Ron Ananian The Car Doctor

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - Hour 2 - October 24, 2026
Have we fallen out of love with our cars, or has owning one just become too expensive?
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, opens Hour 2 with a question worth thinking about. A customer spends nearly $6,000 repairing a nine-year-old Chevy with just 70,000 miles. Why? Because spending $6,000 to keep a dependable car on the road beats spending $30,000 or $50,000 to replace it.
But that gets Ron thinking. Have we lost the emotional connection we once had with our automobiles?
From Sunday drives with Dad in an old Lincoln to colorful muscle cars, car washes, and weekend Cars & Coffee gatherings, Ron wonders whether today's drivers still love their cars or simply view them as expensive transportation.
Plus, in this hour:
2009 Ford Escape washer pump mystery: A Delaware caller discovers why a failed front windshield washer might actually be connected to the rear wiper motor.

Old-school gasket repairs: Tips for sealing a cork valve cover gasket on a 1986 Dodge 600.

Coolant isn't just for winter: Michael Marcangelo, Senior Product Manager at PEAK, joins Ron to explain why antifreeze protects your engine year-round.

Coolant colors, chemistry, and compatibility: Why choosing the correct coolant matters more than simply matching colors.

Concentrate or premixed? Which makes more sense for your vehicle and your maintenance routine?

Cooling system safety: How to recognize leaks, avoid dangerous burns, protect pets, and know when it's time to service your antifreeze.

Cars have changed. Prices have changed. And maybe our relationship with the automobile has changed, too.
But one thing hasn't: Good mechanics aren't expensive. They're priceless.
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor™ — America's Favorite Working Radio Mechanic.
Car Advice, Done Right
🌐Visit: CarDoctorShow.com
📸 Follow Ron on Instagram: @ronananian
🎥 Watch repair tips and shop videos on YouTube
📻 Join the conversation LIVE Saturdays 2–4 PM


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - Hour 1 - October 24, 2026
Sometimes the best thing a mechanic can do for a customer is send them somewhere else.
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, opens this hour with a real story from his repair shop. A customer brings in a 2010 Honda for what seems like a simple tire repair. But four aging tires, worn steering components, and an unexpected $1,800 repair estimate turn a small problem into a much bigger decision.
Why would Ron recommend a national tire and repair chain instead of keeping the work in his own shop? The answer says a lot about customer trust, the changing automotive repair business, and what it really means to put the customer first.
Plus, your calls and questions:
Used or new Cadillac? A New Jersey caller whose Lincoln was totaled in a nor'easter needs help choosing her next vehicle, with comfort, warranties, and possible flood damage all part of the equation.

Fuel additives and engine protection: Micah from Maine asks about Hot Shot's Secret, Stiction Eliminator, and maintaining his high-mileage-minded Subaru.

Whatever happened to wiper blade refills? Ron explains how vehicle aerodynamics have changed wiper blade and air filter designs.

A Jeep that nearly burned: A Nevada listener shares a frightening story about leaves and debris igniting inside the heater box of his 1997 Jeep Wrangler.

It's an hour of real-world automotive advice, unexpected lessons, and a reminder that good mechanics aren't always the ones who sell you the repair. Sometimes they're the ones who help you find the best way to get it done.
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor™ — Real Experience. Real Questions. Real Answers.
Good mechanics aren't expensive. They're priceless.
Car Advice, Done Right
🌐Visit: CarDoctorShow.com
📸 Follow Ron on Instagram: @ronananian
🎥 Watch repair tips and shop videos on YouTube
📻 Join the conversation LIVE Saturdays 2–4 PM
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - Hour 2 - October 17, 2026
Winter is coming. Are you and your car ready?
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor™, tackles one of the most overlooked safety items on your vehicle: windshield wiper blades. Joining Ron is James Croston, Senior Product Manager at PEAK, for a conversation about why good wiper blades matter, how often they should be replaced, and what makes one blade better than another.
From streaking and chattering to snow, ice, and freezing temperatures, Ron and James explain why being able to see clearly isn't a luxury. It's a necessity.
Plus, real calls and real repairs:
2021 Chrysler Pacifica: A mysterious dashboard rattle at highway speeds. Is it inside the dashboard, or is the wind revealing something else?

2003 Toyota Corolla: A previously discussed no-start problem is finally resolved, but a mystery sensor leaves Ron asking an important question: Did we really find the cause?

Winter car care: Why Ron starts questioning batteries at four years old, recommends fresh wiper blades, and suggests replacing headlight bulbs in pairs when appropriate.

It's another hour of automotive troubleshooting, practical maintenance advice, and lessons from a mechanic who believes that fixing a car is only half the job. Understanding why it failed is what really matters.
Good mechanics aren't expensive. They're priceless.
Car Advice, Done Right
🌐Visit: CarDoctorShow.com
📸 Follow Ron on Instagram: @ronananian
🎥 Watch repair tips and shop videos on YouTube
📻 Join the conversation LIVE Saturdays 2–4 PM



See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - October 17, 2026 - Hour 1
What happens when a simple brake job turns into a repair shop nightmare?
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor™, takes listeners behind the scenes of a week that went sideways. With his only technician unexpectedly hospitalized, Ron finds himself working alone, juggling repairs, and battling a 2011 Ford E250 van whose grinding brakes reveal rusted components, seized parking brake hardware, and a growing list of hard-to-find parts.
It's a story about experience, persistence, and the quicksand that even seasoned mechanics can find themselves sinking into.
Plus, real calls from across America:
2024 Ram 2500 Cummins: Is Hot Shot's Secret Stiction Eliminator worth using in an expensive diesel engine?

2012 Lexus CT200h: A mysterious cold-start rattle raises questions about engine timing, hybrid drivetrain components, and proper diagnosis.

2004 Lexus RX330: Catalytic converter codes return after oxygen sensor replacement. Why replacing parts isn't the same as diagnosing the problem.

From unexpected shop challenges to expensive repair decisions, Ron delivers real-world automotive advice from someone still turning wrenches every day.
Good mechanics aren't expensive. They're priceless.
Car Advice, Done Right
🌐Visit: CarDoctorShow.com
📸 Follow Ron on Instagram: @ronananian
🎥 Watch repair tips and shop videos on YouTube
📻 Join the conversation LIVE Saturdays 2–4 PM



See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - October 10, 2026 - Hour 2
Have modern cars become too complicated—and too expensive for the average driver to own and repair?
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor™, tackles that question after a listener from Iowa raises concerns about the growing cost of automotive technology. Ron shares real-world examples from the repair bay, including a 2019 Ford Edge requiring $1,000 in liftgate parts and a two-year-old Genesis facing an astonishing $18,000 headlight-related repair estimate.
And what happens when the technology becomes so expensive that a relatively minor accident could total a vehicle?
Also in this episode:
A listener asks whether six months is too long between oil changes, even when driving just 3,000 miles.

A 2003 Toyota Corolla develops a mysterious no-start condition, with the cooling fan running and the temperature gauge behaving strangely.

Why the shortage of skilled automotive technicians and the cost of diagnostic equipment matter to every vehicle owner.

Preventive maintenance advice for a low-mileage Dodge Durango.

How to recognize a possible flood-damaged used car before making an expensive mistake.

Plus, Ron reflects on a visit to his old high school, where an eight-bay automotive shop has been reduced to just one bay—and what that says about the future of the repair industry.
Cars may have changed, but the fundamentals haven't. Good diagnostics, proper maintenance, and knowing what you're buying can save you thousands.
Real Experience. Real Questions. Real Answers.
Car Advice, Done Right
🌐Visit: CarDoctorShow.com
📸 Follow Ron on Instagram: @ronananian
🎥 Watch repair tips and shop videos on YouTube
📻 Join the conversation LIVE Saturdays 2–4 PM


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.