PODCAST · leisure
Apex Tech Nation
by Anthony Calhoun
Welcome to the ultimate automotive podcast for professional technicians, service advisors, and everyday vehicle owners who want the raw, unfiltered truth about the car industry.Hosted by Anthony Calhoun (ASE Master Technician, author of Why Technicians Are Leaving and How to Keep Them, and founder of Apex Tech Nation) and Craig Tomczyk (ASE L1, L2 Master Technician & Heavy Duty Specialist), we bring over 40 combined years of fixed-ops experience straight to your speakers.We break down:Hot Industry Topics: From modern car reliability crises to dealership politics and warranty chargebacks.
Episodes
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She Found The Shop On ChatGPT And They Totaled Her Car | Car Problems And Solutions Ep 22
She didn’t want to pay top dollar, so she used ChatGPT to pick a shop. Good reviews, been in business a long time. On a Friday night at 8:15, after hours, a technician took her car out and wrecked it nine miles away. The engine almost ended up in the passenger compartment. Craig and I get into…
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700 Miles For Nothing, Nobody Can Afford A Repair, Best Work Truck Ep 21 | Car Problems And Solution
A guy drops his brand new car off for a shift complaint. The shop asks if a technician can take it home overnight to catch it cold. Fifteen days later he picks it up with 700 more miles on it and no problem found. The car only had 8,400 miles on it when he dropped it off. This is the kind of car...
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$3,850 For A Transmission They Never Replaced | Tesla Battery Rigged Episode 20
A woman paid $3,850 for a transmission. The shop never touched it. They put an axle in the car, charged her for a unit they never ordered, and when she called crying about it the owner laughed. One of their own technicians recorded the whole thing. This is the worst example of car problems and...
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100 Mechanics Working Out Of An AutoZone Parking Lot | Car Mechanic Stories Episode 19
A guy got his car back from the dealership, called the next day about a weird smell, got told it was probably nothing. Then it caught fire and blew the whole front end off. Craig and I get into what could actually cause an explosion like that. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8TxGSE4/ Before that, a...
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Your Fuel Tank Could Fall Off While Driving | Ford F-150 Recall & Car Mechanic Stories Episode 18
Ford just recalled over 220,000 F-150s because the straps holding the fuel tank can fail. Not a reprogram, not a software update. The tank can leak or come off the truck while you're driving it, and this is one of those car problems and solutions where the fix isn't the hard part, the recall...
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What's Going To Get EV Techs Killed | Car Mechanic Stories: Ep 17
A flat rate EV tech posts on r/mechanics that he's gone from 55 hours a week to 40.3 since he started taking EV diag work, and he's ready to leave the industry. I've been the hybrid and EV guy my whole career on flat rate, and the thing I think is actually going to get somebody killed isn't the…
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They Put The Used Oil Back In His Engine | Tesla Cybercab & Car Mechanic Stories Episode 16
A guy on r/askreddit finds out the dealer drained his wife's Kia during an oil pan replacement and poured the same used oil right back in. Two ASE Master Techs react, and it turns out that might be standard practice at some brands. https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanic/s/bwfTPfXvPv Then a technician...
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Episode 15: Customer Causes Almost Fatal Accident, 10K Mile Oil Myth, Throwing New Techs To The Wolves
First up we look at the massive damage caused by neglecting g g preventative maintenance. What do vehicle owners do that destroy their vehicle?https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/s/wUIMipo3UR Next we discuss the massive retention problem in the industry by reading a post from a recent diesel tech...
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Apex Driver Edition Ep 1: 5 Tips When Buying a Car That Can Save You Thousands
Five Essential Tips for Car Buyers Make informed decisions and save money on your next vehicle. Navigating the car buying process can feel overwhelming, but with the right knowledge, you can make choices that save you money and hassle in the long run. Here are five essential tips to consider…
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Episode 14: Shop Conned Customer? Techs on 1099 and I almost Got Fired and My Boss Arrested
A young woman pays a shop $1,000 for spark plugs and ignition coils on her 2016Ford Escape. Two days later the check engine light is back on and they're tellingher she needs a whole new engine. Anthony Calhoun (25-year ASE Master Technician) and Craig Tomczyk (19 years in thetrade) break down…
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Episode 13: Earning the Respect of Technicians, Tool Investment, and Why Dealerships Can't Find or Keep Technicians
In this episode, we break down why the industry is bleeding young talent, how green service advisors can win over skeptical flat rate mechanics, and whether entry level express techs should start stacking up on high end tools.Earning Tech Respect as a New Service Advisor: An inexperienced advisor...
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Episode 12: Blown Engine at 7K Miles, $6,700 Teardown Request From dealership, Bad Back at 31 & Useless Car Features
Welcome back to the Apex Tech Nation Podcast. In Episode 12, Craig and I dig into a few stories and conversations making their way around.We discuss a 2025 Mustang GT with a blown engine at only 6,900 miles. The owner says the dealership wants authorization for a $6,700 engine teardown before...
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Episode 11: Are Modern Cars Unreliable, Brake Pad Failures, and Service Advisor Burnout
In this episode, we break down why today’s cars are breaking down in alarming ways, are they reliable? A terrifying real world brake pad failure shortly after a shop visit. Plus, we dive into the boiling point hitting service advisors and mechanics across the industry and what it's going to take…
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Episode 10: Greasy Techs, Broken Panels, and a $4,500 Paycheck Nightmare
In this episode we welcome Craig as Apex Tech Nation Co-Host and dive into 2 stories we all have probably seen and one that will make you think WTH! Interior Panels & Broken Clips: We break down the brutal learning curve of an emergency vehicle upfitter who keeps accidentally snapping clips and...
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Episode 9: ASE Test Tips from Master Techs, Is There Hope for the Automotive Industry & 13K Mile Maintenance?
In this episode, I'm joined by special guest Craig Tomczyk as we discuss three topics that every technician can relate to. First, we share ASE test tips that have helped us throughout our careers and offer practical advice for technicians preparing for their next certification. Next, we talk…
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Episode 8: 20-Mile Joyrides & Fallen Drain Plugs: Ownership, Accountability, and Leadership in the Bay
Two tech-related nightmares: a customer discovers technicians taking their car on a 20-mile joyride on dashcam, and another deals with a loose drain plug backing out right after a dealership oil change. In this episode, we break down these massive failures from three critical perspectives: the...
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Episode 7: Should Techs Be Licensed? + The Car Fire Nobody's Talking About
This week I'm joined by Craig Tomczyk ASE Master Tech, L1/L2 certified, with nearly two decades in the bay across auto, diesel, and heavy duty for a real tech to tech conversation. First up: should the automotive service industry require a license? Craig brought this one to the table, and we get...
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Episode 6: A 24-Year-Old Tire Tech's Death, Bone-on-Bone Knees , Thermal Cameras & Failures in the Field
This week we're covering several topics that every automotive technician can relate to—from a tragic accident in the industry to protecting your body and improving your diagnostic process. In this episode we discuss: -The tragic death of a 24-year-old tire technician who was fatally crushed by a...
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Episode 5: Is Our Industry Taken as Serious as a Barber?
Before you get mad at me for saying this, just hear me out. My buddy owns a barbershop and he can't hire anybody to fill a chair unless they're licensed. Meanwhile we're working on cars that hold people's families and we don't need anything. I'm a master tech with 5 ASEs to recertify this year....
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Episode 4: The Automotive Skills That Can Make You Wealthy
Most automotive technicians focus on earning more money, but very few focus on keeping and investing it. In this episode of the Apex Tech Nation Podcast, I break down how developing valuable technician skills can create long-term wealth—and why avoiding unnecessary car payments may be one of the...
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Episode 3: Problems with Solutions for the Industry — From a Technician's Perspective
Billions spent on consulting and training programs over the last decade. The crisis just got worse. New episode: Problems with Solutions for the Industry. From a Technician's Perspective I stepped back, looked at the industry like a broken car, and laid out the real fixes. 68% of working…
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Episode 2: Four Tech Tips to Remember
Four diagnostic tips from 25 years in the bays — the kind of stuff that saves you time, comebacks, and headaches when you're staring down a tough job. Join the Nation https://apextechnation.com/
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Episode 1: The Real Reason Techs Are Leaving (And What Nobody's Saying)
In this first episode of APEX Tech Nation, Anthony Calhoun breaks down the technician shortage from the perspective that's missing from every industry article — the tech actually doing the work. Why are techs leaving? It's not just the money. It's the death by a thousand cuts that compounds every...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the ultimate automotive podcast for professional technicians, service advisors, and everyday vehicle owners who want the raw, unfiltered truth about the car industry.Hosted by Anthony Calhoun (ASE Master Technician, author of Why Technicians Are Leaving and How to Keep Them, and founder of Apex Tech Nation) and Craig Tomczyk (ASE L1, L2 Master Technician & Heavy Duty Specialist), we bring over 40 combined years of fixed-ops experience straight to your speakers.We break down:Hot Industry Topics: From modern car reliability crises to dealership politics and warranty chargebacks.
HOSTED BY
Anthony Calhoun
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Apex Tech Nation have?
Apex Tech Nation currently has 23 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Apex Tech Nation about?
Welcome to the ultimate automotive podcast for professional technicians, service advisors, and everyday vehicle owners who want the raw, unfiltered truth about the car industry.Hosted by Anthony Calhoun (ASE Master Technician, author of Why Technicians Are Leaving and How to Keep Them, and founder...
How often does Apex Tech Nation release new episodes?
Apex Tech Nation has 23 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Apex Tech Nation?
You can listen to Apex Tech Nation on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Apex Tech Nation?
Apex Tech Nation is created and hosted by Anthony Calhoun.
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