Author: Grease The Wheels

On this week’s episode of Grease the Wheels we are actually sort of topical to what’s going on with the world at large: sharing. Unlike the rest of the media who are saying things like “shelter in place” and “don’t come within 6 feet of other people”, we encourage sharing in specific circumstances even in these pandemic ridden times. The sheer number of different cars, and all of the years they have slight variations make it mathematically impossible for every technician to have every tool to do every job on every car ever. Eventually you are going to have to go to one of your buddies in the shop to borrow a tool. However, with what we now know, we ask that when you borrow a tool, you return it when you’re done using it to its proper place WITHOUT potentially deadly pathogens as stowaways.

Also, Uncle Jimmy boils down 5000 years of Buddhism into about 45 seconds and theorizes that all of the missing 10mm sockets are actually just reincarnated auto technicians being dicks.

On this week’s episode of Grease the Wheels, we are back to our bread and butter: complaining about service advisors! In this episode, we are going to be focusing on how they sell jobs, or in most cases, how they completely fail to sell jobs. As we’ve established they are dealing with an unknown element in the customer, so their jobs can be excruciatingly difficult. However, when they don’t sell things like tires or other maintenance items that are easy money for the technicians our feathers get understandably ruffled. Dealer techs know that they are losing a lot of work out the door to cheaper alternatives, but the service advisors need to be able to sell the value of having factory-trained talent in their shop. Finally, we look at some new technology that allows technicians to listen in to the calls between service advisors and their clients and how that is affecting inter shop relations.

Also, Uncle Jimmy channels his inner “Wolf of Wallstreet” and breaks down the entire sales process on service while Erik the Producer takes over episode naming duties.

What is your favorite generation of the BMW 3-Series?

This is a question that has been asked in pubs, locker rooms, car shows, autocross events, and even some of the cooler dinner tables all over the world for the better part of the last 40 years. In this new podcast from Grease the Wheels, we break down the history of the BMW 3-Series from its company-saving and genre defining predecessor, to its most modern and slightly massive iteration. For the past 40 years, the preeminent contender for best driver’s car has in fact been a member of the BMW 3-Series.

We talk about the 3-Series’ humble origins, creating the entire market segment of “sports sedan” and eventually taking part in one of the all time great market wars with Audi and Mercedes Benz. We also talk about the E30 culture, tax, cool swaps we’ve seen, and one of the all time great unsung heroes of motorsport. The BMW 3-Series has become the BMW that people get first, and when you have that spot in a company’s lineup it is immensely important to get it right. This only gets magnified when that company is in the highest echelons of the automotive industry. Continue reading “The Models: BMW 3-Series”

On this week’s episode of Grease the Wheels, we’re talking about snacks. We have seen all of the pictures of the snacks that we stash in our toolboxes like a bunch of amphetamine-fueled bipedal squirrels. From the heavenly Divine Bovine beef and bacon jerky, to chips and crackers with cheese, what we eat on the job varies as much as the things that we work on. Often times they can be broken down by regions as well. Either way these quick little pick me up’s do just the trick and keep our gears turning. However, we also talk about some of the downfalls of some of our favorite snacks, and the real problems caused by too many stimulants, predominantly from energy drinks.

Also, we get a brief glimpse into the bleak and competitive childhood of Uncle Jimmy. So let us know what you’re eating in the shop, we might just stop by and share!

Hey, we want to know more about you so we can make Grease the Wheels even better in the episodes to come. We also want to know where you’re from so we can hit as many of you as possible in a project coming up very soon on Grease the Wheels.

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On this week’s episode of Grease the Wheels we are asking the age-old question, “why can’t we all just get along?” Well, let’s start out with something easy like those friends who only call you when their car is broken. From there, we move into the building with getting along with the parts guys and helping them out as much as you can. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but simple details can quicken you getting the right parts to finish a job. Also, we argue to try to get along with your service advisor, despite their throwing us under the bus at every possible turn with the customers. And finally we talk about the sort of innershop hivemind that develops among technicians, and the possibility that all of our shops are basically social biomes that grow largely in the same ways.

Also, Uncle Jimmy gets REALLY META with the concept of what a technician’s place is in the universe and struggles with the word “ethnicity”.

Hey, we want to know more about you so we can make Grease the Wheels even better in the episodes to come. We also want to know where you’re from so we can hit as many of you as possible in a project coming up very soon on Grease the Wheels.

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On this week’s GTW we’re talking about the scourge of cheap motorists everywhere, the state safety and emissions inspection. As technicians, we should be deeply in favor of these state mandated inspections because they often give us some gravy work from customers who otherwise would absolutely decline it 100% of the time. However, where does the line between useful government oversight protecting people on the roads and blatant cash grabbing from the motoring public come in? That is what we’re going to discuss in this episode. We also discuss some of the ways to beat an inspection in states that require scanning your check engine light by knowing how the systems that monitor emissions work. Useful stuff!

Also, Uncle Jimmy wants to know: what are some of the strange/interesting/stupid things that are in your state’s vehicle inspection laws!

This episode was made possible by contributions to our show by listeners like you. You guys are the reason we keep doing what we’re doing, and you’re helping to keep the lights on and the show free for the entire internet. To become a dues paying member of the GTW Nation, head over to Patreon.com/greasethewheels for a bunch of killer swag, bonus content such as our new 3-series episode and rejected advertisements.

This episode of Grease the Wheels was sponsored by Hemp It Up. Help It Up is Rochester’s finest source for all kinds of CBD products. We especially like the transdermal CBD Balm after a long day of turning wrenches. Hemp it Up has an incredibly knowledgeable staff at their locations in Rochester and Syracuse, or check them out online at Hempitupgifts.com.

On this week’s episode of Grease the Wheels, we are paying serious homage to one of our biggest listenerships on this show: the guys and gals who are fixing the really, really big stuff. We’ve gotten to know quite a few of you and now we’re ready to tell what your job is like to the rest of the wrench twisting public. Some of the challenges that these technicians face make our day to day look extremely easy, like when was the last time you needed a crane to remove and install a starter? Some of the problems, like unrelenting customers who don’t want to buy anything even though they need it are very much the same as it would be in a normal shop. The only difference is the amount of 0’s next to the parts and labor. Either way, we wanted to acknowledge the sacrifices of these hardworking techs because it might be something you want to look into if you’re looking to grease the wheels.

This episode was made possible by contributions to our show by listeners like you. You guys are the reason we keep doing what we’re doing, and you’re helping to keep the lights on and the show free for the entire internet. To become a dues-paying member of the GTW Nation, head over to Patreon.com/greasethewheels for a bunch of killer swag, bonus content such as our new 3-series episode and rejected advertisements.

This episode of Grease the Wheels was sponsored by Hemp It Up. Help It Up is Rochester’s finest source for all kinds of CBD products. We especially like the transdermal CBD Balm after a long day of turning wrenches. Hemp it Up has an incredibly knowledgeable staff at their locations in Rochester and Syracuse, or check them out online at Hempitupgifts.com.

In this very abridged but very much uncut preview, Uncle Jimmy and Erik the Producer talk about how Erik got his first car: a Luxorbeige 1987 BMW E30. Turns out Uncle Jimmy and his sister are major league tricksters, but the worst party foul was Erik’s dad using his car as a straight-6 powered, positraction ski wagon…after dropping Erik off at school.

The rest of the episode is available to our Patreon subscribers, so if you want to get in on that go to Patreon and help keep us on the air. The rest of the episode will be available for the general internet at a later date!

This (mini)episode of Grease the Wheels was sponsored by Hemp It Up. Help It Up is Rochester’s finest source for all kinds of CBD products. We especially like the transdermal CBD Balm after a long day of turning wrenches. Hemp it Up has an incredibly knowledgeable staff at their locations in Rochester and Syracuse, or check them out online at Hempitupgifts.com.

Every time that you end up greasing the wheels, you end up getting promised a lot of things. Whether it’s the company that you’re leaving trying to keep you for just a few more weeks, or the new place across town, when skilled labor is in flux, a lot of promises get made. When interviewing for a new gig, the hiring manager is going to fill you up with hyperbole and that everything is different in their shop. There’s plenty of work, advisors always sell things, and the rates are very good. It leaves you thinking that it sounds so absolutely wonderful. However, oftentimes this is merely an illusion. There’s a lot of ways that you can find out, and probably the easiest is to ask other technicians in the shop that you’re actively interviewing with.

Also, Uncle Jimmy suggests illegally wiretapping all conversations with hiring managers.

This episode of Grease the Wheels was sponsored by Hemp It Up. Help It Up is Rochester’s finest source for all kinds of CBD products. We especially like the transdermal CBD Balm after a long day of turning wrenches. Hemp it Up has an incredibly knowledgeable staff at their locations in Rochester and Syracuse, or check them out online at Hempitupgifts.com.

This episode of Grease the Wheels was sponsored by listeners like you. Check out our Patreon page for all sorts of GTW swag, extra content, and early access to some of our other projects. Or just drop us a few bucks because you love the show! patreon.com/greasethewheels.