Beyond the Wrench

Kurt Fenzel, EV & ADAS Instructor at I-CAR, shares how he's staying ahead of the rapidly evolving automotive technology by providing the right education to technicians. He reflects on his time as a high school automotive teacher, offers tips on managing the challenges of ADAS and other advanced technologies, and discusses the space and equipment needed to properly calibrate these high-tech vehicles.
Check out the full video version of the podcast on YouTube!

About Our Guest:
Kurt Fenzel
EV & ADAS Instructor, I-CAR
[email protected]

Sponsor:
Jasper Engines & Transmissions

About Our Host:
Jay Goninen
Co-Founder & President, WrenchWay
[email protected] | 608.716.2122

WrenchWay Resources:
For Technicians & Students

• Compare & Explore Technician Pay: View salary information for automotive, diesel, and collision technicians near you at wrenchway.com/pay.
• Find Your Ideal Shop or Dealership: Looking for the best places to work? Discover and research the best shop or dealership for you at wrenchway.com/shops.

For Shops & Dealerships

• Hire Top Talent & Help Schools: Connect with skilled technicians, engage with schools, and help elevate the auto and diesel industry with WrenchWay Top Shop Memberships.

For Auto, Diesel, & CTE Instructors:

• Support Your Program & Connect with Industry: Get resources and equipment for your program and grow your industry partnerships with School Assist, powered by WrenchWay & ASE.

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We are proud to welcome Daniel Diaz, Service Technician at Braman BMW Miami (and rising TikTok star)! In this episode, Daniel offers advice to young technicians on purchasing tools, encourages all technicians to keep learning, and emphasizes the importance of finding the right shop management and support as a new technician.
(1:27) Tool Organization for Efficiency
(12:51) Keeping Up with Technology & EV
(30:45) Having the Right Shop Support
(34:32) Shopping Smart for Tools
(43:50) Always Keep Learning
Resources:
Sign up for Free for WrenchWay - Online Community for Automotive & Diesel Professionals
Download the free WrenchWay mobile app:
App Store
Google Play
About Our Host:
Jay Goninen
Co-Founder & President, WrenchWay
[email protected] | 608.716.2122
About Our Guest:
Daniel Diaz
Service Technician, Braman BMW Miami
Follow on TikTok
Sponsor:
Universal Technical Institute: a place that provides opportunity for passion to become purpose. For training to lead toward a career. For over 55 years, UTI’s family of schools has helped students pursue their passion in exciting fields like transportation, skilled trades and energy. There’s a reason why students choose us and top brands hire our graduates. Reputation and commitment. Our relationships with some of the world’s most recognizable brands allow students to gain specific knowledge.
As a student, you’ll train how the industry does. Learning from instructors with real world-experience and training hands-on with industry tools and equipment in the lab. We’re committed to your success – that’s why we’re making $15 million in scholarships and grants available this year alone to those who qualify.
It’s time to invest in you. Get started today at uti.edu!
Disclaimer: UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary. Financial aid, scholarships and grants are available to those who qualify. Awards vary due to specific conditions, criteria and state.

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From starting out with a career in journalism to now being a technician, Russell Wickham has had a unique journey. In this episode, Russell breaks down his career path, stresses the importance of having a positive attitude, and offers his advice to shops that are struggling to recruit technicians.
(6:26) Certified Tech vs. Experienced Tech
(12:37) Russell’s Background
(29:57) Raises & Performance Reviews
(38:01) Importance of a Positive Attitude
(51:17) Advice to Shops Recruiting Techs
Resources:
WrenchWay Reverse Job Posts
Download the free WrenchWay mobile app:
App Store
Google Play
About Our Host:
Jay Goninen
Co-Founder & President, WrenchWay
[email protected] | 608.716.2122
About Our Guest:
Russell Wickham,
Technician, Country II
[email protected]

Sponsor:
OK. Your customer’s engine or transmission has failed. But now is not the time for them to trade their vehicle – not without a working engine or transmission. Besides, would they have kept their vehicle another 3-5 years if their engine or transmission had not let them down?
If you answered “yes” then Jasper Engines and Transmissions is your choice to give your customer’s vehicle new life and many thousands of miles of enjoyable driving performance.
When considering the high cost of a new or newer used vehicle, there’s a pretty good case to be made for replacing a drive train component that has failed or is delivering poor performance – rather than trading their car, truck, van or SUV. Install a quality re-manufactured JASPER product for less than your customer would have to invest in a new vehicle or a newer used vehicle.
Check out their website at jasperengines.com to learn more about the money-saving value of JASPER.

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Brandon Steckler, Technical Editor at Motor Age Magazine, takes us on a unique voyage through his automotive career. Moving from a technician role to becoming an instructor and eventually an author has provided Brandon with valuable industry insights. In this episode, he covers how to enhance our technician certification system, ways to gain a deeper understanding of younger technicians, and discusses the significant shortage of educators.
(4:48) Teaching in the U.K.
(15:22) U.S. Certifications vs. U.K. Certifications
(37:24) Correcting the Instructor Shortage
(48:39) Patience With Young Technicians
Resources:
WrenchWay's Free Solutions for High Schools & Post-Secondary Programs
Download the free WrenchWay mobile app:
App Store
Google Play
About Our Host:
Jay Goninen
Co-Founder & President, WrenchWay
[email protected] | 608.716.2122
About Our Guest:
Brandon Steckler
Technical Editor, Motor Age Magazine
[email protected]
Sponsor:
Since 2015, Fullbay has made life easier for pretty much everyone who works in commercial diesel repair shops. Techs are more efficient and productive, parts managers can keep an eye on inventory, and owners can see exactly what’s going on in the shop at any given time—from just about anywhere.
What does all that mean? Well, Fullbay’s improved workflow leads to more vehicles being worked on—which means more revenue for your shop. And that revenue is easier than ever to collect; you can send estimates with the click of a button.
Shop customers also tend to be big fans of Fullbay—and not just because features like Fullbay Payments and Fleet Payments make it easy for them to settle up. They can authorize work, receive text message updates as work proceeds, and reach out to the shop with questions through their own portal.
Want to learn more about Fullbay? Head to Fullbay.com/wrenchway!

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Purchasing insurance is a complex need that the average shop owner doesn’t know enough about in order to make informed decisions.
Tune into this week’s episode as Robert Steele, Founder & CEO of IGO Benefits, shares stories of his time in the NFL, talks about how he got a woman out of $600,000 in medical debt, and how he is helping shops make better insurance decisions.
(2:29) Robert’s Background
(14:55) Life Check-in Moment
(21:09) Worthy of Your Signature & Time
(32:47) Helping Independent Shops with Insurance
(47:02) Medical Debt
Resources:
Help us reach 1,000 Schools on WrenchWay. Refer a school by emailing [email protected] or checking out our website.
Check out our roundtable, Best Practices for Working with Schools.
Download the free WrenchWay mobile app:
App Store
Google Play
About Our Host:
Jay Goninen
Co-Founder & President, WrenchWay
[email protected] | 608.716.2122
About Our Guest:
Robert Steele
Founder & CEO, IGO Benefits
[email protected]
Sponsor:
OK. Your customer’s engine or transmission has failed. But now is not the time for them to trade their vehicle – not without a working engine or transmission. Besides, would they have kept their vehicle another 3-5 years if their engine or transmission had not let them down?
If you answered “yes” then Jasper Engines and Transmissions is your choice to give your customer’s vehicle new life and many thousands of miles of enjoyable driving performance.
When considering the high cost of a new or newer used vehicle, there’s a pretty good case to be made for replacing a drive train component that has failed or is delivering poor performance – rather than trading their car, truck, van or SUV. Install a quality re-manufactured JASPER product for less than your customer would have to invest in a new vehicle or a newer used vehicle.
Check out their website at jasperengines.com to learn more about the money-saving value of JASPER.

Connect with us on social:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• X
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• TikTok