as a former mechanic that worked at a dealership and my son also works for a dealership as a mechanic i hated when the boss tried to upsale crap and i ended up leaving and going to a small independent shop like yours and was a lot happier cause we did only work that needed to be done and my son does side work for his customers who he thinks are getting ripped off as well i raised a honest man that i am trully proud of
It's not just auto shops. An HVAC repairman last year charged me $240 for a fan relay I could buy myself for less tha $25. That was only for the part. Needless to say, I won't be calling them again.
There is a fine line between making recommendations and trying to upsell parts and services. We’ve had that issue in our independent shop. We make an effort to educate the customer on normal wear and preventive work that is recommended for vehicle longevity. Ultimately, it’s up to the customer to make that decision after they are informed.
Hey Ray, great video. I'm looking forward to the price comparr when it's all said and done. I also saw a good tip i found on the internet. I know how much you hate getting oil all over yourself during oil changes. I saw a guy just like you that hated it and what he did was drill a small hole in the filter so it would drain first before he removed it. Hope that helps. Cheers!
We are all born with integrity but keeping that moral is difficult. Cultivating that moral in our children is something special. Bravo sir nice work. Your son is a good man and I’m sure it’s with the help of mom and dad. Nice work.
As a retired mechanic of more than 30 years. This content is what has changed the automotive repair services for the better!! Simply because it calls out all the BS that dealerships and less trustworthy mechanics have done to give all mechanics a bad rap. As a kid with my first vehicle, I was ripped off by a repair shop. Which is how and why I became a mechanic. Because I didn't want what happened to me to happen to others. I can honestly say that during my time as a line mechanic, I never, in more than 15+ years, tried to push a sale on something that was not truly needed. I think because of that, that's how I ended up working at small family owned shops. OUTSTANDING JOB RAY!!
Well spoken. I used the same mechanic for 20 years - first at his father in law's shop, then at his own. He was extremely honest and would show me exactly what was going on. My mom still uses him too. I do most of my own work, but there's stuff I just can't do at home. Unfortunately I moved several hours away, otherwise I'd still be using his shop. He worked hard for that 5 star rating on yelp.
Yes it is a very hard job, especially with sky high 0.E.M parts and the china junk crap the auto parts store sell which is also not cheap. And thats even if you can get the parts. Then there is the real expensive tools you need to buy. Glad I am retired !
They both made a big mistake and that was waiting too long to see a doctor. If they went after a day or 2 for help he would have been back at it pretty quickly but he tried to tuff it out but that rarley works when infection is involved a box of antibiotics and bingo fixed. He’s a great mechanic and talks a bout proper maintenance more importantly you and your family’s health is way more important than your car. All well that ends well😅
@@PeterHernandez-lg2eh It’s understandable I was the same as a younger bloke I thought I was bullet proof but I’ve found as I get older that it’s important to look after what you only have 1 chance at and that’s life😁 Stay healthy and don’t put off seeing a doc if you need 1 🧐
You are being more than diplomatic when you say the Stealership was "reaching" on the repairs they suggested. I would say they were flat out lying, trying to steal money from this person!! The technicians they have can't be that incompetent to think that the CV axle needed to be replaced or that the sway bar links were bad because a little grease was showing. This is a great example of how these thieves try to steal your hard earned money. Sadly this is a common problem. Thank you Ray for your honest hard work!!
My kid came to me with a similar situation of an estimate from a repair shop. I get it that a business has overhead and needs to turn a profit but taking advantage of people is another thing.... I went through his estimate and found 300% markup on rear struts and 1200% markup on rear brakes. The other thing is how the put comments to scare people on how if this repair isn't IMMEDIATELY taken care of it could be dangerous to drive.... Looked at rear brakes and they still have at least 50-65% life left and rear struts are not failed as they stated on the Quote. It's really sad to me with people who don't know much about the mechanicals involved with autos just pay and get taken advantage of..... Take care Ray! Word of mouth with an honest mechanic will pay dividends!
@@ronv6637 I think in that case you have to proof it have happend, and that could be difficult? I live in Finland and here, customer is owner of every component shop have replaced, so shop must to give or show those parts to customer, as proof they have replaced them. Its not foolproof system, but it is something. Not so much that kind shops left, who only want to make easy money, by cheating their customers anymore. And one more thing, here mechanics are working for monthly salary, 8 hour days, everything over that is payd more by counting hourly value for hour and adding 50% for two, and 100%after that, and for weekends kind of same. So mechanics cant get anything extra if cheating customer, its someone else. It doesent take out fact dealership is more expensive than private shop. 2 reasons dealer uses only original parts, and is billing by booktimes, with rusty fasteners ad 50% time. Private ones give you estimate, and part prices, also cheep ones, you choose, witch ones you want.
I have the same machanic for almost 20 years and trust him completely. He does Good work at fair prices and stand behind this work. He is the only mechanic that I will trust his word 100%.
If we can tell the Rainman anything after his illness, it is to not get sick ever again, and don’t limit how much you talk. I appreciate the narratives from the Rainman.
Save some money, email Ray and plan a trip.. maybe your vehicle will be on the channel...lol. that way you can get a bumper sticker or engine sticker that says "fueled by Rainman Ray's Repairs".. 😎👍
I used to work at a Volvo dealer. I had a car that needed all new lower control arm bushings and a ball joint. I recommended a whole new control arm as it was over $150 cheaper than doing them all individually. I got chewed out for recommending the cheaper option. Needless to say I don't work there anymore. Love your connector repair btw!
I'm 80 years, broken back and neck thanks to a drunken driver. I was a mechanic in the 60s and 70s. Absolutely loved working on cars, all brands of US manufacturers. I enjoy watching Ray working his magic. It reminds me of my youth. Keep up the excellent work you do.
😊Am happy you pulled through your illness! It was scary for you, your kids, and a big shout out to Wife Unit, who unselfishly helped you and her babies, get better! So when you feel lousy in the future, take your butt to doctor!
"Trolls are people too" - lol Love it. Interesting price description from the dealer and yours. Your commentary continues to be superior and one of the reasons I am part of this channel. Even on repeat operations. Similar to actual shop work. Repeat operations are the familiarity and experience comes in to quality work, in my opinion. Thank you, Ray, for entertaining us, enlightening us, and providing a great channel. 🙂 One thing I try to live by: "Don't just take up space, try to make a difference."
THe wires to the front windshield is a Wiper Blade Deicer. There is a heating element to melt the ice when in place that I have lived like Oklahoma and Missouri to get the freezing rain to let go of the wiper blades if you were unable to preempt the problem. Verry Handy if you need it.
Sir. You are THE influence. We all love who you are and what you stand for. Stop saying you are sorry. You don't need to do that. This is learning time for us out here that have to work on our own stuff. You and wife unit are a beacon of light in this crappy world we have to live in. Thank you
Those wires if I am not mistaken are for the wiper defrost system. My Toyota has it and it warms the area where the wipers rest. The defrost vents inside the vehicle normally can’t get that area. At least not right away.
Thats some wonderful info. The last dealer shop tried to get me on some extra stuff saying i needed to replace. So i asked them to show me the componets that are needing replaced. Funny thimg was im a aircraft mechanic/ auto/ motorcycle guy. The service dept took me out after i forced them to show me. To prove it needed replacement. After seeing their concerns i said no and told the service manager it was not needing replacement of parts. Told them to finish oil change and the service recall notice. And thats it. Turns out i called them out on trying to scam me. I finally told them not to lie to a mechanic with knowledge and a data sheet showing maintance/replace schedule in owners manual...
Great to see you back to your old self again,shame not everyone has the same honesty as you ray the world would be a much better and happier place,we need more people like you ,with your ethics
I started 8n a dealership and moved to my own shop because I hated the fact that they were paying for their floor space with parts and labor mark ups. I truly enjoy your channel because your standards meet mine. I may have to move down there so I can trust the person under the hood.
To change the plugs you have to remove the wiper assembly. Brilliant. I used to change the plugs points, condenser and PVC on my 383 V8 in half an hour.
I used to always here that changing spark plugs was one of the things anyone could do on their own. Like filling oil. Wtf are engineers doing nowadays?
They purposely design it that way so the customer has to take it to one of their official dealerships to change them. Its really bad in terms of electronics.
Folks lets help Ray get over a million like other valuable repair channels. As a DIY'er these videos are very instructional and help me if I must tackle a similar vehicle for a friend sumone in need easier. I do it to keep my skills honed and helps keep me at tymes deal with my constant nagging pain.
I have my son do what he can for me because I can no longer crawl under the car, squat for a brake job, stretch across the engine compartment or jam myself under a dashboard. I taught him whatever I could and "supervise" when necessary.
My son comes by sometime when I have to work on something to give me a hand or just watch me. Recently we had the pleasure of in a ' father - son ' way we both had our hands on the wrench and ' broke ' something together. Aside from that I try to teach him how to be a good troubleshooter.
That's great. The amount of money he will save fixing things himself will be huge. Just the knowledge of basics alone is of value. My dad never touched a tool. He was a good father but had all the "repair people" numbers hanging on the fridge lol.
I could be wrong but at minute 1:12:22 it looks like the wiper motor connector is still unplugged when the cover goes back on. Great content as always Ray. Really appreciated the short video yesterday with an attitude of gratitude for all your supporters. We're here for you.
I caught that and then checked the comments to see how many others did as well. Now will Ray call his customer to get them to check if their wipers work before the next rain storm, and tell us about it, or will he just ignore us "trolls" and our critiquing of his work;-)
I noticed that plus a few wire hose clamps were not slid back into position on the air intake and intake manifold lines, I did not want to say anything unless others noticed too
I'm 57 and have never in my life dealt with a dealership either buying or repairing a vehicle. This video is the reason why. They're called "stealerships" for a reason.
Said it before ill say it agine on that van i recommend changing the back 3 coils and saving the old coils as back up for the frt. The coils only last about 120k to 150k miles the plugs last 100k. @some point between plug changes you will need to replace some coils. In labor your money ahead to just have it done now. It will save you 1/2 the cost of doing it later.
It is a sad state of affairs that stealerships, are fleecing their customers for work. It is nice to know that there are still honest mechanics out there Ray.
Ray. To help ANYBODY understand, IF YOU did an oil change, YOU, being Super Expert, would notice any Major Issue, for the Oil Change customer, just looking at the vehicle. And YOU would correctly inform the owner. This is really worth WAYYY MORE than whatever the Oil/Filter Change process is billed for. If RAY and his shop do it, You win twice, three times, etc. Be smart, be safe, use the BEST. Always use the Best!
I have bad arthritis, so I took my 2019 F350 6.7 to a local independent shop because I thought my aftermarket warranty would cover the A/C and washer motor not working. Wrong. They charged me almost $400 in troubleshooting and wanted to charge me $654 to replace the blend door actuator, and $520 to replace the multifunction switch. I told them to get bent. I had to pay the diag because the warranty company actual turned out to be trash, but I stopped at O'reilly on the way home, and got my parts for $59 total. Once I got home, I took the 5 screws out of the turn signal switch and replaced it, got it back together in 4 minutes. The AC started blowing cold so I have the part for another time. I can use a screwdriver to assist the actuator between seasons as needed until I feel like contorting myself to R&R it. So far I have stopped 4 of my friends from going there. The Ford dealer 5 miles away from them is a better deal. Madness, and they are getting away with scamming the hell out of of lot of people that don't know much about working on cars. They kept asking me for a review and after I gave the service advisor a call back, they politely asked me to never come to their shop again.
Ray, thank you do much for the pricing comparison!! We are all very happy that you did not die. That being said, 1) What is your choice in magnetic spark plug sockets? and 2) Would it be a good move to blow off the rat turds before pulling spark plugs?
For 13/16" spark plugs I have a magnetic socket, purchased in the 1970s. I have used a bench grinder to grind it down for clearance on some of my vehicles. For 5/8", just have with rubber "grabber" ring in it.
I enjoy your rambling allot . This dealership really hit this vehicle with allot of repairs that you proved did not need to be done . You being honest will be the better mechanic people will choose because of your honesty . Taxes , every one wants to live in this country , but many complain about paying taxes . But this is what bothers me , these same people will go out and spend piles of money on lottery and gambling and think nothing of it . Nice efficient job on this vehicle !
When I broke the coil connector clips on my 2002 4Runner, I purchased some cheaper aftermarket connectors and de-pined both old and new and put the pins on the car into the new connectors. So far, I'm happy with my repair.
I justed wanted Ray to know because of yesterday's video I subscribed. I have been watching Ray for awhile I felt Rays message was heart felt so I wanted to subscribe. Thanks for doing what you do and the wife unit for her help running the business. This was a good video today seemed shorter then what it was.
thank you ray. i got a spam call just now and i used your line of ' this call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes' they hung up immediately. APPRECIATE YOU!
I ask for there credit card number, when asked why I say I charge $75:00 per hour for the first hour or any part of a hour then $28:75 per 15 minute increments. By now they have hung up.
This is why a good dealer is rare. This is standard practice for a dealer. I know that mine will upcharge, of course, but they showed me a list of suggested items at my mileage and told me which were extra, and even informed me the ones that were basically useless. Hell, my dealer even asked me if i needed special oil because I had a few mods. The only reason I still use a dealer is because I am still under warranty, and this eliminates that part of an issue. The mods are on me, but they are intake and exhaust and that is an easy fight.
Dealers don’t have mechanics anymore. They only employee technicians. They change everything based on time and mileage not whether it’s actually non-functional anymore lol lol
It’s the way they’re built. I have to remove a pile of easily breakable and one time use plastic to even get to the problem. It takes hours. It’s hot, dirty, you get cut open… if I’m going in you’re damn right I prepare the customer, it’s not me, it’s what they’re building today.
My God that dealer estimate is insane! Dealers are borderline criminals both on the service side and the sales side. Another reason the zip tie approach is better...messing with those wires is more likely to cause a much bigger problem.
You are the only mechanic that I've ever heard reference Gandhi. Ergo, this is for you: "Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny." Salut.
Ray, I’ve been following you for at least a couple of years and have read your back story. You like ford boss me are remarkable considering the stories. We can’t change what was in the past but we can change what we do in the present and the future. You’re blessed with three children and you’re married to Lauren aka the wife unit. Live your best life and keep on smiling brother. The shop is continuing to grow and prosper so ignore the jealous trolls, their attitudes are why they are miserable. You wear many hats, one of them better say successful on the front of it. Oh, very happy to see you healthy and back to your routine.
Yeah - on the NPD, I was also subject to an incredible amount of abuse from a parent. Psychologically damaging is an understatement for some. It explains why you are such a good parent - you were ultimately taught what kind of parent not to be.
My ex-wife was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, a close cousin to NPD. My therapist told me that there are support groups for people that have NPD/BPD people in their lives but not for the NPD/BPDs. They just won't go.
So familiar, my nearest Ford dealer is wildly expensive, (UK also) but they do have a superb parts dept with a couple of guys who really know what they're a doing of, can tell you where, what, how, how much, and what'll do instead ! But like me they're getting old...
@@CrimeVidI worked in the parts department. They trialed a motorcycle delivery for urgent parts, it was a bugger trying to balance a 55 gallon oil drum on the back. 🏍️+🛢️= 🏩 😂
It didn't have to much debris that would fall into the spark plug holes. I thought the same thing and noticed the distance of the debris from the holes and how Ray was aware and not disturbing it.
Don't breathe in the brake Kleen. Potential for chemical pneumonia. There's a reason dealerships and called stealerships. When I'm told I need repairs due to oil leakage I say: Funny, I have no oil spots on the garage floor???
Relative has 1999 nissan that was 350tkm on it and for the last 8 or so years inspection guy mentions theres oil leak. The engine has been soaked in oil for the last 10 years, doesnt matter its not even enough to drip to the ground so who cares.
Ha, stealerships over price when they don't want the work, and if the customer accepts said quote, the stealership will gladly rip them off and take their money.
To replace headlight bulbs, the dealership wanted $450 (disassemble bumper guard, unscrew headlights and replace bulbs)😅. I looked it up on UA-cam, remove fender liner and replace the bulbs. Saved $450!!! 😂
Ray, You could have possibly had a Covid Variant when you were so sick. I'm really glad you're better and back to work. Covid is still flying around. I almost croaked from it. I have no family so I had to get through it myself and was too sick to go to my Doctor. 3.5 weeks later I went to my Doctor and he still did tests and said it was Covid and not Pneumonia . Glad you made it and glad I did, but DON'T WEAR THAT T-SHIRT AGAIN ❤🙏🤣
I'm still smarting from my previous dealership experience ($2K)having my shocks and struts and lower control arms replaced plus alignment(car pulls to the right post service)and tire rotation and balance and I supplied the parts. Service writer(noob) quoted 8-9 hrs to do the work and i had already figured 3.5-4.0 hrs which they they performed the work in but they used a air wrench to put the shocks on and stripped out the whole shock threaded shaft then they wanted $200 for a $92 shock which i checked the price at the discount parts store that they got it from. After arguing with them about it they discounted $155 off the price of the replacement shock plus the original discount parts store i purchased the replacement shocks from refunded my money for the one the dealership tech obviously stripped out. I and the parts guy knew what happened and shook our heads in unison. What a nice parts guy. Also the replacement shock I had originally purchased came in a sealed box. I think that the dealership tech lied to cover his goof up.
Is that dealer out of his F'n mind? Air filter $53? Cabin filter $70? What an insult! Not to mention the rest of that BS. My mechanic wants $1500 to replace my timing cover gasket. All labor. A lot of stuff to pull off to get to it. I'll live with it. Ray. It always scares me, when you go to pull plugs and there's a bunch of crap laying around the hole. How many PCV valves on that car? That's two hoses you removed from the air intake and referred to as PVC hoses?
Mechanic put estimates together and lets service advisor sell the job, I worked for a dealership and the service advisor has all the labour time guidelines in their computer, this looks like mechanic, advisor, service manager and owner are ripping out this customer big time The owner should be involved with this because this customer with never buy another car from this dealership again
You price an air/cabin air filter off a retail parts counter recently. About $30 each out the door. If you want to do them yourself, have at it or pay up.
Not that I support dealer service. However, you need to remember the deal will use OEM part, which are way more expensive than some FRAM after market filter.
One PCV line is the vacuum signal source, and the other one vents the crankcase into the intake. The vacuum signal source is always behind the throttle plate, whereas the vent is upstream of the throttle.
I for one am glad you're still around Ray and would appreciate you continuing to make certain that doesn't change. As long as you keep uploading videos of course.
Back in 2008, I took my truck to the dealer for a clogged catalytic converter. They wanted to change the whole exhaust system part that contained the converter for $1,100 plus $400 labor. I declined, took it to a muffler shop and got one welded in for a grand total of $300. I'm still driving the same truck as of today, with no more issues.
The plug from the windshield is a heating element under the wipers to keep ice from building up, I was a Subaru tech and almost all of them had it. I think its a standard feature on Subarus 2020 and up but it was always called the cold weather package.
'Cabinfilter $9' had me rolling😂, yesterday i replace one of a Toyota coralla(almost brand new, with only 18573 miles) that cost $91,30 including labor(like 15min or so). (Yes we replace them every service every 9230 miles/ 15000km)💸😂
STEALERSHIPS HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO MORALS!!!! WHY DO PEOPLE GO TO STEALERSHIPS, BECAUSE THEY LOVE GIVING CHEAP OIL CHANGES TO BRING CUSTOMERS IN, AND THEN BEGIN TO RIP THE CUSTOMERS OFF AND TELL THEM EVERYTHING IS GOING TO PIECES ON THEIR VEHICLE, AND CHARGE AT LEAST $200.00 PER HOUR FOR LABOR AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE PARTS.🤮🤢😡
I went to one "free service" at 5,000 miles for my then new Highlander and was horrified that they said they wouldn't do the oil until 10,000 miles. I never went back, their bullshit just wasn't worth it. Same with a recall for an oil pressure sender on my old Sequoia. I just bought my own replacement and did it myself in about 15 minutes time. Dealers totally suck.
When you were talking about dealing with a narcissist, I’m surprised to hear you met our Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. He’s also like that dealership, gouging everyone he can.
This is the reason why I learned how to fix my own stuff. You can buy a bunch of reasonably priced tools and fix a lot of things yourself with the proper manuals. Infact with UA-cam you can look up almost any repair now. We didn't have that when I learned how to do it.
as a former mechanic that worked at a dealership and my son also works for a dealership as a mechanic i hated when the boss tried to upsale crap and i ended up leaving and going to a small independent shop like yours and was a lot happier cause we did only work that needed to be done and my son does side work for his customers who he thinks are getting ripped off as well i raised a honest man that i am trully proud of
It's not just auto shops. An HVAC repairman last year charged me $240 for a fan relay I could buy myself for less tha $25. That was only for the part. Needless to say, I won't be calling them again.
There is a fine line between making recommendations and trying to upsell parts and services. We’ve had that issue in our independent shop. We make an effort to educate the customer on normal wear and preventive work that is recommended for vehicle longevity. Ultimately, it’s up to the customer to make that decision after they are informed.
They dont call them Stealerships for nothing 😊
Hey Ray, great video. I'm looking forward to the price comparr when it's all said and done. I also saw a good tip i found on the internet. I know how much you hate getting oil all over yourself during oil changes. I saw a guy just like you that hated it and what he did was drill a small hole in the filter so it would drain first before he removed it. Hope that helps. Cheers!
We are all born with integrity but keeping that moral is difficult. Cultivating that moral in our children is something special. Bravo sir nice work. Your son is a good man and I’m sure it’s with the help of mom and dad. Nice work.
As a retired mechanic of more than 30 years. This content is what has changed the automotive repair services for the better!! Simply because it calls out all the BS that dealerships and less trustworthy mechanics have done to give all mechanics a bad rap. As a kid with my first vehicle, I was ripped off by a repair shop. Which is how and why I became a mechanic. Because I didn't want what happened to me to happen to others. I can honestly say that during my time as a line mechanic, I never, in more than 15+ years, tried to push a sale on something that was not truly needed. I think because of that, that's how I ended up working at small family owned shops.
OUTSTANDING JOB RAY!!
Oil change
Well spoken. I used the same mechanic for 20 years - first at his father in law's shop, then at his own. He was extremely honest and would show me exactly what was going on. My mom still uses him too.
I do most of my own work, but there's stuff I just can't do at home. Unfortunately I moved several hours away, otherwise I'd still be using his shop. He worked hard for that 5 star rating on yelp.
Connector tab release with socket: PRICELESS!
Great to have an honest mechanic to help people cope with rising prices
When you're good, you're good,
Ray
Yes it is a very hard job, especially with sky high 0.E.M parts and the china junk crap the auto parts store sell which is also not cheap. And thats even if you can get the parts. Then there is the real expensive tools you need to buy. Glad I am retired !
Everyone is happy you're still with us. Wife Unit knew what she was doing so you didn't die!
They both made a big mistake and that was waiting too long to see a doctor. If they went after a day or 2 for help he would have been back at it pretty quickly but he tried to tuff it out but that rarley works when infection is involved a box of antibiotics and bingo fixed.
He’s a great mechanic and talks a bout proper maintenance more importantly you and your family’s health is way more important than your car. All well that ends well😅
I'm guilty of the same. Never go to the doctor
Me to i havent had a doctor checkup since 2012 when i was in high school@@PeterHernandez-lg2eh
@@PeterHernandez-lg2eh It’s understandable I was the same as a younger bloke I thought I was bullet proof but I’ve found as I get older that it’s important to look after what you only have 1 chance at and that’s life😁 Stay healthy and don’t put off seeing a doc if you need 1 🧐
@@johnlarkin549 indeed, no job is worth ignoring your health and suffering the consequences.
You are being more than diplomatic when you say the Stealership was "reaching" on the repairs they suggested. I would say they were flat out lying, trying to steal money from this person!! The technicians they have can't be that incompetent to think that the CV axle needed to be replaced or that the sway bar links were bad because a little grease was showing. This is a great example of how these thieves try to steal your hard earned money. Sadly this is a common problem.
Thank you Ray for your honest hard work!!
My kid came to me with a similar situation of an estimate from a repair shop. I get it that a business has overhead and needs to turn a profit but taking advantage of people is another thing.... I went through his estimate and found 300% markup on rear struts and 1200% markup on rear brakes. The other thing is how the put comments to scare people on how if this repair isn't IMMEDIATELY taken care of it could be dangerous to drive.... Looked at rear brakes and they still have at least 50-65% life left and rear struts are not failed as they stated on the Quote. It's really sad to me with people who don't know much about the mechanicals involved with autos just pay and get taken advantage of..... Take care Ray! Word of mouth with an honest mechanic will pay dividends!
Something like that could be considered fraud and basis for business licences to be revoked.
The dealer is trying to sell a new car and have a decent used car to sell. No?
@@ronv6637 I think in that case you have to proof it have happend, and that could be difficult?
I live in Finland and here, customer is owner of every component shop have replaced, so shop must to give or show those parts to customer, as proof they have replaced them. Its not foolproof system, but it is something. Not so much that kind shops left, who only want to make easy money, by cheating their customers anymore.
And one more thing, here mechanics are working for monthly salary, 8 hour days, everything over that is payd more by counting hourly value for hour and adding 50% for two, and 100%after that, and for weekends kind of same. So mechanics cant get anything extra if cheating customer, its someone else.
It doesent take out fact dealership is more expensive than private shop.
2 reasons dealer uses only original parts, and is billing by booktimes, with rusty fasteners ad 50% time. Private ones give you estimate, and part prices, also cheep ones, you choose, witch ones you want.
I have the same machanic for almost 20 years and trust him completely. He does Good work at fair prices and stand behind this work. He is the only mechanic that I will trust his word 100%.
They scare the crap out of the elderly especially
If we can tell the Rainman anything after his illness, it is to not get sick ever again, and don’t limit how much you talk. I appreciate the narratives from the Rainman.
Thing is it’s quite common today to almost die? Why? I don’t remember people dying from getting the flu. But today yeah why? Let Ray answer that one.
We need more people like Ray. I'm in Massachusetts, if I were within a 2 hour drive, Ray would be my go to choice for sure!
If you ever drive to Florida for vacation, stop by his shop.
He should emigrate to North West England. 🇬🇧🏴
Save some money, email Ray and plan a trip.. maybe your vehicle will be on the channel...lol. that way you can get a bumper sticker or engine sticker that says "fueled by Rainman Ray's Repairs".. 😎👍
Doesn't Scotty Kilmer live in that area
@@imfloridano5448
Scotty splits his time between Tennessee and Rhode Island. He's currently back in Tennessee.
When I worked in the motor trade would never rip customers off word of mouth that you are honest will always keep you busy
I used to work at a Volvo dealer. I had a car that needed all new lower control arm bushings and a ball joint. I recommended a whole new control arm as it was over $150 cheaper than doing them all individually. I got chewed out for recommending the cheaper option. Needless to say I don't work there anymore. Love your connector repair btw!
The zip tie fix is a good one. Those zip ties are reusable zip ties. The one time use ties don't have the release tab.
I'm 80 years, broken back and neck thanks to a drunken driver. I was a mechanic in the 60s and 70s. Absolutely loved working on cars, all brands of US manufacturers.
I enjoy watching Ray working his magic. It reminds me of my youth. Keep up the excellent work you do.
Your humility and hard work make your channel stand out. Well done.
😊Am happy you pulled through your illness! It was scary for you, your kids, and a big shout out to Wife Unit, who unselfishly helped you and her babies, get better! So when you feel lousy in the future, take your butt to doctor!
"Trolls are people too" - lol Love it. Interesting price description from the dealer and yours. Your commentary continues to be superior and one of the reasons I am part of this channel. Even on repeat operations. Similar to actual shop work. Repeat operations are the familiarity and experience comes in to quality work, in my opinion. Thank you, Ray, for entertaining us, enlightening us, and providing a great channel. 🙂
One thing I try to live by: "Don't just take up space, try to make a difference."
Ray its not your time to leave us brother, you have many many people to help and teach, we love you and your purpose as an honest and true person
THe wires to the front windshield is a Wiper Blade Deicer. There is a heating element to melt the ice when in place that I have lived like Oklahoma and Missouri to get the freezing rain to let go of the wiper blades if you were unable to preempt the problem. Verry Handy if you need it.
He's in Florida. Could be a snowbird though.
I hope the Customer gets to watch your videos. They will truly know how good of a mechanic you are.
We are glad you didn’t die Ray 😊
I can't believe this only got this many likes 😅.
Sir. You are THE influence. We all love who you are and what you stand for. Stop saying you are sorry. You don't need to do that. This is learning time for us out here that have to work on our own stuff. You and wife unit are a beacon of light in this crappy world we have to live in. Thank you
If I lived there I'd take my truck there. You've got the proper attitude to make sure everything works. Thanks for the videos.
God bless you Ray for this video. I need to do this to my Sienna, so this really helps me out brother.
Those wires if I am not mistaken are for the wiper defrost system. My Toyota has it and it warms the area where the wipers rest. The defrost vents inside the vehicle normally can’t get that area. At least not right away.
I wish the shop I use had someone doing UA-cam on my repairs. I would love to be able to see the before and after on my vehicles.
Thats some wonderful info. The last dealer shop tried to get me on some extra stuff saying i needed to replace. So i asked them to show me the componets that are needing replaced. Funny thimg was im a aircraft mechanic/ auto/ motorcycle guy. The service dept took me out after i forced them to show me. To prove it needed replacement. After seeing their concerns i said no and told the service manager it was not needing replacement of parts. Told them to finish oil change and the service recall notice. And thats it. Turns out i called them out on trying to scam me. I finally told them not to lie to a mechanic with knowledge and a data sheet showing maintance/replace schedule in owners manual...
Nice job Ray, it really helps us do our own repairs.
Great to see you back to your old self again,shame not everyone has the same honesty as you ray the world would be a much better and happier place,we need more people like you ,with your ethics
I started 8n a dealership and moved to my own shop because I hated the fact that they were paying for their floor space with parts and labor mark ups. I truly enjoy your channel because your standards meet mine. I may have to move down there so I can trust the person under the hood.
To change the plugs you have to remove the wiper assembly. Brilliant. I used to change the plugs points, condenser and PVC on my 383 V8 in half an hour.
I used to always here that changing spark plugs was one of the things anyone could do on their own. Like filling oil. Wtf are engineers doing nowadays?
Front wheel drive v6 engines... One bank points towers the back...
They purposely design it that way so the customer has to take it to one of their official dealerships to change them. Its really bad in terms of electronics.
@@Zippadeedoodaa-nt8om order you do it in your driveway :) Reach around the intake from the passenger side.
A man with integrity. Thank you Ray.
Folks lets help Ray get over a million like other valuable repair channels. As a DIY'er these videos are very instructional and help me if I must tackle a similar vehicle for a friend sumone in need easier. I do it to keep my skills honed and helps keep me at tymes deal with my constant nagging pain.
I have my son do what he can for me because I can no longer crawl under the car, squat for a brake job, stretch across the engine compartment or jam myself under a dashboard. I taught him whatever I could and "supervise" when necessary.
My son comes by sometime when I have to work on something to give me a hand or just watch me.
Recently we had the pleasure of in a ' father - son ' way we both had our hands on the wrench and
' broke ' something together.
Aside from that I try to teach him how to be a good troubleshooter.
That's great. The amount of money he will save fixing things himself will be huge. Just the knowledge of basics alone is of value. My dad never touched a tool. He was a good father but had all the "repair people" numbers hanging on the fridge lol.
I could be wrong but at minute 1:12:22 it looks like the wiper motor connector is still unplugged when the cover goes back on. Great content as always Ray. Really appreciated the short video yesterday with an attitude of gratitude for all your supporters. We're here for you.
I caught that and then checked the comments to see how many others did as well.
Now will Ray call his customer to get them to check if their wipers work before the next rain storm, and tell us about it, or will he just ignore us "trolls" and our critiquing of his work;-)
I thought the same thing. He didn’t try the wipers when he started the van.
@@gilbertfernandez141 and your point is.........
@@dealeru.3532 as long as your a troll,have a coke and a smile and kiss my a__ _.
I noticed that plus a few wire hose clamps were not slid back into position on the air intake and intake manifold lines, I did not want to say anything unless others noticed too
I am glad you are feeling better and good to have you back doing great repair videos
Great video Ray. PLUS... thanks for the tip about releasing the plastic clips - fantastic little nugget to store away.
I'm 57 and have never in my life dealt with a dealership either buying or repairing a vehicle. This video is the reason why. They're called "stealerships" for a reason.
Said it before ill say it agine on that van i recommend changing the back 3 coils and saving the old coils as back up for the frt.
The coils only last about 120k to 150k miles the plugs last 100k.
@some point between plug changes you will need to replace some coils. In labor your money ahead to just have it done now.
It will save you 1/2 the cost of doing it later.
Thank you wife unit for the "time clock thingy"... the doo-da-de-doos... are back , and a Star Wars reference. My day can't get any better :-)
It is a sad state of affairs that stealerships, are fleecing their customers for work. It is nice to know that there are still honest mechanics out there Ray.
Well the dealership exes...need to go sailing,playing golf,and going to Casinos....🤑
It's nice to see an honest mechanic. So glad you recovered from your illness.
Ray. To help ANYBODY understand, IF YOU did an oil change, YOU, being Super Expert, would notice any Major Issue, for the Oil Change customer, just looking at the vehicle. And YOU would correctly inform the owner. This is really worth WAYYY MORE than whatever the Oil/Filter Change process is billed for. If RAY and his shop do it, You win twice, three times, etc. Be smart, be safe, use the BEST. Always use the Best!
I have bad arthritis, so I took my 2019 F350 6.7 to a local independent shop because I thought my aftermarket warranty would cover the A/C and washer motor not working. Wrong. They charged me almost $400 in troubleshooting and wanted to charge me $654 to replace the blend door actuator, and $520 to replace the multifunction switch. I told them to get bent. I had to pay the diag because the warranty company actual turned out to be trash, but I stopped at O'reilly on the way home, and got my parts for $59 total. Once I got home, I took the 5 screws out of the turn signal switch and replaced it, got it back together in 4 minutes. The AC started blowing cold so I have the part for another time. I can use a screwdriver to assist the actuator between seasons as needed until I feel like contorting myself to R&R it. So far I have stopped 4 of my friends from going there. The Ford dealer 5 miles away from them is a better deal. Madness, and they are getting away with scamming the hell out of of lot of people that don't know much about working on cars. They kept asking me for a review and after I gave the service advisor a call back, they politely asked me to never come to their shop again.
Ray, thank you do much for the pricing comparison!! We are all very happy that you did not die. That being said, 1) What is your choice in magnetic spark plug sockets? and 2) Would it be a good move to blow off the rat turds before pulling spark plugs?
Pita if the rubber part gets stuck inside. Magnetic much better especially on a Subaru boxer engine ej257
For 13/16" spark plugs I have a magnetic socket, purchased in the 1970s. I have used a bench grinder to grind it down for clearance on some of my vehicles. For 5/8", just have with rubber "grabber" ring in it.
I enjoy your rambling allot . This dealership really hit this vehicle with allot of repairs that you proved did not need to be done . You being honest will be the better mechanic people will choose because of your honesty . Taxes , every one wants to live in this country , but many complain about paying taxes . But this is what bothers me , these same people will go out and spend piles of money on lottery and gambling and think nothing of it . Nice efficient job on this vehicle !
Hi ray and wife unit and Dave, video was excellent lots of work just changed spark plugs only Ray can and always you all be safe 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I enjoy your rants Ray! A lot of truth in what you say.
It's a heating element to keep wipers from freezing to windshield. Have the same on my Tundra
Love the zip tie fix. Thanks for the great content!
Good to see you are doing people right
When I broke the coil connector clips on my 2002 4Runner, I purchased some cheaper aftermarket connectors and de-pined both old and new and put the pins on the car into the new connectors. So far, I'm happy with my repair.
And that’s the correct way to help customers, and drive your business,with integrity!😊
Your content is part of my daily routine. Keep up the good work!!
I tell ya, there is nothing like being at your job , grinding something with a grinder, while listening to the sound of Ray's shop on headphones.
Video approved, teaching well, good warning of stealership, end of transmission, click.
The idea with the “zip locks” is simply brilliant! Then you recognize the specialist again, the right one!
Until you realize you can buy just the plastic piece for 7$ and switch them out with a pocket screwdriver. 🤦♂️
@@topherd1011 repin. A+
Yeah, that's the first time I've seen that done. Those tabs get so old and brittle
@@topherd1011or fix it with zip tie ends in the shop troll
I enjoy your philosophical rants whilst you work. You are a very insightful individual. Such food for thought for all to gormandize.
I justed wanted Ray to know because of yesterday's video I subscribed. I have been watching Ray for awhile I felt Rays message was heart felt so I wanted to subscribe. Thanks for doing what you do and the wife unit for her help running the business. This was a good video today seemed shorter then what it was.
Thank you for adding the prices
thank you ray. i got a spam call just now and i used your line of ' this call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes' they hung up immediately. APPRECIATE YOU!
I ask for there credit card number, when asked why I say I charge $75:00 per hour for the first hour or any part of a hour then $28:75 per 15 minute increments. By now they have hung up.
This is why a good dealer is rare. This is standard practice for a dealer.
I know that mine will upcharge, of course, but they showed me a list of suggested items at my mileage and told me which were extra, and even informed me the ones that were basically useless.
Hell, my dealer even asked me if i needed special oil because I had a few mods.
The only reason I still use a dealer is because I am still under warranty, and this eliminates that part of an issue. The mods are on me, but they are intake and exhaust and that is an easy fight.
Dealers don’t have mechanics anymore. They only employee technicians. They change everything based on time and mileage not whether it’s actually non-functional anymore lol lol
It’s the way they’re built. I have to remove a pile of easily breakable and one time use plastic to even get to the problem. It takes hours. It’s hot, dirty, you get cut open… if I’m going in you’re damn right I prepare the customer, it’s not me, it’s what they’re building today.
I don't know why but i got DeJa'Vu at 1:07:00 you said those exact words in a previous vid lol
My God that dealer estimate is insane! Dealers are borderline criminals both on the service side and the sales side.
Another reason the zip tie approach is better...messing with those wires is more likely to cause a much bigger problem.
@tradde11 Re: wait time. Do they offer rentals? They might be after even more of your money.
The patience you have to do this job is amazing. I could never do this. Very interesting watching you work.
He's done many, like PT Cruisers 😅
You are the only mechanic that I've ever heard reference Gandhi. Ergo, this is for you: "Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny."
Salut.
Hey Rey, I just wanted to run a shop vacuum on that debris on the top of the engine near the spark plug hole.
That's the kind of quote you give a customer when you don't want to do work on their car.
Yes and all the trades do it!! Especially if they are busy or large enough to pick and choose!! 🙄😡
Not always the case.
Great to see you back & healthy Ray, you may not want to name & shame them but I hope your customer lets all & Sundry know who & what they are .
Back to were we left off on yesterdays Ted Talk about a day in the life of Ray.
Ray, I’ve been following you for at least a couple of years and have read your back story. You like ford boss me are remarkable considering the stories. We can’t change what was in the past but we can change what we do in the present and the future. You’re blessed with three children and you’re married to Lauren aka the wife unit. Live your best life and keep on smiling brother. The shop is continuing to grow and prosper so ignore the jealous trolls, their attitudes are why they are miserable.
You wear many hats, one of them better say successful on the front of it.
Oh, very happy to see you healthy and back to your routine.
Yeah - on the NPD, I was also subject to an incredible amount of abuse from a parent. Psychologically damaging is an understatement for some. It explains why you are such a good parent - you were ultimately taught what kind of parent not to be.
My ex-wife was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, a close cousin to NPD. My therapist told me that there are support groups for people that have NPD/BPD people in their lives but not for the NPD/BPDs. They just won't go.
Glad you didn't die. Cardinal sin you didn't disconnect the battery! ? Cheers
I used to work for a Ford dealership here in the U.K. I never let them service/work on my car even with staff discount they were too expensive.
Why would you buy a Ford. Buy Toyota
So familiar, my nearest Ford dealer is wildly expensive, (UK also) but they do have a superb parts dept with a couple of guys who really know what they're a doing of, can tell you where, what, how, how much, and what'll do instead ! But like me they're getting old...
@@CrimeVidI worked in the parts department. They trialed a motorcycle delivery for urgent parts, it was a bugger trying to balance a 55 gallon oil drum on the back. 🏍️+🛢️= 🏩 😂
@@mike.47Watch those turns😂
Ray is an automotive wizard. Keep up the good work!
Omfg. Almost shat my pants when you changed the sparkplugs without cleaning off the debris on the valvecover 😂
I assumed he wasn't going to troll us with the towels this time because he already did it with the rat shit.
It didn't have to much debris that would fall into the spark plug holes. I thought the same thing and noticed the distance of the debris from the holes and how Ray was aware and not disturbing it.
mice poop????
good job Ray, glad your back to your regular content. I'm sure most of your subscribers missed you while you were off sick
Don't breathe in the brake Kleen. Potential for chemical pneumonia. There's a reason dealerships and called stealerships. When I'm told I need repairs due to oil leakage I say: Funny, I have no oil spots on the garage floor???
Then maybe they should just call it oil seepage instead of leakage. That's the term I use until it creates an actual drip lol
Relative has 1999 nissan that was 350tkm on it and for the last 8 or so years inspection guy mentions theres oil leak. The engine has been soaked in oil for the last 10 years, doesnt matter its not even enough to drip to the ground so who cares.
Glad you're okay
Costco oil, Amazon oil or Walmart oil the same products! Proven no question about it..
All meet the specification limit some perform better see videos from Project Farm guy.
I love Rays honesty. I wish we lived closer because he would be my go to mechanic for sure
Ha, stealerships over price when they don't want the work, and if the customer accepts said quote, the stealership will gladly rip them off and take their money.
To replace headlight bulbs, the dealership wanted $450 (disassemble bumper guard, unscrew headlights and replace bulbs)😅. I looked it up on UA-cam, remove fender liner and replace the bulbs. Saved $450!!! 😂
Absolutely sickening the scams some shops pull. Thank the Lord that you are looking out for customers in your shop. God Bless!!!
Ray, You could have possibly had a Covid Variant when you were so sick. I'm really glad you're better and back to work. Covid is still flying around. I almost croaked from it. I have no family so I had to get through it myself and was too sick to go to my Doctor. 3.5 weeks later I went to my Doctor and he still did tests and said it was Covid and not Pneumonia . Glad you made it and glad I did, but DON'T WEAR THAT T-SHIRT AGAIN ❤🙏🤣
I love your attitude towards life, more people need to just let others be who they want to be.
I'm still smarting from my previous dealership experience ($2K)having my shocks and struts and lower control arms replaced plus alignment(car pulls to the right post service)and tire rotation and balance and I supplied the parts.
Service writer(noob) quoted 8-9 hrs to do the work and i had already figured 3.5-4.0 hrs which they they performed the work in but they used a air wrench to put the shocks on and stripped out the whole shock threaded shaft then they wanted $200 for a $92 shock which i checked the price at the discount parts store that they got it from. After arguing with them about it they discounted $155 off the price of the replacement shock plus the original discount parts store i purchased the replacement shocks from refunded my money for the one the dealership tech obviously stripped out. I and the parts guy knew what happened and shook our heads in unison. What a nice parts guy. Also the replacement shock I had originally purchased came in a sealed box. I think that the dealership tech lied to cover his goof up.
Sounds more like medical doctors, make mistakes and charge YOU for it.
An honest mechanic will always have respect from the general public as well as a steady chase flow.😅
Is that dealer out of his F'n mind? Air filter $53? Cabin filter $70? What an insult! Not to mention the rest of that BS.
My mechanic wants $1500 to replace my timing cover gasket. All labor. A lot of stuff to pull off to get to it. I'll live with it.
Ray. It always scares me, when you go to pull plugs and there's a bunch of crap laying around the hole.
How many PCV valves on that car? That's two hoses you removed from the air intake and referred to as PVC hoses?
The dealer isn't out of his mind, anyone who willingly pays these prices is out of their f'in mind. LoL
Mechanic put estimates together and lets service advisor sell the job, I worked for a dealership and the service advisor has all the labour time guidelines in their computer, this looks like mechanic, advisor, service manager and owner are ripping out this customer big time
The owner should be involved with this because this customer with never buy another car from this dealership again
You price an air/cabin air filter off a retail parts counter recently. About $30 each out the door. If you want to do them yourself, have at it or pay up.
Not that I support dealer service. However, you need to remember the deal will use OEM part, which are way more expensive than some FRAM after market filter.
One PCV line is the vacuum signal source, and the other one vents the crankcase into the intake. The vacuum signal source is always behind the throttle plate, whereas the vent is upstream of the throttle.
I for one am glad you're still around Ray and would appreciate you continuing to make certain that doesn't change. As long as you keep uploading videos of course.
Back in 2008, I took my truck to the dealer for a clogged catalytic converter. They wanted to change the whole exhaust system part that contained the converter for $1,100 plus $400 labor. I declined, took it to a muffler shop and got one welded in for a grand total of $300. I'm still driving the same truck as of today, with no more issues.
Yea I had a similar experience. But the service advisor told me of a local shop that did the converter exchange
12:30, why not blow the debris out before removing the coils?
All car owners should know how to change their filters air/cabin, wipers, mandatory!!!!!
No, no they shouldn't.
Not only that, but learn how to do oil changes and oil filter changes and coolant flushes.
Wish we had more honest mechanics in the world like you that also do fantastic work. Nice to see you are much better. Have a good one Ray!
$800 for sway bar links 😂😂😂 did mine for $28
It sounds like a very important and difficult part to replace to someone who doesn't know
@@umageddon The sway bar link that Ray showed was still good at 115,000 miles on the odometer.
The plug from the windshield is a heating element under the wipers to keep ice from building up, I was a Subaru tech and almost all of them had it. I think its a standard feature on Subarus 2020 and up but it was always called the cold weather package.
'Cabinfilter $9' had me rolling😂, yesterday i replace one of a Toyota coralla(almost brand new, with only 18573 miles) that cost $91,30 including labor(like 15min or so). (Yes we replace them every service every 9230 miles/ 15000km)💸😂
I'm very glad that you pulled through and did not die on us:)
STEALERSHIPS HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO MORALS!!!! WHY DO PEOPLE GO TO STEALERSHIPS, BECAUSE THEY LOVE GIVING CHEAP OIL CHANGES TO BRING CUSTOMERS IN, AND THEN BEGIN TO RIP THE CUSTOMERS OFF AND TELL THEM EVERYTHING IS GOING TO PIECES ON THEIR VEHICLE, AND CHARGE AT LEAST $200.00 PER HOUR FOR LABOR AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE PARTS.🤮🤢😡
I went to one "free service" at 5,000 miles for my then new Highlander and was horrified that they said they wouldn't do the oil until 10,000 miles. I never went back, their bullshit just wasn't worth it. Same with a recall for an oil pressure sender on my old Sequoia. I just bought my own replacement and did it myself in about 15 minutes time. Dealers totally suck.
It is so nice to watch an honest mechanic do what is right. Blessings unto you and your family. Peace.
When you were talking about dealing with a narcissist, I’m surprised to hear you met our Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. He’s also like that dealership, gouging everyone he can.
Hey we got one down here too loves spending and giving our tax money away.
Didn't see you move the clamp for the hose that connects to the tube between the throttle body and the air box back into position.
This is the reason why I learned how to fix my own stuff. You can buy a bunch of reasonably priced tools and fix a lot of things yourself with the proper manuals. Infact with UA-cam you can look up almost any repair now. We didn't have that when I learned how to do it.