Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor – Show Summary: “Proximity of Repair”

This week, Ron explores the concept of proximity of repair—the idea that if a mechanic is already accessing one part of the car, related repairs nearby shouldn't be billed as full separate jobs. He illustrates this with a 2017 Toyota RAV4 that came in after a $79.95 oil change at a dealer. The customer was hit with nearly $5,000 in recommended repairs, including axles, seals, and ball joints. Ron broke down the quote and found much of the labor was inflated due to overlapping work.

Ron warns against loss leader oil changes that lead to unnecessary upsells and urges listeners to question labor charges: “Are they already in that area of the car?” Always ask.

This Weeks Calls:
Anthony from Maine reports repeated issues with his 2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid—dead battery, hybrid recall, and a Smart Key failure. 

Barbara called about her rusted 2010 Buick Lucerne. She’s put $4,000 into it but now needs $6,000 in bodywork to pass inspection.

Ron’s advice: Don’t do it. The car’s too old, the rust too deep. Time to move on.

The Mystery Battery Drain:

Caller Fred has found a 2.6-amp draw on a 2005 Lesabre but couldn’t isolate it.

Ron’s advice: Start with the underhood fuse box — it likely feeds the rest. Pulling fuses in the wrong order can mislead you.

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