Rent a virtual mechanic who actually remembers your car. ASE Master Certified, Engine Performance specialty, 30+ years turning wrenches — whether it's a daily driver, a classic project, or a check engine light you're staring at right now, you get me on the video call. Not whoever's next in a queue.
Other virtual mechanic apps route you to whoever's next available — a different person, a different feel, every time. Every call to Dr Phil's Auto goes straight to me. I remember your vehicle, your history, and what we've already ruled out — so you're never re-explaining the problem from scratch.
You're at AutoZone right now with a code scanner, staring at a string of letters and numbers that don't mean much on their own. The guy behind the counter is going to sell you parts — that's his job, not diagnosis. Before you throw a couple hundred dollars at a guess, get on a video call with an actual ASE Master Mechanic who can walk through the code with you, ask the right follow-up questions, and tell you what your car actually needs.
Ask a mechanic online before you buy, not after. That's the whole point of a remote car diagnosis — a real second opinion, on your schedule, from wherever your car is parked.
Every session is a live video call with the same mechanic — me. Pick a time, show up with your vehicle or your questions ready, and we'll work through it together.
Not sure what's wrong or what a repair should cost? Walk me through the symptoms on camera and I'll tell you what you're likely dealing with, and what to do next.
Book this consult →Code reader throwing numbers you don't understand? Show me the codes and how the car's behaving, and I'll help you figure out what's serious and what can wait.
Book this consult →Restoring or maintaining a classic? Get a second set of experienced eyes on your project before you turn a wrench, so you don't learn the hard way. I came up in the trade when carburetors, ignition points, and drum brakes were the everyday job — not a lost art. Carburetor adjustments, ignition timing, points-style ignition systems, and drum brake service are all things most techs today have never touched. I have.
Book this consult →Own or work at a shop and stuck on a tricky diagnosis or repair plan? Let's talk it through technician to technician, no ego required.
Book this consult →Pick the consult that matches your situation and grab a slot that works for you.
Hop on from wherever your vehicle is — driveway, garage, or parking lot. Any phone or laptop works.
Walk away knowing what's actually wrong, what it should take to fix, and whether it's a DIY job or shop territory — from the same mechanic you'll talk to next time, too.
Professional since 1993, ASE Master Certified with an Engine Performance specialty. These days it's consulting only — no wrenches, no repairs performed — reachable anywhere you've got a video-capable device.
I don't fix people, but I can fix just about any mechanical or digital system you put in front of me. In 1983, I was writing BASIC code on notebook paper with line numbers, learning to optimize programs for a 144-byte RAM environment. By the early '90s, I'd carried that same logic into the physical world, eventually spending decades in Chicago-area shops as an ASE Master Certified technician specializing in complex Engine Performance diagnostics.
To me, a classic carbureted fuel system, a modern computer-controlled engine, and a Linux server environment are all the exact same thing: logical, input-output systems governed by strict rules. But regardless of how complex the tech gets, I've operated on the KISS principle — Keep It Simple, Stupid — for decades. I strip the bloat out of my own digital platforms, and I do the exact same thing for your vehicle diagnostics: cutting through the confusion to give you a clear, direct answer, no shop jargon. When you book a call, you're tapping straight into thirty-plus years of systematic, no-nonsense troubleshooting.
No. Every consult goes straight to me — same mechanic, every call, no queue and no handoff to whoever's available.
Yes — this is one of the most common calls I get. Show me the code and how the car's behaving, and I'll tell you what it actually means before you spend money on parts.
Both. 30+ years of hands-on experience covers everything from carbureted classics to modern computer-controlled engine systems.
ASE Master Certified with an Engine Performance specialty, plus 30+ years turning wrenches in Chicago-area shops.
Yes. I came into the trade when carburetor tuning, ignition timing, points-style ignition, and drum brakes were everyday work — not specialty knowledge. A lot of techs today have never had to touch this stuff. I have, and I can walk you through it.
Consulting only. I'll walk you through diagnosis, repair options, and whether it's a DIY job or shop territory — but no repairs are performed on this platform.