Ron Ananian The Car Doctor

On Mendte in the Morning on WOR Radio 710, Ron Ananian , The Car Doctor, joins holiday host Ken Rosato to break down one of the biggest automotive stories of the year. Following Ford Motor Company ’s decision to halt production of the F-150 Lightning and take a reported $20-billion charge tied to its EV strategy, Ron explains why the move isn’t a failure of the vehicle—but a real...

Ron and crew are on their way back from the North Pole this weekend. It's a "Best Of" show from September 27, 2025. Instead of being on remote at the Annual PBA 286 Car Show, Ron and crew had to beat feet back to the studio when an equipment glitch at the time, later found out to be a Google Software update problem, caused remote equipment not to work.  Its a great hour of radio in typical Ro...

While Ron and crew are making the trip back from the North Pole, having helped Santa with another Christmas Eve, here is a "Best Of" show. Ron sat down with industry icon and physicist Mark Mills to talk about EV's from multiple views a few years ago. Its a great flash from the past and interesting to note as many of the predictions and directions are happening now.  Grab your Car Doctor gear...

It’s the last live show of the year on Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor —and Ron explains what’s coming next: a Best-Of show next weekend , then back live New Year’s weekend . Ron also reminds listeners the broadcast becomes a podcast (search Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor on iHeart, Apple, Amazon, Google, and more). Plus, a caller with a 2023 Ford F-150 faces a persistent check en...

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor opens with a Christmas-season story that stops him cold at a red light in Ramsey, NJ—when he realizes a young couple in the car next to him is listening to  his show on the podcast. From there, Ron dives into the real-world chaos of modern repairs: a 2012 Mazda 3 owner spends $1,800 at a dealership with no clear diagnostic paperwork… only to be told th...

Do You Really Need to Warm Up Your Car? On this episode of  Mendte in the Morning on WOR Radio 710 , Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , clears up one of winter’s most debated questions—should you warm up your car before driving? Ron explains what modern vehicles really need, why safety and visibility matter more than internet myths, and when a short warm-up actually makes sense—e...

This hour on Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron kicks things off with a holiday giveaway—Car Doctor “hot cocoa” coffee mugs for callers—then dives straight into a stack of real-world problems. Paul in New Hampshire calls about a ’92 Toyota Tercel that occasionally stumbles and stalls after idling; Ron walks through a practical diagnostic path that points toward throttl...

In this segment of Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron explains how auto repair has evolved beyond simply fixing cars into a business built on trust, guidance, and long-term relationships. Using a real customer story, he shows how fear of cost or scheduling can lead drivers away from trusted shops, often resulting in repeat visits, unresolved problems, and lingering doubt about whether the repair wa...

Lifetime Transmission Fluids, Cold Nissans & Beeping Volkswagens This week on  Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron opens with a nod to The Sopranos and that famous Holsten’s ice cream shop before diving into the realities behind “lifetime” fluids and modern transmission service. A caller with a 2017 Ford Fusion asks about trans fluid intervals, and Ron lays out why waiting...

Full Moon Mechanics: Walk-Ins, Walkers & Why That “Noise” Wasn’t the Car This week on  Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron takes you inside one of those “full-moon” stretches in the shop—when walk-ins, overdue maintenance, and stacked schedules all hit at once. A routine checklist on Michael’s Jeep Compass turns into a full safety catch-up: dry-rott...

Larry Mendte of “Mendte in the Morning” on WOR 710 AM New York sits down with Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor to talk about a surprising new twist in the collector world: the growing demand for cars of the 1980s . It’s a fast, fun, and nostalgic 10-minute romp through the cars you grew up with—Cadillac Eldorados, and the boxy, big-shouldered cruisers that are suddenly hot again...

On this episode of Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron takes a deeper dive into the story behind NABC Recycled Rides with guest Shyllo Michaelis, Chief Strategy Officer for Texas Collision Centers . Shyllo explains how their 16-shop operation teamed up with insurers and local charities to refurbish and donate 16 vehicles to veterans for Veterans Day—how the cars are selected, what qualifies, h...

This week on Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron answers a listener email about a Ford Transit rear brake job that turned into a wrong-year/ wrong-parts headache, then explains a 2021 Jeep Gladiator start/stop battery issue and the simple reset trick that brings it back to life. He lays out a fast winter car prep checklist—tires, batteries, coolant, washer fluid, oil, belts—and closes wi...

This episode of Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor dives into the one thing most drivers overlook: the relationship with your mechanic . Ron explains why trust, honesty, and communication matter more than price-shopping or chasing second opinions—and how being a “consumer” instead of a “customer” can derail even the simplest repair. You’ll hear real-world examples from...

This week on  Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron opens with a Veterans Day salute and a tribute to the last Navajo Code Talker, whose everyday language helped win a world war. From there, it’s a fast lap through the garage: shopping old Cadillacs with the notorious HT 4100 engine, spooky hearse memories from the ’80s, chasing a hard-to-find clock spring for a ’97 Dodge Dakota...

In this episode of Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron steps away from the wrench for a moment and talks from the heart about a growing crisis in the auto repair world: there aren’t enough mechanics to fix tomorrow’s cars . Sparked by Ford CEO Jim Farley’s recent comment that he can’t fill 5,000 technician jobs paying $120,000 a year, Ron digs into why the trade gets so littl...

In this episode of Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor , Ron opens with a visit to the local liquor store and a simple question—“How’s business?”—that quickly turns into a bigger conversation about the crazy state of the world, the economy, and yes, auto repair. From there, he dives into a head-scratcher in the shop: a 2020 GMC Denali with an intermittent no-crank that’...

This week, Ron talks with automotive journalist Matt DeLorenzo , author of Mercedes AMG , about how two German engineers turned a luxury car brand into a racing powerhouse. From the birth of AMG in a small town workshop to the legendary “Flying Pig” that stunned the racing world, Matt shares how Mercedes’ high-performance division grew into one of motorsport’s most dominant...

This week on Ron Ananian The Car Doctor , Ron opens with a story about the “Price of Bagels” — and what a $126 breakfast says about the cost of living, value, and perspective. Then he takes calls from listeners coast-to-coast: Lee from Maine wonders if her rusted 2006 Toyota Camry is worth saving or if it’s time for a newer ride, and Carl from Wisconsin learns how to manage...

This week on Ron Ananian The Car Doctor , Ron opens with a real Tuesday-morning phone call: a Honda owner chasing the cheapest tie rod and wheel alignment in town after a “great cheap oil change” at the dealer. From there, Ron breaks down the wrong way to talk to a repair shop , why price-shopping without a relationship always backfires, and how skipped 30k/45k/60k services eventually...

Sunroof Drains, Honest Oil Changes & a Flash-Fixed Buick Quick hits this week: why sunroof drains are “house gutters” for your car, the oil-change must-dos most shops skip (clean work, proper torque, new crush washers), and a Chevy 2500 6.6L gas with rising oil consumption—what to ask the dealer and why it can cook cats/O2 sensors. Plus, a 2013 Buick’s harsh “slam...

The $49 Bagel Test — Why a Real Oil Change Costs What It Costs Bagels don’t get price complaints—but oil changes do. Ron compares a $49 North Jersey bagel run to the true value of a  proper oil change : factory drain-plug gaskets, under-car inspection, torque specs, shields off/on, and a road test that keeps you safe at highway speeds. Plus: a Buick saved by an “it-won...

🎃 Open: Halloween banter sets the mood before diving into calls. 🚙 ’99 Land Cruiser: Caller plans full restoration; Ron weighs the costs, effort, and emotional value vs. simply buying one already done. 🧰 30K Service: What real maintenance includes—oil and filters, tire rotation, brake fluid flush, and a full inspection. 💧 Brake Fluid Flush: Why moisture matters and how to do it rig...

🧠 Opening Thought: Most drivers undervalue maintenance because the car often feels the same afterward—until years later when reliability proves the payoff. ⛽ 100k vs. 200k (and 500k): Many cars can reach ~100k on oil changes alone; to reach 200k–500k, you need scheduled fluids, filters, and inspections. 🔋 Reliability Odds: Batteries past their rated life = rolling the dice. Aviation...

In this hour, Ron tackles real-world fixes: a 2017 Jeep Wrangler with sticky steering (steering shaft u-joints + PB Blaster), a P0128 thermostat rate-of-rise code and murky coolant, a 2012 Honda CR-V catalytic converter myth (why cats do wear out), and a 2013 Chevy Silverado low-compression mystery (leak-down tests, borescopes, and a $20 vacuum gauge). Practical diagnostics, parts advice (MotoRad,...