Very well said Kenny we need more mechanics like you in this world, I'm lucky enough to have one myself and he has always taken care of me and my family. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Kenny , I always do an overview of my wife's suburban once a month cause my kids are with her and it's my responsibility that the vehicle is safe
Everyone needs a Kenny like you in their neighborhood, unfortunately more so nowadays it the bare minimum on maintainince for whatever reason (lack of knowledge, financial, lazy, ). People would rather play on their phones that raise the hood or crawl under a vehicle and it's more like a " drive it till it breaks of an attitude".
As a 63 year old ex hgv mechanic ( trucks ) it's easy for me to spot quality. You do what you do because you're a decent human being with good morals and work ethics. What you've said here is absolutely true in every sense and in some way is governed by natural human law of do no harm. Every time I was working on a vehicle, in the back of my mind on a dusty shelf was the knowledge that if I didn't do my job right to the best of my ability that driver may never see their family again. Yes, business has to make money and the suites encourage questionable practices to achieve that but like you it's not something I ever signed up to. I rather quit my job than lower my standards be it professional or moral. I have had many stand offs with managers in my time. Most resolved but a few who were told to 🖕🖕🖕 You're obviously a decent man, doing a good days work for a fair days pay whilst taking care of your customers best interests. A rare commodity in these selfish.,moral deficient, lazy times.
@@agger838 I have been working on my cars for 40 years. I have pretty much seen everything. I own two 96 Chevy trucks and a 99 Suburban. I don't own or work on anything newer. They have gotten too complicated.
Every car has there quirks. Sometimes, an experienced mechanic knows where to look to find things going bad that are common before they leave you stranded.
You'd be surprised at how many people will change their own oil, and no more. They don't know anything beyond that. You should see the look I get when I ask "When was the last time you changed your brake fluid?"
@@HouseCallAutoRepair We do the brake fluid every 15k miles when I do a partial trans fluid change. We put trans pans with drain plugs on all our 4L60E's. New filter and partial fluid change at 30k. They last a very long time.
Excellent . Information for EVERYONE out there . A little money spent , can save your life . What price is life . . Priceless . . Take notice of this advice . Advice costs nothing . . Use it wisely when it comes to you .
I did not think anyone cared any longer about Safety, just profits. Thanks for your comments. There was a time if a Car needed Air in its tires, it was a courtesy to just fill it. No longer.
If the only time the tire pressure is checked is when a mechanic is looking at your car that is a problem. What happens is as a car ages, people pay less and less attention proper maintenance and they become more and more dangerous to drive. This car obviously needed tires and maybe brakes (BTW, if hydroplaning was the cause then brakes and tires was probably irrelevant; speed and oversteering was the cause) which easily cost $1000, more than the owner was probably willing to pay so they just continued driving the car. So many people drive a car until it stops running (into the ground) and that is was is dangerous; IOW just when a car needs more attention they ignore maintenance because in their mind it costs more than the car is worth.
Kenny, I totally agree. Saftey first and vehicle safety is of utmost importance as it puts us all in danger. My friends always hate me riding or driving their vehicles. I almost always find an issue with a vehicle weather it be new or not. Wrenching since 9 years old.
Well said, Kenny. My mother is 76 and even though she drives twice a week (less than 2 miles each time) I thoroughly inspect her car twice a year. Her 2007 Camry XLE just hit 100,000 miles.
Hello Kenny,, Sweden here again. Good thing the person walked away. I said it before in a comment on a brake video I think it was. There are two things I NEVER play about with,, Brakes and Tyers.
I agree 100% wish all mechanics were as mindful as you. I have my cars serviced every 3000 miles which I throw away good oil. Vehicles last if you take care of them. I am sure tires on that car would have gave the driver a better chance of control. Keep it up!!
I’m 70 years old and still do my own maintenance. And just to day I rode with an older friend and heard his brakes growling metal on metal. I told him about it and he said he would get it fixed. I’ll check on him later this week and if it’s not done I’ll get his car and do them myself.
I have seen people spend 70k plus on a vehicle and then nickel and dime themselves on a set of rubber.....seen it a million times. It will never change. "Ignorance and stupidity all in the same package...how very efficient". Londo Mollari All the best Kenny...be safe Rod
Just watched a TFL complaining about 1 cent per mile for the DEF to tow his boys and toys to the playground across the Rockies in a rig that must be $100,000 and the weight of a small village. OK it was a Ram so it may be maxing DEF use due to a sensor it left the factory without, but 44c per mile for diesel was cool but the 1c per mile for DEF was just taking the pi*s..... (if you'll pardon the pun)
Tire tech here, our shop only does mount, balance and installs. When the car is up, we give the front end a shake to check for loose components and advise the customer of any issues even though we can't do any of those repairs..we refer to other shops in the area
Thanks for your efforts in making this important video. There’s many things that will distract you from looking at your car or paying attention to the important things. I’m happy that I have a good mechanic and he is watching out for me, but I need to know my car too. You can get distracted and disconnected from your car and it will cost you money or something more. $300 isn’t much money but it’s less than a new car payment.
The biggest safely concern up here in Wisconsin is rotten brake and fuel lines. These two are almost always overlooked. Great video! This hopefully will teach people and mechanics to look closely at ALL safely items on their customers vehicles. I love my mechanic, even though I do most of the work on my car myself. I don't have a lift so its difficult for me to see everything and my mechanic knows this. So whenever my car is in the shop, he looks over the car for me and points out anything thats a safety concert, big or small, so I'm aware of it.
The videos are outstanding and helpful. when I tell someone their tire is low I'm never talking about air, it's always the treads. and I was always dumbfounded by states that don't have a mandatory annual inspection program. so much is caught, and some states are stricter than others. in NH north of me they have the car for hours. it goes on a lift, all wheels are removed, zero rust is tolerated in critical areas especially frame members, brake lines..it's a way more comprehensive one than we have, but we have one. I've caught so many walking ball joints and tie rods, my two pet peeves for sure. nobody got past me with any loose front end parts. one guy offered my $100 to pass him with a tail bulb out. I did not, and the state does stings like that too. but I told him it's like $5 to fix the bulb. he went away, he was in a "rush".. ya, so am I bud, I'm in a rush to stay out of court. a guy in NH did pass a car with a bad frame and the drivers elderly wife was killed when it broke. haven't heard about the case since. they were regulars and he probably wanted to let them slide (?). sorry for long posts, but I do have a keyboard, never on the phone doing this. 😉
That person is me I do all the maintaince work on my vehicles & my mothers (it is impossible for her to I probably will need aid when/if I reach her age 90)however I do oil,coolant tyre wear/pressure & all the other stuff Kenny mentioned on a monthly basis.(OCD & retired spanner spinner.)
I look things over just out of habit when I do even a simple repair at work. I even do out of habit sitting at traffic light behind a car I notice lights out expired tags and sometime bad tires. Yea I am picky about tires. Replaced them on my truck even with some ok tread left Said just that tires are cheaper than having a accident
As a mechanic myself I’m always amazed at the condition of some vehicles that come into my shop it’s always a concern when the brakes are bad and I see bald tires I’m not trying to upsell anyone I’m when it’s a safety issue it bothers me
"You were right! You told me, like.six times, and I happened to be somewhere else that noticed it too. They fixed it... you were right" .....................What a slap... Neglect and ignorance drive me nuts! What would have cost $50, now costs $500 or more, in MORE parts and labor... I ALWAYS look for potential issues. I tell the owner about what everI find... "I'm going to assume you didn't know about this, because this is something that should never be ignored or delayed" or "I noticed this needs attention..." I look out for the safety of the operator, myself, and every vehicle that this one shares the road with. (and I don't want to be accused of knowing, not knowing or whatever, down the road, even though I know it happens regardless) And then there are the people who ask to have a blown brake line fixed on a rusted out death trap that has no business being allowed on the road. (ex. broken frame) "No I will not replace the brake line on that rusted out, dangerous vehicle. I don't want to touch it at all". They either find someone else, or worse yet, do the repair themselves with compression fittings, just so they can keep driving the death trap.
You hit the nail dead on the head. Like you, I turn away those death traps and seriously try to convince the person NOT to fix it. What they decide to do is on them, but when other shops fix stuff that shouldn't be fixed, that's a problem. Thank you for being one if the honest ones out there. This world needs more like us
I have a side job as a car detailer in the warm months. I'll spend on average four hours with a customer's vehicle. My hands touch 95% of every square inch which means my face (and eyes) are less than 24" from every part of the car I can access. I'm just a detailer, but if I find a chip in the windshield, worn blades, worn brake pads (when I can see them), if the tires show abnormal wear, I say something. Most of the time I detail the rim of the hood and that's easier with it open, so I shake the car, look at the fluids, pull the dipstick, look at the odometer, look at the service stickers. I tell them if the oil is low or dark, if they should have a mechanic clean battery terminals. If there are oil spots on the floor when we pull the car out to check our job in the sun. It only takes a moment here and there while I'm buffing in the wax.
I use to work at a tire shop. I seen lots of junk roll through the shop. It made me aware of the junk on the road and what the average person will ignore or just plain don’t know or understand the risk they are taking.
It's sad. A lot of the mom and pop places are not around here anymore. I have to take one day to have everything looked at . Like tire shop r&b. oil change place . Front end shop. I can't find just one place to do it all. Unless I go to the dealer. Which I have before and I trust him as far as I can throw my vehicle. I know I should have never got out of the Business.
Any time I work on or drive someone else's vehicle I will point out things I notice...... one time working on a friend's car I just happen to look across the engine bay and see the alternator caked in oil..... I tell her her alternator might go out soon..... 2 weeks later there we are changing out the alternator because it finally gave out
My experience has been that a good shop is so busy that they have no need to sell you unnecessary items or services. Bad shops are not busy, so each victim, er, customer has to be milked as much as possible. Good shops have 5 more cars behind yours, and need to get you fixed and going so they can get to the next customer. No time for unneeded work at the good shop.
most dealers try to sell ridiculous crap they are pressured to sell useless crap like brake fluid changes without even looking at car they tell you your car is 5 years old, so it is time for brake fluid change. we have state inspection for brakes and all safety issues you mention I check my own car all the time.
I agree with your assessment regarding the tires. I have always believed that the best tread should be on the front. I believe it give you more control of the car. However there are some shops that I have been to refuse to put the tires with the best tread on the front of the car. The reason I was given was on wet roads the rear of the car will hydroplane before the front and the car, in a turn, will spin out. They even had a short video demonstrating this. I believe a suit involving a serious injury to a passenger was awarded against a tire company because the tires with good tread were on the front of the car. It would seem that you do not believe in that theory. If possible could you give your reasons. Maybe do your own video regarding this practice. KOKO!
this exact is what happens, same thing with happens with slush road in the winter. I would experience this all the time in the winter when I would put the lower tread in the back. those rears tires are basically unsafe for every weather condition dry weather.
Also many many ppl will argue with that because the state tread limit is 2/32” at the wear bars that the tires are safe when in fact the pumping action almost gone at 4/32”. Most ppl don’t understand the tire tread pattern with the road surface is really a pump to push water, slush, snow , mud etc away from the tire as you move forward.
Well said and keep up the good work. As always I enjoy watching your videos and try to learn and use a few things. , replaced the sway bar link myself after seeing your video. Thanks again for sharing
I'm only dealing with my family and friends as far as vehicles go, but I still do the same thing. Look over it, make sure everything looks right, question them on service and "replaceables" (water pumps, PCV vavle, etc, etc). Some of them will answer my questions readily and are happy to have me work on their cars, some of them though.... They want me to work on their vehicle, but you'd think I was a spy trying to extract secrets from them when it comes to getting information out of them.
A lot of people don't realize that the safety is not just for you it's for their wives children and others who a damaged or unsafe car to be on the road
It’s all about safety. Tires, wipers, anything rubber is a perishable item on a car and will need to be replaced eventually. Better to do it at a shop rather than in the middle of nowhere in the middle of night.
And this is why I always decline to work on anyone else's vehicle. Not a professional just a DIY guy. But family, neighbors and even coworkers ask for a hand now and then. Then I explained why I say no some understand others just scuff.
That car needed a front end alignment to correct the wear on the outer edge. Many drivers don't know that they shouldn't use cruise control when driving in the rain. In a torrential rain on the interstate a mid size car spun out on the other side of the interstate and crashed into the cable fence in the middle keeping it from hitting my truck. The engine was revving wide open which told me the cruise was on and when the front tires starting spinning the cruise opened the throttle wide open trying to maintain speed.
Tires are cheap insurance ..especial today! Highway speed limits haven’t changed however people have notably increased the overall speeds in which they drive their vehicles…. 10-20 mph increase can make all the difference. Low tire psi or poor tires only exponentially increase the likely hood of a fatal outcome. Appreciate the safety tips and emphasis !!
I would rather you tell me if i need any repairs. Preventive maintenance is better. I did preventive maintenance to vehicles when I was in the Marines and Army. Also when i worked for Federal Government. .
My wife and I have two newer cars and the maintenance schedule is a joke. While I can change the oil, I'm not up to doing a full inspection which is why we take our cars in for an oil change twice a year regardless of the mileage. We live in California, so an oil change costs about $120 (even at Jiffy Lube) but we use a local mechanic who is always booked weeks in advance (unless you are a known customer and have a drivability problem). I've read that only 30% of car owners properly maintain their vehicles, which I assume means follows the manufacture's maintenance schedule which I consider a bare minimum (most maintenance schedules are designed around a service life of only 100,000 miles, so if you want your car to last longer, you will probably need to do more) I read how people say today's cars are junk, but if you aren't maintaining your car how do you even know? Yes some manufacturers actually sold cars with defective parts like Ford and their double clutch transmissions, but today engines require clean oil to run properly and that means minimum bi annual oil changes.
Good tires front / back? Actually, the 2 best tires should be on the passenger side front and rear. Most differentials power the right side. Grip on both front and rear for stopping and acceleration. Better yet, check your tires and replace them when worn.
thats due to excessive speed and a device in hand, thats the new generation that cant be bothered with your advice, sad, but true. because safety doesnt exist there making computers do it for us, self driving cars, risky and dangerous.
Hey Kenny I have a question. I have a 2007.5 Chevy Silverado with the AFM/DOD. I ended up getting a bad lifter. Pulled engine deleted the afm while I was there new cam and ls7 style lifters. New cam retaining plate and all the seals while I was there new oil pump put it all back together start it up has 40 psi of pressure normal enough. I drive it it goes up to 60 psi. Come to a stop now it’s sitting at 30psi. Long story short when it gets hot it gets down to about 12psi. Then if I punch it afterward it has like 5psi. So I replace the oil pump and seals in the pick up tube and still same story. Do you have any idea what it could be?
No! You do not put the “better” tires on the front! Intelligent and responsible mechanics would always put the better ones on the back as understeering is less dangerous than oversteering!
