On Tap Podcast
On Tap is the podcast that celebrates the heart and soul of blue-collar working class culture. We'll be hosting some amazing folks from the blue-collar world and beyond. Listen in as we chat with industry legends, unsung heroes, and experts in their fields. Their stories, experiences, and insights will inspire and entertain you. Comedy is our secret sauce. Kody & Sam have a knack for turning everyday work stories into side-splitting anecdotes. Prepare for laughter, hilarious work-related mishaps, and a good dose of humor to brighten your day. Whether you're clocking in for your shift or winding down after a hard day's work, "On Tap" is your go-to podcast for a dose of blue-collar pride, a taste of the finest brews, a good laugh, and a fresh take on the world's current events. Subscribe now and be part of the working-class revolution!
On Tap Podcast
Under the Hood with Rick Stolp: 27 Years of Auto Shop Wisdom
What does it take to keep a small-town auto mechanic shop thriving for nearly three decades? Rick Stolp of Rick's Auto in Pine City pulls back the curtain on 27 years of grease, grit, and community connection in this candid conversation about the changing landscape of automotive repair.
When Rick opened his shop in 1997, Google wasn't a verb, YouTube tutorials didn't exist, and diagnosing car problems required more intuition than electronics. Today, he navigates the delicate balance between traditional mechanical know-how and cutting-edge diagnostic technology. "Being the mechanic was the easy part," he reveals. "It's trying to run a business that's the hard part."
The conversation travels from amusing stories of extracting wildlife from engine compartments (including a live possum that required welding gloves to remove) to thoughtful reflections on how environmental regulations have transformed the industry. Rick doesn't hold back when discussing vehicle reliability, offering this gem of wisdom: "They're all good, they're all junk. Pick the color you like and drive it, because they're all going to be on a tow truck someday."
Beyond technical insights, Rick shares how his business became a cornerstone of the Pine City community—sponsoring local sports teams, offering special "high school rates" to young drivers, and creating a gathering place where locals drop by for coffee and conversation as often as car repairs. He's seen multiple generations of customers come through his doors, creating relationships that extend far beyond transactions.
For anyone considering a career in automotive repair, Rick emphasizes focusing on diagnostic skills rather than just mechanical knowledge. And for every vehicle owner, he offers this simple yet powerful advice: "Changing the oil is the cheapest thing you can ever do to a vehicle."
Whether you're a car enthusiast, small business owner, or simply appreciate authentic conversations with community craftspeople, this episode delivers honest insights from someone who's seen the automotive industry transform while keeping his hands firmly on the wheel of local service.
0:00 Meeting Local Legend Rick Stolp
3:08 Starting the Shop in Pine City
7:15 Business Challenges of Running an Auto Shop
16:32 Evolution of Auto Repair Technology
24:24 Advice for Aspiring Mechanics
29:57 Engineering Frustrations and Vehicle Quality
34:58 Finding Animals in Engine Bays
39:00 Emissions, Electric Vehicles, and Industry Changes
Check out our sticker packs at OnTapWithTheBoiz.com
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode of the ONTAP podcast. Today we have local legend, the man, the myth himself, Rick Stulp. Rick, how long have you been an auto mechanic? For how long have you owned your own shop?
Speaker 2:I've owned my own shop for 20, going on 27 years 27 years.
Speaker 1:So for those of you that don't know, aren't from the local Pine City area, Rick owns Rick's Auto here in Pine City city and it's been here. You've had that shop for 27 years yeah wow, okay, so it's. Uh, it's safe to say that this is a staple of pine city, like if you're from the area, you know of rick's auto. Obviously you sell cars, you fix cars, you I'm sure you've helped every single business in the area with their fleet vehicles. T-ball teams. T-ball teams.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, I've been on a good side of the team.
Speaker 2:I've sponsored all kinds of school events. I mean, I never say no to the school.
Speaker 1:Yeah, actually, now that I think about this, my T-ball team was Rubenick Motors.
Speaker 2:Yep, so I was on the competitor's team. I'm friends with him too.
Speaker 1:Oh, I'm sure. Yeah, it's a small enough town. Everyone knows everyone.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I just want to take a second to thank you, rick, for saving me probably thousands in my lifetime on vehicles. I was I was thinking leading into this interview when I was a senior in high school. I was, I had some pretty serious work done on my vehicle and you looked at me and you're like, just so you know, as soon as you graduate, the high school rate is gone.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you weren't lying, but I thank you for that yeah.
Speaker 3:My dad also. He owes you a lot of thank yous.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, Actually, I do too definitely. I'm sure you worked on my Honda Accord from when I was in high school plenty of times I think.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, I think.
Speaker 1:I brought it in there a couple of times with the brakes locked up. Oh yeah, tire barely hanging on for life. Yep, you know anything? Yeah, so I can. I can also definitely say thank you, yeah.
Speaker 2:So Rick you're not originally from Pine City. No what. What makes a person say you know what? This is the town I want to get my shop going in. So my wife's mom and dad had a cabin up here for years and so we kind of liked the area. So we moved up here I think it was 95 and then in 90 yeah, 95, 96 and then everything started after that. So 97 is when, um, I was driving back and forth to the cities when we first moved up here and then finally I'm like I don't want to do that anymore. So I found a job up here and then started working and then eventually I got on the fire department, started my own shop and started making friends and people like that. So that's how it started. We got married in 97. Everything happened in 97.
Speaker 2:Nick was born in 98. Oh my gosh. Yeah, we didn't screw around here.
Speaker 1:Eventful time frame for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So now, over the 27 years that you've owned your own shop, how has the definition of being a mechanic changed to you?
Speaker 2:Well, being the mechanic was the easy part. It's trying to run a business is the hard part. It's like, yeah, I knew how to fix the cars, but I don't know how to do the paperwork. I don't know how to. You know, there's taxes, there's employee stuff and I mean it's just a whole bunch of shit.
Speaker 3:You gotta know. Well, especially in 97, you couldn't just go on your smartphone onto Google and ask it any question in the world.
Speaker 2:No, that's when it kind of just started popping. The internet, you know, is still the dial up and all that stuff. And, yeah, there is no YouTube, nothing.
Speaker 1:So do you think that the soul of car repair has kind of been lost, as technology advances and these cars become more electronic than mechanical?
Speaker 2:I think it's just kind of shifted because, you know, before your lab scopes were like took up the whole room of a building and now it's a handheld scanner and it does more than what the ones we had in high school yeah, you can buy one off tiktok now. Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's crazy, and so I think some of it's easier. Some of the stuff is a little more technical than the old days, but and I still have a bunch of old cars that. So I go back and forth on different things.
Speaker 2:But yeah, that's if you keep with it, you should be fine. If you jump right into it, then you're going to be in a world of hurts.
Speaker 1:So definitely, definitely. Things have changed a lot in 27 years. Yeah, in the auto industry. Yeah, so I mean what? What are some of the vehicles that you look at when they roll in and they're like I'm not going to work on that thing?
Speaker 2:well, like the lot of the electric cars I see you must have the tesla out there yeah so we'll do tires on that. But other than that I can't do nothing on that thing, right, I have no way of doing any. I mean I could tow it, that's it. But I mean we've done tires on them and that's kind of weird. On a tesla they got inside foam, inside the tires too, to keep the car even quieter, right?
Speaker 1:yeah, they're already like a whisper going down the street.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah I mean, they're pretty cool cars and they go like hell.
Speaker 3:They're fast yeah yeah well, that's one thing that has kind of blown my mind from even when I first started driving in 2015, is you could change pretty much brakes on anything by yourself, and now it seems like you have to have some special tool just to get the brake pads off. It's made it harder for the average man to do their own work, which might even benefit the mechanic.
Speaker 2:Right Well, I think it's a lot of the industry that does that Like just on a regular brake job, you have to use your scanner to release the brakes, Like for emergency brakes. You have to release it with a scanner, Otherwise you could screw everything up.
Speaker 2:Oh damn, and then that costs you a lot of money, yeah, and then we get people doing that stuff and they come in and then it's all screwed up and it's like, well, I'm sorry, but I mean, this is now, you're gonna have to pay more yeah, I definitely know this wasn't an electronic brake on mine, but my parking brake was stuck on my honda accord.
Speaker 1:I'm pretty sure that was when I brought it into you it was like sophomore, junior in high school yeah, we're driving in huge cloud of smoke because my brakes are locked up, just smoking, just driving through it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah I was telling, cody, before you got here. I remember when I was I was in high school and I brought in my chevy blazer and, uh, it needed some work. I knew that before I brought it into you. And I come back in after school and you're like here's the deal, deal that that blazer, that thing's fucked up. It's going to cost thousand dollars to repair. So I talked to your dad. He's going to give you a loan for that car and you're taking that home today Sounds good yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I feel like that's how. How often do you have some you know whether it's a older guy or a young kid bring in just a death trap of a vehicle and you're like oh, it's gonna cost x amount to fix it. And they're like yeah I'm good. Do you ever feel weird when they drive off the lot like, oh, they're not gonna make it long in that thing?
Speaker 2:well, yeah, and I I mean I've made people cry too. I'm like this car isn't worth fixing. I'm sorry, I'm not. I have to sleep at night. I'm not gonna let you. I mean, I'm not even whether you want me to fix it or not. I'm not doing it and you need to just find something else. Or you know, and I write it on the bill too, like hey, this thing, the frame's damaged, or you know that it's. You shouldn't drive, it should be towed.
Speaker 2:So I mean, I cover my own ass oh yeah, frame rusted out you almost have to be a lawyer too when you're trying to do your own business stuff, because there's always somebody trying to stick it to you too, you know yeah, I've had to sign waivers for leaving with bad breaks before I've. Yeah, yeah I mean I don't go that far, but I mean it's like it, I don't want to spend someone's money on a piece of shit car, that they should just take that money and put towards something better.
Speaker 1:Totally yeah, Especially these big jobs where it's like hey this is going to be over a thousand bucks. Like you might as well just buy a thousand dollar car.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, well, them days are gone too Good point A thousand dollar cars. You know it's like a hundred dollar car when I was a kid car. It was like a $100 car when I was a kid. So it's still a piece of shit at $1,000, unless you got a grandparent or something that's going to give you a smoking deal.
Speaker 1:Right right, that's what you got to look for. Just start looking in the obituaries and start making phone calls.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that'll work.
Speaker 3:I had a customer tell me that the other day, when I was doing an estimate, I was telling him I'm looking to buy a house and he's like you know I know this sounds weird, but I'd start reading the newspapers, looking at the obituary.
Speaker 2:That's when you find a good deal on a house, like that is weird.
Speaker 1:But yeah, or advice, or divorce, yeah, good point, yeah we got to get rid of this thing and I don't want her to have the money, him to have the money whatever, yeah so we'll sell it for cheap.
Speaker 3:Yep, yep, good point I was just going to say I'm pretty sure every four-wheeler or snowmobile my dad's ever had was the product of a divorce.
Speaker 1:He's a man of the earth. Yeah, he seems like he's a guy scoping out those kind of things.
Speaker 3:Get a guy when he's down yeah, he's worse than I am.
Speaker 2:Do you think that technology has made you feel more powerful or more replaceable. Um, I think probably more powerful because, let's face it, there's a lot of kids that aren't jumping into mechanic jobs anymore. They all want to do like computer stuff and you know, and you know it's decent money, but it's not like you're making a ton of money. So when you're starting out, so you can probably get a lot more money doing some other stuff, but once you get good at it, then you're gonna make pretty good money yeah so I feel that we we don't have that many people knocking down the door to take over my position, so very true.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I never even thought of it like that. I I bet when you were growing up there was a lot more guys looking to be auto mechanics. It's it's the same thing with being in the masonry industry. It was. It's just not a lot of people.
Speaker 3:All most of the companies that are based out of minnesota, if you look online, are out of pine city and it's all of my friends with their own company like it, the trades are definitely going down in a weird way and it it makes complete sense that, especially with you not having as much competition and then needing to have the electronics just to work on people's vehicles, it's kind of a pigeonhole trade at this point right it's like you don't really have a choice right now, if I, if my concrete, if my sidewalk's bad, I can live with that for 20 years. If my car doesn't get to work, I'm screwed yeah, yep yep so you got a lot of like my, my job.
Speaker 2:You got a lot of money just tied up in tools and and that's just tools in a building. You know, like if you got a carpenter, you got a lot of money in tools in a truck, but you you don't have the, the shop you got to deal with too, just right so there's the yeah, the, the building, the cost, the taxes that are in the property taxes yeah, yeah people don't, people don't think about these.
Speaker 1:These also add up pretty fast yep yep, you know, and the taxes are never going to be less on the building that you're in. No, they. Yeah yeah, people don't, people don't think about these. These also add up pretty fast. Yeah, yeah, you know, and the taxes are never going to be less on the building that you're in. No, they just keep going up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so then that has to reflect in what prices you charge for everything, but you still want to be competitive because you still want business, so you can't price yourself out of work either. Yeah, that's a really good point. Yeah, so now we were. We were talking about uh before you got here. There has to have been scenarios where people have got their car fixed, but they can't afford it or don't want it or whatever, so they'll probably just leave it at your shop. How does that work?
Speaker 2:Well, it doesn't work too good. But a lot of times, people, this is a real good one is you'll do the work, They'll tell you to do the work, and then they come to pick it up and then they want to negotiate the payment plan. Well, no, that's not how that shit works. You talk to me about it beforehand and if I can afford to do that at that time I'll do it maybe, but most of the time it's not after the fact. So, or if it's a car that's a pile of junk and they don't want to, they don't want to fix it, then they think that that I'm the junkyard you know right, we'll just leave it there, yeah we'll just leave it there, and there's been times I've hooked it and brought it right back to their house, you know, because I'm like take your own stuff back.
Speaker 1:Well, you don't have a huge lot either. You can't hold hundreds of cars over there especially in the winter.
Speaker 2:I gotta put snow somewhere. So I mean we, we gotta thinner down the herd a little bit definitely so.
Speaker 1:How long before are you able to take ownership of a vehicle?
Speaker 2:someone leaves it there for x amount of time yeah, there's a bunch of crap you gotta go through. But, um, you know, you gotta send a certified letter. You gotta wait a certain amount of time. A lot of times I'll try to work a deal with the guy. If it's a junker, just bring me the title in and then I'll just keep the car and I'll fill it up with scrap and then I'll haul it into the junkyard afterward. And that's usually what I try to do and it works out best for everybody.
Speaker 1:Definitely they don't have to get rid of. Easier for them, they don't have to deal with it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1:Well, that's usually what I do now. So what? What role do you think intuition still plays in diagnosing problems with vehicles in now, in a world full of sensors and readings and all these things Cause? That's not always accurate either, I would imagine.
Speaker 2:No, the best thing is just stay back to the basics. You know, an engine's still an engine, it still has four strokes, it's still going to. You just got to kind of work off of that and the sensors are just telling the computer inputs and then it produces what's supposed to happen. So, from the basics, if it's not working right, well then we just start from there and work our way up. So I mean, a lot of times you can check the codes and 98 of the time you're correct. But it couldn't just be a bad wire too so yeah right, I mean so it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we've had our ass burned plenty of times on stupid stuff like that oh, I bet.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I bet, because there's a delicate balance too. Like you, don't want to spend too much time on the wrong thing either no, is that?
Speaker 2:just is burning up your labor right, and I don't want to charge somebody for something that we're not actually fixing. Yeah, exactly right so that's a fine line. You got to walk on that too, so no, that's a really good point.
Speaker 1:If someone was trying to get into the mechanic industry, specifically in auto, what would you say would be the best piece of advice that you could give?
Speaker 2:Try to learn a lot of the diagnostic part of it, because that's going to be where you're. That's the hardest part of the job. I mean people can replace, take parts off and put parts on. I mean almost anybody can do that. I mean you might have to have special tools, but if you get into the diagnostic, the drivability part of it, that's where a lot of the money's at there for to do so. That's what I would spend most of my time on if I was to go back into it again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, that that is a good point. We we also live in kind of a unique area here where there is still a lot of mechanic shops for such a small town, I feel like. But then also we have Pine Technical Community College that has a great auto program.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So there's plenty of access to it if someone wants to get into it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But, like you said, it's definitely not as popular as it once was.
Speaker 2:Right, no doubt. Yeah, a lot of people. I I mean, let's face it, they don't like to get their hands dirty. It's a dirty job. I mean, that's you, don't? You're not going to be clean when you get done with work.
Speaker 3:So oh, yeah, definitely but I think the trades are a wonderful thing, because not everybody wants to go to college and we need guys that can do that kind of stuff so I think it is swinging back a little bit too, especially with Dunwoody in Minneapolis getting really popular being a trade school and just in high school in general, when I grew up there was not one teacher. That was like oh yeah construction is a good job.
Speaker 3:Go for it and it's hard to blame them because they all got a four-year degree. They're there for that reason. But I think people are starting to realize like, oh man, we're not going to even have these people if the pendulum doesn't swing a little bit. Yeah, how many mechanics do you usually have a time in your shop, and when you're looking for mechanics, do you go on Indeed, do you put out an ad, or how do you find guys?
Speaker 2:A lot of times people coming in and talking to me and then I just talk to them a little bit. Most of my guys I just by word of mouth and talking to people. So some of my like my one guy is a retired concrete guy and he's retired, so he I needed a guy to do tires and oil and and that I asked him if he wanted to do that and he's like, yeah, so that's that's, that's what he does you don't have. There's certain part of mechanics where you don't have to have to go to school to learn some of that stuff, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so. So how do you, with that being said, how do you sort of toe the line of tradition and innovation? How do you always keep up on something new, like what are you, what is a guy like you going to look at to see what is the new thing, what the new, bigger, better, best of your industry?
Speaker 2:well, a lot of times the parts stores offer like little schooling updates on different things and stuff, so we'll take advantage of that. A lot of that stuff you can just watch on the be on the internet now and they got like the classes right on there so you can watch. You know the latest and greatest stuff that's coming down the pike and what to watch out for. Um, you subscribe to a lot of services too that kind of guide you on different mechanics. They all get together and they put in a deal and talk about you know certain things and what they've done to fix things so you kind of collaborate with that too.
Speaker 2:So definitely.
Speaker 1:I will say this too. When I took my car down to the city so I can't remember what the closest like Tesla shop is I want to say it's like golden Valley I took my car down there and I it is the cleanest inside shop I have ever seen, and then I realized that they're not dealing with oil. They're not dealing with you know, all these different things that would make a shop appear to be not clean.
Speaker 1:Right you know, is there something about getting your hands dirty that, like modern shops, just don't get to experience? Do you think that there's something about that that sort of empowers the industry? More of like a hands-on approach.
Speaker 2:I don't know. We got soap. We can wash soap.
Speaker 3:It's good soap, we're good.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I like the smell of a shop. I mean that's just a good. Definitely you get people coming in and go. Oh God, I remember that smell. My dad was a mechanic and they just walk in and just randomly say that I'm like, oh, I guess I never thought of that, you're here every day.
Speaker 3:I do like the smell too. That's how I think of Pizza Hut. Yeah, nothing like that fryer smell after a long day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that is one thing about being up above a pizza place. We're a little bit spoiled.
Speaker 3:We get the the nice scent going up every once in a while, yeah yeah, the fryers and the pizza yeah, being being good friends with, with both your sons shout out, shout out, nick and justin. You know they're quite the mechanics themselves. Was there ever a part of you that wanted them to kind of get involved in the business and make it more of a family business, or are you glad that they took their own routes?
Speaker 2:In a way. I mean, maybe looking now, maybe it would be nice to have one of them take over, but I mean I'm glad they're doing what they're doing. I wanted the fact that to make sure they knew how to fix their own stuff. Number one is because I'm sick of work was when their kids. They had dirt bikes, snowmobiles, everything. I'm like listen, you're gonna need to learn to work on your own stuff, because I ain't doing this every day. Otherwise you guys can come home and do homework all the time, because that's the same for me as it is to you. So, realistically, I don't really work on none of their stuff anymore. They can use my shop and if they have a question I'll let them know. But I think they're doing just fine with what they're doing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've got to give them a thank you too, because each of them have both saved me hundreds of dollars too. So shout out to the boys yeah, they're good kids.
Speaker 1:That's funny. How do you think that man, machine and computer, how do you think that relationship has changed since you've started in the mechanic industry?
Speaker 2:I think it's like in the 80s it was horrible, but getting into the newer 2000s and stuff, I think it's a lot smoother transition. I think it's a lot smoother transition and it's, I think, it's easier to diagnose. But there's a hell of a lot more wires in a. There's more wires in a car than there is in your house realistically? Yeah, I suppose I didn't even think of that, yeah I mean, and then they're a lot smaller and you got to try to figure that yeah, that, yeah, that's a really good point.
Speaker 1:So now in the learning process, was there ever a time period of vehicles where you're like they just got to figure this out. This is just terrible.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, well, you get into the engineering part. You mean yeah, yeah, well. I mean, of course everybody'd want to strangle the engineer on some of their things that they've designed. And then it's like maybe you guys should try working on this once and see how it works before you design the damn thing.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Just as simple as an oil filter some of these oil filters on a car. You reach up in there and you get third-degree burns, trying to get the damn thing off. It's like what were you thinking?
Speaker 1:yeah, so actually just recently, uh, we took my wife's vehicle into the, into the shop in north branch, and, uh, for some warranty work and they were telling me that her water pump was leaking and the quote for the water pump was three thousand dollars. I was like there's no way. I was like I replaced the water pump in my impala in high school. Yeah, and I'm like there's no way.
Speaker 1:I was like I replaced the water pump in my impala in high school, yeah, and I'm like there's no way I can do that. I look it up and it's like 30 part. I'm like, oh, 30 bucks, like they're trying to stick it to me. Yeah, look up the how to realize you have to take apart basically the entire engine to get to this thing yeah. So I'm like, oh okay, this is definitely not something I'm doing myself. So so you know, word for anyone listening if you see a 2018 Ford Explorer go for sale soon, don't buy it.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, we've done plenty of water pumps on them and it is high buck. I mean, we don't charge three grand, but it's probably like $2,300, $2,400.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you're doing timing chains and everything. Exactly, yeah. Yeah, the second. I saw that it was. You know you could take off the timing chain and I'm like, yeah, I'm not, I'm not qualified to do that. There's no way that's getting done in my driveway, yeah I was just thinking.
Speaker 3:You know, as a, as a qualified man as you are, you've had your hands in a lot of fords, a lot of chevys. I was wondering if you could settle the debate right here, right now would you rather go for what's better, ford or Chevy? What's the more quality vehicle? What do you work the most on?
Speaker 1:Let's throw in Ram in there too.
Speaker 2:Ram too, shout out, Okay. Well, here's the thing. I'm a Chevy GMC guy but a half-ton Chevy truck from 2013 to 2019, that's a big moneymaker for us, because it's a shitty design on the engine. Um, but what's better? They're all good, they're all junk. So there's no good answer. Pick the color you like and if you like to drive it, drive it, because they're all going to give you trouble they're all coming into your shop.
Speaker 3:They're all going to be on a tow truck someday, so don't worry about it, just go for it just get what you want.
Speaker 1:Basically exactly because yeah, there's no.
Speaker 3:There's no great one and one that's not so good so what's the deal with oil changes if you go five, six thousand over? Is it really a big deal?
Speaker 2:yeah, it is a big deal it's.
Speaker 3:I just always figured it's. Oil is probably getting better, technology's getting good well, there is synthetics involved.
Speaker 2:So I mean it's for people like you probably that neglect, but a lot of stuff when oil breaks down, then it plugs stuff up and then that when, especially with the newer engines, you got smaller tolerances and then then shit goes bad, like timing chains and timing chains or running them low on oil.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I got to get my truck in I was just looking at the sticker right now. I'm like three grand over probably.
Speaker 2:So realistically they should have a hand that comes out and slaps you in the head and says, hey, get your oil changed.
Speaker 3:It's the cheapest thing you can ever do to a vehicle is change the damn oil I think that hand is my dad's hand, because there's been a few times he looked at the sticker and was like what is wrong with you?
Speaker 2:boy, yeah, gotta get her in there, yeah you?
Speaker 1:have you ever messed up anything on your vehicle from running the oil change too long?
Speaker 3:no, I've lucked out and I haven't had to learn the lesson the hard way. The biggest lesson I ever learned was brakes. I will never listen to my brakes grind ever again, because I know exactly what that leads to yeah it's so simple.
Speaker 3:It makes you know you should. It shouldn't be something you have to figure out the hard way. You can obviously tell something's going wrong and for a good while, but until you you bring it in and have to get pads, calipers, everything, the whole assembly, yep, and it's an over a thousand dollars for breaks yeah you learn the lesson right real quick yeah, I remember one time I brought it in I was working in the cities and they quoted me at like 1400 and I was leaving for college for my second year college college the next week, and I was basically in tears.
Speaker 3:I call Rick and I'm like Rick, this is what I need, and he's like, all right, I can do it, for this Saved me a couple hundred bucks and saved my ass Once another story.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I. I just I wish that I was in a position, because I, I grew up, I I'm growing up. I grew up as rick's neighbor. I grew up hanging out with his kids, who are great mechanics, and yet I don't even know how to change my own oil I probably don't have to, because if you're the neighbor, why would you?
Speaker 2:we're gonna do it for you my dad.
Speaker 3:He taught me you ever need anything, you just go ask Rick the first time I met his sister.
Speaker 2:She rolls over on a I don't know how old she was probably 5, 6, 8, something like that rolls over on a little pink four-wheeler and the thing quits in my driveway Can you help me? And asking if Justin's home. I'm like, really, this is how we're going to start this.
Speaker 1:I've got to start working on the neighbor shit right away. So yeah, that's funny. And then it just went on to be a lifetime of Rick. Will you help me?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, you know, and I don't mind, and people help. You know you help people, they help you mean that's all that shit works.
Speaker 1:Definitely you need to look. You need a lead on a good pizza around town. Just hit up sam oh, yeah, yeah yeah, where's? Where's the best food in town, sammy?
Speaker 3:oh, pizza hut yeah, exactly get their wings never fail I don't know. I think it's downstairs has got it oh, it never fails I having our studio above pizza pub is one of the worst things that ever happened to me. I can't stop eating it right especially like the shredder pizza.
Speaker 1:I'm obsessed with it yeah, well, taking it back to the industry, do you think is there a human element? Do you think that won't be replaced when it comes to fixing vehicles?
Speaker 2:I don't think you're gonna get rid of somebody to not fix a vehicle. You couldn't. I don't think a robot could do stuff like that. I mean, I don't, I can't see that. I can see him building it, but I can't see him fixing it.
Speaker 1:I don't, I don't see how that could be do you think there's ever a time where you can just pull your car into a bay? It locks on the wheels, like those car washes where you drive on, and it drives you through. Do you ever see there?
Speaker 3:being a shop where you can just pull your car into a bay.
Speaker 1:It locks on the wheels, like those car washes where you drive on and it drives you through. Do you ever see there being a shop where you pull in? You know a computer hooks up to your car. They die. You get out. Obviously your computer hooks up to your car. They diagnose it, they, you know it dollies into the shop, they do everything and then it spits it out in x amount of time and then you just get in your car and drive away maybe an oil change, you know, but what let's look at?
Speaker 2:let's say mice, some of mice, choose off your wire. How the hell are they gonna do that with a roll it in and like a car wash right? Some stuff you just physically have to see yeah, you said, oh, that's the problem, yeah, it's not your motor's, not blown up. This wire is chewed yeah, and there's a nest underneath the hood, you know right?
Speaker 1:yeah, are they gonna? They're gonna have to clean it out and then diagnose what's going on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but how about this? I had a guy, his daughter's car they bring it in. Yeah, I got a possum in my car in the underneath the hood. We can't get it out. I'm like, well, how about you bait it and trap it? So no, we've tried. So then we put it up in the air and the guys are taking stuff apart. I got welding gloves on. We get this thing out of and it's still alive. The thing takes off running. You know, I mean what, what kind of shit? What kind of a thing is going to do that?
Speaker 1:So you're also not only a mechanic, you're an exterminator.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, we do it all. Mice, rodents, squirrels.
Speaker 3:Oh, I've had to trap a few mice out of my vehicle.
Speaker 2:We've had rats come out of people's cars. I mean it's ugh.
Speaker 1:What are some other stories that you found of stuff packed up in an engine bay? I'd imagine squirrels got to be just rattling stuff away.
Speaker 2:Squirrels, mice is the worst Rats, for sure. I mean my guy at the shop, Ryan the car was filthy, of course, you don't just get rats for the hell of it and he was under the dash working on the heater and he's seen the long tail go by heater. And he's seen the long tail come go by and he's like, hey, dude, there's rats in this thing. I'm like yeah, get it the hell out of here I don't want them in the shop I call the guy.
Speaker 2:I'm like dude, you got rats in your car. I mean what the come on?
Speaker 1:uh, okay. So, um, I have a buddy who has a mechanic shop and he always sends me videos of the insides of people's vehicles and how packed some of these vehicles are full of stuff, like it almost looks like they're living in the thing. Oh yeah, have there? Has there ever been a time where you had to like literally move stuff out of the way so that you could even work on the thing?
Speaker 2:Okay. So back in my early days I would do that. Nowadays I'm like you need to clean your car out so I can get at it, because I don't want to be in this I I don't need the money that bad to be dealing with that kind of shit.
Speaker 3:It's, that's, come on yeah, I've definitely dropped my car off before and been like man. I hope rick doesn't give me shit about this.
Speaker 2:Yeah most of the time I don't care. I mean, if you get you, that's the way it is. I mean, people got stuff laying, I do too, but if it's level with the windows, I mean I, I need to have some room here enough's enough yeah, you can you probably don't need everything in here yeah, you could push away a little bit.
Speaker 3:So yeah, the spring mice are actually out and about right now, because I saw one in my room the other day I was sitting on my bed getting ready for work and see I didn't have my contacts in. So I just see a little black thing come under my door and I'm like that had to be a mouse yeah go get a trap, put some peanut butter on it, set it up for the day, come back didn't go off.
Speaker 3:So I must be going crazy. Next day didn't go off again. Well, the next day it didn't go off. But I'm looking at it, I'm like there's no more peanut butter on this yeah, I just didn't go off. Now I got two traps in, I got a new one and I'm hoping for the best. But yeah, the spring mice have been kicking our ass at the old rat trap Spring mice. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Do you get the fall mice?
Speaker 3:too. No, the fall mice is pretty good. We had a good harvest.
Speaker 2:I had mice at the shop upstairs and you can hear them running around, so I bought a jug of peanut butter loaded up. The traps went upstairs. I come back down, the son of a bitch is eating the peanut butter out of the peanut butter jar.
Speaker 1:I'm like really come on, do you? Uh, do you think that the evolution of the auto industry is a change in technology or a change in values, or a combination of both?
Speaker 2:I think it's a. It's a safety and emissions change more than anything and people.
Speaker 1:They just want something to tell them when it's wrong so yeah, how much of that do you think is snake oil and how much of that is actually meant to be good for emissions and safety?
Speaker 2:Well, let's just start with the tire, bonnet or system. Okay, realistically, if your tires are aired up properly, you're going to get better gas mileage. It's nice if you don't look at your stuff and it tells you you've got a low tire. But it sure is a pain in the ass when they're not working right because they're in every other day or if they've got a low tire. So it's a good thing, but it's a bad thing too. But emissions I think they're getting a little nuts on that.
Speaker 2:So we see a lot of people taking out like the, like the def systems and diesel oh yeah, because of that there seems to be more problems with that than almost anything else on the vehicle yeah, that's, I mean they do and it and it it sure helps the engine, but it I can't do that that's a huge fine oh yeah, yeah, they, they've started fining, suing, shutting down shops yeah that are tuning and deleting yeah, a lot of these diesel emissions and I don't get into that diesel stuff that much more.
Speaker 2:My stuff's gas stuff, my truck, my own trucks are diesel, but um, that's because I pull campers and I got a tow truck and stuff, so I mean, but I, I don't, you can't mess with the emissions, otherwise, yeah, you can get in some big shit about that so you potentially get shut down?
Speaker 1:yeah, and that how much? How much of the change do you think comes from them just needing more money in the auto industry?
Speaker 2:um, I think it's more government mandates and and there's. I mean we don't want. I don't want to get into the politics of stuff, but uh, I don't know who's getting all the money for the submission stuff, but I, I don't have a good answer for that yeah, I've never understood, because all my buddies that have diesels their whole thing is like I can't wait to get it deleted and then I they don't have to buy deaf anymore.
Speaker 3:Like what is deaf?
Speaker 2:I don't understand it's hog piss, that's what it? Is. It's literally urea, I mean, that's they're spraying that in there to to knock down the soot it really, it really actually is. Yeah if you look it up, it's, it's urea and it's it's uh, like a form of hog I've heard it.
Speaker 3:It smells terrible. That makes yeah and it's very corrosive.
Speaker 2:It's so you don't want to spill it on your paint or nothing. Like my truck, you know, every few few tanks of fuel I gotta dump a five gallons of that shit in for to keep. Otherwise, if you don't, it's gonna shut your shutter down and you will just be limited on power and everything else.
Speaker 1:So yeah, they won't. Even the engine is made in a way where, if it senses you don't have any deflute, it just won't let you drive it right, yeah, you're done.
Speaker 2:Yep, yeah, that sucks.
Speaker 3:So now now we're stuck in the prohibition of of getting your vehicles deleted.
Speaker 1:But here's, yeah, but here's the underground rail, yeah but here's one of the things that gets me too, because it's like are you really offsetting how much pollution is out there when you got these plastic jugs that you have to now throw away every time you fill that thing up? Yeah, like, those plastic jugs are not biodegradable?
Speaker 2:no, they're not well, just look at your electric car. What are we doing with the batteries? What are we doing with? Yeah, you know, they're mining that stuff in another country. Obviously right, and because they can do all the pollution they want over there. But they're mining that stuff in another country? Obviously right, and because they can do all the pollution they want over there. But they're they're acting like it's so green here. Well right, don't you think that shit floats over through the air to?
Speaker 1:us. Oh yeah, 100, come on. Yeah, I just actually read a thing not that long ago. My grandma just sent me this thing saying that it takes like 2 000 iphones worth of batteries to make a car. Yeah, and that's just one car. Yeah, you know, like you can't tell me that that's actually good.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:At the end of the day.
Speaker 2:No, it's just some more bullshit. They're trying to shove down your throat.
Speaker 3:Well, it's the same thing with wind, like when I was growing up, it was always like these wind turbines. It's the future. And then you find out like those are just as bad, if not worse, for the environment too.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Just need to stick to fossil fuels, baby yeah.
Speaker 1:Pump that oil out.
Speaker 3:Do you ever have situations? Where people bring in their car because they're like it's making this crazy sound and then they drop it off and you drive it around for a little bit, won't make the sound. They come get it, it makes the sound again. They bring it back. You can't get it to hear the sound.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Do you ever have just confusing, frustrating situations?
Speaker 2:Oh, a lot, a lot, a lot happens that all the time it's like you go into the doctor when you got a pain and then you get to the doctor and you feel different before you even get fixed. But then they're like I'm finally, I'll be like, let's just go for a ride together and then, and they're like you hear that. You hear that a lot of times with older people too, and they get hearing aids and they got them cranked up. They can hear every goddamn thing in that car. Well, you know, my ears are getting weak and I don't hear all that stuff. So them new hearing aids are picking up everything.
Speaker 1:I'm like turn the hearing aids down, you're, it's not that big a deal turn the hearing aids down or turn the radio up, it's not even a big deal, yeah yeah, that'd be my advice.
Speaker 2:I always just turn her up a little bit yeah, that's not the whole thing, but I'm saying that a lot of times people come in with that kind of issue, so yeah where you're hearing more than what you probably should.
Speaker 1:You're probably hearing the road sometimes yeah, you're hearing a lot of people. That's like that was a pothole that you had yeah, it's not something wrong with your vehicle.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, there is legit concerns, but sometimes that's what it is so what?
Speaker 1:what keeps you passionate about this work, despite all the changes, and doing it for so long?
Speaker 2:um, well, the one thing is is when somebody brings something in broken, it's always fun fixing stuff and then it leaves working better than it came. Plus you're helping people out.
Speaker 3:I mean, that's a huge satisfaction to me I believe so I suppose owning a shop's a great way to make friends too. Oh, you just got people coming through all the time, oh yeah you got there.
Speaker 2:I mean, I probably sell just as much coffee as nickels cafe and I don't sell it. I give it away because they're in bullshit. Yeah right, I mean you get a lot of people coming in just to talk, and I love doing that.
Speaker 3:So you've always been a big Nichols for lunch guy. Does Mia's hold the same respect that Nichols had?
Speaker 2:Well.
Speaker 3:I'm not trying to trap you here.
Speaker 2:Well, butch is a you know, a hell of a nice guy, yeah, but they're good. It's a good place to eat, it's reasonable priced and that's where we go usually, you know so definitely you miss seeing butchy in there. Oh yeah, yeah, it's always a good time butch still comes to the shop, gets car, car service. But yeah, I miss Butch. But there's a time where everybody's got to be done, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I miss ordering a huge stack of pancakes and hearing from the back.
Speaker 2:Kathy Blue oh yeah. Yeah, Something about the yell Well he's even made some really funky-looking pancakes for me, sometimes on the you know, real risky business there.
Speaker 1:That's funny. Yeah, yeah Tough to see Butch go, but it's uh, you know. It's good to see new cafes, new businesses coming into the area too.
Speaker 2:Yep, yep.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 3:You know teachers always talk about like, oh, I had, I had her mom and now I have her, her kid. Have you had being a mechanic with your own shop for over 20 years? I'm sure you've taken care of people for 10 years and then all of a sudden their kids come in and you get multiple generations of customers coming through. Do you have any customers that started with you in 97 that are still bringing their vehicle in every time?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, quite a few yep. Well, I started, started off, you know, doing side work, and then you kind of work your way into well, the wife's getting pissed off because you're never home, because you're working at during the day and at night, and then pretty soon, um yeah, then I got people. There's been a lot of people that I've started. George johnson, you know him yeah principal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he and him and I've been on, we're on the fire department together and stuff too. So he's been coming to me since day one. Um, there's a I mean I, there's a lot of people that I that still to this day come to me from the beginning.
Speaker 1:George is a good, good guy.
Speaker 3:Kept me out of a lot of trouble yeah, yeah, yeah, me too yeah, I would say oh, go ahead I, I just I wanted to go into the fire department a little bit and you know it's always really interested me and I've always, anytime I've seen a fire, I always try to get there too, in case they need my help oh, that's good, never happened. But I'd like to be in you in case they need another guy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we always need fire truck chasers. That's real fun.
Speaker 3:Have some more traffic on the road. One thing that you told me that's always stuck with me is you've picked up more bodies on 70 than any other road. Do you still stand by that?
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, in my career when I was on on, yeah, that was the worst road ever. I mean they fixed it some now, but there for a while it was all a lot because the road was so shitty and so straight too, that's what really yeah, you know when you're on just a straightaway for long enough, that's when people really start to doze off and they're hauling ass, I mean
Speaker 2:deer especially in the winter too. You know, you lose it on some slush, and there you go. I think 48 is just as bad, but that wasn't in our area, so oh yeah, I bet okay.
Speaker 1:So I guess, as uh, as a sort of a wrap-up question, is there one piece of wisdom that you could leave for the next generation of mechanics?
Speaker 2:Just pay attention in school and math and and then, like I said, the drivability part of. If you're going to get into that, pay a lot of attention to the, to that kind of stuff, because that's where you're going to make the the most. I think, out of it is the drivability.
Speaker 1:So heck, yeah, sweet. Well, rick, is there anything else that you want to drop on us before we head out of here?
Speaker 2:not that I know you got any any social media to shout out do I have social media? I don't even know how to Venmo, for Christ's sake, we'll put your Venmo up on the screen. Somebody asked me do you know how to Venmo? I'm like I don't even know how to spell Venmo, so no, I don't. Cash or check, that's how we do it.
Speaker 1:That's funny, well, rick, thank you so much for coming in today.
Speaker 2:We appreciate it yeah, thanks guys.
Speaker 3:It was an absolute pleasure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, this was fun. I've never done this before.
Speaker 1:Well, we'll have to have you on again for a follow-up here soon.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that'd be cool.
Speaker 3:We'll have to get the boys on too. Make it a little family. We can have my dad come.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that'd be a hell of a good time We'd probably have to cut half of it out. I think, well, if you get us going?
Speaker 3:yeah it might.
