1 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Adults love their cars. 2 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 2: According to twenty twenty one census data, nearly forty two 3 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 2: million households in the US had access to one vehicle, 4 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 2: while forty seven million had access to two vehicles, and 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 2: nearly twenty eight million households claimed to have access to 6 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 2: three or more vehicles. That's a whole lot of cars. 7 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 2: But aside from the actual purchase price of a car, 8 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 2: we're also spending a lot of money maintaining those cars. 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 2: Based on data from the US Department of Transportation Bureau 10 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: of Transportation Statistics Automobile Profile, Americans spent more than two 11 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 2: hundred and twenty eight billion dollars in twenty twenty just 12 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 2: on gas and oil for their cars, and nerd wallet 13 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 2: recommends budgeting about one hundred and twenty seven to one 14 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 2: hundred and seventy four dollars for twelve months of car maintenance. 15 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 2: But what are all these things that add to this 16 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 2: total cost? Are there things that we can do on 17 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 2: our own to keep the cost down? And how often 18 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 2: do I actually need to get my oil change? Start 19 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 2: taking notes? Because this is grown up Stuff. Welcome back 20 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: to another episode of Grown Up Stuff. How Do Adult 21 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 2: The podcast dedicated to helping you learn about the world 22 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 2: of adulting while also teaching you how to check the 23 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 2: oil in your car. I am your car list but 24 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: licensed driver Molly, and I am joined by my wonderful 25 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 2: co host, the Weekend Motorcyclist, Matt Stillo. On this episode 26 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 2: of the podcast, we're driving with our hands at ten 27 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 2: and two as we learn all about how to properly 28 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 2: care for and maintain our cars. Matt, you look wind swept. 29 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 2: Were you out working on the old motorcycle? 30 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:51,639 Speaker 3: Not today? 31 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 4: No, yesterday, I did take it to the DMV and 32 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 4: Coney Island, which was a chilly ride as we get 33 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 4: here into late November in New York City. But yeah, 34 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 4: not today. This is just how the hair looks when 35 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 4: I'm out of get out of bed. 36 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: Ah, it's beautiful, it's beautiful. 37 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 2: But I do actually feel like you do a lot 38 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 2: of work on your bike yourself to keep it like 39 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 2: in proper working order. What are some of the things 40 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 2: that you well, I think listen, I hear you. You're like, oh, 41 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 2: I had to work on the bike this week. I 42 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 2: was just like tinkering on the bike this weekend. You're 43 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 2: doing things, But what are some of the things that 44 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 2: you're doing yourself to maintain it. And also do you 45 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: know how to check the oil in a motorized vehicle? 46 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 4: I do, but that is low hanging fruit when it 47 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 4: comes to vehicle, it absolutely is. There's so many things 48 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 4: that I do not know how to do, but the 49 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 4: things that I do know how to do include like 50 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 4: bare minimum, like I know how to patch a tire, 51 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 4: like it's something that's that motorcycles that are especially susceptible 52 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 4: to is like getting a nail. Checking the oil is 53 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 4: not as big of a deal as it seems. The 54 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 4: color is really important, so you want it to be 55 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 4: like kind of like shiny and sort of like a 56 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 4: clear like if it's if it becomes cloudy translucent translucent, Yes, 57 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 4: if it becomes a cloudy darker, that can be one 58 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 4: indicator that you might need to change it soon. And 59 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 4: also like the biggest thing really is like if you 60 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 4: have a car, no matter what it is, like there's 61 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 4: a manual that tells you, like, oh, at thirty thousand miles, 62 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 4: rotate your tires or so as long as you're like 63 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 4: paying attention to those milestones and you're keeping trying, Like 64 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 4: I have a little like journal that tells me, like 65 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 4: I took it to the shop. I did this, I 66 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 4: changed the tires and so because I forget everything and 67 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 4: you know this, So it's good to have a little 68 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 4: like reference to the look back and be like when 69 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 4: was the last time that I did that? And how 70 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 4: many and all like kee, like I changed the tires 71 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 4: of this odometer so that, like you know, I can 72 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 4: see how many miles I have had the tires or 73 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 4: that had the chain. 74 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 3: Fixed or or whatever. But I do. Yeah, I take 75 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 3: it too. I have a guy, so yeah, you gotta 76 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 3: have a guy. Yeah. 77 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 4: Guy, If you have a car, do you have like 78 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 4: any like experience with maintaining cars? 79 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 3: I don't think. I don't think so, right, you don't 80 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 3: have a car. 81 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: I mean I had a car when I lived in Chicago. 82 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 2: I think I figured out once how to add more 83 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 2: wash or fluid, which is important. Yeah it's a bare minimum, Yeah, 84 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: but I figured that out. I also love to clean 85 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: my car, like vacuuming it out. It feels like you're 86 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 2: getting a brand new car each time. 87 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 3: Oh absolutely, and that's huge. 88 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 4: Like I even notice a big difference when I like 89 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 4: wash the bike that I just run smoother, Like the 90 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 4: gears aren't necessarily grinding together or anything like that, and 91 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 4: that can be a huge part of maintenance. 92 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 3: People off and overlook. 93 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 2: Well, I am so glad that we are talking about 94 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: this right now because we've asked Jamie Paige Deton to 95 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 2: return for a third time and to share all of 96 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 2: her infinite car maintenance wisdom with. 97 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 4: Us, the triple crown of being a grown up. If 98 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 4: anyone deserves it, it's Jamie. 99 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 5: I'm Jamie Paige Deeton, and I'm the editor in chief 100 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 5: of Car Talk. I've been helping people buy and maintain 101 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 5: their cars for almost fifteen years now. 102 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 4: And as you may recall, Jamie also served as the 103 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 4: executive editor for the US News and World Reports Best 104 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 4: Cars Team and as a member of the jury for 105 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 4: the North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year Award. 106 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:57,559 Speaker 1: Jamie, thank you so much for being here. 107 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,119 Speaker 2: So let's start with the very very basics here, because 108 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 2: that's what I'm all about. Why should we even care 109 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 2: about car maintenance? 110 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 6: Well, because your car is like your teeth. 111 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 5: If you don't go to the dentist and you don't 112 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 5: frush them, they're going to fall out of your head 113 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 5: and you're going to have a much bigger bill in 114 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 5: the end. And it is exactly the same with car maintenance. 115 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 5: Like if you aren't taking care of your car, it 116 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 5: is going to come back and bite you in the 117 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 5: end because when something goes wrong, and it will go wrong, 118 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 5: if you're not maintaining it, it's going to be that 119 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 5: much more expensive. 120 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 6: So even though it's like. 121 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 5: I don't want to spend you know, thirty or forty 122 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 5: dollars on an oil change, that's better than spending four 123 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 5: thousand dollars on a new engine that does not include labor, 124 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 5: that does not include towing it. And so it's just 125 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 5: you got to take care of your car, especially, I 126 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 5: mean people will try and stretch out oil changes, but 127 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 5: oil is the most important part of your car because 128 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 5: I mean it's a lubricant. Your car has so many 129 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 5: moving points that you really, really really need to keep 130 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 5: them lubricated. Otherwise what happens is everything just seizes up, 131 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,280 Speaker 5: you know, worse than your uncle's back and you get 132 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 5: left on the side of the road. 133 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 4: So we're talking about like lubrication and oil and engines. 134 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,559 Speaker 4: What about it's something like as simple as like washing 135 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 4: your car. Could you consider like washing your car could 136 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 4: be a clean a form of maintenance. 137 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 5: I consider it maintenance because I like to take care 138 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 5: of my paint and I like my car will look 139 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 5: nice where it really comes into and like bleeds over into. Definitely, 140 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 5: this as maintenance is if you live in an area 141 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 5: where they put salt or they treat the roads or 142 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 5: it snows at all, what they're treating the roads with 143 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 5: is super corrosive. And so running your car, you know, 144 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 5: through a car wash sometimes in the winter, not to 145 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 5: get it clean so that it looks good, but to 146 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 5: get the underside and make sure you spring for the 147 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 5: undercarriage wash that'll get all that corrosive material off the 148 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 5: bottom of your car. But I mean when it comes 149 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:47,799 Speaker 5: back to just washing it and waxing it for paint, 150 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 5: it will help your paint, you know, lasts a little 151 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,359 Speaker 5: bit longer where you really do kind of want to 152 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 5: wash it and be proactive about it. And apologies for 153 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 5: this being graphic. Is but like you know, when a 154 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 5: bird poops on it or when leaves stick to it, 155 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 5: because is that if you don't wash it off right away, 156 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 5: it could literally stain the paint, and so you just 157 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 5: don't want to deal with it. But overall, if you 158 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 5: don't mind having a dirty car, just keep the undercarriage clean. 159 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: For the winter months. 160 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 2: Many experts recommend that you wash your car somewhere between every. 161 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: Two weeks to once a month. 162 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 2: The Roadside Assistance Program Triple A also encourages drivers to 163 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 2: wash their car after a big snowstorm or at other 164 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: times when exposure to salts or other corrosive materials is higher. 165 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 2: If you are someone who prefers to wash your car 166 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 2: yourself rather than take it to a car wash service, 167 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 2: Triple A suggests making sure you try to wash it 168 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 2: on a milder day if possible, and to warm the 169 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 2: car up prior to washing it. These things can help 170 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: you avoid freezing your car door shut. They also caution 171 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 2: against using hot water over warm water, as the hot 172 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,559 Speaker 2: water on cold glass can cause your windshield to crack. 173 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 2: Aside from the regular car wash, emissions checks are another 174 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 2: important part of maintenance that most states require by law 175 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 2: in order to update your registration. Since most cars today 176 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 2: already emit sixty to eighty percent less air pollution than 177 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 2: earlier cars, a failed emissions check could also imply there 178 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 2: may be something wrong with your car. 179 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 4: So based on the state that you live in, you 180 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 4: could have like regularly scheduled like inspection requirements or emissions checks. 181 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 4: Can we consider that maintenance? 182 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 5: You can consider it maintenance, but just keep in mind 183 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 5: they're not going to fix anything. They're just going to 184 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 5: tell you that something is wrong, and so then you 185 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 5: have to take the next step and actually get it fixed. Now, 186 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 5: what you do need to do and be a little 187 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 5: bit careful of, is you know, if you take it 188 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 5: to a mechanic for you know, state inspection, they have 189 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 5: a little bit of an incentive to be like, ooh, 190 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 5: you can't pass unless you get this taken care of, 191 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 5: and that's a little bit of a way that they 192 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 5: can get some extra money out of you. So when 193 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 5: you're in a situation like that, there are a couple 194 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 5: of things you can do. One is know your owner's 195 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,199 Speaker 5: manual backwards and forwards, because if they're saying like, oh, 196 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 5: I can't pass you because you know your brake pads 197 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 5: are too thin, look at the recommended replacement intervals for 198 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 5: your brake pads, and if it's not near the interval, 199 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:17,319 Speaker 5: you can be like, I'm going to go and take 200 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 5: it to the dealer and see what's going on there 201 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 5: and see if maybe there's a recall or something like that. 202 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 5: You'll still have to go get your car inspected, and 203 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 5: maybe you do need your brake pads replaced, but at 204 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 5: least you'll know for sure that it wasn't somebody just 205 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 5: trying to kind of, you know, get an extra couple 206 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 5: hundred bucks out of you. But I will say, like, 207 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 5: I've lived in states where they don't have safety inspections, 208 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 5: and you see some really messed up cars on the road. 209 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:42,079 Speaker 5: So even if you live in a state where a 210 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 5: yearly safety inspection isn't required, still take your car to 211 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 5: a mechanic once a year and be like, hey, can 212 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 5: you just like inspect everything just to make sure that 213 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 5: the brakes will work when I press on them, and 214 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 5: like the car will turn when I move the wheel, 215 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 5: things like that. 216 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: Those inspections are separate from like the emissions check, right. 217 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, emissions check can vary not only by state but 218 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 5: by county, and emissions they're not really a safety thing, 219 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 5: but you know, we all live on the planet and 220 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 5: we'd like to keep it relatively clean, and so basically 221 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 5: it's checking to make sure that your car isn't polluting 222 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 5: too much. And if you have a car, a lot 223 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 5: of states do this where if your car is over 224 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 5: a certain age, it's exempt from the emissions testing. But 225 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 5: what the emissions testing can do is it can really 226 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 5: show up that something is wrong with the emission systems. 227 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 5: And so like the most common cause of like a 228 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 5: check engine light is something going on with the emission system, 229 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 5: and so getting that inspected if it's failing, that can 230 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 5: be your first clue that maybe it's time to have 231 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 5: it looked at and maybe get fixed. 232 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 3: Got it. 233 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:41,959 Speaker 2: What do you think is the amount that we should 234 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 2: really set aside or budget for our annual car maintenance. 235 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 5: That's a really good question, and I hate to give 236 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 5: the answer of it depends, but it totally depends. Fair 237 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 5: So it depends on how expensive is your car. Is 238 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 5: it like a specialized brand? You know, if you drive 239 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 5: a BMW, expect to pay more in maintenance than somebody who. 240 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 6: Drives like that's just a fact. The other thing to 241 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 6: think about is how old your car is. 242 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 5: Older cars do need to stay on top of them 243 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 5: because things can break and start to go downhill quickly. 244 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 5: Your belts could dry out and snap and things like that. 245 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 5: So it's just one of those things where it's like 246 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 5: just kind of keep in mind the cost of labor 247 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 5: and parts for your car, as well as how old 248 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,319 Speaker 5: it is, how many miles are on it. And then 249 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 5: the other thing I would add too is where you 250 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 5: live and how you drive it. So if you live 251 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 5: in the middle of nowhere on like beautiful smooth roads, 252 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 5: I'm going to say you live in like Sonoma, Leah, 253 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 5: you probably have less car maintenance to worry about than 254 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 5: somebody who lives in Detroit. Because Detroit has snow, they 255 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 5: have terrible roads that are going to be hitting a 256 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 5: lot of potholes and things like that. And so you 257 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 5: should budget more for maintenance if you live in an 258 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 5: area or you're driving in a lot of traffic all 259 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 5: the time, just because your car is going to get 260 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 5: more wear and tear if there's you know, major potholes 261 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 5: on the road and you know, lots of stopping and starting. 262 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 5: But in terms of like what actually to budget, I 263 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 5: mean I kind of budget it, and this is weird. 264 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,079 Speaker 5: I budget for car maintenance alongside the budget that I 265 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 5: do for my pets at the vet. Oh okay, so 266 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 5: like roughly, I mean we'll budget like roughly five hundred 267 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 5: bucks a year for car maintenance. 268 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 6: Now, the thing to remember. 269 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 5: Is though, like we actually budget it out, so at 270 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 5: the end of the year, if we haven't spent five 271 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 5: hundred bucks, we don't go out and blow it on something. 272 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 5: We roll it over to next year because those expenses 273 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 5: are only going to increase. 274 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 2: So now this is really interesting. You mentioned having its 275 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 2: parallel with what you budget for your pets, and I 276 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 2: was going to say, you know, pet insurance also kind 277 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 2: of is something that people use to help take care 278 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 2: of that cost for their monthly or their annual vet 279 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 2: bill for their pets. Now does car insurance work it 280 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,679 Speaker 2: all the same way? Does car insurance ever cover any 281 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 2: of our repairs? 282 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 5: That doesn't cover any repairs that come from normal wear 283 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 5: and tear. If you drive into a wall, yeah, car 284 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 5: insurance is going to help you out, provided you have 285 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 5: the right coverage. The closest thing to health insurance for 286 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 5: your car is extended warranty. The way that those work 287 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 5: is it's basically an insurance policy where you know, like 288 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,440 Speaker 5: any other kind of insurance, you're betting against the company 289 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 5: and they're betting against you. So they're betting that you know, 290 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 5: they're going to pay out less in maintenance than you 291 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 5: pay in your premiums, and then you're saying, I'm going 292 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 5: to put these premiums away, and then when they have 293 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 5: a really big bill, it's going to be more than 294 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 5: the cost of these premiums. The thing remember, though, is 295 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 5: these extended warranty companies, it's really really interesting. They grab 296 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 5: a massive amount of data on repairs based on year, make, 297 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 5: model mileage. They basically have like actuarial tables for cars, 298 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,559 Speaker 5: just like a health insurance company would, and so they 299 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 5: know exactly what's likely to go wrong with your car, 300 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 5: and they've got a little bit more information than you 301 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 5: do when you're making that bet. So if you just 302 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 5: don't want to worry about it, then absolutely go ahead, 303 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 5: get a new car with a really good warranty. Go 304 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 5: and get an extended warranty for your car. But just overall, 305 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 5: if you can just budget and have like a standalone 306 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 5: car account, a couple of things you know work in 307 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 5: your favorite One, you'll have money when repairs need to 308 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 5: be made. And then two, when it's time to replace 309 00:13:58,120 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 5: your car if you haven't spent all the money on repair, 310 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 5: putting in your down payment, and you'll have a ton 311 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 5: of money like already saved up for that. 312 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,080 Speaker 4: When you hear about like extended warranties, and of course 313 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 4: we think about the robo calls that we get, but 314 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 4: are there any like scams that we need to be 315 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,439 Speaker 4: aware of when dealing with extended warranties. 316 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 5: Where we see issues with people and extended warranties is 317 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 5: they don't read the warranty carefully enough and then something 318 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 5: goes wrong and it's not covered. So it's not just 319 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 5: that you have to get an extended warranty. You have 320 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 5: to get an extended warranty that covers what is going 321 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 5: to actually go. 322 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 6: Wrong with your car. 323 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 5: The other thing that people do is they don't read 324 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 5: and see that like they might have a really high 325 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 5: deductible on these extended warranties, and so that's I don't 326 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 5: want to say scammy, but that's just where people kind 327 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 5: of make mistakes because extended warranties, like anything else, it's capitalism. 328 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 6: They're there to make. 329 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 5: A problem, right, So you've got to look at them 330 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 5: a little bit, you know, give them a little bit 331 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 5: of side eye and make sure that you're looking out 332 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 5: for yourself because they're definitely not. 333 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 4: It's true, it's like most things in life, you have 334 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 4: to read the fine print and really acknowledge is the 335 00:14:58,000 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 4: reward that you get. And I want to get back 336 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 4: to you said we should read the manuals, and I 337 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 4: know a lot of people are going to be upset 338 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 4: that they have to read something. 339 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 6: Curious for your. 340 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 4: But I kind of want to get more general, you know, 341 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 4: like when and how often would you recommend you know, 342 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 4: outside of reading our manual and finding those milestones, would 343 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 4: you recommend that we get maintenance done? 344 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 6: Well, I mean just the basic stuff. 345 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 5: So I would say, you know, the general rule of 346 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 5: thumb for oil changes, you know, three thousand miles or 347 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 5: three months. Now there are new synthetic oil mixes on 348 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 5: the market, so you can push that to like five 349 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 5: months and five thousand miles. Dealers, by the way, hate 350 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 5: those because because like they make a lot of money 351 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 5: from oil changes. Now, I know you don't want to 352 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 5: read your manual, but if your car is under any 353 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 5: sort of warranty, you need to follow the maintenance schedule 354 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 5: that's in there, otherwise you might void it. Right, So 355 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 5: let's say you don't ever get your oil change and 356 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 5: your engenecies is up and you're like, haha, it's still 357 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 5: under warranty. They're going to be like, show us receipts, 358 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 5: show us that you got the oil change and you 359 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 5: did it at regular intervals. Beyond just kind of the 360 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 5: oil changes, the maintenance that you should really never ever, 361 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 5: ever ever ever skip on is your tires. Different types 362 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 5: of tires have different longevities, but between thirty and forty 363 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 5: thousand miles on a set of tires is what you 364 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 5: should expect to get out of them. And there's a 365 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 5: little test that you can do to see if you 366 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 5: need new tires. You take a penny and you shove 367 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 5: it in the tread with abe'shead upside down, and if 368 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 5: you start to see abe'shead, you need to get new tires. 369 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 5: And the other thing with tires is do not ever, ever, 370 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 5: ever ever buy used tires because you do not know 371 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 5: how those tires have been maintained, and you are just 372 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 5: setting yourself up for a major headache and possibly you know, 373 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 5: killing yourself and other people on the road. So stay 374 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 5: on tops of these issues and make sure that you 375 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 5: are at least reading the terms of your warranty so 376 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 5: you don't end up voiding that by not doing the 377 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 5: basic maintenance that you need to do. 378 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: So I'm super curious we're talking about tires. 379 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 2: Rotating your tires, is that also a required maintenance and 380 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 2: what is the purpose of it? 381 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 5: So, the purpose of it is to keep the wear 382 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 5: on your tires even because if your tires are like 383 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 5: even just different heights, like even if the heights aren't 384 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 5: off by all that much, and you're never gonna be 385 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 5: able to perceive how off your tires are unless like 386 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 5: you routinely transport like a cow in your passenger seat, 387 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,199 Speaker 5: and you know, you'll see the springs going down and 388 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 5: you'll see the tires have different wears. But it keeps 389 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:31,639 Speaker 5: your tires wearing evenly, and you want your tires to 390 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:35,360 Speaker 5: wear evenly because that impacts how your car is going 391 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 5: to handle and how it's balanced. So you really do 392 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 5: want to rotate your tires. Usually it's based on you know, 393 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 5: manufacturer recommendation about once a year every ten thousand miles 394 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 5: or so is a good basic interval to follow with it. 395 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 5: One other thing about tires is if you have an 396 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 5: all wheel drive car, anytime you're buying tires, even if 397 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,439 Speaker 5: you just had one flat, you got to buy four tires. 398 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 5: Wait what, yeah, come again, If you have an all 399 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,640 Speaker 5: wheel drive car, you need to buy all your tires 400 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 5: at the same time so that the wear will be even. 401 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 5: And if you have a two wheel drive car, so 402 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,120 Speaker 5: either front wheel drive or rear wheel drive, you need 403 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,880 Speaker 5: to buy tires in pairs. So let's say you get 404 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 5: your back passenger side tire blows out. Congratulations, You've got 405 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 5: to get a new tire on the other side as well. 406 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 5: So tires that are on the same axle need to 407 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 5: be replaced together. And when you've got all wheel drive, congratulations, 408 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 5: you're buying four tires at a. 409 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 2: Pop replacing every tire. Okay, okay, So clearly car maintenance 410 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 2: can be a pricey thing. Even replacing the tire pressure 411 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 2: monitoring sensors can cost between three hundred and thirteen to 412 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 2: three hundred and sixty eight dollars based on data from 413 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 2: Kelly Blue Book. They also estimate that the average cost 414 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 2: to repair a car can set an owner back five 415 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 2: hundred and forty eight dollars. 416 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: That's a lot of money. 417 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 2: So how can we keep the cost of maintenance and 418 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 2: repairs to a minimum? I mean, I know how to 419 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 2: check the oil in a car, but what else makes 420 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 2: sense for us to do on our own And what's 421 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 2: better left to the professionals. 422 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,959 Speaker 4: So as we've been talking about maintenance, I'm sure our 423 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 4: audience is like, cool. So every so often I've got 424 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 4: to take my car to a place and someone else 425 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 4: is going. 426 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 3: To do the work. Is it possible for the average 427 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 3: person to maintain their car themselves. 428 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:36,400 Speaker 5: Yeah. Absolutely, Now you might not want to maintain it yourself, 429 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 5: just because in a lot of areas there's a huge 430 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 5: fee for the disposal of oil. So if you're thinking 431 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 5: I'm going to do my oil changes myself, like, don't 432 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:46,920 Speaker 5: just dump the oil on the ground, you terrible polluter. 433 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 5: But know that, like sometimes the fee for disposing of 434 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 5: the oil is more than the cost of getting somebody 435 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 5: else to do the oil change for you, So check 436 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,919 Speaker 5: that out before you're like, I'm gonna do that. But 437 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 5: there are things that you can do on your own, 438 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 5: Like you can go and you can check the fluid 439 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 5: levels on your own and replace fluids. You just need 440 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 5: to look at the level, get a funnel, go down 441 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 5: to you know, an autopart store, buy whatever fluid it. 442 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 6: Is you need. 443 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 5: Maybe it's ant to freeze whatever it is. That's not 444 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 5: that hard. It's also really easy to change your windshield 445 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,959 Speaker 5: wipers yourself. You know, what you can do depending on 446 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 5: two things. One is how old your car is. Today's 447 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 5: cars are very computerized, so it's not like it used 448 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 5: to be where you could just wrench on it, you know, 449 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 5: in your driveway and everything was very mechanical and analog. 450 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 5: That just doesn't exist anymore, and it hasn't for about, 451 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 5: you know, fifteen, almost twenty years. But you can still, 452 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 5: you know, hop on YouTube and learn how to replace 453 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,360 Speaker 5: your brake pads. You can learn all this stuff. It's 454 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 5: not that that hard, but just know that. Let's say, 455 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 5: you know, you fail your emissions inspection. That's computer controlled. 456 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 5: You're not fixing that on your own. If you haven't 457 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 5: changed your oil and your enginecy's is up, you're not 458 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 5: fixing that on your own. 459 00:20:57,359 --> 00:20:59,640 Speaker 2: So one of the biggest things that we see frequently 460 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 2: is like the check engine light. What does the check 461 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 2: engine light mean? And can I drive a little further 462 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,360 Speaker 2: on it or will the car implode immediately as soon 463 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 2: as it goes on. 464 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 5: It's just something is wrong in your emissions is basically 465 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 5: what check engine means. Something is wrong kind of in 466 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 5: the system between where the engine is working and. 467 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 6: The output of the car. 468 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 5: Basically, most of the time, the most common cause of 469 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 5: a check engine light is you did not tighten your 470 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 5: gas cap enough. So like what I would do in 471 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 5: that case is, yeah, finish your drive and then when 472 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 5: you stop, check that your gas tank is tightened, and 473 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 5: then the next couple of times that you start and 474 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 5: stop your car, that should clear the code if that 475 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 5: was indeed the issue. If it doesn't work well, then 476 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 5: you need to take your car in. But you can 477 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 5: finish you know, your driver, or you can let it 478 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 5: wait until the weekend or two weeks out until you 479 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 5: get you know, an appointment with a mechanic or something 480 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 5: like that, but you do want to have it looked at. 481 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 6: Now. There is kind of a secret. 482 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: Hack play it on me. 483 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 5: And this is not the hack of putting a piece 484 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 5: of electrical tape over the check engine lights so it doesn't. 485 00:21:58,640 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 6: I can't see it. 486 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 3: It's not that side out of mind. 487 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 6: But basically you can buy a code reader. 488 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 5: And so a code reader is this tool that you're 489 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 5: a mechanic is going to plug in to your car 490 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 5: to see exactly what's wrong in causing the check engine light. 491 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 5: So you can buy these. They're not expensive, they're less 492 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 5: than fifty bucks. Just go to like AutoZone and get one, 493 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 5: and trust me, like everybody who works in an autopart store, 494 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,479 Speaker 5: they are so nice. They will happily come out and 495 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 5: show you how to plug it in. In a lot 496 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 5: of cases, autopart stores will run the code for you 497 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 5: so you can just see what's wrong, and so you 498 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 5: don't even need to buy the code reader. But what 499 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 5: I absolutely love about the code reader is you can 500 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 5: see a little code will pop up. You just need 501 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 5: to look up the code. I mean, there'll be some 502 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 5: googling and stuff, and you know you'll have to find 503 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 5: out exactly what the code means. But you can look 504 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:46,879 Speaker 5: at it and be like, no, okay, well that's not 505 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,719 Speaker 5: that bad. I'm you know, maybe it's just a blown sensor. 506 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 5: Other times you're going to. 507 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 6: Be like, we should get that fixed right away. 508 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: That seems like a really great tool, before taking it 509 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: to a mechanic to make sure that they're not telling 510 00:22:58,640 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 1: you it's something else. 511 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 5: Yeah. Now, I will say they likely have a better 512 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 5: code reader than you do. Okay, so just because it's 513 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:07,679 Speaker 5: not showing up on yours, there might be other issues 514 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 5: going on, but it does help you kind of take 515 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 5: what they say, like with a grain of salt. So 516 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 5: like if they're coming out and saying you need ABC 517 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,680 Speaker 5: and your code reader is only showing D, I would 518 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 5: ask them why you say, I've got this code reader, 519 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 5: it showed this. Why isn't it showing up on yours? 520 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 5: Why is your showing totally different things? And you know, 521 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 5: a good mechanic will be totally fine with explaining that 522 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 5: to you. Okay, somebody who's shady might get a little 523 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 5: bit like defensive or mad at you, and then you're like, 524 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 5: all right, no, I'll go someplace else. 525 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 4: Mollie and I have found out that my new favorite 526 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 4: word to say in relation to the show is prudent. 527 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 3: And so my. 528 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:45,239 Speaker 4: Next question is is it prudent to comparison shop when 529 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 4: we're trying to find a mechanic? 530 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 6: Yes? Absolutely. 531 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 5: I mean, if your car is still under warranty, take 532 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:53,880 Speaker 5: it to the dealership. It's free, you know, and you'll 533 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 5: know that they'll be doing the work that honors the warranty, 534 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 5: and you'll have really good receipts and a service record 535 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,919 Speaker 5: that will be easily accessed if you ever need to 536 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 5: make a warranty claim, Like even if you throw out 537 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 5: the paperwork. The dealer is still going to have it, 538 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 5: but once you're kind of out of warranty, it's. 539 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 6: A little bit of the wild wild West. 540 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 5: But that's kind of good because you do have to 541 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 5: shop around a little bit. You can go I mean, 542 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 5: there's websites. One of the ones I like is car 543 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 5: md dot com. There's also repair Pal. You know, you 544 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 5: can plug in your ear, make model and what you 545 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,400 Speaker 5: think is wrong, and they will recommend, you know, mechanic 546 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 5: shops in the area, and they also can track prices 547 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 5: for the work that you need to have done. But 548 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 5: just you know, spending a little bit of time on 549 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 5: the phone and calling around. If it can save you 550 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 5: a couple hundred bucks, then absolutely go for it. 551 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 2: Now, can you just drop in and say, hey, I 552 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 2: need my car fix. I'm going to leave it here, 553 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,400 Speaker 2: or do you need to make an appointment with a mechanic. 554 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 5: You usually need to make an appointment with a mechanic. 555 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,880 Speaker 5: Most mechanics, especially kind of the larger shops, will have 556 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 5: a service writer, and the service writer is the person 557 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:53,439 Speaker 5: that you deal with you go in. They're the person 558 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 5: where you you know, might make the funny noise that 559 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 5: your car is making, but pro tip if your car 560 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 5: is making a funny noise or doing something fun, take 561 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 5: a video of it because sometimes they'll be able. 562 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 6: To diagnose it, you know, from a video. 563 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,440 Speaker 5: But when you're working with the service writer, what they're 564 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:08,120 Speaker 5: going to do is they're going to give you an 565 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 5: estimated bill ahead of time, and you know that bill 566 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 5: can change because they might find something that they weren't anticipating, 567 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 5: you know, when they open things up, the initial diagnosis 568 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,480 Speaker 5: could have been incorrect. But a reputable shop and most 569 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 5: states have laws about this is they can't go beyond 570 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 5: what you initially agreed to without getting your permission. 571 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 3: You had mentioned a service record, and so I'm curious 572 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 3: what exactly is that and why might it be important 573 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 3: to keep one. 574 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,959 Speaker 5: So your service record is basically your car's like health record, 575 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 5: and like when a car is new and getting most 576 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 5: of its maintenance done under warranty at the dealership, the 577 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 5: dealer is going to keep a running file on that 578 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 5: car based on the VIN, which is the vehicle identification number. 579 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 5: And the reason that they're going to do that is 580 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:55,959 Speaker 5: they're sharing that information with the manufacturer so the manufacturer 581 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,439 Speaker 5: can figure out, like, ooh, we really messed up that engine, 582 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 5: it breaks a lot. We should change like that helps 583 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,879 Speaker 5: them build, you know, better cars. Once you kind of 584 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 5: move out of the dealer ecosystem, it's a little bit 585 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 5: on you to maintain your car service record, and so 586 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 5: you can do the super high tech method that I do, 587 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 5: which is, anytime I get my car fixed, I just 588 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 5: shove the bill in my glove car and then like, 589 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 5: I've always got it if something goes wrong, because the 590 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,199 Speaker 5: bill will lay out exactly what was done. And so 591 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 5: if you're like, man, I thought I just had this done, 592 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 5: you can go back and pull it out and see 593 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 5: what the data of it is, and you'll have a 594 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 5: full record of your car's history, and when it comes time, 595 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 5: you know, to sell the car, you'll be able to say, like, hey, 596 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 5: look I took care of this, pay me more for it. 597 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:40,639 Speaker 5: And at the same time, you know, you'll also be 598 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 5: able to make better warranty claims if you've been maintaining 599 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 5: your car appropriately. 600 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 2: We'll be right back with more grown up stuff how 601 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 2: to adult. After a quick break. 602 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: And we're back with more grown up stuff how to adults. 603 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 2: We've talked about oil changes and how important those are 604 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 2: and the quality or type of oil you're putting in 605 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 2: your car can be just as important as how often 606 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 2: you're changing it. But can the same be said for 607 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 2: the type of gas we put. 608 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: In our cars? 609 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 2: Now, I'm a regular fuel kind of human, and most 610 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 2: of the cars that I've driven haven't required more than 611 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 2: that basic level. But every once in a while I'll 612 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 2: find myself borrowing a car and the owner. 613 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 1: Will tell me it takes premium. But here's my question, 614 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:38,880 Speaker 1: does it really need premium? 615 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 2: With national gas prices at roughly three dollars and twenty 616 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:45,160 Speaker 2: four cents a gallon according to tripa, a who wants 617 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 2: to spend extra on something that's going to do the 618 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,920 Speaker 2: same thing? So I have to ask, can we potentially 619 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 2: fuel up with any type of gasoline? 620 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 5: So first the basic thing is there's gas, and then 621 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 5: there's diesel. Use diesel if you have a diesel engine, 622 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 5: use gas. If you have a gas engine, you'll know, 623 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 5: like it'll be all over your car, like the kind 624 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:10,440 Speaker 5: of gas to use. And so when you're looking at 625 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 5: like gas, you know there's usually like the cheap stuff, 626 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 5: the mid grade, the super premium stuff. Right, there's a 627 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:17,879 Speaker 5: key word that you need to look at either in 628 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 5: your owner's manual, or when you open the gas flap, 629 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 5: there's a sticker on a little door right, and it'll 630 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 5: say either ninety three octane recommend it or ninety three 631 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 5: octane required. 632 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: Oh interesting. 633 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, now this is where it gets a little bit gray. 634 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 5: You can go ahead and use you know, cheaper gas, 635 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 5: just know that, like over time, it might make that 636 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 5: your engine not runs so well. This will only really 637 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 5: be noticeable if you're like a super passionate high end 638 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 5: sports car driver and you're gonna be like, I'm not 639 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 5: quite getting all four hundred horsepower, this only feels like 640 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 5: three seventy five. But if you're just like driving around 641 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 5: in a Toyota Camri, go for the cheap stuff, right, 642 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 5: And then you know, even if you're like me, I 643 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 5: have a Volvo, it says that it wants ninety one octane, 644 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,239 Speaker 5: which I do well, yes all the time, and then 645 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 5: other times I'm like eighty. 646 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 6: Nine is fine for you today. So it's just kind 647 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 6: of like, what do. 648 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 5: You want for your car? Do you really want to 649 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:16,479 Speaker 5: baby it or are you fine with it taking you know, 650 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 5: some knocks. 651 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 6: Now. 652 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 5: The one thing, and this is where it gets a 653 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 5: little bit hinky, is if you're making a warranty claim 654 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 5: and it's said required, and they can prove that you 655 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 5: weren't filling it up with the really good stuff one 656 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 5: hundred percent of the time, then that claim might be denied. 657 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 5: So I'm not recommending that everybody keep every single one 658 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 5: of their gas receipts, but definitely, like, if you're taking 659 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 5: your car in, that tank better be full of ninety 660 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 5: three octane to make sure that you know you don't 661 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 5: get caught. 662 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 2: We mentioned earlier the importance of washing your car if 663 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 2: you live in areas with snow where roads are treated 664 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 2: with things like salt, But winterizing your car is about 665 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 2: more than just a bi weekly undercarriage wash. For some, 666 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 2: it means switching out your all season tires for winter tires. 667 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 2: If you're my dad, it means adding sandbags to the 668 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 2: trunk of your minivan. But what's the best way to 669 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 2: keep our cars healthy through the winter, especially if winter 670 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 2: rising means storing it somewhere? 671 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 4: Every year in New York, I always put my bike 672 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 4: to sleep for the winter. So if we are going 673 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 4: to like put our vehicle into cold storage, what are 674 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 4: some things that we need to think about right. 675 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 3: Before we put it away for a while. 676 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 5: First, I would reconsider it, like if you can leave 677 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 5: it with somebody to just drive like ten miles a week, 678 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 5: that's going to be better for the car, because again, 679 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 5: like there's so. 680 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 6: Many moving parts, the worst thing that. 681 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 5: You can really do for a car is let it 682 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,239 Speaker 5: sit there, and so keeping those parts moving will keep 683 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 5: it lubricated and all that good stuff. But if you 684 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 5: can't do that and you're putting it in storage, a 685 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 5: couple of things. One is you'll want to use some 686 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 5: fuel stabilizer because your gasoline can go bad if it's 687 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 5: sitting in your tank for a long long time. The 688 00:30:57,440 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 5: other thing is you're going to want to hook up 689 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 5: what's known as a battery mine, and it's just basically 690 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 5: a thing that'll keep your battery from dying. And then 691 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 5: the last thing, and this is the thing that a 692 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 5: lot of people skip, is put it up on jacks. 693 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 5: Don't let it sit on its tires because the tires 694 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 5: sitting in the same place all the time, that's going 695 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 5: to create just basically a flat section of that tire, 696 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 5: and those tires aren't going to work quite as well 697 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 5: if they've just been sitting still and have gotten a 698 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 5: plateau from that. So just put it up on jacks. 699 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 2: Now we're talking about storage, what about winter rizing. What 700 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 2: are some of the things we need to do to 701 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 2: winterize our cars, whether we're keeping them in storage or 702 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 2: driving My dad in one of our cars, he would 703 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 2: put sand bags in the back of the car. 704 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 1: Is that a thing. 705 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 5: It's totally a thing, But it doesn't maintain your car. 706 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 5: It just helps you get out of stuck positions. So okay, yeah, 707 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 5: there are a number of things that you can do 708 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 5: to winterize your car. One is, if you live in 709 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 5: an area that gets a lot of snow, get some 710 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 5: winter tires. Because the all season tires that your car 711 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 5: probably came with they're not going to help. 712 00:31:57,200 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 6: You stop in a snowstorm. So get those winter tires. 713 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 5: And you know a lot of people will think, oh, 714 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 5: you know, I live in Boston, I need all wheel drive, 715 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,000 Speaker 5: when really like a front wheel drive car with winter 716 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 5: tires will perform pretty close to an all wheel drive 717 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 5: car in terms of not getting stuck. So that's number one. 718 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 5: Number two, put those emergency supplies in your car, blanket, water, food, 719 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 5: just in case you get stuck in a giant snowbank somewhere. 720 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: Is it overkilled to have a shovel. 721 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 5: It is definitely not overkilled to have a shovel, because 722 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 5: if you get stuck in the snow, you can you know, 723 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 5: dig some of the snow out. But when you're talking 724 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 5: about like your dad putting sandbags in the back, that 725 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,200 Speaker 5: is likely the car that he's had was a rear 726 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 5: wheel drive car. The problem with rear wheel drive cars, 727 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:39,600 Speaker 5: all of the power is going to the wheels in 728 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 5: the back. The problem with that is all of the 729 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 5: weight of the car, like the engine, is in the front, 730 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 5: and so it's really hard to get traction in the snow, 731 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:49,640 Speaker 5: and so you want to put some weight in the 732 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 5: back of your car. The other thing that you can do, 733 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 5: just for winterizing, make sure your windshield wiper fluid is 734 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:58,120 Speaker 5: full up because you're going to be you know, cleaning 735 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 5: your windshield a lot because there's roadspread and things, and 736 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 5: so you might even just want to go at the 737 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 5: start of winter and buy a couple of bottles of 738 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 5: it so you are always have it on hand. The 739 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 5: other thing that you can do, and I've never done this, 740 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 5: but I've heard of it, if you want to add 741 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 5: something to your sandbags, and we know that like in wintertime, 742 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 5: the inside of the car can fog up really easily. Yeah, 743 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:20,640 Speaker 5: just carry an open container of kitty litter, like a 744 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 5: pan of kitty litter, like you have a cat living 745 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 5: in your car, and that will absorb a lot of 746 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 5: the moisture and help keep your. 747 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 6: Windows from fogging up. 748 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 5: What and added benefit you can have extra weight in 749 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 5: the back of your car. 750 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 6: The other thing that I like to use kitty. 751 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 5: Litter for if you do get stuck, spread some around 752 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 5: your tires that have power. So if it's a real 753 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 5: wheel drive car, put kitty litter all around the rear wheels, 754 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:43,120 Speaker 5: it's front wheel drive car, put it all around the 755 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 5: front wheels, not all around. 756 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 6: You don't have to put it behind. 757 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,680 Speaker 5: The wheels, and so it'll give you enough traction to 758 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 5: kind of get out of that, you know, whatever you're 759 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 5: stuck in. 760 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 2: That's great advice. So you're not supposed to be driving 761 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:55,479 Speaker 2: winter tires in any other season. 762 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 5: Why is that, Well, because the barber that they're made 763 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 5: out of is a lot stiffer, and so they're specifically 764 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 5: made for like gripping snow, and when there's no snow 765 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 5: on the ground, they're not doing what they're supposed to 766 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:09,840 Speaker 5: be doing. It's like, you know, cleaning your dishes with 767 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:11,719 Speaker 5: a vacuum cleaner, it's just not going to do as 768 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:13,759 Speaker 5: good a job. Yeah, and also too, like you might 769 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:15,960 Speaker 5: notice this if you have winter tires on your car, 770 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:18,399 Speaker 5: they don't handle all that great. They're there to help 771 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,399 Speaker 5: your car stop in the snow, but for other situations 772 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 5: they're really not that good and not that fun to 773 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 5: drive on. So just make sure that around the last snowstorm, 774 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 5: a little bit after the last snowstorm, just go get 775 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 5: them popped off and put your regular tires back on. 776 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 2: Excellent, Jamie. I know you're also an expert in electric vehicles. 777 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 2: What are some of the things that are different with 778 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 2: electric vehicles that we need to consider in terms of 779 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 2: car maintenance? 780 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 5: Oh my gosh, they have so much less maintenance really, 781 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:50,880 Speaker 5: Oh yes, car dealers hate electric cars. And the reason 782 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 5: for this is where do they make a lot of 783 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:57,360 Speaker 5: their money oil changes. Guess what doesn't have oil? An 784 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:01,240 Speaker 5: electric car? And so like, they have so many feurent 785 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:03,400 Speaker 5: moving parts simply because they don't have an engine. They 786 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,839 Speaker 5: have an electric motor, and so there's a lot less 787 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:08,800 Speaker 5: maintenance involved. You still have to worry about your tires, 788 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 5: You still have to worry about, you know, your brakes. 789 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:14,400 Speaker 5: But electric vehicles are a lot more set and forget 790 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:17,359 Speaker 5: than gas powered vehicles. And that's one of the reasons why, like, 791 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 5: if they fit your lifestyle, highly highly recommend an electric 792 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 5: car because it just saves you money on gas, it 793 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:26,239 Speaker 5: saves you money on maintenance. It's just all around a 794 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:29,280 Speaker 5: better experience. The other thing too, is they are wicked fast, 795 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 5: like faster off the line than most gasoline cars. So 796 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:35,080 Speaker 5: you can be driving like a I hesitate to say 797 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:37,839 Speaker 5: cheap because electric vehicles are still not that cheap. But 798 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 5: you can be driving, you know, an electric Kia and 799 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 5: smoke of BMW off the line. 800 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:43,400 Speaker 6: It's hilarious. 801 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,200 Speaker 3: Wow, didn't I know any of that? That is awesome. 802 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:46,760 Speaker 6: Yeah. 803 00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:49,719 Speaker 3: Also saving the environment in a. 804 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:53,040 Speaker 1: Way, saving the planet, Jamie, this is amazing. 805 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 2: But I want to ask you, is there anything you 806 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:59,439 Speaker 2: think that people should know about car maintenance that they're 807 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 2: often neglecting or forgetting about. 808 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:06,400 Speaker 5: Yes, and that is recalls. It's not exactly maintenance, but 809 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:09,439 Speaker 5: you know sometimes you get like a letter from your 810 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 5: car company and it's like, oh, we have a recall, 811 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:13,120 Speaker 5: like you need to take your car in, and people 812 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:17,480 Speaker 5: don't do it. It's just so crazy that they don't 813 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:20,040 Speaker 5: because I think they don't understand that if your car 814 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:22,360 Speaker 5: is subject to a recall, the repair is free. 815 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:24,280 Speaker 6: You're not going to have to pay for anything. 816 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:26,560 Speaker 5: And then a lot of times too, especially if you 817 00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:28,759 Speaker 5: drive a car where you're not the original owner. And 818 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:30,480 Speaker 5: I mean even if you are the original owner, you 819 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:34,720 Speaker 5: should go to safercar dot gov and enter your car's VIN. 820 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:36,880 Speaker 5: It's going to be kind of under your windshield on 821 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 5: the driver's side. Enter it in, register it there, and 822 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,680 Speaker 5: then whenever there is a recall, the government will email 823 00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:45,000 Speaker 5: you and so you'll be able to go in and 824 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 5: you don't have to wait for Ford to find you. 825 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 5: You'll know about it. Yeah, and you know, recalls, they 826 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:53,360 Speaker 5: can be a little bit scary. Sometimes it's just like 827 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:56,200 Speaker 5: they've put the wrong sticker on the door jam and 828 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 5: that triggers a recall. Other times they're like metal shards 829 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:01,400 Speaker 5: in your air bag and you need to get that 830 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:03,120 Speaker 5: taken care of right away. 831 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,520 Speaker 1: I wish people could see my face right now, because 832 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:06,640 Speaker 1: that's terrifying. 833 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:06,959 Speaker 6: Yeah. 834 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:09,000 Speaker 5: I mean, but the reason that you enter the VIN 835 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 5: is you might hear like, oh, there is a massive 836 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:15,319 Speaker 5: recall on you know, the twenty eighteen Toyota Prius that 837 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:19,080 Speaker 5: recall is likely only for certain cars that came off 838 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:21,680 Speaker 5: like the assembly line at about the same time, so 839 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:23,640 Speaker 5: you can run your vin through there and your car 840 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 5: may not even be subject to it. But always pay 841 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:29,440 Speaker 5: attention to recalls because again, it might be something minor, 842 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 5: like hey, we just got to replace the sticker, but 843 00:37:31,239 --> 00:37:32,959 Speaker 5: it could also be something that kills you and burns 844 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:35,080 Speaker 5: your house down. So better safe than sorry. 845 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:39,720 Speaker 4: No big Cata, big wow, Jamie. This has been amazing. 846 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:42,920 Speaker 4: I've just learned a lot as a novice maintenance person. 847 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 1: Incredible, Jamie. 848 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:48,480 Speaker 2: Where can people find more of your great helpful tips 849 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:52,200 Speaker 2: and insights on car maintenance, on car care and all 850 00:37:52,239 --> 00:37:53,239 Speaker 2: things cars. 851 00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:56,800 Speaker 6: Car talk dot Com right there? Perfect. 852 00:37:56,960 --> 00:38:03,680 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Jamie. 853 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 2: Well, I can promise you this, Registering my car with 854 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:11,319 Speaker 2: the government to know about recalls is going to be 855 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:13,120 Speaker 2: one of the first things I do if I ever 856 00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:16,160 Speaker 2: actually acquire a vehicle of my own. There will be 857 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:19,760 Speaker 2: no spontaneous combustions or glass filled airbags on my watch. 858 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:22,400 Speaker 2: Here's what else I've learned about car care from our 859 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:26,320 Speaker 2: conversation with Jamie. Washing your car can be an important 860 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:29,359 Speaker 2: part of its maintenance, and during the winter, it's going 861 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:33,440 Speaker 2: to be especially important to keep the undercarriage clean. Extended 862 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:36,839 Speaker 2: warranties can be like health insurance for your car. Your 863 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 2: regular auto insurance won't cover general wear and tear repairs, 864 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:46,239 Speaker 2: but an extended warranty might. Remember to review the paperwork carefully, though, 865 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,799 Speaker 2: to make sure it actually makes sense for what you 866 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:52,239 Speaker 2: may need. Ugh, I guess it's super important to read 867 00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:55,440 Speaker 2: your owner's manual for your car or whatever. It's not 868 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 2: the most exciting reading, but it will definitely help you 869 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,360 Speaker 2: take the best care of your car and avoid potentially 870 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:08,719 Speaker 2: overpaying on certain services. Never buy used tires. Purchasing a 871 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:11,600 Speaker 2: code reader can help inform what's going on in your 872 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 2: car when you have a check engine light. If your 873 00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:16,160 Speaker 2: car is making a funny noise or doing something out 874 00:39:16,160 --> 00:39:18,279 Speaker 2: of character, take a video with your phone so that 875 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:20,279 Speaker 2: you can share it with your mechanic ahead of time 876 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:23,759 Speaker 2: to help them better diagnose the problem. It's never a 877 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 2: bad idea to hold on to all of your bills 878 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 2: from your mechanic so that you have a record of 879 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,680 Speaker 2: what you've had fixed and when. This will come in 880 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 2: handy if it's still under warranty, or if you're trying 881 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,400 Speaker 2: to sell it later. It's always a good idea to 882 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:39,440 Speaker 2: have some emergency supplies in your car during the winter months. 883 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:43,400 Speaker 2: Include things like a flashlight, blanket, water snacks, a shovel, 884 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:46,239 Speaker 2: and maybe even some kitty litter to keep things from 885 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:49,640 Speaker 2: fogging up and to help get unstuck in snowy situations. 886 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,040 Speaker 2: And finally, the secret no one wants you to know. 887 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:57,480 Speaker 2: Electric vehicles require far less regular maintenance. That's all for 888 00:39:57,560 --> 00:40:00,920 Speaker 2: today's episode. Thank you again to the very informative and 889 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:05,200 Speaker 2: wonderful Jbie Page Deaton. Sadly, I now have something new 890 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:07,759 Speaker 2: to feed my anxiety with. And I don't even own 891 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:11,799 Speaker 2: a car yet, but forewarned is forearmed, and I do 892 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:14,719 Speaker 2: feel more prepared now for that step of adulthood. 893 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:17,640 Speaker 1: Matt, what's next on grown up stuff? 894 00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:20,520 Speaker 4: Goodness, gracious, are we here already. We'll be back in 895 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 4: two weeks for our season one finale, where we will 896 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:26,320 Speaker 4: teach you how to navigate the grocery store like a 897 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:30,160 Speaker 4: grown up with purpose, how to avoid classic pitfalls, what 898 00:40:30,320 --> 00:40:32,360 Speaker 4: to buy, and how to save money. 899 00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 2: I've got some strategies for this, like I try not 900 00:40:35,239 --> 00:40:37,120 Speaker 2: to go grocery shopping hungry. 901 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:39,160 Speaker 1: It's always a mistake. 902 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:42,840 Speaker 2: But hopefully I can also learn how to leave a 903 00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:46,320 Speaker 2: Trader Joe's during the fall and winter without buying everything 904 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:50,000 Speaker 2: pumpkin apple or peppermint flavored, because I fucking love a 905 00:40:50,040 --> 00:40:52,280 Speaker 2: seasonal item and I just cannot help myself. 906 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:54,719 Speaker 3: Matt, I mean the JoJo's, the dark chocolate shows. Don't 907 00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:55,320 Speaker 3: get me started. 908 00:40:55,440 --> 00:40:56,360 Speaker 1: Don't get me started. 909 00:40:56,520 --> 00:41:00,880 Speaker 3: I have a quick question. That are you saying groceureies grocer? 910 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:03,719 Speaker 1: Yes, I say grocery. How do you say it? 911 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:05,040 Speaker 3: I say gross? Gross? 912 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:07,360 Speaker 4: Okay, Now I don't know gross. I'm going to the 913 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:10,840 Speaker 4: grocery store. Grocery, I think, I say grocery. 914 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:11,759 Speaker 1: Do you say it the same way? 915 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 3: I don't. 916 00:41:12,239 --> 00:41:13,279 Speaker 1: Okay, Well, we'll find out. 917 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:15,560 Speaker 4: The point is, yes, we will find out for sure 918 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:18,640 Speaker 4: in two weeks on the next episode of Grown Up Stuff, 919 00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 4: How to Adult. 920 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:21,719 Speaker 2: And remember you might not be graded in life, but 921 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:23,680 Speaker 2: it never hurts to do your homework. 922 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:26,920 Speaker 4: This is a production from Ruby Studio from My Heart Media. 923 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:29,000 Speaker 4: Our executive producers are Molly. 924 00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 2: Soshia and Matt Stillo. This episode was engineered by Matt Stillo. 925 00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:36,879 Speaker 4: And written by Molly Soosha. This episode was edited by 926 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:37,480 Speaker 4: Sierra Spreen. 927 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:40,760 Speaker 2: We want to thank our teammates at Ruby's Studio, including 928 00:41:40,760 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 2: Ethan Pixel, Rachel Swan, krasnof Amber Smith, Deborah Garrett, and 929 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:46,040 Speaker 2: Andy Kelly.