Episodes

  • RSP George Ryan Podcast

    RSP George Ryan Podcast
    Jan 30 2026
    Featuring George Ryan, Body Shop Manager at a Mercedes-Benz dealer in upstate New York, this episode is a straight-up masterclass in why shops are sick of getting jerked around by insurance companies—and what it looks like to push back with facts, laws, and zero fear.

    George’s perspective hits different because he’s lived both sides of the table: he grew up in a body shop, worked as a tech, then spent 20 years inside insurance (including overseeing DRP operations across 13 states and 300+ shops) before coming back to the shop world. Translation? He knows the games. He knows the scripts. And he’s done letting them run the show.

    You’ll hear how New York’s regulations (like the 48-hour supplement window and the 6-day inspection rule) can be used to stop the stall tactics, how insurers try to steer repairs toward cheaper parts and slower processes, and why dealership-level repairs—especially on Mercedes—don’t play nice with “Amazon parts” logic.

    In this episode, we get into:

    -Why “appraisers” are really adjusters (and what that means for your money)

    -The daily war: supplements, desk reviews, delays, and puppet scripts

    -How shops can prep the customer before the insurance company turns it into a circus

    -OEM vs aftermarket battles on high-end vehicles—and why the “policy” excuse is trash

    -The insanity of paint/material audits, pour sheets, and nickel-and-dime fee fights

    -The bigger problem: an industry getting squeezed while techs age out and joy gets sucked dry

    -A call to action to stop fighting alone—and start organizing shops who are done bending over

    If you’ve ever felt that “here we go again” moment when an adjuster walks into your shop… this one’s for you.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Flat Rate, Free Labor, and Broken Promises

    Flat Rate, Free Labor, and Broken Promises
    Jan 23 2026
    This episode of Repair Shop Reckoning didn’t end the way we planned due to technical difficulties, but the conversation was too real not to release.

    Jessica shares her story of starting in the trade at 16, helping build a successful mobile operation into a shop, and then watching it fall apart because of bad leadership, flat rate abuse, unpaid labor, and broken promises. From 1099 misclassification to technicians doing office work for free, this episode exposes exactly how good shops fail and good techs burn out.

    We break down what happens when a shop grows without systems, boundaries, or accountability and why flat rate without structure destroys morale. Jessica opens up about being overworked, underpaid, and finally walking away to start her own mobile business.

    We also talk about being a woman in the trade, earning trust through competence, choosing profitable work as a mobile tech, and why customers follow technicians not shop names.

    This episode is raw, honest, and unfinished because real shop life is messy. Jessica will be back, but this conversation stands on its own.

    If you are a technician fed up with bad shops
    If you are a shop owner growing faster than your systems
    If you are thinking about going mobile or starting your own business

    This episode is for you!

    Repair Shop Reckoning isn’t about complaining.
    It’s about calling out what’s broken and showing what actually works.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.
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    33 mins
  • How The Race To Zero Is Killing The Independent Collision Shops

    How The Race To Zero Is Killing The Independent Collision Shops
    Jan 16 2026
    Featuring Kevin Brown, host of Repair Shop Reckoning, and Jason Tracey — this one is a full-blown reality check for shop owners who are sick of getting squeezed from every direction.

    Kevin doesn’t sugarcoat it: the collision world is sliding into a Race to Zero where shops keep dropping prices to “win” work… and end up financing repairs out of their own pocket. Meanwhile, insurers keep tightening the screws, MSOs keep setting the “standard,” and the customer gets caught in the middle with cheap parts, fear-based steering, and word-track manipulation.

    This episode is not for the “pros” who already have their numbers dialed in. It’s for the owners who feel like they’re drowning, constantly negotiating backward, and wondering why they’re working harder than ever but not getting ahead.

    What we get into:
    • The Race to Zero and how it quietly bankrupts good shops
    • Why MSOs (885 shops strong) shift pricing power away from independents
    • The truth about DRPs, steering, and “out of network” fear tactics
    • State Farm logic gymnastics: premiums up, labor rates down… same excuse
    • One-party checks and why they wreck repair outcomes (and your time)
    • Why free estimates are a trap and how admin/estimate fees protect your shop
    • Storage fees done right (and why documentation is everything)
    • The “cheat code” that changes adjuster behavior: reply-all transparency
    • Why Kevin records calls, tracks everything by VIN/claim number, and covers his ass like a pro
    • The real lesson: insurance companies don’t own your business — unless you let them
    Kevin also drops hard-earned shop-floor tactics: charging appropriately for time, marking up sublet work correctly, refusing to renegotiate supplements after the work is done, and setting boundaries that force respect.

    The Takeaway

    If you don’t know your costs, you’ll keep saying yes to bad work, bad parts, bad margins, and bad months.

    If you do know your numbers you can push back, stay profitable, and stop letting insurers dictate how you run your shop. Buckle up. This one’s for the owners ready to stop bending over and start building a business that actually lasts.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.
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    1 hr
  • Horsepower Doesn’t Make You a Driver & Ownership Doesn’t Make You a Leader

    Horsepower Doesn’t Make You a Driver & Ownership Doesn’t Make You a Leader
    Jan 9 2026
    What happens when you put a real Corvette guy in the room… and let him talk?

    In this episode, Kevin sits down with Alan Johnson from Matick Chevrolet, one of the most dialed-in Corvette minds you’ll hear anywhere. This isn’t “car talk” for clicks. It’s a deep dive into what’s actually happening inside GM right now… and why so many dealerships are falling behind.

    They hit everything from the 3.0 Duramax being the best-kept secret in the truck world, to the reality behind the 6.2 uncertainty, to what really creates trust and consistency in a dealership: systems, talent development, and leadership that gives a damn.

    And then they go straight into the chaos that sparked this episode: the brake fluid war. If you’ve ever heard someone say “brake fluid is sealed, it doesn’t matter,” Alan is about to ruin your day...in the best way possible.

    This is the intersection of:
    -High-performance driving
    -Real-world dealership service operations
    -Maintenance that actually keeps people safe
    -And the uncomfortable truth about how the industry is being gutted by short-term thinking

    If you’re a technician, shop owner, advisor, service manager, or car nerd who actually wants to understand what’s real… this one hits hard.

    Here is how you can find Alan on social media:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drivenwithalan
    Instagram: @drivenwithalan
    YouTube: @drivenwithAlan ​

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.
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    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Stopping the Race to zero...How New Shops Can Actually Win

    Stopping the Race to zero...How New Shops Can Actually Win
    Jan 2 2026
    This episode is for new shop owners, mobile mechanics, and anyone thinking about going out on their own.

    Kevin sits down with Ben Higgins, owner of The Wrench Wagon, for a real conversation about what actually happens when you transition from technician to business owner and why so many good techs fail once they open their own shop.

    This is not another episode bitching about flat rate, dealerships, or customers. This is about responsibility, pricing, leadership, and survival.

    Kevin breaks down why being busy does not mean you are profitable, how sympathy brain quietly destroys shops, and why undercharging feels generous but guarantees burnout. They talk openly about pricing mistakes, staffing realities, knowing your numbers, and the mental shift required to stop thinking like a tech and start thinking like an owner.

    If you are a mobile mechanic or a one man operation, this episode gives you clarity on what to take on, what to avoid, and how to build a business that actually supports your life instead of consuming it.

    This is mentorship most shop owners never get until they have already paid for it in lost money, stress, and regret.

    If you are early in your journey, this episode can save you years. If you are struggling right now, this episode will explain why and show you a path forward.

    Repair Shop Reckoning is not about bitching about the things that are. It is about ownership, leadership, and doing the hard things that keep shops alive. You have the power if you take the reponsibility!

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • A Shop Christmas Special...Behind the Scenes With the Garrett Team

    A Shop Christmas Special...Behind the Scenes With the Garrett Team
    Dec 26 2025
    WARNING: This episode is not scripted, polished, and it sure as hell is not safe for soft ears...

    Welcome to the Christmas Special you always dreamed of. A behind the scenes look into shop life, recorded with the full Garrett Truck and Auto crew.

    The team come straight from the shop, with the doors open and the truth turned all the way up. No guests. No filters. Just the people who actually do the work sitting down and talking about what really happens when you are building a shop, a team, and a culture from the ground up.

    We start by doing something most shops never do publicly. Everyone around the table owns their screw ups. Real mistakes. Real consequences. From missed cotter pins and wrong parts to wiring nightmares, bad calls, and expensive lessons that stuck because they had to.

    This episode pulls back the curtain on what shop culture actually looks like when accountability is real. People get called out. People get corrected. People learn. And then they get better. That is the difference between yelling for ego and demanding excellence because lives, reputations, and paychecks depend on it.

    We dig into flat rate, leadership, policies and procedures, and why so many shops fail to take care of their people even when they think they are trying. You will hear why most owners are stuck, why technicians are pissed, and how bad systems create bad behavior on both sides of the counter.

    This is also a direct response to the internet narratives. The clips. The comments. The people who think shop culture can be judged from fifteen seconds on social media. So Kevin brought the team on to speak for themselves and explain what it is actually like to work here, why people stay, why people grow, and why the shop works.

    If you are a shop owner trying to build something real If you are a technician tired of broken systems If you care about doing the job right and going home proud

    This episode is for you.

    And this is only Part One of Two!

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.
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    52 mins
  • Proof Flat Rate Is Broken & Why It Works For Us

    Proof Flat Rate Is Broken & Why It Works For Us
    Dec 19 2025
    In this episode of Repair Shop Reckoning: Race to Zero, Kevin and Jason go straight at the root problem most people keep dodging.

    Flat rate is brutal, but the real villain is wasted time caused by bad leadership, weak policies, and broken processes. When the parts department is late, when the advisor does not verify parts, when approvals drag, when meetings steal wrench time, when techs are forced to do unpaid DBIs and research, the technician eats it. Every single time.

    Kevin breaks it down in a way that is impossible to ignore, using simple math that hits you right in the paycheck. Ten minutes a day turns into thousands per year. Fifteen minutes here, twenty minutes there, and suddenly you are working for free while management stares at an “efficiency” report like it is your fault.

    Then it gets real with a story that nails the whole system.

    Kevin takes his team out for a big dinner and the restaurant absolutely melts down. Out of basic items. Orders coming late. Chaos in the kitchen. And the only person keeping the experience from turning into a full dumpster fire is the waiter, running his tail off trying to cover for everybody else’s incompetence.

    Now imagine that waiter is paid by survey.

    That is the dealership CSI nightmare in a nutshell. The tech can do everything right, fix the car, go above and beyond, and still get crushed because the coffee was bad, the snacks ran out, the wait was long, or someone else dropped the ball. A survey based on the whole experience would kill him even though he was the only one doing his job.

    If you are a shop owner, a manager, a service advisor, or a tech who is sick of getting robbed by inefficiency, this episode is for you.

    You will learn:
    1. Where flat rate time really disappears (and why it is almost never the technician’s fault)
    2. The policies and procedures that protect technician paychecks
    3. Why you cannot “fix efficiency” by stopping production with more meetings
    4. How leadership can build a support system so flat rate stops becoming unpaid labor
    5. Why techs have to start pushing back when the system is designed to drain them


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Collision Industry Corruption Exposed: The Truth Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Hear

    Collision Industry Corruption Exposed: The Truth Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Hear
    Dec 12 2025
    Welcome to another episode of Repair Shop Reckoning! Buckle up, because this one is a straight punch to the throat of the collision industry.

    Kevin sits down with Jim Gray, partner at Motor City and a 40-year veteran of the collision world, to break down everything the insurance companies never want shop owners, techs, or customers to know. If you think you’ve heard Kevin talk shit before… this episode takes it up ten levels.

    Jim exposes how DRPs really work, why adjusters with zero hands-on experience dictate how trained techs “should” repair cars, and how insurance companies flat-out manipulate labor rates, parts sourcing, supplements, and customer claims to pad corporate profits. The stories in this episode are so insane you almost wouldn’t believe them, until you realize every shop in America has lived the same nightmare.

    This episode is not theory. It is not opinion.

    It is the lived reality of two shops who deal daily with:
    • Surprise inspections from adjusters who have never fixed a car in their life
    • DRP rules that punish shops for doing repairs the right way
    • Insurance companies writing garbage photo estimates, mailing checks directly to customers to avoid supplements, and then blaming shops for the chaos
    • Labor rates being CUT while tech shortages get worse
    • Adjusters arguing repairs without ever seeing the damn vehicle
    • “Profit calculators” that magically make your profit disappear
    • DRP scare tactics that manipulate customers into thinking independent shops are risky
    • Endless hours of unpaid admin work forced onto shops because insurance companies eliminated adjusters
    But this episode goes deeper into culture, leadership, and the bitch generation that cannot survive in a real shop environment. Jim and Kevin call out weak work ethics, victim mentalities, and the fantasy-land expectations younger techs walk in with.

    At the same time, they break down what REAL leadership looks like inside Motor City: structure, autonomy, accountability, standards, loyalty, and taking care of the guys who earn it. No fake praise. No trophies. Just grown-ass men doing real work for real money.

    If you run a shop, manage techs, work in the industry, or simply want the truth behind the bullshit this is the episode you send to everyone.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/repair-shop-reckoning--6688688/support.
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    1 hr and 9 mins