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Episode 31- Nicholas Ierubino from New Jersey speaks about life as a mechanic/TOOLS in PA/motorcycles!
39 Plays16 days ago
Brand new podcast hosted by a Shop owner and a Shop owner/Technician . We dive into shop ownership and how it all began for the both of us. We will be featuring special guests every week from the automotive industry and also a few surprise guests we have lined up in the not so distant future. We want this podcast to be fun but informative about the automotive repair industry. We are not perfect in what we do but operate with integrity and have been doing so for years. Sit back and listen in for some fun banter and conversations about the automotive repair world!
Today Frank and Aniz get into some conversation with Nicholas Ierubino an speak about the importance of attending training and also keeping time for yourself. We all "turn wrenches" in our own way but its always important to focus on "you" time as well. What a great conversation!
Sit back and enjoy this one! Please like and subscribe! You can also follow us on Facebook @ The Shop N Tread Talk Podcast.
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction
00:00:00
Aniz Lavji
oh
00:00:01
Nicholas
Oh, thank thank goodness.
00:00:01
Aniz Lavji
All righty, welcome everyone to another episode of the Shop and Tread Talk podcast. My name is Aniz and we've got Frank and Nicholas here with us today.
00:00:12
Frank Wiebe
Frank is here.
00:00:13
Aniz Lavji
Before we get started, just want to make sure you know that you can find us on YouTube and Spotify. Just look us up on the Shop and Tread Talk podcast. Please like and follow the podcast on there.
00:00:26
Aniz Lavji
And yeah, we really appreciate the love, man, and woman, I should say.
Meet Nicholas: The Bike Owner and Mechanic
00:00:31
Aniz Lavji
And Frank, please introduce our guest today.
00:00:36
Frank Wiebe
ah Well, I don't know how to introduce a guy like this. He... ah we met at tools. So this is where Nicholas and I met. Um, and, uh, we didn't get a whole lot of time to chat, but just enough to get to know each other a little bit to, uh, we have some of the same interests in, in cars and find out later about motorbikes as well.
00:00:46
Aniz Lavji
hmm.
00:00:59
Frank Wiebe
And, uh, and, uh, find out that he has the bike that I want. So, you know, a little bit jealous here, but, uh, anyways, yeah, Nicholas, uh, uh, if you want to just let us know where you're from, kind of what your role is in your, uh, shop and what you do, and then, uh, we'll get into it and have a good conversation.
00:01:22
Nicholas
Thanks Frank. Thanks for having me on guys.
00:01:25
Nicholas
that was ah That was a nice inf invite getting that ah that message.
00:01:25
Aniz Lavji
Sure.
00:01:25
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:01:27
Nicholas
that was really, really, really special. Hey, y'm so I'm i'm Nicholas Iurbino. You can call me Nick. Don't call me late for dinner. um
00:01:36
Frank Wiebe
but
00:01:38
Nicholas
I'm the um second in command shop foreman, Mark's Auto Service in Gillette, New Jersey. I live in Bernersville, New Jersey. If you want a a real quick um location on me. I literally live 10 minutes east of, I'm going to say the T word here, Trump National Golf Course.
00:01:59
Frank Wiebe
Oh, boy.
00:01:59
Nicholas
I said the T word, sorry.
00:02:00
Aniz Lavji
And we'll stop the podcast.
00:02:00
Frank Wiebe
Is that is that where that is not where that mysterious bullet was?
00:02:01
Nicholas
All right. Yeah.
00:02:05
Nicholas
No, no, no.
00:02:06
Aniz Lavji
I'm just
00:02:07
Nicholas
That's where, that's where he shook hands with Chris Christie in front of that wood door. You know, they're, they're kicking hands, know,
00:02:12
Aniz Lavji
Oh, yeah.
00:02:12
Frank Wiebe
No.
00:02:13
Nicholas
during his campaign. So, uh, yeah, that's, that's, that's where
Nicholas's Career Shift from Architecture to Mechanics
00:02:16
Nicholas
I live. So, uh, everybody says, uh, Jersey's, uh, you know, bunch diners, drive-ins and dives. Well, they're all drying up, but, uh, I live in, uh, I live in a pretty nice section of Jersey.
00:02:28
Nicholas
I really do. It's, um, I'm an hour and a half away from New York. an hour and a half away from Philly. Uh, Hershey was three hours. It was a nice drive down 78 to not quite um,
00:02:40
Nicholas
you know um i can I can be in the North Carolina in 10 hours. I can be in Iowa.
00:02:48
Aniz Lavji
great.
00:02:48
Nicholas
I won't tell you how fast I get to Dubuque, Iowa. I have family back there, but we'll just say I can be there in relative fashion.
00:02:53
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:02:55
Nicholas
And I just came home from Laconia two Sundays ago. So that was a six, seven hour ride. So it's ah it's a great area. and And I have a have property here.
00:03:07
Nicholas
I have a two family. You know, i I tried to build a life as much as I could based off of our profession.
00:03:17
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:03:17
Nicholas
Played my cards right. Tried to get, you know, whatever extra I got every day every week bonus or whatever. i threw back into myself.
00:03:26
Aniz Lavji
That's
00:03:27
Nicholas
So I have the shop again in my corner that I worked in.
00:03:29
Aniz Lavji
great.
00:03:33
Aniz Lavji
That's great.
00:03:34
Frank Wiebe
it's good It's good to be able to invest back in yourself instead of investing in other everyone else all the time. but so
00:03:42
Nicholas
Yeah, well, I mean, that's the whole point, though.
00:03:42
Aniz Lavji
then
00:03:43
Nicholas
you want it You want to invest, you want to get the industry farther along.
The Social Media Stance and Creative Past
00:03:49
Nicholas
You know, not everybody wants to be there.
00:03:50
Aniz Lavji
definitely
00:03:51
Nicholas
They just get intimidated or just can't get there.
00:03:52
Frank Wiebe
Right.
00:03:56
Frank Wiebe
Mm-hmm.
00:03:56
Aniz Lavji
and Nicholas, have you always wanted to be a mechanic?
00:04:01
Nicholas
No, actually, I wanted to be an architect way back in the day. I'm not kidding.
00:04:05
Aniz Lavji
Oh, yeah.
00:04:07
Nicholas
I wanted to build you know build buildings and make them look pretty.
00:04:11
Aniz Lavji
So now you fix colors and make them look prettier.
00:04:16
Nicholas
yeah Yeah, make him look better. Better-er.
00:04:20
Aniz Lavji
betterer
00:04:21
Nicholas
Better-er.
00:04:23
Aniz Lavji
Tell me.
00:04:23
Nicholas
Hey, sometimes he can't shine a turd, but you know what? You can get it down the road.
00:04:28
Aniz Lavji
but That's true.
00:04:28
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, well, that's that's the half the game right there just to get a going again.
00:04:32
Aniz Lavji
So how how did, how did this come about?
00:04:33
Nicholas
Yeah?
00:04:35
Aniz Lavji
So basically you want to be an architect and then kind of, you know, if you want to bring the listeners to where, where you are now, kind of from the beginning in the cliff notes version.
00:04:46
Nicholas
um
00:04:48
Nicholas
architect as a little kid. um As I got older, I got involved in ah band, band class, all that stuff. I was a band geek, film study student, whole nine yards. um Graduated with honors from high school and everything.
00:05:02
Nicholas
Went to the University of Iowa for a semester. It ruined me.
00:05:05
Aniz Lavji
yeah. Yeah.
00:05:06
Nicholas
um i i got in I got in there and I just said, wait a minute, wait a minute.
00:05:07
Frank Wiebe
Really?
00:05:11
Nicholas
Gen Eds? Hey, I'm here to like go out in the world here. Like, help me out.
00:05:18
Aniz Lavji
yeah
00:05:18
Nicholas
Like, you know, I don't think taking another two years of Gen Ed, which is condensed version of high school, is really going to help me out. And I've already declared my major at the time. I've become so involved with music and everything and and film.
00:05:31
Nicholas
And I was actually creating my own little movies and how to's with my, seriously, my grandfather's VHS camera. You know, those old VHS cameras used to sit on your shoulder right back when?
00:05:42
Aniz Lavji
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
00:05:43
Nicholas
Yeah, i was I was doing it. I was making it work. um
00:05:48
Nicholas
And I got there and I was just, no, no, you it doesn't work like that at college.
00:05:50
Frank Wiebe
Thank you.
00:05:52
Nicholas
and I'm like, this is a Big Ten school. Come on. This is it's time to go. I'm paid. Let's go. And they're like, no, no, no, no.
00:06:01
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:06:01
Nicholas
So after the first semester, I went, Nope.
00:06:04
Aniz Lavji
Not for me.
00:06:05
Nicholas
Second thing I was good at, working on cars.
00:06:05
Aniz Lavji
yeah
00:06:08
Aniz Lavji
Yep. And then you kind of found your passion from there.
Social Media in the Automotive World
00:06:13
Nicholas
Yeah. I mean, i i am i I was always a little bit of a petrol head. You know, a car goes by, it's like, look at that. You know, drool starts coming out side of my mouth.
00:06:22
Frank Wiebe
So with all your
00:06:25
Aniz Lavji
Hmm.
00:06:25
Frank Wiebe
with all your film studies, then, how how how big have you created your TikTok account? Because a see your videos every once in a while.
00:06:32
Nicholas
Um... So I'm not on TikTok. I have personally boycotted it only because I don't know how it is in Canada, but in my country, they're using it for and dumb entertainment value.
00:06:37
Frank Wiebe
Is it?
00:06:50
Nicholas
That's the actual algorithm. And I don't want to be a part of dumb entertainment value.
00:06:53
Aniz Lavji
Okay.
00:06:55
Nicholas
Now, I don't know how you, I don't know how Jeff got in there. I don't know how Check Engine Chuck got in there because it's not dumb entertainment value with you guys, but maybe you guys are changing the algorithms somehow. But I just decided I was like, no, I try to stay away from brain rot.
00:07:12
Nicholas
That's, i you know, that doom scrolling. I try to stay away from it because it just sucks you in.
00:07:16
Frank Wiebe
Yep. Yep. Yeah, it does.
00:07:18
Nicholas
You know, next thing you know, it's.
00:07:19
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:07:22
Nicholas
midnight and just like, dude, I got a timing belt to do tomorrow. I got a timing belt and alignment four tires or something else to do tomorrow plus whatever else the guys throw at me.
00:07:32
Aniz Lavji
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it can definitely be time consuming.
00:07:34
Nicholas
Hmm.
00:07:36
Aniz Lavji
I mean, once you start scrolling and you see one video after another and yeah I can definitely appreciate that. For for myself, it's it's more just for fun.
00:07:46
Aniz Lavji
And you know we've we've got a lot of guests off there and you know meet a lot of cool people. we don't At
Continuous Learning and Mentoring in the Industry
00:07:54
Aniz Lavji
least i try not to doom scroll as as much as possible, but sometimes I start going from one automotive video to another, to another, to another, and then 19 messages later, it's been like two hours.
00:08:06
Frank Wiebe
Nah, but you use it for when you're on the toilet. That's what it's good for. It's great.
00:08:12
Nicholas
Oh, I'm, I'm doing, uh, Jim, Jim's, uh, today's classroom. I'm on the toilet. I know he wants to hear that. You met Jim Kokonas, right?
00:08:20
Frank Wiebe
I know.
00:08:24
Nicholas
Oh, uh, uh, Brian Pollack's, uh, uh, buddy.
00:08:24
Frank Wiebe
Which one?
00:08:24
Aniz Lavji
I've heard him on a bunch of podcasts before.
00:08:28
Frank Wiebe
Okay.
00:08:30
Nicholas
Yeah. Jim's, Jim's really cool. I mean, there is somebody who's done everything and he's bringing it back down to our level a little bit, giving back teaching.
00:08:33
Aniz Lavji
Super smart guy.
00:08:33
Frank Wiebe
All right.
00:08:39
Nicholas
Um,
00:08:40
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:08:41
Nicholas
And then, well, you met Brian Pollack, right?
00:08:44
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:08:44
Nicholas
Yeah, that, I mean, ah yeah, I just, he blows me away.
00:08:45
Aniz Lavji
Very smart guy.
00:08:51
Nicholas
Every time he says a sentence, I go, oh, I got a lot to learn, which is part of the industry. You oh you never stop learning, but you kind of go, oh yeah, I'm definitely the kid in the back row eating cake compared to him.
00:09:04
Nicholas
you know i just, I can't hold a candle to that.
00:09:05
Aniz Lavji
He's a super, super bright guy.
00:09:08
Frank Wiebe
so Some of these guys are just
00:09:09
Nicholas
He's really smart.
00:09:11
Frank Wiebe
Just so incredibly smart. and And just being able to learn from these guys through i either the videos, the TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or wherever you're getting your information, or when we go to the live events and learning there, it's like, oh, man, this is phenomenal.
00:09:27
Frank Wiebe
And...
00:09:27
Aniz Lavji
I mean, you get access to guys like, you know, you got access to Brian, there's Brandon Steckler, you know, there's a scanner Daner.
00:09:27
Nicholas
Yeah, yeah.
00:09:33
Frank Wiebe
Yep. Yep.
00:09:37
Aniz Lavji
mean, that guy's a legend.
00:09:39
Frank Wiebe
I just saw one of his videos just a few minutes ago and where he was teaching a kid. And it reminds me so much of when when I find something really cool, especially electrical diagnosing. And i like this last week, I had two different situations. And I i call the guys, ah stop what you're doing.
00:09:57
Frank Wiebe
Come over here. I got to teach you something. And then I walk them through the steps of what I learned and how I did what what I did.
00:10:00
Nicholas
Yep.
00:10:03
Aniz Lavji
That's what it's all about.
00:10:03
Frank Wiebe
And they're just, they're looking there. They're dumbfounded. And I'm like, oh, this is cool. I'm teaching somebody. This is exciting.
00:10:09
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:10:09
Frank Wiebe
And I'm still learning, but I'm able to teach them too. So it was really fun that way to be able to learn from here and pass it along.
00:10:13
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:10:14
Nicholas
Yep.
Work-Life Balance in Automotive Careers
00:10:18
Nicholas
Well, that's what we want to do, right? That's how you you further the industry. You get the profession, you get people involved, and you go, you know, get that little spark running.
00:10:18
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:10:29
Aniz Lavji
and And, you know, make it make it okay to make mistakes too.
00:10:29
Nicholas
but you got to do.
00:10:32
Aniz Lavji
I mean, it's okay to make a mistake. That's how you learn, right? and and Not everyone's going to get it right the first time. Unless you're Frank, he gets it right, you know, every time.
00:10:37
Frank Wiebe
As long as you're not making me.
00:10:40
Aniz Lavji
But i do than other than Frank, you know, some of us have to make one or two mistakes here and there.
00:10:40
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:10:45
Frank Wiebe
ah You know what? The thing is, I draw my energy from my hair. So that's why, that's why I'm able to fix the car way that can.
00:10:49
Nicholas
Ha, ha, ha, ha. Ha,
00:10:50
Aniz Lavji
That's all the hairspray, Frank, getting to your head. i Maybe I got to start using more hairspray and I'll start maybe also actually diagnosing cars instead of being a shop owner more.
00:10:53
Frank Wiebe
I
00:10:54
Nicholas
ha, ha.
00:10:55
Frank Wiebe
yeah actually don't.
00:11:00
Frank Wiebe
I actually don't use hairspray. Here's the secret. I don't actually. So don't.
00:11:05
Aniz Lavji
What do you use, honey?
00:11:10
Nicholas
It's probably some of that beard cream just puts it up there.
00:11:14
Frank Wiebe
I got it. I got to get some from, ah from Bruce when I see him at ASTA.
00:11:19
Aniz Lavji
You gotta to get in touch with Josh Parnell, the bearded leader.
00:11:20
Frank Wiebe
Hopefully. i mean
00:11:24
Aniz Lavji
So he's he's actually got a company that has all this different kind of beard oils and stuff like that.
00:11:25
Nicholas
Yep.
00:11:27
Frank Wiebe
That's too much.
00:11:33
Frank Wiebe
well I could do that.
00:11:33
Nicholas
Yep.
00:11:35
Aniz Lavji
He's got all kinds of stuff.
00:11:36
Nicholas
yeahp I don't know, is Compton into that? Maybe gas Jeff he uses something.
00:11:40
Aniz Lavji
I don't know, have to message you later in Africa now.
00:11:41
Frank Wiebe
I don't know. I don't think he owns a beard comb.
00:11:47
Aniz Lavji
I think he must he's got a good beard, so I'm sure he's using something interesting to keep it all tidy.
00:11:51
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:11:53
Frank Wiebe
that's it's That's a full beard. that's that's ah that's It's to get heavy after a while.
00:11:56
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:11:58
Frank Wiebe
I don't i don't get it.
00:11:59
Aniz Lavji
i haven't seen him in person since ASTA last year, or so in a couple months I'll have to analyze it a little more. are you Are you coming to ASTA, Nicholas?
00:12:10
Nicholas
No, I'm not coming to ASTA, unfortunately.
00:12:13
Aniz Lavji
Oh, my That's bad, buddy.
00:12:15
Nicholas
Well, hey, laold here's here's the other side of all this. um So I'm a regular at Super Saturday down in Trivos.
00:12:22
Aniz Lavji
yeah.
00:12:23
Nicholas
um I'm a regular at the big event up in ah ah White Plains, Jerry's event. I'm now a regular at Tools. I couldn't go before because it was always Lake George Rally Americade. And then the one year we decided to do Laconia, I said, hey,
00:12:39
Nicholas
I'm going to go do tools. And I went and I was like, I'm um i'm hooked on tools now.
00:12:45
Aniz Lavji
yeah
00:12:45
Nicholas
And that weekend, that weekend is actually a King of the Baggers in Millville, New Jersey.
00:12:45
Frank Wiebe
it's It's a great event.
00:12:53
Nicholas
So it's the bike races, Frank. Too bad didn't come down for bike racing. um But it's the bike races and I already bought my tickets. I mean, as soon as they went live, I bought the ticket.
00:13:04
Nicholas
It wasn't even set for ASTA yet. And I was like, ah.
00:13:06
Aniz Lavji
Oh, man. It's the same weekend?
00:13:08
Nicholas
Ah. But Yeah, same weekend. So, uh, for, uh, 20, 25th, 25th, 26th, I gotta go look, but it's that weekend.
00:13:19
Nicholas
Um, all I know is I'm Friday night.
00:13:20
Aniz Lavji
Oh, man.
00:13:21
Nicholas
I'm leaving my house. It's about two and a half hours South of me. I'm leaving my house.
00:13:24
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:13:25
Nicholas
I'm getting on the road on the bike because I got an opportunity to run around that course with the challenger. They actually take you out twice, uh, twice during the weekend around lunchtime.
00:13:31
Frank Wiebe
Oh, wow
00:13:34
Nicholas
And you can actually go around the course on your motorcycle.
00:13:35
Aniz Lavji
Oh,
00:13:38
Nicholas
So,
00:13:38
Aniz Lavji
oh well
00:13:38
Nicholas
It's one of those life events. yeah yeah You're going back and forth. You're trying to balance it all, but you also have to realize it's life events. And I didn't do that for decades.
00:13:49
Nicholas
And now I'm finally to the point where I'm trying to live life a little bit.
00:13:53
Aniz Lavji
But Nicholas, the difference is you are actually going to multiple trainings and it's not like you're not going to any and you know you're going to take your bike out and race and stuff like that. You've attended stuff. So i you know kudos you for for doing that, man, because I think this is great.
00:14:12
Aniz Lavji
you know Do something for yourself because at the end of the day, we work so hard and sometimes we don't do things for ourselves. We're
Career Dedication and Life Enjoyment
00:14:18
Aniz Lavji
so busy you know turning wrenches or paying bills or...
00:14:22
Aniz Lavji
you know, staring at Frank's hair, you know, all the stuff that we dream about.
00:14:25
Nicholas
it was one more car for me.
00:14:25
Aniz Lavji
but
00:14:27
Nicholas
it It still is a little bit.
00:14:27
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:14:29
Nicholas
I get a little, I can, I can fix that car. I can get that done. You know, it's not ego.
00:14:34
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:14:34
Nicholas
It's, it's more of a self of accomplishment, but you know, it's one more car. It's one more dollar. I, if I, if I got the, if I could get this car done tonight, I got the extra 50 bucks in a paycheck that after 50 bucks is going to pay off that hammer.
00:14:48
Nicholas
And then I, and then once I get the hammer paid off, I can start saving for the scope and, it was It was all about that, and it was all about you know um ah paying your dues. okay And about six years ago, when the whole world imploded on itself with COVID,
00:15:04
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:15:08
Nicholas
i started I started listening to to to Lucas and Dave. And you know what? They were right. You've got to stop. You've got to smell the roses. You've got to, you know, plumbers and electricians are professionals. How come they can't keep it under 50 hours a week?
00:15:25
Nicholas
You know, and they're they're technical professionals.
00:15:27
Aniz Lavji
right. its
00:15:29
Nicholas
I mean, the contractors they around here work from like 6, 7 in the morning to to maybe 3, maybe 4 in the afternoon. They've got a project going that they've got to hustle.
00:15:39
Aniz Lavji
Maybe.
00:15:40
Nicholas
Okay. Some them work overnight, but still, it's 40 to 50 hours a week. How come we can't do that as professionals?
00:15:45
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:15:47
Nicholas
You know, I have all this. I have like, I don't know, 2, 3 weeks worth of time as part of my compensation. How come I can't take it? And I started taking.
00:15:57
Aniz Lavji
That's good. There you guys can go.
00:15:59
Frank Wiebe
I did it for years. I think 14 years I took ah two vacations in 14 years. and And now we're like, no, this is this is stupid.
00:16:11
Frank Wiebe
We're going to take regular vacations on a regular time off.
00:16:14
Aniz Lavji
yep yep
00:16:15
Frank Wiebe
and And any opportunity I get, chance to take time off, I'm taking it now. Because same with you. i realize that at some point in life, you can't just work all the time.
00:16:26
Frank Wiebe
i My family, my wife, my kids, they're always are like like, oh, you're a workaholic.
00:16:26
Nicholas
please
00:16:31
Frank Wiebe
I'm like, no, I love working. I really enjoy working. But when it's time to take time off, I like it. I will go. I will take that time. I i will went out for lunch with ah with a supplier today. And I'm like, this is great. I just walked away from the shop.
00:16:47
Frank Wiebe
Whatever happens, happens. I'm done. I'm out of here. I'm going for lunch.
00:16:50
Aniz Lavji
But could you have done that last year?
00:16:51
Nicholas
check your emails wait
00:16:53
Aniz Lavji
Last year, you probably would have thought a lot about that.
00:16:56
Frank Wiebe
No. And and that's the thing is we weren't there like this year. We're finally getting to that point. And we've been working hard for six years to try to get to that point where, where we can just take some time off and, and like,
00:17:09
Frank Wiebe
in September when we're, when we're going, uh, well, we have ASTA in September, but I've got like pretty much, I've almost got three weeks off in September where, where I'm not going to be at the shop.
00:17:22
Nicholas
Wow.
00:17:22
Frank Wiebe
And I'm hoping that we're building everything up so that when, when I'm not there, that everything will be able to function.
00:17:29
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:17:30
Frank Wiebe
I'm sure I'll get a few phone calls here and there.
00:17:30
Nicholas
That's a lot of procedural stuff.
00:17:32
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, but but it's it's it's a lot of work to get to that point. But if you don't if you don't work your business to that point, i've seen okay I've seen business owners, I've seen shops where they never built their shop to do that. They never built to to get to the point where they're like, hey, um I want to be able to step back from it.
00:17:54
Frank Wiebe
and And they just literally are there all the time and never get to leave.
00:17:56
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:17:58
Frank Wiebe
and And I don't want that. Like I said, I love working. but I want to be able to get away from
Networking and Skill Improvement
00:18:04
Frank Wiebe
it. I, I'd love to go to a great bike event.
00:18:04
Aniz Lavji
Three.
00:18:07
Frank Wiebe
Right. But it's not really what I do, but it'd be cool. Right now. I finally, I got this old car. So now I'm like, Hey, I got to go to car shows. There was one just in town today.
00:18:19
Frank Wiebe
And I just got there at the tail the end of it. Cause it was actually in the grocery store parking lot. So I just pulled in and talked to the guys and they're like, i was like, Oh, what time does this normally start? And he's like, Oh, people show up like three o'clock. I'm like,
00:18:31
Aniz Lavji
three
00:18:31
Frank Wiebe
Holy crap, 3 o'clock in the afternoon on a Monday?
00:18:33
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:18:33
Frank Wiebe
i mean, maybe I could try to do that, but maybe I'll show up at 5, 5.30.
00:18:34
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:18:39
Frank Wiebe
But i ain't coming at 3 o'clock. But I guess if I get into that scene, them maybe that's what I'll do.
00:18:45
Aniz Lavji
You know, if you if you look back back, you know, when we first started even this podcast, Frank, I mean,
00:18:45
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:18:52
Aniz Lavji
if you look at the way that we, know, we're kind of going off a little bit of a rabbit hole, but you know, from the way that we were talking, we first started the podcast till now with all the great guests, including you, Nicholas, that we've, we've had, and we're learning so many different things from everybody.
00:19:08
Aniz Lavji
And, and, you know, I'm a lifelong learner.
00:19:09
Frank Wiebe
Mm-hmm.
00:19:11
Aniz Lavji
I mean, that's, that's what it is because i don't, I'm never going to have it completely right. I'm going learn every day, but, talking with all these great guests and learning little tidbits and little golden nuggets from each person, it really makes you realize that like, there's more to life, man. Like we're all going to be wrenching. We're all going to be, you know, if we're owning a business and paying bills and doing that, but at at the end of the day, you know, yes, as long as we're all going for training and upgrading ourselves, whether it's, you know,
00:19:39
Aniz Lavji
you know Training can even be, you know I'm calling Nicholas, hey Nicholas, you know I need some help with this. Have you ever dealt with this? Bam. And you know we talk to someone and look, I just got trained and he's he's helping me out or talking with people in the industry or going to a training event.
00:19:46
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:19:49
Frank Wiebe
and
00:19:55
Aniz Lavji
If you're doing something like that and you should never feel bad that you know I'm going away for the weekend on a motorcycle trip because that's what I'm doing for myself, my own mental health, my own ah you know, enjoyment.
00:20:07
Aniz Lavji
And that's all good because you're doing, you're
Quality Work and Customer Safety
00:20:10
Aniz Lavji
doing the right way, man. And kudos hats off to you, buddy.
00:20:12
Nicholas
When therapy is real, Wind therapy is real.
00:20:15
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:20:17
Nicholas
I cannot tell you.
00:20:19
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:20:21
Frank Wiebe
it It is fun.
00:20:21
Nicholas
So.
00:20:22
Frank Wiebe
There's something about riding that just makes makes you really enjoy life.
00:20:28
Aniz Lavji
But see, there's there's there's more to life than just wrenches and everything, right?
00:20:28
Nicholas
Yeah. it
00:20:33
Aniz Lavji
I mean, you've got to do stuff for yourself. If you're in the shop, you know, and I know tons of people that are in the shop six days a week, and the only light of day they see is, you know, for a second they go out for a smoke or whatever it is, and they're right back into the dungeon turning wrenches.
00:20:50
Aniz Lavji
And like you said earlier, just one more car. Let me finish this one. It's almost done. Then that's one less I got to worry about tomorrow and one less I got to worry about this day. And by the time you look at the watch, you know, it's six o'clock and you're still there and you're, you know, your wife could be calling.
00:21:07
Aniz Lavji
Where are you?
00:21:07
Nicholas
Six o'clock.
00:21:07
Aniz Lavji
Or your kids are calling. Like, you know.
00:21:11
Nicholas
Look, when the chips chips have been down because fluctuation and personnel and stuff and the stuff middle still got move.
00:21:12
Aniz Lavji
It gets to be too much.
00:21:21
Nicholas
I I've pushed I've pushed myself over the limit. I mean, two o'clock in the morning and turn back around, and show back up at eight o'clock bright as a daisy. I've done it. I've done it too many times. Actually, i got really, really, really sick around the holidays because of it, because I i i had to let one go.
00:21:38
Nicholas
Because he put the roof of a brand new Subaru because it was it was cold that day. So he brought it in underneath the Subaru and he jacked the car up and put it into the tires of the Subaru.
00:21:51
Nicholas
He jacked it under. I was like, oh my God.
00:21:54
Aniz Lavji
Oh, God.
00:21:54
Nicholas
So that was a mess.
00:21:54
Aniz Lavji
What?
00:21:56
Nicholas
I had let him go. was like it was just too many. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Okay. We were able to take care of it, took care for the customer. i have a great body shop to work with and he's bar none, probably one of the best guys around.
00:22:08
Nicholas
But
Customer Communication and Transparency
00:22:09
Nicholas
okay, so we did it. We handled it. We moved on, but I'm like, dude, can't keep doing this. And then like two, three weeks later, another guy quits. So now it goes from I'm in the office to back in the shop.
00:22:22
Nicholas
I'm producing, I'm formatting, I'm auditing repair orders. um the The boss is running the back office and and trying to trying to find people, like, it it doesn't stop.
00:22:32
Aniz Lavji
Yep. Yep.
00:22:33
Nicholas
So here I am. I'm i'm like, I just got to get through the next two weeks. I don't have anything else going on. just got to get through the next two weeks. Just, like, balls to the wall, nose to the grindstone, the bootstraps, whatever you want to call it.
00:22:45
Nicholas
I just got to get through it and it. It got me sick. I haven't been that sick in years because I wore myself down.
00:22:52
Frank Wiebe
Well, it's a lot of stress having to deal with when you have employees that make mistakes and yeah it's like, why is that?
00:22:52
Nicholas
So...
00:23:01
Frank Wiebe
And then you just...
00:23:03
Nicholas
Yeah, especially when you have a process, you know, can jobs through shopware and everything.
00:23:04
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:23:08
Nicholas
I build can jobs all the time.
00:23:09
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:23:10
Nicholas
It's bang, bang, bang, bang. bang bang Well, how come I got to check the spare tire?
00:23:12
Aniz Lavji
Everything's ready to
00:23:13
Nicholas
And I'm like, why not? You're probably the only shop I would say in 20 square miles it actually checks the spare tire.
00:23:17
Aniz Lavji
go.
00:23:21
Nicholas
Now, if Grandma Smith has got, you know...
00:23:22
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:23:25
Nicholas
Her cookies in there for the bake sale. I just open up the trunk. I snap a picture. I close the trunk and I go, Grandma sli Smith, would you mind coming back when the trunk is empty?
00:23:35
Aniz Lavji
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:38
Nicholas
We'll check your spare tire and I just mark it red. you know But it it shows them that at least I'm trying to check your car so nothing happens to you or you can deal with it.
00:23:49
Aniz Lavji
The more information that you give to the customer in the inspections and your reports, it it really, on on my end, anyone that looks at my inspections, they're wow, you guys really do a good inspection.
00:24:01
Aniz Lavji
And it's detailed. And and there's no fluff in there. like I don't try to... fluff it up and make it, Oh, your car is so nice and with this and that.
00:24:09
Nicholas
Oh yeah.
00:24:10
Aniz Lavji
No, you're going to get a you're going to get an explanation of what's wrong with your car in the same tone.
00:24:11
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:24:16
Aniz Lavji
And if you've got one little thing wrong or one major thing wrong, it's going to be the same tone. We don't try to fluff it up and try to make it look like you're, you're turd wrapped in a gold or anything.
00:24:24
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:24:28
Nicholas
I had a couple guys doing that in their write-ups and I'm reading through it as I'm auditing and I'm like, this is needed for optimal performance. No.
00:24:37
Aniz Lavji
Yeah, yeah.
00:24:38
Nicholas
no
00:24:38
Aniz Lavji
Trying to sell a job, like, in the wrong way.
00:24:39
Nicholas
No, no. Yeah, your brake fluid failed the moisture test. There's the picture. There's the tester. The stuff is green. I'm a brake fluid flush. Hey, you need a brake fluid flush. There's probably copper contamination in there because it's green or copper oxidation. It failed your moisture test.
00:24:57
Nicholas
Oh, by the way, you haven't had it done in three years. It's really good idea to do your brake fluid.
00:25:03
Aniz Lavji
ye
00:25:03
Nicholas
Look
Training, Mentorship, and Customer Education
00:25:04
Nicholas
at that. you know Your air filter's great.
00:25:05
Aniz Lavji
Simple, though.
00:25:06
Nicholas
I have one today. Your air filter's great. Your air filter box is in pieces. I don't know why, but you do know that the two bolts on this Camry are missing, right? They're broken off. I actually talked to the customer myself today because I had ah one service writer out.
00:25:18
Nicholas
So here I was again.
00:25:21
Aniz Lavji
yeah. Yep.
00:25:21
Nicholas
Out there, in there, out there, in there. I went through three cars today, which I have to finish tomorrow now because my service my new service writer was out. um and And I talked to them and said he said, well, I'm only going to do the trans service this time. Gee, I'm sorry. what are sorry for? Do you know what's going on with the car now? He said, yeah, that's why i brought it to you because of your reputation. I said, I'm good.
00:25:48
Aniz Lavji
yep
00:25:48
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, and as long as the customer knows about it and if they choose not to do it, well, you know, long long you know. You've made that decision and we can work on doing it another way.
00:25:56
Aniz Lavji
We let you know.
00:25:56
Nicholas
Their car.
00:25:57
Aniz Lavji
Yeah, exactly.
00:25:57
Frank Wiebe
Yep. Yep.
00:25:58
Nicholas
It's their car, their money.
00:25:58
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:26:00
Frank Wiebe
yep
00:26:01
Nicholas
Yeah, don't, don't,
00:26:01
Aniz Lavji
we We emphasize that like this is your vehicle.
00:26:02
Nicholas
Now,
00:26:06
Aniz Lavji
We're just here to let you know like this is what's going on with it. Whether you want to do it or decline all of it, that's fine. But I'm sleeping nice on my fluffy pillow tonight.
00:26:17
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, most customers don't know what's going on with their car. I mean, they they have one noise that they're hearing.
00:26:23
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:26:24
Frank Wiebe
They don't realize that it's multiple things that are causing that noise.
00:26:24
Nicholas
right.
00:26:27
Aniz Lavji
And then they get surprised.
00:26:28
Frank Wiebe
And you have to bring that to their attention.
00:26:29
Aniz Lavji
They get surprised because I had a, I had a customer today with i think a, think it was 17 rev four that came in for an oil change and I'm hearing noise from my brakes. I'm like, okay. So we, we said, okay, well, we'll just charge you minimum to, we're going to have the car up anyways. We're going to pull the wheels and just do a quick break inspection while we did it. Like his rotors, all four of them look like the surface of the moon. And, uh,
00:26:54
Aniz Lavji
you know, there's no brake pad. So I'm like, well, here's pictures and videos and you you need brakes. And by the way, your control arms are, yeah.
00:27:01
Nicholas
i Yeah, I get those people. They're like,
00:27:05
Aniz Lavji
and And the control arms, the bushing was basically popped out of it and the control arms were sitting on the frame. So I said, you know what?
00:27:13
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:27:15
Aniz Lavji
Wouldn't it bad idea to get those replaced as well? And gave him the estimate and he's like, oh yeah. And I'm like, well, I mean you knew you needed brakes. this is what it is.
00:27:25
Aniz Lavji
He declined all of it.
00:27:25
Nicholas
Well, they take it personally around here.
00:27:26
Aniz Lavji
Yeah. Okay. yeah
00:27:29
Nicholas
They take it personally around here. Some of my biker groups actually were just we were just talking about this ah last night. So one of them who actually got me into... i'm I am now treasurer of Chapter 32 of Red Knights International out in New Jersey.
00:27:43
Nicholas
um Yeah, one of the many things i I did on top of the fire department and this job and everything else I've done.
Industry Challenges and Perseverance
00:27:50
Nicholas
um But ah yeah yeah i'm I'm finally slowing down.
00:27:54
Nicholas
Frank, I'm finally slowing down. It's good to slow down.
00:27:56
Frank Wiebe
good Too many things on you.
00:27:57
Nicholas
Yeah, I grew my beard out.
00:27:58
Frank Wiebe
There you go.
00:27:59
Nicholas
Yeah, too many things at once. But anyway, he was saying ah he's got a 2017 F-150 EcoBoost at the 10-speed. think it was first or second year at the 10-speed. But anyway, he's had zero problems with this truck.
00:28:13
Nicholas
He changes his oil every 2,500 miles, but he leaves a transmission for every 100,000. Second time he's checked into transmission, yes, is the original powertrain after 200 plus thousand miles.
00:28:24
Nicholas
Second time he's doing the transmission and he's just going, yeah, what a ripoff it is at the dealer, it's $800. I went, you changing the pan? No, it looked fine.
00:28:35
Nicholas
Okay, there's a few hundred bucks. You know, you guys you gotta pay the guy, there's there's there's at least, you know, three, four hundred bucks. you know couple it's got You know, it's a couple hours worth of work and with the tins and everything, you gotta take off. I mean, and then gotta relearn it and then you have the filter and then the fluid.
00:28:54
Nicholas
You know, i'm like, so you're you're a truck driver. You understand how money works because you're one of those independent contractors through the local refinery.
00:29:04
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:29:05
Nicholas
I'm like, why are you complaining? Why you saying it's a ripoff? I mean, do you understand how expensive it is right now?
00:29:10
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:29:12
Nicholas
You understand how expensive the fluid is? I mean, would you ever guess a quarter transfer?
00:29:15
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:29:17
Nicholas
Frank, when you start a quarter transfer, costs me 50, 60, 70 bucks. Would you ever guess that?
00:29:24
Frank Wiebe
No way. It's insane how much it is anymore on some of the vehicles.
00:29:27
Nicholas
Yeah, and it just went up 37% around here for us because of oil prices.
00:29:32
Aniz Lavji
ye
00:29:33
Frank Wiebe
Same.
00:29:33
Nicholas
So...
00:29:33
Frank Wiebe
same we got We got the same 30, 40% think they they quoted us is what it was going up for oil prices.
00:29:40
Aniz Lavji
when i When I get people arguing about, like, i actually, one person today wanted to get an oil change on their vehicle and I said, it's going this much.
00:29:41
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:29:41
Frank Wiebe
We talked
00:29:49
Aniz Lavji
like Oh, that's a lot. and I'm like, well, if you want, there's a there's a lube shop down the road that's doing it for 40 bucks, but they're probably going to be putting the same oil they use to cook their chicken nuggets in.
00:30:00
Aniz Lavji
So, I mean, that's definitely up to you.
00:30:02
Frank Wiebe
How the heck is, I saw that just last week. I saw a place that was offering ah non-synthetic oil changes for $49.95 and synthetic oil changes for $79.95.
00:30:15
Frank Wiebe
And I'm like, there is no way that you're covering your cost at all.
00:30:17
Aniz Lavji
Well, no. and And remember Frank, what was it a few months ago?
00:30:21
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:30:24
Aniz Lavji
Remember I was telling you like we were, it was, we're running a little low on car count and everything. So I just sent out a blast for like a week, like this week only full synthetic, the same oil we do at any time.
00:30:36
Aniz Lavji
i was doing it for 50 bucks with the filter, but I was literally doing the same oil change I'd do if they were paying a hundred bucks or whatever.
00:30:38
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:30:45
Aniz Lavji
And just to kind of get the phones ringing and get some people through the door. And you know what I counted, we ended up getting about, I'd say 30, 40 new customers from that. And those
Economic Aspects of Automotive Repairs
00:30:56
Aniz Lavji
customers are still coming back for their regular price oil change and everything now.
00:31:02
Aniz Lavji
But I mean, the guys that are doing this all the time for 40 bucks, like how?
00:31:02
Frank Wiebe
Okay.
00:31:06
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:31:06
Aniz Lavji
And I told every customer, was like, when you're when you're spending the 50 bucks, I'm losing, but nice to meet you. And this is my shop.
00:31:14
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:31:15
Nicholas
Yeah, you can you can I don't know how it is in Canada, but he can you can if you Do it right with the right accountant a bookkeeper.
00:31:15
Aniz Lavji
Yeah,
00:31:21
Nicholas
You could probably write off as advertising So so
00:31:24
Aniz Lavji
yeah, yeah.
00:31:25
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:31:25
Aniz Lavji
we yeah it's it's basically it's It's basically customer acquisition, right?
00:31:26
Frank Wiebe
And you could do it for a little while. For a week or so.
00:31:31
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:31:31
Aniz Lavji
ah You're losing, but then again, something like that.
00:31:31
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:31:32
Nicholas
How much does it cost to get a customer? $2,500, they said. I think it is around here for me to get a new customer.
00:31:37
Aniz Lavji
yeah. But then I figured, I was like, they come in for that oil change. Maybe, you know, going to check the air filter, maybe the ball joint or something like that. And if they end up getting, doing one thing, then it's it's worth it, right?
00:31:48
Nicholas
Mm-hmm.
00:31:51
Aniz Lavji
Because they've done something else with you. And from there, they become your customer, right? And they experience your service compared to where they're usually going.
00:31:59
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, but if it's just a one-time deal, then it's...
00:31:59
Nicholas
Well, around here, they...
00:32:01
Frank Wiebe
Well,
00:32:02
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:32:03
Nicholas
They take advantage of us around here, though.
00:32:04
Aniz Lavji
If it's a one-time deal. in your
00:32:06
Nicholas
I will say that.
00:32:06
Aniz Lavji
Sorry?
00:32:07
Frank Wiebe
that happens everywhere.
00:32:08
Nicholas
They take advantage of us around here. Yeah, no, it's it's it's pretty big. And it's... you just You just try... Honestly, if you want to boil down to it, I'm a little selfish. You want to know why? Because all these guys drive around me. I don't want them running into me.
00:32:24
Nicholas
you know, I don't want your wheel falling off.
00:32:24
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:32:26
Nicholas
I tell him that to them. And all of a sudden they go, oh, you're not digging for dollars. You're just making sure that you can get back and forth to work. Yeah. Okay. Let's just put it down as that. Keeping you safe. Make sure that I'm safe too.
00:32:36
Frank Wiebe
well You could always use the motorbike thing be like, hey, I'm on a bike and I want to make sure that when you can see me and you can stop and not run or kill me. you're like that's That's my excuse.
00:32:47
Nicholas
Yeah. Yeah. i've I was already rear-ended by a customer who refused work.
00:32:49
Frank Wiebe
That's why I want your car to be safe.
00:32:54
Nicholas
That was funny. I was on my way to my grandparents' house.
00:32:56
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:32:57
Nicholas
They live about 20 minutes from the shop.
00:32:58
Frank Wiebe
No way.
00:32:59
Nicholas
Yeah, and I was at a traffic circle, and I don't have the right way. I'm trying to enter the circle, and they're just coming through, coming through, coming through. ah And I'm on my Triumph. was years ago before I even had my Indian.
00:33:12
Nicholas
And I'm on my Triumph, and all of a sudden, this...
00:33:15
Aniz Lavji
ye
00:33:16
Nicholas
Lady keeps inching closer and closer and closer. And finally, she she just ever so slightly went, bink, bent my blinker in. I was like, yep, that's it. Shut off the bike, kick the kickstand down, got off the bike. And turned around i said, you just hit me. going I'm calling the cops.
00:33:31
Nicholas
and And turns out it was a lady that I, about seven months later, she was awful with her car.
00:33:33
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:33:38
Nicholas
Seven months later, the car came in. It was ah an Infiniti M-clasp. She windowed the motor, put a new window inside inspection port out the left side. I was like, cool.
Passion for Vehicles and Customer Care
00:33:49
Nicholas
I get to be the one to tell her that she screwed up her car. I'm down for this.
00:33:54
Frank Wiebe
Nice.
00:33:54
Nicholas
but Talk about karma.
00:33:56
Aniz Lavji
cheese
00:33:58
Nicholas
So.
00:33:59
Aniz Lavji
Yeah, no kidding.
00:33:59
Frank Wiebe
Oh my gosh.
00:34:01
Aniz Lavji
These sometimes, sometimes life just works.
00:34:01
Nicholas
Yeah, yeah, that was about 10 years ago.
00:34:06
Aniz Lavji
It's it's magic like that. You get my my favorite thing is when I shouldn't say my favorite thing, but again, screw it. It's I do like it when you, when a customer denies or declines like a crazy amount of work, you know, even if it's a couple grand or three grand and then three weeks later, they don't call.
00:34:29
Aniz Lavji
the car just shows up on a tow truck and then you just get that overwhelming feeling of, I told you that this was going to happen.
00:34:37
Frank Wiebe
Yep. Yep.
00:34:39
Aniz Lavji
And then you get to make that phone call. Uh, Mr. Smith, uh, what seems to be the problem? I see your Corolla was towed in. Oh, well, I remember you were saying, I had a little bit of a looseness or something like that in that ball joint.
00:34:57
Aniz Lavji
And I was driving around the roundabout and well, as you can see, the wheel is not there anymore.
00:35:01
Nicholas
Yep.
00:35:05
Aniz Lavji
And I don't know, I heard some scraping noise and someone told me that the spindle, I don't know what that is, but that might be broken too. And, oh, and they said something about my rotor is broken.
00:35:21
Aniz Lavji
So, you know, that little job that they should have just replaced a tie rod and, you know, a ball joint turns into, you know, a crazy amount of work.
00:35:32
Frank Wiebe
it will and I don't think that that part of this industry will ever change. As much as we try and we push for that, that that will never change.
00:35:40
Aniz Lavji
And we we try a lot, man.
00:35:41
Nicholas
Bye.
00:35:42
Aniz Lavji
and i've and And the worst thing, I know the the industry doesn't like this, but i I've discounted jobs to tell the customer, look, like you need this tie rod.
00:35:56
Aniz Lavji
I'm just going to discount it because I just want you to fix it.
Tire Choices and Brand Experiences
00:36:00
Aniz Lavji
like The tie rod is, you know my cost on the tie rod is 40 bucks. I'm going to just, it's 60 bucks for the tire Give me a little bit of labor. Let me do an alignment so you don't kill someone.
00:36:12
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:36:13
Aniz Lavji
But still, nope, you know, it's it's not in my budget. And then you open up their trunk to, you know, if they're coming for tires to put their winter tires in and they got a bunch of empties in the back, three, 400 bucks worth of empties. And I'm like, well, you had enough money for the Bush and the Jack Daniels and this and that, but nope, you don't want to keep your tire on the road.
00:36:34
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:36:34
Nicholas
and that's That's another thing.
00:36:34
Frank Wiebe
Well,
00:36:35
Nicholas
You guys get to these cars in twice a year because you have snow tires.
00:36:38
Aniz Lavji
minimum oh yeah we store tires too so real we we we yep
00:36:39
Frank Wiebe
yep.
00:36:39
Nicholas
Yeah. Yeah. ah we're We're not like that in Jersey.
00:36:44
Aniz Lavji
we need
00:36:44
Nicholas
I know Colorado has a snow tire initiative. Yeah.
00:36:48
Aniz Lavji
yep
00:36:49
Nicholas
Jersey, you you you run it, it's your car. so I mean, it is very, very much your car. I can't keep somebody away from their car. I can ask them to tow it to the end of the driveway. I've only had to ask that once because a guy said, yeah, my brake line's broken. Can't you just put stop leak in it?
00:37:06
Nicholas
I think you guys are just trying to rip me off. And I'm like, okay, you're going to sign here and I'm not, and you and now requiring you to tow it to the end of the driveway.
00:37:09
Frank Wiebe
just just put ah Just put a rubber hose on your gear clamps.
00:37:16
Nicholas
it No, we're done.
00:37:19
Frank Wiebe
um
00:37:19
Nicholas
We're done.
00:37:21
Aniz Lavji
Jeez.
00:37:21
Frank Wiebe
So, okay, you said you don't have a ah snow tire initiative there, but do you get inclement weather there where you are?
00:37:22
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:37:26
Nicholas
No.
00:37:31
Nicholas
Yeah. oh Let's see now. So 10 years ago when I was fire chief, we got pounded with 32 inches of snow in like 12 hours.
00:37:41
Aniz Lavji
Jeez.
00:37:41
Nicholas
That was our only storm that year. ah This year we got anywhere between four to eight inches every four days.
00:37:46
Aniz Lavji
and The whole city is like wonderful.
00:37:50
Nicholas
And then we'll have years we won't have anything.
00:37:53
Frank Wiebe
Okay, yeah.
00:37:54
Nicholas
So. up
00:37:54
Frank Wiebe
so So you know't you don't have a snow tire initiative. We don't have an initiative here, I don't think.
00:38:01
Aniz Lavji
But it's like, basically, if it's snowing, like 90% of the people are running on snow tires here.
00:38:07
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, but it's not mandatory.
00:38:07
Nicholas
Yeah, no, not around here.
00:38:09
Aniz Lavji
Not yet.
00:38:09
Frank Wiebe
like up upward yeah
00:38:09
Aniz Lavji
I can't wait till it is, though.
00:38:11
Frank Wiebe
know Upward Jeff is in Kingston and and north of there there, it's mandatory to have some of snow tires.
00:38:17
Nicholas
Mandatory. Yeah.
00:38:18
Aniz Lavji
Yeah, yeah.
00:38:19
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:38:19
Aniz Lavji
In in Quebec, yeah.
00:38:21
Frank Wiebe
yeah Down here, it's it's just it's very highly encouraged.
00:38:24
Aniz Lavji
It should be mandatory with the amount of accidents.
00:38:25
Frank Wiebe
with no It should be mandatory.
00:38:27
Aniz Lavji
My God.
00:38:27
Frank Wiebe
And it was in the 70s, I think, 70s and 80s. And then they took the mandatory away, which I don't know. Ontario never takes anything away. They just always keep adding it, especially taxes and stuff.
00:38:40
Frank Wiebe
But then if you go like... through the West prairies and stuff there, they actually can run studded tires and stuff because they have a lot of chains and studded tires.
00:38:51
Aniz Lavji
And chains and all that. Yeah.
00:38:54
Nicholas
We can run studded tires and chains six months out of the year from November to April.
00:38:54
Frank Wiebe
But yeah,
00:38:59
Nicholas
It's it's legal it's legal here. um They took it away for decades.
00:39:02
Aniz Lavji
Oh, yeah.
00:39:03
Nicholas
You can't run snow studs and chains because it tore up the roads too bad.
00:39:07
Aniz Lavji
I think if it was in Jersey or something, I'd probably just run all-weather tires and call it a day. Some really good all-weather tires, and that way, if it does get some precipitation, who cares?
00:39:18
Nicholas
You know, my my my truck... and I run through Goodyear tires. My Grand Cherokee used to run through Goodyear tires every 18,000 miles. I got rid of them and put Michelins on. That was good for $70,000 each set.
00:39:31
Nicholas
um
00:39:32
Aniz Lavji
If they don't crack, what do you mean?
00:39:32
Nicholas
When I got my truck, what's that?
00:39:36
Aniz Lavji
i said if those Michelins don't crack.
00:39:36
Nicholas
Oh, they don't crack? Yeah.
00:39:38
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:39:39
Nicholas
My last set cracked real bad. Real bad.
00:39:41
Aniz Lavji
of
00:39:42
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, but they'll laugh forever, so who cares?
00:39:42
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:39:44
Frank Wiebe
Yeah. Some
00:39:44
Nicholas
Yeah. um Well, when you're driving, okay. Joke is in Jersey, the last two digits of the highway are the speed limit before the the state trooper pulls you over.
00:39:56
Nicholas
So you have a posted and then you have an actual And I tell you, I kid you not, I'm doing 75 in the slow lane.
00:40:00
Aniz Lavji
yeah
00:40:05
Nicholas
So 75 miles an hour is what, about 110 kilometers an hour up by you guys?
00:40:10
Frank Wiebe
them are like that.
00:40:10
Aniz Lavji
Yeah, about 110 or so.
00:40:11
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:40:12
Nicholas
120? 75 the slow lane, and there goes grandma on the Prius. i'm just Passing me like I'm standing still in the middle lane. I'm like, okay, welcome to NASCAR North around here.
00:40:26
Nicholas
But um anyway, my my my truck came with the Goodyear LS2s. And I went, crap.
00:40:31
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:40:32
Nicholas
Well, the Wranglers I had on my Wrangler, the Goodyears I had on my Grand Cherokees, I was like, okay, these are going to be gone on like 18,000 to 20,000 miles tops.
00:40:43
Nicholas
I got almost 40,000 miles out of them. I got the 36. I had a few thousand miles ah left in them. And I had a blowout one night. So, which... it's another It's another story in itself, but it adds to Compton's TPMS tirade that it goes through, and I'm a firm believer in that.
Advice for Aspiring Technicians
00:41:00
Nicholas
But anyway, um i just I said they're the cheapest ones.
00:41:01
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:41:04
Nicholas
I got 36,000 miles out of them. I'm putting another set on. I'm now at 75,000, and I just swapped out the set.
00:41:14
Aniz Lavji
Yeah. it's It's really, it's a hit and miss.
00:41:15
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:41:16
Aniz Lavji
I mean, you you're doing well on those.
00:41:18
Nicholas
Yeah. And i'm I'm back in the Goodyear LS2s. They don't make them anymore. found out they stopped making them beginning of the year. I'm back in them.
00:41:25
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:41:26
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:41:26
Nicholas
My truck is steady as can be. um I mean, the proof is in the pudding. I couldn't believe it.
00:41:34
Aniz Lavji
I don't think we've sold, i don't think I've sold a Goodyear tire in, maybe in a year I might sell one or two sets at the most.
00:41:41
Nicholas
Yep.
00:41:42
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, we we don't sell them much either.
00:41:42
Nicholas
Same here.
00:41:44
Aniz Lavji
we we're We sell an insane amount of Hankooks and Kumos, like insane amounts of those two brands and the price is right and we get insane deals on them. So that's pretty much what we go through.
00:41:58
Nicholas
Hankooks are a big mover. um I actually got a couple of my customers and actually I bought a set from my Wrangler of Rittersteins. I got Ritterstein ATs on my Wrangler.
00:42:09
Aniz Lavji
Who?
00:42:11
Nicholas
Those things are sticky as heck.
00:42:12
Aniz Lavji
Oh, it starts with a V-R-E-D, right? Redesteam?
00:42:17
Nicholas
Wetterstein pinzas are sticky as heck.
00:42:19
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:42:19
Nicholas
i I was fooling around in my and my ah a parking lot I can go to that plow. And I just wanted to see what the they would do in the in the snow.
00:42:30
Nicholas
you know First snowstorm I had with them, it was kind of icy too.
00:42:32
Aniz Lavji
Mm-hmm.
00:42:33
Nicholas
it was like, perfect. I'll go do a couple donuts. I'll see how the car handles in the snow because I plow with my Jeep. And I'll see what goes on. right I caught a patch like maybe this big.
00:42:45
Nicholas
of blacktop i almost rolled the jeep those things grabbed it and held on to it i have not had a problem with the veterans teams i couldn't believe it yeah i was just trying to find a 30 inch plus tire because you in that size you're down to the bfg uh ko's there's a lot of good tires that they've had for years because the size isn't as popular they're getting rid of them
00:42:51
Frank Wiebe
Yes.
00:42:53
Aniz Lavji
Wow.
00:42:56
Aniz Lavji
Jeez.
00:43:06
Aniz Lavji
Clio 2 is here.
00:43:11
Nicholas
And you go for that tire.
00:43:11
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:43:13
Nicholas
Like, I just wanted to put my MS2s back on. I had Michelins for years on that thing. I just want, you know, the cracks were pretty big. Sorry, Frank. I saw the core through the cracks. I was like, nope, not this winter. with New tires.
00:43:26
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, i think when you see the cords, when I see the cords, that might be time to get rid of them at some point.
00:43:27
Nicholas
And knee-deep in rubber.
00:43:32
Nicholas
Yeah, I was this thick still on that tread. But, no, I couldn't do it.
00:43:36
Frank Wiebe
Really?
00:43:37
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:43:37
Frank Wiebe
Then you got let them go.
00:43:38
Nicholas
Yeah, they wore like steel.
00:43:38
Aniz Lavji
Nicholas.
00:43:40
Frank Wiebe
then you gotta to let them go
00:43:40
Aniz Lavji
What? One question i was actually, i didn't get a chance to mention to Frank, but one question I wanted to ask our guests, especially ones that are techs, you know, if you could give a piece of advice for someone looking to get into this field, maybe there's a young apprentice or
00:43:42
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:44:02
Aniz Lavji
Somebody that's maybe not even in the automotive field, but they're like, hey, you know what? This looks like a lot of fun. Like, what's one piece of advice that you could offer to the, just to a listener, you know, if they're thinking about getting into this field that you wish someone would have given you?
00:44:17
Nicholas
persevere. you gotta You can't just have ah you're going to have to keep going. There are going to be hard days, um but you've got to persevere. you got persevere to go take some training. You've got to be prepared.
00:44:32
Nicholas
You've got to prepare yourself financially. You've got to have your ducks in a row and you've just got to be disciplined on it and you have to persevere on that point no matter what.
Satisfaction and Ethics in Automotive Work
00:44:42
Aniz Lavji
I like that.
00:44:44
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, that's a good answer for sure.
00:44:44
Nicholas
If you're not
00:44:46
Frank Wiebe
I like that.
00:44:46
Nicholas
you're not goingnna you're not going to ah You're not going to be a millionaire here. right If you want to have be a place where you're comfortable and you can help people, help yourself, learn a lot, and you're good with that, um then we're good.
00:45:04
Nicholas
If you're not good with that, you you need to find something else.
00:45:10
Aniz Lavji
No. I think that's that's a good answer. you know, usually if someone asks me that question, first thing I can say is ask for help. You know, don't, don't just, don't just go on Google and, and try to get, you know, your answers from Google, ask someone that's in the industry, ask someone that's been in it, ask someone that's retired from it and and their experiences.
00:45:21
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:45:34
Aniz Lavji
I mean, you want to get advice, you've got to get advice from real, real people that are are in the in the trenches with the wrenches, right? So, you know, I like your answer.
00:45:44
Nicholas
Yeah. And we're going to get salty.
00:45:45
Aniz Lavji
Oh, yeah. Yep.
00:45:47
Nicholas
It's salty because we got stop. You know, you get to that point. It's like you're so focused on the car and you're trying to get it out and you're trying to get another one done. You just again, one more car. And all a sudden somebody's got to like stop you and go, hey, I don't.
00:46:02
Nicholas
I use a three quarter wrench with the 19 millimeter because I can't find my 19 millimeter, but three quarter looks like it works, you all newbie. And you're like, it might work. And you're like, look at him. Like I got to stop and I got to say something not snarky.
00:46:14
Nicholas
You know, it's, it's kind of ingrained in our personalities.
00:46:15
Aniz Lavji
yeah
00:46:16
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:46:18
Nicholas
I guess you could say if the guys are really successful here, have type a personalities, you know, and then getting back to training.
00:46:25
Aniz Lavji
you know
00:46:26
Nicholas
If you haven't noticed those type a personalities kind of, completely deflate when we're at training events.
00:46:33
Aniz Lavji
yeah
00:46:33
Nicholas
You know, it's, it's all at that.
00:46:34
Frank Wiebe
Yeah. and dr
00:46:35
Nicholas
Then it's, it's, it's about camaraderie. You know, it's about being together and and pushing forward and being your best.
00:46:39
Aniz Lavji
kind of that
00:46:42
Aniz Lavji
It's the culture of the industry, right? I mean, we want to if want to change the industry, like they say, have to be part of the solution, not the problem. And if if we're going change the industry, then we really got to be looking out for its best interest.
00:46:52
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:46:56
Aniz Lavji
And, you know, one thing is these these younger men and women that are trying to get in the industry, coach them, talk to them, listen. That's one thing that a lot of people don't do is listen.
00:47:08
Aniz Lavji
Because if we can listen to what their concerns are, we can overcome those objectives, give them advice if this is something that they're
00:47:18
Aniz Lavji
hopefully succeed in or if it's something that you know this something may not be for them at all but you know if we give them the best chance and the best advice i mean then we're doing our part
00:47:30
Frank Wiebe
always and I always say that it's going to be it's going to be a hard industry. like It really is, but it's fun. like I always tell everyone, I've enjoyed my years that I've been in here.
00:47:38
Nicholas
Yep.
00:47:41
Frank Wiebe
like All of the cars that I fixed, that I struggled through, but it's like at the end of the day, that thing is leaving and it's driving away.
00:47:41
Aniz Lavji
yeah so
00:47:52
Frank Wiebe
like Having a car tow away for whatever reason, it's it's the worst feeling, but when it gets towed in, and then it drives away, man.
00:47:58
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:48:00
Frank Wiebe
It's so rewarding. and And if you can get yourself to that point.
00:48:02
Aniz Lavji
and And when someone says thank you, imagine that.
00:48:05
Frank Wiebe
What's that?
00:48:06
Aniz Lavji
And when someone says thank you for fixing my car, I mean, wow.
00:48:09
Frank Wiebe
Yeah. Yeah.
00:48:11
Aniz Lavji
mean, it's a small thing.
00:48:11
Frank Wiebe
right
00:48:12
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:48:13
Frank Wiebe
Yeah. i had I had one today where a customer had tried to fix it himself and swapped parts already and done all kinds of things and said, okay, I'll leave it up to you.
00:48:14
Nicholas
that Thank you. Yeah.
00:48:17
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:48:22
Nicholas
Cool.
00:48:24
Frank Wiebe
And it was it ended up being a broken wire. And i was able to fix it. And man, it and it ran so good after. And I just, I ran it out. There's so much pride in that.
00:48:35
Frank Wiebe
Even after all these years, I still get that feeling.
00:48:36
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:48:38
Frank Wiebe
It's like, that that was really satisfying. Like really satisfying. And if you can get to that point in your career where where're you do a job, whether it's it's like a brake job or an oil change or anything, it doesn't matter what the job is.
00:48:53
Frank Wiebe
and it's really satisfying. You're just like, man, I'm really proud I did that job knowing that that car is leaving, knowing that that car is not going to rear end my motorbike at a traffic circle, knowing that that what I did made that car safe for them, for everyone else on the road.
00:49:06
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:49:14
Frank Wiebe
That is always and should always be the goal. Money is a good byproduct of that, but the goal should always be that you are happy with your work, that you're you're proud of your work, and that your work shows the ethics that you have.
00:49:31
Frank Wiebe
that
00:49:32
Aniz Lavji
Yeah. 100%.
00:49:33
Frank Wiebe
You can't say it enough, but that' that's how I feel about this industry.
00:49:36
Nicholas
And it's funny you mentioned money being a byproduct. I was just saying this to ah my new service writer we're training up. um Our profitability is a byproduct of serving people.
00:49:47
Frank Wiebe
Mm-hmm.
00:49:47
Nicholas
If you can get that through your head and realize all the little mechanics you've put together to get that, that's when you know you're actually becoming successful you're actually achieving some goals in this industry.
00:50:00
Nicholas
It's difficult.
00:50:01
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:50:02
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:50:03
Aniz Lavji
And you know, for any, for any owners listening one piece of advice, really, I just want to put it out there again is just take care of your people because if if you're besides the fact, if you are a tech yourself or not, if you don't have your team members, you don't have a shop.
00:50:03
Frank Wiebe
Yep. Very much so.
00:50:23
Aniz Lavji
You're going to have open doors and empty bays.
00:50:24
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:50:26
Aniz Lavji
So
00:50:26
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:50:26
Aniz Lavji
You know, take care of your techs, take care of your service writers, give them fricking raises, take care of them, let them make some money. And you know what? Honestly, people laugh when I tell them, but one of my favorite parts of the week is on Friday, writing payroll checks. They're like, why? And I'm like, I love, I love paying my people.
00:50:47
Aniz Lavji
And I love when they get excited when they've put in a ah heavy week and they've got, and I pay overtime. They're like, you pay overtime? I'm like, yeah, i pay overtime because they freaking work. And when they get all these extra overtime hours and they look at their check and they're like, holy crap.
00:51:02
Aniz Lavji
And I'm like, yeah, well, don't spend it all by Monday. I need you here at 9 a.m. But, uh, but
00:51:06
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:51:07
Frank Wiebe
miss
00:51:08
Aniz Lavji
You know, it's it's a really good feeling yeah when your're when your texts feel appreciated.
00:51:09
Nicholas
Do it again.
00:51:11
Frank Wiebe
buts
00:51:14
Aniz Lavji
and And again, say thank you to your texts. Say thank you to your service writers. Say thank you to your team members because without them, all you are is just a name on a board and a phone number.
Podcast Conclusion
00:51:24
Frank Wiebe
You said 9 a.m.
00:51:25
Nicholas
yeah
00:51:25
Frank Wiebe
What are you going to start in the middle of the day?
00:51:28
Aniz Lavji
Well, I run banking hours, Frank. i You know, sorry.
00:51:32
Frank Wiebe
um man.
00:51:32
Nicholas
Well, Frank, you're doing four four days a week now, right?
00:51:32
Frank Wiebe
I feel sorry for you.
00:51:36
Frank Wiebe
My techs are doing four days a week. I am doing five days a week because I've got i've got two techs and they're staggering, right?
00:51:41
Nicholas
Yeah, you always put in an extra day.
00:51:44
Frank Wiebe
one One guy's off Monday, one guy's off Friday.
00:51:45
Nicholas
Right?
00:51:46
Frank Wiebe
so but and And I get to work all five days. I'm excited about it. I get to work all five days, 11 hours a day.
00:51:54
Aniz Lavji
You know, Nicholas, i think um I think we really need to have a part two with you, man.
00:51:55
Nicholas
Ugh.
00:52:01
Aniz Lavji
um I think this conversation has been awesome. I did promise my wife that I would be ending it around 10, 15, and we're we're there now.
00:52:12
Nicholas
There's the balance.
00:52:13
Aniz Lavji
And exactly.
00:52:14
Nicholas
There's the balance. And I'll be a little more prepared. i figured I could do it through my tablet, my one mainframe computer.
00:52:17
Aniz Lavji
ah no, i no, honestly,
00:52:20
Nicholas
So it just went, the camera went, bye.
00:52:21
Aniz Lavji
No, this has really been really been a great conversation.
00:52:21
Frank Wiebe
It worked.
00:52:25
Aniz Lavji
and And Frank, thanks for finding Nicholas. I mean, i'm I'm really glad that we were able to chat with you tonight and hopefully we'll we'll get you back on. And have your contact info Frank gave me.
00:52:37
Aniz Lavji
I want to definitely keep in touch with you. And if you're ever ah in this area, let's definitely get together.
00:52:40
Nicholas
Yeah, i'm I'm busy during the day. So, yeah, if I don't answer you start to start slamming me on on Messenger. see I check that pretty regularly.
00:52:50
Nicholas
But ah that's still phil because I'm concentrating on the car.
00:52:51
Aniz Lavji
No, for sure.
00:52:53
Nicholas
I'm concentrating on the customer during the day. I got 10 hours where I'm not really concentrating on my phone.
00:52:56
Frank Wiebe
gotta to get more Yeah. Yeah.
00:52:59
Aniz Lavji
Yep. I usually message Frank right midday when I know he's going to be extremely busy. And then if he doesn't answer, I'll just call the store and I'll talk to Margarita and be like, what's Frank doing?
00:53:06
Nicholas
Yeah.
00:53:09
Frank Wiebe
She, she, she, she said, Anis has really been trying to get ahold you. He called, he called the office today and I checked my phone.
00:53:15
Aniz Lavji
I thought that was my mistake. That's the funny thing.
00:53:18
Frank Wiebe
You hadn't even sent me a message and I'm like, I don't know.
00:53:20
Aniz Lavji
Because usually, no, usually I just message you, Frank, but I got the new phone, so I got to set it up properly.
00:53:21
Frank Wiebe
Whatever.
00:53:26
Aniz Lavji
But for some reason I called and then Margarita picked up and I'm like, crap, I'm calling the store.
00:53:31
Frank Wiebe
well And sometimes sometimes if if if somebody calls my phone and I'm like, I don't got time for this. Hey, Margarita, here, answer this for me. So sometimes you get hurt either way.
00:53:41
Aniz Lavji
Oh, man. But, uh. but Nicholas, man, thanks so much for talking with us tonight. um You know, for all the all the listeners, thank you so much for supporting us.
00:53:48
Nicholas
Thanks for having me.
00:53:53
Aniz Lavji
You know, we've gotten messages here and there saying that you're enjoying the podcast. And honestly, we we really, really appreciate all the love. And please follow us on Spotify and YouTube.
00:54:04
Aniz Lavji
And yeah, until next time, thank you so much for for all the love. And Nicholas, hang on the line here. And good night, everyone.