One of my coworkers husband is a retired Master Mechanic. He was the head mechanic at a dealership group the handled all of the divisions of GM. Even the one that were discontinued. He would often be approached by people asking him to repair their vehicles. Several of them were older people on fixed incomes or maybe single mothers living paycheck to paycheck. He eventually started up a little shop and specialized in repairing older vehicles that the dealership wasn't interested in repairing. He eventually got to the point where he would work up a estimate and require that the parts be paid for in full before he would even start work on the vehicle. He was burned so many times by people who took advantage of his good nature that he finally had to stop. He and his shop were threatened several times by owners whose vehicle he had to put a mechanics lien on. About five years after he retired from the dealership he closed his shop and so many people were disappointed because now they didn't have a knowledgeable and honest mechanic to repair their vehicles at a fair price. He fixed a lot of vehicles at cost for those struggling financially. A few bad apples spoiled the whole barrel for everyone.
No offense but that’s why certain people can handle this business longer than others - there’s a reason why the ‘meaner’ guy requires payment or deposit
I used to work as a technician at a family owned RV dealership and we ran into several unsavory people that tried to take advantage and were never satisfied no matter how good we did. On one particular case my boss dropped a nugget a wisdom. "Sometimes you need to fire a customer."
Yep there are so many businesses that will screw themselves or their employees for the sake of a degenerate customer. The customer is not always right. Sure, you try to be accommodating but there comes a point where you have to give them the boot.
That is all too true! I've owned a computer sales and service shop for 35 years and there have been a fair number of clients I have fired. One tried to get free software from me despite the fact that I had delivered and installed the software he had purchased on his new computer (which he had also bought from me). He said that he never got it, only to find out that he wanted me to give him an additional license to install on another computer. Another client called me for computer repair but when I got there, she actually wanted me to help her fix her custom-made blinds...because I said on my website that I solve problems with Windows. (NO JOKE!) I actually forgave that (as she was 80+ years old) with the assumption that she might have been confused. However, the next time she called for my repair services, I got there and she wanted me to help her with cleaning the house, unclogging her kitchen sink, etc. It was at that point that I fired her. A third client I had to fire because I picked up his laptop for a virus scan and he was already calling me within ten minutes of picking it up (I was still driving from his place back to my office) to ask how it was going and when it would be done. He kept calling no less than once per hour throughout the rest of the day, so I had to set up his phone number to go directly to voicemail. The next day, starting at 5am, he started calling from his cellular phone to ask if the computer was ready. That day, from both that cellular number and another (a friend's number???), he called no fewer than 40 times, all of which got sent directly to voicemail once I realized that it was he who was calling. (My phone system logs every incoming call even if it is sent to voicemail). I got the machine back to him the next day, so it was in my possession two days and collected the payment. I thought maybe he was just frantic without his computer, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. The next time he called a few months later, he needed his antivirus license updated, so I ordered the new software and told him that it would be ready for install once it arrived in two or three days. (I still had his numbers directed to voicemail.) During each of those days, he called no fewer than 20 times. I called him back a couple of times each day and reminded him that I would call to schedule a delivery and installation once the software had arrived but that didn't deter him from calling anyway. When the software arrived, he griped that it had taken so long. I reminded him that it had been only two days which happened to be the weekend days of Saturday and Sunday: the order was placed Saturday afternoon and the software arrived Monday morning. I got the software installed for him that afternoon and decided that he was too much hassle with whom to work, so I fired him as a client and advised him to call someone else for his needs in the future. He still tried calling me for service beyond that point and left voicemails each time but I never returned his calls.
I just have to say, if you owned a 2005 Mazda when Ford was building them, do you ever do research on thecars you’ve bought over the years or do you just shoot. craps all day.
I've spent most of 40+ year career in dealerships for mid level and lower level luxury vehicle's. It always amazed me that some people would spend hundreds of dollars on custom wheels, tires, and stereos and not fix a leaking water pump or worn out brakes. Sad, but true.
Funny you mention that. I literally just had about $1k saved up for stuff like that, but ended up having to replace a bunch of parts instead lol. It's not like you'll be able to enjoy those extras without a properly running vehicle. Spend the $1k now and be good for another 100k miles, or blow it on stupid stuff and damage the car even more within 1k miles, and end up with scrap on wheels in the driveway. I personally know of a few cars that have just been sitting for a few years now, and rats have probably gotten into the wiring at this point. $100-500 fixes, but the owners are the type of people that will buy random stupid stuff on credit instead. Tires on those car have been flat for a long time now, so tires are definitely trash at this point, so that is now $400+ additional that could've been prevented by fixing the $100 problem 🤦♂️
They would rather impress people with superficial things even when the car is broken down on the side of the road because they neglected basic maintenance. I'll never understand that.
Exactly what I’m finding shopping the private used car market. People are valuing aftermarket accessories when the vehicle has been diagnosed for major repairs, yet they selling an inoperable car for the cost of the accessories they installed 😏
In the early 90s I did a lot of work for this older gentleman. He didn't have a lot of cash but he did what he had to do to keep his car going. He's at the shop one morning getting some work done. When it was time to pay, he realized that he didn't have his wallet. He asked me if he could take the car home and bring back the cash. I told him no problem. Not to rush. Just come back before closing. Getting close to six and he hadn't come back yet. No big problem. Probably got busy and lost track of time. The man was in his mid 80s or so. Next day around lunch time and still haven't seen him. I call his house. No answer. End of day comes, haven't seen or heard from him. And still no answer on the phone. Next day, same thing. This is not right. He was a man of his word. I decide to go to his house. Cars in the driveway. Knock on the door, no answer. I'm getting a little concerned now. Not about the money. About him. I find a phone booth, remember those,,, and called the police station. They send over an officer to do a welfare check. Officer is banging on the door to no avail. He decides to try the door. It was unlocked. Opens the door, there he is. On the floor. Dead. So yeah. It looks like when he went home that day, he went in,.closed the door behind him and that was it. Dropped dead right there. I had known this guy for a few years so it bothered me. Kinda like if your uncle passed away. And no. I never got paid. For the amount of money he owed I couldn't be bothered trying to sort that out. That was the first and last time I had a customer drop dead over his bill. Literally.
This story chocked me a lot, so I will share is a similar (actual) one: an old person (was a cobbler) used to keep all his savings in his shop, but one day all his savings got stolen (God knows how the thieves knew the location of the cash) and since he found out the dispearance of his life cushion he couldn't eat, drink or sleep till he died a few days later...The gentleman with the unpaid bill maybe could have died from grief & grievance too: he couldn't pay the bill and it was out of question for him to break his word or go back to the shop empty handed....
This story chocked me a lot, so I will share a true similar one: an old person (was a cobbler) used to keep all his savings in his shop, but one day all his savings got stolen (God knows how the thieves knew the location of the cash) and since he found out he couldn't eat, drink or sleep till he died a few days later...The gentleman with the unpaid bill maybe could have died from grief & grievance too: he couldn't pay the bill and it was out of question for him to break his word or go back to the shop empty handed....
“A barn find is not an investment.” Wise words! Now a barn find can certainly be a good hobby. And of course all hobbies cost money. As long as you expect to spend plenty of money, fixing up an old car can be fun.
Yeah only time it would be an investment is if it were some ultra rare model or have some past trail of ownership. Those are 1 in a million like some 63 split window in a barn for its entire life.
Restoring cars, just like any other hobby, costs money, it doesn't make money. I restore antique radios, this also does not make money, but I enjoy it.
There's a local story along the lines of your worst ones. A local guy wanted a "funny car". He spent untold thousands on chrome-plated parts, fake fur interiors, huge tires, you know the drill. Then money got a bit tight and he put the car up for sale. He admits to having spent $70,000 on the car! So he puts it up for sale on craigslist for $85,000, about his break-even point. No takers. No takers or even offers for six months. So he lowers the price to $70,000, and no takers. Apparently his money situation deteriorated even more, so he schemed to fake having the car "stolen"" out of his garage. The local city police chief investigates the break-in and he's suspicious. Chief asks around the neighborhood, gets some clues, and tracks down the location of the car. He had trailered it to his hangar where he kept a small plane. Oops. He was charged with insurance fraud. A month later his small plane crashes with just him on board, investigators concluded it was a controlled crash, nothing wrong with the plane. Dead. He left a wife and two children. Don't be this guy. Cars can be fun but not if you spend way beyond your means.
I was on board until you mentioned "City Police Chief." Chiefs of Police don't investigate crimes; they delegate that task to the unit's detectives assigned to handle fraud cases. Just nit-picking, but still...
Amen! I'm a service advisor for a small and highly reputable small auto repair shop with a cult like following. We are usually 1-2 weeks out for appointments, that's how busy we are! We are usually a third to half as much as the local dealerships charge but we still have the occasional new customers that are surprised we charge for diagnosis. Well folks,we are a business and not a charity and our experiences and TIME are money.We have walked several tire kickers that aren't appreciating our expertise and couldn't finance a Happy Meal.....good riddance!
I suppose a problem, especially in America, is that people are so dependent on their cars that they might not be able to afford _not_ having a working car either.
My brother works on cars and one thing that he told me was to never get emotionally attached to a car ..... If its got to go let it go .... Enjoy it for a bit and whenever it gives you problems depending on how much it costs if it's too much move on.
Lots of sour boys in the replies here. Guys, find a girl that can at least tolerate your hobbies, whatever they may be. Of course, you'll have to do the same for her. If you're lucky, and you find the right girl, you might even have a few in common! It's a magical thing.
I’m so glad my dad taught me to tear it apart and fix it. I owe him so much, I hate working on cars, but because of him I’ve swapped out a transmission, pulled an engine, swapped axles, changed oil, brakes, and rotors. He’s saved me thousands by encouraging me to do it myself. The right tools, pictures, and plenty of curse words later, I feel confident to do basic repairs.
@@northdakotaham1752 my dad had an old 66 Charger he resurrected (383), but when I was a teenager, I blew a transmission in my 2005 Corolla and it came down to getting an old trans for $280 and installing it myself, to discover I also had barely any teeth on my front right axle. It was from then on my dad helped me figure it out instead of bringing it to a shop, only time I’ve been to one is for tire replacements. Granted I couldn’t do that stuff without him or his equipment, but I plan on having a machine shop garage in the future anyway so the tools will be there.
@@TheHippieGunner your dad, a MOPAR guy? That's cool! The 383 was a great engine. I still have and drive a 413 which runs like new even at 100k plus miles. That's still ignition points, condenser. No electronics anywhere. I have 360 also, several 318s, slant six....but also have Fords and a couple GM, 350 and 366 motors. I prefer the V8. Good luck on the shop. Seems like every year we need a few new tools to keep up with repairs. They pay for themselves!
Did my first timing belt at 23, I'm just glad it was a non interface engine, I can say I'm youtube certified lol but I know I save ton of money by doing the basic repair or oil change
1953 Chevy PU. When I met my wife to be in 1982 her sister and husband had a '53 Chevy PU exactly like the one in your video - in a grey primer. The truck had some sort of an electrical problem - I remember they were converting it to 12V and it became one of those "rainy day projects" that never happened. The truck got stored in their old garage / shed and sat there 10 years. My sister-in-laws husband died - and their 3 kids fought over the truck - and it sat another 25 years until two of the kids relented and let the oldest son have it. It sat a few more years - until the son was able to get good tires on it and pull it 7 miles away to his house. Today - it sits in HIS garage / shed - still a "rainy day project" that may never happen in his lifetime either.
I understand how a young mechanic would treat folks kindly and then "gently" sour over time. I started in retail and then taught for almost four decades and it is a constant struggle to keep a positive view of people and the world around you.....
Actually, it's the story of a man's life, I guess. Doesn't matter what you do, retail, car mechanic, carpenter, builder... The more you live, the more you see flaws and weakness in people. And it's almost impossible to not turn more cold-hearted and stallous.
It’s the same for most jobs that involve working with the public. Just look at cops. Many of them deal with criminal scum all day, it’s no wonder they’re not friendly, especially when you look/act just like the thugs that attack them and resist arrest.
"A car is rarely going to be an investment". Wise words indeed, from the Wizard. As much as I love cars (and I truly do!), they are the #1 thing that keeps people poor. If you can just put up with driving cheap, boring, basic reliable transportation for maybe 10 years, the money you didn't spend will go a long way to keeping you on your feet for the rest of your life. The bonus is that after those 10 years, you probably won't really want to drive anything flashy again!
I really missed out on one opportunity! Just before COVID, I took my 2003 Acura TL to the junkyard for $300. It had a rusted-through lower control arm and I didn't have the gumption to fix it myself or pay around $400 to get it fixed. Now I see the same car is selling at $3500 more than I paid for it in 2008!! Just my luck.
Especially now I think life's too short! Fortunately I am working in a pretty stable sector of IT and on track to buy a house pretty soon along with my BMW M240i. If I drove a Camry I could have a nicer house sooner but I choose not to because that's where my priorities are at. I care a lot about what I drive and less about the house I live in. It's about understanding the consequences of your actions BEFORE you do them. Lots of people just do what they want in the moment and complain about it later.
Bob: What an idiotic way to look at life. I drive a BMW, also a 911, a 355, and some other cars. I do my own repairs. Boring is for dull ignorant people like you.
I also had an 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee and have two reasons why I’m thankful I had it. Reason 1 is that I learned how to work on cars. So many things went wrong and we couldn’t afford to pay a mechanic so I bought a Chilton manual, some tools and some beer and proceeded to figure it out. Reason 2 is that when I was finally done with it I traded it in for my Toyota Land Cruiser (also an 04😊) and after ten years I’ve only had to change an alternator
I rented a new 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee in December of 2004 and I was glad I had it at that time because we encountered an unexpected snow storm. Maybe they weren't reliable long term but they worked great new to meet my need.
My father was an Italian immigrant, who was a master mechanic for 50 years. He even worked on the development of the space shuttle and nuclear submarines. I grew up hearing literally everything you say. Love the channel! I just hope folks listen to you b/c you are spot on!! Wishing you all the best!
@@vladtheimpala5532 That's the way I heerd it. The space shuttle = NASA, nuclear submarines = General Electrics electric boat division building boats for the Navy/DoD. "I grew up hearing literally everything you say" = his dad was dealing with the same deadbeat customers as the Wizard. Point made. Case closed.
I’m not a mechanic anymore, but I used to work at a shop in the inner city and we had to deal with a lot of people who wouldn’t pay. Some would go so far as to try to steal their car back. One lady succeeded. The shop called the police and they arrested her and seized the car.
@@AbcAbc-sp1od it depends. If the cops didn’t want to get involved into some media “racism” bullshit stories, then it’s quite predictable they won’t get involved. If some non-color or asians do the same thing, you will get payed. It’s all about pussy sheriffs and stupid politicians in charge of your state.
Helping a buddy run his own business. When you own a business it’s not a question of if, but when a nightmare customer will come along. The worst part is when you’re blamed for the situation they created.
My dad is a successful business man and he said to me. "It's your job to protect the business" "You won't stay in business being nice" I think what he meant by being nice is exposing yourself to possible financial losses by taking a chance. Money always upfront.
We take parts deposit up front w/ markup just to order the parts in order to avoid this problem. This way we aren't out a crap ton of money we can't get back if we install an engine etc.
@Karl with a K Yup. It's a difficult thing to balance granted. But with that mindset is how you get scumbag businesses who care about nothing but the bottom line no matter how underhanded.
I had a 2013 audi a8 with the 4.0t engine in it. I had put over $10000 into it easily. After everything it turns out the car had been a flooded car with a clean title. One night a deer ran out in front of me. Car was totaled... That was the best thing that ever happened to me And that car. Always remember that just because a vehicle has a clean title does not mean the car hasn't had anything bad happen to it. A valuable lesson learned.
Holy cow did THAT story escalate quickly...I can't believe the deer sacrificing itself turned out to be an actual win for you. Truly this is the weirdest example of karma I ever saw...
My 02 1.8t a4 was about $5k into building up internals, brakes, suspension, exhaust and basically everything except the big turbo I was gonna put in when it was horribly flood damaged lol. Was ankle deep sitting inside and I drove it out before the water rose past the spark plug tubes up top. Drove it half built for another 5 years without any locks, airbags, radio and probably dozens of other electronic features lol. Such a sick car, but I would never expect it to work out that well a 2nd time if I ever got so unlucky
Had a bmw 550 2016 and yessss sir same with me around 6 grand over one year of fuel pumps and injectors and finally it got totaled and I was upside down but I didn’t even care. I’ll pay the difference and never buy a used German car with 90k miles again lol
I spent nearly 40 years around the car, business working in mechanical shops, body shops, and as an insurance appraiser. We could spend days sharing horror stories. Sadly, in all that time I have learned the most untrustworthy lying and deceitful people are not shop, managers, technicians, or insurance companies But are the people all of us work for we call them customers.
I have deep respect for your moral compass.I have worked in the auto salvage business for many years and your stories are quite relatable.Keep up the good works Auto Wizard.
Not only mechanics experienced this story, general contractors have also but, with houses instead of cars. My father and I did an extension on a customers house but, couldn't be able to pay for the job. We had to lien the home after saying that he'll make payments with checks which all bounced. Then, he admitted that had blown all of his savings on gambling. So, he had the money but, decided to go gambling instead of paying for the job.
I own a repair shop and I take deposits regularly. Typically on big jobs to cover parts, special order parts and in certain situations. For instance I had a customer I never met before bring her Jeep in for an issue she said the dealer and a few shops looked at it and couldn’t find anything. I checked out and didn’t find anything couldn’t duplicate the issue. Called customer said I didn’t find anything but that it’s likely the tipm module it’s very common then she tells me the dealer said the same thing but no gaurentees and I said yeah can’t gaurentee something when you can’t diagnose it. She calls back saying to replace the tipm so I get pricing together she said ok do it, I tell her to come down to sign the estimate stating it’s at ur own risk and the whole story and a deposit for the part that’s over 1,000 bucks, she said ok. Over 2 weeks she calls many times saying she can’t make it out yet and to just order it then to asking if the part was installed yet and every time I said I can’t order the part until you sign the estimate and pay for part as I can not return it, the last time she called she said I’ll be there tomorrow just order it I’m 100% coming and paying well when she came in she said I hope u didn’t order the part because I’m trading it in. I said that’s exactly why I have the policy in place because if I ordered it now I’m stuck with the part.
Better to have a written contract my boss had for classic car restoration jobs.. Work allocated to fix Client buys all parts up front. Storage fees if they hit a no funds. Weekly labour rates Otherwise come and lift the car. Only way. Couldn't imagine a house contractor loosing a house remodel job
I took a repair job once, in the middle 80s a man heard that I worked on cars, and he asked me to make it run. I said I would look at it, and that’s when things went my way. It turned out to be a 64 Plymouth fury with a max wedge 426. When I got it to my place I was looking it over and all was wrong was a few motor pieces missing. So I got that done started it and drove it. Nice car! I found the owner and told him how much and after 3 months he still couldn’t or wouldn’t pay me, in the glove box was the title signed by the previous owner, so I kept it.
I dont know how people go to a mechanic when they have no money to pay. I cant afford fixing everything that goes wrong. Thats why I learned to look for a way to fix it myself first. And only go to a mechanic if the job is too complicated to do in my driveway.
I have a friend who had a GMC Acadia...and it had a transmission failure which she repaired...then an engine failure....she started to shop for a replacement and asked me about getting a Land Rover or a Jeep Grand Cherokee....I suggested getting a Toyota or Honda SUV....I can't imagine going from the Acadia to a Land Rover....
CW was right about how people always get them in leu of better options: "Hey Dad you advised me to get a Toyota sedan. It turned out great so I think you should do the same. Or a Honda. Even the SUVs." [Gets an Equinox]
@@MX-CO then what? The transmission which is known to be bad which can be swapped out for a better transmission from another car that uses the same motor. The ecu which tends to fail and shit the car off when driving. Both can be replaced relatively cheap or with different parts that are more reliable for cheaper. The ecu issue is t that bad. The transmission will still go tens of thousands of miles without failing. So what's wrong with it?
@Likeable Cloud the problems you mentioned plus electrical problems. I agree they will run a long time. 200k plus (Most vehicles 2000 and newer will do 200k plus) But they have more problems and will have more little issues once they get to 200k than some others. Imo a Tahoe, Yukon, Suburban. Is a better choice for someone that wants an SUV
When I was a kid, I took apart pretty much every toy I owned. Mother would sometimes get upset when she saw a toy in pieces. Most often I would re-assemble after learning how it worked. Fast-forward to today, mother is grateful that I took my toys apart. Now I can fix all of our vehicles, plus take care of most home repairs as well. Tens of thousands I have saved my family. If you are a parent, encourage your children to take things apart and learn. Love the channel Mr Wizard!
15 years in the towing business here. Every single day one of our trucks towed a Jeep SUV, Grand Cherokees and other model names that are essentially the same car were on a wrecker heading either to the dealership or to a transmission shop. Funny thing is those Grand Cherokees were either super reliable and would run 300k+ miles or they would break down constantly. There doesn't seem to be any "in between" with those cars.
It seems the Grand Cherokee was an all or nothing car. Some folks went over 300k miles without a hiccup and others couldn't stay out of the shop for a year.@@rays7437
There are thousands of cars that are sitting around on people’s property Waiting For Godot. Their owners fail to understand that the longer it sits, the more difficult and expensive it will be to put back in running condition. Thanks, Wizard, for bringing this into focus.
Would you sell that awesome classic to me before its gone forever? Nah, Im gonna fix that up one day. There was a guy near my home when I was a kid with all old cars on his property. Great cars, all solid. Nah, hes gonna fix them one day. When he died his wife had them ALL hauled to the crusher.
@@USMCCGAGNG It's probably safe to say, "Only in America." We're the only ones with the space to indulge such "hobbies" that involve wishful thinking (self delusion?), good intentions, and procrastination. There are people out there who do the same thing with airplanes! Only in America.
I suppose people think if they stop driving the car, time stops for the car and 20 years later it will be just as they left it.😂. Yeah, maybe if they put it in a hermetically sealed chamber or a perfect vacuum. Time and ozone ruins practically anything left sitting. Truly horror stories.
As a former auto technician, I’ve got a few stories too. I think the saddest ones are those that involve a couple of cousins of mine who tried to take advantage of my brother who is also an auto technician. These crappy stories really show how some people are just really irresponsible and have horrible character traits. I’m glad I’m no longer in the auto repair industry. …and if you get a “barn find,” restore it yourself if you’re able to. There seems to be a UA-cam video for just about everything you could possibly need.
Back in the day a friend of mine feeling 'upwardly mobile' bought himself a Mercedes 190E. It proved to be so problematic that he'd leave it at the mall with the keys in it hoping someone would steal it, so he could recoup his losses.
Decades ago, I almost bought a Camaro. Then a guy at work told me, "Well, you know tires cost $200 each." Me: What?! That's when I learned that buying a fancier car is just the price of admission. I didn't buy the car.
@@drunkenhobo5039 that was the E class, the bigger saloon. The 190e was a 3 series rival and much smaller. The Cosworth powered derivatives are worth strong money now......
I ran my own shop years ago,and when I took over, I spent my mornings chasing people for $ for previous repairs ,taking them to court,writing off services etc.once I got the books up to date, it was no $ no keys and was explained at write up when dropped off, surprisly they found the $ somewhere, I totally understand your position,trying to help people,and getting burned ,good video,roger
I owned a Mazda Millenia (Xedos 9 in Europe) for 7 years. Boy if I wasn't good at fixing it myself I would've been somewhere in those categories of customers. It's one of those cars that will bankrupt you if you take it to a shop each time something breaks. In the end It turned out to be a pretty decent car when properly maintained, since I've put 230000 km on it myself and when I sold it it was on 450000km.
Thank you for saying what you did in the end there Wizard. My dad passed away from cancer 2 years ago and left me a 1964 XP ford Falcon (Australia) that was own by him since 1980. The car was very special but needed a full restoration and i made the tough decision to sell late year. I knew it would have broken me trying to get this ford restored. The car was sold pretty quick and i had been holding onto some hurt and regret from selling her but i feel so much better after word words of wisdom in the end there. Again thank you so much, i have been following you right from the start and am always a fan of your work!
I tend to get overly sentimental about cars but I'm learning to let go. The past few years I've realized just how much time and money a car can take, and in the end it's still just a car. People and relationships are more important, and at the end of the day the most special car is little more than a worthless pile of scrap. It sounds like you made a difficult but mature decision. If my kid did that after my passing, I'd sure be proud!
I'm sorry for your loss, but while I can't relate to a similar experience (...yet) as a dad I would absolutely hate for something that I had (even if it was something I really cared for) to cause my kids problems or grief, good on you for selling it, as tough as it might have been. In my case I also have "my dad's car" with me, though it was my car that I gave to him so that he could use it while I got around to selling it, but he liked it so much he kept it, until recently parkinsons has made it a bit tougher to get into a low hatchback so he needed to trade for something higher (and a bit less high strung than an 15 yo Mazdaspeed 3). I don't want to sell it, my kids keep referring to it as "grandpa's car", but I understand it's the thing to do as the alternative is to let a car I don't need and works fine just be there and possibly either I won't be able to have the money to maintain it later on, or something big will fail on it and I'll have to eat it or sell it for less. Growing up/old sucks sometimes.
Cars are wonderful until they're noting but endless money pits. You have to figure out when the steep downward slope starts. For an Audi, it can be as short as 4 to 5 years. With a Toyota, it can be 16 to 20 years. Beyond that point the car care bill goes from average (maybe $100 a month) to ridiculous ($700 a month, month after month). You have to be ready to shed a few tears and call up the junkyard. It's going to a better place.
@@georgegonzalez2476 I better call the yard and tell em to get the 91 Jetta diesel coupe that I got from my dad then, it's got a couple of small door dings ,it's clearly totaled.
I have worked for Lexus and Mercedes and a couple of independent shops. The best thing about the higher-end dealerships is that the customers rarely refuse needed services. In independent shops, I have seen people refuse repairs on many serious issues that make their vehicle completely unsafe to drive. I understand that they might not have the money at the time for some issues, but what some people will prioritize over actual major problems just baffles me. Their new sound system is more important than functional breaks of a leaking gas tank.
Yes, experienced the same, many times. Cust. brings vehicle in for alignment & the suspension & steering, brakes etc. are so bad, it is a danger to them & everyone else on the road, but they can't afford repairs & leave, driving it.
In non-high end shops it’s the same as independent shops. I’m a tech at a Toyota dealer and I called brake pads on a Sienna today as it was 1mm and they deferred it. I once had a BMW that was included in the Takata airbag recall so I took it to it’s dealership and I overhead this lady beside be had a $3000 estimate for her X1 and she approved the job without hesitation.
@@matte8441 I mean, I'd refuse an overpriced break job by a dealer too and just do it myself. A lot of people use dealerships or mechanic shops for either free inspections or pay for the inspections and then once told what's wrong they fix it themselves or drop it off at their brother in laws house with a case of beer type thing. Doesn't technically mean they're not gonna get it fixed, just not at your mechanic shop.
@@matte8441 People sometimes behave foolishly when it comes to safety or, perhaps they are thinking they maybe being con by the shop, hence refusing the needed repair. As for the wealthy bunch though, since they have the money they will think if money can fix the problem, then it is no longer a problem. A happy camper!
Wizard I feel your pain, been there, I require my service writers to take a 50% deposit for any job over $3000.00 on vehicles over ten years old. We do not take any vehicles over fifteen years old. Every time I violated my own rule it has cost me and my shop. It’s sad it has to be that way but that’s the world we live in, a person’s word or handshake does not mean what it use to.
A friend of mine bought a GMC Acadia, and she's had nothing but problems with it from day one. She recently had a new fuel pump put in it and now it won't even start. None of the parts changers around here (can't call them mechanics) can figure out what's wrong with it. It's basically been a lawn ornament for months now.
@@ghostrider-be9ek Parts changing goes with the OB II diagnostics. Now as a mechanic, you don't have to think clearly on several layers. Most of the time...parts changing using the diagnostics works....that's why it's an industry standard.
@@jimbeam7160 This is why I liked my advanced training with Mercedes. You can entirely know almost exactly what the issue is from the second that car fails to start, but in the training they make you use WIS documents and actually follow your trail and rate your thought process. You don't even *technically* have to get it right to pass. If you get less than 70 IIRC you fail the course. A viable thought process and actual elimination of the issues it could be, used to legitimately be enough to fail you on it's own if you don't do it well. That had only JUST changed when I started the course and it now "only" basically puts you JUST above failing. In my course of all of 6 people, 4 people would have failed that course on the 2nd diagnostic test had that not recently been changed. They do this 3 times by the way lol.
That's what a lot of mechanics are. Nothing but part changers. I was lucky. I did my apprenticeship in the 80s. I started about 6 months before my 16th birthday. The guys I worked for were all in their 40s, at least. They taught me how to repair certain things. Not just throw parts at it until the issue is resolved. These guys didn't have those big, massive tool boxes. A handful of tools and they could repair whatever came in the shop. The one mechanic, Ron, did a lot for me. I had only been there for a year, and my dad passed away suddenly. I took it really hard. It messed me up for quite a while. Ron helped me stay grounded and focused. He could tell I was having a rough go with the situation. I owe that man a lot. My dad never got to see me become an adult. Ron helped me become an adult. I won't say he took over where my dad left off. I will say he stopped me from becoming an asshole who was mad at the world.
I’m hearing a relatively common theme here: The car indeed buried the owner, but it seems that the owner ALLOWS this to happen, like driving directly toward a cliff and EXPECTING not to get to the edge and go over it! I’m betting that this personality flaw is very common amongst a great majority of people to whom this story happens. In other words, there are probably many areas in the lives of these people where this happens to them!
Yes, obsessive behaviour happens in all walks of life, not just in the car world. Dreamers are forever taking on projects with no hope of completing them successfully. Here in the UK we seem to be forever hearing of people who buy boats with no experience or training and finish up having to be fished out of the drink by the lifeboat.
Same with the people that won't throw anything away, so their car gets filled to the window sills with random flotsam. Even on the package shelf. I know one individual that had an older car like that. After it broke down X number of times, she got a different, nicer car. Within six months it was already full of clutter.
I am the unfortunate owner of a 2011 Acadia that I bought new. It has about 133,000 miles on it and I would say the check engine light has been on more than it has been off over the majority of those miles. It has gotten to the point that I am so used to seeing the check engine light's soft, warm glow that I feel like something is wrong during those brief periods of time I am able to get it to go off.
I fail your pain I have a 2012 GMC terrain and it's been nothing but problems since I bought it used back in 2019. Bought it with 62,000 didn't find out that there was a recall until 2020 on the oil consumption so I was already 8 years late after they extended it to seven and a half years but you would have to go to GMC Buick to have them look at it to make sure you're burning oil in from the stories I heard 90% of the time they said you were fine which was an absolute lie. I've put so much money into this car I couldn't even tell you from transfer case to windshield wiper motor you name it I've done it to the point where I even got a remanufacturing engine because the engine was absolute trash 2.4 ecotec All it did was just straight burn oil and I would have wanted to get into something new but then that's another 5 years of payments that I could not afford so I bought a remanufactured engine after cylinder three had no compression which meant junk the car Lease car finance a car which is all expensive and I had five payments left $1,700 to go so I just bit the bullet cheaper to keep her and I'm 1600 mi in no burning of oil no check engine light it feels good to have somewhat of a peace of mind with this piece of shit engine that GMC came out with
My neighbor bought a used Acadia, I told him good luck. A couple years later and thousands and thousands of dollars in repairs they let the bank take it.
@@OneOut1 No they come to me for advice about what car to buy and then they take it and throw it out the window. Then, I have to hear how they have to bring me to me constantly for repairs. You’d think they’d take my advice seeing as I’m the one who works on their cars…
My father started a small construction business back in the 1960's. He had an average of 2 to 3 employees and built a lot of nice single family homes for time and materials and for the first 30 years or so this worked well for him and his clients but gradually the atmosphere in the construction trade began to change. Not only did the building codes in our state of California become so ridiculous and costly but some clients started thinking is was ok to not pay the final bill at the end of the job. This kind of thinking began to be the norm. Gone were a person's word being good enough, now people became empowered by a generation that has lost its morality. All my father ever wanted was to treat people with fairness and to be treated fairly by others. He never wanted to work for huge profits, just to be paid for an honest days work, just time and materials. When he retired and I took over the business he said to me " The way things have changed I don't envey you." Boy was he right. I have had to battle almost every customer for final payment. The world has changed and running a small business isn't what it used to be.
You sound like you are still in there punching. I wonder who will follow in the shoes of good contractors when they retire. I don't see the skills being passed along to "half educated" generations.
Those people ruined their lives because of their terrible character. You’re a decent man and you and your business were harmed when you weren’t at fault. I did mediations for a while when I retired. People wouldn’t show up. They couldn’t afford to pay once they showed up. I finally retired from that too. By the time I rented a space, drove across town. Not worth it. I understand why people require up front payment. We’ve been through tough times with house fires, job losses, medical bills. We would never stiff someone like that…and we’ve been down to our last collar button.
Dude I used to valet park cars in the early 00's. Any time I got into a Benz 190e or one of those larger 300e's it made me smile. The clientele at the time still had those old built like a piece of granite Benz cars from the 80's/early 90's with a ton of miles on them, that still looked great and were impeccably maintained. Drove several of those 190e's with over 100k, a few over 200k, they still looked great and felt tight as a drum, doors shut like a damn bank vault, like when they were new.
Aaron, just curious - in comparison with the Mercedes you worked with in the early 2000s, what were the older BMWs like? Did you enjoy them as much as you did the Benzes? Also, how do you feel about today's modern Benzes?
It sounds like one side-moral of the story is many problems could probably be avoided if you’d just keep your car running and maintained in good condition. Who’s taking & keeping ownership? Once you start telling yourself “it’s just an old…” that’s exactly what it’s becoming with each & every passing day, until it’s forgotten and without any value to anyone else, as well. Anything worth owning is worth driving-and vice versa. Who’s willing to pay for the privilege & benefits?
@@jsrosa1282 My dad owned a series of 1980s and 1990s BMWs when they were new. Only 1 of them ever had serious trouble, and the dealer replaced that one, no questions asked, under warranty (heck, the dealer ordered the replacement before even telling us we'd get the entire car replaced). He bought a new one every 2 years not because the cars were bad, but because by that time he'd have over 100k miles on it and the warranty'd run out (not that he ever had a warranty claim except that one time). You still see more than a few 1980s and 1990s BMWs here, usually owned by people who maintain them themselves as a hobby, not the trash kids who ruin anything they get their hands on.
Wow… you’ve really put into perspective the reality of being a shop owner. As car enthusiasts we think of having a shop as the coolest thing ever, but just like any other business and profession, it comes with some terrible sides as well.
I just found this video and you really showed the human side of having to deal with customers and very negative car situations. I can see how these kinds of car stories can be heartbreaking and sad. It's good to let people know about being realistic about repairs and expectations as well as financial responsibiities.
I have the same experience, but its not from a business. I've been an inner city police officer for 26 years. You will look at humanity very differently after that. Its unfortunate.
been there in the car repair, paint world when it comes to people and money you never know what you were going to get some would pay more than the estimate
We just shut down our business after a decade of dealing with "customers". Most of which were very good, but we were always chasing payments, every single month. Sometimes for as little as $10. WTF? Life's too short to deal with chronic deadbeats. Always got paid, but had to put extra work into it. It's barely even worth doing up an invoice for $10. Won't miss any of that BS. People always dream about getting away from "slavery" and becoming their own boss. If only it was that great. It might be in some cases, but it's rare. My partner is now back in an office, working for someone else and in some respects, it's bliss. No more customer hassles, you get paid every 2 weeks without fail, no bookkeeping/invoicing to deal with, none of the "work for yourself" hoops to jump through, etc. Five more years and early retirement.
Was a young shop owner in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Can totally relate to this. In fact being a nice guy and trying to help people, was one factor$$ that made me close my shop.
Thank you for these stories. Back in my early 20s, I picked up my car at my local shop some early morning and I come across about a dozen invoices for other people all taped in a row in the front window. I asked the guy behind the desk what those were about and I come to find out that all these invoices are currently unpaid. My head nearly "🤯" at this point and I was like, "you're providing accurate estimates, right???" "Yep." Starting at this point in my life, I've come to realize that people have a very fickle relationship with money and that very, very few people will take the time to indeed budget for living expenses properly. Those that do, do all the manufacturer's preventative maintenance items at the correct times. You might also see that we also take the time and budget for clay bar and spray wax. Learn from being penny-wise and pound-foolish.
I am a stickler for oil changes and service intervals/repairs. That said, my car gets washed maybe 3-4 times a year. And no clay bar has ever touched my vehicles.
This video is why I work on my own cars, it’s amazing how many people out there can’t even do the simplest repairs,or don’t do their homework, and buy the most reliable car that they can afford in the first place
Good stories. I think restoration of an old car should be a hobby that one loves to do, not paying someone else to do. If the owner can do some, or most of the works himself, this should be OK. But paying someone else to do everthing, even finding the parts, would be a definitely disaster if you are not filthy rich.
In high school a part of auto shop I got sent to a Porsche repair shop that mostly dealt with 928's. It was kind of a hole in the wall shop especially considering the brand but they did really good work. THe boss cussed like a sailor but was funny as hell and I remember him giving me the most serious look while working on a 928 and illustrated to me how important it is that I never buy one of these. They worked on a lot of air-cooled 911s and 944s/951s also but most of the cars in the shop and in the lot were 928's. They are the worse Porsche's when it comes to costs, alleviated some if you swap out the engine with a SBC.
I used to sell custom-built desktops, thank God I always took cash up front, but the stuff that happened to my customers was devastating. 1, is that the customer left her husband after she started going online to AOL and hooked up with someone else, it was a dirty mess. 2nd story, this customer was watching inappropriate stuff and he got 20 years of the stuff he had on his hard disk. 3, customer bring laptop to me to get unlocked, i showed him the door and said don't come back or the law will deal with you. 4, customer leaves their equipment on my porch when I was not home, there was no computer and later that day customer asks if I looked at his computer, I said I will if you bring it over right now, he said I left it in front of your door and I said well there was no computer there when I got home, why would you leave your equipment outside in plain sight? yes there the bad side of all this. Some people are something else, stupid. great video Wizard
i sold a computer and customer a month later asked why was there porn on there computer, why would you install this, I said, I installed windows OS, are you going online and customer said yes my son said it was online, i said he must of downloaded then, and said why would you be mad at me, he goes you allowed it and then I said ahh no, I have no control over how the computer and it is your responsibility to manage it not mine, said leave me alone!
It’s not always devastating. I know of a guy who dropped his laptop off at a computer repair store. He later abandoned it and all sorts of crimes were discovered on his computer, but he’s never been charged for any of them. He’s real famous, maybe you’ve heard of him, his name is Hunter Biden.
Working for my dad for 14 years before I got the job I have now, I can tell you that he only got stiffed once. My mother went over to the guys house and caught him throwing a party, crashed it and asked why he couldn't pay the bill? It was for about $250.00. She got her money and left. Great video!
“Nothing is more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.” That applies to all upmarket brands. What people forget is that while the vehicle might be cheap to purchase, the parts and service have still the same premium pricing as when the car was new. Or the watch.
I have the 3.6 V6. I'd say I've just been lucky with it, but in all honesty, it's a combination of both luck, and changing the oil like it was a religion. I've made it to 210k miles, but I KNOW it's a ticking time bomb. I'm just pushing it as far as I can before it blows up. Thankfully, I have another vehicle ready for when this one goes out.
if you ever get the timing chains done replaced insist of getting original gm chains and tensioners jobbers crap even the most expensive ones will ruin your engine, as i had to do the job twice (no fun) the jobber s crap tensioners lasted 30 000 miles almost destroyed my engine. Car wizard is right those are rather crappy...
@@pierrerouvroy2433 thanks for the advice! I'm not sure I'll ever bother doing any further work on it. With it being so high mileage, and considering I already need to replace the torque converter AND transmission, I don't think it would be worth putting any money into.
My Dad was a Mercedes tech at a dealership that also sold Hondas and Pontiacs. When they changed locations there were a number of cars sitting in the back parking lot that had been there for years because of various financial problems. I was about 15 years old at the time. I helped him load them one by one on a trailer and bring them to a friend of his shop. We would drop them off in his back lot and Dad would get a fat envelope for every one. We had a great Christmas that year. Good times! Lol!
in australia a jeep owner fed up with the vehicle and jeep dealer blocking their multiple warranty claims had the vehicle crushed by a centurion tank at a charity event. jeep tried a final desperate attempt to prevent this public humiliation finally offered to buy back the vehicle . the owners declined saying that the dealer would just on sell the cursed jeep to an unsuspecting customer.
I decided to let one of my cars go after the repairs were starting to become another car payment....My daughter wants to get a different car and she likes the BMWs and Audis...and tell her about out of warranty maintenance...and as a new grad student...wait! Keep driving Grandpa's LaCrosse with the 3800 V6.
It's all about the materials quality, cars aren't built to last forever, the repairs are ridiculously expensive, this guy does a great job of telling you like it is, honesty is not usually a strong point of some mechanics and shops, how to someone you can trust. Like this guy.
I think the lesson here is that when someone gets ruined over a car, it probably wasn’t the car that ruined them, it was the owner who did it to himself. Thank you for sharing these stories, as painful as it’s been to recall.
The greatest life lesson I have ever was as a 10 yr old (mid 80’s). My mom for some reason loved her 1979 Pinto Wagon. Although the body was in decent shape mechanically it was a POS. She was a struggling single mom so she figured she’d get it fixed up. She rebuilt the engine, tranny and a bunch of other work put close to $3000 (again mid 80s) into it. I even remember the mechanic trying to talk her out of it but she’s stubborn. It did get fixed however that lasted very shortly as someone hit it while parked completely writing it off. Think insurance gave her $500 for it. My lesson was if you put lots of money into something get it appraised and insure for its value. More importantly listen to your mechanic. Lol
The insurance company should’ve adjusted the payout based on completed repairs since it extended the life expectancy of the car, thereby increasing its value. My car was stolen after putting about $1,500(?) into repairs. Upon providing a copy of the repair receipt, the insurance company raised the value of their payout. The key is that you have to let them know.
Thank you for your honesty. It may seem brutal, but that's only because people don't want to hear that restoring a car can be--and probably will be--more expensive than they bargained on. The reality is that not everybody has that sort of money simply laying around. I watch another youtube channel where the guy has had several restoration projects in his shop for years, while the car owners were scrambling to get money and/or parts to complete the projects.
Two sides to every coin:D I had a pickup truck with some issues. And because it had 160k miles on it, I was willing to go as far as putting a new engine in it because the repairs would've been 2k+. So my mechanic at that time said he could fix it for sure. No need for a new engine. Long story short, he ended having my truck at his shop for nearly four months. He gave me a lot of excuses as to why it was taking so long. Finally I go pick up the truck, and half a mile I get the same problem, the truck shook and shut down. So I went home and filed a fraudulent claim against him and got all my money back. He was very upset, but so I was I. That's four months of insurance wasted on a truck that was never fixed, I was out thousands, and I had to put mileage on my weekend car. So yeah, not sorry I filed my claim! I would've told him to go to hell from the start if he would've told me he'd have my truck that long fixed or not.
I have a friend who did this. He had a Ford Explorer, one of the last squareish ones. So it had a bunch of updates in the old body. Well it kept breaking on him and I told him every time it broke, to trade it or sell it as soon as it was fixed. I think he spent close to 10K on repairs over two or three years before he finally traded it for a Toyota Camry. He felt like every time he got it fixed he'd be done with fixing it for a while. Well, a while was like two months.
I'll go $500 on that ruined Chevy truck. No reason it can't become a Rat Rod... My current driver sat a long time, it only had 47,000 miles when I got it in 2021. But it was in a garage. I've done nothing to it except oil change and tires.
Listening to Car Wizard's stories here I can't help but think the cars didn't ruin these customers, they ruined themselves. 🤷🏻♂️ Junk will be junk, but nobody forces you to buy junk or keep throwing good money after bad. Especially when you're being told by professionals in the industry, get rid of this thing. Get your financial house in order is what I'm saying I guess. As an example, I pay $100/month for 4 cell phones for the family, that includes tax and unlimited data even at high speeds and unlimited hot spot on each phone so that's what we use for Internet service. Every time I talk to people I hear horror stories about paying $300/month for 3 phones PLUS another $100+/month for Internet and cable. I personally would never pay that if I could help it. That's like a car payment.
The car that ruined me for many years was 2003 Daewoo Evanda (a.k.a Chevrolet Epica, Chevrolet Evanda, Formosa Magnus and Suzuki Verona). Everytime I got something fixed, another thing broke the next week. All the parts had to be ordered from the factory in Korea as the supposed "compatible parts" from other manufacturers never fit.
Vehicles don't break people/friendships...DECISIONS in life, including those about vehicles...those decisions and choices break them. But I definitely hear what you're saying Wiz. That cancer treatment story easily should have been #1...theee worst!
They're great! I only wish more of them were around. I literally have sought out several mechanics over the last 20 years I've been driving. Haven't found one yet that was capable and experienced at the level most of the mechanics on UA-cam are, the Wizard and Scotty are just next level.
@@lutomson3496 you are 100% correct.....he used to do videos on car repair like the Wizard....When he got lots of subscribers and found he can get about $500 a video he started cranking them out daily, on any subject, on stuff he doesn't know crap about, or just click bait junk.....I cant stand to even watch anything he does now--totally useless today.
I have known of those type of stories about cars and the shop owners getting in deep and nothing good comes from it. I must tell you that after hearing your stories about those cars I am VERY IMPRESSED by not only your honesty but your HIGH MORALES in dealing with these issues. Thanks for sharing these sad stories with us. Best to you and Mrs. Wizard always
We need more mechanics like the wizard in this world....such a great honest hard working guy doing what he loves....thank you wizard. Wish u were closer to me cause I'd be taking my car to you knowing I won't get ripped off...
Sad Porsche story, but also for your shop that this customer tried to take advantage of your kindness. I'm glad I've kept my name, credit & financial worth in excellent shape. Otherwise, I'd never be able to charge ( prefer cash / check ).
I've been there. Nearly 50 years ago, I went out on my own, but in a different business. All you get are the crumbs that fall from the big boys' table. In my first year, I wrote off 50% of my meagre billings. I survived, but it ws tough. The one, major, non-taxable benefit: jerks only got through my door once. Your story and mine are legion. It takes a particular form of madness to do what we did.
One local shop I know about will work on these kind of cars. However, they require money upfront. I think that is the only way project cars should be fixed. If you don't have the money when you start, you shouldn't be trying to fix it.
My wife and I went through a lot of money to restomod a poor old Studebaker Hawk. Did a lot of the work ourselves. We showed it, won several awards, then she drove it for years as her everyday driver. A great experience for us. That is how you make a barn find work for you. Have the money available, put some sweat equity into it and drive it every day, with pride.
as the son of a former body shop owner... these stories are the stuff that comes up at the dinner table. Every time something odd happens, mom was like this is the same as XXX.. You always try to be positive, but unfortunately mom was right more than wrong. Body and paint work is expensive and labor intensive. If you are working on an old car, it is always worse than it seems. There was often yelling and screaming by customers in the shop when my dad would say, this is going to cost XXX.. My dad was always like... go somewhere else if this is how you react to the price. It's rough out there. Sometimes I wondered, why do people think I should fix their junk for nothing? Nobody negotiates their weekly pay with their boss... why do you think it's right here? It's all hard work. Yes, in the end, you will have a beautiful car. Either you do the work or you pay my family for the work. Either way it's not free. Sorry for the long comment. As a shop owner these stories burn for a long time.
My problem with you guys is that a lot of you look at a car, think "This car will be worth big bucks when it's done, so I'm entitled to 75% of that" Back in 2005, it was finally time to get my old Mopar muscle car painted. This was a nice driver, not a show car. The "restoration shops" were quoting me $20k plus. Plus redoing my metal work, because they wanted it to "meet their standards". For a car that wasn't worth 20k (at the time) Finally found a shop that would paint it, without reinventing the wheel. I did the grunt work, pulling trim, bumpers, etc. They surfaced my body work, and repainted it with base/clear. Price $4000 (cash). Looked fantastic then, and continues to look fantastic in 2023.
Car Wizard, I have been baffled listening to these stories! It was even life impacting, depressing and humbling, mostly because in my life , over the span of 40+ years, I myself have come really close to crossing some of those lines, and I thought since it was such a tough , survival decision with such horrible consequences, that I was the only one facing such an awful decision. It just seemed at the time to be a unique situation, and it was the more difficult thing to do the right thing, even though I thought for sure it would be the end of me and my family. However, the stories you tell here confirm, going the wrong way would have surely ruined me! So thank you!
My biggest money pit was my first car, an 87 Supra Turbo I bought used. It was the owner of the dealerships personal ride so I thought it was safe. Fog lights went out, brake light switch twice, turn signal/headlight stalk, cruise control would stick the throttle open, head gasket, timing belt, rear end, hvac controls, hvac fan. Loved that car to death but I'm glad I was young and had disposable income lol.
Always clean that negative ground. There can be several grounds. Always clean those battery terminals to get corrosion removed. It doesn't take much corrosion to totally cause electronic problems. Just fixed sister's car....just a little corrosion. Corrosion can hinder your alternator's charging, causing the alternator to work harder. Everything is linked together with cars now: electronics require a good battery delivering the right amps. Buy a device to always check your battery's strength and life. Swap out those batteries and clean those terminals. You can spray a film of oil to keep corrosion at bay.
Every MK3 Supra and MK4 Cressida will always blow a head gasket and spin rod bearings. You dont repair a 7M engine, you toss it out and swap in a JZ or something else.
There’s something said for being your own mechanic. With all the resources available to the DIY mechanic, a little patience and a commitment to research can make a car restoration an enjoyable hobby. To depend on a shop for your dream car it’s nuts.
I've had the exact opposite happen to me. I've been burned by three shops that didn't perform work. Work that was stupidly prepaid by me. Yep, paid in advance and little to no work done. Over periods of YEARS i might add. I'm out about 20k. I've also had to repair work that was done amd either failed, or wasn't fully completed. Any repairs I need done in the future will be done by me. I'm done with people.
I have a feeling that the list of bad vehicles, engines, transmissions and such will grow by leaps and bounds over the next few years. I would even predict that some existing auto makers that exist now will not exist 10 years from now.
Thanks for posting this and the tough reality talk. I have a 2006 Mazda 5 with 190,000 miles on it and it has just gotten to the point where every month it is something new. From the door lock breaking, gas cap release breaking, CV joints needing replacing, leaking, and more for a car worth $250-500 maybe. Time to cut my losses and get rid of his thing!
We had a 2015 F150 with the Coyote V8 we bought for 35k almost new and got HOSED. Ford wouldn't cover anything and there were so many recalls. New computer, major transmission work, replacement of HVAC system, brake recalls. They wanted nearly twenty grand at the dealer. We ended up trading it for an $8500 Charger, elsewhere which was also a POS. We survived the loss, but it cleaned out our savings. NEVER get work done at the dealer. We didn't know a local mechanic at the time.
Car Wizard - Much appreciation for what you do and put out on YT. Several years ago, at least 3 or 4, I followed your advice on some (outrageously $$, but worth it) magic solvent to use in the seat wiring harness connector on a 986 Boxster, to fix an airbag error light. All these years later, still all good. Thanks so much to you and Mrs. Wiz!
My father owned a business, and my sister does too. When I was in business school, I was asked what business I was going to start. "None" was my response. I like having weekends off.
Thanks for sharing these experiences, Mr. Wizard. Thankfully, I know a mechanic like you who has fixed both of my cars , fair prices for the repairs,etc. Wish there were more like you and my mechanic in this business, Sir.
I've got a rickety rust bucket miata that I've put 30k miles on each year for half a decade and I'm seriously impressed with the affordability. If I were to try to keep the power windows working I'd be one of these people.
I have a 2000 that I bought on an impulse because I was looking for a cheap daily driver. I was only going to put into it what I needed to keep it running. But what a great, fun car. I love that thing. For the money, I can't imagine a better built car that is as reliable, and cheap to operate and repair. So, I've put a new top on it, new coilovers, new wheels and tires, and I still think it's worth every penny I have in it. I completely agree with you. If you don't have much money for a fun car, then a Miata is a great choice.
@@zhila5958 You're right. They're really that good a car. So I think they're worth sinking some money into. I plan to turbo mine and refresh the engine when I get through and recovered from my current project. If the turbo works out the way I hope it does, then I will probably swap to a 6-speed and change from a 4.30:1 to a 3.60:1 rear end, to give it highway legs. By then, I will have about $10-12K in it, which is far more than I ever imagined when I bought it. That's likely far more than I could sell it for, but for that price, I can't imagine what else you could buy that would have the same level of reliability, performance, road feel, and all around fun factor.
Iv got the MGTF mid engined RWD a teeny 1600, sporty and quite rare it squeeks, creaks and leaks. The parts are available online mainly and most mechanics like working on it and it's currently going through a cooling 'episode' But the specialists are so full of crap and cliquey. The cars reliable and a great drive.
Story #5... woah. You know what Jeep stands for - Just Empty Every Pocket. At least he learned from the experience of the Acadia owner and just cut his losses. Maybe the shop owner could have used it as a parts runner or something until the tags expired.
Nah. Jeeps can be especially if you go offroad but different motors are better than others. My brother in law has had two TJ’s with no issues and a JK maintained is okay. Not without problems but not costly unless you abuse them. Also I look at a Jeep as a wrangler
I tell my customers "I have a financial interest in you having a good vehicle, you keep it longer, I get to fix it for years, you stay happy…when you have a lemon no one’s happy, I’m sick of working on it and you’re sick of spending money on it"
Got to be honest with you Car Wizard, the majority of these stories sound like the vehicle owners themselves ruined their own lives.
Yeah it could have been anything it happened to by a car that time butt still Wizard did his best at the time.
My thought exactly!!
Shame he didn’t include the Nissan Titan story since that was 100% the car’s fault.
Though that was a ruined vacation not life.
@@Castdeath I remember that story
I think that's what he really meant but decided to present it in a car-centric way.
One of my coworkers husband is a retired Master Mechanic.
He was the head mechanic at a dealership group the handled all of the divisions of GM.
Even the one that were discontinued.
He would often be approached by people asking him to repair their vehicles.
Several of them were older people on fixed incomes or maybe single mothers living paycheck to paycheck.
He eventually started up a little shop and specialized in repairing older vehicles that the dealership wasn't interested in repairing.
He eventually got to the point where he would work up a estimate and require that the parts be paid for in full before he would even start work on the vehicle.
He was burned so many times by people who took advantage of his good nature that he finally had to stop.
He and his shop were threatened several times by owners whose vehicle he had to put a mechanics lien on.
About five years after he retired from the dealership he closed his shop and so many people were disappointed because now they didn't have a knowledgeable and honest mechanic to repair their vehicles at a fair price.
He fixed a lot of vehicles at cost for those struggling financially.
A few bad apples spoiled the whole barrel for everyone.
Worthless cockroaches. They're not human.
That's tragic, but still not as tragic as today's sponsor audible--"
I have heard of stories like this, not just from car mechanics. It is part of the decline in the USA and world.
Everyone wants things for free 🙄
No offense but that’s why certain people can handle this business longer than others - there’s a reason why the ‘meaner’ guy requires payment or deposit
I used to work as a technician at a family owned RV dealership and we ran into several unsavory people that tried to take advantage and were never satisfied no matter how good we did.
On one particular case my boss dropped a nugget a wisdom.
"Sometimes you need to fire a customer."
It's important to remember that there are "customers" who will drive you to bankruptcy if you let them.
Yep there are so many businesses that will screw themselves or their employees for the sake of a degenerate customer. The customer is not always right. Sure, you try to be accommodating but there comes a point where you have to give them the boot.
That is all too true! I've owned a computer sales and service shop for 35 years and there have been a fair number of clients I have fired. One tried to get free software from me despite the fact that I had delivered and installed the software he had purchased on his new computer (which he had also bought from me). He said that he never got it, only to find out that he wanted me to give him an additional license to install on another computer.
Another client called me for computer repair but when I got there, she actually wanted me to help her fix her custom-made blinds...because I said on my website that I solve problems with Windows. (NO JOKE!) I actually forgave that (as she was 80+ years old) with the assumption that she might have been confused. However, the next time she called for my repair services, I got there and she wanted me to help her with cleaning the house, unclogging her kitchen sink, etc. It was at that point that I fired her.
A third client I had to fire because I picked up his laptop for a virus scan and he was already calling me within ten minutes of picking it up (I was still driving from his place back to my office) to ask how it was going and when it would be done. He kept calling no less than once per hour throughout the rest of the day, so I had to set up his phone number to go directly to voicemail. The next day, starting at 5am, he started calling from his cellular phone to ask if the computer was ready. That day, from both that cellular number and another (a friend's number???), he called no fewer than 40 times, all of which got sent directly to voicemail once I realized that it was he who was calling. (My phone system logs every incoming call even if it is sent to voicemail). I got the machine back to him the next day, so it was in my possession two days and collected the payment. I thought maybe he was just frantic without his computer, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. The next time he called a few months later, he needed his antivirus license updated, so I ordered the new software and told him that it would be ready for install once it arrived in two or three days. (I still had his numbers directed to voicemail.) During each of those days, he called no fewer than 20 times. I called him back a couple of times each day and reminded him that I would call to schedule a delivery and installation once the software had arrived but that didn't deter him from calling anyway. When the software arrived, he griped that it had taken so long. I reminded him that it had been only two days which happened to be the weekend days of Saturday and Sunday: the order was placed Saturday afternoon and the software arrived Monday morning. I got the software installed for him that afternoon and decided that he was too much hassle with whom to work, so I fired him as a client and advised him to call someone else for his needs in the future. He still tried calling me for service beyond that point and left voicemails each time but I never returned his calls.
I just have to say, if you owned a 2005 Mazda when Ford was building them, do you ever do research on thecars you’ve bought over the years or do you just shoot. craps all day.
@@omegalamda3145 what?
I've spent most of 40+ year career in dealerships for mid level and lower level luxury vehicle's. It always amazed me that some people would spend hundreds of dollars on custom wheels, tires, and stereos and not fix a leaking water pump or worn out brakes. Sad, but true.
Funny you mention that. I literally just had about $1k saved up for stuff like that, but ended up having to replace a bunch of parts instead lol. It's not like you'll be able to enjoy those extras without a properly running vehicle. Spend the $1k now and be good for another 100k miles, or blow it on stupid stuff and damage the car even more within 1k miles, and end up with scrap on wheels in the driveway.
I personally know of a few cars that have just been sitting for a few years now, and rats have probably gotten into the wiring at this point. $100-500 fixes, but the owners are the type of people that will buy random stupid stuff on credit instead. Tires on those car have been flat for a long time now, so tires are definitely trash at this point, so that is now $400+ additional that could've been prevented by fixing the $100 problem 🤦♂️
Curse of vanity
They would rather impress people with superficial things even when the car is broken down on the side of the road because they neglected basic maintenance. I'll never understand that.
Exactly!!!
In Orlando, my friend made a ton of money fixing these stupid DONK ghetto cars that where rolling accidents waiting to happen
Exactly what I’m finding shopping the private used car market. People are valuing aftermarket accessories when the vehicle has been diagnosed for major repairs, yet they selling an inoperable car for the cost of the accessories they installed 😏
In the early 90s I did a lot of work for this older gentleman. He didn't have a lot of cash but he did what he had to do to keep his car going. He's at the shop one morning getting some work done. When it was time to pay, he realized that he didn't have his wallet. He asked me if he could take the car home and bring back the cash. I told him no problem. Not to rush. Just come back before closing. Getting close to six and he hadn't come back yet. No big problem. Probably got busy and lost track of time. The man was in his mid 80s or so. Next day around lunch time and still haven't seen him. I call his house. No answer. End of day comes, haven't seen or heard from him. And still no answer on the phone. Next day, same thing. This is not right. He was a man of his word. I decide to go to his house. Cars in the driveway. Knock on the door, no answer. I'm getting a little concerned now. Not about the money. About him. I find a phone booth, remember those,,, and called the police station. They send over an officer to do a welfare check. Officer is banging on the door to no avail. He decides to try the door. It was unlocked. Opens the door, there he is. On the floor. Dead. So yeah. It looks like when he went home that day, he went in,.closed the door behind him and that was it. Dropped dead right there. I had known this guy for a few years so it bothered me. Kinda like if your uncle passed away.
And no. I never got paid. For the amount of money he owed I couldn't be bothered trying to sort that out. That was the first and last time I had a customer drop dead over his bill. Literally.
Not a good outcome for either of you, but at least you got a story out of the deal.
This story chocked me a lot, so I will share is a similar (actual) one: an old person (was a cobbler) used to keep all his savings in his shop, but one day all his savings got stolen (God knows how the thieves knew the location of the cash) and since he found out the dispearance of his life cushion he couldn't eat, drink or sleep till he died a few days later...The gentleman with the unpaid bill maybe could have died from grief & grievance too: he couldn't pay the bill and it was out of question for him to break his word or go back to the shop empty handed....
This story chocked me a lot, so I will share a true similar one: an old person (was a cobbler) used to keep all his savings in his shop, but one day all his savings got stolen (God knows how the thieves knew the location of the cash) and since he found out he couldn't eat, drink or sleep till he died a few days later...The gentleman with the unpaid bill maybe could have died from grief & grievance too: he couldn't pay the bill and it was out of question for him to break his word or go back to the shop empty handed....
Great story about generous heart toward others. You'll receive far more than you lost by sharing the tale.
@@DustyPearl-13his fault for the absence of risk management
“A barn find is not an investment.” Wise words!
Now a barn find can certainly be a good hobby. And of course all hobbies cost money. As long as you expect to spend plenty of money, fixing up an old car can be fun.
Yeah only time it would be an investment is if it were some ultra rare model or have some past trail of ownership. Those are 1 in a million like some 63 split window in a barn for its entire life.
If I wanted a car that was an investment, I definitely would go American muscle from the 60's.
Restoring cars, just like any other hobby, costs money, it doesn't make money. I restore antique radios, this also does not make money, but I enjoy it.
Barn finds can make you some money, but you have to do most of the work yourself. As soon as you have to get a pro involved, profits disappear fast.
@@danielrajai3635Great point. If you have time, talent and passion an old restore project could be fun. Other than that, resist the urge!
There's a local story along the lines of your worst ones. A local guy wanted a "funny car". He spent untold thousands on chrome-plated parts, fake fur interiors, huge tires, you know the drill. Then money got a bit tight and he put the car up for sale. He admits to having spent $70,000 on the car! So he puts it up for sale on craigslist for $85,000, about his break-even point. No takers. No takers or even offers for six months. So he lowers the price to $70,000, and no takers. Apparently his money situation deteriorated even more, so he schemed to fake having the car "stolen"" out of his garage. The local city police chief investigates the break-in and he's suspicious. Chief asks around the neighborhood, gets some clues, and tracks down the location of the car. He had trailered it to his hangar where he kept a small plane. Oops. He was charged with insurance fraud. A month later his small plane crashes with just him on board, investigators concluded it was a controlled crash, nothing wrong with the plane. Dead. He left a wife and two children. Don't be this guy. Cars can be fun but not if you spend way beyond your means.
wow that story might be even than the car wizard's
Is that Harrison Ford?
@@chumpthetraitor7331 No. He just lands on other planes.
I was on board until you mentioned "City Police Chief." Chiefs of Police don't investigate crimes; they delegate that task to the unit's detectives assigned to handle fraud cases.
Just nit-picking, but still...
🇬🇧 Here, that's a horrible,horrific story. Poor children.
Another pro tip. Don't take your vehicle to a shop if you can't afford to pay for the work.
Yeah, really makes you wonder what some of these people are thinking.
Amen! I'm a service advisor for a small and highly reputable small auto repair shop with a cult like following. We are usually 1-2 weeks out for appointments, that's how busy we are! We are usually a third to half as much as the local dealerships charge but we still have the occasional new customers that are surprised we charge for diagnosis. Well folks,we are a business and not a charity and our experiences and TIME are money.We have walked several tire kickers that aren't appreciating our expertise and couldn't finance a Happy Meal.....good riddance!
I suppose a problem, especially in America, is that people are so dependent on their cars that they might not be able to afford _not_ having a working car either.
God gave everyone 2 vehicles. They're called...........
Feet!
I would think calling a customer who just tells you to "fix everything" with a quote when it's crazy expensive is a reasonable tip too.
My brother works on cars and one thing that he told me was to never get emotionally attached to a car ..... If its got to go let it go .... Enjoy it for a bit and whenever it gives you problems depending on how much it costs if it's too much move on.
What if u put a new different engine in it
I had a Saab story. Ripped off by a dealer.
Depends on the vehicle. I have my dad's chevy c10 pickup. Bought new in 1970. I'd be hard pressed to give it up.
Wizard: Please don’t ruin your marriage to fix a damn car. Spoken like a true mechanic with an actual happy marriage
I'm always fixing cars, that's why I never got married.
Don't get married it's even easier for your life to get ruined!
Lots of sour boys in the replies here. Guys, find a girl that can at least tolerate your hobbies, whatever they may be. Of course, you'll have to do the same for her. If you're lucky, and you find the right girl, you might even have a few in common! It's a magical thing.
@@AustinRBa Simp
@@ghoulbuster1 There are plenty of lovely ladies out there...
I’m so glad my dad taught me to tear it apart and fix it. I owe him so much, I hate working on cars, but because of him I’ve swapped out a transmission, pulled an engine, swapped axles, changed oil, brakes, and rotors. He’s saved me thousands by encouraging me to do it myself. The right tools, pictures, and plenty of curse words later, I feel confident to do basic repairs.
Those sound more than just basic repairs to me
You saved yourself a ton of money learning from your dad! Almost like getting a second paycheck! What kind of cars did your dad drive?
@@northdakotaham1752 my dad had an old 66 Charger he resurrected (383), but when I was a teenager, I blew a transmission in my 2005 Corolla and it came down to getting an old trans for $280 and installing it myself, to discover I also had barely any teeth on my front right axle. It was from then on my dad helped me figure it out instead of bringing it to a shop, only time I’ve been to one is for tire replacements. Granted I couldn’t do that stuff without him or his equipment, but I plan on having a machine shop garage in the future anyway so the tools will be there.
@@TheHippieGunner your dad, a MOPAR guy? That's cool! The 383 was a great engine. I still have and drive a 413 which runs like new even at 100k plus miles. That's still ignition points, condenser. No electronics anywhere. I have 360 also, several 318s, slant six....but also have Fords and a couple GM, 350 and 366 motors. I prefer the V8.
Good luck on the shop. Seems like every year we need a few new tools to keep up with repairs. They pay for themselves!
Did my first timing belt at 23, I'm just glad it was a non interface engine, I can say I'm youtube certified lol but I know I save ton of money by doing the basic repair or oil change
1953 Chevy PU. When I met my wife to be in 1982 her sister and husband had a '53 Chevy PU exactly like the one in your video - in a grey primer. The truck had some sort of an electrical problem - I remember they were converting it to 12V and it became one of those "rainy day projects" that never happened. The truck got stored in their old garage / shed and sat there 10 years. My sister-in-laws husband died - and their 3 kids fought over the truck - and it sat another 25 years until two of the kids relented and let the oldest son have it. It sat a few more years - until the son was able to get good tires on it and pull it 7 miles away to his house. Today - it sits in HIS garage / shed - still a "rainy day project" that may never happen in his lifetime either.
High ideals sometimes hang high over our lives as legends for regular folks.
I've seen that happen before
I understand how a young mechanic would treat folks kindly and then "gently" sour over time. I started in retail and then taught for almost four decades and it is a constant struggle to keep a positive view of people and the world around you.....
Explains squidward doesn’t it 😂
Actually, it's the story of a man's life, I guess. Doesn't matter what you do, retail, car mechanic, carpenter, builder... The more you live, the more you see flaws and weakness in people. And it's almost impossible to not turn more cold-hearted and stallous.
I ran a bar for three years. Had my young naivete beat out of me pretty rapidly :D
It's called wisdom. It's not a bad thing to face reality. Real progress can be made that way.
It’s the same for most jobs that involve working with the public. Just look at cops. Many of them deal with criminal scum all day, it’s no wonder they’re not friendly, especially when you look/act just like the thugs that attack them and resist arrest.
"A car is rarely going to be an investment". Wise words indeed, from the Wizard. As much as I love cars (and I truly do!), they are the #1 thing that keeps people poor. If you can just put up with driving cheap, boring, basic reliable transportation for maybe 10 years, the money you didn't spend will go a long way to keeping you on your feet for the rest of your life. The bonus is that after those 10 years, you probably won't really want to drive anything flashy again!
I really missed out on one opportunity! Just before COVID, I took my 2003 Acura TL to the junkyard for $300. It had a rusted-through lower control arm and I didn't have the gumption to fix it myself or pay around $400 to get it fixed. Now I see the same car is selling at $3500 more than I paid for it in 2008!! Just my luck.
Especially now I think life's too short! Fortunately I am working in a pretty stable sector of IT and on track to buy a house pretty soon along with my BMW M240i. If I drove a Camry I could have a nicer house sooner but I choose not to because that's where my priorities are at. I care a lot about what I drive and less about the house I live in. It's about understanding the consequences of your actions BEFORE you do them. Lots of people just do what they want in the moment and complain about it later.
But, a 1971 convertible Hemi 'Cuda is a Blue Chip exception?
Bob: What an idiotic way to look at life. I drive a BMW, also a 911, a 355, and some other cars. I do my own repairs. Boring is for dull ignorant people like you.
@@sean.f23 Lmao Poor man's BMW. If you Can't afford a BMW M4 , M5, or M8. Go get a Camry bud you're too poor to have a BMW.
I also had an 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee and have two reasons why I’m thankful I had it. Reason 1 is that I learned how to work on cars. So many things went wrong and we couldn’t afford to pay a mechanic so I bought a Chilton manual, some tools and some beer and proceeded to figure it out. Reason 2 is that when I was finally done with it I traded it in for my Toyota Land Cruiser (also an 04😊) and after ten years I’ve only had to change an alternator
LC has served you well, seems. I love LC.
Great story bro. I'm on my 07 JGC and I'm also learning a lot
"Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while."
I rented a new 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee in December of 2004 and I was glad I had it at that time because we encountered an unexpected snow storm. Maybe they weren't reliable long term but they worked great new to meet my need.
I see alit of jeep Cherokee still running.
My father was an Italian immigrant, who was a master mechanic for 50 years. He even worked on the development of the space shuttle and nuclear submarines. I grew up hearing literally everything you say. Love the channel! I just hope folks listen to you b/c you are spot on!! Wishing you all the best!
I live too far away (northern Virginia) or I would have you work on all of my cars!
“Master mechanic “
I know. NASA and the Navy tend to be such deadbeat customers.
@@jdrancho1864
That’s not what he said.
@@vladtheimpala5532 That's the way I heerd it.
The space shuttle = NASA, nuclear submarines = General Electrics electric boat division building boats for the Navy/DoD.
"I grew up hearing literally everything you say" = his dad was dealing with the same deadbeat customers as the Wizard.
Point made. Case closed.
I’m not a mechanic anymore, but I used to work at a shop in the inner city and we had to deal with a lot of people who wouldn’t pay. Some would go so far as to try to steal their car back. One lady succeeded. The shop called the police and they arrested her and seized the car.
not too bright then.
I'm surprised that they arrested her. The cops in my area told our shop that it was a "civil" matter and they weren't gonna get involved.
This happens all over the World. Services in Ukraine, for example, give back the keys ONLY after receiving the money.
@@AbcAbc-sp1od it depends. If the cops didn’t want to get involved into some media “racism” bullshit stories, then it’s quite predictable they won’t get involved. If some non-color or asians do the same thing, you will get payed. It’s all about pussy sheriffs and stupid politicians in charge of your state.
@@craftyukraine that shop was the same way. Turns out she had a spare key and broke in after hours
Helping a buddy run his own business. When you own a business it’s not a question of if, but when a nightmare customer will come along. The worst part is when you’re blamed for the situation they created.
My dad is a successful business man and he said to me. "It's your job to protect the business" "You won't stay in business being nice" I think what he meant by being nice is exposing yourself to possible financial losses by taking a chance. Money always upfront.
Don't put yourself flat on your back to help someone else that's not very smart 🤓.
We take parts deposit up front w/ markup just to order the parts in order to avoid this problem.
This way we aren't out a crap ton of money we can't get back if we install an engine etc.
😮I’ve been in auto repair business since 1992 and none of that stuff has ever happened to me
@Karl with a K Yup. It's a difficult thing to balance granted. But with that mindset is how you get scumbag businesses who care about nothing but the bottom line no matter how underhanded.
I take a 50 percent deposit.
That Jeep made someone’s day when they found a brand new engine and transmission for theirs though 😂
That's what I was thinking
You have cured me from ever wanting to own a repair shop
Don’t do it unless you want to work for free and spend your life in the shop away from your family. Or you have to be a crook.
I LOVE IT WHEN CAR WIZARD SAYS " BUT WAIT ! THERE'S MORE ".
I think Ron Popeil of Ronco Mr. Microphone fame came up with that line.
I had a 2013 audi a8 with the 4.0t engine in it. I had put over $10000 into it easily. After everything it turns out the car had been a flooded car with a clean title. One night a deer ran out in front of me. Car was totaled... That was the best thing that ever happened to me And that car. Always remember that just because a vehicle has a clean title does not mean the car hasn't had anything bad happen to it. A valuable lesson learned.
When you get a car. You need to doba carfax on it. And also have a good mechanic come to check it out and drive it
Holy cow did THAT story escalate quickly...I can't believe the deer sacrificing itself turned out to be an actual win for you.
Truly this is the weirdest example of karma I ever saw...
My 02 1.8t a4 was about $5k into building up internals, brakes, suspension, exhaust and basically everything except the big turbo I was gonna put in when it was horribly flood damaged lol. Was ankle deep sitting inside and I drove it out before the water rose past the spark plug tubes up top. Drove it half built for another 5 years without any locks, airbags, radio and probably dozens of other electronic features lol. Such a sick car, but I would never expect it to work out that well a 2nd time if I ever got so unlucky
Had a bmw 550 2016 and yessss sir same with me around 6 grand over one year of fuel pumps and injectors and finally it got totaled and I was upside down but I didn’t even care. I’ll pay the difference and never buy a used German car with 90k miles again lol
I spent nearly 40 years around the car, business working in mechanical shops, body shops, and as an insurance appraiser. We could spend days sharing horror stories. Sadly, in all that time I have learned the most untrustworthy lying and deceitful people are not shop, managers, technicians, or insurance companies But are the people all of us work for we call them customers.
As I have learned from other videos, there's usually a very good reason that a barn find became one in the first place.
Yeah and a top of the old issues you now have thousands of new ones.
Barn finds are only good if it's a highly desirable model and if the person buying it is capable of doing a restoration himself.
if you know your shit it will be the most rewarding thing in your life
I have deep respect for your moral compass.I have worked in the auto salvage business for many years and your stories are quite relatable.Keep up the good works Auto Wizard.
The jeep compass was a bad vehicle too lol
But yes he has a great moral compass
Not only mechanics experienced this story, general contractors have also but, with houses instead of cars. My father and I did an extension on a customers house but, couldn't be able to pay for the job. We had to lien the home after saying that he'll make payments with checks which all bounced. Then, he admitted that had blown all of his savings on gambling. So, he had the money but, decided to go gambling instead of paying for the job.
I own a repair shop and I take deposits regularly. Typically on big jobs to cover parts, special order parts and in certain situations. For instance I had a customer I never met before bring her Jeep in for an issue she said the dealer and a few shops looked at it and couldn’t find anything. I checked out and didn’t find anything couldn’t duplicate the issue. Called customer said I didn’t find anything but that it’s likely the tipm module it’s very common then she tells me the dealer said the same thing but no gaurentees and I said yeah can’t gaurentee something when you can’t diagnose it. She calls back saying to replace the tipm so I get pricing together she said ok do it, I tell her to come down to sign the estimate stating it’s at ur own risk and the whole story and a deposit for the part that’s over 1,000 bucks, she said ok. Over 2 weeks she calls many times saying she can’t make it out yet and to just order it then to asking if the part was installed yet and every time I said I can’t order the part until you sign the estimate and pay for part as I can not return it, the last time she called she said I’ll be there tomorrow just order it I’m 100% coming and paying well when she came in she said I hope u didn’t order the part because I’m trading it in. I said that’s exactly why I have the policy in place because if I ordered it now I’m stuck with the part.
@@peanutbutterisfu smart man
Better to have a written contract my boss had for classic car restoration jobs..
Work allocated to fix
Client buys all parts up front.
Storage fees if they hit a no funds.
Weekly labour rates
Otherwise come and lift the car.
Only way.
Couldn't imagine a house contractor loosing a house remodel job
I took a repair job once, in the middle 80s a man heard that I worked on cars, and he asked me to make it run. I said I would look at it, and that’s when things went my way. It turned out to be a 64 Plymouth fury with a max wedge 426. When I got it to my place I was looking it over and all was wrong was a few motor pieces missing. So I got that done started it and drove it. Nice car! I found the owner and told him how much and after 3 months he still couldn’t or wouldn’t pay me, in the glove box was the title signed by the previous owner, so I kept it.
Nice score!
BAM !
Jackpot!
I dont know how people go to a mechanic when they have no money to pay. I cant afford fixing everything that goes wrong. Thats why I learned to look for a way to fix it myself first. And only go to a mechanic if the job is too complicated to do in my driveway.
I have a friend who had a GMC Acadia...and it had a transmission failure which she repaired...then an engine failure....she started to shop for a replacement and asked me about getting a Land Rover or a Jeep Grand Cherokee....I suggested getting a Toyota or Honda SUV....I can't imagine going from the Acadia to a Land Rover....
CW was right about how people always get them in leu of better options:
"Hey Dad you advised me to get a Toyota sedan. It turned out great so I think you should do the same. Or a Honda. Even the SUVs."
[Gets an Equinox]
The 5.7 in those jeeps were bulletproof. What are you in about?
@@likeablecloud2454 other problems besides the motor
@@MX-CO then what? The transmission which is known to be bad which can be swapped out for a better transmission from another car that uses the same motor. The ecu which tends to fail and shit the car off when driving. Both can be replaced relatively cheap or with different parts that are more reliable for cheaper. The ecu issue is t that bad. The transmission will still go tens of thousands of miles without failing. So what's wrong with it?
@Likeable Cloud the problems you mentioned plus electrical problems.
I agree they will run a long time. 200k plus (Most vehicles 2000 and newer will do 200k plus)
But they have more problems and will have more little issues once they get to 200k than some others.
Imo a Tahoe, Yukon, Suburban. Is a better choice for someone that wants an SUV
When I was a kid, I took apart pretty much every toy I owned. Mother would sometimes get upset when she saw a toy in pieces. Most often I would re-assemble after learning how it worked. Fast-forward to today, mother is grateful that I took my toys apart. Now I can fix all of our vehicles, plus take care of most home repairs as well. Tens of thousands I have saved my family. If you are a parent, encourage your children to take things apart and learn. Love the channel Mr Wizard!
15 years in the towing business here. Every single day one of our trucks towed a Jeep SUV, Grand Cherokees and other model names that are essentially the same car were on a wrecker heading either to the dealership or to a transmission shop. Funny thing is those Grand Cherokees were either super reliable and would run 300k+ miles or they would break down constantly. There doesn't seem to be any "in between" with those cars.
As a former warranty claims clerk for a Chrysler Jeep dealer, I can confirm this.
It seems the Grand Cherokee was an all or nothing car. Some folks went over 300k miles without a hiccup and others couldn't stay out of the shop for a year.@@rays7437
Would be interesting to know the ratio between the 300k+ mi jeeps and the ones that constantly required repairs.
Volkswagen owners are the cheapest people ever
@@UNTrider2010idk my mom got a 2015 Cherokee with 300k on it running pretty well def got lucky
There are thousands of cars that are sitting around on people’s property Waiting For Godot. Their owners fail to understand that the longer it sits, the more difficult and expensive it will be to put back in running condition. Thanks, Wizard, for bringing this into focus.
✋I got one...😳
Would you sell that awesome classic to me before its gone forever?
Nah, Im gonna fix that up one day.
There was a guy near my home when I was a kid with all old cars on his property. Great cars, all solid. Nah, hes gonna fix them one day. When he died his wife had them ALL hauled to the crusher.
@@USMCCGAGNG It's probably safe to say, "Only in America." We're the only ones with the space to indulge such "hobbies" that involve wishful thinking (self delusion?), good intentions, and procrastination. There are people out there who do the same thing with airplanes! Only in America.
Love the "Godot" quote. 👍
I suppose people think if they stop driving the car, time stops for the car and 20 years later it will be just as they left it.😂. Yeah, maybe if they put it in a hermetically sealed chamber or a perfect vacuum. Time and ozone ruins practically anything left sitting. Truly horror stories.
As a former auto technician, I’ve got a few stories too.
I think the saddest ones are those that involve a couple of cousins of mine who tried to take advantage of my brother who is also an auto technician.
These crappy stories really show how some people are just really irresponsible and have horrible character traits. I’m glad I’m no longer in the auto repair industry.
…and if you get a “barn find,” restore it yourself if you’re able to. There seems to be a UA-cam video for just about everything you could possibly need.
Back in the day a friend of mine feeling 'upwardly mobile' bought himself a Mercedes 190E. It proved to be so problematic that he'd leave it at the mall with the keys in it hoping someone would steal it, so he could recoup his losses.
Did it ever get stolen???
Decades ago, I almost bought a Camaro. Then a guy at work told me, "Well, you know tires cost $200 each." Me: What?! That's when I learned that buying a fancier car is just the price of admission. I didn't buy the car.
I'm quite surprised. I remember seeing them in Germany and every single taxi was a Mercedes E-class. They have a bulletproof reputation in Europe.
@@drunkenhobo5039 that was the E class, the bigger saloon. The 190e was a 3 series rival and much smaller. The Cosworth powered derivatives are worth strong money now......
@@leccybadger Ah right, whoops. My monkey brain saw the letter "E" and got confused.
I ran my own shop years ago,and when I took over, I spent my mornings chasing people for $ for previous repairs ,taking them to court,writing off services etc.once I got the books up to date, it was no $ no keys and was explained at write up when dropped off, surprisly they found the $ somewhere, I totally understand your position,trying to help people,and getting burned ,good video,roger
I owned a Mazda Millenia (Xedos 9 in Europe) for 7 years. Boy if I wasn't good at fixing it myself I would've been somewhere in those categories of customers. It's one of those cars that will bankrupt you if you take it to a shop each time something breaks. In the end It turned out to be a pretty decent car when properly maintained, since I've put 230000 km on it myself and when I sold it it was on 450000km.
Thank you for saying what you did in the end there Wizard. My dad passed away from cancer 2 years ago and left me a 1964 XP ford Falcon (Australia) that was own by him since 1980. The car was very special but needed a full restoration and i made the tough decision to sell late year. I knew it would have broken me trying to get this ford restored. The car was sold pretty quick and i had been holding onto some hurt and regret from selling her but i feel so much better after word words of wisdom in the end there. Again thank you so much, i have been following you right from the start and am always a fan of your work!
I tend to get overly sentimental about cars but I'm learning to let go. The past few years I've realized just how much time and money a car can take, and in the end it's still just a car. People and relationships are more important, and at the end of the day the most special car is little more than a worthless pile of scrap.
It sounds like you made a difficult but mature decision. If my kid did that after my passing, I'd sure be proud!
I'm sorry for your loss, but while I can't relate to a similar experience (...yet) as a dad I would absolutely hate for something that I had (even if it was something I really cared for) to cause my kids problems or grief, good on you for selling it, as tough as it might have been.
In my case I also have "my dad's car" with me, though it was my car that I gave to him so that he could use it while I got around to selling it, but he liked it so much he kept it, until recently parkinsons has made it a bit tougher to get into a low hatchback so he needed to trade for something higher (and a bit less high strung than an 15 yo Mazdaspeed 3). I don't want to sell it, my kids keep referring to it as "grandpa's car", but I understand it's the thing to do as the alternative is to let a car I don't need and works fine just be there and possibly either I won't be able to have the money to maintain it later on, or something big will fail on it and I'll have to eat it or sell it for less.
Growing up/old sucks sometimes.
Cars are wonderful until they're noting but endless money pits. You have to figure out when the steep downward slope starts. For an Audi, it can be as short as 4 to 5 years. With a Toyota, it can be 16 to 20 years. Beyond that point the car care bill goes from average (maybe $100 a month) to ridiculous ($700 a month, month after month). You have to be ready to shed a few tears and call up the junkyard. It's going to a better place.
@@georgegonzalez2476
I better call the yard and tell em to get the 91 Jetta diesel coupe that I got from my dad then, it's got a couple of small door dings ,it's clearly totaled.
I have worked for Lexus and Mercedes and a couple of independent shops. The best thing about the higher-end dealerships is that the customers rarely refuse needed services. In independent shops, I have seen people refuse repairs on many serious issues that make their vehicle completely unsafe to drive. I understand that they might not have the money at the time for some issues, but what some people will prioritize over actual major problems just baffles me. Their new sound system is more important than functional breaks of a leaking gas tank.
Yes, experienced the same, many times. Cust. brings vehicle in for alignment & the suspension & steering, brakes etc. are so bad, it is a danger to them & everyone else on the road, but they can't afford repairs & leave, driving it.
That new stereo is needed to cover all the funny noises the car is making
In non-high end shops it’s the same as independent shops. I’m a tech at a Toyota dealer and I called brake pads on a Sienna today as it was 1mm and they deferred it. I once had a BMW that was included in the Takata airbag recall so I took it to it’s dealership and I overhead this lady beside be had a $3000 estimate for her X1 and she approved the job without hesitation.
@@matte8441 I mean, I'd refuse an overpriced break job by a dealer too and just do it myself. A lot of people use dealerships or mechanic shops for either free inspections or pay for the inspections and then once told what's wrong they fix it themselves or drop it off at their brother in laws house with a case of beer type thing. Doesn't technically mean they're not gonna get it fixed, just not at your mechanic shop.
@@matte8441 People sometimes behave foolishly when it comes to safety or, perhaps they are thinking they maybe being con by the shop, hence refusing the needed repair. As for the wealthy bunch though, since they have the money they will think if money can fix the problem, then it is no longer a problem. A happy camper!
Wizard I feel your pain, been there, I require my service writers to take a 50% deposit for any job over $3000.00 on vehicles over ten years old. We do not take any vehicles over fifteen years old. Every time I violated my own rule it has cost me and my shop. It’s sad it has to be that way but that’s the world we live in, a person’s word or handshake does not mean what it use to.
A friend of mine bought a GMC Acadia, and she's had nothing but problems with it from day one. She recently had a new fuel pump put in it and now it won't even start. None of the parts changers around here (can't call them mechanics) can figure out what's wrong with it. It's basically been a lawn ornament for months now.
'parts changers' - so true
Some ugly lawn ornament that is hahaha
@@ghostrider-be9ek Parts changing goes with the OB II diagnostics. Now as a mechanic, you don't have to think clearly on several layers. Most of the time...parts changing using the diagnostics works....that's why it's an industry standard.
@@jimbeam7160 This is why I liked my advanced training with Mercedes. You can entirely know almost exactly what the issue is from the second that car fails to start, but in the training they make you use WIS documents and actually follow your trail and rate your thought process. You don't even *technically* have to get it right to pass.
If you get less than 70 IIRC you fail the course. A viable thought process and actual elimination of the issues it could be, used to legitimately be enough to fail you on it's own if you don't do it well. That had only JUST changed when I started the course and it now "only" basically puts you JUST above failing. In my course of all of 6 people, 4 people would have failed that course on the 2nd diagnostic test had that not recently been changed.
They do this 3 times by the way lol.
That's what a lot of mechanics are. Nothing but part changers. I was lucky. I did my apprenticeship in the 80s. I started about 6 months before my 16th birthday. The guys I worked for were all in their 40s, at least. They taught me how to repair certain things. Not just throw parts at it until the issue is resolved. These guys didn't have those big, massive tool boxes. A handful of tools and they could repair whatever came in the shop. The one mechanic, Ron, did a lot for me. I had only been there for a year, and my dad passed away suddenly. I took it really hard. It messed me up for quite a while. Ron helped me stay grounded and focused. He could tell I was having a rough go with the situation. I owe that man a lot. My dad never got to see me become an adult. Ron helped me become an adult. I won't say he took over where my dad left off. I will say he stopped me from becoming an asshole who was mad at the world.
I’m hearing a relatively common theme here:
The car indeed buried the owner, but it seems that the owner ALLOWS this to happen, like driving directly toward a cliff and EXPECTING not to get to the edge and go over it! I’m betting that this personality flaw is very common amongst a great majority of people to whom this story happens.
In other words, there are probably many areas in the lives of these people where this happens to them!
That's what I was thinking. The car is just the tip of the iceberg.
Yep, the title of this video should be 'Six people that let their cars ruin their lives'
Yes, obsessive behaviour happens in all walks of life, not just in the car world. Dreamers are forever taking on projects with no hope of completing them successfully. Here in the UK we seem to be forever hearing of people who buy boats with no experience or training and finish up having to be fished out of the drink by the lifeboat.
Same with the people that won't throw anything away, so their car gets filled to the window sills with random flotsam. Even on the package shelf.
I know one individual that had an older car like that. After it broke down X number of times, she got a different, nicer car. Within six months it was already full of clutter.
Car was a symbol of idolatry -valuing a possession more highly than one ought. Makes for crazy decision-making by those suffering the aliment.
I am the unfortunate owner of a 2011 Acadia that I bought new. It has about 133,000 miles on it and I would say the check engine light has been on more than it has been off over the majority of those miles. It has gotten to the point that I am so used to seeing the check engine light's soft, warm glow that I feel like something is wrong during those brief periods of time I am able to get it to go off.
I fail your pain I have a 2012 GMC terrain and it's been nothing but problems since I bought it used back in 2019. Bought it with 62,000 didn't find out that there was a recall until 2020 on the oil consumption so I was already 8 years late after they extended it to seven and a half years but you would have to go to GMC Buick to have them look at it to make sure you're burning oil in from the stories I heard 90% of the time they said you were fine which was an absolute lie. I've put so much money into this car I couldn't even tell you from transfer case to windshield wiper motor you name it I've done it to the point where I even got a remanufacturing engine because the engine was absolute trash 2.4 ecotec All it did was just straight burn oil and I would have wanted to get into something new but then that's another 5 years of payments that I could not afford so I bought a remanufactured engine after cylinder three had no compression which meant junk the car Lease car finance a car which is all expensive and I had five payments left $1,700 to go so I just bit the bullet cheaper to keep her and I'm 1600 mi in no burning of oil no check engine light it feels good to have somewhat of a peace of mind with this piece of shit engine that GMC came out with
“Soft, warm glow” made me lol. Thanks
@@rontam06sell it and get a Toyota.. best to sell it while it runs ok. Even the new parts will go out in another 60k
Some people open the dash and remove the light. 😅
My neighbor bought a used Acadia, I told him good luck. A couple years later and thousands and thousands of dollars in repairs they let the bank take it.
I had a Saturn outlook, which was the gmc Acadia before the Acadia was the Acadia, was a nice little suv until somebody crashed into us.
Its funny because I get called a hater for telling people they bought an unreliable car until I’m right.
@@djncrti2860 I guess if it makes you feel better that’s all that matters.
@@djncrti2860 why do you feel the need to tell people they bought a bad car after they have already done it. Does that make you feel good?
@@OneOut1 No they come to me for advice about what car to buy and then they take it and throw it out the window. Then, I have to hear how they have to bring me to me constantly for repairs. You’d think they’d take my advice seeing as I’m the one who works on their cars…
My father started a small construction business back in the 1960's. He had an average of 2 to 3 employees and built a lot of nice single family homes for time and materials and for the first 30 years or so this worked well for him and his clients but gradually the atmosphere in the construction trade began to change. Not only did the building codes in our state of California become so ridiculous and costly but some clients started thinking is was ok to not pay the final bill at the end of the job. This kind of thinking began to be the norm. Gone were a person's word being good enough, now people became empowered by a generation that has lost its morality. All my father ever wanted was to treat people with fairness and to be treated fairly by others. He never wanted to work for huge profits, just to be paid for an honest days work, just time and materials. When he retired and I took over the business he said to me " The way things have changed I don't envey you." Boy was he right. I have had to battle almost every customer for final payment. The world has changed and running a small business isn't what it used to be.
You sound like you are still in there punching. I wonder who will follow in the shoes of good contractors when they retire. I don't see the skills being passed along to "half educated" generations.
Put a lein on the house.
Get paid up front.
Honesty and ethics are dying in this country.
@@richardbambenek2601 They are being forced out on purpose, a moralless society is a weak and easily defeated society.
Those people ruined their lives because of their terrible character. You’re a decent man and you and your business were harmed when you weren’t at fault.
I did mediations for a while when I retired. People wouldn’t show up. They couldn’t afford to pay once they showed up. I finally retired from that too. By the time I rented a space, drove across town. Not worth it. I understand why people require up front payment.
We’ve been through tough times with house fires, job losses, medical bills. We would never stiff someone like that…and we’ve been down to our last collar button.
Dude I used to valet park cars in the early 00's. Any time I got into a Benz 190e or one of those larger 300e's it made me smile. The clientele at the time still had those old built like a piece of granite Benz cars from the 80's/early 90's with a ton of miles on them, that still looked great and were impeccably maintained. Drove several of those 190e's with over 100k, a few over 200k, they still looked great and felt tight as a drum, doors shut like a damn bank vault, like when they were new.
Aaron, just curious - in comparison with the Mercedes you worked with in the early 2000s, what were the older BMWs like? Did you enjoy them as much as you did the Benzes? Also, how do you feel about today's modern Benzes?
Them old diesel Mercedes are floating tanks, the new ones are crap.
It sounds like one side-moral of the story is many problems could probably be avoided if you’d just keep your car running and maintained in good condition. Who’s taking & keeping ownership? Once you start telling yourself “it’s just an old…” that’s exactly what it’s becoming with each & every passing day, until it’s forgotten and without any value to anyone else, as well. Anything worth owning is worth driving-and vice versa. Who’s willing to pay for the privilege & benefits?
@@jsrosa1282 My dad owned a series of 1980s and 1990s BMWs when they were new. Only 1 of them ever had serious trouble, and the dealer replaced that one, no questions asked, under warranty (heck, the dealer ordered the replacement before even telling us we'd get the entire car replaced).
He bought a new one every 2 years not because the cars were bad, but because by that time he'd have over 100k miles on it and the warranty'd run out (not that he ever had a warranty claim except that one time).
You still see more than a few 1980s and 1990s BMWs here, usually owned by people who maintain them themselves as a hobby, not the trash kids who ruin anything they get their hands on.
Imagine that poor guy who's selfish wife wouldn't let the guy fix the car because she wanted to live.
Wow… you’ve really put into perspective the reality of being a shop owner. As car enthusiasts we think of having a shop as the coolest thing ever, but just like any other business and profession, it comes with some terrible sides as well.
I just found this video and you really showed the human side of having to deal with customers and very negative car situations. I can see how these kinds of car stories can be heartbreaking and sad. It's good to let people know about being realistic about repairs and expectations as well as financial responsibiities.
Nothing destroyed my faith in humanity faster than running my own small business.
I bet, care to shall any stories?
I have the same experience, but its not from a business. I've been an inner city police officer for 26 years. You will look at humanity very differently after that. Its unfortunate.
Truest statement ever!!!
been there in the car repair, paint world when it comes to people and money you never know what you were going to get some would pay more than the estimate
We just shut down our business after a decade of dealing with "customers". Most of which were very good, but we were always chasing payments, every single month. Sometimes for as little as $10. WTF? Life's too short to deal with chronic deadbeats. Always got paid, but had to put extra work into it. It's barely even worth doing up an invoice for $10. Won't miss any of that BS.
People always dream about getting away from "slavery" and becoming their own boss. If only it was that great. It might be in some cases, but it's rare. My partner is now back in an office, working for someone else and in some respects, it's bliss. No more customer hassles, you get paid every 2 weeks without fail, no bookkeeping/invoicing to deal with, none of the "work for yourself" hoops to jump through, etc. Five more years and early retirement.
Was a young shop owner in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Can totally relate to this. In fact being a nice guy and trying to help people, was one factor$$ that made me close my shop.
If you do work on a car and they don’t pay, are you legally able to keep the car in your shop until they pay. What’s the procedure
@JohnSmith-dm1wo not what he meant. If you gove people a break enough, you arent making money.
Thank you for these stories. Back in my early 20s, I picked up my car at my local shop some early morning and I come across about a dozen invoices for other people all taped in a row in the front window. I asked the guy behind the desk what those were about and I come to find out that all these invoices are currently unpaid. My head nearly "🤯" at this point and I was like, "you're providing accurate estimates, right???" "Yep." Starting at this point in my life, I've come to realize that people have a very fickle relationship with money and that very, very few people will take the time to indeed budget for living expenses properly. Those that do, do all the manufacturer's preventative maintenance items at the correct times. You might also see that we also take the time and budget for clay bar and spray wax. Learn from being penny-wise and pound-foolish.
I am a stickler for oil changes and service intervals/repairs. That said, my car gets washed maybe 3-4 times a year. And no clay bar has ever touched my vehicles.
This video is why I work on my own cars, it’s amazing how many people out there can’t even do the simplest repairs,or don’t do their homework, and buy the most reliable car that they can afford in the first place
Good stories. I think restoration of an old car should be a hobby that one loves to do, not paying someone else to do. If the owner can do some, or most of the works himself, this should be OK. But paying someone else to do everthing, even finding the parts, would be a definitely disaster if you are not filthy rich.
Good advice. This is the best approach for most folks.
Truth 💯
In high school a part of auto shop I got sent to a Porsche repair shop that mostly dealt with 928's. It was kind of a hole in the wall shop especially considering the brand but they did really good work. THe boss cussed like a sailor but was funny as hell and I remember him giving me the most serious look while working on a 928 and illustrated to me how important it is that I never buy one of these. They worked on a lot of air-cooled 911s and 944s/951s also but most of the cars in the shop and in the lot were 928's. They are the worse Porsche's when it comes to costs, alleviated some if you swap out the engine with a SBC.
What's a SBC?
@@busman2050 Small Block Chevy
I used to sell custom-built desktops, thank God I always took cash up front, but the stuff that happened to my customers was devastating. 1, is that the customer left her husband after she started going online to AOL and hooked up with someone else, it was a dirty mess. 2nd story, this customer was watching inappropriate stuff and he got 20 years of the stuff he had on his hard disk. 3, customer bring laptop to me to get unlocked, i showed him the door and said don't come back or the law will deal with you. 4, customer leaves their equipment on my porch when I was not home, there was no computer and later that day customer asks if I looked at his computer, I said I will if you bring it over right now, he said I left it in front of your door and I said well there was no computer there when I got home, why would you leave your equipment outside in plain sight? yes there the bad side of all this. Some people are something else, stupid. great video Wizard
i sold a computer and customer a month later asked why was there porn on there computer, why would you install this, I said, I installed windows OS, are you going online and customer said yes my son said it was online, i said he must of downloaded then, and said why would you be mad at me, he goes you allowed it and then I said ahh no, I have no control over how the computer and it is your responsibility to manage it not mine, said leave me alone!
It’s not always devastating. I know of a guy who dropped his laptop off at a computer repair store. He later abandoned it and all sorts of crimes were discovered on his computer, but he’s never been charged for any of them. He’s real famous, maybe you’ve heard of him, his name is Hunter Biden.
@@danielmckenzie6858 lol!
Working for my dad for 14 years before I got the job I have now, I can tell you that he only got stiffed once. My mother went over to the guys house and caught him throwing a party, crashed it and asked why he couldn't pay the bill? It was for about $250.00. She got her money and left. Great video!
“Nothing is more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.” That applies to all upmarket brands. What people forget is that while the vehicle might be cheap to purchase, the parts and service have still the same premium pricing as when the car was new. Or the watch.
I have the 3.6 V6. I'd say I've just been lucky with it, but in all honesty, it's a combination of both luck, and changing the oil like it was a religion. I've made it to 210k miles, but I KNOW it's a ticking time bomb. I'm just pushing it as far as I can before it blows up. Thankfully, I have another vehicle ready for when this one goes out.
Yes, the oil must be changed 100% on time with this motor. Most of them you hear the chain ticking 😂
@@yodead369 I haven't had any ticking yet. Believe it or not, the torque converter is starting to have issues before the engine.
if you ever get the timing chains done replaced insist of getting original gm chains and tensioners jobbers crap even the most expensive ones will ruin your engine, as i had to do the job twice (no fun) the jobber s crap tensioners lasted 30 000 miles almost destroyed my engine. Car wizard is right those are rather crappy...
Ya but just wait
😄
@@pierrerouvroy2433 thanks for the advice! I'm not sure I'll ever bother doing any further work on it. With it being so high mileage, and considering I already need to replace the torque converter AND transmission, I don't think it would be worth putting any money into.
My Dad was a Mercedes tech at a dealership that also sold Hondas and Pontiacs. When they changed locations there were a number of cars sitting in the back parking lot that had been there for years because of various financial problems. I was about 15 years old at the time. I helped him load them one by one on a trailer and bring them to a friend of his shop. We would drop them off in his back lot and Dad would get a fat envelope for every one. We had a great Christmas that year. Good times! Lol!
Story checks out.
in australia a jeep owner fed up with the vehicle and jeep dealer blocking their multiple warranty claims had the vehicle crushed by a centurion tank at a charity event. jeep tried a final desperate attempt to prevent this public humiliation finally offered to buy back the vehicle . the owners declined saying that the dealer would just on sell the cursed jeep to an unsuspecting customer.
Man, I need a drink or three after hearing those stories. My heart goes out to you Car Wizard.
The moral of the story - the rats always win.
I decided to let one of my cars go after the repairs were starting to become another car payment....My daughter wants to get a different car and she likes the BMWs and Audis...and tell her about out of warranty maintenance...and as a new grad student...wait! Keep driving Grandpa's LaCrosse with the 3800 V6.
You better tell her to start liking older Honda's and Toyota's 😂
Where I live if the repair estimation is over $1000 no shop would take you in without paying up front
It's all about the materials quality, cars aren't built to last forever, the repairs are ridiculously expensive, this guy does a great job of telling you like it is, honesty is not usually a strong point of some mechanics and shops, how to someone you can trust. Like this guy.
I think the lesson here is that when someone gets ruined over a car, it probably wasn’t the car that ruined them, it was the owner who did it to himself. Thank you for sharing these stories, as painful as it’s been to recall.
Car wizard, all of the stories are sad, no vehicle is worth one's marriage, happiness, or sanity. I'm glad you shared them with us.
I been a Mechanic 32 years and I tell young People don’t go in the Mechanics business its no fun no more People don’t want to PAY for what your worth
The greatest life lesson I have ever was as a 10 yr old (mid 80’s). My mom for some reason loved her 1979 Pinto Wagon. Although the body was in decent shape mechanically it was a POS.
She was a struggling single mom so she figured she’d get it fixed up. She rebuilt the engine, tranny and a bunch of other work put close to $3000 (again mid 80s) into it. I even remember the mechanic trying to talk her out of it but she’s stubborn.
It did get fixed however that lasted very shortly as someone hit it while parked completely writing it off. Think insurance gave her $500 for it.
My lesson was if you put lots of money into something get it appraised and insure for its value. More importantly listen to your mechanic. Lol
The insurance company should’ve adjusted the payout based on completed repairs since it extended the life expectancy of the car, thereby increasing its value. My car was stolen after putting about $1,500(?) into repairs. Upon providing a copy of the repair receipt, the insurance company raised the value of their payout. The key is that you have to let them know.
Thank you for your honesty.
It may seem brutal, but that's only because people don't want to hear that restoring a car can be--and probably will be--more expensive than they bargained on. The reality is that not everybody has that sort of money simply laying around.
I watch another youtube channel where the guy has had several restoration projects in his shop for years, while the car owners were scrambling to get money and/or parts to complete the projects.
Two sides to every coin:D I had a pickup truck with some issues. And because it had 160k miles on it, I was willing to go as far as putting a new engine in it because the repairs would've been 2k+. So my mechanic at that time said he could fix it for sure. No need for a new engine. Long story short, he ended having my truck at his shop for nearly four months. He gave me a lot of excuses as to why it was taking so long. Finally I go pick up the truck, and half a mile I get the same problem, the truck shook and shut down. So I went home and filed a fraudulent claim against him and got all my money back. He was very upset, but so I was I. That's four months of insurance wasted on a truck that was never fixed, I was out thousands, and I had to put mileage on my weekend car. So yeah, not sorry I filed my claim! I would've told him to go to hell from the start if he would've told me he'd have my truck that long fixed or not.
I have a friend who did this. He had a Ford Explorer, one of the last squareish ones. So it had a bunch of updates in the old body. Well it kept breaking on him and I told him every time it broke, to trade it or sell it as soon as it was fixed. I think he spent close to 10K on repairs over two or three years before he finally traded it for a Toyota Camry. He felt like every time he got it fixed he'd be done with fixing it for a while. Well, a while was like two months.
I'll go $500 on that ruined Chevy truck. No reason it can't become a Rat Rod...
My current driver sat a long time, it only had 47,000 miles when I got it in 2021. But it was in a garage. I've done nothing to it except oil change and tires.
Hard to beat most toyota or honda models !!!
Listening to Car Wizard's stories here I can't help but think the cars didn't ruin these customers, they ruined themselves. 🤷🏻♂️ Junk will be junk, but nobody forces you to buy junk or keep throwing good money after bad. Especially when you're being told by professionals in the industry, get rid of this thing. Get your financial house in order is what I'm saying I guess. As an example, I pay $100/month for 4 cell phones for the family, that includes tax and unlimited data even at high speeds and unlimited hot spot on each phone so that's what we use for Internet service. Every time I talk to people I hear horror stories about paying $300/month for 3 phones PLUS another $100+/month for Internet and cable. I personally would never pay that if I could help it. That's like a car payment.
The car that ruined me for many years was 2003 Daewoo Evanda (a.k.a Chevrolet Epica, Chevrolet Evanda, Formosa Magnus and Suzuki Verona). Everytime I got something fixed, another thing broke the next week. All the parts had to be ordered from the factory in Korea as the supposed "compatible parts" from other manufacturers never fit.
Vehicles don't break people/friendships...DECISIONS in life, including those about vehicles...those decisions and choices break them. But I definitely hear what you're saying Wiz. That cancer treatment story easily should have been #1...theee worst!
Yes, that story was a bit sickening.
Scotty and the wizard have been the best shop teachers I've ever had.
They're great! I only wish more of them were around. I literally have sought out several mechanics over the last 20 years I've been driving. Haven't found one yet that was capable and experienced at the level most of the mechanics on UA-cam are, the Wizard and Scotty are just next level.
Scott prattles on and on I finally unsubsidized got tired of his rhetoric and drama
Scotty Kilmer is insufferable.
@@lutomson3496 you are 100% correct.....he used to do videos on car repair like the Wizard....When he got lots of subscribers and found he can get about $500 a video he started cranking them out daily, on any subject, on stuff he doesn't know crap about, or just click bait junk.....I cant stand to even watch anything he does now--totally useless today.
Scottie is the ultimate click baiter, nothing more
Dang that cancer story was a tear jerker out of anger.
It's sad that there's some people who would sacrifice for an object than a life form
I have known of those type of stories about cars and the shop owners getting in deep and nothing good comes from it. I must tell you that after hearing your stories about those cars I am VERY IMPRESSED by not only your honesty but your HIGH MORALES in dealing with these issues. Thanks for sharing these sad stories with us. Best to you and Mrs. Wizard always
We need more mechanics like the wizard in this world....such a great honest hard working guy doing what he loves....thank you wizard. Wish u were closer to me cause I'd be taking my car to you knowing I won't get ripped off...
Joe's garage in Warrenton, VA does honest work.
Sad Porsche story, but also for your shop that this customer tried to take advantage of your kindness. I'm glad I've kept my name, credit & financial worth in excellent shape. Otherwise, I'd never be able to charge ( prefer cash / check ).
I've been there. Nearly 50 years ago, I went out on my own, but in a different business. All you get are the crumbs that fall from the big boys' table. In my first year, I wrote off 50% of my meagre billings. I survived, but it ws tough. The one, major, non-taxable benefit: jerks only got through my door once. Your story and mine are legion. It takes a particular form of madness to do what we did.
You sir.....have hit the nail on the head! Sometimes I wonder why I'm still doing this
One local shop I know about will work on these kind of cars. However, they require money upfront. I think that is the only way project cars should be fixed. If you don't have the money when you start, you shouldn't be trying to fix it.
Many shops will demand money up front if someone they don't know is looking to repair a car where the costs of the repair are far above the car's FMV.
My wife and I went through a lot of money to restomod a poor old Studebaker Hawk. Did a lot of the work ourselves. We showed it, won several awards, then she drove it for years as her everyday driver. A great experience for us. That is how you make a barn find work for you. Have the money available, put some sweat equity into it and drive it every day, with pride.
as the son of a former body shop owner... these stories are the stuff that comes up at the dinner table. Every time something odd happens, mom was like this is the same as XXX.. You always try to be positive, but unfortunately mom was right more than wrong. Body and paint work is expensive and labor intensive. If you are working on an old car, it is always worse than it seems. There was often yelling and screaming by customers in the shop when my dad would say, this is going to cost XXX.. My dad was always like... go somewhere else if this is how you react to the price. It's rough out there. Sometimes I wondered, why do people think I should fix their junk for nothing? Nobody negotiates their weekly pay with their boss... why do you think it's right here? It's all hard work. Yes, in the end, you will have a beautiful car. Either you do the work or you pay my family for the work. Either way it's not free. Sorry for the long comment. As a shop owner these stories burn for a long time.
My problem with you guys is that a lot of you look at a car, think "This car will be worth big bucks when it's done, so I'm entitled to 75% of that"
Back in 2005, it was finally time to get my old Mopar muscle car painted. This was a nice driver, not a show car.
The "restoration shops" were quoting me $20k plus. Plus redoing my metal work, because they wanted it to "meet their standards". For a car that wasn't worth 20k (at the time)
Finally found a shop that would paint it, without reinventing the wheel. I did the grunt work, pulling trim, bumpers, etc. They surfaced my body work, and repainted it with base/clear. Price $4000 (cash). Looked fantastic then, and continues to look fantastic in 2023.
@@bizjetfixr8352 all bodyshops and most mechanic shops are ripoffs
Because you're a contractor, not a fixed rate employee
Car Wizard, I have been baffled listening to these stories! It was even life impacting, depressing and humbling, mostly because in my life , over the span of 40+ years, I myself have come really close to crossing some of those lines, and I thought since it was such a tough , survival decision with such horrible consequences, that I was the only one facing such an awful decision. It just seemed at the time to be a unique situation, and it was the more difficult thing to do the right thing, even though I thought for sure it would be the end of me and my family. However, the stories you tell here confirm, going the wrong way would have surely ruined me! So thank you!
Great video Wizard. Lessons learned here.
My biggest money pit was my first car, an 87 Supra Turbo I bought used. It was the owner of the dealerships personal ride so I thought it was safe. Fog lights went out, brake light switch twice, turn signal/headlight stalk, cruise control would stick the throttle open, head gasket, timing belt, rear end, hvac controls, hvac fan. Loved that car to death but I'm glad I was young and had disposable income lol.
Always clean that negative ground. There can be several grounds. Always clean those battery terminals to get corrosion removed. It doesn't take much corrosion to totally cause electronic problems. Just fixed sister's car....just a little corrosion. Corrosion can hinder your alternator's charging, causing the alternator to work harder. Everything is linked together with cars now: electronics require a good battery delivering the right amps. Buy a device to always check your battery's strength and life. Swap out those batteries and clean those terminals. You can spray a film of oil to keep corrosion at bay.
But you also prob drive the heck out of as is with most first cars.
Every MK3 Supra and MK4 Cressida will always blow a head gasket and spin rod bearings. You dont repair a 7M engine, you toss it out and swap in a JZ or something else.
There’s something said for being your own mechanic. With all the resources available to the DIY mechanic, a little patience and a commitment to research can make a car restoration an enjoyable hobby. To depend on a shop for your dream car it’s nuts.
I've had the exact opposite happen to me. I've been burned by three shops that didn't perform work. Work that was stupidly prepaid by me. Yep, paid in advance and little to no work done. Over periods of YEARS i might add. I'm out about 20k. I've also had to repair work that was done amd either failed, or wasn't fully completed. Any repairs I need done in the future will be done by me. I'm done with people.
We need people like you and your wife pointing out the bad cars and engines out there thank you!!! Keep up the great work
I have a feeling that the list of bad vehicles, engines, transmissions and such will grow by leaps and bounds over the next few years.
I would even predict that some existing auto makers that exist now will not exist 10 years from now.
Thanks for posting this and the tough reality talk. I have a 2006 Mazda 5 with 190,000 miles on it and it has just gotten to the point where every month it is something new. From the door lock breaking, gas cap release breaking, CV joints needing replacing, leaking, and more for a car worth $250-500 maybe. Time to cut my losses and get rid of his thing!
I wouldn’t expect anything to have a different story after 190K miles. Everything you mentioned seems like a predictable failure due to wear and tear.
We had a 2015 F150 with the Coyote V8 we bought for 35k almost new and got HOSED. Ford wouldn't cover anything and there were so many recalls. New computer, major transmission work, replacement of HVAC system, brake recalls. They wanted nearly twenty grand at the dealer. We ended up trading it for an $8500 Charger, elsewhere which was also a POS. We survived the loss, but it cleaned out our savings. NEVER get work done at the dealer. We didn't know a local mechanic at the time.
Car Wizard - Much appreciation for what you do and put out on YT. Several years ago, at least 3 or 4, I followed your advice on some (outrageously $$, but worth it) magic solvent to use in the seat wiring harness connector on a 986 Boxster, to fix an airbag error light. All these years later, still all good. Thanks so much to you and Mrs. Wiz!
Thankfully, GM fixed the 3.6 in 2012 with the LFX. 188k and no engine issues for me!
Picked up an 86 camaro that sat for 20+ years. Swapped the fuel pump, tank, spark plugs, fluids, and battery and it ran. Still runs fine.
Wow, these were truly sad stories. I run into guys like this at cars & coffee all of the time. They put their cars above everything. Blows my mind.
My father owned a business, and my sister does too. When I was in business school, I was asked what business I was going to start. "None" was my response. I like having weekends off.
Thanks for sharing these experiences, Mr. Wizard. Thankfully, I know a mechanic like you who has fixed both of my cars , fair prices for the repairs,etc.
Wish there were more like you and my mechanic in this business, Sir.
I've got a rickety rust bucket miata that I've put 30k miles on each year for half a decade and I'm seriously impressed with the affordability. If I were to try to keep the power windows working I'd be one of these people.
I have a 2000 that I bought on an impulse because I was looking for a cheap daily driver. I was only going to put into it what I needed to keep it running. But what a great, fun car. I love that thing. For the money, I can't imagine a better built car that is as reliable, and cheap to operate and repair.
So, I've put a new top on it, new coilovers, new wheels and tires, and I still think it's worth every penny I have in it.
I completely agree with you. If you don't have much money for a fun car, then a Miata is a great choice.
@@watchman1872 even if you have a lot of money. then it still is the way to go LOL
@@zhila5958
You're right. They're really that good a car. So I think they're worth sinking some money into.
I plan to turbo mine and refresh the engine when I get through and recovered from my current project. If the turbo works out the way I hope it does, then I will probably swap to a 6-speed and change from a 4.30:1 to a 3.60:1 rear end, to give it highway legs. By then, I will have about $10-12K in it, which is far more than I ever imagined when I bought it. That's likely far more than I could sell it for, but for that price, I can't imagine what else you could buy that would have the same level of reliability, performance, road feel, and all around fun factor.
@@watchman1872 what a project! hope everything goes to plan. enjoy my man
Iv got the MGTF mid engined RWD a teeny 1600, sporty and quite rare it squeeks, creaks and leaks.
The parts are available online mainly and most mechanics like working on it and it's currently going through a cooling 'episode'
But the specialists are so full of crap and cliquey.
The cars reliable and a great drive.
Always nice to see a great mechanic that stays grounded
Story #5... woah. You know what Jeep stands for - Just Empty Every Pocket. At least he learned from the experience of the Acadia owner and just cut his losses. Maybe the shop owner could have used it as a parts runner or something until the tags expired.
Nah. Jeeps can be especially if you go offroad but different motors are better than others. My brother in law has had two TJ’s with no issues and a JK maintained is okay. Not without problems but not costly unless you abuse them. Also I look at a Jeep as a wrangler
I tell my customers "I have a financial interest in you having a good vehicle, you keep it longer, I get to fix it for years, you stay happy…when you have a lemon no one’s happy, I’m sick of working on it and you’re sick of spending money on it"