Podcasts about uncle jimmy

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy rounds out the “you're e'ffed” saga with part four. As it turns out there are tons of portents of doom when cars roll into your shop. Some vehicle's even have multiple of these automotive red flags, while others can be false flags. We hit the ever favorite, “gimp mask in the trunk” and raise it with tons of other examples that we have seen throughout the years. What is your favorite? What is one that we didn't hit on the podcast (editor's pick: Nissan Altima's - they always have a story and it always has drama.)Also Uncle Jimmy gears up for another longer form series that actually feels like work! 

On this episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy goes into some of the backend programming of our customers in regards to what the media has made our profession out to be for the last 50+ years. As a profession, few trades have been maligned to the extent of the automotive trades, and this is especially true in media depictions. Let's be clear, we have seen some criminals in this trade -- but it is actually a lot more rare than you would think. However, more often than not the line is a lot more blurry than we, our customers, and even the shops that employ us would like to admit. The more pressing issues to todays automotive customers is the massive gap that exists between the seasoned professionals, and the newbies. Are you getting ripped off if someone fails to properly fix your car right, possibly - but more often than not the easy fix is to bring it back in and make it right! There is an incredible ground-swell though in the media perception war that has been waged against this profession, and it comes in the form of the Video MPI. This entire process brings levels of transparency that the customer simply cannot refute. Best of all, we're going to teach all of your how to do it! More on that later! Also Uncle Jimmy goes 2 for 2 on thunderstorms during recording! 

On this much delayed episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy takes a look at the entire strata of the typical dealership and informs them of at least one major thing that they should take into consideration in order to make the process seamless. For ownership and boards of directors, it is very hard to get an accurate picture of a dealership's overall functionality just by the numbers. The numbers can tell you a lot, but it is sometimes hard to put toxic shops or bad processes into numbers. Working the way down, the message gets much more explicit for the Service Managers. This person should probably be well-acquainted with the chaos of a shop scenario, and needs the customer service skills to deal with people who have problems with their car, or your staff! This position is best filled with former shop foremen. Sales people just need to stay in their lane and no disrupt the process too much, while Service Advisors simply need to ask for the sale. If a Service Advisor has the added benefit of video MPI's this should be extremely easy! We also take ourselves and Lot Porters to task for a variety of issues, and finally Uncle Jimmy takes himself to task as well! Also Uncle Jimmy gives a shoutout to his teddy bear as the thunderstorm in the background would have warranted a dramatic reading of ‘The Raven' as an intro! 

On this fairly-sporadic episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy wades into the terminally unhinged forum of LinkedIn to find a concept that everyone deals with in this industry. The term “Emotional Waste” is the concept of negative emotions creating undue stress and occupying an inordinate amount of someone's time. We all see this, and some of the best people in the industry have the exact opposite going on - Emotional Intelligence. This is the ability to regulate and utilize your emotional states, as well as being able to effectively read a room or read a person. Being able to quickly get over things is a key skill in this industry. Also Uncle Jimmy goes 3rd round in the Angry draft, despite a strong showing with a missing 10mm. 

I reflect on the death of a relative, emphasizing the importance of faith for salvation. It's a somber reminder that without repentance and belief in Jesus, eternal consequences await the unsaved.Resource mentioned: Are Catholics Deceived? by Mike Gendron

A new MP3 sermon from Alpha and Omega Ministries is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Story Time with Uncle Jimmy: The Acts of Paul and Thecla Subtitle: The Dividing Line 2025 Speaker: Dr. James White Broadcaster: Alpha and Omega Ministries Event: Podcast Date: 3/26/2025 Length: 95 min.

As promised on today's program I read through The Acts of Paul and Thecla, commented on the Orthodox veneration of Thecla as a saint and "equal of the Apostles," and what we can learn about the context of the origination of this apocryphal mythology from the second century. By the way, here is the article I mentioned from the OCA website about Thecla.

On this week's Episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy takes a look at some of the real world ramifications of Texas discontinuing their state vehicle safety inspections. The first thing that stood out to us was that it was in fact similar to those in New York, and in fact throughout most of the Rust Belt where we know they are a really good idea. Entropy is the name of the game here, and if something is too rotten to be safe, or tires are too bald to provide adequate traction — they need to go. We also get into some of the socioeconomics of the state safety inspection, and how this has altered our own perceptions of this subject over time. When we we're young and broke, we hated it! When we had seen some stuff and learned some stuff, we we're a lot more understanding of why they are important. Bottom line, relying on the common sense of vehicle owners is, really without a doubt, one of the worst parameters we have ever seen. We have seen the “common sense” of vehicle owners and it usually ends up on “Just Rolled In” Also Uncle Jimmy talks his favorite ways of evading(and altering) police attention while having an out of date inspections!

On this episode of Grease The Wheels, Uncle Jimmy goes for the trilogy of things that you see roll into your shop that spell doom, because you know you're eff'd. From poorly done wraps, to harlequin models of cars that are not 90s Golf's, and underbody lights, there are a lot of things that we see that spell doom and gloom for our profit margin. Seeing an old car that is still being daily driven darkening your door is somehow more of an omen of impending doom than the banshee's howl, while seeing car club stickers on a PT Cruiser was just hilarious. We'd like to throw a shoutout to Sibley, Iowa and somehow this series gets a part 4 at a later date. It's the one series that you have nodded along to at least once — and hopefully hasn't caused any weird synchronicities where you hear about it in the podcast and it immediately shows up in the shop! Also Uncle Jimmy goes thermonuclear on marketplace sellers who sell as “parts only” and explores of the concept of “Convertible Sunk Cost Fallacy”

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy comes up with a list of interview questions for mechanics to observe and take into account when they are looking to move to a new shop. Is there enough parking, are there enough bathrooms, and where exactly did all of these dead and abandoned cars come from? There are tons of criteria that we use when evaluating where we are going to work, but this episode brings a lot of them to life with some of the most insane examples you've ever heard! Also Uncle Jimmy side hustles as a garage door repairman

Uncle Jimmy 3x-xx-xx (031) Episode 31

On this episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy goes to practical goal building mode for 2025. Getting better isn't going to be negotiable in 2025, as the pace of technological change in the cars is continuing at break-neck speed. Look at the year end total for your W-2, divide it by your hourly rate and that gets you near how many hours you worked. This of course isn't taking into effect all of the house that you turned but didn't get paid for! It also doesn't get into the amount of hours that you quoted. All oof these numbers are easy to figure out and give you a good idea of the value that you bring to your company. So needless to say, if you don't like something, Grease the Wheels!   Also Uncle Jimmy discovers Gasoline particulate filters. 

On this episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy revisits some of the common signs and portents of things that you know are going to result in a rough day in the shop. From bullet holes and hypodermic needles, to an entire goodwill inventory of clothes in a trunk where you need to replace a battery, there is little limit to the chaos and carnage that customer roll in on a daily basis. We also go into a scientific breakdown for an answer to every single complaint about a sunroof. Also Uncle Jimmy pulls off a flawless Moody Blues reference while really hammering home just how old he is with the price of batteries. 

Len and Beave go through the ten main characters on "The Bear", and rank them from 10 to number one. How would you rank them? Plus NFL, NBA, the Guardians and Cubs' latest trades, "I Recommend", and the golden age of Chicago college hoops continues! Finally Beave forgets the secret top 40 hits, and we discuss David Remnick's pickleball habits. Tune in!

On this episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy lifts the cover off of one of the truly weird and genuinely innovative technician/mechanic development programs: The K-Plan. Developed with the help of people way smarter than us, the K-Plan lays out all of the areas of knowledge that someone will need to be successful as a mechanic, with tailored resources for that particular shop. It utilizes technician development bonuses to encourage institutional and brand specific knowledge in order to lead to more developed technicians that can make you more money. Long story short you get to send the work that you have to the people that can do it, while keeping track of the pace of development of the staff within your shop. Want to learn more? Need it in your shop ASAP - hit us ups on the Facebook page!   Also Uncle Jimmy prepares to vacation somewhere with an average temperature 30 degrees lower than his current location. 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy gets back to proper form and takes customers to task. Every area has that one shop that when you see a car roll in with their plate frames, you know you're (more specifically the customer) are eff'd. Dozens of bumperstickers, turning your interior into a series of various claymore landmines and much, much more! This series literally wrote itself, but if you have some specific examples please let us know over on the Facebook page. Also Uncle Jimmy wishes you all a very happy Thanksgiving and corroborates some hilarious family lore. 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy unveils the K-Plan. This is a system that shops and dealerships can use to basically build a farm system for their new technicians while rewarding the technicians that train them to a level of autonomous productivity. It benchmarks what people know against what the new people have to learn, providing clear expectations for knowledge and how a shop wants things done. We also get into the Master-Apprentice relationship and what that needs to be like for long term success. We have been working on it for a while, and that is why the episodes have been bi-weekly! We finally needed it so bad, that we ended up building it! Also Uncle Jimmy calls his shot and does an impression of the outgoing president. 

I greet you in Jesus' precious name. It is Friday morning. The 1st of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan with a thought for today. We start in the book of John, the Gospel of John 13:14:”If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.” It's the little things that count. If you look at Matthew 25:40, the Bible says:”And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” It's the little things in life that really count, isn't it? You know, that cup of cold water for somebody that's thirsty, Matthew 10:42, doing something for someone who cannot repay you. I think of all the nurses in the hospitals and the doctors. We salute you. We really do. We love you. When I go into a hospital and I see the love that these nurses and doctors give to people that they don't even know, it touches my heart deeply. When I see a policeman trying to help someone who has been hurt, it touches me deeply. The people that have really impacted my life and the situations, are not the big massive splitting of the Red Sea, walking on the water, calling fire down from heaven. No. The things that have really impacted me is like old Uncle Jimmy, who stayed on our farm with his dear wife Moira for many, many years. He wasn't very well. He'd had TB that he got in the Royal Navy in the Second World War. He had a very weak chest. He didn't sleep much at night, spent most of the night on his knees praying. Jimmy would come down every morning to the farm with a little piece of paper and a scripture verse for me, touched me deeply. I miss him a lot. Old Aunty Peggy, she came and she stayed with us. She told her family on her 70th birthday, I'm going to join Shalom Ministries full time. She had sugar diabetes. They amputated one of her legs beneath the knee. She had blood pressure and all kinds of problems, but what a prayer warrior. I miss her terribly. There's a security guard in town that works at one of the hardware stores. He impacts me every time I go to that store. You know that that gentleman's shoes are shiny. They look like mirrors. I can almost see my face in his boots. His uniform is immaculate. He's got one of those old-fashioned moustaches that I'm sure he waxes that turn up at the ends and his bright and happy demeanor impacts me. Old Oom Johannes Nell came to us and started preaching underneath the trees to a handful of Zulu people. That was the beginning of the church that we have today, which can seat 500 on the farm and we have two pastors doing a wonderful job. It's the little things that really touched me deeply. Today don't underestimate your opportunities to help people. That's what Jesus did. God bless you and goodbye.

On this weeks episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy gets into how to get along with your coworkers better. As the weather begins to cool, yes even in Texas, the doors of the shop are going to stay closed more often and you'll be working in closer quarters. The better that you all get along determines the overall vibe in the back of the house as well, so try to be helpful and courteous. Creating a cohesive atmosphere in the shop is important to getting along, which can make you more money in the long run and lead to lower turnover.   Also Uncle Jimmy keeps it above the belt when it comes to service advisors. 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy wades into the foggy, brutal game that is internet reviews. In many ways reviews are one of the most important parts of your business, often taking massive precedence in the way that your company appears through search results. This allows customers to quickly form an opinion on your company, with huge potential upsides when you treat customers right. However, in the situation of many auto repair shops, the customer comes with preloaded anxiety about how long their car is going to be broken, and how much it is going to cost to fix. This makes for a delicate balance of realism and optimism, entirely decided by what the rest of your shop has going on at that particular moment. Managing customer expectations and setting them up for a better user experience is key, but in the end sometimes bad reviews cannot be avoided. Bottom line, this is an important part of your brand voice, and getting it right in a timely manner is key to continued success on the internet. Also Uncle Jimmy makes the perfect onomatopoeia for a flat tire.

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy takes a serious look at mental health with way more F-Bombs than Dr. Phil could ever muster. Due to the potentially disturbing nature of this show, we are actually going to put up a content warning for marked discussions on Suicide, while putting a link to the relevant people below. This is a big deal in this industry, worldwide and since the pandemic specifically. We as an industry don't talk about mental health very often, and when we do it is mostly masked in self-deprecating or gallows humor. The real fact remains that the constant march of technological progress combined with the overall chaos that the human element brings to the situation, working in a shop can create an incredible amount of stress - and if you can't deal with it you need to find ways that are not self-destructive. Sometimes that is taking a different position in the company, sometimes it is changing occupations entirely. The bottom line is that in a world full of problems the people who solve those problems have never been more valuable. As a result, you wrench twisting bastards are valuable - so don't solve a temporary problem with a permanent solution that leaves your friends, family, coworkers and acquaintances wondering why.  Because none of you are allowed to die before Uncle Jimmy. Also Uncle Jimmy wants you to reach out if things in your head aren't going great right now. If it is more serious than that we suggest following this Link

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy weaves between the extremely specific and the bigger picture when it comes to diagnosis. Having the right tools, being able to read things like wiring diagrams, and having an understanding of suspension components are all going to aid your diagnosis of vehicles - but one of the most overlooked ones is the new systems training. As the products that the manufacturers turn out become more and more complex, the people who need to fix these systems when the inevitably break need to be versed in how they work so they can repair them when they don't! Having a second opinion on your diagnosis is always a good thing, if your shop's interpersonal dynamics allow for it! Also Uncle Jimmy uncovers the conspiracy of “Shitbox Gate” and starts the PSA: “Just say no to flood cars!” 

On this episode of the East Coast Bros 1. Prayers for those affected by Hurricane Helena 2. Politics and other news (Kamala Goes to the Border and blames everything on Trump.  Even though it was her and Biden's policies that caused the issues. 425,000 illegals with criminal records crossed into the US since 2020 3.   Question: Put all your hate aside for a moment and ask yourself, are we better off today then we were 4 years ago? 4.  George Soros bought 200 radio stations. Why? 5.   Dick Cheney was owner of Halliburton who funded 2 wars, now he is supporting Harris. Business is good! 6.    P-Diddy – so many famous people are scared right now.  Will he be Epsteind? 7.   Shot Glass Roulette ­ - 80s Trivia 8.  10 most loyal dog breeds 9. Animal Heroes 10.  The news and weather w/ Cliff Hudson 11.  Uncle Jimmy time 12.  Sports Talk 13.  Notable Rockstar Birthdays 14.  Shout outs with BIG NATE  

On this week's episode of Grease the wheels, Uncle Jimmy enters the nebulous and often fantastical realm of warranty labor times. There are a host of problems with this system, mainly that no one can agree EXACTLY how the labor time is produced. The secondary problem with this is that the manufacturer is trying to pay their dealerships as little as humanly possible for what is often an error in quality control or a third party vendor. Then we get to aftermarket warranties - and Uncle Jimmy absolutely empties the clip. We talk about the worst ones, and an incredibly useful tactic for getting the blame off of your dealership and onto the warranty company that is refusing to pay their bill - get their contact information and explain to the customer that their warranty company will not pay the entire thing. This will save you more time than you will ever know! The only thing that we know for certain is that if the warranty time is provided by AllData, it's almost exclusively to screw over the person fixing it! Also Uncle Jimmy quotes Nirvana more times than he ever thought he would. 

What Collectors Need to Know About PSA's Updates and Leaving a Hobby Legacy In Episode #129 of the Talking Shop Podcast, we break down PSA's new rules—from shipping and upcharges to what happens when you crack a slab. Collectors need to stay informed, and we've got everything you need to know about PSA's updated terms and conditions. We also dive into the idea of building a legacy collection. Inspired by the story of Uncle Jimmy, who left behind one of the greatest collections in hobby history, we discuss what cards we would pass down to future generations and how to create a lasting hobby legacy. As always, we'll tell you what's new at Grand Slam, showcase some hits from the shop, and finish things off with a crazy stat. Tune in for all the latest! #TalkingShopPodcast #PSA #LegacyCollection #UncleJimmy #SportsCards #Collectibles Welcome to the Talking Shop Podcast—because every card has a story! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-talking-shop-podcast/support

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy comes off of summer break and gets medieval on Service Advisors. If you can see the cords hanging out of a set of tires, you really don't need a tire gauge to tell you they are smoked. All we are asking for is that you ask for the sale, don't avoid customers, and make sense with the repair order. That's it! We get into some of the ways that a service advisor can be great, but a lot of them should not be in the business in the first place! We go over the basics, and tell you how to augment the entire process with tons of transparency through video multipoint inspections. Bottom line, they need help, and the more that you can break down the communication barriers with technology - the more profitable that your shop is going to be. Also Uncle Jimmy references a song production has never heard of. 

On this week's (on time!) episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy takes a look at last week's episode through a new set of parameters with a little more of a preservation minded end. There are a lot of reasons why people do not want to become automotive technicians, but the ones who do need to be properly developed. We can't be chasing them out of the building with massive tool debts and little to no professional development. The rear rub here is with management trying to keep wages stagnant across the board to keep overhead down while the cost of literally everything keeps going up. This is leading to high turnover at many stagnant businesses, and is chasing experienced technicians elsewhere. The long term data on this, even since we have been broadcasting has gotten worse, but that is a good thing for anyone with a lot of experience and stuff to fix. Shop labor rates keep going up, and in many cases thankfully so are the wages - but this serves as a stark reminder for the shops where they are not! Also Uncle Jimmy eviscerates the Mets.

Revisit: Road Show made it to Michigan and Glenn and Jenn update you on the travels so far and bring you multiple listener interviews from the Michigan peeps. Plus, Dr. Marsella gives us the lowdown on sweet itch. Listen in...HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3497 – Show Notes and Links:The HORSES IN THE MORNING Crew: Glenn the Geek: co-host, executive in charge of comic relief; Jamie Jennings: co-host, director of wacky equestrian adventures; Jaime ("Jemmy"): producer, Chaos Control Supervisor.Title Sponsor: State Line TackPhoto: HRN Road ShowHorse Health Report: Dr. Marsella, University of Florida Professor of the Department of Small Animal Clinical SciencesGuest: MarieGuest: LoriGuest: KathleenGuest: LynnLink: HRN Road Show MeetupsFollow Horses In The Morning on FacebookAdditional support for this podcast provided by Daily Dose Equine, Kentucky Performance Products, Horseloverz, Equi-Tee Flex'n Fork & Shake'n Fork, Uncle Jimmy's, and Listeners Like YouSupport the show

Revisit: Road Show made it to Michigan and Glenn and Jenn update you on the travels so far and bring you multiple listener interviews from the Michigan peeps. Plus, Dr. Marsella gives us the lowdown on sweet itch. Listen in...HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3497 – Show Notes and Links:The HORSES IN THE MORNING Crew: Glenn the Geek: co-host, executive in charge of comic relief; Jamie Jennings: co-host, director of wacky equestrian adventures; Jaime ("Jemmy"): producer, Chaos Control Supervisor.Title Sponsor: State Line TackPhoto: HRN Road ShowHorse Health Report: Dr. Marsella, University of Florida Professor of the Department of Small Animal Clinical SciencesGuest: MarieGuest: LoriGuest: KathleenGuest: LynnLink: HRN Road Show MeetupsFollow Horses In The Morning on FacebookAdditional support for this podcast provided by Daily Dose Equine, Kentucky Performance Products, Horseloverz, Equi-Tee Flex'n Fork & Shake'n Fork, Uncle Jimmy's, and Listeners Like YouSupport the show

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy makes some of his own lists as to why people are not joining the automotive trades, although the current slate of youngsters is picking it up more than the millennials and Gen X did. There are tons of reasons both internal to the shop and external that cause people to leave the automotive profession. Societal pressures for 4 year degrees, lack of access, and even a lack of passion for vehicles have caused the ranks to dwindle - but the real carnage happens inside the shop. From this being an incredibly physical job, to inept and uncaring management, the automotive service industry is fraught with challenges. This is why so many people who get into the automotive trades end up leaving. However, the biggest problem is the rapid pace of advancement for the cars that we work on and the compensation that we receive to do it. Also Erik forgets to hit “publish”

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy goes into what the internet thinks is the top 10 causes of cars breaking down. Some of these haven't been relevant in almost 30 years, while some of these we have never seen once in our wrenching careers - this is a bit dated so we have a fair bit of fun with it. In a weird semantic sort of argument, a lot of these are more “reasons why your car isn't working in the first place” rather than the cause of mid-trip breakdowns. We also get into some of the incredible advancements in user friendliness that cars have baked into themselves over the past 50 years, as well as Uncle Jimmy's own personal “I wasn't home yet!” experience. Coolant, charging systems, and tires are more the culprit to modern breakdowns, but you already knew that! This is a jam-packed, double-barrelled episode that you are not going to want to miss even though you probably won't learn anything! Wait, we lied! Tune in for how to easily diagnose starter motor batteries on some of your various high voltage, mild hybrid vehicles.Also Uncle Jimmy lists his favorite repair manuals. 

In this week's heavily delayed episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy talks about the people who think the world revolves around them. We also do a seriously deep dive on the differences between being confident and being arrogant - turns out it's a pretty fine line dictated entirely by how you treat people! You can have tons of knowledge and use it for all the right reasons, but the minute you can't back it up, or problems are suddenly not you daily - you've made the switch. Confidence isn't a bad thing, and can go a seriously long way towards advancing your career, but when it traverses into arrogance, people are going to start rooting for you to fail! Also Uncle Jimmy wants your “Ego Check Moment” Stories!

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy takes aim at the divide that exists in many dealerships between the sales and fixed ops departments. It has been noted by several sources that while many techs could sell a car in a pinch - almost no one in your sales department could do anything if they needed to prep a car for delivery, or fix something that was going wrong with it. With the way that the internet is going they really shouldn't act too big for their britches, but we are a long way off from AI being able to swing a hammer or torch up suspension components. We also go back into the CDK SNAFU, because it is still making lives miserable. Also Uncle Jimmy goes 3 for 5 on “reasons no one takes you seriously!” 

Tonight's show is a quick one to let everyone know that we will be doing a live show at Nate's when my daughter and I come down to PA next week. Oh, and we talk a little about music, tipping, and politics. We couldn't help ourselves. Cliff and Uncle Jimmy are on vacation this week, but will return next week. Congratulations to Uncle Jimmy on his retirement after 40+ years with Big Brown.

On this week's episode of Grease the wheels, Uncle Jimmy ventures into pseudo actual journalism talking about the recent cyber attack and ransomware woes of CDK. This one was a big one- big ransome and big outage. This has completely crippled thousands of shops and dealerships across the country being locked out of the software that they use to run the business both front and back, as the articles seemed to have forgotten about the back of the house. Being a solutions oriented person like all of you are, we knew the answer was simple: go back to analogue! Even the fact that the sales manager is chain smoking Lucky Strikes out of pure stress is right out of 1977! Handwritten Repair Orders and sales documents are back, for now at least. This is an interesting opportunity for all of the Reynolds shops as well, because this could definitely happen to any cloud based customer resource software. The business opportunities for R&R just shot through the roof too, because no one wants to be without this technology for long. We just sincerely hope that it doesn't result in payroll errors, which cause shops all around to hear the greasing of wheels.Also Uncle Jimmy is fully prepped to work at “Kaczynski Chevrolet” and murders corporate press releases. 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, we go into some easy ways to avoid a coronary - taking your vacation! Studies have proven that people who actually take their vacation tend to experience a myriad of positive effects when they are out of the office, and this is especially true when your office is a shop. Too many techs take their days off in the form of a check, and this isn't always the best thing. Taking a day off here and a day off there is a good way to break up the monotony and avoid missing family milestones and memories. Or you can do it like Uncle Jimmy and use it all in one shot! Bottom line, if you have the time to take off - take it! If you don't have the time to take off - grease your wheels to somewhere that understands basic human resources! Also Uncle Jimmy fixes Erik's brakes on vacation. 

Happy Father's Day! Special Guest Ryan who currently serves in the US Navy as a Hull Technician Petty Officer 3rd Class. We discuss his Naval career so far. Wheel of Rock: 8 Bands that do not belong in the R&R Hall of Fame. Dick Van Dyke 98 and still going strong News and Weather w/ Cliff Hudson Uncle Jimmy time (congratulations to Uncle Jimmy who is retiring after 41 years with the same company. We are very happy for you man.) Notable Deaths and Birthdays (if you would like us to announce any birthdays on the show please let us know. 70s Trivia - Movies and Movie Quoates Big Nate's Shout Outs Local Business Shout Outs IF YOU LIKE US PLEASE HIT THE LIKE AND SHARE BUTTONS

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, we get a little off topic with various developmental psychology articles. We've all heard the question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and we're not sure how many people came right out and said, “mechanic!” Turns out even asking this question is actually not the best thing in the world, because it can put undue burden on developing brains that think that they have to live up to this expectation. Answering with “mechanic” might be a growing trend though, as Gen Z has started to turn the corner and get into the trades at a higher percentage than X-ers and Millennials. We've told them not to, but in typical fashion of a younger generation questioning an older one - they keep coming! We also delve into the concept of some people only being your friend when their stuff is broken, which is something everyone listening to this has experienced at one point or another and hit on the cyclical nature of “getting killed on the warranty at the dealership” to “making tons of money on the same job at an Indy once it's out of warranty”. Uncle Jimmy rewrites the law of the hammer to his Snap-On guy, and talks about head injuries! Also Uncle Jimmy lives up to generational expectations and tells you exactly what's on his mind! 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy goes full boomer and talks about some statistics involving cell phone use in the workplace. We get into just how much time we're wasting, how we're wasting it, and the incredible stats involving how likely we are to mess up after using our phones at work. There are some major streamlined processes in the automotive industry that have gotten incredibly advanced when it comes to workflows that directly involve the phone but Uncle Jimmy just wishes that he didn't have to keep it on his personal phone. Is the phone leading to the downfall of humanity? Maybe, but rest assured it is definitely a wiretap with a monthly payment to keep it running! Also Uncle Jimmy goes on one of the best rants about U-Haul since they “rented that mofo for $19.95!”

On this episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy dissects the most shortchanged part of the entire automotive industry - Human Resources! Hiring anyone who has tools and can fog a mirror is one way to fill your shop with bodies, but not paying attention to the shop chemistry can be extremely detrimental to the bottom line. When you hire the right people, the right things happen. Productivity increases, friendly competition can cause even more profit, and the shop is overall a loud but harmonious place. The inverse is also 100% true. When you hire the wrong people, work doesn't get done, techs snipe at one another, and your customers are going to suffer. The bottom line for this episode, which really is a must-listen for service managers whose teams need some finessing, you get out what you put into the hiring process - and another opinion with some technical skills is a valuable tool in the interview.  Also Uncle Jimmy pitches the “Tech Combine” and outlines the HR Paradox: “The employees you wish would stay always leave, and the employees you wish would leave always stay (seemingly forever)”

In this episode, Uncle Jimmy (James Kuczykowski), a Roman Catholic Air Force veteran, shares his inspiring and impactful journey from rock bottom to recovery. Discussing his life's challenges, including overcoming addiction and surviving a stroke, Uncle Jimmy offers a raw and honest look into the trials he faced and how he overcame them. Through stories of his military career, the camaraderie amongst veterans, and his deep faith, listeners are invited to explore themes of resilience, community, and spiritual growth. Whether discussing his time in the Air Force, his struggles with addiction, or his path to writing a book, Uncle Jimmy's story is one of hope and transformation, making this episode a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration or understanding of the power of redemption. 00:00 Introduction to Uncle Jimmy 01:10 Military Service and Reflections 08:50 Facing Life Challenges 14:17 Overcoming Addiction 22:21 Discovering Faith and Recovery 36:42 Embracing Fellowship and Humor Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.thywillbedonebyjameskuczykowski.com Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

On this week's Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy gets introspective about some of the main thesis points of the podcast in contrast with industry trends in the six years we've been barking into a microphone. Not a lot of podcasts age well, and some of our certainly haven't. We still don't have talking tool boxes but there are more important things at play than S4B. The pay has definitely gone up, and it has to keep going up as people get more and more trained and certified to work on the crazy stuff manufacturers are rolling out with now. We knew hydrogen powered cars were coming when we started, but we didn't know we'd most likely be seeing them by the end of this decade. We also get into some of the personal points of the job; the toll that it takes on the people who do it day in and day out. We also get into the relatively new and welcome phenomenon of gender equality in the shop, although all of the liberal arts in the world won't help you lift a small-block chevy. While there have been many points where we have been wrong, on a whole and on the big issues - we have been consistently ahead of the curve. We need to continue the ethos of the show and continue to look for better opportunities as we better ourselves and our craft in pursuit of the American(or wherever you're from!) Dream. When all else fails, move to Texas! Also Uncle Jimmy talks aftermarket time guides and shouts out our favorite non-North American audiences! 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy suggests dissociating from yourself  to better analyze your job performance! Sargent Peppers was a genuinely cool album, showcasing the intrinsic creativity of the Beatles, but if you think about in work terms you get things like “Customer Service Voice” The better you can analyze your performance, the better you can do your job. Sometimes when your heart just isn't in it that day your coworkers can make it instantly better or worse. We also get into some of the bigger ideas of being a good employee and how to keep them in your building making you money - and the answer is money and recognition! Also Uncle Jimmy's new apartment acoustics need to be figured out, and his chair gets the Keith Moon treatment.  

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy talks about bad management practices. Bad management was the hallmark of the former Soviet Republics, but it also rears its ugly head often in the Automotive Industry. We get into some of the practices that make for bad management as well as relevant examples that are probably happening in your shop right now. From poor communication, to unmet or unwritten expectations - the automotive industry is often hampered by its own lack of interpersonal communication skills in the shops and dealerships that we work at. From asking for the sale, to bringing high definition video to your customers, there is a lot more money to be made in shops that are well run and can crank work through the door over shops that are mired in their own gossip and petty grievances. Bottom line, better run shops make more money, and there's nothing stopping you from going to them! Also Uncle Jimmy greases his wheels, more on that later! 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy shows the flip side of the coin when it comes to customers. While all customers deserve a base level of respect and empathy, there are some situations where they are going to try to turn the tables. We also get into some genuinely useful customer service tips for the customer facing technicians, or anyone doing side work. Good customer service is a huge market differentiator and can often make long-term customers that you make a lot of money off of while solving a lot of their problems. At the end of the day the old adage of “under promise and over deliver” rings truest of all when it comes to preventing tension with the customers. We also get into the phenomenon of the customer's internal clock and just how long they can remain a waiter until they need their car back, or need to find alternative transportation. This one is weirdly useful and completely checks out on a corporate communications level, but you've never heard this much interactional breakdown with this much swearing! Also Uncle Jimmy's Mom runs a scorched earth campaign on Midas for the better part of 4 decades. 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Jimmy hacks up a lung and explores the line where you should go into work and where you should call in. This is obviously a personal question with personal answers, but it's important for the 90% of the audience that wouldn't call in short of missing a limb. Also, if your employer doesn't give you sick days, that is a pretty good sign to grease the wheels, unless there is some prior understanding to not commit acts of bio warfare on your coworkers. We also get into the myriad of other excuses to call into work, and some of our fan favorite scenarios throughout the years. We also pay homage to the greatest fake calling in sick of all time, and the model to which we aspire to on our days off of work. In the end, Uncle Jimmy makes this one work on a deeper level, because when you're sick - it's really hard to give 100%. Also Uncle Jimmy leaves his phone at work so he can't call in. 

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy gets into what gets people into the automotive industry in the first place: passion. From your first car, to the first thing you fix, the seeds of passion are planted. For some of us, this culminates in a lifelong passion for certain makes and models. For others, it ends in compulsive hoarding. The best balance is a happy medium. Every make and model seemingly has its own subculture, from the Jeep Rubber Duckie thing, to the Subaru Merit Badges. These serve as small, but oftentimes meaningful connections for complete strangers who's only commonality might be what they drive. In this sense, it serves to think that the cars we drive are oftentimes reflections of self that also get us from Point A to B. Also Uncle Jimmy talks about the future's markets on classic cars and the E30 tax.

On this week's episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy explores the explosion of mobile mechanics in the city of Austin. There are a lot of different ways to fix cars, and getting the job done on the side of the road has really never stopped any of us before but actually making a living with it can be tough. There are big parts of the country where it would be a major undertaking with the elements making life incredibly difficult. We also get into the idea of subletting out jobs that you don't have the right equipment for, getting financing, and a hybrid model with smaller shops that operate by appointment only, with a mobile unit for when the shop bookings are lower. We also get into the “Great Filter” of hydrogen cars, and the way that the industry is going to respond to a third major player in the automobile propulsion game. As Dylan put it, “oh the times, they are a changin'”, but that is a good thing for everyone with the skills to get the job done in the face of a whole rash of people not knowing anything about the technology. If going mobile on your own is something that you are interested in, reach out to us - we're working on a pretty cool project to help get you up and running with the internet support you need to get jobs and start making money. Also Uncle Jimmy pulls a Service Advisor move and breaks into looking at memes in the middle of the episode and ends it how Mission Impossible usually starts. 

The boys are back and this time Jesse has more computer issues, because why not? Thankfully he's managed to salvage his day with a Capri-Sun - which of course leads the boys down a spiral of investigation on what the hell the deal is with Capri-Suns. Meanwhile Crendor gets lost on tiktok and definitely needs to be on the lookout for Uncle Jimmy. Also a trip to Kentucky reveals a pizza pie conspiracy?? All this and more on a brand new Cox n' Crendor! Come see Cox n' Crendor Live! https://t.co/EeWQDuVDe1 Go to http://buyraycon.com/cox to get 15% off your Raycon order and free shipping.

My special guest is biologist, cryptozoologist, and biotech expert Patrick Spain. He is here to discuss the strange and mythological creatures he sat out to amass first-hand accounts of during his travels.  Visit his website About the book: During Pat Spain's time filming wildlife-adventure TV series, he's gotten used to being uncomfortable. There've been rabid raccoon attacks, days spent in the baking equatorial African sun, and consumption of many revolting local delicacies like fermented mare's milk. And then there was Sumatra. On the Hunt in Sumatra details the two weeks Pat spent soaking wet with a National Geographic film crew tracking the legendary Orang Pendak through the forests of Indonesia. In contrast, tigers, leeches, amorous orangutans, Coldplay fans, a guide named Uncle Jimmy, two shamans, car demons, and rogue camera operators tracked them. It is undoubtedly the most inhospitable terrain Pat's ever encountered, with the highest likelihood of grievous bodily harm. But the payoff is his theory about Orang Pendak and a 5 a.m. EDM Tai Chi party. About Pat Pat Spain is a wildlife biologist, cryptozoologist, biotech expert, TV presenter, keynote speaker, author, and cancer survivor with a passion for adventure.  Pat enthusiastically seeks his next great escapade and the opportunity to add to his ever-growing list of “things that have bitten or stung him.”   As the great nephew of the "Prophet of the Unexplained" Charles Fort, Pat thinks of himself as carrying on a family tradition by questioning mainstream science, considering unusual explanations for bizarre phenomena, and investigating things most people consider impossible.   In the course of his journeys, Pat's been charged by a silverback gorilla, initiated into a remote Amazonian tribe by participating in the most extreme ceremony in the world, the bullet ant ritual (nearly 1M YouTube views), been 1000 feet under the ocean in a 3-man-sub, almost been shot down in a helicopter, eaten cat in Sumatra and rat in Cameroon, has lain down in a pit of 275,000 snakes, and spent up to 19 hours a day for four years running experiments in a space suit, inside a sterile bubble, in a state-of-the-art biotech lab.  His passion for adventure, education, and entertainment is the one constant in his life.  Pat has served as a Keynote Speaker at The Royal Geographical Society in London, NASA, and multiple international Universities.  Whether talking to some school kids about the 20-foot snake he has wrapped around him or speaking to a group of executives about good training practices, Pat brings the same enthusiasm and depth of knowledge.