CarPro Host Jerry Reynolds Advises
Caution When Listening to The Automotive Edge Radio
Show
2024 May 4
Timing belt maintenance advice unchains CarPro Host Jerry Reynolds’ Ire
The gauntlet was thrown down. Jerry Reynolds, automotive radio host of The CarPro Show, blasted the advice given by Kurt Chase, a rival automotive radio host of The Automotive Edge. Setting the stage for a rumble at the Sportatorium, Jerry “The Fixer” Reynolds began the second hour of his April 27th broadcast with following skewering of Kurt “The Bridesmaid” Chase:
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The CarPro Show
Um… I joined in 23 years ago, uh, here on WBAP and I had a show since then. There's been a bunch come and go and, but there's still four or five on right now. And I know some of you flip channels, be careful what you listen to. I listen back to all my competition” […] “The message is this: be careful who you listen to. Uh… One of my competitors when I was listening in this week had a question from a guy with a Fusion, a Ford fusion. And his question was, hey, I'm coming up on 150,000 miles, do you have any idea how long the car will last? And should I get the timing belt changed? Uh… changed? And he told the guy, you know, on the timing belt. No. If you haven't changed it by 150,000 miles, don't do it. And, I almost wrecked the car because I'm thinking: Wow! That should
have been done a long time ago! If in fact, it has a timing belt. It may
not. And it would depend on what engine size the, the listener had. But he didn't ask that question. He
didn't say which, which one do you have? Are
you sure it's got a timing belt? It could have a timing chain which typically
you don't have to change at all, ever. So, be careful who you listen to on the radio. Just because somebody's on the radio doesn't mean the information you're getting is good. Be careful.” [Some
extraneous discussion omitted for readability.] |
Reynolds was primarily alarmed at the advice to not change the timing belt if one is already long past its maintenance interval. He was also alarmed that Chase did not confirm that the car (2013 Ford Fusion) actually had a timing belt. Four engines were available for the 2013 Ford Fusion, where only the Ecoboost 1.6L engine had a timing belt while the other three had timing chains.
The original radio exchange that Reynolds was critiquing follows below (audio / transcript):
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The Automotive Edge
Caller ‘Jack’ Kurt Chase […] Caller ‘Jack’ […] Caller ‘Jack’ Kurt Chase But if you haven't had a problem with this issue at this point, leave it alone. If it is creating an issue, you can always take it into Driver's Edge and say: hey, could you check my timing belt. They’ll check the timing on it and let you know. Hey, you're still running well, everything's still fine. But if it hasn't, there's no need to spend that kind of money if you're still doing OK.” Caller ‘Jack’ Kurt Chase [Some
extraneous discussion/interjections omitted for readability.] |
The maintenance interval of timing belts, for vehicles with them, is standard across most makes and models. That belt must be replaced when a given mileage or age is reached (whichever comes first). So, Reynolds is correct in stating that Chase gave horrible advice on timing belt maintenance, especially since many vehicles have interference engines. When an interference engine suffers a timing failure (belt or chain), its internals likely collide, which destroys the engine.
To
reiterate the point, if one has a vehicle with a timing belt whose maintenance
interval has expired by either mileage or time,
replace it immediately.
And, as Reynolds pointed out, Chase was negligent on not confirming that the caller’s Fusion actually had a timing belt. It very well might have been equipped with one of its three other engine choices that are built with a timing chain. Timing chains have no fixed replacement interval and are replaced when diagnosed as failing.
But all of the above does not give the entire story. The correct advice for the caller requires referencing the vehicle’s manufacturer specifications. The timing belt maintenance interval is found in the owners manual on page #433, as shown below:
Ford explicitly specifies a 150,000 mile timing belt replacement interval
for the Ecoboost 1.6L engine. Ford does not specify a time by when the timing
belt must be replaced. Given these
parameters, the correct advice for Caller ‘Jack’ (for his ten year old 2013
Ford Fusion with 150K miles) is to replace the timing belt. With 150,000 miles
on that Fusion, its belt replacement is due, but
not overdue, based upon its mileage. So according to the car’s manufacturer,
Reynolds’s exclamation of “Wow! That
should have been done a long time ago!” is wrong as well since a
timing belt replacement, if done soon, would not be tardy.
So, yes, Chase gave bad advice. But one must note that Chase was providing a live-on-the-air, immediate response to a caller’s random question. Conversely, Reynolds had several days to research his answer and still got an important detail wrong as well. Perhaps a pox on both houses is due.
CarPro Host Jerry Reynolds’ selective scolding of rivals
It also appears that Reynolds is quite selective as to which rival automotive radio talkers that he will scold. One of Reynolds frequent topics of discussion is something called “diminished value”. Diminished value is a loss in resale value of a collision damaged vehicle after it has been repaired, even if the repair is done correctly. Reynolds has written and discussed on-air how to recover that diminished value, assuring folks that there solid grounds upon which to claim it.
Well, just last year, Ed Wallace casted shade upon the idea of diminished value.
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Wheels with David El Attrache and
John Ingram
So the courts have never decided on it. Insurance companies treat it the exact same way.” […] David El Attrache Caller Ed Wallace Caller John Ingram Ed Wallace [Some
extraneous discussion/interjections omitted for readability.] |
So, in 2023, Wallace claims that the Texas courts are inconsistent about honoring diminished value claims. Well, the Texas Department of Insurance ended any ambiguity regarding diminished value over twenty years ago.
Commissioner’s
Bulletin # B-0027-00 - Texas Department of Insurance
April 6, 2000
“An insurer also may be obligated to pay a third party claimant for any loss of
market value of the claimant’s automobile, regardless of the completeness of
the repair, in a liability claim that the third party claimant may have against
a policyholder. Further, an insurer may be obligated to pay a first party
claimant under the uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage provisions of the
policy, for any loss of market value of the first party claimant’s automobile,
regardless of the completeness of the repair.”
So, Wallace gives bad advice on a topic that Reynolds frequently evangelizes upon. But Wallace is not once given an on-air scolding by Reynolds.
One must note that receiving diminished value compensation from an insurance company is often difficult, as noted by this diminished value investigation by KPRC in Houston. But difficult does not mean fictional. And wanting to claim it does not make one a “mooch”, as Wallace labels a caller who seeks it.
Automotive radio wrestlers wield the dreaded Iron Jaw
The stage seems set at the old Sportatorium for a cage match between members of the Automotive Radio Wrestlers of Dallas (ARWD) league.
In one corner resides Jerry “The Fixer” Reynolds, who made a backroom anti-poach deal that allegedly violates antitrust law. The Fixer also lobbied the Texas state legislature to pass laws that protect franchised dealers from competition, thereby harms consumers.
In another corner, there’s Kurt “The Bridesmaid” Chase. Where there is competition between these hosts for the heart of a sponsor, poor Kurt always finds himself playing second fiddle or worst. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Sorry Kurt, they’re just aren’t that much into you.
And in a third corner, there’s Ed “The Menace” Wallace. Enough said.
One must remember that all of these radio hosts get their pay from the car dealerships that advertise on their shows. You, the audience, are the product being sold by these hosts to these dealerships. So do be careful to whom you listen to on the radio. Reynolds is correct on that point. He just “forgot” to include himself.
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2023 November 22 - Ed Wallace's Exit as KLIF Wheels’ On-Air Host Emboldens Rivals
2022 July 2 - The Airing of the KLIF Wallace, KFXR/KRLD Chase & Norm Reeves Honda GM Elattrache Love Triangle
2022 June 4 - Alleged Antitrust Violation Admissions by WBAP Car Pro Host and by WBAP Car Pro / KLIF Wheels Sponsor
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