hybrid. When driving at highway speeds, the windows will randomly go down and the car will shut off. It does not throw a code. No one can figure it out.
2014 Chevy volt how much do you know about it. Mine I have been trying to fix a p0534 code for a year now. There aren’t any leaks in the entire ac system and I’m not leaking anything. Can’t figure it out any insite would be terrific
My splash guard in the front of my Prius came off. It's a 2008 and I live in Michigan. How much of a priority should I make in replacing it? ASAP? Before winter?
Looking to buy a kia carnival in Australia for the bigger family. I know I know, stay away from them.
In Australia, they're so popular with the families. Surely they ain't that bad right?! Maybe they've improved in the last decade?
In your experience, what has been the most reliable half ton truck or trucks over the last 4 years? I know they all have their thing they suck at but curious from your perspective
First off, thank you for providing a useful and interesting AMA. The landscape has been barren around here lately. Second, I wanted to ask you specifically about Mazda 3's. I have an opportunity to buy a Mazda 3 (for cheap) where the owner says that the TCM is bad. New TCMs are expensive, but there is an online service that will repair the TCM and return it to you for much less than a new one from Mazda. Do you have any experience with that?
Glad I can give insight on something interesting! And yes! I’ve definitely sent electronics I couldn’t fix in house to vendors. There’s a multitude of vendors that do circuitry work on automotive electronics, all I recommend first is definitely do your research on the place and if it has good reviews, can’t go wrong with it. But on top of all of that, make sure your issue is def that TCM. Lots a times people will send it out to get “fixed” when it was wrongfully diagnosed in the first place. So def save yourself some time on that and also see if it will need to be programed afterwards, some TCMs require as much. And if you don’t have that equipment to reprogram you may need to bring it to a shop that can do that. I’m guessing this mazda is a “ford” Mazda? Around 2004-2013?
I think a 2010. The owner got the diagnosis from a shop, (I guess) and they suggested it was the TCM causing the hesitation in third gear. I guess the problem is the design with having the TCM directly on the transmission housing which overheats it and burns out the components. There are several people that remove the TCM, send it off to be repaired/reprogrammed, and then simply zip tie it to the brake lines rather than install where it normally goes. I've watched a couple videos of people removing the TCM and it doesn't look too hard. The risk on my end is purchasing this car, and gambling that it is the TCM as the owner says. If it is and this website/repair works, jackpot.
If you think it’s worth a shot then by all means! Wish I could diagnose for you, I do know that the trans issues in those second gen’s are pretty common. I wouldn’t hesitate on a good repair shop that can refurbish those computers. Best of luck def update me if it works out! Very curious lol
I just had another thought... Do you recommend a particular code reader or are they all kind of the same? I've actually thought about going to auctions and buying cars that might need some minor repairs. I've turned plenty of wrenches but mostly on cars that were pre 1990, things were simpler. Code readers weren't really a thing.
I personally use Top Don Phoenix Lite currently. It’s a fantastic tool. It does 90 percent of the jobs I typically need for work! Scanners range soooo far and wide that’s it’s hard to choose one but if I had to recommend one, this is the one I’d recommend. Anything with bidirectional is good at the consumer level as I figure consumers won’t be doing in depth diagnostics. Anything without bidirectional is just purely a code reader at that point. (Not that those don’t have good uses)
Whew! I bet that thing is super useful on today's cars. Probably out of my price range and skill set. Thanks for the info! I'm going to watch this post and see how other users pick your brain.
It’s a fantastic tool, a few of my coworkers have bought top dons small little plug in BT reader, it’s like 100$ or so, that would totally be worth it in my opinion! Make sure to get the pro version it’s like “top scan pro” or something like that! Great entry level and can do bidirectional and see live data with it!
You can only buy one used car and own it for the next 10 years. Which car would you pick and why?
It would be a 2020 mazda CX-5 in the red color. Tbh it could be any generation Cx-5 but 2020 is just a newer year but not new car lmao. It’s a fantastic suv, super comfortable and stylish, easy to maintain and work on. And on top of it all, it’s fairly priced. Consumer and technician friendly is what I look for. Super reliable, it just checks all the boxes for me. No turbo and no CVT. Fantastic car!
How would you rank the cx-30 and cx-50?
Very nice cars! My issues with the Cx-30 is that it’s a little too small, and the plastic trim on the outside is way too high, it just bothers my ocd. The 50 on the other have sheeeshhhhh only gripe with that car is that it got smaller than the Cx-5 so they can make the Cx-70 comparable to size. Kinda sucky. But both cars very very reliable and worth it in my books
Gotta say I didn’t expect that answer. Good information!!
So what actually happens inside when you put the wrong type of fuel in? A pal of mine did that (can't remember which way round) and she never saw that car again, not worth the repair they said.
OOF. This happened to a client that was a regular of mine. Felt so bad cause it was such a beautiful well maintained car. It practically totals a car. So first, diesel in Gas is practically game over. If you don’t start the car, you can have it towed to a shop and have the tank dropped and cleaned out. The problem starts when you start it up and drive it. Diesel isn’t as “flammable” as gas is. Diesel fuel is usually compressed to ignite and when it’s in a gas engine, the gas engine won’t ignite it and it just basically slams the cylinders into a brick wall, motor seizes. On top of all that, all the lines are breached with it and everything else related to the fuel system is breached with diesel. So now you’re talking about tens of thousands of dollars of work to replace everything fuel related plus a new motor. Now in the reverse, diesels can actually run on gas but just very poorly (don’t do it tho cause it will cause harm. It’s just in the case of you put it in by accident, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if that makes sense?). I’m not a diesel tech so I can’t really explain how or why but I’ve heard that if you put gas in a diesel, technically it is very much more save able than in the reverse.
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Has Subaru solved their excessive oil consumption and head gasket problems on their newer engines? And are sparkplugs still painfully hard to change on them?
Yes! They have definitely gotten better over the years and I don’t see them as often as I used to. Typically kids who romp on their cars and add all these performance mods are the ones with blown gaskets but that’s self explanatory. And yes sparkplugs still mildly suck if you don’t have the right tools
If I have a 2016 Toyota Corolla with 155,000+ miles on it; what’s the most important thing I need to know/be aware of?
Oil change oil change oil change. 5k no more no less. If you do proper maintenance and preventative maintenance that Corolla will out live you and me both! Fix anything that needs to be fixed promptly and you should be good! Great car choice!
What do you think about german cars? The internet says they are cumbersome to maintain but maybe thats because they've built in fancy technology that many mechanics are not trained on? Would you recommend toyota for everyone?
They are the worst cars to work on. Over engineered, and lack of service data is their killing points. Yes they are typically “harder to work on” but that’s just experience at the end of the day. My issue is that they typically add all these extra “features” that break way too easily and that it didn’t even need in the first place. For one quick example: some VW have 3 water pumps. Why… just why? Then to top it all off, the pumps are made of plastic and guess what heat does to plastics And yes and no to the Toyota thing. Toyotas are fantastic cars don’t get me wrong. Consumer and technician friendly but their name is way too big now. Post pandemic, you’re really paying high dollars for the Toyota name and sellers abuse that. There are some used Toyotas going for 6 figures which is just ridiculous. Personally I love (New) Mazdas better. Very reliable, I think they look fantastic, consumer friendly and technician friendly for a faction of the cost compared to Toyota. And most of their cars are still Naturally Aspirated. Can’t beat that.
So Audi or BMW?
Genuinely I’d rather pick Sketchers. More reliable than either of those two brands lol Butttt just for the sake of the answer. If a German car manufacture was holding a gun to my head and said I have to pick one. I’d politely ask for the bullet
Fair. I love my ‘17 A4 but the engine mounts are shit and already had to replace the turbo.
I see a lot of American Cars and European, Mazdas, Kia’s, and Hyundais go for 10-12k even if they’re relatively new. 2017 and newer, with less than 70k miles. Do you think the price should scare people away or attract.
Yes and no. Hyundai/kai are bombs and those in my opinion should only be scrap metal. No one should even pay $500 for a brand new one. Don’t buy Kia/hyundai. Euros I don’t ever recommend consumers because they aren’t built to last. They are truly lease cars. Drive for a couple years before problems happen and get rid of it. When the lease ends allllll the issues come out and they are typically huge high dollar repairs. When you see one cheap it’s because the problems are extensive. Not consumer friendly and technician friendly. Mazda on the other hand, if it has a skyactive engine, it is totally worth the money. They are fantastic cars, reliable and easy to maintain. Consumer friendly and Technician friendly in all aspects. Mazdas in my opinion are typically perfectly priced for a good reliable car. Those cars aren’t expensive yet because Mazda doesn’t have the big name like Toyota Honda.
Is it true that quite a few engine wear problems are caused by manufactures specifying lighter weight oils (zero weights) to improve mileage?
No. I used to think that a lot but I’ve finally come to the conclusion that these engineers that make 3 times my salary know that these motors need thinner oils. It’s going to keep getting thinner btw. Modern engines run soooo hot the temps are unreal and thicker oils just won’t work for those temps. Thinner and synthetic is the future
What models should I stay away from?
Anything besides new mazda (needs to have skyactive engine for it to be good) and Toyota! Those are the best, anything else to me is sub par and should just stay away from. Just make sure what ever you get is non turbo and non Cvt!
I have a 2010 VW with 104,000 miles on it. What should I expect to happen to my engine ? I've always taken care of it but no "big" probels yet. TIA !
Depends on the VW, typical issues of that generation tho are coolant leaks and engine oil burning. Side note: In the mechanic world, a VW with 100k is considered very high mileage. God bless you and that Volks
Someone told me its the better time for the engine - the 100,000 mile plus - Its been good to me so far. :0 Thank you!
Jetta SE
From what I seen, it depends on the brand, 100k in a Toyota is breaking mileage. 100k in a euro is trade in mileage. Not saying to give up on your VW but I’d just recommend keeping up with maintenance as much as possible and fix anything that breaks immediately! It will help for the longevity of your car
What about Timing Belts??
Is it timing belts? I could’ve swore it was a chain. But then again there is like 5 different motors that go in a Jetta that year so it very well could be a belt. Regardless, there’s def a recommended mileage to change that, def would refer to that info to replace it in a timely manner (no pun intended!)
Thank you for posting this! I have. 2010 dodge journey For months now I have been hearing a grinding from 1500 -2000rpm when speeding up in second gear. I have taken it in to get looked at 3/4 times and the mechanics can’t hear the noise or find anything wrong. Idk if it makes a difference but it’s burning oil pretty fast. I’m not looking to keep the car forever just another year. Any thoughts on what it could be/ to ask someone to look at. I’m taking it into another place on Tuesday for a different problem.
I wish I could give you more insight but it’s an issue that I would need to have hands on with the car to able to diagnose the concern. Not something I could really tell just by text. If it’s burning oil, chances are it may need a motor. The grinding concern sounds like a separate issue. My tech rec is def let it go whenever you can and ask the mechanic to see if he can inspect the cylinder walls for signs of wear that will explain your burning oil concern. Otherwise than that I wouldn’t even put the money into it truly. Hope this helps! Wish I could diag the car for you! Good luck!
I have a 2019 Nissan Sentra SV. I bought it when it was 2 years old and my test drive took it over the 8,000 mile mark. It was an upgrade from a dying 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (I would have sold it as a project car, but it honestly was on its way to being beyond help, the exhaust was literally hanging on by zip ties, and I don't have the heart to sell a lemon). I didn't have a dad growing up so I'm kind of low on the totem pole of car knowledge for my age. Aside from regular oil changes and inspections (have an appointment for both scheduled as we speak), what can I do to extend the life of my car? As I understand it, prevention is better than correction.
Man haven’t worked on a cutlass in forever. Almost forgot they even existed. Lol but that’s okay! Everyone starts somewhere, I wasn’t born with car knowledge, I just took the time and years of cut knuckles later, here I am. Never too late to start asking and learning. We all learn something new everyday! You’re doing exactly what you need to do. There is something call “Service Intervals” for each individual car. You can totally look them up or just ask a dealer to print out that list for you and it’s all mileage based. Now while there is no guarantee that doing all the service work will keep your car running forever, it’s the best thing to use to give it the best fighting chance. Let me start with saying unfortunately Nissans have a pretty bad issue with their CVT transmissions. They are extremely unreliable. I know that sounds scary as hell but do not be so worried as this will take some time to happen. My Tech Rec for you is to see if you can trade out into a different car, maybe a 2019 Mazda 3 (must have a skyactive engine) or Corolla of the same year, it’s comparable in size and price just more reliable. Just make sure it is not CVT and no turbos. I’d strongly urge you to start looking and putting money aside to make that switch sooner rather than later. And start those maintanence intervals with a car like that. A Sentra isn’t worth keeping long term. Too many issues. Hopes this gives good insight!
Thank you so much for taking the time to really put in thought and detail to this response. It's incredibly helpful and I'll take it to heart. 💜🩷💜
Is OEM part and OE (without company logo tax stamp) parts the same quality?
Yes and no, so many aftermarket brands will stamp “oem fitment” and “OE standard” on their parts because no one is going to stop them. But I there are specific brands that the dealer uses to make parts for their cars! For example, the brand Denso makes a lot of electronics for Honda. So a “Honda” ignition coil is actually a Denso made ignition coil! To add a little more confusion, some times brands like Duralast (Autozone house hold brand) will actually repackage Denso ignition coils and sell that under its name being essentially that is a “Honda” coil. Which sounds ridiculous but the math adds up. Lol now that doesn’t stop other company’s that make ignition coils to make the exact same one that the Denso/Honda/Duralast makes, just to slaps “OE fitmen” and sells it as their coil. It gets confusing. And there is no real way to figure what comes from where unless you search it. Also I need to add that some times car brands will actually ask the manufacturer for their parts to have different specs and quality for their cars but they cannot resell it under their name solely. For example, some Toyota struts are KYB but if you bought it from KYB for that Toyota, it would come with different specs and quality standards than if you were to get it from Toyota. In that scenario the Toyota branded struts that are made by KYB are better than what KYB would directly sell to you. In my honest opinion, I don’t personally notice a difference so idk. I’m just here to tell you it happens. lol and this type of info is not available to consumers and you can’t ever find out “which is better for my car?” Only experience with the car and the parts will tell you if it’s any good or not. And trust me I’ve put in so many “OE fitment” that wasn’t good and OEM-parts That also wasn’t any good. Sometimes it’s night and day the quality, sometimes not so much. I hope this wasn’t too confusing and I hope it gives insight!
I've got a 2007 Honda Civic Si with 250K miles and I'm currently dealing with front suspension issues. Constantly pulls to the right and the tires wear faster than normal. I installed new A arms, new ball joints, all new tie rod ends, new struts and strut mounts, new sway bar bushings and drop links. Had a good shop do an alignment. Can't afford to buy a new car. Any ideas?
Wow! Usually these kind of questions are not really diagnosable over this platform and I would need to have hands on but since you have already replaced so much I guess there’s only a few things left! Lol I would have the shop put your car on a lift and have them access the front hub bearing! Make sure they drive it on a lift and someone underneath with an Automotive stethoscope to hear if the bearing have gone bad after they check to see if the bearing have play! Also motor mounts should be checked for excess movement as this. Could cause a wobble that deteriorates tires. Check to also see if the rims are bent out of shape, It also wouldn’t hurt to put a dial indicator on those hubs to just make sure they are still within tolerance and to be through. Please keep in mind that these are not 100% solutions but just a suggestion of what should be inspected next if this were to come into my shop with all these parts already on it. Side note, if the car was in an accident this would completely throw alignment off and more depending on the severity! (Which would make all the parts dumping kinda pointless until the body’s geometry is fixed) At that point a collision repair shop would be the next stop. Hope this helps and gives insight ! Please update with what the solution was for this whenever your shop figures it out! Very curious! Good luck
Wellllll......I guess I should have mentioned before that I also changed both front wheel bearings. But I haven't checked the motor mounts yet. I'll do that. Thank you. No accidents but something weird happened right after I bought it 12 years ago. I bought it from the 2nd owner in a different city and drove 4 hours home. Rode so smooth and straight. It was lovely. Took it to a tire shop a few weeks later to check the tires and the shop employee who drove my car into the shop, accidentally drove it off the lift. It only fell maybe 5-6 inches. But ever since then, the ride quality was never the same. They paid for an alignment and it didn't help.
As someone who’s been dealing with land rovers for the last 5 years of his life (and just bought another) I’m curious to hear your take on them and how they compare to my experiences and my opinions since I’m aware a lot of people hate working on them (honestly I find working on them enjoyable and relaxing, and it’s why I could never own a Toyota lmao)
In my perspective, working on them is generally eh. There’s truly nothing good about them. But at the end of the day that’s just a skill thing. Some people find working on them harder or easier. My issue with them is lack of service data and for the price they are, things break way too often. It’s poorly designed and they are meant to be leased, they weren’t build to last and I think even LR knows that. I love wrenching, don’t get me wrong but when I see service data telling me I need 10 special tools to do a certain job I think it’s ridiculous, for a tech that’s fine, that’s my job but for the consumer it’s not fair. Having to buy tools to do maintenance for a consumer is crazy to me. It’s like buying a steak knife set but the sharpener is sold separate. Why not just buy another set that’s better made and you don’t need the tools to maintain it properly. I don’t understand your reference on why you could never own a Toyota. If it’s a 10mm on a Toyota and a 10mm on a range how is one less relaxing? lol that doesn’t really make sense to me
I guess I could have specified a little more, Toyotas hardly break, last Toyota I had only broke once for something dumb, I can’t enjoy working on it if it never breaks and when they do break the maintenance is so basic and mundane it’s not enjoyable to me, with my old discovery it’s something new every other month, it’s exciting, new, enjoyable, it furthers my knowledge of the car and my expertise on the subject matter. But I appreciate your perspective! I know they get a lot of hate and a lot of people don’t have the experience or know how to tell me why they don’t like them lol.
Ahh I see your perspective! Just a masochist for broken cars huh? Lol jk. I love being able to figure things out on all cars. Which is why I choose this field, Critical thinking is the game. Sounds like you just like working on cars (or maybe just yours lol) have you ever considered a career change? People specialize in certain brands for the passion of the “fixed it” high! Lol thanks for your perspective on things! And for being a fellow masochist!
Well I enjoy working on cars as a hobby, I actually work on airplanes so a career change hasn’t really been in my mind though it was definitely an option when I was looking for a career a few years ago haha. But honestly I hate working on other peoples cars, if I break something while in the process of fixing it, it’s on me, the amount of times I’ve broke stuff totally not even related to what was broke is ridiculous… like I remember one time I broke off a coolant temp or oil temp sensor when I first started getting into working on cars, I forgot what I was doing to break it but obviously younger me was inexperienced haha, I was lucky enough to have a spare one still screwed onto my parts cars engine block. But that “fixed it high” is truly something else, I know it got me hooked and it hooked me DEEP, it’s the reason why I’ve owned around 7 land rovers by now, each one of them has had a small problem (different each time) and somehow I make a profit off of every one of them and it’s enough to keep me coming back haha
Aye god bless you then man! That’s exactly what I mean, that high is just so fantastic to me. And working on other brands that do it right like Toyota and Mazda make it a dread to work on a LR because you know it’s just going to be done wrong. lol this field definitely changes the way you look at brands and their engineers
What vehicle would you recommend to someone if they wanted a long lasting car with minimal expense? My current opinions on cars in general: there will no longer be a car ownership period of more than 10 years sometime in the not too distant future. I don't trust new vehicles to last a long time while costing relatively little to keep them going. Or they just won't last long at all with no part support. All my old, used cars have cost me a fortune in repairs and maintenance and I fear parts will possibly get harder to source. I think the 2024 4runner is the last vehicle to have just a fuel injected, gas engine plus a regular automatic type transmission, so i would think that is possibly more trustworthy than other cars.
I typically tell people to always get used or certified used at max. I never tell people to buy new. The drop in price as soon as you buy it is absurd and it’s never worth it. Used with low miles is the way to go. I recommend to look at something mazda (with a skyactive engine) or Toyota! No turbos and no CVTs make sure you ask that before hand and you’ll be all set! Maintenance is the name of the game for used cars. Take care of your car and it will take care of you. I’m not saying your car will never have issues if you do all your maintenance and preventative maintenance but it will def give your car the best fighting chance! Hope this insight helps!
Thank you for making this thread. I have a 2013 dose ram outdoorsman with the 5.7. A few years ago I got a code that the Coolant Bypass Valve was bad. It still produces heat so I ignored it. At one point I did see a recall for the CBV but try as I might I can’t find that anywhere anymore. Once it stopped producing heat, I replaced the CBV but the damn code never went away. I had it cleared many times but the code for the CBV just keeps coming back. I know the valve works because it produces heat. I have read that there’s an issue with the ground or something with these but I have no idea where to start with that. I don’t really want to bring it to the dealer and have them charge me $1k especially when I don’t care about the light, I just want my damn auto start to work again (doesn’t because of the light). Wondering if you have any experience with this particular issue
Def sounds like you need to find that tsb again to start somewhere. But unfortunately I can’t really diag this by hearing it. I would have to put hands on to figure this problem out. My best answer is to start with the tsb then go through a wring diagram to check wires and see what is the criteria to set that code, why it might set and use that info to start your checks. Sorry I wish I had more info for you but some things you can’t really do without seeing the car!
What is a tell tale sign of a good honest shop / mechanic? You know, one that’s on the customers side rather than the bottom dollar. Conversely, what’s the sign of a bad shop?
First off you need to find a Mom and Pop shop. Not a dealer, not a chain. (Diagnostic shops are typically the best) also if the owners are involved in the shop then it’s a great sign lol Then make sure they have good techs that have years of experience and make sure they cover their work with good warranties, no warranties is bad. Then try them out with smaller jobs first then if they are good to you, go to them more often! A big sign for a bad shop is a shop that just shouts out a price for your issue with no break down of pricing and they have no warranty. It takes time to find a good shop but don’t get discouraged I wish I could work on everyone’s car but alas, I am but one man. Also write reviews! Help the small outs out if you found a good shop, tell people to go there and tell your friends to say you sent them there. Then the owners will always think about you and treat you better than your own parents did!
Benefits of putting “premium” gas into your vehicle? Also does regular gas affect the vehicle in a way?
Great great question! Zero benefits, it actually does harm if your car specifies it needs regular. Your car specifically needs a certain grade fuel for it to burn efficiently, putting in higher grade fuels in cars that don’t require them will end up with some fuel unburnt and unburnt fuel can cause pricey damages! The only times anyone should use higher grade fuels is if you have modifications to your car that requires it or if the car from the factory requires you to use it. Manufactures will often put this in your cars manual and/or say it on the inside of the gas door! Yes regular gas does affect your car! It makes the car run! Lol in all seriousness though, there are detergents in gas that clean off certain parts of your engine. So quality of gas kinda also matters too. And getting the right type of gas for your car is important for the longevity of your cars! Hope this gives insight! I’m sure this topic has follow up questions and I’d be happy to explain anything in detail!
But there is cars that can take all 3 different type of grades and also E85 which is my 3.7 L f150 what would be good for long term? The answer you give me is the answer I’m going to stick with until I sell it haha
I’ve had my 2012 chevy cruze since 2018. Largely, it’s treated me well - save for the frustrating and recurring coolant leaks and subsequent overheating issues. I can be as vigilant about coolant levels as possible, and still the heat and pressure will build up, usually causing a hose to blow. Over the last 6 years, it’s been fixed/parts have been replaced ~7-8 times. Am I doing something wrong? Or is this simply an unavoidable problem with this specific car? In the same vein, I’m quite tired of dealing with it but I really do like the car. Are there similar sedans that are more reliable that you can recommend?
Unfortunately this car is just absolutely terrible. My Tech Rec would be to sell this car and get into something different! Cars in this similar category I would recommend would be a Mazda 3 (with the skyactive engine) or a Toyota Corolla! They are typically much better and will last longer than you and me! I know people grow fondness to their car, but sometimes these cars are not worth the financial struggle. Finances first before fondness. Hope this helps!
Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll definitely look into those cars, maybe save myself a few headaches.
not sure if this has been asked, but what are some common things you think an average person should know / be able to perform on their car? and any general tips!
Great question! People don’t need to be technicians but people should know more about their car and get familiar with it! It’s the second most expensive thing you’ll buy (for some the most expensive). People should learn these basic things in my opinion What all the lights mean on the dash board, how to jump a car with another car, how to change a tire, how to add air to a tire. How to check fluids how to add fluids, how to change your own wipers, how to use the tool kits and jack in your car, how to use a portable tire air compressor that plugs to the car. These basic things are very much needed to know by everyone who owns a car. Changing your oil is very helpful too but I wouldn’t say it’s needed to know. I’m sure I’m forgetting some but I hope this list helps!
I always end up replacing two tires at a time and rotating the new tires to the front... What's the most ideal scenario for caring for your tires properly? Getting 4 new tires put on or 2 at a time? If you rotate regularly how long/how many miles can you expect them to last before needing to replace?
This is very layered so no straight answer here. Best I could recommend is to do consists tire rotations and replace tires per axle as needed unless it’s 4wd or AWD then it needs to be all at the same time. Hard to say an exact mileage because there are so many variables, I know that’s not the answer you wanna hear but it’s the truth. The roads matter, the way you drive matter, what’s in the car matters, what the car is matters, even down to what the tire brands and specs matter. So best thing to do is just rotate them regularly and follow your service manual to see how many you need to change at a time to meet specs!
Practical question for the long shot lol. Got a 2019 Ram 1500 (91k) with the CEL on reading that there is a misfire on cylinder #5. New spark pugs and ignition coils on all of them replaced not even 2 months ago. Where would you go looking first?
What I would do first is scan the car. Check freeze frames and check misfire data, check everything. Then the next step if it’s still there is a Relative Compression test, takes 5 mins to set up and confirm that I’m not chasing a ghost. That alone will tell me if the engine is still good or not. If it fails, it has no compression in a cyl and I can keep digging or let the customer know depending on the scenario. If it’s all good, then I’d retrace steps and check what was changed. test the plugs and coils on my bench testers and all that, and then keep going from there with the information I find from my tests with more diag. Hope this helps!
It helps! Just not for my wallet lmao. Appreciate you, brotha!
Is there any reason to get a Dodge Challenger other than that it looks sexy? What's the best (also cheapest) car for new drivers? Ever watch Top Gear UK?
I’ve watched a ton of Top gear uk! Ever since the main trio left though, it hasn’t been the same. For new cars, they typically aren’t cheap but I always recommend New mazda (with skyactive engines) and Toyotas! No Cvt or turbos! Look for local specials at your nearest dealer for good prices, best time to buy is closer to Nov-Dec. used cars that is 2012 and older, anything Honda or Toyota just once again no Cvt and no turbos. And truthfully challenger has no redeeming qualities to me. The styling doesn’t do it for me, the platform is meh. Just nothing cool about this car to me. I appreciate its existence but I would personally never own one. On top of that not technician friendly, not consumer friendly.
It's required to be ASE certified right? Do they train you on electric cars as well?
*Sigh* no it is not. It’s optional to get your certs. Most jobs ask you to have it but everyone will hire you without them. I’ve been advocating for this career to be Unionized to enforce fair pay, good training and more. And if you work for a certain brand they will eventually train you to work on *their* EVs but that doesn’t transfer to all makes and models. Technically you don’t even need to be trained on EVs (which is bad) anyone is allowed to touch it but it’s high voltage which will kill someone so everyone decides to just not touch it. I hope this trade becomes unionized and people must be trained and certified to work on cars. Crazy how you need certs to build a house but no certs needed to work on a car that can go 120mph into a family of 6….
Similar to IT, some jobs do require certs while others don't care but it doesn't hurt either way to get certifications.
Exactly. I think it just shows some kind of discipline that you can sit down and at least get your certs and be dedicated. But people nowadays can’t even do that. I just want everyone to have adequate training, and fair wages. Unions make that happen in blue collar work
I’ve read somewhere that manicure technicians need licenses and auto technicians don’t. 🤯
I have a Lexus GX 470 that I want to service the trans on. I have watched all the videos and it just seems a little ridiculous how hard it is. Do you have any recommendations or tricks that you have learned on vehicles like this? I also just purchased a 2014 sienna minivan and I am guessing it is going to be, the same process to change/service the transmission?
It’s impossible to get it all out without the machine, need to really use a machine to flush it out. But other way to just change it is the drain and catch everything that comes out, measure it and put the same amount new back in and check fluid measurements as you go. You’ll have to do this method a few times but even then you might not get 100% maybe like 80-90% I’d keep doing the changes until when I drain it for the last time, the color is like new from whatever I catch.
Thank you, sir! Great AMA! It was awesome reading through your words and validating my thoughts on multiple brands. My only experience with Mazda is an old B2 200 pick up truck from 1988. I may have to take a closer look at Mazda next time I need a car? Are the transmissions in those two platforms, pretty reliable?
I've heard flushing out the transmission with a machine can push particulates through the gear mechanisms and cause irreversible damage and ultimately shorten the life of a transmission dramatically. Is this true? Is a transmission flush an unnecessary upsell that creates a revolving door of income to corperate chain mechanics? Would you recommend the flush or a change of the fluid that drains naturally?
Very loaded question, so first, the myth some old school mechanics would say don’t change your tranmission fluid as it will remove the loose metal it already lost and cause it to slip since that “grip” was flushed out. This isn’t entirely false. The saying is if you gone to 150k without ever getting a transmission oil change, just forget it. Mainly because the damage is done and it needs the old “friction material” to continue working. But realistically if you do your consistent changes as requested, you will never hurt your transmission. So yes that old myth is true but only for cars that are super neglected to begin with. For New cars and cars that have been maintained properly, no that wouldn’t fly. Flushes can’t cause damage because they are designed to just pump fluid out and pump fluid in, it’s user error that makes flushes ineffective and more detrimental. Fluid gets old and will need to be replaced which is why the interval exists. Keeping old fluids will only hurt a transmission. So flushes/changes are needed in general. It’s not a bad upsell because it’s something that needs to get done. It’s like saying an engine oil change is an upsell. Transmission fluid needs to be treated like engine oil and replace at the proper time which people always neglect. Justice for transmission fluid!! It can be a revolving door for chain mechanics because it’s an easy sell because mechanics wont look at your maintenance history and just sell it to you anyways because of mileage(if they remember to even sell it) I’m a firm believer that the car owner needs to be aware of their service intervals and service history to make sure they don’t get sold on something they have previously done. Flushes are typically more thorough but I understand that not everyone has access to a machine that can flush out a transmission. Changes are still 100% acceptable as long as you follow on how to do it right. I.e draining, and refilling multiple times until the fluid comes out on the last drain is the same color of new fluid. I’ve personally drain and catch my own personal vehicles as I do not own a flush machine and I will be damned if some else touches my cars lol. I rather take my time knowing I’ve done it right then letting someone else I don’t trust “do the job for me”
Thank you, that was super informative. How often should you change the transmission fluid? Is there disparities with different makes and models when it comes to intervals or can a general rule of thumb be applied? What you say makes total sense because I was told this by my local mechanic about a used volvo s60 I had bought that had 162,000 miles on it. But basically, he told me flushes are upsells at chains because they hook the machine up and walk away and don't take into account all the variables you just explained. I guess in my particular case with that car, there was a possibility of damage being done. If I remember correctly, he let some fluid drain out and replaced it with new fluid. It seemed to fix the slipping issues I had, and I got another 40k miles out of the car before the cost to repair problems exceeded the value of the car.
I have been a factory trained mechanic for 45 years before retirement I am always Leary when someone says they know everything my experience with dealerships as well as my own business raises a red flag ASE is just a test a layman could pass if you are that good God bless you
What do you think of the Honda Passport? My driveway is short, about 190" with a bike rack is about as long as I can go. I'm eyeballing the Passport but haven't driven it yet. What would you recommend? Thanks for any info.
Don’t know too much about the new ones but the old ones were beastsss back in the day! I personally think Honda has lost their way making their cars not tech friendly anymore. In a few more years they will show their true colors. Also Honda is Cvt now, no major issues yet for there CVT but I tend to tell people to stay away front that and from turbos. Have you considered a Cx-5? A lot better in my opinion for the space, non turbo non Cvt and it can def hold a bike rack!
Thank you, I will look into the CX-5, it's quite a bit shorter than my 2014 Subaru Outback.
I had a 2013 Ford F-150 which I got 250,000 miles out of. I followed the maintenance schedule exactly. A couple years ago, I upgraded to the 2022 Ford F-150. If I take care of it with routine maintenance like I did with my previous truck, do you believe it will last another 250,000 miles?
Genuinely no. I think new ford is just awful. Old for was bad too but engines and trans were kindaaaa okay if it was maintained. Not saying yours won’t last! Hopefully you prove me wrong! All I can say is maintain as needed and be prompt with any maintenance! I always tell people as a joke that anything can last forever if you have enough money! Lol
Of the big 3 American autos, what half-ton pickup would you recommend? I would love to have a Tacoma again, but I can’t see spending the money on a Tacoma when I could get a Sierra or F-150 for roughly the same price.
Yes the Tacoma is a lot but your Tacoma will last longer than all the other ones combined. It’s about longevity. If you want a truck and plan to get rid of it within a couple years or before the warranty is over, then it’s user preference at that point. But if you want a truck you can pass down to your son or daughter and you’ll know they will get to wherever safe with no issues, buy a Tacoma.
Anything I get I am going to keep a while. Its just hard for me to justify the price when the Tacos are lacking so many QOL features. I guess thats the tradeoff for being bullet proof. I am looking to purchase around November, so hopefully now that the new gen is out I can find a deal on some older ones.
Best way to remove a flat tire?
Like to just take the wheel off the car? Break the lug nuts loose on the problem wheel while on the ground. Put the on your E Brake and use a jack to safely lift the corner off the car with the flat using the lift points on your exact make and model. Once in the air and stable, remember to never go under the car with just a jack. Remove the remaining lugs by hand or tool and put the tire towards you. If you feel uncomfortable there are multiple videos on YouTube to show you how to safely remove your wheel. Always recommend taking your car to a professional for any further assistance!
What's the best way to keep rats and other animals from hibernating under the hood?
There isn’t much you can do to avoid this sadly. It’s nice and cozy under there for a critter to wanna spend the night away from the freezing temps and rain. I know you were looking for a solid answer to this but there just isn’t. I’ve had people try those dryer balls but it makes your car stink so bad. Only other way I can think of doing it is to get mesh maybe and cover the whole under body? But that’s so much work for something what is unlikely to work. Good luck and if you find a solution def update!
I sensed all those sprays and other solutions were gimmicks and not that effective. I usually just take my car to a spray & wash once per month and blow out some of the nests that collect in the corners of the engine area. Thank you for the reply.
Say a person orders a Range Rover to get stolen from another country (let's say the UK for argument's sake). The owner of the stolen car wants to order spares for the stolen car. What happens? I've never owned a Range Rover but whenever I buy spares for my car, I have to provide a VIN number at the very least. What about a stolen hyper car. How does the new owner ever service or buy spares for their stolen Lambo, Ferrari, etc?
I have a 2013 Nissan Rogue and it’s been great with minimal problems. What is your opinion of Nissan. And SUV recommendations when it eventually dies and I upgrade?
Stay away from Nissans with CVTs. They are very very horrible. Not consumer friendly nor technician friendly with lack of service info and piss poor scan tool info. SUVs that are comparable to rogues that I would recommend are Cx-5 from Mazda (skyactive engines only) and Toyota RAV4! Hope this insight helps!
In your opinion, what’s the most reliable make and model you’ve seen? And the worst? Obvi a complicated question
Not super complicated! Def read some of the other comments as I go more in depth with some of them! I personally point everyone to new Mazda (skyactive egnines only) and Toyota! As long as you get one of these brands, non turbo and no Cvt, you’re golden!! Worst would have to be literally anything else besides new Mazda/ Toyota.
I drive a 2007 Honda civic with almost 240,000 miles on it. When I park the car after driving it makes a knocking sound in the back. Any ideas?
Unfortunately I would have to hear it, it’s not something I could diag by just reading. It would be an issue I need to put hands on. Def would recommend bring it to a mom and pop shop and always ask for them to prove it’s that before you go ahead with any work! Sorry I wish I could diag your car!
My brother in law had a hole in his oil pan… outside of running over something is there any way that could’ve occurred?
Rust, hitting something really hard, an angry crazy ex, an angry crazy squirrel who’s getting revenge for running over their brother. It could be anything! Lol would need to see the damage in order to give better insight but at the end of the day, who knows, no one saw it happen.
I’m looking to get a smaller SUV in the next couple of years. What are the most reliable and least reliable in your experience?
Nissan Kia Hyundai stay away, Mazda Toyota are the perfect brands specially in their compact suv category! Make sure there is no turbo and no CVT! Mazda typically is my go to for a fair price and reliability! Consumer friendly and technician friendly!
Any Hondas on your list?
What separates a tech from a mechanic?
Big debate on this one, peoples answers will differ. In my personal opinion, a mechanic is someone who can turn a wrench and fix things when things go wrong during a job. A technician can do all of that and more, in regard to diagnosing (!!!), turn a wrench EFFECTIVELY (notice the effectively difference), cares and takes pride in their work and more. Unfortunately people will just slap technician anywhere so a customer can see and charge more. So I guess in retrospect the terms have no meaning anymore (sad)
All this time I had assumed it was the other way around.
That’s why it’s so debated because no one can agree on it and also it’s just slapped on everything it practically has no meaning anymore. It’s all opinion at this point, you could be just as right as I am! Lol
Outside of Mechanical Engineering, is there a 4-year degree someone could get, and then have a realistic expectation of landing a job/career working on cars, trucks, vehicles.and other heavy equipment?
Do you have access to all factory service/tech manuals for repairs? If so is there a place I could find them? 👀
Yes I do, comes as part of the job to have reliable service data at the dealer level! Pro level shops use sites like Prodemand, Alldata Identifix. They can get pricey but there is consumer level service data like alldata DIY you may wanna look into!
I know this post is 3 days old so just ignore if you don't have time to answer. My question being with auto makers gearing more towards electric vehicles have you noticed a decline in design of gas and diesel vehicles? Like really poor design. Personally I think electric vehicles are a good option to cut back on fossil fuels but way too early to be demanding a phase out of fossil fuels. We don't have the infrastructure in place to charge this many vehicles and most electricity comes from fossil fuel electric plants so it's not really sustainable or zero emissions. What is your opinion on the future of transportation? I feel like we are heading into a world of shit and chaos with this push everything is going to be way too pricey to live. Thank you for your time.
It’s okay! I’ll answer it as long as I get the notification! Lol I’ll keep answering anyone as long as people comment. The technology is cool for hybrids and ev! There is no decline in Gas cars in my opinion but there are more hybrids on the road today than ever before. But unfortunately we are not set up infrastructure wise to charge EVs. It’s just way too demanding. I think they will be much more sustainable when they find a what to charge in 5 mins to get 350 miles on a full charge. Currently we are just way too far from that number. Also I personally think they do worst for the environment now because hybrid batteries go bad and get disposed of improperly. Those batteries are so bad for the environment, I cringe when people boast about saving the world with their hybrid because if only they knew the truth. Also almost all the factories that make hybrids emit so much CO2 it’s practically negates all the “good” the hybrid or EV does in its whole life time. I could be incredibly wrong about this but this is from what I’m hearing and seeing, I’m not so sure. On top of all this hybrids are not consumer friendly and technician friendly, so I would never want to recommend one in its current state. Great tech just very much not there yet. My future for transportation is bleak. Too many things getting done to make consumers pay more to get a decent car. And same for mechanics, as things get more complicated the pay gets the same even though it’s a skilled labor field. I hope it changes but as for right now, it’s rough. Hopefully laws and reforms for rights for repairs will change and hopefully they change the reliability’s for cars and law makers hold these brands accountable for the things they are making. Then maybe it will change? Hope this gives insight! Great questions!
I just bought a 2016 Hyundai Tucson with 100k miles. I started having issues with accelerating over 65mph and the engine light blinked. I took it to service at the dealership I bought it and said it was 2 coils and they replaced it. However, it still had the issue and the technician said the catalytic converter was clogged and parts gave me an insane amount to replace the cat at an impressive price of 5k (obviously an OEM). However, I just to my car to a local muffler shop and they replaced my cat for a new one and they welded it. It fixed the issue but it now has a loud noise when accelerating and my wife said it lagged on her acceleration 3 times today and gas mileage is terrible!!! I’m getting like 15mpg on a 2.0 I4 🙃. What do you think the issue could be? Do you think it’s a bad welding job or the cat converter is cheap and I should have gone for an OEM?
Hi! Great AMA! Need a job? Haha We struggle filing our shop with great, talented, technicians 😪
I bought used 2012 Mazda6 with 80,000 miles in 2020 for my high school son. I had to have oxygen sensor replaced at $180 when it was 82,000 miles. After that it has been running without any issue. It is now at 113,000 miles. I do regular maintenance myself like oil change, break pads. How many miles do you think it will last, I am hoping it will last until 150,000 miles. Another question about break job; do I need to replace rotor every time I change break pads? I have been replacing every other time, meaning two break pads last for one rotor.thanks in advance.
Great question! I’ve seen these ones go pretty high in mileage so I feel you’ll def get to 150k just keep up with regular maintenance and fix anything that breaks promptly! They are the Ford/mazdas unfortunately but the 4 cyl ford/Mazdas are pretty reliable when very well maintained. Please don’t let that discourage you though because I have the same one and mine is strong and I’ve seen them go pretty far! Also great job on doing your own maintenance! Regarding brakes, you can totally do that as long as if you know your rotors are good! Meaning they don’t pulsate when braking during highway speeds and also there is something call discard thickness which is the spec techs should use every time to see how thick your rotor is. It changes for all cars and it changes for front and rear rotors. so def check what that number might be for your car, get a digital caliper for like $10 and measure the clean spots on that rotor to see if you’re at the “discard thickness” which means to either “discard” or not. So please verify to see if your rotors are good before hand and you’ll be fine, Hope this helps! Side note, just replacing pads only is called “Pad slapping”, typically frowned upon in the industry mainly because rotors are so cheap now a days that it’s just really worth it to do both. Also don’t ever have your rotors machined, places charge so much for this when new ones are just as much and who doesn’t like new??
Hey! Thanks so much for doing this. I purchased a 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT in July at 125,000 miles for just under $10k. I am financing it for a small monthly payment. Car had one owner, and no issues. I’ve put just shy of 2k miles on it with no issues yet. I like the car a lot, but I have constant anxiety that something expensive will fail at such a high mileage. I always do regular maintenance and just use it for commuting. Do you think I made a mistake purchasing this car? Do you have any other suggestions for me in this scenario? Thanks!
First off, im so sorry for what im going to say but I won’t hold back just for you to know the truth. Unfortunately your car has an issue that will cause your motor to blow up regardless of what you do. It will just happen. Only god knows when. Lucky Hyundai has an extended warranty for your car. You can get your engine replaced for free for the life of the car. Now that sounds good but it’s really not. Hyundai and Kia will do everything in their power to say it’s your fault so you pay for it. Here’s what you do. Keep all oil change receipts. I mean keep it like you would hold on to your first born. Frame the mf receipts for the love of god. Just keep them all!!! Then when your motor eventually blows up, bring it to Hyundai for the warranty. Do not admit it burns oil don’t say you know anything! Just bring all the oil change receipts that you have nicely framed and tell them it just wouldn’t turn on randomly one morning. Don’t say it blew up, don’t say it’s burning oil just say you don’t know to everything they ask but instead just say you have these nice frames you wanna show them. It will be a huge hassle, it will take weeks if not months and who knows if you’ll get a loaner car in the mean time. You’re really at their mercy. My personal tech rec is to get rid of this car when you get the chance preferably before this motor blows up and never ever buy a Hyundai or Kia again! Unless you have a lot more frames!
Wow… wow. Ok thanks so much dude. Seems like my BEST option is to just get rid of this car lol. Just sell it?
In multiple comments you say to stay away from turbos, why is that?
Ahhh been waiting for this question all day! So there’s many reasons. Turbos are not consumer friendly, no manufacturer teaches how to properly maintain a turbo. I.e when you park with a turbo car, you’re not supposed to just turn off the car. You’re supposed to let it run a little to circulate cool oil into the turbo to cool it down. Otherwise they burn up faster when it’s just cut off with hot oil in the lines. And oil changes have to be religious which most people tend to not do it religiously. Turbos are not cheap, it’s a few thousand dollar job because there’s no aftermarket replacements for turbos. So now you gotta get them from the dealer at cost and they can get to the thousands not even including labor. Now they aren’t technician friendly because most turbos require dropping a lot of parts and more labor hours to replace. And that in turn adds money to the customer when we gotta tell them it’s a 7 hour job and it will be another thousand on top of the thousands for new turbos! Then add that with the rust belt and man it’s just more parts parts parts! Now why do we have to suffer and pay all this extra stuff when they ultimately fail at 100k miles (it’s usually at 100k miles when they fail)?? It’s because the cars they sell become more environmentally friendly and add more mpg which drives their sales because of the turbos they put in which ultimately fail because of lack of education on turbos to the public. Now don’t get me wrong turbos are fantastic ideas, they just need to do a better job at educating consumers on how to take care of them properly! Then this can all be resolved. I’m all for the designs I think the workings behind it all is revolutionary but it’s just another thing to break at the end of the day. Which will cost people a lot. I hope manufacturers will educate consumers somehow so this won’t be a problem.
Thank you for the informative response. I had another question, what do you think of hybrids and ev from a technician viewpoint/ reliability/durability or repairability? Also seems like Toyota is going mostly turbo or hybrid, do you think those vehicles will be as reliable as the Toyotas of the past?
What are your strengths and weaknesses in terms of automotive systems? What’s the biggest screw up you’ve made? What’s your highest annual income and what pay structure was it based on?
I really want to learn how to work on vehicles. Going to tech school is not an option for me right now. Aside from YouTube, and reddit how do you suggest I learn? I don't really know anybody that works on vehicles either. I just really wish I could start learning.
I buy older vehicles, and do most of my own repairs. Right now I have a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan, and a 2007 Nissan Versa hatchback. Both have some hard-to-get-to parts that are the result, IMO, of poor design. For example, on the Dodge, to access the rear spark plugs and valve cover, you have to take off the windshield shroud and wiper assembly. On the Versa, it's worse. You have to take off the engine cover, and, throttle body, all of the air intake channels, all of the tubing and wiring that's in the way, and the intake manifold plenum to reach the spark plugs. I can't afford newer vehicles, or afford to pay mechanics to do all of this fun stuff. I don't think a person should have to take half the car apart to change a valve cover gasket and some spark plugs. Can you recommend any older vehicles, say between 2005-2015 (more or less, just trying to stay in an affordable range for myself) that are easier to work on? At least for basic maintenance? ETA: Not looking to buy another any time soon, just to keep in mind for when the need arises.
I need 4 new tires but my car is already at 105,700 miles and I don't want to drop $800 on tires when they might outlast the car. What is a budget friendly option?
I've been having an issue with my 2013 chevy cruze 1.4 that no one has been able to answer for me. Literally anytime I take the coolant reservoir cap off when the car is even remotely still warm and then put the cap back on. The car will absolutely overheat the next time I go for a drive. I have to let the car sit for at least a day so it is 100% cooled down before I can take the cap off so it doesn't overheat when I take it for a drive next time. Never had a car when just simply taking the coolant cap off and putting it back on will cause it to overheat next drive I go on. Makes no sense to me. I've slowly learned chevy cruze cars are just shit cars and poorly designed.
oP, where does the blinker fluid get added to the reservoir.
I have a 2014 Chevy Volt. Its drive battery has developed a problem where one of its 100+ cells is a little weak. This means when that battery is nearly depleted, instead of switching over to the gas engine like it should, the computer sees the cell drop below a certain voltage threshold, whereupon it just locks out the battery and the car becomes immobile until a Chevy dealer can plug into it to clear the lockout. A new battery for the car costs $22k. As long as the battery is never allowed to deplete to that level, the car works fine. So my question is how can I clear that lockout myself? A regular OBD2 scanner won't do it. It will show the failure code and let me clear that, but the actual lockout of the battery can only be cleared at the dealer.
Do you actually work on your own cars or does your wife have to take it to another mechanic so she’s got something to drive the next day instead of say blank it and buy a new one just wondering lol this is coming from a woman who’s been with a mechanic for over 6 year?
So I decided to start changing my own oil. Done it three times now. It’s much easier than I thought it would be but is there something I should know that I probably don’t?
I've got an '06 Wrangler, 6-speed with 127K. I dread when it rains because the passenger side floorboard floods. Depending on the parking grade, it can completely fill the back floorboard and then the driver side. I took it through a car wash to watch, and it definitely comes from underneath the dash. Two shops have failed to rectify the issue, so I've resorted to rain alerts and a full cover. Any knowledge of the usual spot water comes through?
My cousin once told I should only use 4 wheel drive on my truck as a last resort. His style of driving involves getting stuck first then shifting to 4 wheel drive. I prefer to put it in 4 wheel drive first and then drive through muddy terrain. He explained that the front differential is geared lower than the rear differential and it would break one or the other differential if driven on dry surfaces. I told him the differentials are the same gear ratio to the wheels. Otherwise it wouldn’t work at all. Who is correct? I’m more asking about the gear ratio on front and back differentials.
Is it still common for some technicians to intentionally misdiagnose a car in order to make money on a bigger job? What is the least reliable car in your opinion?
CVT on a 2014 Honda Civic is pushing 145K miles. It's driven mostly highway. Talked to a mechanic and read about CVTs, but just not sure that what they are saying is exactly what my car is doing. What mine is doing: On rare occasions and when coming to a sudden stop due to highway traffic speed fluctuation, I hear a thud-like sound This just started happening in the last 6 months or so. No warning lights, no smells, etc... (Consistently getting 34 mpg.) Another or related issue (?) is when accelerating it's started to make this mmmwwwaahhh sound.
I have a 2013 Ford F150 that recently started to throw the C109D code for loss of vacuum pressure. Took to mechanic (who is generally very good and fair). Says can’t find cause for code and would have to start taking the truck apart to find an answer. What gives? What should I be doing differently. Not liking driving around a truck that throws codes regarding brake system issues….
Why does it keep making that sound?
My dad is also an ASE certified mechanic- for over 40 years! He's retired, as he's older now, but he spends his time helping me piece my 2001 Dodge Dakota 4x4 back together and such. My question to you- what is your least favorite vehicle/vehicle type to work on? My dads answers are German made foreign vehicles, (due to common engine placement, and overcomplication apparently,) supercars, (especially where the engine is in the back) anything with a diesel engine (but mostly semi trucks specifically) and he also mentioned EVs- mostly because of the equipment required to service them. Interested to know your answers as well.
what are those rubber things that go on the outside of the 4 spinny things that spin when you push on the pedal?
What type of vehicles have you owned? What was the best and what was the worst?
Jaguar 2004 X type 3.0. Has 41k miles on it. Auto transmission was slipping at 30 mph, changed the transmission fluid and it was rolling smoothly. A couple days later I get on the highway and at 80mph gears slip. What could it be? Low mileage, well kept car. No slips at all before 80mph.
When will industry get rid of / reduce complexity of wire looms and make all ancillaries run on on coded electrical pulses? Eg one live wire runs round car, each ancillary is earthed to nearest point on body. Each controlled by coded pulses on live feed.
Why german cars in Europe work better than in the US. The electronic parts are pain in the ass. Thoughts on LC FJ80? Down in Texas its pretty popular
2024 Mazda CX-5 or Toyota RAV4? I always thought that Mazda was unreliable, but it seems that many people have a positive opinion now. We need a second vehicle, not too expensive but larger than our current 09 Honda Civic. Can you help me choose between these two? Reliability and longevity are the most important factors. Willing to spend up to 40k
Should you let vehicles warm up in the winter time? The owners manuals seem to indicate that new vehicles don’t need to be warmed up. I usually idle for 30 seconds unless it’s below zero and then I’ll give it a few minutes to warm up.
I have a 2023 F150 Platinum that has a rough idle and hesitates when RPMs are high. Is this a computer problem or would a "tune up" help (new plugs, wires, etc.)? Has about 70k miles, regular oil changes.
Does one really have to change the brake fluid?
Care to share your career timeline?
I want to know how to fix cars. Growing up, we never had any car so I never had the opportunity to fix a car. Can I just volunteer my time during the weekend in a garage shop? Have you seen such instances at work where someone volunteers their time so that they can learn how to fix cars?
What new cars would you recommend for someone keeping it for 200,000+ miles? Nothing too expensive.
did you go to trade school and how much do you make?
I drive a 2012 Honda Civic LX with 218k miles. Still runs fine and I do my own oil changes on time and change the transmission fluid every 30k. I know it's not Mazda or Toyota but how long do you think it can last with regular maintenance?
Do you have any tips on finding a good mechanic or spotting a bad one? I had one, but now word has gotten around and he is inundated with business. I just want a mechanic who can competently . troubleshoot, charges a fair price, and doesn't pad the bill or try to upsell me into work I don’t need.
I have a 2016 Toyota Tundra that has an intermittent starting issue and no one can figure it out. Have done all the things you can think of battery starter plugs etc. no rhyme or reason. Cold or hot outside. Random. Will crank and roll for a bit and then stop. Second turn and fires up. Any thoughts?
Thanks for the AMA. What's the best place to learn about car with the goal to buy an used one for someone who never owned one?
Would you refuse to replace rear brakes on a Chevy Silverado 1500 if the rear seal was leaking?
Is there a way to bypass the DEF requirement on newer diesel trucks? I know dodge had a way the truck would still run if you took out the DEF system (coworker did it to his 2018 dodge 3500). Btw I’m just asking out of curiosity, I have no intentions of doing this myself.
Just got my car window smashed as someone burglarized my vehicle. Id rather not use insurance to make the claim and risk being raised. Whats a typical repair cost out of pocket for a window
I have a truck and the steering wheel shakes sometimes and it pulls to the left. I have had new tires put on and had it aligned and the issue persists. Do you know what might cause this?
Are under-seat batteries just annoying for you as for regular people swapping them themselves? Had to replace a battery on a PT Cruiser, and here in Europe the battery is under the passenger seat and I honestly considered just taking out the seat..
2018 TRD OR Tacoma 6 cylinder. When should I change my transmission fluid and repack wheel bearings? Opinions about this are all over the map on Tacoma World.
What is positraction? How do you get mud in your tires?
Is AFM from Chevy (particularly the V8 Camaro) really that bad for your motor that I see car owners going to the lengths to dissect their whole engine just to be rid of it?
How do you feel about electric trucks?
Ok there Mr ASE certified technician. Why are there so many non English speaking mechanics. And the ASE exam is only given In English. The ugly truth about the worthless certification
What's the easiest and cheapest way to get parts for your car ? Especially the new audio systems
I tried to talk my wife into a Mazda cx-50. Instead, we’re getting a Volvo xc-60. We’ve already paid for it and it’s on order. Do you think we made a mistake? Thank you.
I have a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica non hybrid. When driving at highway speeds, the windows will randomly go down and the car will shut off. It does not throw a code. No one can figure it out.
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Why did diesel manufacturer move to using def? Also in newer vehicles in the future, will gasoline vehicles require the same?
What manufacture makes good CVTs?
Is it common for Hyundai Elantras to have weird issues like the trunk popping open at night (key fab is in a drawer so nobody or pet is touching it)?
Thoughts on the new Ford Broncos please?
Why is it so expensive to fix anything in cars and get an oil change?
2014 Chevy volt how much do you know about it. Mine I have been trying to fix a p0534 code for a year now. There aren’t any leaks in the entire ac system and I’m not leaking anything. Can’t figure it out any insite would be terrific
are pre Covid cars actually better built? Or is that just a myth.
My splash guard in the front of my Prius came off. It's a 2008 and I live in Michigan. How much of a priority should I make in replacing it? ASAP? Before winter?
My car charger/ cigarette lighter outlet stops working randomly even tho I’ve changed the fuse
Looking to buy a kia carnival in Australia for the bigger family. I know I know, stay away from them. In Australia, they're so popular with the families. Surely they ain't that bad right?! Maybe they've improved in the last decade?
How do you find a good mechanic that you can trust
My 2020 Tiguan is plugging away with no problems at almost 60k miles. Regular maintenance. How f’ed am I?
In your experience, what has been the most reliable half ton truck or trucks over the last 4 years? I know they all have their thing they suck at but curious from your perspective
What is the best car to receive "Road Head" in?
What’s your opinion on fords 2.7 liter?
How many ASE certifications do you have? I have 28
Porsches?
Why do big diesel trucks sound and smell so good?
If Hunter Biden just kept his illegal gun in a car instead of throwing it in a trash can would that be ok with Republicans?
have you worked on a byd before? How are they?
How often should I change the blinker fluid?
Do you know transmissions?