Here’s the latest reader question, along with my reply!
Kenny asks: By chance, have you watched Scotty Kilmer’s YouTube channel about cars? If so, what do you think about his advice in general on cars? Is he credible? I ask because it seems like he’s the most watched YouTube car guy, has 3.48 million subscribers, and he releases at least two videos on a daily basis, which consistently hits at least a hundred thousand views each. Every now and then, he gets a video with over a million views. If I remember correctly, I think he claims to have 50+ years of experience as a mechanic. After watching many of his videos, he thinks Toyota (or even its luxury brand Lexus) is the best in terms of reliability (despite a slight decline in quality over the year); Hondas are still good, but they’re getting cheaper and making questionable decisions; BMWs, Mercedes, and VWs are “endless money pits”; GMs and Chevy cars are typically garbage; Japanese engineering is superior to European engineering; the trend of turbo V4 engines isn’t very wise; bearish on electric cars as it currently stands; the trend of SUVs over sedans is mostly a fad; sensory cars that automatically brake is a dangerous trend; advises to only purchase used cars as opposed to brand new cars from the dealership; etc., etc. He only owns two cars, a 94 Toyota Celica and a Lexus from the early 2000s, I believe. Do you think this guy is legit? Have you yourself thought about creating a YouTube channel? You do cover a unique niche of being the “libertarian car guy”, which I think can potentially attract quite the crowd on YouTube.
My reply: I don’t know Scotty personally but I do know he’s entertaining – and while I don’t agree with him about everything and have heard him say some strange things, the same’s as true of me – and everyone else. Overall, I think he’s genuine. And that’s as important to me as being right most of the time. The thing I cannot abide is disingenuousness – the purposeful evasion/suppression of facts one doesn’t agree with – as we’re seeing now with regard to the “threat” of WuFlu and the “necessity” of Diapering.
As regards the Tube of You: I think Scotty is risking everything by placing his livelihood in the hands of this adjunct of Gurgle, this member of the tech oligarchy that can and probably will just cancel his channel one fine day for whatever reason it likes.
I don’t like that at all.
That’s why I’m here – at EPautos – which Gurgle and the oligopolies do not control. Yet. Granted, they can (and have) “de-monetized” me and they could, I suppose, just blank me out of their search algorithms. But so long as the site isn’t actually shut down by fatwa, you’ll always be able to find my stuff and other like-minded people here.
I’m a big proponent of decentralization.The more we control, they less they control. I strongly recommend not “liking” Facebook, using Gurgle or doing business with the Tube. Do business with – and visit – the outfits that don’t suppress.
So we can know who’s credible – and who isn’t!
. . .
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I disregarded Scotty Kilmer when he used compression fittings to splice in new brake line to replace a rusted section. When I have seen pieces of his videos since he has given me no reason to re-evaluate and more or less confirm the initial assessment.
Hi Brent,
I view Scotty as an entertainer – a guy who tells you what he thinks in an entertaining way. That’s ok with me, because I think he’s honest in the sense that what he says is what he actually thinks. I don’t think he’s shilling for anyone.He may not always be right – and there are instances where he’s obviously not – but overall I like the guy.
he’s not a shill and probably is an entertainer, I found his automotive “advice” ranging from the obvious to conventional “wisdom” (read often wrong or dated) to the just plain wrong. When I found out he was professional and not just some guy on the intertubes well… no excuses. I can excuse some guy on the internet for doing a job the quick and easy way that could cause a problem later but not someone who portrays himself as knowledgeable.
Scotty is very realistic and practical and knowledgeable. He is one of the few “personalities” whose observations coincide with mine (and I’ve been involved in auto-related fields for the better part of my life). He tells it like it is, and is not sponsored by anyone, so he speaks his mind.
Like Eric said, I have caught him on a few occasions saying some absurd things- like in one video, he recommended using compression fittings to repair brake lines (!!!), which is CRAZY and dangerous- but really, I’ve only caught him exhibiting such behavior in maybe two or three videos out of thousands over the years. Everything else has been spot-on.
Funny that, I consider him full of it. He has the same hindsight we can all have but continues to recommend Honda even when they were turning to crap. It’s obvious all his dealings with light trucks are negligible. And even with old cars, he can’t admit there was a time when GM made the best pieces of machinery to be had.
He’s a dyed in the wool F 150 guy even though they’ve been trash forever. I know people who are Ford pickup only but they wouldn’t touch an F 150. Then again, I work trucks and don’t appreciate their many failings in working hard and holding together. What I don’t really like about Ford in the past is their horrible handling, the sorry ride and most of all, the ridiculous price of parts and the time to make minor repairs.
One of his tubes I saw he was judging the 10 best V 8’s to have been built. I wasn’t surprised that one of the most innovative engines of all time, the small block Chevy, wasn’t on the list. You have to be damned biased to miss that.
Eight, sounds like you’ve been watching a Scotty impersonator! He IS saying that the newer Hondas have gone to hell, and he DOES acknowledge that the older Chebbys were great. He has actually said that the old GM made some of the greatest vehicles ever……and contrasts them to the crap GM today….etc.
And he lives in Texas 😮
Eight: “Oh…wait…I was watching Scooty Klimer!”
Nunz, he reluctantly admitted the 90’s trucks were good ones. He was way behind on Honda’s but that’s not a deal breaker.
I’m betting GM gets a lot better this year and next. My neighbor drove a 17 3/4T 4WD work truck and the first two weeks, it was solid rain and really nasty weather. After that first two weeks he replaced the totally worn out rear disc brakes on it. One of the main reasons as I saw it was the design of the wheels that literally threw the mud into the brakes. The seats were the shittiest I’d ever seen in a GM anything. It wasn’t a good truck.
Everyone speaks of how ugly the new ones are. Hell, they’re all ugly and I wouldn’t care if they looked like a rolling turd as long as they’d do the job.
Lots of things I don’t like in my 2000 Z 71 but the alternator went 18+ years and the a/c went to Thurs. week. I paid $1053 for a new everything except the lines and condenser and evaporator. With the filters changed, we went to town today in 100 degree heat and it froze us out quickly so I backed it down to 4 and then to 3. It will now blow your hat off with nearly freezing air. Ah, that’s the old GM a/c I have always known. I still don’t like the way Z 71’s ride and handle. I’ll be glad to get another body on my old 93 that was a K3500 Caddy in disguise. 18.5mpg with 4.10 gears makes me not care it’s not the most powerful diesel of that year. Everything lasted like it was over-engineered which I guess it was.
BTW, you couldn’t give me a new vehicle if I had to keep it. I couldn’t afford the insurance.
Hi Eight,
This – not being able to afford new car insurance (and taxes) is pravda. Truth. If I were to buy a new car, my insurance costs would quadruple, at the least. Not because I am a high-risk candidate. Hell, I doubt there’s many lower risk than I. Rather, because of value of the new car, which – unless you buy it outright – requires replacement coverage insurance rather than liability-only coverage.
Instead of the $250 or so I am forced to pay ever year to cover the possibility I might wreck someone else’s car I’d have to buy coverage for the cost of replacing my car, plus the liability. This would amount to thousands of dollars over just a few years and not even getting into the taxes on top of that.
Owning a new Frontier would cost me more in “coverage” and taxes than what my current (’02) Frontier is worth.
And that makes it not worth it to me!
Eight, I think you may be on to something about GM getting better….it’s hard to imagine them getting worse!
I wouldn’t take any new vehicle either if I had to keep it. Between the insurance and taxes, and the way they feel (Like plastic toys!) and all of the electronic BS, I abhor them.
I was watching a vid last night- this guy had a field full of old cars that he goes around and starts every so often. One of them was a 61 Falcon. Just an old junker with a straight-six. He threw in a fresh battery and it started right up. Man, I’d love to have that car. Simple, unfettered, all-mechanical….just a good old honest car made of real metal- inside and out……bench seats, manual tranny…. I have no desire for heated leather seats or plastic consoles or fancy electronic gadgets….or paint that I can my reflection in.
Nunz, you said it well my friend.
Nunz, I had this thought yesterday of how much I’d like to have a 66 or 67 Chevelle or any sort. I prefer the “sport but any would do. They had really good front to rear weight ratio, good frames and made nicely as in windows and such. They had every amenity I want, a/c, heat, power steering(not many of them but they drove fine anyway). Get em out on a really bad muddy road and they’d do just fine, esp. with P-Trac.
A friend had a DPS get after him after a huge rain in his 70 model SS so he turned onto an uphill road that was deep mud. With the P Trac and radials, he churned to the top and stopped to watch that Fury right off the highway digging deep enough holes to be there till it was pulled out. He and a couple friends sat there and drank beer and watched them. After a while he went on and kept using those roads knowing none of the DPS could get to him.
That size of body would be just fine for me. They handled well, got good fuel mileage, rode well and were sealed up tight. I’ve give anything to have mine back.
I was headed back to Lubbock one night with my sister and BIL in their 67 Camaro sport and we all had Goodyear Eagles on them.
We got to Post, Texas that’s about 1,000 feet lower altitude so that there’s about 3 miles to climb to get up on the flat plains. We drove around a long line of traffic and got behind the truck with the snow plow. Once they got far enough to the top they turned around to get the other direction. I had nothing but deep snow, still falling, in front of me. Both those cars just ran off and left the rest. Sunday night and that road(84)would be solid traffic. We were able to do about 50 mph all the way to Lubbock. I had to use 3rd gear to keep my engine from loping as it was more than a bit radical. Damn, I’d like to have another.
BTW, while Scotty lives in Texas, a Texan he definitely is not, not that I care.
Heh, yeah, Eight- I guess that’s why those Chevelles are unobtanium for us common stiffs!
Heck, I’d settle for the ’67 Impala my sister had in the 70’s- think she paid $200 for it. A gray 2-door with a vinyl top. Best car she ever had- even better than the old Vista Cruiser!(Also $200).
Now you’d be lucky to get the stock AM radio for those cars for $200.
Maybe in the soon-t-come depression there will be some very good deals on these cars….but then again, we’ll probably have better things to spend our time and money on…..
I think Scotty is originally from NY….but I don’t hold it agin him. Says he’s Scots/Irish and I think German…but he sure acts like a Dago!
Nunz, I bought my MIL’s 66 Impala. It was a good car. 4 of us used to load it up and go to turkey shoots. We sold it because of too many vehicles and INSURANCE.