NightSide’s Car Guys Check In - Part 2

It's nice Boston's news radio.

So we got the w b Z car guys that be busy nightside car guys Larry and Scott Rubinstein, and delighted that they're here. As we approach the winter driving season. You saw that story about a little snow coming in tomorrow night. What do you think, boys, it's gonna be uh, gonna be a little interesting out there in a row Massachusetts and flurry.

It's just a flurry.

It's all gonna be one to throw me into it. And it's gonna be more down the south south of Boston. So I think that was gonna be just fine. And if you prepared the cop properly, you have nothing to worry about.

Yeah, now, real quickly here, you know, put a little shovel in the back of your car in case you get stuck. I mean just the I mean blanket, uh scraper so you can scrape the window off rush or something like that.

Oh rush, yeah, yep, you new.

Uh.

They will make sure you have.

A phone charger with you. Yeah yet, so something real quick. That's going to be super important, especially with the change over and they say it's going to get brutally cold after whatever kind of we kind of precipitation we have fallen tomorrow. Uh, take some get some silicone spray and spray down the seals of the doors where that that rubber gasket that goes all around the door. Make sure you take a put them on a face cloth or paper towel and wipe those down. Is what's going to happen.

Spray you can pick that up pretty much anywhere parts drug store, right.

No, I don't know if drug stores have I know most part stores will have them.

Buy way.

You can go to Row's home depot, auto zone. I'm not any any one of those places they are going to have it.

Okay, all right, that's that's good advice. Six.

Yeah, Dan, I did get some answers for Gene during our news break.

Oh let's hear them.

Go ahead, okay on her transmission fluid it is sixty thousand miles six oh thousand just when they do a transmit Yeah, I mean that's just that's taking advantage on the break fluid. It's a little bit sketchy. I see many different readings that both Honda is saying that dealers are saying. Basically, the general consensus is thirty six thousand miles.

Now.

Now, break fluid real quick is hydroscopic, which means that it does attract water. Most good shops will have a tester to see how much water is in your break fluid system. If you have minimal water, and if the break fluid is a clear, translucent, pale yellow, you can certainly keep going till thirty six thousand miles. I think that they're wasting money by doing it early and just creating work. I would not when I had my shop

I'm saying she only has seventeen thousand, so they're pushing that on her a little bit. It seems to me.

Yeah, it seems to me like the make work.

Yeah, what here's my problem.

No, no, But with that being said that if you figure out the average driver is gonna go between ten and fifteen thousands of a year, so you should be on track. So it would normally make sense. So regardless of the mileage. And let's just talk about this real quick. You're talking about breakfood, just break flu. Really care how many miles you put in the car. You have to break get you more often, but it's that gonna necessarily tract more moisture. It's still been in there for four

So he could go either way.

So I mean sometimes, yes, a lot of shops do try to oversell, but this could be valid.

All right, fair enough, let's get back to phones, gentlemen. Gonna go to John and Drake. He's been holding the logs. John, your next on Nightsiger, right ahead.

That's all right, Danny. These guys are great and I really enjoy this is my first call call in on this particular subject, and I really enjoy it. I'll tell you I pick up some cars here and there, and I always find something that's reasonably priced. So I picked up an RX three hundred Lexus. Now the car has two hundred and ten thousand miles on reasonable I think because the fact that Lexuses do run pretty well. And I had to do some work on the muffler system.

So so I'm let's let's just take a step back. So the reason why you're saying the catalytic converts failing is you probably have a code four thirty something like that zero four thirty.

So yeah, it's really loud. I believe it as a hole in it.

Okay, so we actually have a physical hole.

Right, you can hear it if I started it now and drove around it.

Well bad, okay. Well the reason, well, that's that's rare because usually you don't get a lot of leaks off of catalytic converters unless for some reasons that you know, that particular area rusted quicker than that's not normal. Are you sure it's about the flex pipe? That's a tap to that pipe.

I just did that. As a matter of fact, the flex pipe. It's fine you say that flex pipe is taken off. We ended up setting up a piece where he made his own type of thing and he put that back together. So the flex pipe was the first issue. Then I went into a half moon. I called it that another little hole in the pipe. I'm trying to mickey mouse. I don't know why I did that, but in any event, then all of a sudden, I take

What was that sound again? And familiar?

That's the oldest kill from the book. But I have to tell you that I'm reluctant to spend the money, but I want to because the fact that this vehicle was maintained. If you saw the receipts that I have on this car, it's it's amazing what the gentleman did.

Have you gotten a price on one first?

Yet he talked about sixteen hundred.

Which is which is about right now. I'm assuming sixteen hundred. That sounds like it's probably an app that might be an aftermar Is that after market?

No, No, I believe it's the genuine part. And the part is close to five hundred dollars just for the cataletic.

That's actually cheap for some converters, because I've seen them converts themselves go over two grand, right exactly, I know you're getting oh installed for sixteen hundred. I think it's a bargain. And I think if you love the car, which it sounds like you do, and it's treated you well, then you invest the money.

Right exactly. You know, I'm just reluctant to say like that. He told me. Look, I mean, I'm going to do the work for you, John, But guess what, you know, we might run into some other problems with some O two stances up the other one.

We gotta be careful, you might, but right now you don't have that problem. So you deal with what you have in front of you, and the other one will let you know when it's time for them to go. And you know what you say, it been Nichols between now and then, and be ready when the next one does fail.

Right I do?

I do appreciate that. Yeah, And like I said, I mean, this is the first Lexus I've jumped into. The last one was an Avalon that I had, of course, before that, I picked thee up on a short ride was the Volvo.

So I got out of that one quick.

You understand that Alexis is just the nice version of a Toyota. So you're just getting eighty super product with with fancy bells and whistles.

I assumed. Yeah, exactly, like I said, maybe I can run it for another eighty to one hundred maybe if I maintain it and take my time with non maintenance.

So let me let me ask you guys the way you shouldn't be able to.

No one asked Scott and Larry, how do you guys feel about Lexus? Is generally compared to let's say, Vovos. Currently, Oh, head.

Over hills, Yeah, all day long over over the course of Tell me how much it cost you to maintain your Volvo compared to how much that elects costure.

Yeah, Larry, look at Yeah. When I got the Vobo right, the statu stated, skipping and nailing the flywheel brought it into a guy replaced the flywheel the transmissions top.

It doesn't just.

Drop, it goes to like the left, and it's all like tough to get out. And when he put that flywheel back and everything was misaligned, it screwed the whole thing up on me. I just loved the Volvo, but it just it wasn't right. The gentleman wasn't right putting it back together.

All right, Thank you very much, John, Great call, great call. You know, guys, I had a friend of mine yesterday who was driving a car. It's an older car, and he had lost power, steering fluid in the car. But he continued to die in the car, and he told me that the steering wheel came off in his hands. Have you ever heard heard that before?

No one thing has nothing to do with the other, really, unless I mean he just had a series of problems if he lost his power steering, if he lost his fluid. All right, so that is a pump or a hose that has gone, but that that steering wheel is held in place onto the steering calumn by a pretty hefty nut. One thing has nothing to do with the other. Are you sure a steering wheel came off?

Or are you no? I'm not no, no, no. I I had seen him that morning and he said he bought this car. He paid not a lot of money for twelve hundred dollars, and he was complaining that that the power fluid had leaked and he had a trouble. He troubled just steering it. But he called me late in the day said the steering wheel was in his hand, separated from Yeah, I mean, what do you do? Thank god he wasn't on one twenty eight. Let's do this

Now back to Dan Ray mine from the window World night Side Studios on WBZ.

The news radio. Back to the back to the calls we go. Let's go up to Ipswich north of Boston and talk with Dean in Ipswich. Dan, you were next on Nightside with the WBZ car guys.

Go right ahead, Dan, Hi, great show. I wanted to just mention I had have thirty five thousand.

I went in with my.

Toyota Corolla and they recommended the break fluid, which I was a little suspicious of. But it sounds that that's probably about right right the twenty twenty Corola.

Correct how many?

How many miles are.

At that time? It was thirty five thousand on it? Okay, yeah, okay, it sounds like they got it right.

It was a little suspicious that made a push it on me too early.

But so I say, what what is? What's a break flu We're going to cost you twenty bucks?

No system flushing a couple hundred dollars.

Okay, fair enough?

Said I got the background noise.

Yeah, we get to fear it's going on here, Rob, what's going on?

Is it?

Me?

I don't know it's gone.

Now.

With that being said, a true break system service, break fluid system service should start at the master cylinder. It should flush the lines, it should flush the fluid in the CalPERS. That's not just removing a little bit of fluid. It's in the master to be done properly. It's a good you know, probably about an hour's service in fresh and fresh fluid.

I have to look and by receipt, but it sounds like that happened. And in terms of the overall breaks, I've got forty five thousand on the car. Now, when should I be looking at what it's replacing or upgrading?

Well, when you're did your service facility look at them and tell you what the pad life was?

He probably he probably did.

Okay, so I will tell you that once you get into like a fight, just you want to remember these numbers. When you get to around five milimeter, that's when you're into the yellow of the warning zone, we tell you uh. And then when you get down in the two three area, that's when you're pretty down closing. You know, depending on your driving style, you'll probably get five thousand or less miles to go at that point. Okay, it's hard to tell, you know, you really can't tell somebody how quickly breaks

Okay.

One other question is it I'm seventy four, I'm looking I haven't retired yet. I've been working remote, but I'm looking towards buying one more car. Is it going to be practical in the next couple of years to buy a gas powered vehicle or should I be thinking of the other stuff?

No, I think that, and I think you're gas powered. Still, the technology has gotten much better. They're becoming more economical. Larry and I have talked talking about it before. I happen to work for a dealership where we deal with a lot of hybrid I'm not sold on them. I do not think that long term they out of the future. I know the current the new administration that's going to be coming in is not pushing the mandates that were set.

Okay.

I think that's pretty solid advice there By the way, Dan, because this is going to be a change in atmospheric change in Washington come January twentieth, and a lot of the the push that the Biden administration was pushing for evs and electric charging stations, I don't know that they're gonna that's going to contain. I don't think it's going to continue on the under Donald Trump's administration.

I believe it was already announced that it was not going to continue. Yeah, I believe that was that was part of his you know, one of the platforms he ran on.

So I oh, yeah, no, I look at that.

It's seventy four. I think what you want, drive with want and and you know, enjoy enjoy it.

Okay, Dan, can I make one suggestion?

Sure, I'm in.

I've had a call for two weeks. I've tried those Haley Haleyes lozenges actually give you some relief if you I don't know if you're I don't know how you're feeling now.

But well, you know what, I actually have a no. I got halls losages, which are probably that's yeah, you have yeah, No, mine is mine is more. It's almost like what you used to call in the military. You are I upper respiratory infection. That's what I think I got.

Okay, anyways, thanks to the gentlemen.

What a great show.

Thank you, thank you.

I hope you went very much. Good night. We got a lot of nice people who listen to this program. I mean really, and if we can help people out here, I'm so grateful to Larry and Scott for the amount of time that they give to our audience for three or four times at least throughout the year. And this is an opportunity. I'll tell you. We have. We have two fills here, fill in Plymouth and fill in Boston.

Night Side with Dan Ray.

I'm Boston's news Radio.

Thank you, Dan. Let's get back to the calls. My name is Dan Ray. This is night Side. We are here until midnight Monday to Friday, from eight until midnight. Get my thanks to Morgan White last night who gave me a night allowed me to take a night off. I was a hurt and puppy last night, not one hundred percent tonight. But I have two great guests for you. I get my friends Larry and Scott Rubinstein. They are the WBZ car guys. If you have any question, any

Right ahead, Phil, Oh, this guy, I need some help, buddy. First of all, I had a the generator of all that. Well, they unplugged the battery from the cable so that I didn't know at the time, but that when you put it back together again, you have the engine has to regroup the memory in the computer. It has to go through a cycle. Unfortunately for me, it hasn't completed the cycle. Everyone I went to says, oh, you get to drive

I So, what's what's the year making model of your car?

I'm sorry? I PAUSEIZ twenty fourteen hundred Civic. I guess it's the cheaper, the cheaper one, the lower ridge for some one or whatever.

Okay, So which which portions of the readiness are not being set to you?

That's a good question. I wish I knew. I try to go back to that. They gave me a print on I don't know, sir, I don't know, but this I need one pint. He's seventeen nineteen pass over there, I need one more to pass. HA been all over the state from the solfice problem?

All right?

Now?

Did you know that there are certain parameters that you must do when you're trying to reset your readiness, such as having the proper amount of fuel in the gas tank?

No, I try to give it a full.

Now, I see sometimes that is not right. So here's what I want you to do. Email me the year make model and possibly even the vehicle ID number, the seventeen digit vehicle ID number. I will look up with the reset procedure for you. I will email you the reset procedure with all the parameters that must be met.

Jeez, all right, I'm not good at the computer. It go ahead, give me.

And if it doesn't set doing it the way they had all that and tells you to do it, then you could call the Registry of Motor Vehicles and they might give you a excuse. Is a certain name for it, Scott, What was the name that they call it when they give you a.

Pass sixty day? Well in New Hampshire re issued sixty day temporaries. Want to back I just want to backtrack for a second. They said they disconnected the battery. Had he already gone for a state inspection test before?

I'm sorry, lost, so.

Before your battery was disconnected? Had you already gone for a state inspection and failed?

Look, that's a good question. I have failed. And then I was the one gentleman. I shouldn't say this. I'm sure was legitimate. I put he brought it in there and he said, I told him what I did. He said, I'll drive it. I said, really, so he drove it. I came back, I get the stick. I don't know what he did.

You know, well, this is what Larry was this is what Larry was referring to. Is that knowing how to drive it for the proper drive cycle? Answer, you had not failed before and this is the initial test. If this was your initial test and you weren't getting a retest, then you are allowed to have one incomplete in the state of Massachusetts. I believe one incomplete readiness test if

I want to two different places today, and they didn't have They couldn't do it because I said, we can't do it. We've got to get we got to give you a new a special sticker. I luckily, I I'm just wondering, Phil, Phil.

I think that Larry said to you, uh, if you would just email him that information. And if you're not good at emailing, find someone who is Larry. What what is the email you want Hit to send it?

Sure, the same one as always. Scan auto at aol dot com. Try to include the seventeen digit then, and I will send you the proper drive cycle so that your car does pass all of the parameter that's needed to get a mass state inspection sticker.

Legal gause, you give me the one more time? I'm sorry.

Oh yeah, take your time now, Phil, just write this down. Okay, scan sc A an auto A U t O at aol dot com. You got it, No, I got s C t Oh do me a favorite Rob. You've got it right, skin auto at AOL dot com. Okay, give it to Phil. Take his time, make sure that he gets Let's move on. Oh man, okay, let's go next to another film. This fills in Plymouth. Hi Phil, how are you? Hey?

Dan?

How are Isn't I sure?

Pretty good? Go right ahead?

Excellent? Excellent, Hey guys, Merry Christmas and happy New Year. You happy to talk to you folks again. Uh Dan, this is still originally from Weymouth. I worked in the speaker company. I went to you know, Wanda posshows games with you and everything years ago. Uh. I'm glad that here he's still doing well and everything. But gentlemen, I

That I would agree. I would agree. We both owned the real for Broncos back in the nineties and I personally not a huge fan. But I mean, they get a they get make an attempt at bringing it back, but for me, it doesn't work for me.

So per Sae Larry, I feel exactly the same way. And some of the numbers that they're charging on them, they are ridiculous. It's to me, there is nothing special about about them. I think you could spend a lot less money and get a lot more car with a different manufacturer. I really I've seen them, I've driven them.

No, thank you.

Yeah, would you take like a four runner over it all. Yeah, that's what I need.

Did you happen to call last show? Uh?

No, not last show? I called uh.

Years ago.

I could have one that that somebody asked us this question before, very similar to it. I just I mean, if you've listened to us before, I mean, you know how high we are on Toyota's and it listen, Toyota doesn't pay us any money to talk good about their product. It's because we The reason why like we drive Toyota's is because we know what fails and what doesn't fail. And they are just the most reliable vehicle out there. And their warranty and the way they stand behind their product,

Sorry.

Ye also telling us that the Toyoda is the same manufacturer as Lexus.

I assume you remember being yeah, back in the day when you had Ford and then Ford had Lincoln. You know they had Mercury and Lincoln. So when they were just upgrade, there was all the same It's all the same frame, it's the same powertrain. They're just gussied up, and the Lincoln was just a you know, a nicer version, nicer bells and whistles of a of a Ford. You know, a Ford Explorer and a Lincoln uh Aviator are one in the same vehicle, and in the now Man are one in the same vehicle.

So give me this. Here's my question. My question.

If you're going to go out and buy a new Lexus or a new Toyota equivalent vehicles, and I don't know which one is which, but whatever, either the best Lexus, best Toyota, whatever, how much of a differential is there in prices at this point between ten thousand doults.

I would say you're probably in the right ballpark, ten ten to twenty. Yeah, you know, it's it's like I said, it's the fancy version.

It is. It is.

But you know what, people, people that know that shop at a Lexus dealer, they're expecting a certain quality and a certain it's all that, you know, that the nice leather, the upgraded leather, the upgraded stitching. You know, it's all those little things that make it stand out from a Toyota. Some people may say the Toyota is a plane Jane vehicle. So they go out and find the Lexus equivalent, and it's just that nicer version.

You know, it's gonna have nicer wheels and tires on it, it's gonna have nicer struts and shots. But it's gonna be the same power plant. Dan, It's gonna be the same power plant that's gonna give you a rim a thousand miles with a minimum of maintenance.

Let you say one hundred or two hundred.

Five hundred. I said this, Kuy, these cars that you're talking about, I'm gonna go five hundred thousand miles.

Whoa, whoa, Okay, now we're talking.

Imagine thanking me out back in the day.

Yeah, they couldn't get into it there with the last.

Fifty thousand miles.

Wow, my father has my father's a Lexus.

Uh the ls or yes, four thirty it's the sedan So two thousand and one has three hundred and thirty thousand miles on it still runs, no troble. Usually your seats, your seats will wear out long before the engine does.

Yeah.

This awhere inte valuable information for my listeners tonight, guys, thank you so much. Phil in Plymouth. We got to let you go because we're coming up with a break. Thank you very much for calling in. When we get back, we're gonna be talking with Judy and Bellingham and then Gaale in Beverly and get room for you. We'll get a couple more in as well. Six one seven, two,

Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.

We're gonna get everybody in here, starting off with Judy in Bellingham. Judy, you're on with the WBZ car guys.

Go right ahead, Hi there.

Timing is everything. I just found this out today. I have a twenty eighteen Lincoln MKX. I've had it five four years. I bought it used. One of my relatives was in the back seats that it smelled most moldy. So I mentioned to the shop.

Boy I brought it to do some other work.

Turns out, evidently there's a problem with the drain lines from the sun roofs.

Yes found he found.

The catch in it, and evidently it's a common problem with this this car, and people have been I mean, do I have any recourse or because the whole back is going to be professionally clean the inside eighteen right yep, I bought it four years ago.

Used.

Good luck, but your warrant doment, I'm sorry.

Did you buy it new from a deep You buy it used from a dealership, from from from a.

Lake, from the Imperial, Imperial and the little Town Amendment?

Rightio, you purchased an extended warranty. Know then I'd say you have no recourse. I mean, it's it stinks, but unfortunately sun roof drains get clogged all the time. It's apparently, like you said, it's been going on for a while. Uh, and please don't take it. I'm up caught not pointing blame but if manufacturers warranteed their car forever, they would all be out of business.

Yeah, you just wouldn't aware of anybody any action.

I don't think so. I don't think there. I don't think there was a class action lawsuit against it, not that I'm here of. Larry might be able to tell you more, since he has access to some of that information. It certainly would never go as a recall because it's not a safety item. Okay, let me ask you another question. Have you been going back to that dealership since you purchased the vehicle for regular maintenance?

Yes, for oil changes and all that.

Yep, for for the four years that you've owned it.

Yes.

Okay, So if you've got a good established rapport with the service department there, then I would certainly ask them if there's anything that they would be willing to do to help you out. Lincoln may step in now again, since I get to see the other side now that I work at a dealership, I know what we're asked to do, and I will tell you that the manufacturers have been cracking down on what they allow us to give for what we call goodwill assistance to customers. They've

Great, great advice. You four other people. I want to try to sneak in here, so I'm thank you.

Thank you to answer my question. Thank you.

Have a good holiday, everybody, Merry Christmas Day. And I have one very good important thing as far as Judy goes, if she has comprehensive coverage on her car, her insurance will most likely cover it.

Okay, that's good information to hope she's listening. Let's keep rolling here. I'm going to go to John and Maryland. We got to pick the pace up now, John, because I got four callers and you're you're the first.

Go right ahead, John, gentlemen, real quick, good evening, Thank you, Happy holidays. Nineteen ninety four Bronco overall one good.

Uh.

It drives like a tank, never got stuck except for one time. And the only downside is on many of those vehicles the rear tailgate on the bottom it rusts out and as I found out.

Yep, they all do. They all rush out. What was your question about this question?

Yeah, but otherwise it was a great vehicle. I wish you have a good, safe holiday. I'll let you guys go get everybody else in. Thank you, all right, Thanks John, having holiday, John.

Good. Let's keep rolling. We're gonna try. We got Gail in Beverly Gale next on nights. I go right ahead, Hi, Hi Gail, We're run out of time.

Go ahead, Oh are you?

I just wanted to put in Potriyota. You can't beat the Toyotas. They are the best cars. I have a two twenty one grab four elie X and I just love my car. I mean, just shay go forever.

That's right, That's right. It's going to keep it going for many, many years.

But that's great. We mentioned Toyotas before. It's great to hear a little bit of testimony from from you and that. Thanks Gail.

Well, I've also I've also I had a Prius that is so good on gas, and I also had his Parolla. You can't be Toyota. So have a nice Christmas, all of you, all right, Thank.

You, thank you for calling.

Thank you Christmas.

Larry. It's gotten celebrated Honkas, so we're going to wish them happy Honiker as well. Thanks Gail.

Yeah, thanks, Oh, yes, absolutely, no problem.

Let's keep rolling. He got marked out of the cape. Mark, you're going to wrap the hour first, go right ahead. You're on what Scott and Larry get you in under the wire?

Go ahead, Mark, great, Hi guys, A quick question for you. Twenty fifteen honder record eighty five thousand miles on. It been running very well. The problem the question I have is a dale Ship is telling me I should change my timing belt after seven years.

Absolutely agreed, Absolutely, it is great insurance. If that timing bell breaks, you're going to have catastrophic damage done to your end. And timing belt is just maintenance and if you don't do it like any other main and you're going to have a catastrophic failure.

Good enough, Thank you guys to theater part.

At the same time, I believe the water pumps driven by that on that vehicle.

Sure I heard that? Yeah, I did hear that. Great. We'll have a great holiday and thank you very much.

Thanks Mark, Thank you you too, gentlemen. We we had a very successful night tonight. I think everybody got the time that they needed and we handled. I guess was about fifteen callers in the in the two hours that we had. And so I just want to thank both of you for making yourself available. I know you both are still very active. Larry, if people want to get in touch with you, uh, it is skin auto at AOL dot com, s C A N A U t O at a o L dot com. And I really

We do too.

We do we also celebrate both both there we just have a wonderful time. This is a great time of the year.

Dan Oh, there's no, no, no question about it. And I just again, you guys have become such great friends of mine over the years and the time that that you volunteer and that you take to talk to my listeners. I can't I just can't thank you enough. I really can't. So as always pleasure be well, say how to all your families, wim me give everybody a hug, and we will we'll talk sometime early in the early in the new year. Tough to think.

Before we go, I just wanted to wish my wife a upcoming happy birthday.

In only four.

Minutes, she will be thirty nine years old all over again.

Well, I was I was waiting to cue you there because I know we had talked about that earlier today. And Sandra, happy birthday, not only from your your husband, but from all of us as well. And she has Sandra has a great husband. She's got a great some great kids as well, one of them will Scott. So happy birthday, Sandra, Well well deserved. Thanks guys, we'll talk.

Soon, Okay, take care of me and I we'll talk to you soon.

Bye bye, all right, thanks, thanks bye, Good night, Larry, Good night, Scott. Okay, we're done for the night back tomorrow night with the Night Side Charity Combine between ten and twelve. I think it's two of the most important hours of the year because we profile about twenty charities, all great charities, big, little, different different topics, different interests. Give you an opportunity to be exposed to some really