Besides the Car Pro Show and our weekly newsletter, my other favorite radio show and newsletter is Kim Komando’s. We are on many of the same radio stations across America. She does for her listeners and newsletter subscribers exactly what I endeavor to do: Give you useful information to keep you up to date on the latest in cars, only she does it with technology and there is nobody who does it better. Not sure how she puts out a top-notch newsletter seven days a week, but she does.
With her permission, I comb her newsletters each week and curate a list of her tips and advice that I think you'll find relevant and interesting. Here's what I have for you this week!
Tech Tips & Interesting Finds From This Week’s Komando Newsletters
U can’t torque this: The test for recalled V6 engines in more than 250,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles is smacking the engine with a small plastic hammer. Really. A sensor reads the crankshaft’s vibration to estimate bearing wear from factory debris. If the software can’t confirm the bearing is safe, Toyota swaps the engine. One tiny tool, one expensive decision.
Plate expectations: They say a car reveals a lot about the driver. I don’t think they meant it this way. Your car’s become a clickable index of your life, no face needed. Flock Safety’s experimental new product Investigate lets police search camera data using places, times and movement patterns, then connect plates to 911 logs, arrests, drivers and social networks. If you visit a doctor, drive kids to school or have a dangerous ex, your errands can become case files.
The FBI invoice: Get this. An Arizona woman lost a whopping $4.3M after scammers posed as government officials, sent phony FBI documents and said she was under digital surveillance for money laundering. They held virtual meetings, kept her frightened, then calmly directed her to send money through a Bitcoin app to resolve the case. Real authorities will never demand crypto. If someone says act now, call the agency yourself using its public number.
Costco without the Costco card: Folks, you don’t need a membership to use the pharmacy. At the door, say, “I’m here for the pharmacy.” Same goes for those cheap eye exams. Want even bigger discounts? The Costco Member Prescription Program can knock down prices on certain generic drugs.
School of hard cash: Your teenager can probably quote parlay odds but not credit card interest. That should bother every parent. Good news: About 30 states require a personal finance class to graduate, up from just eight in 2020. Researchers link that single semester to roughly $100,000 in lifetime benefit. One forgotten elective traded for real lessons on debt, paychecks, saving and the math on why betting apps always win? I’ll take that deal all day. It makes cents.
🚗 Why is that app on your car screen? Stop swiping past stuff you never use just to find Spotify. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > CarPlay > your car > Customize, then tap the minus to hide apps. On Android, open Android Auto> Display > Customize Launcher. Remove the junk and move your favorites up front.
Visit Kim Komando's website and subscribe to her newsletter here →
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