Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - August 8, 2026 - Hour 2

When does a big repair bill make sense on an older, high-mileage vehicle? Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, talks with a listener facing that exact decision on a 2017 Ford Explorer with 225,000 miles and a failed internal water pump. Instead of simply asking, “Is the car worth the repair?” Ron looks at the bigger question: What would it cost to replace the vehicle—and how many more years can you realistically get out of the one you already own?

Then it’s back to diagnostics with a 1991 Ford Bronco suffering from cold-start and stalling problems, followed by a Cadillac with a dangerously hot negative battery cable that points toward a ground or connection problem.

Ron also revisits his Five-Minute Rule for the repair shop: if a technician has been struggling with something for more than five minutes, it’s time to ask for help. Good mechanics get the job done; great mechanics learn better ways to get it done.

Plus, why replacement bulbs for older vehicles are becoming harder to find, carbon-cleaning possibilities that could turn a $6,000 repair into a $500 repair, and Ron follows up on the debate over whether premium gasoline really contains more detergent than regular.

Car Advice, Done Right — with Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor.

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