Anybody getting tired of South Main Auto?

[Hall]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
With youtube monetization policy changing like weather it's hard to predict just how much each youtuber makes, but SMA has just shy over 300k subscribers, he's got a pretty healthy number of views on each video, and he posts several videos a week and does live streams, so I think he's bringing in a decent chunk of change.

The policy likely changes to keep people from "scamming" it (harsh word but I mean how people will take advantage of it).

FWIW, this site tries to estimate potential earnings for different YouTube channels. I have South Main Auto chosen there. They estimate his yearly earnings - off of YouTube alone - ranging from $13k to $281k.

This guy got famous with his leased Ford Fusion doing the "what happens if you put it in reverse" and similar videos. They estimate $11k up to $183k per year. I used to subscribe to his channel but no longer do. He was a used car salesman with that leased Fusion and quit that job to do YT videos alone. Then he bought a brand new AMG C63 and did many thousands of dollars worth of modifications to it. Bought his wife a Ford Raptor ($75k ?). He just sold the AMG and bought a Ferrari F12. Take that for what it's worth....

 

[Jason_Michaels]

Disagree strongly. Eric is a fine American and a top-notch mechanic and has instilled confidence in me and Im sure countless others to tackle projects previously deemed out of our realm. "if I can do it, you can do it".

 

[AC1DD]

Quote
ETCG has a [censored] attitude and no sense of humor. SMA is fun to watch even doing monotonous tasks because he is fun.




ETCG didn't used to be that way not too many years ago....

I have to say I find it hilarious when these guys talk about each other. It reminds me of some of the funny nonsense that used to go on in
various dealership shops I worked in...lots of characters, with big egos, and plenty of sarcasm all in the same place...Honestly
you can't find any comedy on mainstream TV today that is anywhere near as funny.

 

[zktk01]

I like Eric O, but you can tell he has been watching alot of AVE videos in the later videos with Attitude.
Very good channel still I watch alot of the diagnostic stuff.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I like his videos. I watch pretty much every YouTube mechanic and he is one of the better ones. Flat Rate Master is another of my favorites too especially for tool reviews and stuff and Ford Tech Muckaloo and EricTheCarGuy and a few others all good in my book.

 

[dlundblad]

Eric the Car Guy
South Maine Auto
Scotty Kilmore

They’re all good.

 

[atikovi]

Also Pine Hollow https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn4Ifss-t3wMT6VBzQoKPUA is OK but don't know how technically advanced he is, working out of his house.

And Car Wizard https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2TTf3i4wwsRW8ex1zRXH8A

And the bodywork this guy does is interesting to watch, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJDyqaoyVtWKhCiTPZVOoyA and just sound of his voice is very relaxing even if you don't understand a word he says.

Another good body repair series, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMgk1R0_ZbEQrEhQWRYkVIA

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

He's a real good mechanic, but he's getting more and more prideful and arrogant with every passing video. All the success has swelled his head up.

It's been a couple of years since I have watched his videos.
So, his success has gone to his head, huh?

 

[michaelluscher]

He's a real good mechanic, but he's getting more and more prideful and arrogant with every passing video. All the success has swelled his head up.

I see where your coming from, and I kinda agree

In his defence, I wish I had access to people half as competent as him at even twice his prices

I could drive 8 hours, but I'm not doing that

I assume in any occupation, one eventually hits a wall of compassion fatigue, and it starts to become a drag

Look what happened to Eric from ETCG, I used to love what he had to say, until he reused brake fluid contaminated brake pads on the Fairmont early on

He's his own worst enemy sometimes IMO

 

[Donald]

Has anyone had their car repaired there?

 

[Zee09]

I will have to check him out.
Never seen him.
Now Nate.....that buffoon disturbs me....

 

[zktk01]

I like watching the Scanner Danner diagnostic videos and diagnose Dan. it's fun to watch them work on all the head scratcher problems.
Eric O seems to get alot of ones from other shops after they shot the parts cannon at the trouble to.

 

[redhat]

I have driven past. I’m close.
I really like the channel — I might be biased since he’s a WNY/Southern-Tier “upstate” guy

 

[ctechbob]

Has anyone had their car repaired there?

I wish his was a shop I could easily get to. Kinda like a security blanket when you have something you run up against that you don't have the tools or intelligence for and don't want to get ripped off either.

 

[CharBaby]

I have actually stopped in SMA and spoken with Eric on my way back from PENN State. He is a real nice guy and very busy and I was very happy that he took that time to talk with me.

I think his new found arrogance(as some say) comes from being more comfortable in front of his own camera as I have seen his earlier videos and he seemed very frigid in front of the camera.

We only spoke for about 10 min but I at least made a contact with him. If I needed a tech that I trust, I may drive the 1.5 hrs from my home in ROC if I planned to leave my vehicle with him for some major work.

His YouTube video specialty seems to be diagnostics in which I do enjoy however I will never do on my own vehicles since I don't have his tens of thousands of dollars worth of diagnostic equipment. I will however do my own CEL code reads and fix the problem. I do think he does too many brake job videos.

 

[doublebase]

Originally Posted by jhs914
. How do you guys in the rust belt put up with scrapping otherwise serviceable cars/trucks every few years because of rust?


NO LIE!

There's a LOT of vehicles in Texas with 500,000 miles on them and no rust at all.

My 1993 Ford Ranger and 1995 Chevy K3500 dually 4WD have zero rust. NONE.

Both have ~300,000 miles Not a speck of rust anywhere.

Even all the "unpainted" suspension components have barely any surface rust at all....

A few years ago I was in San Antonio for a week and was very surprised to see so many trucks driving around with 200,000-300,000 miles on them, looking pretty darn good. That’s rare in the rust belt, where a 15 year old truck is going to have rusted out rockers and maybe a hole or two in the frame. Unless you undercoat yearly applications of fluid film or something. I actually under coat twice a year, as once a year just doesn’t cut it for my commute.

 

[supton]

Indeed, FF is not cutting it for me, it's easy to apply and better than nothing but I'm finding it didn't do the trick on my truck, it's getting quite a bit of surface rust now. Pretty sad. My cars seem to do better with it, as I think anything painted body color has better metal or surface treatment--but a bit of FF on it helps seal the deal.

 

[sloinker]

I'm thinking he can go but Mrs. O can hang out.

 

[doublebase]

Never heard of this guy until this thread...the guy is pretty **** good. Doesn’t seem overly cocky to me, but then again I didn’t watch his early stuff. Good diag videos. good process of elimination techniques. Like watching someone have to fix stuff that is rusted (like I have to) because it takes a different skill set to be able to work through that stuff.

I really like Mechanic Steve, been watching a lot of his videos. He’s Korean and tears into stuff like an animal. It’s definitely not for everyone but he entertains me.

 

[Trav]

I only watch Ave/Boltr, not interested in car repair videos.