Transcript
Conrad: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: Hello again, welcome to another episode of the shop and tread talk podcasts today Again, we don't have a knees He's unable to make it. So you've got just me, my lovely voice.
Aniz Lavji: My hair is not so great today Um, But you can't hear that, so it doesn't matter. um So that's not going to play a part in our podcast at all today. So, but today.
Aniz Lavji: We have with us Conrad. And we met at ASTA kind of just. In passing, I was walking one way and he stopped me and says, hey, man.
Aniz Lavji: I listen to your podcast. And I'm like, okay, cool. And I'm like, who's this guy? And then he's like...
Conrad: but
Aniz Lavji: He's like, If you ever want to have me on your podcast, just... Shh. Shoot me a message. so like We exchange numbers. And here we are. And I think it's going to be fantastic.
Conrad: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: So Conrad, please introduce yourself.
Conrad: I am Kyra Boswell. I've been in this industry for about 27 years. I am the lead tech at Deacon's Garage. Been there about six years. Um...
Conrad: Mentored by young guys. just Staying busy. you know.
Aniz Lavji: so You just... You said you've just been at your shop now that you're at six years?
Conrad: Six years. Yes, sir
Aniz Lavji: Six years damn That's that's how long I've had my shop now
Conrad: Oh, cool.
Aniz Lavji: Um, just over six years yeah and uh that's that's a hard That's a hard switch. yeah like you were you Were you at one shop for many years before that?
Aniz Lavji: where you kind of been job to job
Conrad: Um. No, not really jog a job. I've only worked to probably Four. Five shops that will. four at a long base but five i had a short term at one But.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Conrad: usually you know four or five years here there at every place. you know I don't like to move around a lot. I know but you know circumstances come up and you you got to roll along
Aniz Lavji: I kind of. I kind of have a ah mixed... mixed feelings on that because i worked at one shop for my first The first shop I worked at was six years. And then they...
Aniz Lavji: closed the shop. and so i had to move on and then the next shop i worked out was 14 years
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Then I left there and then it was nine months and then we opened our own shop And, you know, i kind of got I kind of got mixed feelings on that because I'd be like, Ugh. Um,
Aniz Lavji: I always tell everyone. Like. my apprentices and i shouldn't tell them this and be like if i could do it over again I would never have stayed at the one shop for that long. I would have...
Aniz Lavji: I would have... Moved every... Like you did.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: You said five years ago, but I would have done every two to three years. find another job somewhere else. ah just so that you could kind of climb the corporate ladder, so to speak, kind of thing, right?
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Unless you're in a shop where you can really actually climb the corporate ladder, but that doesn't really happen in our industry.
Conrad: No, it it really doesn't
Aniz Lavji: so No.
Conrad: it really does it but usually
Aniz Lavji: So so really the only way you're gonna move up is moving somewhere else and And I tell them in two different ways. I'll be like, you know, The honestly thing about it is you could really. You can go somewhere else and you can learn so much more.
Aniz Lavji: then Then at one shop, like if you're at one shop, usually they just. So much you can learn right
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: but then you go work somewhere else. And all of a sudden you can learn a whole nother. A bunch of things, right?
Conrad: Absolutely.
Aniz Lavji: That's what I wish I would have done. Barad -in. So I'm learning all this stuff now that I'm on my own, and I'm like, ooh, I got to learn this. I got to learn that.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, i took when I took this job and become the lead guy.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: Um... I had to look at things a lot differently because there was a lot of the diagnostic side. that i didn't know Because I had spent so many years having a guy above me.
Conrad: that if you had a question or something didn't go right. You go. you know, Get his opinion And now... it's not that way. And I had to spend a lot of time.
Conrad: studying. practicing. researching. To get. to get better at what you can. you know. is and as long as you're I guess as long as you're honest with yourself and know that you're not going to learn it all.
Conrad: or know it all. You know.
Conrad: Guess that's the way I look at it
Aniz Lavji: A hundred percent because. You're never gonna know it all.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: and and having working in a shop where you can bounce ideas off of someone That's been there longer or has a different experience Man, that that's worth...
Aniz Lavji: a ton.
Conrad: Oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: What?
Conrad: oh yes
Aniz Lavji: Wait. When you don't have that... So like the 14 years I spent at the shop I was at um I started with him. He was just.
Aniz Lavji: He had been in business for a year, a used car dealer. Wanted to have his own mechanic. And I was his first mechanic. And.
Aniz Lavji: I was. his only mechanic for many years. And then we hired. young kids to do work and whatever like that and only One time during those 14 years.
Aniz Lavji: Um, for a period of about a year. where he hired a guy that I would have considered. superior to me.
Conrad: See ya.
Aniz Lavji: And I'm not the smartest guy in the shed at all, but. He actually hired the guy who I had trained under as an apprentice.
Conrad: Oh.
Aniz Lavji: We hired him for a year. And that was phenomenal, right? but Just having that person to bounce ideas off of. But being that person that always gets ideas bounced off of, man, that can be draining.
Conrad: it could be It could be overwhelming sometimes, definitely.
Aniz Lavji: Thanks.
Conrad: Because like I said, i've got I've got four guys, you know, four young guys under me.
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah.
Conrad: So...
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: you know some days you're getting a truck to go home and you you don't want to hear your name no more Like.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Conrad: well it's it's But I mean, i wouldn't get I wouldn't... I wouldn't trade it for anything. They've they've all come a very long way. And it's been.
Conrad: It's been really rewarding to see see their progression from where they all started and see where they're at it's it's
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: It's cool. It's it's really cool. I mean, I wouldn't They all do. Very good. is As far as their job. um trying to teach them you know, their own processes now. You know, even a simple.
Conrad: as doing an oil change or something like that you like you got to have a process or you will miss something And, you know. like we talked before I tried to teach him. especially my lube and tire guys. They think it's just a minute job.
Conrad: You know, that's all I do is change oil and change tires. Well, you know... your responsibility is more than that because You're the first person to see the car. And if you're changing the oil...
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Very much so.
Conrad: And notice you got a coolant leak. Well, that's that. That adds to the pot. you know if you come to the service service advisor go hey it's got a cool link also Then, you know.
Conrad: That's... if you just send them out of the door you didn't really help the customer at all you know so they're they're picking up on that and they're doing doing real well with it
Aniz Lavji: Well, now in this age of the DVIs. that That has become a very important job, I would think.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Like... i don't think you would want to give that job to just the junior guy coming out of high school or something like that, right?
Conrad: Oh no.
Aniz Lavji: And. And usually a DVI is attached with an oil change. That's i mean that's really how it works in our shop. You come in for an oil change where we're going to do this inspection for you. Well Anyone can learn how to do an oil change, but actually to learn how to seek out and find issues that need to be addressed.
Aniz Lavji: That's a complete new story.
Conrad: Oh yeah. yeah
Aniz Lavji: Even... Even with this. older guy that I had working for me for a while. Man, it was like pulling teeth to get him to... Like... Check this car over. like like let Let's see. that Does it have a...
Aniz Lavji: Loose. tie rod does it have a squeaking break or whatever. It was just like... hardest thing ever to even get them to do that.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, sometimes it's hard to teach old dogs new tricks and it's you know you get And you got the guys. I don't... I can't think like that, but you got the guys that you say.
Conrad: go put this transmission in well you're staring at the underbody of this car for six eight hours And both Tyra, you know, both sway bar blinks are broken in half. But you didn't see that.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: Geared.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: What? a foot and a half away from it but It never. you know You gotta try to teach the young ones ah to open eyes a little bit you know.
Aniz Lavji: We had a We had a car towed in today. um for overheating. And... Bye, Nick. when I finally looked at it. Um... I determined that the lower rad hose clamp was rusted and cracked and and the coolant leaked out there.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And it had actually leaked out all the coolant. It was empty. And. So then then ah Margarita and I were looking at it. And we're like, you know.
Aniz Lavji: This should have been caught because it's a regular customer. They come in all the time and it should have. Been noted on the last. oil change or inspection that the clamp was rusty and we should consider replacing it.
Aniz Lavji: So she went back and looked, and it it never was. and The... technician that worked for us at the time. had just... I don't know, ignored it.
Aniz Lavji: Just never, never. wrote it in the in the inspection. And I'm like, well, that's that's a huge problem because now this car came in on a hook.
Aniz Lavji: with... an overheating situation because of... Or... I don't know is it negligence? Or is it an oversight? It was at whatever rate, but...
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Like you say, you've got to teach these young guys. like something is A freaking... Ride hose clamp rusted. can cause a huge problem. So let's... Put that in this. put that in there and be like, hey,
Aniz Lavji: We got to pay attention to this.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: We got to at least draw the customer's attention to this and be like. What do you want to do with this? Do you want to fix it now or do you want to wait until it breaks and you have to tow it in because it's overheating?
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, because if you tell the customer Hey, this is Rusted. It looks like it could fail, and they choose not to do anything with it, and then it comes back two weeks later on the hook. Hey, that's that's not a that's not a us problem anymore. That's a you problem
Aniz Lavji: ah Exactly. Yeah. Yep.
Conrad: But you also got to have have those guys to understand that they have to at least say something. We may not be able to sell it to them. We may not be able to to
Conrad: Confer how important it is And they're like I said, they might. Just say, ah, it'll be all right until next time. And then it's not. And then, well, like I said, you said something. What?
Conrad: That's about it.
Aniz Lavji: well One of the coaching groups that we were in, they always... they they taught this 300 % rule. I forget exactly how it was, but like 100 % of the cars get...
Aniz Lavji: a DVI.
Conrad: Right.
Aniz Lavji: 100 % of the issues get...
Aniz Lavji: Quoted, i forget what the other 100 is you try to sell it or something like that but that's That's that basically the rule. Check everything out.
Conrad: Good.
Aniz Lavji: Give the customer that. information and quote it to them. Maybe that was a three. So that now you've covered your bases. Then after you've tried to... And. one of the other things that we learned is like,
Aniz Lavji: You don't want to be... You're not trying to sell this to the customer. You're offering them a solution to a problem that's either current. or upcoming.
Aniz Lavji: They have to choose to purchase that from you.
Conrad: Right.
Aniz Lavji: right So you can start thinking of it it that way. It's like... I have a bowl of rice Do you want to buy the bowl of rice? I'm not gonna force it on you.
Conrad: right
Aniz Lavji: But it's here, and if you want it... You can buy it.
Conrad: right
Aniz Lavji: Right. You start thinking of it it that way. and i think i think a lot of places have left a bad taste in customers both because they're like Oh, they're just trying to shove it down my throat. They're that you're trying to sell me everything. they try to We're not really trying to sell you anything. We're presenting you.
Aniz Lavji: What's wrong with your car? You came in here for a reason. Yeah. Whether the reason was just a simple oil change or if you actually had a problem we Determine what it is This is what it's going to take to fix it Yes or no?
Aniz Lavji: And then it's up to you then to choose. The yes. if you choose no
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: No skin off my back. I mean, I'm in to suggest that you should do it But I will just. Put it back outside. and let you be on your merry way.
Conrad: right
Aniz Lavji: But if you choose to fix your car to... make it safe and to make it so that it doesn't break down. Here's the options.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, cuz I think in it, you know you talked about um People... thinking you're pushing it down their throat And this industry has a terrible reputation of...
Conrad: Well, I come in for an oil change. Oh. Sir or ma 'am, you need to set a ball joint while you're here.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: And it didn't need ball joints. You know there's shops out there. if it Unfortunately, there's a ton of them. And... How we get back to the to the place to where As a technician or a service advisor, your word is trusted.
Conrad: That takes a lot. And... It's gonna take a lot of us to to do it and uh not I won't say a uniformed way because thats that's just not right.
Conrad: But, you know, like the shop I'm at. they've been this shop's been in open since 65. So the the owner now And his son. that is part owner.
Conrad: you know, their reputation is very well maintained. And... So we have that trust with our customers. And... Try not to...
Conrad: Obviously try not that we don't We're not going to tell you something's wrong with your car. and If you come in, oh it does this every tuesday you know third Tuesday at 8 p .m. and you can't duplicate it. Well, I'm not going to sell you a bunch of parts.
Conrad: to something that I can't make do it. And, you know, now if the customer comes and says, hey, the well, let's try this. I don't think that's going to fix your car, then it's... Then it's a conversation you got to have.
Conrad: you know, Yeah, we can do that if that's what you want to do. what I can't guarantee it's going to fix your car. You know
Aniz Lavji: No. Those are the worst cases. I had a case recently where... the customer come in with a ah noise complaint. We couldn't figure out exactly what it is, but we did say, hey.
Aniz Lavji: We found these ball joints that are significantly loose Could cause a noise, but we know for sure that they're causing tire wear. And you got brand new tires on it.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: We recommend that you do these ball joints. Then we'll see what happens after that. Like sometimes you just have to say. This is what we have to do now.
Aniz Lavji: But we don't really have a guarantee. and that that is hard for customers to understand, I think.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: I had someone had a friend of mine reach out to me today and be like, hey, i've I've done this and this and this and this. but it still has this issue. And I'm like, you know, unfortunately, sometimes you have to eliminate everything around it and say we know that this is not the issue.
Aniz Lavji: It has to be this. that's How I... always come to the point of diagnosing a PCM, right? like
Conrad: right
Aniz Lavji: I know that this and this and this and this all works here but This part of it. Like I've eliminated everything else. It has to be this But sometimes you have to.
Aniz Lavji: replace this or Fix this. before we can get to a point of saying This is the actual root cause.
Conrad: Right.
Aniz Lavji: That's really hard to explain to a customer. sometimes it's even hard to explain to a to a service advisor or another technician be like
Conrad: a
Aniz Lavji: I really have to do this first. And then we can retest to see if this works.
Conrad: Yeah. It's kind of like that, you know like an evap system If you got a purge valve wigging out. and You know that purge bell's got to be fixed.
Conrad: before you could really evaluate the system. And then, you know, you set set the monitors, let it come back. Like, then come on. Well, then three days later, after the customer comes and gets it, brings it back with an you know EVAP code, you've got a super small leak or something like that.
Conrad: I had to start here. I'm not saying you don't have other problems, but and like I said, it's hard it's hard for people to swallow that. That it's it's not that simple.
Aniz Lavji: I hate...
Conrad: this
Aniz Lavji: I hate EVAP diagnostics, especially...
Conrad: Oh.
Aniz Lavji: ah Very small leak detected. i i Always ask the customer. Are you sure you want to care about this right now? Because it is going to be very difficult to figure this out.
Aniz Lavji: And.
Aniz Lavji: How much money do you want to spend on? Maybe we just leave it alone and wait until it gets to be a... Largy bubbly. Then we'll fight.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: All right.
Conrad: Yeah, he was there.
Aniz Lavji: i know that's that's A lot of people are going to become, oh, you should be able to figure it out. You're a mechanic and blah, blah, blah.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: sometimes if it's like that tiny little crack on the plastic fuel pump on top of the tank and You gotta have the level just right to do it.
Aniz Lavji: Oh my gosh.
Conrad: Oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: It's Soul.
Conrad: They had a job in that. It'll drive you nuts.
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah. Oh, yeah.
Conrad: And then, you know, everybody thinks, everybody thinks you know, what well, I can go down and get the code read from AutoZone.
Aniz Lavji: I've... i've
Conrad: And they'll tell me what part's wrong with it. and I don't need to pay your diagnostic fee because you ought be you know they already told me what's wrong with it. Mm. Hmm.
Aniz Lavji: um I had a... Shoot, I wish I could remember now. I had a tick -tock video only a couple weeks ago Talked exactly about that. like If if.
Aniz Lavji: the service advisor asked do you want to pay diagnostic fee so we can figure this out pay the damn fee because It could cost you a lot more money.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And this was a situation where they said, nope, just replace this part.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: I guess you're the ultimately the boss. You're in charge.
Conrad: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: You want to spend your money to replace a part? Let's do it. it didn't fix it
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: then we got Then we got the diagnostic. Okayed. Then we figured out the problem. Then we fixed it. And then it worked perfect.
Conrad: All right.
Aniz Lavji: but Sick. o I just, I don't know. I guess i guess in this whole age of... everything is. Like.
Aniz Lavji: The information is now. and right away and this minute all that kind of stuff. people really all leery of
Aniz Lavji: paying for time, I guess. It's one way to look at it.
Conrad: Yeah, everything's everything's so convenient and like I said right now, you know you can You can have McDonald's delivered to your house. and cost you 25 extra bucks but you know i get it right now And.
Conrad: it. when it comes to what we do. especially diagnostic There's to get to an event probably we'll stay with that the event problems, you know Is your purge valve working? Is your vent valve opening and closing? is your you know if You'll think pressure sensor, is that reading correctly?
Conrad: You got to smoke the system. you know It's not a 10 -minute process. you know And it's you know then they get on Chad GBT. and Well, this repair should only cost you $45.
Conrad: Waiter.
Aniz Lavji: Hehehehehehe.
Conrad: What?
Aniz Lavji: in Mongolia.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: ah that' That's the worst. Yeah, like... if If you have to do your due diligence, it's going to take time. friend Friend of mine. reached me out to me today and he said that You know, he's Trying to, trying to.
Aniz Lavji: diagnose this this car. A Chevy Cruze of all things, right? So that's why he's he's messaging me. It's a parrot gym crew.
Conrad: Don't tell her niece.
Aniz Lavji: um I'm the cruise king. Yeah, don't tell the deets. I got a cruise hanging on the hoist right now. We're doing timing chain on. Um, But he he's like.
Aniz Lavji: you spent. all morning because it's not something that he normally works on but he spent all morning trying to figure it out and you know between me helping him or whatever he did figure it out But the shop...
Aniz Lavji: Only wanted to pay him. I don't know, like... 0 .5 diagnostic time plus whatever the repair was. And he's like. so you like Can't do this.
Aniz Lavji: But... Why is it so hard to pay that time? when you You invest that time. You invest that time.
Conrad: Oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: You have to learn.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And you have to figure it out. Sometimes it just freaking takes that time. like Like this test, like you said, an EVAP test. An EVAP test is going to take... An hour?
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: By the time you get set off and you... get the system full of smoke and you start finding it. Well, it's going to, you're going to be an hour into it. If you're only getting paid 0 .5 diagnostic time.
Aniz Lavji: you ain't gonna find it.
Conrad: No.
Aniz Lavji: did you're going to find You're going to find a large EVAP leak, maybe. or you're going to find a bad purge valve, but you're not going to find a very small evap leak.
Conrad: No. And you know, that's...
Aniz Lavji: Not in that matter of time.
Conrad: I know a lot of people they I guess they fuss about dealership. and their diagnostic process. now if If they're being played, flat rate.
Conrad: And I really can't blame them for this. Because my boss ensures that I get paid for my time.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Conrad: He charges for my time.
Aniz Lavji: Yes.
Conrad: So if you're on flat rate and they say we won't give you an hour Or half an hour whatever it is to find this problem Well at half an hour if that's what I'm getting paid for
Conrad: At what point, how much of your time are you donating? Because I mean... Any... I guess it just... in I try to be as thorough as possible. for So for me to tell you, unless it's just dead obvious that you can find it under 30 minutes.
Conrad: It's probably not going to happen. And I can't fault them for saying I can't duplicate this. Send the customer home. Because if they're not getting paid for it. And I mean, the customers, they don't go to work for free.
Aniz Lavji: I, uh... I never got to work flat rate. Thankfully. Again. Because I think it would have sucked at it. But I think you're right. like If you're getting paid a half hour diag time.
Aniz Lavji: I would. Literally. Do a half hour diag time.
Conrad: Yeah, I mean
Aniz Lavji: At the end of the half hour, it'd be like... I don't have an answer for you. What do you want me to do?
Conrad: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: Well, I'll find the answer. Okay, I need more time.
Conrad: more Yeah, and he will die.
Aniz Lavji: Pay me more time.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, because, I mean, it's it's not fair to those guys to.
Aniz Lavji: Right.
Conrad: you know, if they take you know You pay them half an hour and it takes them an hour and a half. You know, that's that's not right. That's not right at all.
Aniz Lavji: Mm hmm.
Conrad: And it's, you know, I think, you know, and some of those service advisors, they're they're afraid to call. the second time Hey, Mr. Jones, we we didn't find your car and if you know your problem in the first hour. This is the process we've taken, the test we've done.
Conrad: We just haven't nailed it down. You know, that's when you go back to. And it's in your court. You want to spend some more time to figure it out or you want to come get your car and pay this half hour.
Aniz Lavji: I, um... I watched a video recently from ah Zeb. Beard. Um, diagnosing a an engine knocking in a diesel.
Conrad: Hmm?
Aniz Lavji: And. Like. he He was using a scope. and, and Like... Some people get real quick at setting them up. So let's say you can set it up in 15 minutes.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: and get it calibrated. but by the time you're doing all your testing and stuff like that Again, you're going to be. Near an hour by time. So again, if you're only getting sold
Conrad: Oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: A half hour diagnostic time. That ain't gonna cover it. You can set it up.
Conrad: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: And you can tear it down in that half our time so It... If you haven't seen the video, please go look at it.
Conrad: No, i have I have.
Aniz Lavji: it's fun
Conrad: I have seen that video.
Aniz Lavji: It's a phenomenal video.
Conrad: Yeah, Zib's really good.
Aniz Lavji: And. It was really good, really good. and Um, it just it just goes a very good example of how important it is to Learn.
Aniz Lavji: how to use the equipment you have to diagnose but it's still going to take time
Conrad: Oh yeah. And that's, you know.
Aniz Lavji: Hello.
Conrad: the My young guys, i tell them I tell them all the time, like, if you think you're going to figure this out between 8 and 5. You're not gonna do it. You got to spend some unfortunate and personal time learning how to use this equipment.
Conrad: so when it's time to use it Number one, you see. A good will known. Wait for them. oh And, you know. you get faster at setting that equipment up.
Conrad: And knowing. What's got to go where? what you know What plugs into what? How does it make it work? because you know just like fixing fixing a car if you don't understand how it works
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: you don't You don't understand how it's broken. The same thing with your test equipment if you don't understand what it's supposed to look like good. How are you supposed to know what it's looked like broken?
Aniz Lavji: Exactly. Yep. that's why they always That's why they always say don't. Don't learn on a broken card.
Conrad: Yeah, because it doesn't work.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, if you want to learn that's that, even even a scan tool.
Conrad: It didn't work
Aniz Lavji: where like I've never taken a scan tool and just gone. in a car and be like i really want to see what this reading is here And then keep that in my brain. I was thinking it a about that today, you know, my break. My brain is like a sponge.
Aniz Lavji: But not like the first half of the sponge where it just soaks everything up and holds it there Like the second half of the sponge where you squeeze it a little bit. and It's just all gone
Conrad: Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: that That's that's that's really how my brain is and and so i have a hard time retaining that kind of stuff
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: So a lot of times I feel like I'm relearning something. I know I know this. But I have to re -educate myself. like
Conrad: Oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Nice. mass airflow sensor flow volume. Right. It should be equivalent to roughly about the. displacement of the engine, right?
Conrad: The engine, right.
Aniz Lavji: But every time I'm in there and then I'm looking at the mass airflow value. And then I'm like, Oh yeah, that's right. it There's something there. That's what it is, right?
Aniz Lavji: and it Then I Okay, so that okay that looks normal and then I move on from there
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: But then there's guys like freaking check engine Chuck who have like. All of that sitting up here.
Conrad: Oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: They have the first half of the sponge It was their brain. And it just sits there. right They know all this information. So for... People who don't have that. Makes it a little harder.
Aniz Lavji: But... Still learning that. Like you see. Sometimes. You have to have the known good I mean you should always have a known good. Bye. I just find it hard to learn that way.
Aniz Lavji: I always learn the hard way, I guess.
Conrad: Yeah and but that's ah I'm 100 % with you because that's my... I'd say good. first half first half probably three quarters of my career that's how it was like i had to learn it the hard way Like.
Aniz Lavji: Mm hmm.
Conrad: you know and it was night it was not fun it was not very productive I mean, I still fixed the car, but... I could have been an hour faster. Doing it If I would have.
Conrad: uh Try to. Educate myself a little boy and play around After hours. and learning the good known. Versus that.
Conrad: so But now it's just... You know. But the volume my shop does, which is... crazy to this day. And we probably do. 40, 45 cars a day.
Conrad: And there's only eight of them.
Aniz Lavji: Wow
Conrad: Yeah, we moved through it And... it's it's Some days at five, you're just, you're done. Bye. like i't I don't want to play anymore.
Conrad: so
Aniz Lavji: It all depends on what kind of work you do.
Conrad: to get this.
Aniz Lavji: like doing a lot of heavy physical work and really wear on your body, but Man, if you're... All day just... trying to concentrate on one problem.
Aniz Lavji: And it's just not making sense.
Conrad: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: Ooh, man, that's tiring.
Conrad: Oh yeah. Being mentally exhausted, I can't... I can.
Aniz Lavji: There's like... Give me some caffeine.
Conrad: physically Yeah, physically exhausted, I can hang with, but when you get mentally exhausted...
Aniz Lavji: Something.
Conrad: like it just like it it It almost takes more of a toll than the physical exhaustion. And it's it gets to you. Like... you know
Aniz Lavji: I believe that the gray hair comes from the mental exhaustion, not the physical exhaustion.
Conrad: I got you buddy. it'
Aniz Lavji: ah Oh, yeah. So you say you work in a shop that you said you have eight guys and. Is it eight days, I think you said?
Conrad: Yeah, eight ways.
Aniz Lavji: Eight bays and eight guys.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: That's... That's a difficult one to have. the same amount of bays the same amount of guys so what happens if you got to wait on parts Just shove it out. Next one in.
Conrad: Um... depending on
Conrad: Like... During the summer, spring, fall. Like. We'll keep the doors up. So if I got one's waiting on parts and it depends on if I'm waiting on you know, 45 minutes 30 minutes for the part.
Conrad: I'll leave it on the rack and then pull something behind it. And all the rest of the guys will, too. Um, But if it's something, yeah, if you you find it. Probably you got to wait for a tranny or something like that. Yeah, we'll kind of put it back together a little bit and roll it out and and keep keep the bus moving.
Aniz Lavji: that's it
Conrad: and it
Aniz Lavji: i remember that Made me think of a thing. probably was a wind star or something years ago. We had to. I think we're waiting on the transmission And it was like.
Aniz Lavji: We were the same thing. We were a three -bay shop, three guys. And it wasn't like we could sit there and wait. work on something else. so I ended up building a bar. Left the subframe out.
Aniz Lavji: ein Transmit. for Engine was hanging. Transmission was out. Subframe was out. So I ended up building this bar across the bolt to the where the subframe goes so I could use a floor jack, jack it up, and push it out that way instead of putting the subframe back up.
Conrad: Right.
Aniz Lavji: I'm like, man. that was freaking genius I was so smart back then.
Conrad: It's... It... It's amazing. Like. You can't teach people to think outside of the box. It's either you can Oh, you can't.
Aniz Lavji: Is that?
Conrad: Some people are very... Black and white and can't play in the gray area. And I think...
Aniz Lavji: and And some people just... are... Ignorant about something different. like we had a We were changing a subframe on a...
Aniz Lavji: I think a Toyota Sienna van. It. Anybody listening that has ever tried to hang an engine on a Toyota Sienna van. They are absolutely impossible.
Aniz Lavji: like there is nowhere you can put the bar across there's nowhere you can hook on the engine it's just Absolutely impossible. And so we had to change his subframe. And of course, all of the motor mounts mount to the frame.
Aniz Lavji: Except for one. There is one up at the top.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: the kind of And we're like, how the heck are we going to do this? because Like, it's going to take hours to try and rig something up. Because we're not a Toyota dealer, right?
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: I came up with the idea like we're gonna use A triangular, you know. tall floor stand put underneath the transmission just to hold it up because it does have one mount up here and then just drop the subframe down. But I'm like, okay, well. Now that's going to sit in the middle and the subframe is going to come right down over top of it. I'm like, well.
Aniz Lavji: We're going to put the new frame on top of her first Put the stand on. Take everything out. Drop the old frame down. on top of the new frame. Cut it in half throw it away stick the new frame back up
Conrad: There you go.
Aniz Lavji: So we did it And it worked amazing. and And I made a video, a TikTok about it. And man did I get a lot of hate. Oh, you don't even know what you're doing. You're doing it wrong. You're blah, blah, blah. you blah Let's go!
Aniz Lavji: We did it.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And it. it saved a ton of time and we did it a second time because like So that was like. I think. Two months ago, maybe. And like two weeks ago, we did another one.
Aniz Lavji: And we use. The same. thing again and it worked perfect I'm like This is a freaking gem. Like this is awesome.
Conrad: Yeah. Zach?
Aniz Lavji: But when you find something like that, I'm like. You know what? I don't mind sharing it with somebody else because I don't want to do all the Toyota vans out there.
Conrad: No. Yeah. That does not sound like a good time at all.
Aniz Lavji: No. Um, Yeah. But it was it was good. It's a good job. So if you ever get one. if If you ever get one. I don't know You guys have rust.
Aniz Lavji: Where you are.
Conrad: Ish. i guess yeah what we are
Aniz Lavji: Ish? Okay, alright, you'll never see it then.
Conrad: but
Aniz Lavji: Alright.
Conrad: Now we have well Because we...
Aniz Lavji: No, we
Conrad: We're in Lynchburg, which is where Liberty University is. And it's a pretty decent -sized university.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Conrad: And a lot of the kids, especially that come from up north, come down to college. And they'll roll in with these cars and man, those things are eat up.
Conrad: Those things. We had a little girl coming in with a Subaru one time, and she said she kept hearing something. noise in the rear of her car. and the rear subframe had rotted away from the car.
Conrad: And it was just.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: flopped.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: And she was like, well, can I keep driving it? No, no. no it's is It's not attached.
Aniz Lavji: You can walk. You can walk from here to the Uber and then go drive that.
Conrad: Yeah, that's right. Yeah, I guess.
Aniz Lavji: All right. So you've seen it. Yeah. Okay. So yeah, we. Up here, it's just unreal. The rust that we see. Duh. The first subframe that we got for that first band. I actually came from Georgia.
Aniz Lavji: look perfect, right?
Conrad: Right.
Aniz Lavji: And then for the next van, it was a slightly different year. Same idea, though. And... Uh... our local wreckers. Just a half hour down the road.
Aniz Lavji: Had one. It was like... Absolutely perfect. And. I don't know. They must've got a Southern man in or something that they were scrapping, but it was. absolutely perfect conditions.
Conrad: Yeah, used parts are a different breed of dog.
Aniz Lavji: Um,
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah, you got to be careful with that Um. Oh, we were talking about the... um Haven't.
Aniz Lavji: One. Tech per bay. That's what we were running it here for a while in my shop And now we're down to just we're two guys, three bays. It's kind of convenient because I've got a Chevy Cruze hanging on the hoist that I just I got it tore apart and it all time to put it back together, but
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: kind It's kind of nice that we still have. the other maze to work on.
Conrad: Yeah
Aniz Lavji: Bye.
Conrad: Or like...
Aniz Lavji: Hope, hope.
Conrad: Like. in we have one I guess I count one of those bays. One of them is an alignment rack.
Conrad: So it's actually nine bays. I didn't know. Forgot about the alignment. So we've got that. And then out back, we have... A 30K lift.
Conrad: and so we can use that too but this it's not covered so it's not great in them in the winter time but it's not too bad.
Aniz Lavji: 30k
Conrad: Yeah, it's a big boy. It's a big boy.
Aniz Lavji: The heck you put on there?
Conrad: Rollbacks.
Aniz Lavji: Is it like a drive -on four -post?
Conrad: Yeah, drive -on.
Aniz Lavji: It's okay. yeah
Conrad: Yeah. Because we have ah What is it? Three. Four rollbacks and one wrecker. And where we mainly use it for that. We do have some...
Conrad: other stuff like some cargo vans we'll put on there to service and stuff but We really don't use it a lot. This gives you another another place to put. you know a 3500 chevrolet or something like that It just makes it easier to get up. You ain't got to get up on an exam.
Conrad: But like I said, in the wintertime. It's a little shady. It's a little little chilly.
Aniz Lavji: That's, um... i like I see it a lot. these shops down south or in the Midwest or whatever like that. that have hoist outside.
Conrad: Hmm?
Aniz Lavji: and uncovered and just And I'm like, Here? you couldn't even think about doing that. Like in the summertime, yeah, you get away with it for about two months. three months maybe and after that
Aniz Lavji: it would probably run one winter and then not. be seized up by the next winter and you couldn't be able to use it at all.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, probably so.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. It's just not a thing here at all. Everything is. covered and inside and indoors.
Conrad: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: I guess. Peace. spoiled is what we are right somebody was talking the other day like
Conrad: but
Aniz Lavji: I could never do. I got one friend. He'll do if he's gonna do like a timing chain job or timing belt or something Like the one time he was doing a Honda Odyssey.
Aniz Lavji: and does everything on the floor. Just jacks it up folds a wheel Does it on the floor, sits down, stands up. But man, I'm way too damn spoiled for that
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: You got a power button and a little lever.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, if I knew anything, Dan.
Aniz Lavji: that's That's the way I want it.
Conrad: So I don't have to. bend anymore yeah i'm cool with that I'm not.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: Yeah. I watch these guys that are 20 years old hop up and down, and I feel like I'm 70 trying to get out of the floor.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: Mm hmm.
Conrad: you know. So. And you try to.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, when you get to have
Conrad: keep
Aniz Lavji: weak knees and sore back and all that stuff is like, Ooh.
Conrad: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: Don't get up too quick. You might twist something and not be able to walk for a week.
Conrad: They, yeah. Yep. But it's, you know. And you try to teach the young guys, like... and When I was younger, it was I could take this transfer case out by myself. No problem.
Conrad: Now... after you know blowed back and Bad knees and... all this stuff you tell them young boys like you either get some help or use a piece of equipment something that don't Don't do that.
Conrad: Don't be dumb.
Aniz Lavji: best Best piece of advice I got when I started in the trade. um the old guy he said to me is like if you don't want to have bad knees By the time that you're...
Aniz Lavji: old. So use a new link pod.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And. I took that to heart. every... Every hoist. has its own pad hanging on the release lever. And I've had that.
Aniz Lavji: since day one. now I would like to say I don't have bad knees, and i I generally don't. But for some reason, I've got a knee really irritated this last week. so I can't say I don't have bad knees, but I definitely don't have the knee problems that a lot of technicians have
Conrad: Oh yeah, it's out there. It's out there. I did see him.
Aniz Lavji: No
Conrad: Yes.
Aniz Lavji: i've had I've had a hip replacement, but that has nothing to do with... The job.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: I had. i just apparently I was born with it. and Just took 40.
Aniz Lavji: One years or whatever Man, I have to get it replaced.
Conrad: but
Aniz Lavji: So. Bye. Yeah, that that was it was a good thing. like I. I tell my young guys and and I'm like, Just... Take care of yourself. Take care of your body.
Aniz Lavji: You really have to use your body for the rest of your life to do this job if you want to do this job.
Conrad: Oh absolutely. Absolutely.
Aniz Lavji: If you abuse it and beat the heck out of it now. It's... It's knocking to last you.
Conrad: No, oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: You're going to have to find some other job.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah. It is not, you know. Because, I mean, think about all the... You know, the guys before. because Because I think we're about the same age. I'm 43.
Aniz Lavji: No, you're a little younger than me, yep.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: 46.
Conrad: 46. so the The guys that I remember when I got in this business, like. They were in their 40s And just beat up. Just...
Aniz Lavji: Mm hmm.
Conrad: Be the... you know braces on every joint you know And... All right. I am really glad. Dead. I have put my... been able to put myself with a place to where I'm not swinging at Hammer every day. I am not.
Conrad: Because I don't i don't And I tell the young guys, and if you don't... if you think you're gonna Beating ball joints your whole career? I said, I got another thing for him. Your body's not going to take that abuse.
Conrad: Yeah. you know, it's not going to take that abuse. Cause I had one guy, one kid, he's like, I just don't want to learn the diagnostic side. I said I can understand that. Now he's picking up on it now, but this was a couple years ago He said, I just want to hang parts. I said, that's great.
Conrad: I said, but ah your body is gonna take off Whooping. like you're not gonna be able to do that for 30, 40 years.
Aniz Lavji: You are going to hurt.
Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, like your your hands are gonna give out I mean I'm um' Again. We'll see. my middle finger my pointed finger my thumb on my right hand they're numb like
Aniz Lavji: Oh really?
Conrad: Don't. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Cheers.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Nice.
Conrad: So I mean
Aniz Lavji: I was thinking about like... like roofers and and Even freaking plumbers, right? like You really put your body through some stuff. It's only going to last so long if you don't.
Aniz Lavji: um get graded up to jobs that are less physically demanding. We really all have to get to that point.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Because as we get older, it literally just... takes a toll on your body and it really starts to beat you up.
Aniz Lavji: But we all get there, I guess. That's the job that we chose.
Conrad: Yep. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: We can't all be brain scientists. and Smart like, uh... Check Engine Chuck, who...
Aniz Lavji: Mobile diagnostics, that's really cool doing stuff like that.
Conrad: that is good yeah Yeah. that is is That is a cool situation And he's self -taught, too. I think that's that's pretty neat.
Aniz Lavji: Yep. I've got a... I've got a local friend up here that was a... a transmission specialist. like Super, super smart with transmissions.
Aniz Lavji: Bye. same thing he said my body just wore out i can't do it no more So now he's... he's transitioning over to being a an instructor at the local college and doing mobile diagnostics and programming.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: that's That's kind of. what you want to work yourself into, right? Get away from all of the heavy duty physical things. work your way into something more.
Conrad: Oh definitely. Yeah. Yeah, definitely
Aniz Lavji: like Like I say, i want to when I retire, I want to sell parts or deliver parts. I don't want to be like... get to the point where I'm like, I just. Do something. Staying somewhat in the trade.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Like my friend said to me this week, it just... I want to get out. I just I'm done. I just. I want to. Get out of the tree. I'm like. If you can.
Aniz Lavji: Do it find something else that you're passionate about that you love that you could enjoy
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Bye.
Conrad: Yeah, good.
Aniz Lavji: while you're in here. While you're in here, this trade's a lot of fun.
Conrad: Oh, yeah. I would have. Think if you don't Truly enjoy it. It'll eat you up.
Aniz Lavji: Oil.
Conrad: If you let it.
Aniz Lavji: Mm hmm.
Conrad: but you know, I know several guys in this industry that and myself included, that I truly enjoy what I do. now It's also a killer in the in the And the fact is that if you truly enjoy what you do.
Conrad: Make sure you also enjoy where you do it.
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah.
Conrad: Because a bad shot will... run a technician out of this industry in a hot minute.
Aniz Lavji: Very much so.
Conrad: you know. especially the young guys i know i keep going back to my young guys but i tell them you know we We have a good culture. with wood dr Try to keep on top of taking care of them.
Conrad: you know, benefit stuff like this.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: But I'm telling myself, y 'all go to another shop. and And you find you find you. a a crappy one accidental change you That'll change how you look at this business because it'll it'll kill it.
Conrad: It'll kill the fire you got. you know. And it's... Unfortunately, how many... how many of those shops are really out there?
Aniz Lavji: Well way too many is the problem
Conrad: Yeah. Like you know there's Yeah. What's the what's the analogy, you know tech? goes to work learns how to work on cars doesn't like how his boss does it so he goes down the street opens up a shop and treats his text the same way he was treated, and it's just a vicious cycle.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, that can be. I uh... I always say that like...
Aniz Lavji: What I've learned about owning and operating and running and managing a shop. Either the good or the bad I've learned from the from the shops i've worked at
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: and watching them, how they manage, right? So I'm like. There's certain things like, hey, that's perfect. that how you do it and I will model that. And then there's other things. It's like.
Aniz Lavji: I cannot... agree with that at all.
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: So I would never implement that in my system whatsoever. but ah Like you said. this Trade is... extremely enjoyable and extremely rewarding.
Aniz Lavji: It really is.
Conrad: Yeah. Because it's American.
Aniz Lavji: Mike, Mike. My biggest joy is when I have A car. Bye. Either gets towed in or limped in or whatever and you just spend some time and you think about it and you do some things and you Replace something and...
Aniz Lavji: it runs perfect after that and off they go without a care in the world it's like oh that Honestly, there's nothing more satisfying than that. It is...
Conrad: Oh yeah.
Aniz Lavji: it is So good!
Conrad: Yep. Well, they come in.
Aniz Lavji: I don't know if other traits feel that way too, right? Like...
Conrad: Well, I'm sure I'm sure. you know i'm sure a plumber goes and said that you know lady said i got water going everywhere it's a
Aniz Lavji: It's gotta be.
Conrad: a fit he's got a poppy and pop out and Down the road he goes, like... I'm sure it's the same. It's gotta be. You know
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, it's gotta to be.
Conrad: And I hate to say it, but... I get the biggest kick out of, especially if somebody who brings me one and said, I've had it at three or four shops in the dealership and they can't fix it.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Conrad: the where and and you know you do your process and it turns out it's it's really not that bad. You know?
Aniz Lavji: yeah If you're just following your process, but following your thinking pattern.
Aniz Lavji: Sometimes that that is the biggest thing is you all have. Different. ways of doing things, but if you have a ah strategy.
Aniz Lavji: This is what I'm looking for. This is what I gotta check. This is If you can't keep following that strategy. You can figure a lot of things out.
Conrad: oh yeah
Aniz Lavji: Sometimes without. a lot of complications.
Conrad: We're just taking a simple... you know Visual inspection. Just look.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Conrad: You know. If you see signs of a little rat running around...
Conrad: you know, pay attention. you know it's a nest or something and now there's four wires chewed in half there you go you know
Aniz Lavji: Hehehehe.
Conrad: They, you know. Just... But it's like I said, it's it's very rewarding. I enjoy it. Uh... it's a lot I think it's a lot of... self effort to get where you want to be.
Conrad: You know, if you, you know, if you want to be ah an undercar specialist, help yourself. But put your time and effort to do it. The correct way. and not the Oh, this look this will work for right now.
Conrad: No. No.
Aniz Lavji: So with that in mind What the... What's your plan in the future? you Gonna stay. Working the way you are for another. Done.
Aniz Lavji: 15 years and... Call it quits you got any other plans that you want to attack and tackle
Conrad: i think
Conrad: No, I think I enjoy what I do right now, as long as my long my body holds up. um I would like to work myself into a more of a
Conrad: I don't know what you call that, an overseeing shop foreman or something like that.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Conrad: Um... I don't i Run it I run my own shop for about seven years doing medium duty work With a buddy man And. So I have no more.
Conrad: gumption to own a shop. i does It just it is.
Aniz Lavji: Oh really?
Conrad: This is not my cup of tea. um
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Conrad: Which then again, going back in that time. if i knew you know that's the old saying if i knew then what i know now it may have been different, but I just, it's it's just, it just wasn't my thing at the time.
Conrad: And I just don't think... Yeah, that's something I'd be interested in doing but um What do you have saying? Probably. Probably hang it up.
Conrad: Probably another 15, 20 years. and and try to... Like I said, I'd like to Working no more of a ah shop for me and go help do some diagnostic and Not turn so many wrenches, but we'll see how it plays out
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Well, you just got to make a goal. Plan towards it. And. of course not then you have to make sure that you're superiors are on the same boat as you but
Conrad: Right.
Aniz Lavji: Definitely a one way to do it. that's it's It's a great goal to have. Um... Especially with... having a own your own shop before like you say you've got all these young guys that you already have to mentor and if you can work yourself into one of those roles like that That's perfect, right?
Aniz Lavji: You take all that wisdom of all the years and...
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: and saying, Hey man. That is the really hard way to do it Here's an easier way to do it. let's do it this way
Conrad: That's right Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And if you can if you can move the guys along like that, hey, you can keep production going. You can increase production throughout the shop. And now all of a sudden. you have a very valuable Asset in the business doing that like that. So
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, it's it's a great goal. it's I think there's a lot of techs that have that same. idea same goal in mind. And. It's just the way that You know the circle of life works when you get to a point that that's what you do is you Train the next generation because you can't do it forever, right?
Aniz Lavji: So you got to get the next generation up and going
Conrad: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Teach them the tricks and of trade. And. Then once they're well on their way. then you can go retire and go fishing or whatever you want to do after that.
Conrad: There you go.
Aniz Lavji: Yep. Good stuff. Well Conrad, I really appreciate you coming on with me tonight
Conrad: So definitely enjoy it.
Aniz Lavji: That was a great conversation. This was actually our second conversation because the first one didn't work out.
Conrad: Stupid earbuds.
Aniz Lavji: And. Yeah, yeah.
Conrad: yeah
Aniz Lavji: So we don't allow earbuds in our podcast anymore. that's I think the third time actually that's happened. so
Conrad: oh really
Aniz Lavji: Oh, yeah. yeahp So. But anyways, appreciate you coming on. and We'll just... ah Let this upload and we'll talk to you soon.
Conrad: Alright, buddy.
