The Troubleshooter 03-20-26

The Troubleshooter Show, hosted by Tom Martino on Car Day, features a deep dive into pressing car-related issues, including parts shortages, insurance pitfalls, and vehicle thefts in Colorado. The episode opens with guest experts Kevin Culkin and Jeff Vick discussing how mild weather has led to a quiet winter for auto repair shops and body shops, but also created a critical parts availability crisis. Tom highlights the growing frustration over long wait times—up to six months—for body parts, attributing it to post-COVID supply chain changes and manufacturers’ shift to just-in-time inventory. He then critiques the F&I (Finance and Insurance) departments at dealerships, calling them the 'FU department' for adding $12,000 in unnecessary add-ons like windshield etching and anti-theft devices, which he dismisses as ineffective. The show shifts to listener calls: Dan recounts a hit-and-run incident where his neighbor hit his 1999 Dodge Ram, but the police refused to tow the uninsured vehicle, and the insurance company offered to total it for $1,500—far below its actual market value. Tom advises Dan to pursue small claims court and get repair estimates. Later, a caller shares a story of a stolen 2000 Ford F-350 truck with $10,000 in solar equipment, prompting a community alert. The episode also covers a woman’s struggle to retrieve her mother-in-law’s ashes from a cremation service that repeatedly missed delivery dates, leading to a call to the state’s regulatory agency. In a tech segment, Troy discusses the rise of autonomous AI tools like OpenClaw, warning of risks from unguarded access to personal accounts, while Tom urges listeners to use isolated systems and guardrails. The show ends with a caution against rip-offs on Facebook Marketplace and a critique of a woman’s $30,000 lawsuit over a used Audi she bought 'as is,' calling her legal pursuit irrational and financially reckless.