Weeks 1–2 · Your car
The manual, the schedule and the actual history.
The programs, in detail
Four programs of 4 to 10 weeks, worked on your own vehicle, your mileage and your bills.
Program 01 · The jobs worth doing
Owner basics
We work through your own manual and build a real schedule for your car and mileage. Then the jobs most owners can do: checking and topping fluids, air filters, wipers, battery terminals, tire pressure and rotation — with clear rules about jack stands and what not to attempt.
Weeks 3–4 · Checks
Fluids, tires and a monthly walkaround.
Weeks 5–6 · Simple jobs
Filters, wipers, bulbs and battery care.
Weeks 7–8 · Safety
Jacking properly, and the long list to leave alone.
Weeks 1–2 · Describing it
Speed, temperature, braking, turning — the details that matter.
Weeks 3–4 · Codes
Reading them, and what they don't tell you.
Weeks 5–6 · Triage
Urgent, soon, or watch it.
Program 02 · Before you pay for guesses
Noises & warning lights
Send a video with sound and the conditions the noise appears in, and most symptoms narrow quickly. We cover reading codes with a cheap scanner, what common codes actually mean, and triage: drive it, book it, or stop driving now.
Program 03 · Before the money moves
Buying a used car
We build a shortlist that matches your use and budget, then a walkaround checklist you can run in fifteen minutes, what the history report does and doesn't reveal, and why a pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is the best hundred and fifty dollars in the process.
Weeks 1–2 · Shortlist
Models, mileage and known problems.
Weeks 3–4 · Inspecting
The checklist, and the signs to walk away from.
Weeks 5–6 · Closing
Inspection, negotiation and paperwork.
Weeks 1–2 · Reading estimates
Parts, labor and the upsell list.
Weeks 3–4 · Choosing a shop
Questions, second opinions and recalls.
Program 04 · Stop overpaying
Estimates & shops
Bring an estimate and we'll go through it: what each line does, which items are genuinely due, where the labor time comes from, and what to ask. We also cover open recalls, warranty work and how to find a shop that treats you well.
Got a noise or an estimate?
Twenty minutes on your car and what it actually needs. Free.