This is How Car Repair Shops Get Bad Reputations! Routine Maintenance Turns Into Major Surgery

In This Video I share with you why some car repair shops get bad reputations. What started as a routine and simple timing belt job turned into a multi hour major surgery to this engine because of malpractice from a shop that did this maintenance before!
This infuriates every mechanic and shop owner! We work very hard to do right by people and do quality work. Then come some mechanics that just make it all go away! This makes me sad!
This beautiful 1999 Toyota Camry V6 wasn't maintained as it should using the usual cheap quality parts and "over maintained" unnecessarily.
Folks be careful with mechanics and shops. You need to trust your car mechanic. if you don't, it's a mistake to continue using them. Ask them to show you things, Ask them to show you the new parts and old parts. No good mechanic gets upset if you ask for your old parts back. It is my pleasure to show you your old parts back and better yet show you anything before we start the job so you are well informed and fully understand why every job costs what it does.
TCCN Automotive Inc.
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[@arthouston7361]

The unwillingness of the dealerships and the independent shops to adequately compensate good technicians has been having a tendency to drive good technicians from the industry into other professions. I am a terrific example of that, having had four Master certificates and a total of 33 ASE individual certifications, and was designated as a “world-class technician.” I am now a commercial HVAC technician after having left the auto industry and flown jets. Training and retaining quality technicians costs money that people do not want to spend. As a result, the level of monkey business in the industry has increased exponentially. Oh and by the way……I did work for two Toyota dealerships along the way.

[@amaturetechnician8405]

That's why I stopped after a year and a half The pay starting out doesn't cover tools and loans need to start making it difficult trying to find a future in this industry.

[@David-lr2vi]

It’s not people that don’t want to pay the money for qualified technicians, it’s the employers. I’m in Australia and you won’t find a per hour rate under about $120 for labour in any mechanics workshop with a lot being well above that. Pretty sure the technician doing the actual work isn’t getting even a fraction of that per hour unless they are working independently for themselves. Unfortunately the corporate profit motive encourages the poorest quality for the highest price rather than good quality for a fair price.

[@Maguffin604]

Nailed it Art.

[@rwdplz1]

I couldn't even get my foot in the door when I was a kid, despite regularly maintaining a small fleet of family vehicles and passing most of the ASE tests. Now, I'm an automotive engineer, designing parts of the car making 6 figures sitting at a computer.

[@David-lr2vi]

@@rwdplz1 Same kind of deal here. I wanted to be a mechanic when I left school but couldn’t even get any automotive shops to give me a chance as an apprentice mechanic. After a few shitty jobs to make ends meet I ended up falling into purchasing and product management at a company distributing high voltage cable terminations and joints, etc. Probably get paid the same amount as a mechanic does now and only have to drive a desk for the most part.

[@tacomafan5186]

You’re a breath of fresh air in a world of shady mechanics. Wish your shop wasn’t so far away.

[@zythr9999]

I hear you

[@that_guy89x89]

Where's his shop at?

[@jamesweber4938]

@@that_guy89x89 I think it is in Illinois.

[@airborneranger-ret]

I'm glad it is far for you. I'm local and appts are 2+ months out - lol

[@steves7973]

Quality disappeared from garages a long time ago, it's all about making money and speed now. That's why I do my own repairs, I know it's done correctly.

[@charlesistheman]

I wish all mechanics had your level of integrity.... Actually I wish all people had your level of integrity

[@lpd1snipe]

It's a nice change to see a conscientious mechanic who wants to do the right thing. When I was a younger man I worked in a motorcycle shop part-time and nothing ever left my work area unless it was right.

[@MC-mh2ju]

What if the customer wasn't satisfied with the work? Was it really done right?

[@lpd1snipe]

@@MC-mh2ju well I never had that issue. I never had any returns on any of my work. The only reason I didn't work full time in the shop was because I was working as an engineer in the Merchant Marine at the time and I worked 3 months on 3 months off. When I was home my buddy put me to work in his shop when he needed extra help.

[@THEH2OMAN]

I make house calls. I sell, install, and service whole house water filtration systems and I also work on H2O systems that I did not sell & install, so I am constantly dealing with other peoples shoddy work. I spend extra time on the job correcting issues left behind by someone else, it sucks, but that's the only way I can perform my service correctly. Consumers need to be more involved with the entire maintenance process, or at least be aware of what it takes to correctly maintain any appliance/vehicle that they own. Consumers need to educate themselves so they are less likely to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous people & businesses. AMD, good on you for doing the right thing by your customers.

[@jimbergen5232]

Another great informational video. This video should be mandatory for every automotive student. " Doing right " is an understatement.

[@jimbergen5232]

@That V8 Life While that is true, was just saying and hoping the students could at least know, some good base-line thinking. I know, wishful thinking, thinking how these young kids are acting.

[@muhsalihu]

This is what I tell my students, interns and residents all the time.

[@leiferiksson1785]

But instead of fixing it now, it might be better to let it go. 24 years old is a bit crazy. E.g. a new Camry hybrid is more fuel efficent, much less pullution and much safer.

[@shonnyNOR]

"Doing right" is not an understatement, but should be the attitude - - - of everyone!

[@read1kings18]

AMD you are speaking the truth. This poor car owner was really taken advantage of until they came to see the Car Care Nut. Wisdom is supreme.

[@markkrispin6944]

You are a good man AMD. I can see God has blessed you with your our business and your family.

[@MattJonesYT]

Both myself and my parents had to get new oil pans because the shops over torqued the oil pan drain. Some shops, even dealers just impact wrench everything and think that a torque wrench is for wimps apparently.

[@JamesSmith-jq2jc]

Sometimes they don't even tighten them. They fall out and an engine gets destroyed. It's best to check them after an oil change is my opinion. I've always changed my own oil.

[@Pepe-dq2ib]

@@JamesSmith-jq2jc same, one of my neighbor had the same thing happen with the lose drain bolt. I also stock up on oil when Amazon has their random sales; For example, i got a bunch of the ExxonMobile full synthetic a week ago at $20 each and now its back to $38.

[@jimb8842]

Had a friend where the quick lube stripped the drain plug. They even painted letters on the pan stating Not too tight. I was able to save the pan using a helicoil. Yes, using a torque wrench would save so many problems. About 30 ft lbs on a steel pan and 18 for aluminum.

[@wendwllhickey6426]

Mechanic to quick to use impact driver on everything and strip out holes to save time

[@stuffdo_er]

I'm a diy mechanic and doing the maintenance and repairs in my vehicles is a slow and deliberate process due to my lack of knowledge. I use Toyota repair manuals, forums and KZbin to carry out tasks. All my cars are used and I always run into broken connectors, neglected gaskets and loose bolts. I have a used Lexus that has all dealer service records and it's the worst one when it comes to finding poor/rushed workmanship including service that was shown to be done on the history report but is clearly neglected when inspected. I believe some mechanics base their quality of work on the consumers ignorance.

[@rickuyeda4818]

I grew up in the 50's and 60's and taught myself how to fix my own cars. I can't afford to have someone else fix it. Anyway, after College, I worked as a Commercial Artist but would street race at night. I drove a '55 Chevy 210 Belair with a 327, 4 speed and 4:56 gears. My other car was a '65 Malibu SS that I installed a 396 and 4 speed with 4:88 gears. One day, I stopped by my best friend's shop. He was the service manager for the House of Corvettes. One of his mechanics and finished a job on a Corvette. It was a cam change and he couldn't get the car to start. As he cranked, I looked at the rockers and asked, "Is it a hydraulic or solid". He said he didn't know. I had nothing else to do so I adjusted the valves for a hydraulic cam and it fired right off. I thought, "He thinks he's a mechanic?". At work, a co-worker was lamenting a call he had received. His mechanic had told him the drive for his fuel pump was broken and the car wasn't worth fixing. It was a '62 Ford Ranch Wagon. I told him to call his mechanic back to install an electric pump. He did and his mechanic was shocked he didn't think of it first.

[@rightlanehog3151]

AMD, It looks like this family got their Camry to you just in time 🤨

[@stratfanstl]

A 22 year old car? With only 103,000 miles? In flawless condition? Owned by an elderly woman who only recently past away? That has had the timing belt changed FOUR TIMES? Possibly in consecutive years? The original elderly owner who was bent on ensuring the car was well taken care of was CLEARLY ripped off by a dealer or repair shop. They apparently convinced the owner a timing belt was the same type of normal maintenance interval item as an oil change. This car barely needed one oil change per year. I know it's not your goal for this channel to become a public stockade for shaming other shops for fraud but I hope the son files something with the Better Business Bureau and the state Attorney General office.

[@jontnoneya3404]

You're so right - I went to Christian Brothers with my mom's '03 Lincoln Town Car. It's only got 100k miles on it, garage kept, and the dealership wanted $1,500 to change the intake manifold. CB's said it would be less like $1,200. SO we go there and they change it. Bill $1,500 WTF but the worst was yet to come. My elderly mom was driving it, parked and got out and when she tried to drive off, she couldn't turn the wheel. Turns out the main belt, driving the fan, Power Steering and other stuff broke! When we returned it they said "Oops there's a place on the engine that the mechanic looped it around and that caused the belt to shred" SO....not only did they screw up the repair, it was the same price. I will never go back to that shop. Imagine what would have happened if a 92 yr old woman had that belt break while on the highway. UGH....scares me to death to consider what might have happened but I'm so thankful nothing bad happened. We need more mechanics like you and finding them is super hard.

[@LA_Commander]

Worst thing is you could have replaced it yourself for just $400 using high quality dealer parts.

[@laurat1129]

Many years ago, I had a '94 Subaru. After our regular garage closed, Dad recommended another guy down the street. So I went there for the timing belt, but being a young female then, I didn't get a good vibe from the place. After some research (internet in its infancy), I found a good mechanic, just before I left east coast to drive/move x-country west. There on the two-lane trucker route I-40 in W. Memphis, AK, we broke down. Fortunately, AAA came quickly and brought us to the local family garage that serviced all the police dept vehicles. They'd never seen a Subaru at that time (2001), but they figured out that the timing belt was put on backwards and had shredded itself. Also fortunately, my Dad was with me on this part of the roadtrip, but who did he blame? My guy instead of his! Although I knew better, I let him believe this because at least he was there to protect me - and to help pay for it.😂 ETA: After the Subaru, I got a Saab, which I still have today, because I've let only a few trusted specialists work on it.

[@saramaki1088]

@@laurat1129 my brother also has a Saab, and goes to the same mechanic I go to(he actually recommended him to me) when he can't do the job, due to weather, time, not having a garage or lift, mostly. Our mechanic is good, but he will only work on certain cars, and sometimes won't do a job if he doesn't want to deal with it(🤔) so I have had to use another one on occasion. I have an 07 lexus, and my brother's Saab is an 06, so they are getting up there in age...

[@laurat1129]

@@saramaki1088 That's cool to hear, Sara. Whether Lexus/Toyota or Saab, I think the same rules apply: Full synth oil and OEM parts. (And for me: Watch TCCN for all car needs.😅)

[@fogodechao]

Dude, I have a Christian Brothers near my house as well (Midlo VA). They are the King of the bait and switch and are nothing but full of lies. Yet they have all of this Christian iconology around to try and what, give the impression of piousness and honesty? I have a 2007 Mitsu Outlander V6 that runs great, and 120k miles. I went in for oil change and state inspection. This guy comes back to me and says if you want it to pass inspection, you need to spend over $6,000!!!! WTF, are you kidding me man, car is not worth that much (pre-Covid)? I LOLed and told him put a rejection sticker on it and bring the car down. I drove one hour away to a trusted mechanic I know and asked him to give me the real scoop. $420 later and I have a passed, road worthy car. It seems to me they wanted me to abandon an otherwise great car so they could get it from me on the cheap. AMD walks the walk, not just talk.

[@tomcrotty1498]

My problem is there are shops that insist on buying the parts. No doubt to charge full retail. That’s ok. What I have a problem with are those that use cheap parts from a jobber and charge the retail price of a genuine Toyota part. I’ve seen this more often than not.

[@Chokerdown]

Dude..that shop is so clean its blowing my mind.

[@ahmadghosheh3104]

Reminds me of my sister-in-law, she takes her car to the dealer for an oil change and leaves $700-$900 lighter. They change transmission fluid on he Hyundai with every oil change for real, plus a ton of unnecessary or not due stuff. Had a long talk with her and since she keeps all the receipts, she now can points and says nope, you're done that.

[@64arguz]

That’s exactly why I learned to fix cars, I am not a certified mechanic; but the only thing I’m not able to fix is an automatic transmission.

[@test40323]

After loosing my old Toyota with multiple engine rebuilds by the dealership I have no faith in dealership work anymore. I don't even mind paying above average labour as long they do it right!

[@Blakecryderman7244]

@test40323 your Toyota needed an engine rebuild? What happened, did a rock on the highway fly up & put a hole in your oil pan, losing all oil & keep running, or something else? What kind of Toyota model & year was it & why did it need the engine rebuilt?

[@bluegrassman3040]

Why does the automotive business get it’s bad name? Silly things like timing belts, that’s why! Paying mechanics flat rate is another issue, hence having to work so fast as to beat flat rate to make any money. Anyways, I appreciate your channel.

[@henrymorgan3982]

It's all about PRIDE in workmanship. Something that is not taught ANYWHERE anymore except here on this channel. I have been working in the aftermarket automotive for most of my life and I can say that I agree to all of the above about "workmanship." I have dealt with all of the above of what you describe as "mechanics." I was shaking my head when you were shaking your head! Funny! Thank you and have a Great Weekend!

[@2CabrasLocas]

USED to be a parents job....

[@johndesaavedra1040]

This is exactly why I have performed every repair and every maintenance procedure, save for a few failed attempts with shops for the past 52 years. Yes, engines and transmissions are not out of the DIY league. Thanks for your dedication to the DIY sector. We may have all the ability in the world, but without experience we rely on folks like yourself who are willing to share wisdom and experience.

[@xyoojj]

Same here. Learned everything I can in my late teens. Still learning today. Now I can pass the skills to my boys.

[@billmcdonald1296]

The dealer has a two month wait and still misdiagnosed my car for both problems. $450 out the window because they guarantee their work for 30 days but still have a two month wait. So no guarantee. The third party shops won't use genuine parts because they don't make as much profit. This is why mechanics get a bad reputation.

[@snakehead5444]

I had a 97 v6 xle Camry as my first car. It was as old as I was and treated me very well. Used to toast my buddies automatic frs up to 40 mph.

[@TwilightZoneX]

Fantastic video. This is why a lot of consumers today do not like Auto repair and that includes brand dealership service centers not to mention quick lube service centers that I've seen on my own car. The search for quality mechanics is definitely harder to find than it was 20 or 30 years ago

[@saramaki1088]

Nail on head!

[@flouisbailey]

What will we have in 5-10 years? Ms Jones you need a new drive battery and two motors or a new car.

[@HelycopterEP]

As a Toyota tech based in AZ, I see quite a lot of hack jobs like that. All i can do is teach new guys the things WE do and the things others do that don’t work. Think about the customer long term. In the shop we work at, timeframe isn’t an issue, if we hit a snag (usually caused by other tech), the customer would always be ok to wait for it to be resolved. I’m glad this video is out and explained this thoroughly because people need to know there are techs like you that do care. The job only goes as well as the parts we get. Also if you want a good replacement mic, purple panda makes some good mics!

[@brown5252]

👍👍👍

[@stevesideris8364]

Please don't take this personally as you sound like someone who gives a shit about his job, but every bad experience I've ever had has been because of hack dealership mechanics.

[@saramaki1088]

@@stevesideris8364 I have dealt with hack jobs from Honda dealerships, and from independent mechanics. It's so frustrating. Especially, as a woman, and when I actually do know what the problem is, but they don't listen to me, and then they find out the hard way that I was right! I haven't had a newer car in a long time, so none of the stuff in the past 10+ years has been under warranty, but out of my own pocket. If it takes them longer to figure out the problem, that I was explaining in detail- and ignored, I end up paying more for their 'labor'... it's infuriating. At least it's good to know there are some decent, knowledgeable mechanics around. I wish there were more, though! Haa

[@riceburner4747]

Im a 70 yr old senior. Done mechanical work most of my life but either worked or didnt have proper tools. So I KNOW there are caring technicians out there like u. I have a great family garage/former Toyota techs who are great! And ppl who commented, there's shitty customers TOO! Just give techs a chance. Anywho, thank u for your conscientious work! 👍🖖🇺🇸

[@vish044]

Where in AZ brother?

[@lbproductions3613]

You're simply the best TCCN! Better than all the rest! Better than anyone! Anyone I've ever met!

[@TheRealHungryJoe]

Have a blessed day AMD! Great content like always

[@igglybiggly6951]

You are TOP NOTCH AMD! As a service advisor for an independent Toyota/Lexus repair shop,I can't stress how important it is to emphasize the quality of parts is just as important as the caliber of technicians working on your car!! I always tell my customers this.You pay for what you get and it's a reason why we are usually at least 2 weeks out for appointments. Once people understand the true VALUE of a GREAT &HONEST shop,they'll plan ahead and wait to get their car worked on at that shop.Peace and blessings 💪👍🙏

[@billmcdonald1296]

Are you able to find quality mechanics? My local dealer says that no one wants to be a mechanic any more. After paying for school and tools entry level mechanics may earn $30K. Just not worth the investment.

[@manuelgil6728]

Yup , that's why mechanics should be paid hourly. 15 years as a master tech , now 12 years in the medical field so much happier now ..

[@igglybiggly6951]

@@billmcdonald1296 Sounds like the local stealership is raping perspective employees. All our ASE techs make a guaranteed $40/hour with an 8 hour day guarantee MINIMUM,plus monthly bonus.We have little to no employee turnover

[@igglybiggly6951]

@@manuelgil6728 My wife's an nurse practitioner. She makes big bucks and sets her hours and where she works,but it's still stressful

[@mariocurbelo5822]

Where are you located?

[@audioman81]

So sad but so common. Can't trust anyone in the service or skilled trades industry to do anything better than a hack job. Want it done right, do it yourself seems to be the only option. Thought I found a good shop praised as best around to do the stuff above my level and still got burned by sloppy mistakes I found after the fact inspecting their work. Time to learn the hard stuff too then I guess.

[@burntnougat5341]

Bingo

[@shoersa]

Same engine on my 1994 camry xle. Son & I did the timing belt and cam & crank seals. Used the Asian kit and torqued all bolts to spec. I did NOT want to strip threads in the Aluminum block! You did the customer right at your expense. There are not a lot of people that would do that. Great video.

[@bucklemon9945]

31 years at a Ford dealership trying to put the customer first and not being the fastest tech Slowly put me out the door because of the young super fast Techs that slam everything together and hope for the best makes me not trust anyone anymore also found out that a one them lost their job because of not performing recalls but saying they did I guess that’s one way to do it really fast.

[@chuckbrown617]

An honest, experienced and knowledgeable mechanic is worth his weight in gold.

[@waitingforparts57]

Your knowledge is immense and your ability to relate it to your audience is even more impressive. I had not owned a Toyota but watched your channel because of your knowledge. When a friend asked to look at his Toyota, I thought of you and found your videos to be very helpful. Thank you and may the Lord keep you safe

[@jamram9924]

I worked at an independent import service in the early 2000s. We began to see the cheap Chinese made parts entering the market. Our shop used a few parts like water pumps and bearings, but the failure rate soon haunted us and the owner stopped. Now, through places like Amazon, Oriellys and Auto Zone those cheap parts are main stream. Many independent mechanics, garages and shade tree mechanics use these garbage parts. Stay away from these parts because they do not perform the same as the OE parts. Pay once, do it correctly and done. I take before and after photos on my phone and always save the used parts for the customer’s inspection.

[@Kevin19700]

Another excellent vid. As a 40 year retired mechanic I lament the current state of affairs in automotive repair.

[@wildhorses6817]

It is really Bad. I have searched for a mechanic through oil changes and they won't even do that ethically, won't provide the information on the oil nor the oil filter used. Tell me I will need new brakes at next oil change. It is frustrating. More frustrating due to the very high cost as well. I found an honest mechanic through a neighbor. I met him and liked him , when I needed an oil change and maintenance I called to schedule it with the office. I had the work done. They Did Not tell me the man had Died and this was a new corporate owner and they were Horrible. The work they did was Bad and they actually screamed at me when I returned with the vehicle which had problems. I will need to do much more searching again because I cannot do the maintenance myself. It is so sad that the honest mechanic passed away during the pandemic. He was a decent man.

[@RealWorldGarage]

I have actually reused the Toyota Idler bearings before because the aftermarket ones didn’t feel as smooth as the used factory originals. In a pinch if they really needed the car back I might would’ve heli coiled the pump, but yeah if the parts are available you’re better off replacing it. You were very generous in doing right by the customer. It will come back to you 10fold.

[@ovidiocabrera1979]

Dgg

[@RealWorldGarage]

@G. Mule I beg to differ. But ok.

[@GF-mf7ml]

I have yaris replace wheels bearing rear at 70,000km, and it go bad again at 110,000km I use made in Japan one. What should I do? Use Chinese one? Toyota rear wheels bearing can't be open to add grease. The most I can think of drill a small hole spray grease and cover it.

[@RealWorldGarage]

@@GF-mf7ml use German or Japanese bearings. One pot hole or bumped curb can cause the bearing to fail prematurely.

[@bettymaverick1098]

I gave a 2000 Camry(130k miles) to my daughter. She took to a Toyota dealer in Pinellas County Florida for an oil change. She drove it 40 miles and found out they forgot to put oil back in the car. The dealer refused to do anything about said it would be fine. About a 100 miles later the rods started knocking. She could not afford to go to court and had to get another vehicle. Not many dealers are honest.

[@petesmitt]

Even if you take them to court and win, you then have to enforce the judgement; a truly dodgy shop is used to being sued and will have contingency plans to avoid payouts; a tradie I sued had his business with zero assets in his name and all his assets in his wife's name.

[@joevignolor4u949]

The American legal system is a total mess. American courts are like a baseball or football game. You need to buy a ticket to get in and if you can't afford the price of the ticket you're stuck sitting outside. Your daughter obviously got screwed by the dealer and the legal system made sure they got away with it. Equal justice under law is a joke. It should read as much justice as you can afford.

[@ronkemperful]

My biggest gripe with repair shops has been regarding brake lining replacements. A Colorado Toyota dealer that I used for service loved to capitalize on how much brake lining was left; and I was told that on my year old Corolla I would need my brakes to be relined soon as I only had 3 mm left, though the car only had about 15000 gentle highway miles on it... with appropriate use of lower gears when driving downhill in the mountains. Interestingly, I went back to my usual dealership months later in Washington State and they said I had 7 mm left. When I sold the car 153,000 miles later, I still was at 4 mm. The problem is, when you are not a mechanic and closely follow all precautions and maintenance; you can still get burned by an unscrupulous shop.

[@marty4809]

Which Colorado Toyota dealer? A Colorado resident wants to know who to avoid.

[@ronkemperful]

@@marty4809 This was in 1994, but the dealership was John Elway which later on was bought out by Auto Nation. The dealership also changed to carrying Nissan cars, but unfortunately carried on the same practice for I had bought a 1995 Nissan to replace my Corolla and my father who brought the car into service for me was talked into by the mechanic to replace the front brakes (which only had about 7,000 miles on them!). So, 275 dollars were needlessly spent on a nearly 2 year old car that again was driven mainly on the highway with downshifting and gentle brake use!

[@xfirstxlast6502]

One would think a Toyota dealer would use Toyota OEM brake parts unless you asked for cheaper pads. However, they put on some cheaper after-market pads that squealed constantly while I was thinking I had OEM parts. Strange. The original pad never did make any noise, so went specially to the Toyota dealer to get OEM pads. After many trips back over 9 months to the dealer in attempts to fix" it, they finally admitted they had put on cheaper pads. I insisted on the OEM and, of course , that "fixed" the noise issue. Their reason was they wanted to be competitive to the brake shops. I told them if I wanted a cheap repair I would go directly to the cheap place- not a Toyota dealer. Sad.

[@saramaki1088]

@@xfirstxlast6502 wow! Unreal. What a terrible experience.

[@beninformato9040]

@The Car Care Nut : Hello! I took your advice and I'm the proud owner of a 2004 Toyota 4Runner with 2UZ-FE 4.7 iForce V8 engine! bought it from the original owner at 35K miles and now has 60K miles! Hopefully I can get many years and miles of life! Thanks for your great videos!

[@glassesstapler]

Love to hear a shop that considers the customers predicament. Gotta charge extra but not killing them. Salute!

[@user-rq3vt4kg4o]

That is why I maintain and repair my cars myself as much as possible. And this is also one of the reasons why I ordered a new 2023 RAV4, I do not want my car to be touched by a "tech" with crooked hands.

[@m.b8257]

I’ve mentioned it before,and I’ll mention it again, I live in Ontario Canada, just outside of Toronto, I just bought a 22 Lexus ES and if it ever needs anything major done to it I’m making the trip to Chicago land.

[@Yama4Yama]

Call out the mechanic who did the work. Only way to rebuild the reputation in your industry is to get rid of the bad apples. Great video.

[@HevyD82]

Great video! I really love your honesty. Wish you were my mechanic. I own a 2016 Lexus NX 200t. I used to own a 1997 Camry with the V6. Best car ever. Lasted over 16 years in Canadian winters, in Montreal.

[@goooch888]

I changed a spark plug in my lawnmower, now I am a certified Briggs and Stratton technician with one spark plug experience. 😅

[@foodieman359]

AMD is very honest and amazing person. I’m bringing my Toyota Highlander Hybrid from Michigan to Illinois for maintenance because I only trust AMD!

[@MPGunther1]

WOW, I hate when that happens! I don't think I would have the patience. Bless you for taking care of the customer... the right way

[@nimue325]

“If you’re not going to do maintenance work yourself, at least know how to do it.” I could not agree more! My college offered a one-month auto repair class every January. I swear it was one of the most valuable classes offered because not only can we help ourselves when it’s just a flat tire or a pair of new wipers, but we also know how to make sure our garage is a good one for more complicated stuff (a couple decades later, your videos help me maintain battery filters that didn’t exist at that time but also concede it’s time to let someone else change the oil and monitor the heating/cooling 😱).

[@frankbiz]

The difference between you and many other mechanics is: you are a professional technician with a conscience who enjoys your work and does it with perfection!

[@wildhorses6817]

And, Respect

[@lutherthompson8314]

I have been the victim of similar situations. Sadly, there are shops out there that intend to make money at all costs. Sometimes you find out later that the work was not even done. If you have not developed trust in a shop, or if you are trying a new shop, as when you have moved, you need to make unobtrusive marks to see if things have actually been changed. Some shops have worn out parts around to show you. Take the old parts. They may not be yours, but they will not be shown to other customers. When I learn to trust a mechanic or shop, I try to stay with them until they close or die. If I lived in your area I would at least get estimates from you. I do as much as I can, but at my age I just cannot do a lot.

[@niuhuskieguy]

Unfortunately this is not limited to independent shops, but regular dealerships as well. I had a car I took to the same dealership for service for a few years. Dealership changed owners and the service department appeared to have changed with it. Went in for an oil change and tire rotation, the tire rotation part was not done. Only found out about it due to some residue left on one of the rims from a tire shop that had previously put new tires on. I did confirm the oil had been changed though.

[@zythr9999]

@@niuhuskieguy Some shops will cut out doing some things so they can service as many cars as they can during business hours.

[@niuhuskieguy]

@@zythr9999 I'm all good with that provided they tell me they aren't providing that service and they don't charge me for that service. In this case, the dealer specifically has express services for these quick items.

[@seanperdue232]

I truly hope that ANYONE who uses this shop for their repair needs really understands the gift they've been given. This guy is so knowledgeable and conscientious of his work and it's such a breath of fresh air to know there are still good folks doing good work out there. I just wish we were closer together so I could have him look after my Tundra.

[@michaelgranger7113]

I'm so glad my 2012 Camry SE has a timing chain and not a belt.

[@singular9]

This is why I do all my own car work as much as I can. But when it's a big big job ... Man do I worry

[@p6102zrfxe]

Exactly how job need to be done. Every car owner should be happy who can do maintenance in your shop. Thank you AMD.

[@davepaturno4290]

I learned many years ago that if lots of labor is required to replace something, it is always best to use high quality parts and seals. Also, be careful when tightening bolts in aluminum. If possible, use a torque wrench.

[@mailmanjoe]

Oh AMD. Bless your heart for taking care of this customer. It's the ethics people!

[@mfanning186]

Those wheels look real nice. Thanks for the great video.

[@RoboGeeeeeek]

How refreshing to see an individual who "gets it" and understands why it pays to do it right the first time. Great work and content as always.

[@AstoundLikesWoW]

Beautiful car! Good for you for doing it the right way. I've seen it in more than just the auto repair industry, if you want it done right you have to do it yourself. Or find someone like you, which is hard unless they can prove their work via KZbin or something similar.

[@pirihern9329]

Got fed up with being ripped off by stealerships and independent repair shops. Started with basic tools with help from chiltons and haynes, then graduated to KZbin and google. Now that I'm retired and 70 . Have the time

[@cutabove9046]

The major problem for the average customer is he never knows the experience and knowledge level of the mechanic assigned to work on his car by the dealer or shop. One time you might be assigned the best mechanic in the universe. The next time at the same shop you are assigned the biggest loser who ever picked up a wrench. Years ago you got to talk to the mechanic who would work on your car and that allowed you to determine how good he was. Today that is rarely the case.

[@divinemessenger2030]

My mechanic always shows me the old part, the receipt for the part they got (they usually go OEM), and explains the cost and other future things that may need to be repaired. I have so much respect for mechanics that care to build a rapport with their customers and not just rush them off, do patch work to keep costs down with cheap parts, not inform the customer about other issues that may arise, etc…

[@RandomGuy-qm3mg]

great job taking care of your customer!

[@johnbee7729]

A.whole bunch of issues here, and for me one of the biggest concerns is the waste. There was a lot of wasted materials, resources and times because somebodu else did not care. Tis a major problem in our society.

[@steverichdrummr]

I am very lucky to have been a customer of a fantastic shop. They are a country garage owned by two brothers that are outstanding. They do any foreign cars, but specialize on Toyota. By the way, they use only Toyota brand replacement parts. So, shout out to Al's garage, in Blackstone MA. I've been a customer for 50 years now, on any work that I can't do myself.

[@joevignolor4u949]

I own a 2000 Lexus ES300 with the same engine. A common problem is knock sensor codes at around 150,000 miles. The problem is usually caused by a little wiring harness that connects the knock sensors to the main wiring harness. The little harness, which is located under the intake manifold, gets damaged by the heat. There are lots of horror stories about people using aftermarket parts to do this job and a few weeks later the problem is back again. When I did mine I used OEM Toyota knock sensors and an OEM harness. The last thing I'd ever want to do is have to do a job like that all over again. I'm glad I went with the OEM parts. Its been four months and everything is still working fine.

[@wallace3953]

Wow! You know Exactly What to do. The owner should thank his lucky stars that you were able to fix the whole dangerous mess.

[@Abesta83]

I have a shop as well. I can write a book from the nonsense repairs I see other shops do. I honestly think it’s the customers fault. The price shopping has driven the race to the bottom. And that’s how you end up with substandard repairs, parts, and technicians. That’s why I’m never the cheapest shop, and no discounts. Take it or leave it. I’m not compromising my quality to save a Buck.

[@Abesta83]

@@Gestapo943 a good shop and an honest shop are two different things. A lot of the corporate/chain stores have to maintain a minimum invoice dollar amount per vehicle. And that's where the unnecessary repairs come from. And you're right, people need to educate themselves on how cars work. We assume our customers understand, and we talk technical to them. And if they don't, we try and educate them on how the system works and what went wrong. It's so much easier selling a job when a customer understands the functions and implications of not doing it.

[@osvaldomartinez2304]

Mechanics are like politics, they lie alot! How can it be the customers fault, you choose this job and you know what comes with it. I've went to so called pricey good mechanics that still couldn't do a good job. I also went to the backyard mechanic that charges little to what the big shops charge and did a great job. My friend charged me 275$ to change all four brakes while Firestone wanted almost 500$ for just the back ones lol

[@Watchyn_Yarwood]

@@osvaldomartinez2304 100%

[@BrotherK-ex2co]

If the price is too high then there is a tendency to subcontract the work

[@wolfeadventures]

Plenty of people pay top dollar for substandard repairs. Paying more doesn’t guarantee a quality job anymore.

[@martik778]

2 extra hours! You deserve a medal.

[@DaveGringo]

A master craftsman like you is a rare and very valuable thing that most people don't realize how important it is to have your eyes and hands on their car! My 99 Camry LE 2.2, 341k miles still going strong, my daily driver for 22 years. Motor & trans never apart besides normal maintenance items. Most of the work not requiring a lift I have done myself. Sometimes learned the hard way why to avoid aftermarket parts. Especially the IAC, two aftermarket IAC's gave me a rough idle for years that I couldn't figure out why it had a rough idle. The original one after 100+k miles was gummed up and giving me poor idle control and I think a rough idle at the time. So I decided just to replace it (twice in 200k miles), and had a rough idle with brand new IAC's. Then I found the original in a box of old parts and decided to check the coils resistance, both were perfect. I soaked it, cleaned it up and lubed it. Put it back in with a new rubber O ring gasket and had a smooth idle again after many many years of living with vibration on idle...

[@donaldlundee4719]

I decided to do the maintenance on my own car and found your videos about changing the brakes very helpful. Especially the video about the stupid electronic emergency brake. So thanks for the great videos.

[@markkinney5030]

I'm a small engine tech for 44 years now! And people i see this stuff in the small engine repair shop as well I hate it. Some just want to do it not right! I do not know the car care nut! But one thing i can tell is this tech is a good tech and it shows that! I give you hats off for a good work that you do. And God Bless you! Amen Brother

[@dogsnmotorcycles]

I looked for a shop to replace my timing belt, but the shop I thought I could trust they didn't want to use an Asin kit. They said they would only use "their brand". I ended up doing it myself, taking 10 hours, but I'm so glad I did the job myself and I know all the parts are OEM. If I were not somewhat mechanically inclined, I would be forced to have a shop do the work and would always wonder if it was done right, or would it fail at a critical time...

[@lcole7501]

Nice to see the older vehicles being taken care of. My wife has a 2002 Camry with 158k miles.....some aftermarket parts, but still runs good 👍.

[@bwest-yq3uc]

2022?

[@lcole7501]

@@bwest-yq3uc damn, I need to correct that....2002.

[@jeffbaldwin9842]

I'll bet the shop that did the multiple timing belt jobs didn't actually do the work, they just charged for them because they found a customer that would pay without questioning. I'm a little surprised they actually did the job at all in the first place. The car and the owner would have been better off if they hadn't. Good on you for shooting straight.

[@yoshimitsu1896]

I have a 1998 Toyota 4Runner with the 3.4, and I have been trying to restore it little by little. I have decided to take it to my own mechanic whom I can trust and always gives me a heads up on what’s next on the to do list. Always get to know your car and know how everything works

[@darssmare915]

Thanks a lot! Yes that's true most dealerships and mechanics don't care. There are a few like you but most of us don't have a chance to get access to service like yours! 😡

[@johndesaavedra1040]

As for people only using dealer shops to prevent problems, they are only fooling themselves. Just because they were the brand does not mean they are any better. My first and last oil change was botched by a dealership, and I'll never return there. If a dealer's service is needed, I will drive to the next town to avoid them.

[@3eeee478]

Excellent point. I wish every mechanic had your honest work ethic.

[@dy5167]

I wish you was closer to me. Glad someone is honest. Much appreciate all your videos.

[@louisstennes3]

The comments from the Master Technicians are insightful , educational, eye opening and quite honestly as a vehicle owner frightening in the fact they are low paid for their skills and experience and not respected. Can you imagine if we treated our doctors this way. Half if us would be dead by now. The internal combustion engine has been around well over 100 years now and sometimes it is a "crapshoot" in getting repairs done. I don't want an EV, will never own one but think about this. EVs are in their infancy and I can only imagine having to have one repaired. NO THANK YOU! Great video.

[@Myrussell67]

You have done a great job saving this car and customer. I wish you were closer to me because I would have no problem letting you work on my vehicle. I don’t trust anyone except me to do the work.

[@bernardaflores1720]

You said it your self Maximizing profits at any cost w/ out regards to the customer. Does why I do most of my work when possible.

[@KossRentyuk]

Love all your wise recommendations. Bought exactly the same car in 2007 as my first car. It was 127K miles and I paid only 3000 for it. 15 years later they still sell them for the same price. Wows

[@e.r.videography6209]

Peaceful to hear a conscientious mechanic. One who loves his work, his customers cars and his viewers to teach them tips in the automotive world to avoid or embrace. God bless you sir!

[@latu8923]

Thank you AMD, for another outstanding video. I wish you live near by so I could bring both of my Toyota for maintenance. It's a pleasure to watch your videos. May our good Lord continue to bless your business brother.

[@alexandercuello3168]

Thank your sir! This is why my ex mechanic lost me as a customer. He wanted to install some after market timing belt kit & engine mounts for my Honda Pilot he even told me that I don’t have to buy expensive OEM parts for an old car. I went we OEM parts anyways. I now work on my vehicle thanks to mechanics like you on KZbin.

[@JW-mz1fp]

you are the best my friend it's to bad we do not have more mechanics like you.

[@daviddavid5880]

Liked that dig at the beginning. There aren't a lot of honest independent shops out there. (For every one honest shop that pays it's techs, doesn't soak us on parts or charge us a week's paycheck for a morning's work.... there are six that pay their tech's squat, brazenly mark up our parts and literally bill us a week's pay for a morning's work...and of course that local dealership, maybe actually paying their techs, but proudly charging triple for parts and charging us a full month's pay for a morning's work) Keep up this awesome work. I am loving these videos and I'm learning a lot while trying to keep my two old Jalopies on the road. I thank you, and my 09 Corolla thanks you.

[@Norm100ful]

In general, cheaping out parts is simply false economy when the parts require so much labor to replace and are buried deep. If a shop can use cheap parts and convince you to return when they break, they make a huge profit from the frequent repeat business. They can also build in failure points to get more business. The Toyota dealership replaced a transmission in my 98 Sienna. I met and tipped the mechanic $50 before the job. When I got the van back, the transmission was overfilled by a liter and it didn’t shift right. I personally drained the excess and the mechanic adjusted the shift range before it damaged the transmission. The warranty was 12 months, so the transmission would likely have made it past warranty before it broke again-more repair more profit. Just because it is a dealer, don’t assume the job is done right; inspect it and get the old parts. Now, I am doing my own preventive maintenance so that I don’t have major repairs.

[@buffsheeri]

Nice work, you got a new customer for sure by doing it the right way.

[@timking2822]

You set the standard for reputable technicians. Inspirational. Thank you.

[@robertbell525]

Always understand that when you take your car to a "pro" you are getting the absolute cheapest parts yet being charged heavily for them; and you are getting labor that is non-caring and/or incompetent. No one will take care of your things better than you. Learn how to fix it yourself. Most fixes and maintenance in life is not that hard. As you learn, you gain knowledge and confidence. I fix 99.9% of everything myself be it house, cars, appliances, whatever. It is liberating to not rely on others. I don't get ripped off. I know it was done right. I save a fortune. Something that is a crisis for others is just an inconvenience for me to be addressed on a Saturday afternoon.

[@RickTroutner]

I did the timing belt job on my 99 ES 300 this January and found that whoever did it last either lost or didn't replace the washer behind that tensioner bolt, used a cheapo water pump with a paper gasket and bent a couple of the bolts that hold the metal backing plate behind the cam sprockets also a couple of the bolts from the plastic timing covers were missing which created a gash in the bottom one from the crank pulley rubbing on it. Either way I installed the tensioner bolt with the washer and loctite as the full service manual prescribes, replaced the bent bolt and a sheared bolt which fortunately was easy to fish out of the block, replaced the cam and crank seals all with the same Aisin TKT-024 kit you use in this video. About 10,000 miles and 9 months later it is running great with no leaks.

[@skinwalkerskating9068]

Love this channel, I'm very very mechanically minded and I've been serving my own cars for 25 plus years without too many issues. Recently I bought a Mazda 3 Elove 2020 and I love it but I can't service it, not because I'm not capable but for re-sale future buyer's want full service history from a quality workshop. I live in Perth Western Australia and fortunately I found a workshop that is much like yours, professional and honest...

[@blue52851]

Finding a real professional who takes care of customer's car with pride, is as hard as fixing a car by DIY. I REALLY wish you are in my area.

[@texasplumr]

I have an 08 Tundra that I bought in 2017 with 80K miles on it. It was extremely clean and looked to be very well serviced but with no service records, who really knows? So I took it to the dealer and spent the money on a 100K mile service and asked them to alert me to anything out of the ordinary. I can and do my own service but I wanted professionals to do the first big one and then I'd know what I had and where I was at. I've also kept a file since that day so I'd have service records for the next owner who buys it after I'm dead. I was changing the oil every year and then I discovered your channel and started changing it every 6 months because I'll never reach the recommended mileage within even two years. I'm glad that I found your channel.

[@sharpshooter012345]

There's a very strong possibility that whoever did the repair knew they stripped the thread.

[@dsmdriver2588]

My stepdad was a mechanic for 37 years. All the stories he told me of what went on in the shop made me a DIY mechanic. The only time my cars have ever seen the inside of a shop was for alignments