Unfortunatly it may come to the point where you just can't allow the public near your shop (other than customers). It's always the one or two bad people that spoil it for the rest of us. Stay safe and keep the content coming!
The "one box a month" story was priceless! 😂 That is the guy, who as a kid would take apart everything in the house and leave it in pieces everywhere... Without a clue of how to put it back together. I made the mistake of buying a 76 Buick Lesabre 2- door with a 455 like that, in 1988. Even a 12 year old car in that state was a nightmare.
I bought a '65 BSA A65 Lightning like that. It was a bare frame, and, A LOT of boxes. It had been totally restored, but, reassembly hadn't even been started yet. It was like doing a jigsaw puzzle, without the picture on the box.
My dad was a mechanic and had many customers and experiences, he once told me “ the public will educate you son”. I have never forgot that, it is so true.
People like the guy in the last story are exactly why I never engage in road rage no matter how much the other driver deserves it. You have no idea what the other driver is capable or what mental state they're currently in.
Can’t imagine having someone come in with that many weapons loaded. I have a CCW, but would never leave a weapon in my vehicle being worked on. It’s thoughtless, disrespectful and dangerous. Total respect for those repairing my car. They have enough hassles to have to deal with , so a loaded firearm doesn’t make their jobs easier.
Trucking is a lonely life. Guy has probably watched every episode and somehow identifies with everyone and didn’t realize that you don’t know him the way he thinks he knows you. He most likely lives in his truck 24/7 and has gotten so antisocial that he didn’t even realize how weird he was acting. Kind of like a mad hermit. I’m a trucker and I see it occasionally at truck stops and rest areas.
Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I found it really sad more than the guy being weird. But I understand them being freaked out. I was once a bit of an outcast cause I went to a big school and didn’t fit into a clique really. In adult life I realized I’m completely normal and well liked. But I was once very lonely. I feel bad for this guy! I hope he found a friend
It's likely that, and Wizard just being a semi-celebrity. I've heard (somewhere) that this isn't an uncommon problem among people in mass media, especially with TV. People think they know a celebrity because of all the videos, but then somehow think that familiarity is reciprocal.
That story of the head gasket on the F-150 is insane, some people's ego's are so bad that they'd rather waste thousands on useless work than to get their vehicle back on the road as quick and cheap as possible. Man, some people are so stupid its mind boggling
I think the guy had a trick up his sleeve. He wanted all the new parts that car wizard mentioned had to go with a new head gasket (it probably would need the soon, it is a 5.4) so he was going to reverse the charges on the credit card claiming it was extra, unauthorized repairs and parts , and eventually settle on paying half the price…which would net him free transporting.
Could have been an elaborate scam in the making..maybe he thought the Wiz was going to do those two pages of work then the guy wouldn't pay, saying it "only had an oil leak".
Yes that seemed like a scam. With such a high profile shop. He could even end up trying to blackmail, claiming that they were scamming him. He probably knew what the real problem was and had proof of that.
@@MitchJohnson0110 RV owners are the WORST and they will come in the next day or a week later and scream that their camper isn't fixed. Worked at an RV dealer to i know them all to well myself
Wizard, as a Trucker myself, some of us are WEIRD. Especially the over-the-road (OTR) guys. They don't have many social interactions and a lot of them don't have (close) families either. Although, your story was giving me serial killer vibes.
@@josepeixoto3384 Not sure what you mean. The 'serial' part of 'serial killer' refers to murders having been committed by the same person in separate events occurring at different times.
Typically I’m not one to comment too much on videos, I just had to stop for a second and congratulate you on your success and I’m certain it’s due to how you roll and treat others. Of course skills and training/education goes without saying, in addition to that. I grew up in the business (no family in the trade, so it was pounding the pavement starting from scratch) and I can spot genuine integrity a mile away. You, Mrs. W, and your crew set the bar quite high and when the bar’s set that high, work become synergistic and employees develop loyalty. Keep up the fantastic work Sir, and thank you for your service. Best wishes!
42 years of my 49 year working career were connected to trucks-trucking in one form or another. It can be really messed up. One of my early jobs while still in high school (split session), was working for a major Ford dealer. One of my duties, among many, was a 'new car prep mechanic' when I wasn't checking the new units in off of a transporter. Memorable and a very positive influence. Now retired from a major truck manufacturer. My earliest memories are from Kansas (Kansas City area). Sister was born there - moved to Florida in the early 1960s. Keep up the good work!
Around 20yrs ago one of our regular customers brought her cadillac in for various repairs. One of the problems was the power seat sticking. She was 80 if she was a day and about 5ft tall while her husband was a giant of a man. Travis did the mechanical work under the hood and went to diagnose the seat problem. I was in my office and i heard a bang. Travis starts yelling and i go out to check whats going on. She had a loaded, cocked .357 wedged between the console and seat. Travis was moving the seat around and trying to get it to go back and in the process the gun went off and blew a hole in the floor. It scared the jesus out of everyone. Ruth apologized and thanked us for fixing her seat and finding her gun. Travis was a little more careful/skittish from that point on.
@@clappedoutsubieshoopties2216 .357 likely a revolver a technician could easily have pulled the hammer back enough to fire it without the trigger just trying to to find a button or having it catch on the seat as it moves and then loose that tension as the seat moves. Normally I'm a "guns don't kill people, people kill people "kind of guy ,but this sounds like the exception that proves the rule
A responsible gun owner would have likely removed the guns in the first place before he brought it to the shop and certainly would have if asked to in a polite way. They guy sounded like a nut.
@@longsho2796 Well it is in Kansas and as far as I know, you can have a loaded weapon in your car without a permit so I doubt the guy was breaking any laws to be technical.
Good advice on suggesting an AirTag on things you want to track. I would add that.the AirTag should also be well concealed so it will not be found for it to remain effective. I have recently heard that the airlines are becoming annoyed with patrons who use AirTags because they know exactly where their "Missing Luggage" is located and the airline does not.
Of course they're annoyed, this translates into "oh great, now we can't BS this one and we actually have to get his luggage here." But can you blame the passengers? I'd be LIVID if my bags got lost.
I'm an Android user and have a Tile. Those kinds of things aren't "turn by turn" accurate, but if the device sits still long enough it'll give a location.
I find it so funny that the Wizard is so surprised about the way people act. To me it seems absolutely normal as long as you understand two things: 1. Fame has its price and 2. A non insignificant part of the population are completely nuts
This video in a nutshell: People are really weird, and Hoovie is, surprisingly, one of the sanest guys around. I'm just glad none of the really weird one's have hurt anybody while they're visiting. You guys stay safe.
I have a customers 75 chevy blazer that was shipped to me from Hawaii. He keeps adding stuff for me to do. I've had the truck in my shop for over 3 years now. He pays his bills when I invoice him, but I'm getting tired of looking at it and working on it. We've put in a 502 engine with a turbo 400, upgraded the braking system and axles, rebuilt the t-case, all brand new wiring, brake lines, parking cables plus a lot more with paint and upholstery
Sounds like there is a dire need for some good mechanics who could charge basically whatever they want for doing honest work while living in the island paradise of Hawaii.
Great stories. Thank you. My dad had a shop and there were so many sketchy people that would stop by. Most common was trying to sell something that fell off a truck...
Thanks, well …..we all make up the “ Public”, but Services/ Retail/ Sales is interesting….(me , some 40 ++ years : Community Pharmacy (retail, Public …….).
That headgasket one blows my mind. Most shops would jump at the chance to scam someone out of the thousands it costs for a headgasket replacement, even if it doesn't need it. I have NEVER seen a customer in my line of work get offended and mad because I found out the expensive thing they THINK it was ends up being something cheap and simple. Hell, people get happy and excited when I let them know it is something cheap and easy and not something expensive and time consuming.
Don't forget, the reason that customer insisted it was the head gasket was because his buddy told him what the problem was. He was willing to take the word of his friend over an honest and experienced auto technician, insisting that the head gaskets be replaced despite the fact that a professional diagnosis indicated that such work wasn't necessary and that the actual problem was far simpler and cheaper to fix. Count me in among those who was flabbergasted by the customer's attitude and decision about a second opinion that would have saved him time and money and would have gotten the problem fixed right the first time.
I’m sister has a Chevy Lumina that had a coolant leak. She took it to a shop, and they told her that the car needed head gaskets. I had recently drove that car, and told her there’s no way the gaskets are bad. So she brings it to me and I noticed coolant leaking from the timing cover. As you can imagine the cost difference was astronomical. That car is still going strong with well over 200,000 miles.
I work trades and if you're not charging ridiculous national, unionized, corp pricing, you're "cheap". It should not cost $450 for a homeowner to change out a faucet or toilet, yet here we are. $125 ethical work and I'm the scam artist here...
Car Wizard, I have a 1941 VW built in Germany, she went to 3 shops in Germany to be renovated, and after 4 years of going from shop to shop, I had enough, she was shipped to the UK to be renovated. They started to work on her that same day she arrived. I can understand why people lose faith and have their cars shipped to a place that is maybe far away.
That last one made me chuckle. I remember the adage "beware the man with one gun, he likely knows how to use it." Wanna bet he's spending all his money on guns and none on training?
I wish more would actually go to the range more and go to classes. Then the person with the way to many guns at once in his truck and how he rolls will realize you only need one good lightweight one that you can conceal will be all you really need. A rifle is definitely not a good choice in close combat and doubt you need one if attacker is far enough and you are in a pickup truck and can just go opposite direction and attacker won’t be much of a threat at that point.
People are just losing their minds and sanity these days. In many ways, I'm happy that I'm retired and stay home except when I have to go out. I appreciate good guys like you and your crew WIzard, and the Mrs. of course.
For people who are shipping a vehicle put MULTIPLE trackers in them. Hide them under seats, carpet, spare tires, anywhere that would require a lot of work to find. If one is found you then have more than one backup
People are insane. I implore you to be a bit less welcoming to strangers coming into your shop. The internet exposure leads people to believe they know you and your staff. It’s a safety risk to you and Mrs. Wizard, your employees and all of the tools and vehicles in the shop. Stay safe out there!!
True words. I think about these girls that do OnlyFans these days and just shake my head. I mean, first of all, have some damn shame and self respect, but think about the dudes they interact with thinking the girl is for real and actually likes them... We don't even have to imagine, girls have been stalked and I know at least one that was murdered. Crazy people. Crazy world.
Parasocial relationships are all one directional, but some people don't understand that and think they can hang out with people they've watched online as if they have a normal relationship, it's scary.
These segments are usually funny, but this one was just disturbing; these people are clearly deranged and dealing with people with personality disorders can be very dangerous. I'm glad things turned out the way they did.
My Dad owned a body shop in ICT for many years in the 50's thru the late 70's...customers used to come in and tell him how to fix their cars...he used to tell them they are selling new cars on east Kellogg and hit the road.
When I worked as a mechanic many years ago, a guy brought us a Renault engine in a box to overhaul. Actually to reassemble. I remember taking it out of the back of his station wagon. Did you know that on that engine the big end of the connecting rod is too big to go through the cylinder? The piston and rod assembly has to go in through the crank case. Naturally there was a part missing. Tried to get it through the Renault importer. Nope can’t get Renault parts. Never did get it together.
@@jafo766 I just made that comment earlier about Deliverance. 😂 I knew I wasn't the only one that felt that weird vibe when Wizard was explaining the details.
@@dreammatch2000 Yes sir, I well remember my daddy telling me during that scene , Son best you take more than a GDM bow & arrow when canoeing those banjo badlands , golly I never knew such a thing happened , there were no pics like that in Play Boy. I can still hear that well fed fella and Dental Plan SEWEEEEE
That story about the trucker is pretty creepy because the only context I've ever heard of truckers luring strangers to "come away with them" like that are a few serial killers.
So glad your reactions and sensibilities are in line with mine! Always glad to know someone else thinks along the same lines as I was raised and believe! I was self employed for 45 years as a commercial photographer and only once had something happen in my studio that helped me decide I was going to be the only employ in my business!
I mean, having a round in the chamber isn't odd. Many gun owners practice this. However, the loaded out vehicle with everything locked and loaded AND dropping it off with everything still in it is just bizarre behavior.
All shops have a "not responsible for items left in car" .... I know some that just have them go pick em up at the police station.. which usually involves going before a judge for an order, and an ffl
Car wizard when you do your chats like this which I love I think we need to add one of those imitation fireplaces with the foil rolling in the light for more of a cozy appearance. And maybe figure out a way to turn the car seat into a rocking car seat? Goes to show sadly how many mentally deranged people there are walking around. Love your videos
I went to detail a toyota tacoma when i was contracted out of a dealership. When I pulled the rear seat up there was a hammer fired Sig P220 in the storage compartment chambered with the safety off and marks in the plastic from the gun sliding around in there. I told the customer he needed to collect his firearms before I would get in the vehicle again and that it would be wise to unload them in transport to keep it from going off and striking soccer moms kid in the minivan
Love the 928 story... imagine the mind of someone who pulled apart the car... and wants Wizard to put it back together... bet he had a lot of Leggo as a child.... LOL
"Who does that?' is a phrase I use daily. So many weirdos out there. I love your videos "weeeezard", really love that Daniel-San has his own channel now too. Keep up the great work guys!
I still have my late father’s 97 tacoma 3.4 I do all restoration work on my own except body and paint it’s still drives like the day it came off the lot it has 600,000 miles. Watching your channel has taught me to never doubt what you’ve got and anything is fixable and don’t get hustled from shady garages even dealerships who mark everything up as if the vehicle is from 2023. Just do it on your own thanks Car Wizard your the real G.O.A.T when it comes to the car repair sector of UA-cam keep it up 👍🏽
I am a guy business owner. The number of weird “customers” that have become over familiar with me is ridiculous insane. I have had customers show up at my house to hang out, want tours, be sitting in my car when I come out of my store, trying to get me to go places with them that minute, Some people don’t understand that when I am nice, they get way over familiar with me. I have had to repeatedly move and now own my home in a trust to make it hard for them to find me. I also now have to live in a gated house. Too many weirdos
Re: Stolen cars. Back in the 80s I got very good at tracking down stolen exotic cars even years after they went missing. I offered my services to State Farm and several other insurance companies and none showed even the slightest interest. Neither did the FBI. My conclusion is that picking up, storing and selling even very expensive cars after they've been stolen and recovered is just more expense and paperwork than anyone wants deal with. Meanwhile, we all pay higher insurance rates because of the apathy of the people who are supposedly professionals and should care.
Insurance companies just low-ball the total loss which they likely write off as a business expense anyways. Law enforcement are lazy pieces of crap that only harass easy targets.. you would have been better approaching the actual owners.
The truck driver was probably just happy/excited to meet everyone - maybe a mix of being lonely and on the spectrum. But don’t know who to trust these days or how people will truly react, so being direct and telling him to leave was probably for the best.
I think the trucker was just some sort of obsessed youtube fan with an inability to differentiate his fantasy from reality. As to how dangerous he was, who knows. I have worked with some amazing delusions when I worked in mental health. The people who had them were just more dangerous to themselves than others usually. One guy believed he caused the missing Malaysian Air flight. He later died in a vehicle accident.
Man, you get some creepy customers. I also watch the auto related channels "Just Rolled In" and "Mechanical Nightmare". One of their videos had a car full of roaches. When you said that your mechanics did not want to sit in the car, I thought that might be the issue, not loaded guns.
There's something about "virtual reality" not being real that people lose track of that fits most of these stories. All the details of a social interaction go through the little screen we look at and get twisted. Even our sense of time can get screwed up by binge watching videos so it seems like our fanship is a long time friendship. Maybe it's a fixation that only the car wizard can fix our car or maybe it's a distorted view of needing a pile of guns to feel whole or that the world is so unsafe. It's like a dark side to the interweb.
Never get in a vehicle with someone you don't know. They could have everything planned out in a crazy scenario intent on living out a fantasy. That guy sounded like a few beers short of a six pack. Some of these people could be kidnapping, extortion, or worse. There are crazy people out there.
Wizard, 'em are some odd odd ducks. I know you're an honest mechanic and small business owner. Why anyone would abuse those facts is beyond my imagination. Great video sir!
The story about the 5.4 head gasket/valve cover reminds me of one I had a few weeks ago…nothing quite that extreme…had a Chrysler 200, died in traffic. Obviously the customer (and my) first thought was alternator. But they got it towed to the shop, we pushed it in, first thing I did was stick a jump pack on it, but I couldn’t get it to jump, turn over, nothing…so I started stabbing wires, barred the motor over, started going through the electrical diag…get a call from the customer like an hour after I start messing with it, customer wanted a alternator quote…told them ‘I don’t think it’s the alternator, but I don’t know what it is yet, I’ll call you when I figure it out’ ‘ok, that’s fine, just lemme know.’…30 minutes later they show up in the lobby…tire tech greeted them (knows more about mechanicing than your average tire tech, had seen me do enough testing that he was pretty sure it wasn’t the alternator either), so they’re talking, and the customer says something to the effect of ‘it’s definitely the alternator’ tire tech relayed that to me…shop manager’s taking interest at this point, asks me what it is ‘well the customer says it’s the alternator, must be the alternator, I’m replacing the alternator.’ (I was pretty annoyed at that point admittedly) shop manager’s like ‘nonononono, lemme talk to them’ went into the lobby…came out 15 minutes later ‘just replace the alternator.’ Replaced the alternator…didn’t fix it…lo and behold, this lady’s boyfriend had been messing with it a few days before, didn’t tighten down a ground enough, it had rattled loose, and it turned out to be a bad ground…so he cost her 600$ for the alt and labor, and I don’t even remember how much diag time…can’t imagine she was too happy.
This is why the old (somewhat tongue in cheek) signs that show labor rates exist. "Shop rate - $40/hr, If you watch - $60/hr, If you help - $80/hr, If you worked on it first - $100/hr"
@@mitsuturbo lol…I’ve got one very similar to that hanging on my toolbox… something like ‘labor rate: 40$, 50$ if you look at it, 60$ if you touch it, 70$ if you watch me fix it, 100$ if you offer advice on how to fix it.’
Maybe I'm missing something, but, if a customer say's "I want a new X", and you say it won't fix the problem, but they say "I want a new X"... what's the problem selling them a X? I mean, shops mostly give sales receipt, so, you list 'diagnose fault + New X at customer request'
Wow, I often think I’m a little crazy at times, But after hearing some of these stories, I feel very sane and normal... thanks for the mental health check, I feel much better about myself now😁
I was expecting more stories like the ones with the guy who threw a hissy fit because he found out what an AC actuator was, not these stories. They were excellent stories, but some of them were legitimately harrowing or just weird. It's good to hear that you remained as calm as you did, because I definitely wouldn't have for some of them.
Congratulations to you for keeping your equilibrium during the insanity. Besides having your valuable unpaid time taken up you even wind up with the space on your property taken up needlessly. Ever notice how helping an insane person doesn't get you anywhere?
With the exception of the stories about convincing a few folks from Hawaii not to spend a fortune on shipping their vehicles to your shop, all I did was shake my head in amazement with the rest of the stories. In all seriousness, there sadly are lots of nut cases out there that one has to exercise extreme caution in dealing with them, especially with how out of control the drug addiction issues are nowadays. As for characters such as the one from NJ who didn’t want to believe you even though you went through the trouble of showing him video proof of what the problem was with the leak, there are some out there who are hopeless.
Man.... You're reminding me why I was so happy to close my shop three years ago! The "quality" of my customers had just gone to SH*T. I closed and retired!
I flew 747's as Captain for a year for Kalitta Air in 2005-2006. During my initial operating experience training as Captain, we flew to Honolulu. Spent the day there, and then came out the next morning to fly back to Los Angeles, an easy 5 hour flight. I watched as they loaded four (4) Ferrari's onto the airplane, into the lower belly compartment. I asked the loader about that: "Oh yeah, we have a guy here on Oahu who sends his cars to Los Angeles each month in order to be detailed by his friend's shop in LA. They come back the next day" Must be nice to have that kind of money~
If I was that rich and in Hawaii I would start a detailing shop and have my LA guy come out and get it going. Bet there are other customers in Hawaii for that level of cleaning.
Wow wizard! You must have a lunatic magnet hidden inside some wall there at Omega. These people you tell us about are straight up crazy! Keep safe and I love these stories. 😂
Great stories thanks for sharing. People don't realize the crazies out there. Lots of people out there with with serious untreated mental disorders. There are trolls on the internet and then there are the people who act like that IRL.
Your crazy stories remind me of my days working at new car dealerships and the unstable crazies you get from time to time. Can’t make this sh*t up bro lol
The crazies at dealerships are also working on the inside. I worked for an IT company and we had a few dealerships as clients. The name on the outside didn't matter, they always seemed to top the list when it came to dysfunction at every level. I dreaded being sent to them.
@@kevinmach730, truer words could not be spoken. I worked for a car dealer in sales and in service for a number of years. I referred to us all as the 'island of misfit toys.'
The story beginning at 17:26 is the strangest of all. No matter how hard I try to put myself into the mind of that prospective customer, it makes no sense. If I had a huge arsenal of guns and felt the need to be ready for the zombie apocalypse at any moment, why would I let the mechanics of an auto repair shop have access? I just cannot understand the mentality of "You'll have to pry my guns out of my cold, dead hands! Oh, wait, I'll let you have access to them while you work on my vehicle!"
My thought exactly. I've worked on cars were the customer has a gun in it, but it's always just one. Most the time they take it out before they hand the keys over
Playing devils advocate here, they could be CIA or deeper in the world of clandestine operations. We always think the world around is like us but there are some interesting lines of "work" happening out there.
@@aussie2uGA A real operator of that nature isn't going to have 8 guns all over the car and they definitely aren't going to leave them in the car when it's worked on, and they DEFINITELY aren't gonna insist that they get left in the car, completely unsecured while strangers have access to them. lol. This screams "paranoid guy that thinks he's an operative" not an actual operative.
@@aussie2uGA Anyone like that wouldn't be driving around in a pickup truck with guns haphazardly bolted to every surface. They'd be driving a well-used Toyota Camry.
Most of these stores were actually really creepy and scary more than insane. However very entertaining. Goes to show you there are a lot of nut jobs in this world. Some harmless and some not. Unfortunately, you can't usually tell the difference and assume the latter.
@@Zirion123 well here is one for you I work as a delivery guy in Hamburg and I got mugged by the guys who ordered the food and they took all my money and everything with 2 knifes one from behind and one from front Its not as safe as you think buddy 😄
Wow these loonies walk amongst us. Some quite scary episodes and coincidences! I found the one with the guy making the weird phone calls the most disturbing! If I ever visited the shop (unlikely being that I’m in the UK) then I’d always be respectful of you and the staff and know when enough is enough so to speak. Many people appear not to have that awareness or even self-awareness and display some downright weird and disturbing behaviour 😳 But anyway, great video and keep safe wizard!
I don't know how it is in the UK but I know truck drivers here can get real lonely to say the least. I see them parked outside the 24/7 adult video store that is on the side of the freeway much too often. Guy probably just wanted some genuine company...
@@sumnerslandscaping5565 possibly, but it’s too big of a risk to take. How would you feel if a random stranger just walked up to you and wanted to drive you around for no reason?
Man, that last story was wild. I can't imagine sending my vehicle to the shop loaded with all my weapons. I remember working on a pistol at my house and getting distracted and leaving to run an errand. I felt sheer panic when I realized I hadn't secured the firearm and drove straight home to lock it up.
People who “know a thing or two about guns” don’t call magazines clips or think a gun can “go off” at any moment. Wizard doesn’t know anything about guns.
"Hey Car Wizard I need for you to troubleshoot my issue over the phone...what do you mean you can't troubleshoot over the phone? You're supposed to be the Car Wizard. Use your magical powers of telepathy or psychic mindreading. Some car wizard. Can't even read minds.."
Funny thing, some really cheaply made AKs with loose fitment and tolerances have been known to go off in the back of a car seat with 'safety' enabled when going over a bump. But it doesn't happen outside of that.
With the safety off? The why is there even a safety if it isn't needed? In reality when any kind of object is rattling around in a car, Murphy is there rattling around right along with it.
When it comes to shipping cars, ive always before used companies that are on Shiply, usually get a good cheap price, but most importantly a paper trail thats confirmed with a third party (Shiply). The paper trail is so important when something goes wrong
Some people don't understand that people on youtube aren't their friends. Moog of Mightcarmods once told a story of how he came out of his bathroom to find a stranger inside his home who had figured out his address through the videos (back when the channel was filmed in his driveway) and was surprised when he was told to get out and never come back.
Long time watcher, first time commenter, I feel very vindicated about my decision to get an FJ Cruiser little over a year ago now that you’ve got one. Very excited for more FJ content! Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Wizard
These are insane Wizard, it's so scary you have to deal with this so often when how many of us would just be happy with a 'hey how's it going' from you! Take care for you and all your staff as you clearly do and keep doing what you do.
That last story about the guns took me way back to the mid 80's when i worked for a company that outfitted local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies as well other electronics in public vehicles. We once had a private investigator stop by to get a 2 way radio and some other electronic devices installed in his crown vic. My coworker started working on the car and suddenly stopped in his tracks because the guy had 2 handguns mounted under the dash and a short barrel shotgun mounted across the floor in front of the passengers seat. He wasnt a "gun guy" and got a bit freaked out and wouldnt go near the car until the owner came back and removed the weapons. You would think that the person would at least mention those things before hand considering they were partially concealed and loaded, but not him, he didnt understand what all the fuss was about. Some people are just different...
It's really scary what you and yours could be subjected to. Here in the UK I haven't heard anything like it and hope I never do. Especially the gun guy who has zero respect for human life. Keep doing what you're doing. Your really enjoyable to watch and listen to.❤
You say that, but I've seen someone in the UK close a loaded double barrel shotgun and put it in the back of his truck at the end of a days shoot. "Oh, I forgot I'd loaded it"
One time the owner of a towing company tried to steal my forklift. A short conversation was had about moving it to my new location, no deal was made, I go to the storage facility next to my old location to get the 12,000lb forklift and it was gone. It was miles away at the tow yard with a for sale by owner sign on it...I put it on my 1968 GMC 5500.
I have to tell you , this channel is entertaining, love your demeanor and your professionalism. Keep up the great channel, the CX9 took the cake and top honors, man what a nightmare. If it was mine I would hope it was insured and caught fire.
Unfortunatly it may come to the point where you just can't allow the public near your shop (other than customers). It's always the one or two bad people that spoil it for the rest of us. Stay safe and keep the content coming!
I agree safety over everything
I agree.
Parasocial relationships are scary that way, some people don't understand it's all one way.
As for that creepy caller stalker phone calling in threatening people.
The State of Kansas does have a Castle Law and a Stand Your Ground variation.
As a safery officer, he should never have allowed it. Too many risks even for a "small" shop like his.
The "one box a month" story was priceless! 😂 That is the guy, who as a kid would take apart everything in the house and leave it in pieces everywhere... Without a clue of how to put it back together. I made the mistake of buying a 76 Buick Lesabre 2- door with a 455 like that, in 1988. Even a 12 year old car in that state was a nightmare.
I'm thinking I would have said "oh he11 no"
That guy sounded silly!!😅
Who was the group with the farter?
I bought a '65 BSA A65 Lightning like that. It was a bare frame, and, A LOT of boxes. It had been totally restored, but, reassembly hadn't even been started yet. It was like doing a jigsaw puzzle, without the picture on the box.
@@robles I believe he said Fartersanonymous lol
My dad was a mechanic and had many customers and experiences, he once told me “ the public will educate you son”. I have never forgot that, it is so true.
farts on the guy walks away what a pig
People like the guy in the last story are exactly why I never engage in road rage no matter how much the other driver deserves it. You have no idea what the other driver is capable or what mental state they're currently in.
A friend of mine puts it this way: There are many gun owners out there who don't THINK...they just REACT.
Can’t imagine having someone come in with that many weapons loaded. I have a CCW, but would never leave a weapon in my vehicle being worked on. It’s thoughtless, disrespectful and dangerous. Total respect for those repairing my car. They have enough hassles to have to deal with , so a loaded firearm doesn’t make their jobs easier.
Trucking is a lonely life. Guy has probably watched every episode and somehow identifies with everyone and didn’t realize that you don’t know him the way he thinks he knows you. He most likely lives in his truck 24/7 and has gotten so antisocial that he didn’t even realize how weird he was acting. Kind of like a mad hermit. I’m a trucker and I see it occasionally at truck stops and rest areas.
Some OTR guys are like that.
So it turns out that the car Wizard has got stans, lol
Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I found it really sad more than the guy being weird. But I understand them being freaked out.
I was once a bit of an outcast cause I went to a big school and didn’t fit into a clique really. In adult life I realized I’m completely normal and well liked. But I was once very lonely. I feel bad for this guy! I hope he found a friend
I was OTR for a year, 100% agree with your comment. The road is tougher then most people think.
It's likely that, and Wizard just being a semi-celebrity. I've heard (somewhere) that this isn't an uncommon problem among people in mass media, especially with TV. People think they know a celebrity because of all the videos, but then somehow think that familiarity is reciprocal.
That story of the head gasket on the F-150 is insane, some people's ego's are so bad that they'd rather waste thousands on useless work than to get their vehicle back on the road as quick and cheap as possible. Man, some people are so stupid its mind boggling
I work on RV's and stuff like this happens pretty often. "Too much money and not enough sense" is what I usually say
I think the guy had a trick up his sleeve. He wanted all the new parts that car wizard mentioned had to go with a new head gasket (it probably would need the soon, it is a 5.4) so he was going to reverse the charges on the credit card claiming it was extra, unauthorized repairs and parts , and eventually settle on paying half the price…which would net him free transporting.
Could have been an elaborate scam in the making..maybe he thought the Wiz was going to do those two pages of work then the guy wouldn't pay, saying it "only had an oil leak".
Yes that seemed like a scam. With such a high profile shop. He could even end up trying to blackmail, claiming that they were scamming him. He probably knew what the real problem was and had proof of that.
@@MitchJohnson0110 RV owners are the WORST and they will come in the next day or a week later and scream that their camper isn't fixed. Worked at an RV dealer to i know them all to well myself
Wizard, as a Trucker myself, some of us are WEIRD. Especially the over-the-road (OTR) guys. They don't have many social interactions and a lot of them don't have (close) families either. Although, your story was giving me serial killer vibes.
Most trucker's are nothing but doped up drunks, nothing but trash...
Over-the-road? That does that mean?
@@awakenotwoke1973 long haul guys
yeah, me too, but no, serial killers are serial because they don't leave tracks behind, not the case here.
@@josepeixoto3384 Not sure what you mean. The 'serial' part of 'serial killer' refers to murders having been committed by the same person in separate events occurring at different times.
Typically I’m not one to comment too much on videos, I just had to stop for a second and congratulate you on your success and I’m certain it’s due to how you roll and treat others. Of course skills and training/education goes without saying, in addition to that. I grew up in the business (no family in the trade, so it was pounding the pavement starting from scratch) and I can spot genuine integrity a mile away. You, Mrs. W, and your crew set the bar quite high and when the bar’s set that high, work become synergistic and employees develop loyalty. Keep up the fantastic work Sir, and thank you for your service. Best wishes!
42 years of my 49 year working career were connected to trucks-trucking in one form or another. It can be really messed up. One of my early jobs while still in high school (split session), was working for a major Ford dealer. One of my duties, among many, was a 'new car prep mechanic' when I wasn't checking the new units in off of a transporter. Memorable and a very positive influence. Now retired from a major truck manufacturer. My earliest memories are from Kansas (Kansas City area). Sister was born there - moved to Florida in the early 1960s. Keep up the good work!
Around 20yrs ago one of our regular customers brought her cadillac in for various repairs. One of the problems was the power seat sticking. She was 80 if she was a day and about 5ft tall while her husband was a giant of a man.
Travis did the mechanical work under the hood and went to diagnose the seat problem. I was in my office and i heard a bang. Travis starts yelling and i go out to check whats going on. She had a loaded, cocked .357 wedged between the console and seat. Travis was moving the seat around and trying to get it to go back and in the process the gun went off and blew a hole in the floor.
It scared the jesus out of everyone. Ruth apologized and thanked us for fixing her seat and finding her gun. Travis was a little more careful/skittish from that point on.
Guns don't "go off."
What do you mean, Clapped?
@@pianopeach I mean that guns don't just "go off." The trigger has to be pulled. Anyone who's ever used one should know that.
@@clappedoutsubieshoopties2216 .357 likely a revolver a technician could easily have pulled the hammer back enough to fire it without the trigger just trying to to find a button or having it catch on the seat as it moves and then loose that tension as the seat moves. Normally I'm a "guns don't kill people, people kill people "kind of guy ,but this sounds like the exception that proves the rule
@@mikehannigan848 I agree. Revolvers have even known to go off, especially with a “hairpin” trigger. Look at the Alec Baldwin case
Being a responsible gun owner goes way beyond pointing them in a safe direction.
A responsible gun owner would have likely removed the guns in the first place before he brought it to the shop and certainly would have if asked to in a polite way. They guy sounded like a nut.
Should have called the police..
There are sooo many crazy nuts out there. Who does that??
@@longsho2796 Well it is in Kansas and as far as I know, you can have a loaded weapon in your car without a permit so I doubt the guy was breaking any laws to be technical.
@@Ryan_DeWittexactly
Good advice on suggesting an AirTag on things you want to track. I would add that.the AirTag should also be well concealed so it will not be found for it to remain effective. I have recently heard that the airlines are becoming annoyed with patrons who use AirTags because they know exactly where their "Missing Luggage" is located and the airline does not.
Always use 2 tags. One is left easy to find and the other not. When they find the easy one they quit looking.
Of course they're annoyed, this translates into "oh great, now we can't BS this one and we actually have to get his luggage here." But can you blame the passengers? I'd be LIVID if my bags got lost.
F*ck the airline if they don't like the fact that it brings their incompetence to light.
My bags always travel to better locations than me for some reason.
I'm an Android user and have a Tile. Those kinds of things aren't "turn by turn" accurate, but if the device sits still long enough it'll give a location.
18:54 love how you snuck that subtle WEAPONS. Cause not gun
I love it when people are so firm in their own diagnosis they won’t even take photo evidence. Smh
yeppers
I find it so funny that the Wizard is so surprised about the way people act. To me it seems absolutely normal as long as you understand two things: 1. Fame has its price and 2. A non insignificant part of the population are completely nuts
Well said
I am sorry but it should not be this the price.
@@giovannibez9509 ...what do you think fame is?
@@mikehannigan848 he's one of the complete nuts. Just look away and walk as fast as you can.
@@overthehilldill3626 But I has ta know! I can't unsee the idiocracy.
This video in a nutshell: People are really weird, and Hoovie is, surprisingly, one of the sanest guys around. I'm just glad none of the really weird one's have hurt anybody while they're visiting. You guys stay safe.
You need to watch your BLOODY language and a shave and definitely a BLOODY shower tubs....
That one guy sounded like a potential kidnapper; Wizard was wise to threaten with a police call. (Yes, adults can get kidnapped too)
I have a customers 75 chevy blazer that was shipped to me from Hawaii. He keeps adding stuff for me to do. I've had the truck in my shop for over 3 years now. He pays his bills when I invoice him, but I'm getting tired of looking at it and working on it. We've put in a 502 engine with a turbo 400, upgraded the braking system and axles, rebuilt the t-case, all brand new wiring, brake lines, parking cables plus a lot more with paint and upholstery
thats insane. i would not be able to go 3 years without driving a car i had all that work done to
Sounds like there is a dire need for some good mechanics who could charge basically whatever they want for doing honest work while living in the island paradise of Hawaii.
Great stories. Thank you. My dad had a shop and there were so many sketchy people that would stop by. Most common was trying to sell something that fell off a truck...
Thanks, well …..we all make up the “ Public”, but Services/ Retail/ Sales is interesting….(me , some 40 ++ years : Community Pharmacy (retail, Public …….).
Mental illness is has become a real problem in this country , it's sad , stay safe out there , love the videos ......
Mental health in this country is a very serious concern.
Right. So shame on those states that cut mental health funding.
I HEAR ONE GAVE FAT ORANGE JESUS A GAGE
I never knew that their was so much going on in Kansas until you and Hoovie showed up. Crazy stories!
Kansas has it's share of nuts.
That headgasket one blows my mind. Most shops would jump at the chance to scam someone out of the thousands it costs for a headgasket replacement, even if it doesn't need it.
I have NEVER seen a customer in my line of work get offended and mad because I found out the expensive thing they THINK it was ends up being something cheap and simple. Hell, people get happy and excited when I let them know it is something cheap and easy and not something expensive and time consuming.
Don't forget, the reason that customer insisted it was the head gasket was because his buddy told him what the problem was.
He was willing to take the word of his friend over an honest and experienced auto technician, insisting that the head gaskets be replaced despite the fact that a professional diagnosis indicated that such work wasn't necessary and that the actual problem was far simpler and cheaper to fix.
Count me in among those who was flabbergasted by the customer's attitude and decision about a second opinion that would have saved him time and money and would have gotten the problem fixed right the first time.
That guy is a stubborn moron. The kind of person who will deny facts and reality even when spiced in their face. Aka your typical liberal Democrat.
I’m sister has a Chevy Lumina that had a coolant leak. She took it to a shop, and they told her that the car needed head gaskets. I had recently drove that car, and told her there’s no way the gaskets are bad. So she brings it to me and I noticed coolant leaking from the timing cover. As you can imagine the cost difference was astronomical. That car is still going strong with well over 200,000 miles.
I work trades and if you're not charging ridiculous national, unionized, corp pricing, you're "cheap". It should not cost $450 for a homeowner to change out a faucet or toilet, yet here we are. $125 ethical work and I'm the scam artist here...
People aren't used to honest mechanics.
Car Wizard, I have a 1941 VW built in Germany, she went to 3 shops in Germany to be renovated, and after 4 years of going from shop to shop, I had enough, she was shipped to the UK to be renovated. They started to work on her that same day she arrived. I can understand why people lose faith and have their cars shipped to a place that is maybe far away.
That last one made me chuckle. I remember the adage "beware the man with one gun, he likely knows how to use it." Wanna bet he's spending all his money on guns and none on training?
I wish more would actually go to the range more and go to classes. Then the person with the way to many guns at once in his truck and how he rolls will realize you only need one good lightweight one that you can conceal will be all you really need. A rifle is definitely not a good choice in close combat and doubt you need one if attacker is far enough and you are in a pickup truck and can just go opposite direction and attacker won’t be much of a threat at that point.
People are just losing their minds and sanity these days. In many ways, I'm happy that I'm retired and stay home except when I have to go out. I appreciate good guys like you and your crew WIzard, and the Mrs. of course.
Wait until the deep fakes get a little better...
Dealing with the general public makes you genuinely wonder how some people are still alive with the way they act and how they treat other people.
I love your humility and respect
You've got to love when a customers friend convinces them they know all.
a guy tried to kid nap magic mike OMG!!! no means no
For people who are shipping a vehicle put MULTIPLE trackers in them. Hide them under seats, carpet, spare tires, anywhere that would require a lot of work to find. If one is found you then have more than one backup
You can take the speakers out of them so they don't beep.
Yeah, for under a hundred bucks you can put 4 air tags on it.
People are insane. I implore you to be a bit less welcoming to strangers coming into your shop. The internet exposure leads people to believe they know you and your staff. It’s a safety risk to you and Mrs. Wizard, your employees and all of the tools and vehicles in the shop. Stay safe out there!!
True words. I think about these girls that do OnlyFans these days and just shake my head.
I mean, first of all, have some damn shame and self respect, but think about the dudes they interact with thinking the girl is for real and actually likes them...
We don't even have to imagine, girls have been stalked and I know at least one that was murdered.
Crazy people. Crazy world.
@@James_Bee More like crazy Unites States. This happens far less in Europe.
@@MrSparklespring people just get stabbed and pay a lot more in taxes in europe
Parasocial relationships are all one directional, but some people don't understand that and think they can hang out with people they've watched online as if they have a normal relationship, it's scary.
especially to strangers who want to take your mechanics out on "dates".
These segments are usually funny, but this one was just disturbing; these people are clearly deranged and dealing with people with personality disorders can be very dangerous. I'm glad things turned out the way they did.
And its only going to get worse thanks to these "woke" politicians normalizing these types of mental disorders.
Wizard seems like such a calm and genuine dude. lol but I wouldn’t want to see him angry I could tell he’d be a different person! Keep up the vids
I literally laughed so hard when he said someone farted on Danielsan!!😂 I know it’s wrong, but the way he said it, so calm and funny!!
My Dad owned a body shop in ICT for many years in the 50's thru the late 70's...customers used to come in and tell him how to fix their cars...he used to tell them they are selling new cars on east Kellogg and hit the road.
" ...beat it wise guy"
When I worked as a mechanic many years ago, a guy brought us a Renault engine in a box to overhaul. Actually to reassemble. I remember taking it out of the back of his station wagon. Did you know that on that engine the big end of the connecting rod is too big to go through the cylinder? The piston and rod assembly has to go in through the crank case. Naturally there was a part missing. Tried to get it through the Renault importer. Nope can’t get Renault parts. Never did get it together.
This guy was trying to get Magic Mike and Daniel Son to fall for the banana in the tailpipe trip 😅😅😅
Indeed , a canoe trip in Tennessee , Diddle Ling Ding Ding
Probably a Butt-Lite drinker.
@@jafo766 I just made that comment earlier about Deliverance. 😂 I knew I wasn't the only one that felt that weird vibe when Wizard was explaining the details.
@@dreammatch2000 Yes sir, I well remember my daddy telling me during that scene , Son best you take more than a GDM bow & arrow when canoeing those banjo badlands , golly I never knew such a thing happened , there were no pics like that in Play Boy. I can still hear that well fed fella and Dental Plan SEWEEEEE
Eddie Murphy is where I know of Bannana in the tail pipe. You're thinking of Deliverance. Lol.
That story about the trucker is pretty creepy because the only context I've ever heard of truckers luring strangers to "come away with them" like that are a few serial killers.
I know a woman trucker and she is a narcissist if not a psychopath. Beware!
Yeah, it was either a very lonely dude, or a serial killer.
So glad your reactions and sensibilities are in line with mine! Always glad to know someone else thinks along the same lines as I was raised and believe! I was self employed for 45 years as a commercial photographer and only once had something happen in my studio that helped me decide I was going to be the only employ in my business!
As a gun owner, it saddens me when others are so irresponsible. Takes just a few to make us all look bad.
And sadly there are more than a few
I mean, having a round in the chamber isn't odd. Many gun owners practice this.
However, the loaded out vehicle with everything locked and loaded AND dropping it off with everything still in it is just bizarre behavior.
@@James_Bee I agree. I would never drop my vehicle off anywhere loaded up like that though 😂
@@James_Bee It's important to have one ready in the chamber. However, safety on always. Only takes a milisecond to disable it on most guns.
It's magazine not clip. Ok I said it.
I've had some shops have a "no firearms in the car" rule. For one, some idiot could break into it and steal them and then it could be on you.
All shops have a "not responsible for items left in car" .... I know some that just have them go pick em up at the police station.. which usually involves going before a judge for an order, and an ffl
The weapon owner is responsible for the security of his weapons, not the garage, not the garage owner, not the mechanic.
@@ogcowboy5743 "but you're attacking the 2nd amendment then!!!111!!" When you don't want random unsecured firearms
Car wizard when you do your chats like this which I love I think we need to add one of those imitation fireplaces with the foil rolling in the light for more of a cozy appearance. And maybe figure out a way to turn the car seat into a rocking car seat?
Goes to show sadly how many mentally deranged people there are walking around.
Love your videos
He should sit in a rocking chair smoking a corncob pipe, too.
What Tyler's hoopties aren't good enough for you?
No imitation fireplaces needed. He just needs to set fire to a few tires.
He's actually done that before with one of those fake electronic fireplace things.
Do it kinda like Vincent Price with that wicked laugh of his.
I went to detail a toyota tacoma when i was contracted out of a dealership. When I pulled the rear seat up there was a hammer fired Sig P220 in the storage compartment chambered with the safety off and marks in the plastic from the gun sliding around in there. I told the customer he needed to collect his firearms before I would get in the vehicle again and that it would be wise to unload them in transport to keep it from going off and striking soccer moms kid in the minivan
There is an saying "Nothing stranger than folk!" So true! Great job Car Wizard.
Imagine having a second shop in Hawaii! Set it with a 5 star team, fill a need and have business write off expenses of traveling there! 😀
Love the 928 story... imagine the mind of someone who pulled apart the car... and wants Wizard to put it back together... bet he had a lot of Leggo as a child.... LOL
scrap aluminum worth a few bucks
Some folks excel at disassembling something perfectly good. So many baskets, so little time.
Way cheaper to junk the parts and buy a used one already assembled, but how can anyone be so stupid as to not realize this?
Disassembling things as a child is where we all started. Why didn't this guy learn how to put things back together?
"Who does that?' is a phrase I use daily. So many weirdos out there. I love your videos "weeeezard", really love that Daniel-San has his own channel now too. Keep up the great work guys!
I still have my late father’s 97 tacoma 3.4 I do all restoration work on my own except body and paint it’s still drives like the day it came off the lot it has 600,000 miles. Watching your channel has taught me to never doubt what you’ve got and anything is fixable and don’t get hustled from shady garages even dealerships who mark everything up as if the vehicle is from 2023. Just do it on your own thanks Car Wizard your the real G.O.A.T when it comes to the car repair sector of UA-cam keep it up 👍🏽
I am a guy business owner. The number of weird “customers” that have become over familiar with me is ridiculous insane. I have had customers show up at my house to hang out, want tours, be sitting in my car when I come out of my store, trying to get me to go places with them that minute,
Some people don’t understand that when I am nice, they get way over familiar with me. I have had to repeatedly move and now own my home in a trust to make it hard for them to find me. I also now have to live in a gated house. Too many weirdos
Yes a trust and an LLC
THE WORLD NEEDS MORE GAY BUSINESS OWNERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CERVIX
Re: Stolen cars. Back in the 80s I got very good at tracking down stolen exotic cars even years after they went missing. I offered my services to State Farm and several other insurance companies and none showed even the slightest interest. Neither did the FBI. My conclusion is that picking up, storing and selling even very expensive cars after they've been stolen and recovered is just more expense and paperwork than anyone wants deal with. Meanwhile, we all pay higher insurance rates because of the apathy of the people who are supposedly professionals and should care.
Insurance companies just low-ball the total loss which they likely write off as a business expense anyways. Law enforcement are lazy pieces of crap that only harass easy targets.. you would have been better approaching the actual owners.
You got me laughing with the shout outs to Hoovie, nothing better than having a friend who has the same love of cars.
Ya gotta love him and his endle$$ good after bad money.
WEEEEZURD!
The truck driver was probably just happy/excited to meet everyone - maybe a mix of being lonely and on the spectrum. But don’t know who to trust these days or how people will truly react, so being direct and telling him to leave was probably for the best.
Or maybe looking for his next meal 😂
The story about the trucker is really creepy and i am afraid y'all will encounter many more weird people, Take care Mr. and Mrs car Wizard
I feel like trucker guy and the guy calling and growling and threatening you may have been the same guy.
I think the trucker was just some sort of obsessed youtube fan with an inability to differentiate his fantasy from reality. As to how dangerous he was, who knows. I have worked with some amazing delusions when I worked in mental health. The people who had them were just more dangerous to themselves than others usually. One guy believed he caused the missing Malaysian Air flight. He later died in a vehicle accident.
I love your DS. I see plenty being in Europe, but I never tire of seeing them. Gorgeous cars...very ingenious too.
Man, you get some creepy customers. I also watch the auto related channels "Just Rolled In" and "Mechanical Nightmare". One of their videos had a car full of roaches. When you said that your mechanics did not want to sit in the car, I thought that might be the issue, not loaded guns.
I was thinking spiders
That's the way he rolls by giving someone else all of his guns...seems like a stable person.
Seemed like a weird “prepper” flex, thinking he was showing off rather than being a firearm accident or overnight gun theft liability.
There's something about "virtual reality" not being real that people lose track of that fits most of these stories.
All the details of a social interaction go through the little screen we look at and get twisted. Even our sense of time can get screwed up by binge watching videos so it seems like our fanship is a long time friendship.
Maybe it's a fixation that only the car wizard can fix our car or maybe it's a distorted view of needing a pile of guns to feel whole or that the world is so unsafe.
It's like a dark side to the interweb.
Never get in a vehicle with someone you don't know. They could have everything planned out in a crazy scenario intent on living out a fantasy. That guy sounded like a few beers short of a six pack. Some of these people could be kidnapping, extortion, or worse. There are crazy people out there.
Jeff bridges.
Same thing with entering houses you don't know
16:30 the guy in the truck was the same guy breathing on the phone.
Wizard, 'em are some odd odd ducks. I know you're an honest mechanic and small business owner. Why anyone would abuse those facts is beyond my imagination. Great video sir!
The story about the 5.4 head gasket/valve cover reminds me of one I had a few weeks ago…nothing quite that extreme…had a Chrysler 200, died in traffic. Obviously the customer (and my) first thought was alternator. But they got it towed to the shop, we pushed it in, first thing I did was stick a jump pack on it, but I couldn’t get it to jump, turn over, nothing…so I started stabbing wires, barred the motor over, started going through the electrical diag…get a call from the customer like an hour after I start messing with it, customer wanted a alternator quote…told them ‘I don’t think it’s the alternator, but I don’t know what it is yet, I’ll call you when I figure it out’ ‘ok, that’s fine, just lemme know.’…30 minutes later they show up in the lobby…tire tech greeted them (knows more about mechanicing than your average tire tech, had seen me do enough testing that he was pretty sure it wasn’t the alternator either), so they’re talking, and the customer says something to the effect of ‘it’s definitely the alternator’ tire tech relayed that to me…shop manager’s taking interest at this point, asks me what it is ‘well the customer says it’s the alternator, must be the alternator, I’m replacing the alternator.’ (I was pretty annoyed at that point admittedly) shop manager’s like ‘nonononono, lemme talk to them’ went into the lobby…came out 15 minutes later ‘just replace the alternator.’ Replaced the alternator…didn’t fix it…lo and behold, this lady’s boyfriend had been messing with it a few days before, didn’t tighten down a ground enough, it had rattled loose, and it turned out to be a bad ground…so he cost her 600$ for the alt and labor, and I don’t even remember how much diag time…can’t imagine she was too happy.
This is why the old (somewhat tongue in cheek) signs that show labor rates exist. "Shop rate - $40/hr, If you watch - $60/hr, If you help - $80/hr, If you worked on it first - $100/hr"
@@mitsuturbo lol…I’ve got one very similar to that hanging on my toolbox… something like ‘labor rate: 40$, 50$ if you look at it, 60$ if you touch it, 70$ if you watch me fix it, 100$ if you offer advice on how to fix it.’
Maybe I'm missing something, but, if a customer say's "I want a new X", and you say it won't fix the problem, but they say "I want a new X"... what's the problem selling them a X? I mean, shops mostly give sales receipt, so, you list 'diagnose fault + New X at customer request'
When I was a mechanic in Texas, I used to run into guns all the time. Always the same conversation with the customer, "come get them out please."
Wow, I often think I’m a little crazy at times, But after hearing some of these stories, I feel very sane and normal... thanks for the mental health check, I feel much better about myself now😁
The Wizard can tell a story. I was in stitches.
Thanks for the stories! If it was Steve McGarrett calling from Hawaii, the car was too flogged and shot-up to fix anyway!!
I think it's really admirable that you deter people from shipping their car from Hawaii.
If Wizard calls you "Bro" you know you've screwed up.
Go Tigers!
Indeed , BUD should have offered to bring WIZARD and beautiful wife to Hawaii for a couple of weeks
Lol
I was expecting more stories like the ones with the guy who threw a hissy fit because he found out what an AC actuator was, not these stories. They were excellent stories, but some of them were legitimately harrowing or just weird. It's good to hear that you remained as calm as you did, because I definitely wouldn't have for some of them.
I love how he gives a shout-out to Tyler even in this video! 😂😂😂
Congratulations to you for keeping your equilibrium during the insanity. Besides having your valuable unpaid time taken up you even wind up with the space on your property taken up needlessly. Ever notice how helping an insane person doesn't get you anywhere?
With the exception of the stories about convincing a few folks from Hawaii not to spend a fortune on shipping their vehicles to your shop, all I did was shake my head in amazement with the rest of the stories. In all seriousness, there sadly are lots of nut cases out there that one has to exercise extreme caution in dealing with them, especially with how out of control the drug addiction issues are nowadays. As for characters such as the one from NJ who didn’t want to believe you even though you went through the trouble of showing him video proof of what the problem was with the leak, there are some out there who are hopeless.
Man.... You're reminding me why I was so happy to close my shop three years ago! The "quality" of my customers had just gone to SH*T. I closed and retired!
I flew 747's as Captain for a year for Kalitta Air in 2005-2006. During my initial operating experience training as Captain, we flew to Honolulu. Spent the day there, and then came out the next morning to fly back to Los Angeles, an easy 5 hour flight. I watched as they loaded four (4) Ferrari's onto the airplane, into the lower belly compartment. I asked the loader about that:
"Oh yeah, we have a guy here on Oahu who sends his cars to Los Angeles each month in order to be detailed by his friend's shop in LA. They come back the next day"
Must be nice to have that kind of money~
If I was that rich and in Hawaii I would start a detailing shop and have my LA guy come out and get it going. Bet there are other customers in Hawaii for that level of cleaning.
@@theundergroundlairofthesqu9261 That makes too much sense apparently....
Would have been cheaper to have a complete set of detailer equipment in his house garage,
fly the detailer to Hawaii each month for a week.
@@ogcowboy5743 That too.....
Wow wizard! You must have a lunatic magnet hidden inside some wall there at Omega. These people you tell us about are straight up crazy! Keep safe and I love these stories. 😂
Great stories thanks for sharing. People don't realize the crazies out there. Lots of people out there with with serious untreated mental disorders. There are trolls on the internet and then there are the people who act like that IRL.
Your crazy stories remind me of my days working at new car dealerships and the unstable crazies you get from time to time. Can’t make this sh*t up bro lol
The crazies at dealerships are also working on the inside. I worked for an IT company and we had a few dealerships as clients. The name on the outside didn't matter, they always seemed to top the list when it came to dysfunction at every level. I dreaded being sent to them.
@@kevinmach730, truer words could not be spoken. I worked for a car dealer in sales and in service for a number of years. I referred to us all as the 'island of misfit toys.'
@@bryan_with_a_y 🤣🤣
"Time to time" is becoming a LOT more frequent in todays insane world....... beginning with our political leaders. 😮
Maaan...these crazy people are ruining the wizard with his generosity and humbleness. Tons of love Wizard
The story beginning at 17:26 is the strangest of all. No matter how hard I try to put myself into the mind of that prospective customer, it makes no sense. If I had a huge arsenal of guns and felt the need to be ready for the zombie apocalypse at any moment, why would I let the mechanics of an auto repair shop have access? I just cannot understand the mentality of "You'll have to pry my guns out of my cold, dead hands! Oh, wait, I'll let you have access to them while you work on my vehicle!"
My thought exactly. I've worked on cars were the customer has a gun in it, but it's always just one. Most the time they take it out before they hand the keys over
Playing devils advocate here, they could be CIA or deeper in the world of clandestine operations. We always think the world around is like us but there are some interesting lines of "work" happening out there.
@@aussie2uGA A real operator of that nature isn't going to have 8 guns all over the car and they definitely aren't going to leave them in the car when it's worked on, and they DEFINITELY aren't gonna insist that they get left in the car, completely unsecured while strangers have access to them. lol.
This screams "paranoid guy that thinks he's an operative" not an actual operative.
@@aussie2uGA Anyone like that wouldn't be driving around in a pickup truck with guns haphazardly bolted to every surface. They'd be driving a well-used Toyota Camry.
The guy thinks it makes him look tough, just makes him look super weak.
Please keep these stories going i love this stuff.
I appreciate you car wizard i always wish to have a mentor like yourself now i do im glad I found your channel forever thank ful
Most of these stores were actually really creepy and scary more than insane. However very entertaining. Goes to show you there are a lot of nut jobs in this world. Some harmless and some not. Unfortunately, you can't usually tell the difference and assume the latter.
It’s because the government do not want to see all these similar cases.
@@anonime_dancer hu?
Just fyi this isnt normal in the world lol. Never even heard about stories like this in Europe
@@Zirion123 well here is one for you
I work as a delivery guy in Hamburg and I got mugged by the guys who ordered the food and they took all my money and everything with 2 knifes one from behind and one from front
Its not as safe as you think buddy 😄
@@alz_rdfwere they Germans or immigrants?
Wow these loonies walk amongst us. Some quite scary episodes and coincidences! I found the one with the guy making the weird phone calls the most disturbing! If I ever visited the shop (unlikely being that I’m in the UK) then I’d always be respectful of you and the staff and know when enough is enough so to speak. Many people appear not to have that awareness or even self-awareness and display some downright weird and disturbing behaviour 😳 But anyway, great video and keep safe wizard!
Good advice, unfortunately the downsides of being widely known can attract the wrong people, keep the nasties out of the workshop at least.
I don't know how it is in the UK but I know truck drivers here can get real lonely to say the least. I see them parked outside the 24/7 adult video store that is on the side of the freeway much too often. Guy probably just wanted some genuine company...
@@sumnerslandscaping5565 possibly, but it’s too big of a risk to take. How would you feel if a random stranger just walked up to you and wanted to drive you around for no reason?
@@sumnerslandscaping5565 He was probably looking for a "Good Buddy".
@@sumnerslandscaping5565
Probably just lonely, could be Ted Bundy. Not their problem though.
Man, that last story was wild. I can't imagine sending my vehicle to the shop loaded with all my weapons. I remember working on a pistol at my house and getting distracted and leaving to run an errand. I felt sheer panic when I realized I hadn't secured the firearm and drove straight home to lock it up.
They do no good locked up. Always keep your gun on your person. Loaded and chambered
Teach your kids and wife firearm safety and you'll have less to worry about.
People who “know a thing or two about guns” don’t call magazines clips or think a gun can “go off” at any moment. Wizard doesn’t know anything about guns.
@@contractkiller6863 Not according to his military record...
Another great video, CW! That last one's a gem-John in Texas
0:40 crop dusting is a sign of deep respect and affection lol
"Hey Car Wizard I need for you to troubleshoot my issue over the phone...what do you mean you can't troubleshoot over the phone? You're supposed to be the Car Wizard. Use your magical powers of telepathy or psychic mindreading. Some car wizard. Can't even read minds.."
Never heard of a gun going off by itself. That’s the craziest part of all the stories.
Funny thing, some really cheaply made AKs with loose fitment and tolerances have been known to go off in the back of a car seat with 'safety' enabled when going over a bump. But it doesn't happen outside of that.
But hey, he “knows a thing or two about guns”! Right?
Sig Sauer has been having a problem with that lately, actually.
With the safety off? The why is there even a safety if it isn't needed? In reality when any kind of object is rattling around in a car, Murphy is there rattling around right along with it.
@@mjouwbuis it’s needed for idiots without trigger discipline. I’ve shot nearly 60,000 rounds. Never once did a round fire when I didn’t want it to.
The overall theme appears to be that weirdos are attracted to the Car Wizard, like Hoovie 😂
When it comes to shipping cars, ive always before used companies that are on Shiply, usually get a good cheap price, but most importantly a paper trail thats confirmed with a third party (Shiply). The paper trail is so important when something goes wrong
Some people don't understand that people on youtube aren't their friends. Moog of Mightcarmods once told a story of how he came out of his bathroom to find a stranger inside his home who had figured out his address through the videos (back when the channel was filmed in his driveway) and was surprised when he was told to get out and never come back.
Long time watcher, first time commenter, I feel very vindicated about my decision to get an FJ Cruiser little over a year ago now that you’ve got one. Very excited for more FJ content! Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Wizard
You're just so good Wizard that people don't care about the cost of shipping. That's when you know you've made it.
Maybe they would pay you to come to Hawaii to fix their car..😂
Danielson getting farted on...dude tried to cropdust, accidentally sharted, had to go check the damage
Came with gravy 😂
Wafting miasma 😏
These are insane Wizard, it's so scary you have to deal with this so often when how many of us would just be happy with a 'hey how's it going' from you!
Take care for you and all your staff as you clearly do and keep doing what you do.
I wonder where I would fit into your stories. I’ll stop by some day to visit & we’ll see.
Thank you Sir for your videos they’re fun and amazing both.
I think the truck driver was the guy from the phone who wanted to put things in your rear. He was trying to sneak y’all away one at a time LOL!!
Yeah maybe.so sad
That last story about the guns took me way back to the mid 80's when i worked for a company that outfitted local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies as well other electronics in public vehicles. We once had a private investigator stop by to get a 2 way radio and some other electronic devices installed in his crown vic. My coworker started working on the car and suddenly stopped in his tracks because the guy had 2 handguns mounted under the dash and a short barrel shotgun mounted across the floor in front of the passengers seat. He wasnt a "gun guy" and got a bit freaked out and wouldnt go near the car until the owner came back and removed the weapons. You would think that the person would at least mention those things before hand considering they were partially concealed and loaded, but not him, he didnt understand what all the fuss was about. Some people are just different...
I don’t either if he was going to stay there as it was being worked on. You have to put your finger on the trigger and squeeze for them to fire.
It's really scary what you and yours could be subjected to. Here in the UK I haven't heard anything like it and hope I never do. Especially the gun guy who has zero respect for human life. Keep doing what you're doing. Your really enjoyable to watch and listen to.❤
You say that, but I've seen someone in the UK close a loaded double barrel shotgun and put it in the back of his truck at the end of a days shoot. "Oh, I forgot I'd loaded it"
One time the owner of a towing company tried to steal my forklift. A short conversation was had about moving it to my new location, no deal was made, I go to the storage facility next to my old location to get the 12,000lb forklift and it was gone. It was miles away at the tow yard with a for sale by owner sign on it...I put it on my 1968 GMC 5500.
I have to tell you , this channel is entertaining, love your demeanor and your professionalism. Keep up the great channel, the CX9 took the cake and top honors, man what a nightmare. If it was mine I would hope it was insured and caught fire.