Inside Miller Auto

WEBVTT
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:07.519
More honest you are with your mechanic, the easier it's gonna be and the cheaper it's gonna be to repair the car.
00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:16.399
I think it's gonna cost more money if they're being you know truthful, and most of the time it's gonna cost them more money if they're not being honest with what's going on with the car.
00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:23.359
If they're if you're able to tell us exactly what's going on, our job isn't to judge, our job is to fix.
00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:25.280
Hello, I'm Brandon Miller.
00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:31.120
The city of AMRO has beautiful parks, active organizations, and thriving businesses.
00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:38.159
In partnership with Future Omro, the AMRO Area Community Center, and product sponsorship by Miller Auto.
00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:40.880
We'd like to welcome you inside OMRO.
00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:41.520
All right.
00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:42.719
Well, good afternoon.
00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:50.000
Uh I'm with Brandon and Austin Miller at Miller Auto, and I get the honor of introducing these two and interviewing them.
00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.200
As I put everyone else in town in the hot seat, now it's your turn.
00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:54.240
Yeah, absolutely.
00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:54.799
Absolutely.
00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:55.679
So let's go.
00:00:55.840 --> 00:00:58.640
Tell me about your your auto business, the two of you.
00:00:58.880 --> 00:00:59.039
Yeah.
00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:00.560
You want to start, Austin?
00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:01.520
Yeah, we do.
00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:04.640
I mean, long story short, we do everything but body work pretty much.
00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:05.280
Yeah.
00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:11.439
Towing, auto repair, electrical, bigger jobs, engine transmissions.
00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:13.439
Pretty much everything but bod.
00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:14.480
That's cool.
00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:14.959
Yeah.
00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:17.920
So we started the business.
00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:19.680
This is our five-year anniversary.
00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.439
Um, July will be five years that we've been open.
00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:30.640
Um I've been in the automotive field since I was basically 18 years old.
00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:32.719
Um, worked on cars before that.
00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:33.760
Same with Austin.
00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:40.640
Austin worked on cars before he actually entered the industry, did some car flipping and so forth.
00:01:40.799 --> 00:02:01.519
And uh yeah, five years ago, well, really six years ago, Austin and I started um kind of a side hustle where we were um buying and selling cars and um flipping them, and um we kind of had the opportunity to acquire this property.
00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:07.920
Well, I I remember like when we were I was talking to you about that, that's how kind of how you got your way through college.
00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:14.000
And you told me that story that you that you were going out and flipping cars to help pay you know your way through college.
00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:20.319
Yeah, that was how that was how I put myself through college with as little help as possible, anyways.
00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:44.000
Um but yeah, it was it was good enough that well, one, I was going to school for mechanical engineering, and then I decided that I don't think that I really want to do this for the rest of my life, and then I was talking with dad about it, and he basically said start a notebook, keep track of what your the actual numbers are, and if it makes sense, then don't go back and five years later now we're here.
00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:45.840
So it made sense then.
00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:50.240
So yeah, his but you guys are you're from you guys are from Watoma area, correct?
00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:50.560
Yep.
00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:52.479
So what made you guys come to Omro?
00:02:52.960 --> 00:03:11.840
When we were you know doing the side hustle, um, I was working for a business in Watoma and I was um general manager there, but I also um drove a four-car hauler and occasionally would haul cars to the to the auction.
00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:18.400
And I was making a delivery in Appleton coming back through Omro when I saw this property was available.
00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:29.360
And you know, it's funny because um I went to high school in Berlin um and this used to be parkplace, and when I was in high school, I used to come through this car lot all the time.
00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:31.120
And so what was it before this then?
00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:32.240
It was a it was a dealership?
00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:38.159
Yeah, it was a dealership, it was parkplace, and it it was parkplace from 1986 until we opened it.
00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:38.719
Wow.
00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:50.240
So um, so yeah, it's kind of uh nostalgic, if you will, that uh we ended up purchasing the property that you know I've been driving through since I was a kid, basically.
00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:51.360
Yeah, that's cool.
00:03:51.599 --> 00:04:13.840
Yeah, so I was driving driving back from the auction, saw the property, the the uh real estate sign in the front, pulled in, um, looked inside, you know, just through the windows and kind of saw the hoist in here and you know, thought about it, called Austin, and uh said, hey, this property is available.
00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:15.520
Let's look at it, you know.
00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:21.519
And um I think it was the next day we got a hold of the realtor while I was driving back to Automa.
00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:26.879
Um I think it was the next day we came and looked at the property, and a month later we were in business.
00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:27.519
Just like that.
00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:28.079
Just like that.
00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:29.920
And I said you guys have expanded too.
00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:38.959
Like you've got the oil loot place up the road by the laundromat, and then you just purchase the old MasterCards, yep, and you do your diagnostic works up there.
00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:40.639
So you guys are like everywhere.
00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:42.800
Yeah, three locations in Omro.
00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:47.199
Um, you know, and it there's challenges to that also.
00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:52.959
I mean, it's it would be nice to have one big shop, you know, everything kind of under one rough.
00:04:53.120 --> 00:05:00.240
Um, but you know, our our sales shop, the one that's um, you know, just east of Omro, um, that's where we started.
00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:01.839
We had two hoists in there.
00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:08.480
We when we started, we didn't do automotive repair for the general public, or at least we didn't advertise it.
00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:20.399
We did do it, but it was it wasn't something that we promoted uh because the shop was so small, we were focused on getting our cars ready for the lot, you know, making sure that they were recon properly and so forth.
00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:27.920
Um, and then we got the opportunity to um acquire the express shop um by the laundromat.
00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:34.639
And um that's really when, and I think that's that was I think we're going on two years that we so September.
00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:43.199
I remember it just seems like yesterday, quite honestly, that you guys were painting the outside and you know doing all your work in there, and now it's been two years.
00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:44.240
Yeah, it's been crazy.
00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:46.000
Yeah, it's been two years, time flies.
00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:52.319
And that's really when we started doing public auto repair, um, because then we had a little bit more space.
00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:59.519
Um and then I November, I guess, will be a year that we bought the MasterCards building.
00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:10.160
Um, and so kind of the way that we structure it is the sales shop is we basically have turned into a detailing shop.
00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:13.120
Um, we also we have one hoist in here.
00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:27.120
Um, we took the other ones out so we have more room for for detailing activities, but we left the one hoist in here because a lot of times customers want to look at the car that they're buying, and we'll put a car up on the rack, let them walk underneath it, see what it looks like.
00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:32.160
Um, so we don't really do any repair work at the sales shop anymore.
00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:47.120
You know, all of your um maintenance uh brakes, tires, you know, your in-and-out stuff is done at the express shop, and then Austin does, you know, the heavy dyag and engine transmission.
00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:50.480
Yeah, it's nice, delightful.
00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:55.920
So it it it's a little bit of bouncing back and forth between the three shops.
00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:02.319
Um we've got them all really well um equipped, you know, as far as tooling and stuff like that goes.
00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:06.079
The sales shop obviously is a little bit light right now compared to what it used to be.
00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:09.279
Um, but again, we don't do much uh repair shop.
00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:15.279
But you know, when we started the business five years ago, we had basically hand tools.
00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:29.279
And we didn't, you know, obviously I we both worked on cars, but you know, we had to buy welders and torches and alignment machine and and all of that stuff.
00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:40.160
And it was uh it worked out really well because you know, starting as just car sales, we would just kind of buy what we needed as we went.
00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:56.480
Um, you know, as we started off with a welder and a torch and you know, the things that you absolutely have to have, but then as far as specialty tools and the diagnostic equipment, as the need presented itself, then we just you know invested in it without man loves you.
00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:57.439
Macroman.
00:07:57.600 --> 00:07:58.560
Macroman loves you.
00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:04.800
Yeah, I think um I haven't looked this year, but I think in the last five years we've spent over a hundred thousand dollars with it.
00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:05.600
Are you kidding?
00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:06.480
Yeah, yeah.
00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:07.279
Yeah.
00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:16.560
But we're very heavy into training, um, you know, technician training, very heavy into the diagnostic aspect.
00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:20.319
There really isn't anything that we can't figure out when it comes to diagnostic.
00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:24.480
Well, you know, and I know how cars have changed, they've evolved over the years, you know.
00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:38.320
My grandpa was an old school mechanic and he was just uh, you know, a center wrenches and he would do his thing, and then he kind of he got phased out over time because he just he was an old man that just wasn't keeping up with new technology.
00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:45.360
Yep, it was kind of sad to watch that happen, but with you, it's just a non-stop learning curve with the new cars nowadays.
00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:51.279
Yeah, we especially you guys are dealing with your electric cars, EVs and so forth.
00:08:52.240 --> 00:09:00.320
Yeah, and we we've really made a name for ourselves in the Tesla um sphere, if you will.
00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:07.120
Um, we've had people come as far as Illinois, um, Iowa for us to work on their on their Teslas.
00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:32.879
So, you know, and uh kind of back to the training aspect, um, we actually close our shop for you know three to four days at least once a year, and we take the whole shop to um last year we went to the ASTA expo um in North Carolina, and we spent you know four days or five days just doing class training you know with our technicians and getting them up to speed.
00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:38.240
And you know, it you have to do training in order to keep up with newer vehicles.
00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:40.159
So yeah, it's understandable.
00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:47.840
So anyway, I was gonna ask you too, like we'll kind of go back to the the beginning because I know you guys kind of have a family-run organization.
00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:57.120
You got Hannah back there as your daughter, son Austin, and then you have your wife who's uh basically the store manager at the Oil Loop place.
00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:02.720
Not quite the store manager, she's more the customer service manager, if you will.
00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:06.559
Um and then we we've got Alan there also, he's the service advisor.
00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:14.799
You know, some sometimes, honestly, it's it's almost like he he is one of my kids, to be honest with you.
00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:15.919
He's a good kid.
00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:17.519
Yes, he really is.
00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:24.639
Um, you know, so we have four staff that are family members and four staff that aren't family members.
00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:26.960
But the whole staff is family.
00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:33.679
I mean, uh our sales manager Brian, um, you know, I've known him for over 20 years.
00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:46.559
Um, he's worked for me at other businesses in the past, and um, you know, I kind of recruited him from uh from a dealer, a franchise dealer, um, like probably three years ago, four years ago.
00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:49.279
So, you know, he's really part of the family.
00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:52.080
Alan has very much become part of the family.
00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:53.200
He's a great kid.
00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.159
Um, Anthony's been with us for over three years.
00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:01.440
Um, you know, he he's our technician, he does a phenomenal job.
00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:08.399
And we just actually we we had my daughter Haley used to work for us driving tow truck.
00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:13.200
Um her and her husband decided that they wanted to move to Wisconsin Rapids.
00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:18.480
So we lost her about six months ago um just because of the move.
00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:24.799
And uh we hired Brennan as our new uh so he's our newest employee, and he's have I met Brennan?
00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:25.919
I don't think he probably have.
00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:27.759
He's in a truck every day on the road.
00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:28.480
Oh, okay.
00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:31.919
And I don't remember seeing a new face, you know, when I come down to your store.
00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:32.639
Yeah.
00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:38.240
Have you gotten over your uh hangover from being the Monday Night Championship bowler?
00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:39.039
Yes.
00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:43.840
Yeah, yeah, that was fun.
00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:44.720
Yeah, it was fun.
00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:46.480
We had a good time this summer or this winter.
00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:47.279
It was a good time.
00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:49.840
So, okay, now you do the diagnostics down there.
00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:58.159
So basically, when these guys have a product down here that are a car that they don't quite know what's wrong with it, that's when they send it to you.
00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:02.720
Yeah, and then you're the guy that digs in there and says, I'm gonna find out what's wrong with it.
00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:05.919
Yeah, yep, yep, and dad is just as capable as I am.
00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:08.320
Well, yeah, he is, but I'm talking to you right now.
00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:11.519
You're the guy, you get in there and you uh find it.
00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:15.679
And like I said, and I've talked to you many times, you know, and I delivered parts to you.
00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:22.399
And it amazes me because I said the things that you guys do, I mean, to me, you you make it look easy.
00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:23.279
You really do.
00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:26.559
You go in there, you're like, oh, I just trust or wearing on, I'm blah, blah, blah.
00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:27.279
That was it.
00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:33.039
And I was like, I've heard people work on cars for years and they can't figure it out and use do it.
00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:35.279
So you're obviously you're good at what you do.
00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:38.720
Yeah, the way the way I explain it is it's like speaking the language.
00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:45.200
If you understand I mean, car wiring is different from like house wiring and stuff, so it's like a language of its own.
00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:50.480
But if you understand how to speak it and are fluent in it, it's really just doing it at that point.
00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:51.120
Yeah.
00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:59.039
Um, like at the shop now, there's uh Malibu with a parasitic draw and an instrument cluster that doesn't work.
00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:05.919
So my plan was to make sure they were related before looking into the instrument cluster, and then there's a truck there that doesn't shift.
00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:12.000
So those are the two customer cars that I have today.
00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:22.080
And then my favorite stuff is the auction stuff, the the non-pattern one-off failures of things that you can Google and you can look up all you want.
00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:26.639
You'll never find anything on it because it's not a it's not a common repeat failure.
00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:27.759
Those are the ones that are fun.
00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:29.360
Yeah, you find it fun.
00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:29.919
Yeah, yeah.
00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:32.000
You're an odd duck, you know.
00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:33.919
It's not fun.
00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:35.279
That's okay to buck.
00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:44.159
Um, but I, you know, like I said, I I remember I had a lady come down to the store and she was having an issue, and she said her battery kept going dead.
00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:48.080
She goes, like, she's asking me if it was uh some kind of draw somewhere.
00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:49.679
I said a little parasitic draw, yeah.
00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:52.480
It could be, but she was like, Well, I think I'm gonna do that.
00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:55.440
And she was going through, I said, just take it down to Austin, have a look at it.
00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:57.360
If there's one there, he'll find it.
00:13:57.919 --> 00:13:59.120
Don't waste your time, you know.
00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:04.879
And I actually I've sent a couple guys down to one guy was uh his AC.
00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:08.799
When he opened his door, the AC wouldn't work.
00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:11.440
When he shut his door, it would work.
00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:18.960
So he was gonna come in here, he was gonna hardwire uh a switch so he could just turn the switch on on his dash and blah blah.
00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:20.000
He was going through all this stuff.
00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:24.480
I said, just take it down to Austin, find out where the broken wire is, just get it fixed.
00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:30.639
Yeah, you know if it's a door opening and closing, making it not work, there's a loom that runs through, and that's probably right when you're gonna do it.
00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:31.120
Exactly.
00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.320
And that's what I was trying to tell him.
00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:35.519
Like, so you want to put a switch on your dashboard to run your AC.
00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:41.759
I mean, and to me, that's like I I I love redneck ingenuity, but I don't know.
00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:44.159
Just do it right and get it done with, you know.
00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:55.039
But but again, I it it it's so hard because it's complicated, and like for you, you make it look easy or sound easy, but for the average Joe, it's not, you know, it's a tough thing.
00:14:55.600 --> 00:15:33.279
Yeah, I I don't have much of an issue with it anyways, but I didn't um I don't know, maybe it was the way that I learned because I kind of just taught myself, but then dad knew more than me, so then I would reference off of him if I was doing something right, and this was probably when we first opened, because before I did a lot of nut and bolt stuff, and then it wasn't until we opened this place that I actually started doing electrical stuff, and then it was just a matter of this is what I found, and then he would tell me what it meant, and then usually I would figure out why that was the case somehow, some way.
00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:45.679
Yeah, I I I have to say that you know, when we when we started the business, um Austin was very good at the brakes, the maintenance, the like you said, nuts and bolts stuff.
00:15:45.840 --> 00:16:06.080
Um, I've honestly, in my 30 years, and and I'm not bragging because he's my son, but I'm being completely honest, in 30 years I've never seen somebody go from you know very little diagnostic skills to the level that he's at now in such a short amount of time.
00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:21.759
And it was a matter of really about a year and a half that you know he basically had mastered, and and nobody masters everything, but he he created a process for himself that he can figure out just about anything.
00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:34.000
Um and what's kind of nice was for those first two years, we weren't working with customer vehicles, we were working with our vehicles, vehicles that we were reselling.
00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:37.840
So we, you know, completely different world.
00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:45.840
When you're working on a customer vehicle, you know, that customer needs their car back ASAP, you know, as soon as possible.
00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:53.759
And you don't have the luxury of you know uh learning on the on the job, if you will.
00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:57.200
So um you're under you're under a time crunch.
00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:10.240
You know, with our vehicles, we would buy the vehicles, and not that we didn't want to, you know, get them fixed as fast as possible, obviously we did, but we weren't under that time crunch.
00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:22.880
So he I was able to let him do the diagnostic, learn how to do the diagnostic without a customer you know calling every you know day or what have you.
00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:28.960
And I think that helped a lot too because the pressure of getting it back to the customer wasn't there.
00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:33.759
Um but you still have to be able to understand the systems.
00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:39.759
If you if you don't understand the system that you're diagnosing, there's no way for you to diagnose it.
00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:50.400
And that's where most people run into a problem is they either have no clue how the system works or they think they know how the system works and they're wrong.
00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:57.440
So you have to have a very good understanding of whatever the system is that you're working on in order to be able to diagnose it.
00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:58.880
And you got it, you demand.
00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:00.799
Yeah, it's good.
00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:03.759
So anyway, let's go, let's change topic now.
00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:09.119
Because I know like I I have some questions that I had written down, and I just kind of running them through my head.
00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:20.799
But uh I just wanted to I wanted you to like speak about how you've decided to reach out in the community and do these type of interviews with the local merchants, which I think is an amazing thing you're doing.
00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:27.200
You put uh a lot of businesses on the map and you put faces to businesses and names and stuff like that.
00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:29.440
And well, like what was your inspiration to do that?
00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:30.720
What made you decide to do that?
00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:42.640
Austin and I started an automotive podcast um, you know, probably six weeks, I would say, before we decided to do the OMRO community podcast.
00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:48.079
The automotive industry has never had the best reputation, you know, as a whole.
00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:50.799
I mean, there are a ton of good shops out there.
00:18:50.960 --> 00:19:10.880
Um, and what we wanted to do was we wanted to we created a podcast that focused on doing auto repair right, you know, be doing right by the customer, you know, not throwing parts at cars, not guessing, um, you know, doing diagnostics properly and so forth.
00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:19.359
And we did about uh six episodes um of that podcast, and then the construction started.
00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:25.279
You know, and the construction's been sitting in the back of my mind, or both of our minds, for the last you know, two years basically.
00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:26.880
We've been kind of preparing for it.
00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:27.599
And they worked.
00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:29.039
Yeah.
00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:40.480
Um, but you know, I w we had a lot of conversations about, you know, we need to build capital just in case the construction's bad and and so forth.
00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:47.359
And you know, it it all starts with the plan, but the plan doesn't always go according to plan.
00:19:47.519 --> 00:20:00.559
You know, um we we made quite a few capital inspect expenditures last year that um you know the opportunity presented itself, like buying the MasterCards building.
00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:09.359
Um and we ended up buying a new tow truck, a new rollback, um, because we just needed to.
00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:23.440
So we're still good in the capital aspect, but I don't we we didn't really follow our our plan as far as let's you know build capital and not not spend money.
00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:25.599
Um with good reason.
00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:28.000
We we you know, I mean we have the opportunity.
00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:38.079
So anyway, um the construction started, and I was like, man, this is really gonna suck for some of the businesses in town.
00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:44.559
And you know, I we Austin and I sat down and I'm like, I think we should stop our automotive podcast.
00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:48.960
We have the equipment, we invested in the equipment to do the podcast.
00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.559
Let's focus on OMRO.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:56.880
Let's let's put Omro on the map, let's let people know, yeah, there's construction, but you can still get to OMRO.
00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:58.880
The businesses are still open.
00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:02.240
And yeah, start start promoting the businesses in town.
00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:05.920
So we did, and it's uh it's been working very well.
00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:06.319
Yeah.
00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:09.039
Well, I've heard nothing of it positive, seen nothing but positive.
00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:16.480
You know, I was talking to Drew the other day, and he was he was saying, telling me that if have people coming into his businesses now, they're just out of curiosity.
00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.359
They saw your podcast, and I was like, I'm gonna go check this place out.
00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:20.079
Yeah, that's it.
00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:22.000
And that's that's what it's all about, you know.
00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:31.279
Because you know, and it said being AMRO, and it's it's almost like a drive-thru town, you know, and that's what's sad about it, because we have tons of traffic 321.
00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:33.359
Yeah, but everybody just slows down, you know.
00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:35.519
Be you're gonna find a reason to stop in.
00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:40.400
I think that's what you're doing is giving these guys a reason to stop in and say, let's check it out, you know.
00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:41.359
Yeah, absolutely.
00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:52.799
Yeah, and you know, the AMRO community is really special in the fact that you know, everybody that I've talked to, they don't view the other businesses in town as competitors.
00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:54.720
Um, just like Main Tire.
00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:59.519
You know, we have a great working relationship with Main Tire and Auto, same with just Royal.
00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:02.559
Um Um, you know, the other used car dealership in town.
00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:05.279
We talk, you know, on a weekly basis.
00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:08.559
Uh we do a lot of towing for Jerry at Maintire.
00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:11.680
I'm looking forward to doing a podcast in the future with him.
00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:14.480
Um, you know, and the restaurants are the same way.
00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:23.119
You know, we did, like you're saying, the podcast with Drew and Silvino's, and he's talking about Moore's Den, and he's talking about Fox Lanes.
00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:26.000
And same with Fox Lanes, we're talking about Tanner's Tap.
00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:28.160
And, you know, we're a community.
00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:37.039
And, you know, when the businesses work together and don't view each other as competition, it creates a community and it creates a destination.
00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:37.359
Right.
00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:42.240
You know, so there's something different at every business.
00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:47.519
And when you stop being competitors and start working together, it just makes sense.
00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:56.559
I think you've almost kind of instilled a little uh um of that whole community pride pride with you know everyone.
00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:02.640
And they see these videos, and I think they literally are like, Yeah, we do have a neat little town, we should be proud of our town.
00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:04.000
I'm new to this town myself.
00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:07.519
I've only been here, I think this will be four years in October.
00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:10.240
And I first moved in, it was a different town.
00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:14.720
But as I've lived here for going on four years, I I've grown to really like this town.
00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:17.759
Yeah, I've met a ton of nice people.
00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:21.200
Just uh I said it's a community, you know.
00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:27.119
And it's like, you know, like we and I said, you know, we bowl on Monday nights together, and it's it's just you know what it's like.
00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:29.200
Everybody kind of just loves each other.
00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.960
Yep, you know, it's just a good time.
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:34.799
And I said, uh the and it kind of spreads, you know, it's everywhere.
00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.559
And I I like this town now.
00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:42.480
I would like to uh see it grow and get bigger and better, but we'll see what happens with that.
00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:43.920
Maybe these podcasts will help.
00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.960
Yeah, absolutely.
00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:50.319
Yeah, my and you know, my I said this in the podcast I did with some good stuff.
00:23:50.480 --> 00:24:04.559
You know, my underlying goal with the podcast and with the community um marketing, if you will, is I I want to see every single business make it through the construction.
00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:09.440
You know, I I want to see AMRO not lose any businesses because of the construction.
00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:10.960
Well, there's light at the end of the tunnel.
00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:12.400
Things are starting to look up a little bit.
00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:30.400
It's um it's not been pretty, but it really hasn't been super ugly for the uh the great unknown when when they first started the construction and you heard all the news, it was uh I saw I thought that literally they were shutting Main Street down.
00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:32.000
Everybody in town thought that.
00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:34.480
And then you come up with your five-minute podcast.
00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:42.480
I learned more in five minutes with you than I did reading the paper and checking out the internet and trying to get information, and it was like, that's not gonna be so bad.
00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:44.640
Yeah, it's gonna suck a little bit.
00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:47.759
Yeah, that first that first week was interesting.
00:24:47.920 --> 00:25:04.720
Um, I I had the idea to do a road construction report um, you know, the first day that it started because I just going through the community, I could feel the the tension, the the oh my gosh, you know, this is gonna be horrible.
00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:12.799
You know, so um that morning I I reached out to um the DOT, I reached out to the county.
00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:24.960
I mean, I I spent probably an hour and a half on the phone talking to people so that I had you know the correct information because the last there's nothing I hate worse than misinformation.
00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:25.279
Right.
00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:28.559
So I wanted to make sure I knew what I was talking about.
00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:39.119
And yeah, I just I just drove down the road and uh Hannah you know recorded me and we did the first uh road report and kind of explained what was going on.
00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:43.119
Um as I was being told it, I'm like, wow, this is really good information.
00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:44.720
So decided to share it.
00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:49.119
And then for that first week, I did a uh road construction report every day.
00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:55.920
Well, to add to that, I'm thinking that you should maybe expand and do uh tornado watching, storm testing, something like that.
00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:59.680
I don't I don't have enough on my plate.
00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:02.880
You can do it though.
00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:04.160
Yeah, absolutely.
00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:17.039
Um so yeah, I've uh we've kind of gone down to one or two uh row construction reports a week now um because it it's it's staying pretty pretty static at this point.
00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:28.160
Um you know, any time that there's a big development like last week, uh 21 in front of uh our sales shop, you know, they they have um quite a bit of concrete ripped out of it.
00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:31.279
So it's kind of a slalom getting through there.
00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:33.599
It was so I did a little video on that.
00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:43.519
But yeah, it's it's just to keep not only the community informed, but to let the people know that drive through the community that we're still open for business.
00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:56.559
You know, well, you know, I guess I said it goes back to the the information, like even the police department didn't have the information because you remember when the construction first started, they had traffic stopped out here, and then it was like nobody can go on that road, the road's closed.
00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:58.559
And we're like, they didn't even know.
00:26:58.720 --> 00:26:58.960
Right.
00:26:59.119 --> 00:27:03.839
You know, I was like, my God, so you came in there and I think you're kind of like the hero of the day.
00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:05.759
Oh well, I don't know about that.
00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:13.759
No, I'm telling you, there was a lot of people who were like, I said they learned more in five minutes than they did, you know, the the months coming up to it.
00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:19.039
All the I mean that you see you you look at the DOT reports, go on the that 511 and check it out.
00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:21.200
You don't it doesn't tell you enough, it just says road coast.
00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:37.519
Yeah, yeah, and there's there's a lot of good information on 511, um, but they're they're writing the information and you're reading the information, you can go in a lot more detail when you're doing a video and talking about something.
00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:56.240
And I think that's um, you know, and and showing, you know, you know, we went down the road and uh was talking about things as we were coming up to it, like the streets that were closed, and you know, so you have not only the information, but you have a visual to go along with information, which I think helps a lot.
00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:56.720
Right.
00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:58.000
We'll go back to your shop.
00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:59.359
Now you're the diagnostics guy.
00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:01.599
So what do you see in the future for your shop?
00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:05.599
Because I basically I'm gonna call it your shop because you're down there by yourself and you do your own thing.
00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:13.119
Um, I don't know, you guys do the the auctions and I you you swapped out that motor and that tolleride, I think that was.
00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:13.839
Yeah, yeah.
00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:14.319
Yep.
00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:16.400
I mean you found that challenging, didn't you?
00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:17.519
Or not?
00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:20.960
Because like I said, uh to me it looked like a bomb went off under the hood.
00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:23.039
No, I wasn't that wasn't bad at all.
00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:25.680
That was actually one of the better motor swaps I've ever done.
00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:36.480
Well, that's what I'm saying though, but you make it sound like it's so easy, but to me, I'd be like, I Well, it's most cars come apart in similar fashions.
00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:41.119
Um, so like a front-wheel drive transmission, they all kind of come apart in a similar fashion.
00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:46.240
So it's the same, it's the same process, but in a different way, if that makes sense.
00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:46.720
It does.
00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:48.480
But you know, I said I've never done that.
00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:49.920
I've never taken a motor out.
00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:52.079
I can remember my grandpa when I was a kid.
00:28:52.319 --> 00:29:11.599
Like I said, he was an old wrench turner back in the 60s and 70s, and uh him and my uncle come over and they would take a motor out and had an ice cream pail on the floor, and they would take all the bolts and nuts out of them, they throw them in an ice cream pail, and then they pull the motor, do whatever they're gonna do, and then they put it back in there and just get that bucket and put the put the motor back together.
00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:14.799
And I'm just like, how do you do that?
00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:21.359
You know, that's to me I found it amazing, but I guess I never had the the gumption to to do that, you know.
00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:26.400
I mean, I I learned how to do things, but I'm not a mechanic, you know, like you.
00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:27.759
You're like, you took that motor apart.
00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:29.359
I'm like, I don't think so.
00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:33.519
But I've never been fun to you know, maybe help out, maybe I want to learn something too.
00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:38.720
Yeah, yeah, I had fun doing it, but yeah, I usually don't usually I don't throw the bolts in a bucket.
00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:46.559
Like there's some jobs, like I've done quite a few three, five timing jobs where you could probably hand me one of those apart and I'd be able to put it back together.
00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:47.200
You know what I mean?
00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:47.920
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:55.839
Um so certain jobs I could do that, but like that Kia that no, I would have if I didn't stay organized, I would have had a lot of time in the field.
00:29:56.160 --> 00:30:09.119
Well, you know, I'm talking my grandpa worked on cars from the 60s and 70s, you know, and it was like nine volts to held the motor in, and you know, it was just a matter of all the yeah, yeah, three, eight bolts, and you had some of 16 bolts.
00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:09.759
Exactly.
00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:11.039
That was about the end of it, you know.
00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:18.079
It still amazed me, you know, because if they get done, there was like no bolts left, or maybe one, you'd be like, eh, it would just go on.
00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:20.640
So, anyway, back to you know, like what do you want to see now?
00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:24.079
Do you want to see that get bigger, better, uh expand more?
00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:26.960
I don't think we could like add on to the building.
00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:27.759
Yeah, we could.
00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:28.480
Oh, we could.
00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:29.920
Um yeah, that would be.
00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:36.240
I mean, there's enough of a lot there to expand if we wanted to, but for what I do, it's pretty much perfect.
00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:38.160
It is um, because there's two lifts in there.
00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:53.759
So one I usually have a bigger job on, um, like either engine transmission, something bigger, and then the other one I just keep open for overflow from the express shop, your electrical stuff, or um, it's kind of the way I structure it, anyways, myself.
00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:54.240
Right.
00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:57.039
The nuts and bolts are easy.
00:30:57.200 --> 00:31:03.839
I mean, not easy, but you know, you you take something apart, you put something back together, it's mechanical.
00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:07.839
It's a whole lot easier than the diagnostic aspect.
00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:28.079
I think you should, you know, talk about CAN networks and you know the fact that all of these modules are communicating with each other, and on you know, knowing how to actually diagnose that aspect of it is is probably intriguing to a lot of people that don't have any idea how they work.
00:31:28.559 --> 00:31:32.319
Yeah, the the technology is really pretty cool.
00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:36.240
Um, so you got low speed, mid-speed, high speed networks.
00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:43.920
So can high or can network usually um they'll they'll they'll call the data lines different between manufacturers.
00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:45.440
Volvo is pretty goofy.
00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:51.279
Um they have like their own entire system, um, but it's still low speed, high speed, medium speed.
00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:55.200
Um so you gotta kind of elaborate because when you say that, I don't know what you mean.
00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:58.559
So you're saying low speed, high speed, the the brain?
00:31:58.799 --> 00:32:05.119
Yeah, so like low speed, like on that Malibu, just for reference, that uses a low speed circuit to the instrument cluster.
00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:15.119
Okay, because it's like you turn the turn signal on, it needs to communicate to the instrument cluster to flash the light and then communicate to the BCM to activate the flashers.
00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:16.000
You know what I mean?
00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:21.119
Um it doesn't need to happen like that.
00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:25.920
Um whereas like the can high, can low, like if you ever been in a car with a front camera, yeah.
00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:29.279
Um that's can high and that's like very fast speed.
00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:37.839
Um that's like like for emergency braking, um it needs to know and be able to send the message right now, like faster than the human can even respond.
00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:44.079
So you're talking about like those cars that have like the camera that if you're gonna rear end a car, it'll literally stop the car for you.
00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:45.039
That's what you're talking about.
00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:45.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:51.599
So that thing is thinking 10 times 10 steps ahead of you, you know, breaking the car.
00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:55.039
Yeah, with with with a properly functioning system, yes.
00:32:55.200 --> 00:32:55.680
Right, right.
00:32:55.839 --> 00:33:05.440
Um, yeah, they medium speed is for things that don't have to happen as fast as high speed, but then low speed is for like that's um like you hit a switch in your dash.
00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:06.240
Um okay.
00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:10.319
Now so now when you start talking, now you've explained it to me, so now let me help you can help me.
00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:17.440
So you're saying like if you have a car come in and it says my blinkers don't work, then you know it's not high speed.
00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:20.079
No, it's probably low speed or medium speed.
00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:22.000
So now you've already narrowed it down to two.
00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:26.640
Yeah, and then you can kind of do your research and go, well, that's a one-speed issue.
00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:27.279
Yeah.
00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:29.119
Is that how you do go about it?
00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:30.319
Yeah, yeah.
00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:34.400
95% of the time it's not a communication issue.
00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:36.480
Um, the ones that are, those are fun.
00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:41.039
Um, but they all and yeah, it's important to know that because they all operate differently.
00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:48.640
Like um Lin buses will use 12 volts pulled to ground or ground pulled to 12 volts, it just depends on what manufacturer it is.
00:33:48.720 --> 00:33:52.240
Um, whereas can high, can low, it usually rests at 2.5 volts.
00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:55.920
Can high pulls up to two and a half, can low pulls down.
00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:59.839
Um and uh the I actually have a photo.
00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:04.000
I I'm sure I have several of them of CAN networks, but they literally mirror each other.
00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:11.039
Um like if you ever have a broken wire in a CAN circuit, you have to find where it's broken and fix it right there.
00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:12.559
You can't overlay a wire.
00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:18.480
If you overlay a wire and it's not the exact length, that same message that's supposed to mirror each other will be offset.
00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:20.880
And then you'll get is that finite.
00:34:21.119 --> 00:34:22.559
You have to be that precise.
00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:24.719
Yeah, yeah, with with network stuff.
00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:30.400
Yeah, it's it's very it's very finicky if it's not perfect, basically.
00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:33.840
Um even like when you fix them, you shouldn't solder them.
00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:39.360
I believe you should just use butt connectors and heat shrink butt connectors and fix them that way if there is an issue.
00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:39.679
Right.
00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:46.079
Um which I think in the five years we've been open, there's only two that I remember.
00:34:46.559 --> 00:34:49.199
Which there was one was a customer car.
00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:55.679
That was a funny story when I told him his car wouldn't start because there was a wire rubbed through above his rear differential that was taking the whole network down.
00:34:56.239 --> 00:34:57.039
Serious, yeah.
00:34:57.119 --> 00:35:05.039
He was I don't think he believed me at first because he was like, How does a wire in the rear end of the car that's rubbed through not make a car start?
00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:05.920
You know what I mean?
00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:11.679
Um, but so that took some explaining, educating, but that's just that was the objective fact.
00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:13.039
You know, well, and that's what I'm saying.
00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:19.760
The bat, you know, the garage mechanic nowadays, you know, I said break jobs, you know, do your home or whatever you're gonna do.
00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:25.760
But when it comes to like the internal workings of these cars, it's way out of the average person's league.
00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:28.159
Because I know you have some kind of a scanner tool, aren't you?
00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:35.119
That you plug in there and you could you're able to to read the the codes or you know, yeah, and the codes, yeah.
00:35:35.199 --> 00:35:40.079
So usually at step one is I scan for codes and that tells me a direction to go in.
00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:44.320
Um, and a lot of times there'll be an issue with the car and there will be no codes.
00:35:44.480 --> 00:36:00.719
Um, so it doesn't the scan tool isn't um like we have people come into the express shop and they say, I already diagnosed it, and what they did was they read a code and want us to replace a part, and we just we don't I don't we don't just put the part in the code.
00:36:01.280 --> 00:36:05.360
I'm not sure you're speaking of O'Reilly's because I said, you know, that scan tool is what we have.
00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:09.519
And that's you know, so we plug it in, it's gives you the best recommendation.
00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:14.480
And I even tell customers too, like just because it says this doesn't mean that's what's wrong with it.
00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.440
It's a start.
00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:16.000
Yeah.
00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:18.880
You know, if you want to try to fix it yourself, this is maybe a start.
00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:23.679
But again, you're gonna you're gonna throw a part at it, cross your fingers, and hope it works, you know.
00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:28.480
Yeah, and we've we've had several vehicles towed in from other shops.
00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:30.400
A lot of them is just a lack of training.
00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:34.320
I realize there's a big lack of training or a lack of understanding of electrical systems.
00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:42.719
Um, even speaking of that, last week there was that not brand new, but pretty new, like 2025 um Sierra.
00:36:43.199 --> 00:36:47.280
Um, and you would drive it for about 15 minutes and it would just die on the side of the road.
00:36:47.519 --> 00:36:53.360
Um, and I actually used the fuel pump control module, and I was talking to dad, I said that's probably what it is.
00:36:53.519 --> 00:37:00.960
Um, but this one worked different in the sense that it took DC voltage, converted it to AC voltage to run the fuel pump.
00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:01.760
Three three phase.
00:37:02.159 --> 00:37:02.960
Three-phase AC voltage.
00:37:03.119 --> 00:37:04.239
Three phase AC voltage.
00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:15.119
So then that sparked a whole dad actually ended up looking at it and and diagnosing it, but after he was done, I ended up looking into it, and it's pretty cool how it works.
00:37:15.199 --> 00:37:20.079
It's basically you got three, um, I forget what they're called, but they're 120 degrees apart obviously.
00:37:20.639 --> 00:37:21.360
Three legs, if you will.
00:37:21.519 --> 00:37:31.760
Yeah, three legs 120 degrees apart, and it basically pulses the AC voltage to each one and it creates a magnetic field, and that's what actually spins the fuel pump.
00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:32.400
Oh, really?
00:37:32.719 --> 00:37:35.679
So it basically eliminates the need for brushes in a motor.
00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:46.480
When fuel pumps fail in normal cars, they'll typically um like usually the brushes, they have to make contact with it if it there's no contact, there's no electrical connection.
00:37:46.719 --> 00:37:47.280
You know what I mean?
00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:48.239
It can't run.
00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:52.880
But yeah, it's pretty pretty cool.
00:37:53.119 --> 00:38:05.920
Um so well, like I said, I I think your dad was saying that you had some high school kids that were thinking about coming down and like doing some apprenticeship work with you guys, or some wasn't that something you were talking about?
00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:07.920
Yeah, I think from them.
00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:10.880
Yeah, I I'd be interested in doing that.
00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:14.800
Um actually that's how Hannah um got in her position.
00:38:14.960 --> 00:38:20.480
She she did an apprenticeship um for marketing um through her school.
00:38:20.559 --> 00:38:20.800
Yeah.
00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:28.400
Um we hired her on because she was she started with a a realtor and you know things didn't quite jive there.
00:38:28.639 --> 00:38:34.480
So rather than you know, stop the apprenticeship, we brought her in.
00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:47.760
So I would be interested in and well, even if you just had some high school kids come in and just kind of give them the ropes, and and like I said, to me, I I mean, I literally didn't know anything that you're talking about until you explained it to me, and I'm intrigued.
00:38:47.840 --> 00:38:48.320
I really am.
00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:50.159
I'm kind of like, I never realized that.
00:38:50.239 --> 00:38:56.159
I honest to God, I'm just like, it'd be I'd be need to kind of I'm gonna go home and start doing some research, you know.
00:38:56.320 --> 00:39:01.280
Just uh yeah, it's pretty cool the engineering and the technology and in every car.
00:39:01.360 --> 00:39:06.239
Um, when when there's an issue, if you're not versed in it, like I said, it's like a language if you're fluent.
00:39:06.559 --> 00:39:16.000
Could that well could that possibly be like oh, you know, instead of like I said, doing break jobs and stuff, could there be a person that could be a tech and that's all they do is the kind of work you do?
00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:18.000
Is that something you could do?
00:39:18.320 --> 00:39:23.679
Yeah, there's actually, I see ads out all the time that shops are looking for a diagnostic decision.
00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:24.400
That's what I'm saying.
00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:32.320
So if you've got some young kid who is uh you know really into computers and stuff and say, uh you're just you're not gonna be turning your wrenches, you're gonna be doing computer diagnostics and stuff like that.
00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:34.159
They'd be like, it's a different world, you know.
00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:45.360
Yeah, the interesting thing, and and that's one of the problems with the automotive industry, um, not so much at independent shops, but like dealerships.
00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:53.280
A lot of technicians absolutely love doing the diagnostic and figuring out the problems and and so forth.
00:39:53.599 --> 00:39:59.199
But the issue is most of the uh dealerships pay a flat rate.
00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:06.480
So, and how that works is the technician gets paid based on how many hours they bill.
00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:16.880
Well, with diagnostics, it's a lot of times diagnostics are underquoted or undersold.
00:40:17.119 --> 00:40:27.920
So, I mean you can have hours and hours into diagnosing a vehicle, and uh the customer might end up getting charged two hours or something along those lines.
00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:34.559
Um and it's usually the technicians that you know take the hit.
00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:46.079
I mean it's the shops also, but the technicians aren't getting the value for what they're putting in because you know the service advisor sold two hours of diagnostic and they've got six hours into figuring it out.
00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:48.880
They're getting paid for two hours and it's not a fair system.
00:40:49.280 --> 00:41:01.519
So when you become a diet tech in a dealership environment, it's almost it's almost a the better you get, the less you make in the dealership environment.
00:41:01.760 --> 00:41:22.239
Now, in an independent shop environment, most of the time um it's not as bad because either the technicians are paid hourly, so it's just you know you're you're getting paid to be there, not getting paid by the job by the job.
00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:22.639
Yeah.
00:41:23.039 --> 00:41:28.320
A lot of people think that you know you pull a code and it tells you what's wrong with the car.
00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:38.800
And there's some, I mean it gives you a direction to go in, but there isn't any scan tool anywhere that's gonna tell you exactly what's going on with it.
00:41:38.880 --> 00:41:45.760
Like Austin said, you know, sometimes cars don't even throw codes, and but they still have a problem, so you've got to figure it out.
00:41:46.000 --> 00:41:50.000
Um you know, there's the scanners that we have.
00:41:50.079 --> 00:42:08.960
I mean, we have three or four different scanners, um, and they all have different functionality where we can read live data, sensor data, um, and we have to know kind of what that sensor data is telling us, what it should be, and and kind of what it's what it's telling us.
00:42:09.119 --> 00:42:19.360
So um yeah, we have yeah, four different ones, autel, launch, and then a couple others, and they're all they're all better in different places than the other.
00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:24.480
So if there's a certain make, we'll use this certain scanner, or if there's a certain you know what I mean.
00:42:25.199 --> 00:42:29.920
But it kind of goes back to what Brandon was saying earlier, like you said you're looking for a code.
00:42:30.079 --> 00:42:32.639
What happens when you when it throws 12 codes?
00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:37.119
I mean, you must have that issue, like yeah, like you'll plug it in and there's 12 codes now.
00:42:37.199 --> 00:42:39.039
It didn't tell you enough, and now you got 12 problems.
00:42:39.119 --> 00:42:41.679
So yeah, I think that Malibu has like 22 in it.
00:42:41.840 --> 00:42:42.880
Yeah, so then what do you do?
00:42:43.039 --> 00:42:54.719
And then that's a matter of just eliminating and yeah, well, it's probably all the instrument cluster doesn't work, and when when uh so that instrument cluster is basically a module, it's got a computer inside of it.
00:42:54.880 --> 00:43:05.360
When that is offline, there's in that same daisy chain low speed network, there's 10 other modules that are looking for a message from the instrument cluster.
00:43:05.519 --> 00:43:18.800
None of them are seeing it, so then you get all these other modules throwing a code because it's not seeing this message, and then you get sympathy faults of safety systems being shut down because they're not seeing this message, if that makes sense.
00:43:18.880 --> 00:43:22.639
Like um so the codes can be related to one problem.
00:43:22.719 --> 00:43:32.480
So that like those 22 codes are probably all linked to the same thing, but if you don't know what you're looking at, you could go down the wrong rabbit hole in any vehicle really quick.
00:43:32.719 --> 00:43:32.960
Right.
00:43:33.119 --> 00:43:34.079
Yep, absolutely.
00:43:34.400 --> 00:43:59.760
Yeah, that um Sierra is a you know perfect example that had a whole bunch of different, you know, 2023 GMC Sierra with a fuel pump uh power control module that was faulty, that would drop off of the network, the truck would shut down, and there were multiple codes in other um other control modules because that module pulled the network down.
00:44:00.320 --> 00:44:02.719
And created faults and everything else.
00:44:02.960 --> 00:44:12.960
So, you know, there's a process to eliminating those codes and so that you kind of know what your focus should be.
00:44:13.199 --> 00:44:17.280
Um, and that's just something that you have to just learn with time.
00:44:17.599 --> 00:44:26.639
Well, and it's kind of it's nice because you guys are like you've explained it really well, is that they're like, I guess the average Joe, and they they always think that you know, like the code reader will fix that problem.
00:44:26.800 --> 00:44:30.159
But there's a this is a a a big, it's big, it's huge.
00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:33.760
The the technical comp you know it's complicated, you know.
00:44:33.840 --> 00:44:34.159
Yeah, absolutely.
00:44:34.400 --> 00:44:38.639
And you know, you guys are able to kind of help people out with that, and it's it's pretty cool.
00:44:38.719 --> 00:44:43.039
I mean Yeah, and there's a lot of shops that don't charge for diagnostics.
00:44:43.360 --> 00:44:52.159
Um, and my philosophy, and I I don't know for sure, but my philosophy is if they're not charging for diagnostics, they don't know how to do diagnostics.
00:44:52.320 --> 00:44:52.480
Right.
00:44:52.639 --> 00:44:58.000
You know, they're pretty wrong about they're putting a scan coat or a tool on there throwing parts of the car saying this is what's wrong with it.
00:44:58.480 --> 00:44:59.920
Yep, throwing parts of the car.
00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:00.159
Right.
00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:16.800
If you, you know, kind of some red flags or a piece of advice, if you go to a shop and they tell you we need to try this and see if it works and you know, move move on, that shop probably doesn't know what they're doing.
00:45:17.280 --> 00:45:20.239
I mean, we charge for diagnostics and we beforehand.
00:45:20.320 --> 00:45:25.440
I mean, we let the customers know, we tell them, you know, look at the issue.
00:45:25.599 --> 00:45:45.679
Um, typically we'll sell you know an hour to two hours of diagnostic time so the customer knows what they're you know what they're looking at as far as just to figure out what's going on with the car, you know, and then once it's diagnosed, then we can make an estimate for the repair.
00:45:45.840 --> 00:45:52.719
But that time that it takes to actually figure out what is wrong with the car um is worth something.
00:45:52.800 --> 00:45:55.599
I mean it's it's worth the knowledge and and so forth.
00:45:55.840 --> 00:45:58.559
Well, we're in the car, what does the average car cost nowadays?
00:45:58.800 --> 00:46:00.559
$50,000,$60,000,$70,000.
00:46:00.960 --> 00:46:05.920
Yeah, I mean, you yeah, you can so yeah, you want to save your baby, you better spend a little money to keep it running.
00:46:06.159 --> 00:46:06.800
Yeah, absolutely.
00:46:07.199 --> 00:46:07.599
I get it.
00:46:07.760 --> 00:46:08.000
Yep.
00:46:08.159 --> 00:46:13.679
Yeah, and and diagnostic equipment alone, we probably have$40,000,$50,000 invested.
00:46:14.320 --> 00:46:41.440
So, and that's yeah, I mean, like, like a good example is I mean, you can take it to a shop that doesn't know how to do electrical stuff, and they will compression test your your eight-cylinder truck in an hour and a half, two hours, and tell you, or if you drop it off by me, I can do a relative compression test using an amp clamp measuring the amps the starter is pulling and looking at the waveform, and I can tell you if you have a dead cylinder or not in about two minutes.
00:46:42.000 --> 00:46:45.119
I can do a whole compression test in about two minutes.
00:46:45.440 --> 00:46:49.519
And so it I I can tell you if you need to go down that road or not.
00:46:49.760 --> 00:46:49.840
Right.
00:46:50.079 --> 00:46:58.639
Yeah, it won't give you like the pressure readings, but you'll see amp spikes, you know, on the relative compression that will inform you if there is a problem.
00:46:58.719 --> 00:47:00.960
Um, you know, a significant problem.
00:47:01.280 --> 00:47:28.079
Like a good, like just to make it so to think of it like a sine wave, and it's a four-cylinder, you got one, two, three, four, healthy, but on one bad cylinder, you'll see one, two, three dropout, and then usually before that, this one will end up spiking higher, but you'll see one flashbody count one, two, three, four, one, two, and then from there, um, like at I don't you don't even have to go in and compression test each cylinder individually.
00:47:28.159 --> 00:47:42.719
You can actually set um like on cylinder one coil, you can hook up to the power feed from the computer when it pulses it, and then you'll have one, two, three, four, and then you'll see cylinder one, one will just have a spike on it, and that's how you know what cylinder one is.
00:47:42.800 --> 00:47:46.719
So I can literally tell you what cylinder is little compression in about two minutes.
00:47:47.519 --> 00:47:51.760
And then, like I've diagnosed burnt valves in ten minutes.
00:47:52.000 --> 00:48:00.400
Whereas before having the technology, it was compression test each cylinder, find the one that's wrong, and then leak down test it.
00:48:00.559 --> 00:48:12.320
So you know you'd have an hour and a four-cylinder doing that, whereas I can usually the only time I usually leak down test anything is if it's not obvious, and most of the time it's piston rings.
00:48:12.880 --> 00:48:17.039
Um using a boroscope or anything.
00:48:17.280 --> 00:48:17.599
Yeah.
00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:30.719
In in the automotive industry, um, and I think from a customer perspective, a lot of customers don't understand the diagnostic aspect of it and don't understand what's involved.
00:48:30.960 --> 00:48:39.039
I mean typically Austin is going to be able to figure out an issue within a couple hours.
00:48:39.199 --> 00:48:43.679
I mean, there's not very many and lot as long as it's not an intermittent issue.
00:48:43.840 --> 00:48:45.199
Intermittent issues are the worst.
00:48:45.360 --> 00:49:00.400
Um, you know, if you've got an intermittent parasitic draw where it happens for 10 seconds out of you know four different days and it's just super hard to find it, and you can spend hours and hours and hours trying to figure that out.
00:49:00.559 --> 00:49:06.639
Um well, more so waiting for it to happen, I guess that's that's where you have the hours and hours is you're just waiting.
00:49:07.039 --> 00:49:19.440
Waiting, waiting for it to happen and then being able to have enough time to actually diagnose what the problem is because sometimes you know it's got a paragraph parasitic draw for uh you know a couple minutes and then it's gone.
00:49:19.679 --> 00:49:22.880
And then you gotta wait until the next time that it does it again, you know.
00:49:22.960 --> 00:49:24.800
So it's you're chasing your tail.
00:49:25.679 --> 00:49:30.480
Yeah, and we you know we do a very good job of interviewing the customer.
00:49:30.719 --> 00:49:34.000
Um, you know, the the GMC Sierra is a perfect example.
00:49:34.159 --> 00:49:39.280
We called them and said, okay, tell me exactly what happened, you know.
00:49:39.519 --> 00:49:43.280
And they said that they were driving umro to Berlin.
00:49:43.360 --> 00:49:44.559
It shut off in Berlin.
00:49:44.800 --> 00:49:50.960
Then they drove um from outskirts of Berlin to Taco Bell and it shut off again.
00:49:51.199 --> 00:49:53.760
And it gave me kind of a pattern, a timeline.
00:49:53.840 --> 00:50:02.559
So I duplicated that, not to Berlin, but OMRO took it for you know a six, eight-mile test drive, it shut off on me.
00:50:02.639 --> 00:50:04.480
Um, I was able to duplicate it.
00:50:04.639 --> 00:50:14.159
So, you know, the more honest you are with your mechanic, the easier it's gonna be and the cheaper it's gonna be to repair the car.
00:50:14.400 --> 00:50:24.559
Customers sometimes want to hide things because they don't, you know, they think maybe they did something wrong or or they think it's gonna cost more money if they're being you know truthful.
00:50:24.880 --> 00:50:29.840
And most of the time it's gonna cost them more money if they're not being honest with what's going on with the car.
00:50:30.079 --> 00:50:36.719
If they're if you're able to tell us exactly what's going on, our job isn't to judge, our job is to fix.
00:50:36.960 --> 00:50:41.920
So all we want to do is you know find out what's going on with it and and fix it.
00:50:42.159 --> 00:50:57.280
And if you if you go to a shop that has the diagnostic capability and are charging you know a proper diagnostic fee, it is almost always going to be cheaper than a shop that says, let's try this part.
00:50:57.599 --> 00:51:03.199
It's almost kind of like you have to think opposite of what you're you're you're really thinking at all.
00:51:03.280 --> 00:51:08.559
Like you're saying, spend the money on the diagnostics to get it done right instead of being cheap.
00:51:09.039 --> 00:51:09.280
Yep.
00:51:09.440 --> 00:51:10.960
You know, test, don't guess.
00:51:11.199 --> 00:51:11.519
Exactly.
00:51:11.840 --> 00:51:12.719
Yeah, absolutely.
00:51:12.960 --> 00:51:22.559
And you know, the other thing also is um there are a lot of really poor quality parts out there now.
00:51:22.719 --> 00:51:32.239
And uh I can't count how many hundreds of Amazon parts that customers have put on their car and then bring it to us because the it didn't change anything.
00:51:32.480 --> 00:51:44.320
And with our diagnostic capability, we're able to pinpoint that that brand new part that they just got from Amazon or eBay or wherever is the problem.
00:51:44.559 --> 00:51:47.119
You know, and it well, it can't be the problem, I just replaced it.
00:51:47.199 --> 00:51:48.960
Well, yeah, yeah.
00:51:49.199 --> 00:51:58.639
The the the parts that are out there nowadays are just they're you really gotta be making sure that you're getting good reputable parts.
00:51:58.800 --> 00:52:05.519
And it almost never happens off of Amazon, unless you can find a brand name part, but you gotta be careful there too.
00:52:05.679 --> 00:52:09.360
Uh eBay and Amazon are riddled with counterfeit parts.
00:52:09.599 --> 00:52:09.840
Yeah.
00:52:10.159 --> 00:52:19.679
Yeah, counterfeit that are like they look exactly like an OEM GM part or Ford or but they're just some knockoff with a Ford logo stamped on it.
00:52:20.079 --> 00:52:23.119
Yeah, I hear that a lot from just uh customers themselves.
00:52:23.199 --> 00:52:29.119
They'll they'll they'll call up and they'll want to get a part and they'll say, Oh, I can get it cheaper on, you know, Rock Auto or Amazon.
00:52:29.199 --> 00:52:31.679
It's like only$80 compared to your$250.
00:52:31.840 --> 00:52:33.760
Like, getting what you pay for, dude.
00:52:34.079 --> 00:52:36.239
Yeah, what do you want me to tell you, you know?
00:52:36.559 --> 00:52:37.280
Yeah, yeah.
00:52:37.440 --> 00:52:43.440
And that's why you know we don't typically even I mean we we won't take outside parts anymore.
00:52:43.599 --> 00:52:49.599
Um, you know, we used to, we would, you know, customer wants to bring in their parts and we would install them.
00:52:49.840 --> 00:52:56.000
We we won't even do that anymore because at the end of the day, we have to s stand behind the repair work.
00:52:56.239 --> 00:53:10.719
You know, whether you provide the part or not, because if you provide the part and we put it in and it doesn't fix the problem, you're mad at us because we must have done something wrong because it was a brand new part, it didn't fix the problem.
00:53:11.119 --> 00:53:33.280
You know, um the other issue is a lot of times customers will buy the wrong part, and then you've got a car that's tore apart on the rack that maybe you can put back together, but then I've got to charge you twice to do the same job because I gotta put it back together so that you can you know drive it away until the new part comes and then bring it back and do it all over again.
00:53:33.519 --> 00:53:42.079
It's just you know 98% of the issues we've had with customers in the auto repair world has been because of their own parts.
00:53:42.239 --> 00:53:48.960
Yeah, so we just completely eliminated it, and that literally 98% of all issues were related to that.
00:53:49.760 --> 00:53:51.280
Customers bring in the wrong parts.
00:53:52.079 --> 00:54:04.079
Well, wrong parts are just the cheapest thing they can find on Amazon, and sometimes you put it in, it'll work for a week, other times it's immediately it doesn't work, and well yeah, that Land Rover is a perfect example of that.
00:54:04.320 --> 00:54:05.599
Yeah, that Land Rover.
00:54:05.679 --> 00:54:09.679
He got uh um basically the shifter was bad inside of it.
00:54:09.760 --> 00:54:16.000
He wanted to bring in his own part when he uh basically we put it in, he ordered it from somewhere, and it lasted a week.
00:54:16.639 --> 00:54:24.480
And he he wasn't mad at us, he understood, and I told him beforehand that if we put this in, it's no warranty on us, anyways.
00:54:24.880 --> 00:54:29.599
Um but so then I ordered the part and I just told him that we just weren't doing it anymore.
00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:32.239
Um, so I've been telling people that across the board.
00:54:32.320 --> 00:54:41.280
But yeah, I was a Land Rover, and there was um it's a gear shift module, it's called that failed, and then the brand new one failed also.
00:54:41.519 --> 00:54:49.199
And the thing that sucks on that one was he had a windshield leak and it would run down the inside of his windshield and go down into the dash.
00:54:49.360 --> 00:54:55.519
So he was thinking it was a goofy electrical thing, but I had diagnosed it beforehand, there was no electrical issue.
00:54:55.760 --> 00:55:01.599
So I did it again for him and said there's no electrical issue, it's literally just a failed part.
00:55:02.000 --> 00:55:08.639
And then yeah, he he did ask, so if we get another one that will fix it, I said, Yes, the one that you got is junk.
00:55:09.360 --> 00:55:10.800
So everybody's been receptive of it.
00:55:11.119 --> 00:55:11.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:55:11.920 --> 00:55:15.920
You have to have your customers, you know, no pattern storming out kind of thing.
00:55:16.239 --> 00:55:24.960
No, when we when we explain it to the people, most people understand there are some that you know are just looking for the cheapest option.
00:55:25.199 --> 00:55:26.639
And I I respect that.
00:55:26.719 --> 00:55:34.480
If if you can find somebody to install it, absolutely, you know, by all means try and go that route.
00:55:34.559 --> 00:55:41.280
I don't think it's gonna be a great route for you to go on, but I'm not gonna tell you, you know, I'm not gonna tell you not to.
00:55:41.440 --> 00:55:49.679
Um it's just it's not something that we do, and you know, we're we're okay if you want to take your part someplace else.
00:55:50.639 --> 00:55:51.039
Yeah.
00:55:51.280 --> 00:55:52.719
Well, let's wrap this thing up.
00:55:52.960 --> 00:55:53.199
Yeah.
00:55:53.360 --> 00:55:55.039
Well, I appreciate you taking a lot of work.
00:55:55.199 --> 00:56:00.880
Well, I want to thank you for having me do this because like I was telling my daughter, Samantha, I have to mention her name.
00:56:01.119 --> 00:56:01.599
Yep.
00:56:02.079 --> 00:56:06.639
I'll be living in the interwet or internet world forever.
00:56:06.800 --> 00:56:07.039
Yep.
00:56:07.199 --> 00:56:07.920
This will be out there.
00:56:08.000 --> 00:56:09.599
So I'm like, wow, that's kind of cool.
00:56:09.840 --> 00:56:10.719
What what do they say?
00:56:11.119 --> 00:56:12.880
Once it's on the internet, it's always on the internet.
00:56:13.199 --> 00:56:13.440
Exactly.
00:56:13.599 --> 00:56:15.119
So this is my 15 minutes of fame.
00:56:15.199 --> 00:56:16.079
Yeah, absolutely.
00:56:16.239 --> 00:56:17.280
You did a phenomenal job.
00:56:17.360 --> 00:56:17.840
I appreciate it.
00:56:18.400 --> 00:56:20.639
You know, you know, and like I said, I know how this all started.
00:56:20.719 --> 00:56:23.760
It was I was kind of I brought it up to you jokingly.
00:56:23.840 --> 00:56:28.159
I was kind of like, well, you're doing all these interviews, why don't you uh let me interview you?
00:56:28.239 --> 00:56:29.039
And he's like, would you?
00:56:29.119 --> 00:56:30.719
And I was like, heck yeah, why not?
00:56:31.119 --> 00:56:31.760
So I'm glad.
00:56:31.840 --> 00:56:33.119
Thank you for doing it, and let me do it.
00:56:33.199 --> 00:56:34.079
It was it was an honor.
00:56:34.320 --> 00:56:35.280
All right, thanks, Julian.
00:56:35.360 --> 00:56:35.920
Yeah.