Girl Buys NEW Car and was SCAMMED | USED DEALRSHIP HID PROBLEMS!

[@RoadsideRescue]

Still Developing: Check back here (pinned Comment) for any updates.

[@ken14850]

ORDER SOME MATS TO DRAPE OVER THE GRILL WHILE YOU WORK .

[@HondaCiwic]

Any updates?

[@blackfrost273industries4]

Agreed, updates yet?

[@TL-wy1nk]

He hid it because the cat costs 1400 dollars , and he didn't want to replace it. It's always about the scam.

[@craigjorgensen4637]

You are ASSUMING the worst here. You could be correct or you could be dead wrong.

[@SpicyMcGeezak]

I’d say you’re absolutely correct.

[@craigjorgensen4637]

@@SpicyMcGeezak Not defending anyone here but there sure are a lot of “expert guessers” here!

[@SpicyMcGeezak]

@@craigjorgensen4637 I get it, but scandalous dealerships are like a dime a dozen these days. So it’s pretty safe to assume they were pulling some typical shenanigans in this case as well.

[@donerickson1954]

@@craigjorgensen4637 probability says he's right.

[@heavygunt10]

Its all about maximizing profits. They hid it for the sole fact to cut less into their margins. Cats are expensive and they wanted to get away without replacing it.

[@nicholas3134]

They had to seen the codes and erased it

[@yodead369]

Quit buying ecotec turbos

[@Boga217]

Yeah same for ernest letting his customer buy a turbo ecotec gm product..hot pile of garbage car guaranteed himself plenty of repair money. Any mechanic who gets asked to do a pre purchase inspection and actually knows something about cars would tell you to run away from anything gm after 2002 unless its a pickup with a ls without cylinder deactivation.

[@BloodStainedTear]

GM cats aren't that expensive

[@yodead369]

@@BloodStainedTear depends what type you need. The 1.8l is near the $1000 mark.

[@mailmanjoe]

A long trusted mechanic friend of mine said he'd look at anything for me but he'll automatically condemn the ones that have been in wrecks with body damage. He told me it's too risky to give his stamp of approval on when you can't see if things have been repaired correctly. 95 percent of the time they cut costs and don't fix them as sound as they should be.

[@craigjorgensen4637]

Well now….a lot of the cars on the road have been in some kind of an accident”. Some minor to moderate in nature. A quality Body Shop using approved methods can restore a car to like new condition. If the insurance company declares the car to be totalled THAT is a different story.

[@mailmanjoe]

@@craigjorgensen4637 I don't disagree I'm just saying my mechanic wouldn't mess with it because it's usually been too much risk. Sadly there aren't a lot of body shops out there that do things right.

[@charlesphilhower1452]

@@craigjorgensen4637 That also depends on how old the car is because if the damage exceeds the value the vehicle but may not affect the drivability the vehicle. I have had several vehicles that were totaled by the insurance and had no issues with the drivability because of the damage.

[@pingpong9656]

They probably thought engine is running good - forget about it. What they do next will tell you if they are good or bad people... they should at least pay for the CAT.

[@robertmedina6875]

It’ll probably depend more on how much markup they have in the car. You guys always want to buy the cheapest cars out there and then if something goes wrong, you want somebody to pay for it. Unfortunately, there are employees that need paychecks and have families and you went to the place you could buy the cheapest car. You should go to a new car store Pay the inflated price and then when something goes wrong, you can expect it to be fixed. You have to use common sense in these situations. Economic common sense. This comment is not as directed at the person that it’s under. Just a general thought process that you should consider when purchasing a car don’t buy the cheapest thing out there

[@maxrx7]

They will only pay if they called out and want to avoid bad press and then continue their bad ways. They will tell seller to kick rocks if they DOnt GAF and will change name of operation and repeat

[@Icepressa]

lol its not there problem at all actually, the car left the dealer running no engine lights sold as a rebuilt, what ever happens as soon as the car leaves the lot is your own issue, a used car is a used car

[@pingpong9656]

@@Icepressa They intentionally hid the damage though... so now it depend on if they are shady or reasonable sellers.

[@Icepressa]

yea nobody hid anything its not there problem to fix dents on the exhaust system especially when it was in working order when it left the lot, i wouldnt replace this at all unless it had a problem and since it had a problem after it was sold its not the sellers issue what do you expect them to fix something because it doesnt look good anymore? its a used car and it was working when it left the lot and when it was put on, no sense to replace it for a dent if it was certified it passed emissions on that cat and certification is only valid for 30 days in my city from when it was done even if the car was driven 1km , if it was sold as is then this is not even debatable, if you think the cat problem was a scam when buying a car you have alot you havent seen yet, you should be jumping this is the only thing wrong with a car thats been rebuilt @@pingpong9656

[@johnl3230]

Why did you recommend them buying a wrecked Malibu in the first place? You know these things are rolling piles of garbage even if not wrecked.

[@Boga217]

I came to ask the same...i would've told my customer to run not walk away from anything ecotec..hot pile of garbage sq 1

[@stupadasso8961]

An inspection is not about your personal opinion....your giving a professional opinion based on the facts in front of you. Your opinion of a brand means nothing.

[@Boga217]

@@stupadasso8961 actually when it's not opinion but facts which ecotec anything is truly hot garbage...then it really does matter and you should inform your customer of the known issues and reliability concerns because that's crucial to buying a car..if the cars going to nickel and dime them they probably won't want to buy a car that's at the shop several times a year costing them as much as the things worth.

[@12yearssober]

May have been the best option based on their budget.

[@ARAR148]

You know you couldn't be more wrong, I have a 2019 Malibu with 187K miles and it's been a fantastic car

[@craigfin3222]

As long as you got a competent mechanic and an honest mechanic, which I believe you are both. A Pre-Purchase inspection of a used car is a necessity. I would say it is a red flag, if a dealer refuses a Pre-Purchase inspection.

[@RoadsideRescue]

Thank you! This one was crazy!

[@carlosochoa9388]

Or late at night! Is a red flag for me

[@maxrx7]

People always get a pre inspection if you are not sure not a post inspection like some people

[@johnaclark1]

I noticed the vehicle has an airbag light on too. Did you check to make sure the seat belts aren't deployed, air bags deployed, or SRS module needs replaced/reset? An airbag light on that car tells me they probably shortcut the SRS system, as well. I had a customer buy a 2014 CRV that was hacked back together. The driver's airbag was all glued back together, sanded and repainted to look like it was in tact. Seat belts were deployed and the SRS module showed as crashed. Had to buy a driver's airbag, and send in the seat belts and SRS module for repair.

[@RIPFPSDOUG]

Any weight on the passenger seat of these newer chevy cars will throw that light. Wife had a cobalt, it was on anytime there was slight weight on the passenger seat, without a seatbelt engaged.

[@johnaclark1]

@@RIPFPSDOUGNo, only if there is something wrong. That airbag light on the cluster will not be on unless there is a problem. If you put weight on the passenger seat and that light comes on, you have an issue with the occupant detection system, which is part of the SRS system. In this case, with the car being a rebuilt wreck, that light indicates to me that there are airbag issues with the car...most likely someone didn't replace the airbags, airbag control module, and/or seat belts as is required after the airbags have deployed.

[@RIPFPSDOUG]

@@johnaclark1 Im aware. Its usually the harness just under said seat. Thats the culprit 75% of the time. I was pointing out that it doesnt mean the bags been deployed. More than likely if you reach under there and give the harness a shake it will go out. But its being triggered by putting weight on the seat in most cases.

[@johnaclark1]

@@RIPFPSDOUGThat's always possible but that's only one of a hundred, or more, different possibilities for an airbag light on. However, having seen enough rebuilt wrecks that have had hidden airbag problems, my point was that it should definitely be checked. The Honda CRV I mentioned above was sold to a girl who was unsuspecting and didn't do a prepurchase inspection. I merely asked if he checked that. When hidden damage is found, there is usually even more damage hidden.

[@RIPFPSDOUG]

@@johnaclark1 Oh absolutely. The sad reality is that almost any used car dealer, is selling something that they know has at least one problem that they themselves do not want to address. Ive had a shop of my own for about 15 tears, and some of the stuff Ive seen is sickenning. I actually called trhe state police on one fot heese little car lots. I was so tired of seeing their bs.

[@kevinrabe55]

I bought a rebuilt wrecked car once - never again - to many hidden things like this.

[@RoadsideRescue]

Ha dgood luck once. Well see if anything else comes up with this one!

[@JimSampson-y6v]

Good Job ! Something for future reference. Those cats that fail so close to exhaust ports can sometimes have that ceramic cat material backflow into engine ! It will destroy cylinder walls and the ceramic will build up in the oil control ring on piston . Sometimes you will see a lot of blowby if you take off oil fill cap while engine is running. I use a boroscope sometimes to look into cat from the oxygen sensor holes... You would think the ceramic dust would go out the tailpipe ... it does... but not all of it !

[@RoadsideRescue]

good thoughts! Thanks!

[@secondtimearound8222]

Don’t buy rebuilt cars. There’s another channel that shows the length these rebuilders go to hide previous damage

[@960wattoffgridrv]

I once bought a rebuilt vehicle and it lasted me a long time. But I looked under it before I decided to buy it. I do all my own pre inspections and I do all my own mechanical work on my vehicles. My rebuilt status chevy van was written off in an accident in 2014. it had just over 400k on the odometer. It sold at the salvage auction for more money than what I paid for it. Everybody knew it was my van. I've been known around a few shops, I also used to shuttle dealership vehicles and I'm a wicked gearhead of nearly 35 years. Guys have begged and begged for me to tune their vehicles the same way I tune my vehicles. "Shit no I don't want you to end up dead!" I don't do anything legal behind the wheel! Car dealerships in my local area are mostly terrified of people like me. I can bankrupt any of them overnight! And I've also seen some crooked mechanics end up out of business after customers quit going to them. I've stayed just within a certain comfort zone on the types of vehicles I like to work on. I also know which vehicles make a mechanic filthy rich and which vehicles are not worth putting back on the road! I also know which older chevies are the lazy mechanic's dream vehicle to own forever! Some gearheads like their fords, others like mopars. whatever our preferences are. what we own on the streets is the same thing as showing your resumè to a potential employer or to draw attention to get your customers! I don't advertise, I don't use my KZbin channel for work purposes and I don't give out my phone number for work.

[@spenceradams2908]

That’s why if you buy a salvage vehicle you either should inspect or get it from a insurance company directly and rebuild yourself or be very thorough in inspecting it

[@gudlukkay]

What's The name of the channel

[@teddekkerfan92]

Vehcor is one channel

[@mentals555]

@@teddekkerfan92 the cars that guy shows aren't rebuilt. They're thrown together to trick people buying at auction. It only works because most bidders at the salvage auction don't even look at what they're buying before bidding

[@Angelo80907]

After seen that pic of the car when it was wrecked no way I would’ve gave the ok to buy it. Who knows how many other issues the car has from that crash.

[@jimamizzi1]

I agree, I just commented on why people buy crashed cars, never ever would I buy a crashed car especially this one, it had bad hit

[@davidleibnitz153]

I would have thought the check engine light or O2 sensors around the cat would register a failure. In a prepurchase inspection upon first start.

[@EricM-pw3dj]

First time I saw your channel, you get my subscription and a like. It's so refreshing to see an honest and intelligent mechanic, kudos to you!

[@RoadsideRescue]

Thank you!

[@michaeleshbaugh6797]

Mine too you looks like you could have tightened 2 nuts down together on that stud and threaded it in further so you wouldn't have had to use spacers but you got it to work that's all that matters

[@jeffbecker9809]

I believe that they knew of the cat being faulty, the were just hoping they could pass the problem on to the next person.

[@craigjorgensen4637]

Just a guess on your past!

[@dealerauctionnightmare4689]

To me, it looks like it was dented from the crash. I bet the dealer took the heat shield off (to straighten it or replace it) and noticed it was bent and didn't care to replace the converter.

[@jeffro221]

I can't believe a car dealer would cheat someone! I don't think that happens much. Surely they are all honest, aren't they?

[@kevinmoffatt]

They and politicians; if you can't trust them then who DO you trust.

[@frozenhouse5362]

I've been working at a body shop for a bit now and extra tips I learned was if you're painting the door, it's better to take off the mirror and belt molding (the trim at the bottom of the window) for a better paint job in the end. The mirror can get in the way, and if you're unlucky, the clear coat could stick in that gap between the door and the belt molding.

[@dannyr3346]

I wouldn’t care how good it looked afterwards you should’ve never advised them to buy that

[@coreybabcock2023]

I actually agree with you but it does go both ways can't always find the bad in a vehicle

[@fastinradfordable]

@@coreybabcock2023 if seeing half the car smashed is not a ‘sign of bad’ You’re just trying to make the customer Happy by saying yea. Because objectively. No a non car person should never ever buy a wreck

[@johnl3230]

@@fastinradfordable I still can't get over this guy recommended a Malibu. I would never in a million years, and he's a mechanic! I don't deny his ability but damn...

[@SpicyMcGeezak]

@@johnl3230he didn’t recommend it, he inspected it. I mean I guess he could have said he doesn’t recommend buying a Malibu. But that wasn’t the question the customer was asking.

[@znk0r]

@johnl3230 you would refuse to do the inspection?

[@ImigrentfromMars]

We had a used car shop getting cars from the junkyard and selling them as good used car's , I seen them first hand where they would body fill the sub frame to make it look good then spray black rubber undercoating to hide the evidence, I seen a truck with a rusted out frame get ''' fixed '' the same way I seen cars with plywood floors also undercoated and they were all sold as fit so no need for another shop to do any inspection, If you can think of it this guy sold it, He sold a van to a lady with no back breaks Im not talking used and needs to be replaced im talking 0 break parts. I seen him spray paint junkyard parts so they look new, Then when we went to court he said I don't do the work I just buy and sell I don't know anything about fixing cars ( I seen him at the shop and I know he owns the shop) '' The judge did close him down and made him give people their money back and let them keep the cars they had because lots of people would have paid to have them fixed at a legal shop after finding out they were broke,

[@spenceradams2908]

I’ve rebuilt my daily 2012 beetle turbo and since then put 45k on it with very minimal issues none of which were accident related not sure why people hate on rebuilt title cars if they are done correctly they are perfectly fine

How do you know they are done correctly?

[@spenceradams2908]

Actually look them over and check the vin online normally if Insurance payed out you can find the original auction photos to see how bad it was. Obviously if it has major frame damage that’s different then it got sideswiped and the repair cost on a 10 year old car didn’t make sense

[@DrMuFFinMan]

Just always remember the saying "hindsight is 2020", some things are going to be missed and only so much can be done before a problem shows itself. Good job at finding the issues though and hope the customer was understanding.

[@kal911.1]

very happy to see the video got a lot of views you deserve it brother

[@CaptainNero]

I don't know about Utah, typically, state laws make any used car dealer offer warranty depending on the year and mileage!

[@RoadsideRescue]

not here. AS IS

[@lancehunt2699]

Total wrong information. LOL

[@kblinn68]

that's a job well done Ernest! honest mechanics like you are very hard to find.

[@Patrick.Weightman]

You might even call him an... Earnest mechanic

[@bendover5289]

Umm the car was damaged, never buy any car like that and not worth the headache.

[@PandaMan02]

you only need to take off the four nuts on the bottom of the catalytic converter, the other 2 can just be loosened up or left alone, it has a little play and flex in it for manufacture variation reasons

[@bluchopper1]

Who in the hell would ever give someone especially a young girl the ok to buy a previous smashed up car? Never good to buy any car that's been smashed up like that car

[@benl4707]

She bought a rebuilt car knowingly where she could have bought a nice 07 to 15 clean title for 5k to 7k cash with 99k to 120k miles. You cant catch everything on a rebuilt car for 100 bucks. He might have caught if it showed up on the machine.

[@solarscreen]

Hanlon's Razor - Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

[@Onewheelordeal]

Words to live by that are almost a mantra I find myself repeating on a regular basis

[@BruceLyeg]

I've been trying hard to remember this but sometimes...

[@eddiebernays514]

except when money and power is involved.

[@fredflinstones6661]

Didn't you put a scan tool on and run it and check for any codes when you did the inspection!

[@johnchambers12]

I have a set of “Ove gloves “for those occasions when the parts are still too warm to handle the first one was from my wife’s kitchen drawer and the second was added when i went to amazon to replace the one i borrowed from her kitchen. I have washed them numerous times to get various fluids out of them after a messy job or two.

[@maxrx7]

Those mofos are professional scammers that do that for a living. They buy POS cars, fix it up for the cheapest possible to look to ok and sell it for the highest amount as fast as possible

[@marktarascio4766]

A friend of mine just bought a used Scat pack .As he was leaving a tech stopped him and told him the car had been stolen and wrecked. Dealer did not say anything.

[@RoadsideRescue]

wow

[@rick343]

He cleared the code, knowing there's a good chance it wouldn't come back until the purchaser took possession of it, you have to be of low character to do that, some people just don't want to do the right thing and would rather cheat someone. His reputation wasn't worth the price of fixing the catalytic converter.

[@CharlesCurran-m9p]

A cheap scanner can tell if that was done as it will register as “not ready”. You then know that the CEL has been reset.

[@rick343]

@@CharlesCurran-m9p Nope, a catalytic converter inefficiency code isn't a readiness monitor, you can clear that particular code and you would not know it was ever there, until it comes back. The point is they were putting the price and installation of a new converter on their customer, where I guarantee you it's more of a financial burden, than it would be on them, like I said, low character, if any .

[@1MiketheMechanic]

@@rick343 You are incorrect. The catalyst readiness monitor would have been set to incomplete until it ran the full test. It would have then set the P0420 code upon completion.

[@v8consumption]

The material is ceramic and it's coated with a washcoat that does the catylizing. They are surrounded by a seal which is fiberglass or matting and or rope seal. Not only impact like a crash but detonation or a misfire or running rich can destroy a catylist fast.

[@themaverickmechanic7240]

I’ve always enjoyed doing pre purchase inspections for people. Been in and out of the used car business for many years so I have a good eye of what to look for. The dealer auctions always hidden stuff like that. Sadly a lot of people don’t want to pay for a good pre purchase inspection. Even when selling cars I offer to take them to a mechanic of their choice.

[@RoadsideRescue]

good to know! Thanks

[@CharliesAutoWorks]

You can also see a small ding in the battery cover and yellow paint pen on the a/c line from a junk yard. Vehicle was for sure in a front collision.

[@bluchopper1]

Yea he should of told her to stay away from that car

[@drwatson1234]

yes he showed a photo pre fix, significant front collision

[@justinpaone2227]

my daughter just bought a malibu with the same error, they tried 02 sensors before she bought it, i knew better. long story short, they replaced the cat and covered it because she only had the car for 24 hours. $2k fix they said. i made her buy an extended warranty. it has already paid for itself. that car with 116k miles on it has been at the dealer 4 times in less 6 months. i told her not to buy a gm product but she didn't listen.

[@Icepressa]

lol my bmw is more reliable then a GM product other then LS engines etc

[@RobertFord-z7n]

It's not the make of vehicle, it's the lack of maintenance by people that don't do.

[@TheOnlyKontrol]

@@Icepressa wait so your 1 bmw you own is more reliable then the GM you don’t own? No shit

[@Icepressa]

@@TheOnlyKontrol my bmw has a LS swap in it from a GM corvette 👍I own several cars not 1,

@@RobertFord-z7n Ever looked at Consumer Reports used car reports? It's the make. US cars are poor compared to Japanese cars.

[@n124lp]

I wonder why the check engine light wasn't on when you did the inspection. Were all the OBD monitors complete?

[@earlmoorhead5555]

In California a smog check needs to be passed and if the damage was there it shouldn’t pass smog inspection and every state has the EPA if the dealer won’t take care of the damage cat contact the epa and file a claim against the dealer is her best bet , fines start at 10k so it’s best they fix it 💯good luck

[@stupadasso8961]

During the initial inspection the self tappers holding on what's left of the plastic lower cover didn't give anything away?

[@forreststrong797]

Wrecking yards don't sell cats. At least the yards around here. I saw some wrecking yard markings on the AC compressor and hose so I'm guessing that's where they sourced most parts. They didn't want to fork out the cash for a new cat. That's my thoughts I've seen it many times where people just refuse to spend the extra money to do it right. I'm also seeing self tapping screws to hold on what's left of the broken splash shield. When I start seeing things like this I start looking deeper. I would do a very intense inspection of this vehicle if I was being paid to give it the ok. Wrecking yard parts are fine I'm not knocking that in fact used OEM parts many times is better than aftermarket. I'd just be worried that other things that take skill or money to repair may be hidden. I'd do some alignment checks too just simple checks you don't necessarily need the alignment rack I'd look at tire wear but it may not have the miles on the repair to show wear so I'd inspect the adjustment bolts and see if anything is maxed out and take some measurements then possibly tell the customer that they should purchase an alignment inspection on a machine.

[@carlosochoa9388]

Years ago I went a junkyard and found out they don't sell catalytic converter air bags or let grinder in or car batteries so my guess is guy has two crashed cars so lets make one ok car!

[@jamesfair9751]

The car was wrecked and they bought a new cover to go over the old bent converter

[@anthonyrivera2128]

I've done mobile repair work two I got to old but I love watching you.

[@John-sx3nz]

That’s really cool enjoy the video really good format. I was just watching some other videos with towing and recovering and off Roading, and I came across your video and I thought I was the only one that did mobile services on video. Well I’m still really new at it but thank you. If you got any tips out there, I’ll take them too.

[@johnkendrick7304]

My biggest question is why didn't the vehicle go back to the dealer? Catalytic converters certainly covered under any warranty and is mandated

[@thomasquinn5537]

I would have inspected the spark plugs before I went and bought a catalytic converter you got lucky because when you were removing it you noticed it was smashed.

[@eddieMurphy11111]

A nice honest person which makes a change .thank you for the video

[@RoadsideRescue]

thank you!

[@Dexspic]

Seeing the hit it has on the chasis while you are putting the catalytic with rust in it at 19:35 at the top of the screen , my guess is they hit a pothole very deep, change the first part of the exhaust, knowing or not if catalytic was broke, and sold it.

[@steveo6631]

Pre inspection should have revealed the bad catalyst... I bet the rear O2 sensor was moving in sync with the front O2...

[@kimbakc2088]

File a complaint with the states attorney Generals office. There are federal laws about buying products that can't be used. Uniform commercial codes I believe. Why can't you drill some small holes through the membrane inside cat??

[@skin2117]

Unless this car was dirt cheap I'd never recommend a damaged auto. You'd need to get a 4 wheel alignment done to make sure it tracked true. Pic showed a lot of frontend damage and besides, tires aren't cheap

[@keving2371]

it looked totaled

[@stephenmathews8003]

Future reference if you do any prepurchase inspections always check monitors. This could have been Cought. Had you checked to see which monitors have been set And which ones are still incomplete

[@SpicyMcGeezak]

Have been set? Or reset?

[@stephenmathews8003]

@MrRedHotChiliMan any scan tool that shows the i/m readiness will show the monitors as n/a incomplete or ok. The autel autolink AL319 is typically under $40 and can show this. If the monitors show inc then you know someone has cleared the codes recently. If they all show ok then you know that at that time the computer isn't showing any issues

[@SpicyMcGeezak]

@@stephenmathews8003 ah okay, that makes sense. I would think this guy has the ability to check if those codes were tampered with and would do so before giving the okay to buy something.

[@stephenmathews8003]

@@SpicyMcGeezak I would have made that assumption as well , but there's no way that catalyst was in that condition without setting codes

[@SpicyMcGeezak]

@@stephenmathews8003 for sure, that does make sense.

[@jamesfair9751]

I’m gonna a guess after you said wrecked and catalytic converter that the converter is either smashed completely or at least hit hard enough to break up the combs inside.

[@RoadsideRescue]

good thinking!

[@BUDDYSHADOW]

I always double jack stand, two on each side if I’m going under the vehicle.

[@RoadsideRescue]

i like to leave something extra under there too, the jack or a tire

[@anned8634]

a few years ago we had a earthquake 7.1 magnitude and the only one killed was a guy working under his jeep a 100 miles away and it was up on jack stands i live only 8 miles from the epicenter and still am very Leary on working under cars on jack stands. i have steel wheel stands i use because they are less likely for a car to fall off vof

[@jondoh3471]

@@anned8634 Don't work under a car in an earthquake.

[@The_Gunner9]

KZbin is got its downsides but to keep companies honest KZbin is great. Well done sir

[@metalheaddw05]

A catalyst efficiency code CAN be caused by a defective Post-Cat O2, as a sporadic O2 sensor can provide results that are out of the parameters for efficiency.

[@wckleghorn]

Another thing to visually check is the O2 sensor after the cat typically that the o2 sensor is directly in the exhaust, sometime people will add a spacer that it screws into first then the exhaust. Do not ask my how I know...

[@moulinsart]

Ernest you are a honest and good mechanic. There is no doubt about that. but there is a lesson to be learned here. Never recommend a customer to buy a once significantly wrecked vehicle. You never know how it was rebuilt.

[@joegilly1523]

Interesting occupation,I never new about a mobile service for autos. . What’s funny is I’m a mobile mechanic but on commercial cooking equipment. Normally drove a total 2-3 hours a day going to and from customers. They don’t bring the big pizza oven and fryers to the shop to be worked on. Maybe once a year a customer will bring a fryer. Our travel rate was expensive. For me to go to an hour and a half it $240 bucks. Your customer got hosed,that shop tried to rip them off. They purposely trash that converter.

[@vinceimp9581]

One case where you can take something apart in the wrong order is head bolts, I heard on jeep 4.0s it helps their chances of not cracking if done in reverse order to the torque sequence. Also heard if you put exhaust manifold bolts back in place after you break them loose it helps keep the pressure even so they stand a better chance of coming off.

[@sleezymechanic]

25:53 when you lost the nut in your hand, I about died laughing.

[@lukeandrew7496]

Why would you pass the pre purchase inspection whit the air bag light on. In my country that is an automatic fail of a warrant of fitness (yearly inspection to be on the road)

[@eagerweaver]

some people who are not mechanically inclined might have looked at it and did'nt think anything of it. or the tech who did fix it told them and they said not to replace it. ive had that happen to used cars on my old lot i used to work at.

[@Smokedout.]

You probably have these but if not you should look into those magnetic trays to hold all your stuff as you take it off, they make different sizes so you can have a couple of them for different parts. Anyway good job and next you need to look into those bubble shelters for your own personal portable shelter.

[@JOHNSUE28]

New Subscriber here. Both my Daughters drive Malibu's, 2014 and a 2015 both with 2,5 liter. I inspected each with aprox. 60000 miles on them and now they have 120k on them and are running great. 47 year ASE Master L1 tech.

[@captainjack865]

Its Hilarious that you say things about why they did that and you do the same thing when you use a over size locking nut as a spacer and butt up the locking side together. Defeats the purpose of a locking nut. When replacing parts you always transfer brackets/bolts prior to installing. Need to incorporate the use of a paint saver drape protect the customers car while working under the hood. Keep up the great work!

[@libertycan6959]

they literally might not understand the concept of the converter and just thought it was like a muffler and therefore didn't replace it as it was just dented.

[@Cire3PC]

Great job, as a wrench for 20+ years all I can add is fender cover. You will scratch a car…. Not a matter of if but when

[@RoadsideRescue]

been using metal-less coveralls and whatnot you think it would still be worth it? been wondering

[@funwithfurryfriends9258]

If you inspected the vehicle and scanned the diagnostic , why didn't you catch the catalytic error code BEFORE you approved purchase?

[@RoadsideRescue]

there could only be one reason...

[@JasenFromBoston]

the wifes car makes an appearance. transmission shop must have finished it. thats a job well done!

[@tedjohnson64]

That was really good footage of the fractured honeycomb! I’ve heard about it happening, but never seen it before. Also, that’s the first time I’ve heard of a safety screw on a cosmetic engine cover! Why would they do that, rather than simply have friction fit grommets like all the other manufacturers?

[@cvaught]

Love the channel....best roadside mechanic channel out there

[@RoadsideRescue]

Thank You!

[@okgroomer1966]

Did you not scan the car for old codes? I can't imagine it never gave that code prior.

[@aday1637]

How does the computer (engine control module) detect the cat converter? What if you were to completely remove the element inside and reinstall it? How would the computer know or send a code. Perhaps the o2 sensor would be off with the gas moving through more quickly and being cooler. But how else would the computer know. Reason I ask is I did this to a van one time to get better flow and never had a code show up.

[@ecaparts]

Someone at GM thought all that plastic garbage looks good under the hood... 🤮🤮

[@mikeokla01]

Suggestion, never buy a from a used car dealership with out a written warranty 90 day or a year, If dealer won't repair problem on whats covered, then take it to Mr.Roadside Mac for repair estimate, take dealer to small clams court. PS, check your states car lemon laws before buying.

[@stephengibbs4372]

Yay a mechanic that used anti sieze… im told im obsessed with it and its only good for the next guy who works on it. Anything to do with exhaust and suspension fitting ls and brake caliper bolts/ sliders gets it in our shop , either copper or nickel . Stainless bolts into alloy is the worst.

[@seamasrigh2162]

I'm actually surprised the car was not totaled by an insurance co. Do you know if the title is CLEAN or REBUILT? That thing was pretty mangled.

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

Cats go bad on these and the turbos crack and set boost codes as well as other codes. Hopefully the flex isn't cracked contributing to codes also. They are other wise decent cars. Not crazy about the rebuilt title, although it makes it cheaper to buy, it also has very low resale. Good luck with it!

[@tonylundgren5032]

Wouldn't the fact that they reset the check engine light and then didn't drive it long enough for it to turn back on to hide the bad cat have come up during the pre-purchase inspection?

[@2eagle86]

You should've used a spring and nut for that aftermarket stud for the cat...

[@satan1363]

Two things. The body shop that repaired the car cut corners or that car was totaled and then bought at auction and rebuilt

[@aaronmenchinger]

I have an 09 Cobalt SS with the ecotec turbo. I installed a catless downpipe which this is the factory downpipe on vehicle. It sounds good with factory exhaust. Not any louder until full throttle, even then it just gives it a nice tone. Nothing like a trumpet like most 4 cyl anyway. If I was a scamming dealer, why not just remove inner material and put it back on. Did the beauty cover say V6 on it tho??

[@markg7030]

It depends on the state the car is registered in. Most states require all pollution systems be installed and functional.

[@johnmehaffey9953]

From what I understand regarding cars is that the dealership is the first owner so when you purchase the vehicle you are the second owner and this should be stated on your invoice for the vehicle, I’ve known that dealerships sometimes register the car to make it look like their sales are good

[@jeffro221]

Baloney. If you buy a brand new vehicle at a new car dealer, you are the 1st owner. When a dealer takes delivery from the mfr, they only "own it" as far as having legal possession of it pending selling it. And no, they don't go to DMV and register it to "make their sales look good." That will cost them money they didn't have to spend, and they are not going to spend one penny they don't have to. You are never going find it stated on your invoice that you are the second owner for a brand new car you just bought. What are you smoking?

[@wckleghorn]

A IR temp sensor might have helped and easy to check once engine running verify the temp before and after cat to see if it working somewhat correctly.

[@RoadsideRescue]

smart. Want to get a thermal camera for stuff like this!

[@n124lp]

How does the temperature of the exhaust gases tell you whether the converter is working?

[@wckleghorn]

@@n124lp Once the car is warmed up the temperature before cat should be 100-200 degrees cooler than other side. The precious metals inside heat the gases up and burn off the bad stuff. If the temp is very similar in temp before and after then either metal is gone or not working right

[@vjnobody]

Kickass repair vid :D keep it up. Last shop may not have caught the problem either, yet they were possibly liable through a lemon law of some kind I should think, and otherwise they may desire to remedy the sale for future business, at any rate.

[@JF-wk5zo]

A dealer is probably required under federal law to replace it with an OEM converter costing 1500 or so.

[@DonziGT230]

The airbag light is on. Being that it came from a dealer, they're probably required to repair it or pay for the repair. You should have laid the two cats side by side and installed/transferred all the parts over before putting the new one in the car.

[@raymanbecker]

I always use high temp Anti Seize fore spark plugs and exhaust. Keep up the good work.

[@dereckc9469]

spark plugs come treated dont put anything on them

[@aday1637]

So even with an inspection you are still buying a pig in a poke. Only buy with a warranty and even then you run the risk they won't honor the warranty so make sure it's a warranty that allows you to take it to your own repair shop. At that point better to buy new.

[@erichopken7638]

Only you can tell if someone has been there. If the nuts and bolts show that a socket has been on it recently.

[@Mrfort]

You say you did the wriggle test with the vehicle on the stands, "we" always remove the jack handle ,"just in case!

[@youaregoingtolovethis]

if you used magnetic sockets it would have held the nuts and bolts in the socket so you don't' risk burning your fingers. Plus use thicker leather gloves just for handling the hot nuts and bolts and then when things cool off you can go to rubber/latex gloves or thinner gloves.

[@michaelverrillo9269]

Same reason why you didn’t see it they had no reason to take the shield off the cat

[@graysonatlas]

Just curious, but noticed one of the o2 sensors is black now. Would you want to replace that as well?

[@tonyfremont]

Tbf, the car didn't throw a code for a while. I assume the prepurchase check included checking the ECM to make sure it wasnt recently cleared and all monitors had completed. Obviously not faulting the mechanic for not being able to see through the heat shield. That said, i don't think a dent is a good reason to condemn a cat, low efficiency is different. As sooty as that o2 sensor looked, im curious what fuel trims look like. Excessive fuel could have ruined the cat, but it also could have had its honeycomb shattered in the wreck. Im not sure anyone intentionally tried pulling something, especially if it took a while for the code to show up.

[@byrd203]

Definitely get a Mod Mat design. to hold parts and bolts for cars they do one for computers mod mat is a great idea see what you can get this will keep bolts handy and easy to see and in place

[@anthonymoore4096]

It would be really great to get the name of the original scam facility that sold that to that poor person period stuff like that goes on all the time and usually putting them on blast is the best way to remedy or make sure it doesn't happen to others

[@melsjunk2645]

I have a set of heavy and tall car ramps for working under a car, much safer than stands i think.

[@RoadsideRescue]

yeah my ramps are plastic and old... i use jack stands even when on them!

[@MustangMach1696.0]

I feel for hoo ever bought 😢 this peace of junk😂😅.