Car Selling Secrets: Recent Episodes
Cumulus Media Minneapolis
Tom and Doug are already in the podcast game, but one wasn't enough. Make way for Car Selling Secrets, every Thursday at 2, where Doug will dole out the secrets and Tom will make sure Doug doesn't get too comfortable.
Minnesota House Republican Pat Garofolo and Democratic House Ryan Winkler join us to talk politics. These guys are actually aligned on more issues than one would think. We learn the THC gummies legislation passed in the last session under the radar and will be legal tomorrow (July 1) in Minnesota. We also talk about legalization of sports gambling legislation that Pat wrote and almost passed in the last session. Ryan talks about his campaign for Hennepin county attorney and Pat admits that if he was a Hennepin county resident, he'd vote for Ryan. Unfortunately for Ryan's campaign, Pat would also endorse Dr. Jensen. These two are great guests and always worth a listen. Finally we talk about Tom's announcement that he's leaving the Morning show in December. Doug suggests renaming the podcast "Dougie and the Quitter."
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Peter Borne, owner of the world's only floating recording studio stops by to plug his summer concert series and in the meantime, cut a commercial live, on the air for Walser Automotive. We breifly turn to electric cars but spend more time talking about an all original 1956 Hammond B3 organ that hadn't been played in 4 decades.
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Brent Alpert, board member for the Minnesota street rod association, joins us in studio to talk about the 48th annual Back to the Fifties car show, One of the largest in the United States.
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Scott Lambert and Mary Velline from the Minnesota Auto Dealer's Association join us in studio to talk about the amazingly successful Twin Cities Auto Show. Final weekend.......hurry, don't wait.
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What do Ellen DeGeneres, Charlie Sheen and Nick Cage all have in common? They've bought really expensive and rare cars from Bill Ward. Bill and Tom Ryan join us in studio to talk about exceptionally rare and expensive used cars. Tom Also talks with Mike Gelfand about Harper Lee and what a mooch Truman Capote is. Certainly something for everyone.
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A Hodge podge episode where we talk about physical diseases, Macular degeneration, self-driving cars, Emo Phillips in a Northern Wisconsin casino. In honor of the passing of Gilbert Gottfried, we play some old live KQ Walser sports that nearly ended Doug's radio career. On the automotive front, we talk about GM and Honda partnering in a sub 30K all electric vehicle, the introduction of the Ford F-150 Lightning and the worlds first trans-gender Traffic report. Never a dull moment.
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An automotive based episode. We debunk fuel saving devices and the conspiracy theories behind murdering scientists that developed carburetors capable of 100 mpg ratings. We talk about wasting money on premium fuel for most cars sold in the us and attempt to delicately explain when ethanol isn't always the best alternative. Lots of callers weighing in on compression ratios etc. and yet another failed attempt to get our GM mechanic friend to call in from Kenosha.
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Local bluesman Jim Stairs from Squishy Mud joins us in studio. It turns out that Jim, Mike Gelfand and Doug all drove taxis in Minneapolis in the 70's. We share stories of driving drunks around and playing in front of drunk people which seems somewhat appropriate as it's St. Patrick's day. Somehow all three of us survived those halcyon days.
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Technical difficulty day. We start the show talking dieting physiology with three women just starting their own clinic. Next up, Ukrainian tax breaks for citizens capturing Russian military equipment, Fords 50 billion dollar investment in EV's and Carvana's purchase of Adessa auto auctions. Finally, Doug talks about getting car-jacked in the 70's as a cab driver and we learn that Mike Gelfand also drove for the same company at likely the same time....................more to come about this next week while Mike and Doug will tell cab driving stories..........We are likely why they invented ride-share.
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We talk about the ongoing chip shortage with a listener who's patiently waiting for this new F250 to be built. We also talk about the war in the Ukraine, the possibility of an attack on Chernobyl and how to survive $5.00 per gallon gasoline. Not the most uplifting episode but at least we are topical.
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On the first hour, during The Family, we mostly talked about something other than politics. Now, on Car Selling Secrets, we're talking politics. We checked our calendar, and no, it's not opposite day. Although Doug does talk at length about selling cars in the second half, which is unusual enough that we may have to have February 10th declared as something in the same vein as opposite day. The day hell froze over, perhaps.
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Drinking and not driving. A very unusual and up lifting episode guided by many callers who phone in to discuss their struggles with alcoholism. Mike Gelfand talks about the pioneering work he did on the radio decades ago being one of the first people to openly discuss his own mental health struggles. Along the way we learn that the perfect inexpensive car to drive to group therapy is a 2001 Honda Accord V6......as long as you change the timing belt.
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Back after a 6 week hiatus. We discuss Tesla potentially taking the US Luxury Sales crown, bad boys pulling over people in a cop car, Earl Butz as the first victim of the cancel culture, the Presidency of Jimmy Carter and the return of the VW micro-bus.....this time, it's electric.
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Car Selling Secrets is back. Well, kind of. Doug isn't here. And we never talk about cars. But we're calling it Car Selling Secrets, so it still counts. Also, horses were basically the first kind of car. The topic is in the same ballpark, at least. And speaking of ballparks, don't you just hate athletes? Let's talk about that for a solid half hour.
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Candice Wheeler, star of the KQ morning show is live in the studio while we try to correct the depressing trajectory caused by the first hour. She talks about working on the morning show and the upcoming debut of her Sabbath tribute band. Lots of regulars call in to exchange Christmas greetings. Barely a car was mentioned for the last show of the year.
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Ryan Winkler and Pat Garofolo return to car selling secrets. Both serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives from the opposite sides of the aisle. We discuss vaccine mandates, the budget surplus, Jewish Space lasers, the travesty of CNN and Fox and the bomb throwers at the federal level in both parties. Even though Pat got busted on the house floor giving Ryan the finger, we model adult behavior. There is hope that the middle can rise up
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Back after a long Covid fueled brake. Tom has mostly recovered; Doug is back from travelling and we have a show that deals almost exclusively with cars. Lots of talk of electric cars and we dive into some of the shortcomings of Li-on batteries and Toyota's 13 billion dollar investment in solid state battery technology.
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Katie Jackson-Richter joins us live in studio. Katie is the COO of Cuneo Advertising, a national agency that has worked predominantly in automobile business. We discuss marketing strategies, third party attribution and where she thinks the market is headed. Katie started out in the radio business in Rapid City before following her fella to Minneapolis. She worked briefly at KQ as well as clear channel before joining Cuneo. We also mark the passing of Jimmy Roseen who is a legend among Minnesota car dealers. Jimmy started the original North Star Auto Auction. We also discuss his rather unusual job interview with the late Jack Walser.
www.walser.com
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We are joined in studio by JLO and Steven Collins from Coon Rapids Nissan. Of course we discuss Walser to you as Tom leased his new Nissan Altima that way. We also discuss Steven technically dying during the same operation that Andy Barnard is going through today. On the automotive side, Tesla's market briefly tops one trillion dollars after the 4.2 billion dollar purchase of Tesla 3's by Hertz. Finally we discuss the potential buyer incentives coming for electric vehicle owners but only if the vehicle is union made.
www.walser.com
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Boys club episode with Mike Gelfand on the phone. We talk about Tesla's increasing market share and how Doug missed a great stock purchasing opportunity a year ago. Mike tells the story of how his dad sued him when Mike correctly decided that Dad should no longer drive.
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The all over the map episode. Peter Borne returns to talk about a charity run by a bunch of guys named Mike who are having "Mikes Giving" on Peter's boat. We also compare colonoscopy stories and the dangers of 60's Volkswagens. Ron calls in to relay the story of his brand new Chevrolet truck that had apparently been painted three different colors from the factory. Finally, Mike Gelfand mourns the loss of a ceramic greyhound he won on Wheel of Fortune. No show next week as I'll be working the digital dealer automotive convention.
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A listener calls in to tell the tale of the worst car buying and owning experience he's ever had. Sadly, it centered around the old Walser Buick site in Richfield. Mike Gelfand also joins in with tales of self destructive Chevrolets and driving while blind to donate cars to charity. Doug relays his most recent experience fending of Craig's List scammers.
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James Carter, joins us from Canada to talk about the future of the automobile from Electrics to hydrogen and autonomous vehicles. After a long career with Toyota, he founded Vision Mobility and provides consulting to businesses worldwide about how these products will change the world.
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Amanda Valdez joins us in studio to talk about a rare disease that affects her son and nephew. If you recall the movie 'Lorenzo's Oil it deals with something called ALD. There is a virtual 5K to raise money for research. For more info, go to xoutald.org. Along the way we find out that Amanda's son and Tom's grandson are bitter soccer rivals on the mean streets of West Bloomington. We also discover that Amanda works as a parole officer which leads us on a tour of 70's strip clubs in St. Paul, racketeering and the unfortunate end of some of Tom's uncles. Never a dull moment.
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We are joined by Attorney Michael Bryant and auto assembly plant worker Joe from Louisville as we wander through the events of the day including Bronco roof recall and the back log civil cases due to covid.
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The Reverend Dana Strande makes her second appearance on car selling secrets. We talk about God and discover that Mellissa was a theology major. Some great conversations that are well worth a listen.
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Another rare episode where all we talk about is cars. We discuss Biden's pending announcement of toughened CAFE standards, the rush to domestic battery plant building and the change that theTrump administration's China tariffs may have on US construction and a re-alignment of inventory chains. We also note that the NYC auto show is cancelled due to increases in Covid numbers and howthe 4th wave may or may not affect us. Tire Carver calls in to discuss the environmental impact of Lion battery disposal. All and all a pretty serious episode.
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Minnesota State Representative Ryan Winkler makes his 3rd appearance and gets us caught up on the recently ended state legislative session, changes in marijuana laws and why the best presidential run in America was FDR through Kennedy.
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Peter Borne joins us in studio to talk about building the only mobile floating recording studio in the world, the halcyon days of working at KQ, recording commercials with Mick Sterling (who also happens to be in studio). It's a rollicking conversation that covers boating, music, the importance of faith, and KQRS. He also happens to mention recreating famous cars from the 60's such as the bat mobile. The show flies by and we are already making plans for a live broadcast with an audience on the boat. Bring gas money and a towel.
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We are joined in studio with Walser's Recruiting Director Ryan Moffitt and General Managers Bret Juedes and Andy Swanson. The whole show really is about selling in the Walser system, what's great about it and why you should join the team.
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Professional comedian Costaki Economopoulos joins us in studio. He's in town doing a week at acme and he stops by to discuss late 70's automotive lovers and what it's like doing live standup after a 15 month hiatus.
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What do you do when your guest cancels at the last minute? Snag Tom's guest from the first hour. Brian Leighton, local rock legend and leader of the G.B. Leighton band joins us. We briefly talk about the world's slowest car, oddly named a Rabbit and then the talk quickly turns to music because, let's face it, music is the only thing cooler than cars.
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Tal Maizels, VP of R&D for Fuse Autotech, joins us from Tel Aviv. We talk about what life in Israel is like, the iron dome missile defense system and why Israel is a hot bed for technology and software development. We also talk about Fuse Autotech's plan to upend the automotive purchase experience in the United States.
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South St Paul Mayor Jimmy Francis returns. The city is the home of the Beautiful Wayl car and the Scooby-Doo Mystery mobile. The discussion turns to politics and the value of centrists. We decide that retired radio star Dave Lee would make the perfect gubernatorial candidate.
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Scott Lambert calls in from the highly successful Twin Cities Auto show at the state fairground. Joe calls in with the latest shutdown news and we discuss day's supply of inventory and the stunning new F-150 Lightning. Oddly, we discuss cars during the entire podcast........it rarely happens. We will not broadcast next week in order to make room for the Tom Barnard Podcast's 2,000th episode.
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Dan Murphy, founder of Soul Asylum and Golden Smog joins us in studio to talk rock music. The discussion turns to local music venues during the 80's and a particular monitor engineer called 'Feed Back Frank'. Turns out Frank is Joe from Loisville's dad. Dan and Doug were step-brothers for a few years in the early 70's and Dan embarasses Doug with stories of being a tall skinny hippy drenched in Patchouli oil. Finally, Dan talks about what it's like to have Prince cover one of his songs.
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Mary Veline, head of the Twin Cities Auto show joins us to talk about the auto show at the state fair. With a 10,000 daily attendance limit, ride and drives and state fair food and extended hours, this could be the best ever auto show. We also talk about Mary's famous father-in-law, Bobby V. Somehow the conversation turns to Covid vaccine and Doug books Tom an appointment for tomorrow during the show. You never know what's going to happen.
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We talk about the chip shortage, skyrocketing used car prices and the dominance of one price dealers in the used car world in the US. GM announces the connection of 60,000 charging stations across the US. Joe calls in to talk about factory shutdowns and product shortages and Officer Dave tries to sell Tom an electric Mustang.
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Alan Krutsch joins us in studio. Alan was the Marketing Director at Walser many years ago and really is responsible for the start of the live KQ radio spots. He regales us with tales of advertising, drinking expensive wine on Tom's dime and high end audio sales in Bozeman Montana. Oddly, Alan is the first guest who can't remember exactly what his first car was.
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It's Baseball time and our friend Mike Veeck from the St. Paul Saints joins us to talk about his return to MLB along with the classic story about how he was forced out over 45 years ago. For those not in the know, the Saints are now part of the Twins farm system so expect to see a lot of major league talent at the gorgeous CHS field in downtown St. Paul. We mention cars exactly zero times in this episode.
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Scott Lambert, President of the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association joins us in studio to talk about Scott's boldest move, booking the Twin Cities Auto Show at the State Fair. As soon as he announced it, the food vendors lined up to participate. With free parking, great food and Covid protocols, this is destined to be a really exciting event. Tickets will be limited to 10,000 per day. For more info, go to; https://twincitiesautoshow.com/
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The April fool's show reunites Tom and Johnny Rock Lassman. Other than blowing up a 77 Mustang II on the Long Island Expressway, not much car content here but for fans of Twin Cities Radio, is an episode not to miss. Tales of program directors gone awry, life on North Lilac drive and the birth (and death) of the Chucker. These guys haven't seen each other in almost a year and a half and there was lots to catch up on.
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Alex Davis makes his return to Car Selling Secrets. When he was first on, 1 1/2 years ago, he was about to start his sales career at Walser's Porsche Wichita store. He talks about his love for the brand, selling the most expensive car in company history (1.3 Million) and starting his own podcast. Somehow we wind up talking about Eric Eskola and a couple callers phone in to celebrate their recent sobriety. You never know what's going to happen on Car Selling Secrets.
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Andy Swanson, General Manager at Walser Hyundai, joins us in studio to talk about cars oddly enough including the red hot product. Along the way we discuss our inglorious start in the business when the world was a different place.
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Famous local attorney Michael Bryant joins us in studio. After a few minutes of listening to Tom talk about road rage incidents in Palm Beach at the Breakers Golf course, we get down to discussing the ins and outs of the Derek Chauvin trial, how jury selection works, possible pleas and how Covid has affected the jury system. It's actually very interesting.
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The mysterious case of the disappearing guest. What do you do when the phone goes right to voicemail? Make stuff up and hope for some interesting callers which is exactly what happens.
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Walser automotive group's Marketing Director Kate Lumsden joins us in the studio. Kate has apparently been car crazy her whole life, drawing cars during school as a little girl. With a degree in graphic design, she happened to answer a blind employment ad and wound up working for the Morries automotive group. She starts to pick on her husband's lifted and loud 20 year old Ram before slips up and reveals she a Wrangler driver who lives out in the country. Not a typical background for automotive marketing but it seems to be going well.
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Well, it's the coldest week of the winter so it's a perfect time to talk boats with Dan Chesky from Dan's Southside Marine. We explain to Tom that it's called 'Dock Sailing' not 'Deck sailing. Dan discuses Mercury's new 600 HP V12 outboard that costs 80,000 dollars and can drink three gallons of gas per mile. Tracy Morgan shows up at the end of the show.
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Guest free episode where we talk about Apple and Hyundai making AV's, Caroll Shelby's AC Cobra selling for 12 million dollars, the ongoing chip shortage hurting production and the jaw-dropping Cadillac Blackwing.... Along the way we hear from Officer Dave and Joe from Louisville, Marvin Gaye and the Beatles.
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Leading automotive journalist Cliff Banks joins us to talk about the future of automotive in these changing times including EV's AV's and Hydrogen powered cars. The last 10 minutes inadvertently turned into a commercial for Fuse AutoTech, a software company that will allow a complete digital automotive transaction. For those interested in learning more about the automotive business, I highly recommend subscribing to http://www.thebanksreport.com/.
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Dayna Landgrebe is our guest this week. Dayna has worked in PR and Communications at Walser for 3 years. She talks about the work done creating an interesting and vibrant culture within the company. She is a founder of the 'Women of Walser' and was instrumental in the creation of the 'Drive with Pride' initiative. She's helped build something very different in the automotive space. She talks about her early work in TV news production and a desire to get into radio where she thought the big money was.
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Angel Gonzales, General Manager of Walser Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Ram joins us in studio. Angel talks about his family moving from Panama to escape Noriega, getting talked into joining the army and his accidental recruitment into the car business. We also discuss the Hell Cat Pacifica (not going to happen) and the electric Wrangler (which is going to happen).
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How do you know when your advertising is effective? When someone flies in from New Mexico to buy a car. We are joined by long time KQ and Podcast listener Charlie 'n Albuquerque. Turns out he and Tom likely crossed paths in the record business in the early 70's. Some great stories for the last show of the year. We will return on January 7th. Here's to hoping for a better year. Happy Holidays to one and all.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Mark Meier and Bill Dehkes, founders of the Face It Foundation. They started the foundation over 10 years ago because of battles with depression. We talk about how the issue disproportionately effects men in their 40s and 50s. Despite the somber topic, it's a very interesting episode and a must listen if you or someone close to you is suffering with this terrible disease.
www.faceitfoundation.org
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A super rare episode where we talk about cars. Winter driving tips for parents and children and when it's cool to do doughnuts with your parents in the car.
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As special pre-Thanksgiving edition of Car Selling Secrets. We are joined in studio by Minneapolis mayoral candidate, Philidelphia native who is curiously call L.A. Nik. La talks about his first car, a triple black 64 GTO, his infatuation with Benelli motorcylces, and his love for Walser car rental service which has allowed him to travel the country in search of the rare and collectable.
Also, in an unusual change to the formula due to the non-standard week, have a guest right in the middle. Coincidentally, Nik was just talking about how people are mean (to use a more polite term than he did). Grant agrees, and thinks that a return to honor might be in order.
THE NEW HONOR CODE: A Simple Plan for Raising Our Standards and Restoring Our Good Names - amzn.to/39dPAYM
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Due to recent COVID restrictions, both of our guests joined us via Skype. State Representatives Pat Garofolo and Ryan Winkler join us to talk about COVID vaccines, helping small businesses and the chess game behind the possibility of Amy Kloubuchar joining the Biden administration. We all model adult behavior by having a Democrat, a Republican, a used car salesman and a DJ all get along with no yelling or screaming. This likely due to having Andy Barnard in the room.
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Larry 'Moon' Thompson from KS 95 makes his return to Car Selling Secrets. It's a rollicking conversation the covers the election, SNL, getting fired from radio stations and getting DWIs. We congratulate Moon on 32 years of sobriety which was clearly a good decision.
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Twin Cities Radio legend John Hines re-joins us in studio for the November men. Tom, Doug and John are all born in the first few days of the month. We tell stories about when the auto world was centered in Minneapolis along with 90 years of combined radio history in Minnesota. Tom gets mad when he finds out that John has been the recipient of two declarations from the Governor proclaiming "John Hines day."
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We are joined in studio with John Heinen and Nick Nichols who are the pilot and co-pilot of A 440 studios. They are promoting their six week live concert series at Southern Theatre. Staples as both performers and behind the scene guru's of the local Minneapolis music scene, A-440 fest serves both the musical community as well as supporting the 30 day foundation which helps families in need. If you need a break from politics and just want to talk about music, this episode is for you.
Visit Here- http://www.a440studios.com
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Larry Moon Thompson joins Doug in the studio to tell stories about growing up on a family farm in Nebraska and how he started a 45 year radio career.
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We are joined in studio by Sarah Sprinthall and Reverend Dana Fath Strande. We talk about Dana's journey growing up Catholic in a small western Minnesota farm town and eventually becoming an Episcopalian Priest. Along the way, Tom gets some advice about how God works in the world.
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Mike Bilski from North American bank and our Walser friend Tom Ryan Jr. join us for a rollicking episode where we talk about grift in the UAW, suing people who rear end Ferraris and the most dangerous banking investments.
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In this episode, we discuss California's announcement banning the sale of gas powered cars in 15 years. We talk about Elon Musks announcemnt of 25K all electric cars with a 250 mile range in three years. Tom is shocked to learn that Telsa stock has risen from 80 dollars per share on January first to almost 400 dollars. Tire Carver calls in to plug what is probably the only garage in the state that works on Ferraris.
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Congresswoman Angie Craig calls in while sitting in her car, looking at the Capitol in Washington. She talks about growing up in a single parent household, working her way through college and what led to her decision to run for Congress after a successful career in the private sector. She talks about what's right in Washington and also the challenges of working across the aisle. We are pleasantly surprised to learn that the Jeep Rubicon she drives in the commercial is hers and was purchased at our partner store in Bloomington. In addition, her son bought a Subaru from Walser as well. Obviously, a woman with great automotive taste.
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Tiffany Norton returns to a raucous episode where we talk about Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Rodney Dangerfield and the dangers of bachelorette parties heckling musicians and stand-up comedians. Along the way Tiffany discusses poorly translated Japanese home market auto names.
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Tom and Doug are joined by Steve Hucovski, Steve is the owner of Sabre heating and air conditioning but his real passion is dirt track racing. He talks about how he got started and what it's like to drive a 900 horsepower car, full throttle, for an entire race. In addition, Tom tells the story of how a homeless dog gets adopted by a Hyundai dealer and becomes a media star with 150,000 followers.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Paul Walser. We start out with Paul talking about contracting Covid……what it was like and how he bounced back. We discuss his chairmanship of NADA (National Auto Dealers Association) and we make some murky predictions about the short term future of sales. We also talk about the value of the franchise system from the customer’s perspective.
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Officer Dave returns and joins Tom and Doug in the studio. We discuss George Floyd, Keith Ellison and the defund the police movement. Officer Dave watched the body cam video and talked about possible prosecution problems. It's not all grim though as KQ super fan Wendy calls in and sounds like she's the head of the commerce committee for Key West.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Minnesota House of Representatives Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. We talk all things politics from the race in the 5th, Biden's likely VP pick and the possibility of legalization of marijuana in Minnesota. Tom decides to start the 'Shut Up" political party and contemplates a run for Governor. We went the entire show without mentioning automobiles.
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Tom Ryan Jr. returns as a guest and we talk about the history of cars and the future of sales. Who invented air conditioning, cruise control, airbags, the turbocharger, and how does a young man whose only previous job experience was Chili's sell 90 cars in one month? You'll have to listen to find out.
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Our famous guest, Antone Melton-Meaux had a conflict so Tom and Doug resort to actual car content including a Tesla that automatically stops at Burger King, a 1,400 horsepower Mustang and a list of cars that will disappear in 2020. A caller tells stories of working at a Lake Street used car lot as a 13 year old and the questionable practices of the day. We wrap up with a nostalgic tour of the old highway 12 from the Pearl Diver to Amalgamated mining.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by John Kriesel. John served in the Minnesota National Guard and lost both of his legs in Iraq as the result of an IED attack. He talks about how his life changed as a result and he started a career as an author, motivational speaker and politician. Tom tries hard to get him to announce a gubernatorial run on the air.
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A rare episode where we talk about cars. We field questions from listeners about the best time to buy a car, trading strategies and leasing vs buying. Officer Dave, Tire Carver and Wendi the super fan all call in and share stories of their first rides. Fun in the summer time.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Tiffany Norton. She's worked in TV and Radio in the twin cities for years. She talks about the beginning of her stand up career opening for Mr. Delightful (Dave Mordahl) and what it feels like to bomb. She also graduated with a degree in law enforcement to prepare for law school and weighs in on the current situation between the police and the communities they serve.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by the CEO of North American Banking Company, Mike Bilski. It's an interesting discussion of how banking works including a lot of positives about banking regulations. We talk about the history of the FDIC, Federal reserve and the current level of the National debt. Mike also talks about how to start a bank; Step one, Raise 10 million dollars................................we never got past step one.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by John Hines. Tom and John were room mates in the 70's at the start of their radio careers. Between the two of them they have over 90 years of broadcasting experience. It's a show devoted to radio stories and fun times in south Minneapolis.
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A rare episode where we discuss cars. Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Rhett Dressel and Andy Swanson from Walser Hyundai. Rhett pulls into the top three first car stories relating the tale of a night time race without headlights that ends with a roll over. We discuss his transition from being a bar tender to selling cars and the ease of transitioning from being a server to sales professional. We also talk about the really hot new Hyundai line up.
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A rare two guest episode this week. First we interview Bogi Lateiner who, after graduating college, decided to pursue a career in automotive repair and worked for 7 years as a BMW tech before starting her own repair business staffed predominately by women. In addition, she hosts a show on Motor Trend called All Girl Garage. We have an interesting discussion about the difficulty of hiring service technicians in general and women specifically.
Our second guest is Michael Bryant, a partner in Bradshaw and Bryant. We attempt to entangle the legal ramifications of the Covid crisis, what it means to employers and employees alike.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Mike McGowan. Mike's father started a landfill operation in the 60's that straddles I 35W in Burnsville. Coincidentally, the property abuts Walser Experienced autos and would have been a great site for the new Subaru Dealership. The problem is that despite following the state and federal rules, the state and more specifically the PCA has waged a multi-generational war against the family. We talk about a similar problem Walser faced with an arbitrary eminent domain issue forcing us to relocate from our Richfield campus to our current facilities in Bloomington.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by MN House of Representatives member Pat Garofolo. We dive deep into a discussion of the MN budget in light of the Corona Virus and his views on the Governor's stay at home order. Along the way Pat talks about getting fired as a young man as a result of calling into the KQ morning show in the 90's and blowing off Frank Sinatra. Never a dull moment.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Mick Sterling who has been a band leader in the Twin Cities for 40 years. In addition, for the past 11 years he has headed the 30 days Foundation which helps people in need by covering utility bills, car repairs etc in an effort to help working people stay out of what can be a downward spiral. To learn more about the foundation, https://www.the30-daysfoundation.org/about-us
With everyone tired of talking about Covid 19, Tom, Doug and Mick talk music both local and national. Minneapolis is an amazingly small town and even though we've never formally met, it turns out we were at many of the same parties and concerts. Most don't know that James Brown played at the Cabooze on the west bank in the late 70's. Doug and Mick were at the show. Tune in next week when we interview Tesla driving Republican Minnesota House of Representative, Pat Garofolo.
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Tom and Doug are joined by the wizard of the ST. Paul Saints, Mike Veeck. It's a show all about baseball and a welcome respite from Covid 19. Mike is a 3rd generation baseball owner and regales us with some of the worst failures of his marketing career including but not limited to getting thrown out of pro ball for 10 years after blowing up a pile of disco records at Comisky stadium. He talks about donating Saints marketing funds to local businesses during the crisis. Then we take a trip into baseball history talking about how is father signed both Satchel Paige and Larry Doby (first black player in the American league) to pro contracts. Mike is a great story teller and his skills are on full display here.
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Tom and Doug are joined by Walser's SVP of Minnesota Operations, Charlie Swenson. The show starts out with Charlie talking about some incredibly bad decisions made by teen age boys, learning how to drive a Semi at 90 miles per hour, at night, while his dad takes a nap and growing up in Robbinsdale. Along the way we discuss 'Walser to You' and how a customer-centric business model has allowed some success in these most difficult of times.
Tune in next week when Mike Veeck, the mad scientist behind the ST. Paul Saints will be our special guest.
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A guest free episode with Tom, Doug, Melissa and Andy. We talk about Melissa's experience with Walser to You (which was excellent) and the refunding of the payroll protection program. Tips on how to care for your car while working from home, All State insurance rebates, Honda's program for first responders and Health care workers. It devolves into a discussion of 70's late night AM radio and Tom gives tips on how to get fired as a 20 year old DJ with a 19 market share.
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We were excited to have Andrew Walser on, but unfortunately he had to cancel at the last minute. It had to do with the Federal Payroll Protection Program which we discuss at length. Cash for clunkers was a 3 billion dollar program; the Payroll Protection is 350 billion. We also discuss the success of 'Walser to you'. Finally, long time listener and guest Officer Dave calls in to discuss the dramatic drop-off in crime, the insanity of the Seattle, Washington police chief, and the possibility of fan-less major league baseball.
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This is a special episode of Car Selling Secrets where we've collected the stories of politicians, comedians, radio stars and their families, church ladies, ad executives and cops talking about their very first cars.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Sarah Sprinthall and Colton Ray. Sarah starts out with her Francis McDormand influenced story about her 1985 Mitsubishi Mirage. Then we get down to brass tacks and talk about how Walser is dealing with the Corona virus outbreak. Colton Ray, Walser Automotive Marketing Director, talks about their brand new service, “Walser to you” which allows customers to purchase vehicle from the comfort of their homes. When Andy and Melissa discover it also includes free service pickup, we book our first two “Walser to you” service appointments.
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We do our first ever live remote from the Twin Cities auto show. Doug is joined at the show by Mary Velline, who is in charge of the show, and Walser General Managers Brycen Eberwien from Subaru; Andy Swanson from Hyundai; Jason Loechler from Coon Rapids Nissan and David Berwald from Burnsville Mazda. We actually spend most of the show talking about product (for a change) with some fun stories thrown in on the side. Join us next week when John Kriesel will be our guest. John barely survived an IED attack while serving in the Minnesota National Guard in Iraq and then served in the Minnesota Legislature before launching a career as an author and motivational speaker. It should be really interesting as John even has his own Wiki page.
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Tom and Doug are joined by the mayor of South Saint Paul, Jimmy Francis, and his grandfather Carl. Jimmy wins the internet with his 'my first car' story involving a dead deer, a Dodge slant six, and a retired farmer who wants to trade titles at midnight and calls him 'Dutchman' for no apparent reason. Carl talks about his days as an 80 year old debt collector and the Minnesota polka circuit of 1947.
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Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Eddie Spadino. Eddie is an over the road truck driver with more than two million miles under his belt. We discuss costs, accidents, road hazards and how truck drivers are paid. Eddie also talks about pet peeves. Pro tip, don’t try to cut off something that weighs over 40 tons and also, don’t drive a pickup truck into a semi that’s stopped.
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Scott Lambert, President of Minnesota Auto Dealer's Association, join Tom and Doug in studio to talk about the Twin Cities Auto Show. We discuss the new Corvette, Mustang and give away some free tickets to the show. Scott explains what auto dealer lobbyists do and why this work is important. To Scott's mortification, Tom admits to Tesla ownership.
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This week’s Car Selling Secrets recaps a week of technical difficulties and tardy guests. First, we interview MSNBC’s Chris Matthews who is on to promote his podcast.
Doug completely ignores the purpose and asks Chris about his days speech writing during the Carter administration and being Tip O’neill’s Chief of Staff. Next up we visit with the tardy local music legend Mick Sterling who talks about the charity he started, 30-days foundation, to help Minnesota families in need.
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The show is called Car Selling Secrets, but nobody ever said we can't talk about other kinds of secrets. Eating disorders, for example, are often kept a secret. Some secrets are worth keeping; that one isn't. And speaking of confessions, there are almost as many denominations of Christianity as there are people on earth. Several of those denominations are represented in this room.
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You've heard Tom call himself a centrist. Now hear another Tom call himself a centrist. This one has proof, because he ran as an independent, and somehow got more than .01% of the vote. Probably because this was before The Great Fracturing, as we assuming future historians will call what happened to US politics in the past several years.
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People often make poor decisions that seem like a good idea at the time, whether they be that first drink leading to 30 years of alcoholism or letting your 16 year old anywhere near a vehicle. Not to diminish one or the other. Fewer and fewer 16 year olds are driving anyway, and if you're a parent your immediate reaction is probably "thank god". Besides, with self-driving cars just around the corner, soon you'll be able to rest easy knowing your teenager got to and from church and nowhere else.
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In keeping with tradition, today's Car Selling Secrets is mostly about anything except cars. We've got comedy, parenting, the evolution of the cell phone. We even touch on electric cars only to instead delve into the politics thereof rather than the car itself. We do talk about cars somewhat. Especially old cars with some very questionable design choices.
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It's a million below freezing, and you know what that means: your tires are low. Don't make the mistake of filling them up over and over, only to have to let air out when it warms up. There's a space-age gas called nitrogen that Walser can hook you up with that'll take care of that. It'll even reduce wear on your tires should you decide to go over a hundred miles per hour. Disclaimer: Walser does not approve of going over a hundred miles per hour.
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Almost everyone had a first car, at least in America where 50 miles away is "close". And almost everyone north of the equator who ever had a car has skidded on ice. It's a lesson you have to learn by doing, but there are some things you can keep in mind to make your first (or thirtieth) skid slightly less damaging. Doug knows all of them. He majored in it. Maybe.
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The age old battle in the upper midwest is police vs Minneapolis. Literally Minneapolis, not the people living there. Word on the street is that the tangled mess of bureaucracy that runs it might not be the most efficient or benevolent. What does this have to do with cars, you ask? We have no answer.
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Being a podcast, we're pretty close to the advertising industry. Radio is even closer. And at the very closest end of the spectrum is J. Marie Fieger, the CEO of Nemer Fieger, which in addition to being the premier advertising agency in Minnesota also has a name that almost rhymes.
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We've heard his voice, but never seen his face. Such is the life of a crime fighter. Today we finally learn his true identity, and also his true thoughts on texting while driving. At the risk of spoiling the episode, he does not view it positively.
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Everything changes. Especially cars. Remember the days of all steel land boats that belched toxic smoke? Ah, memories. There is a downside to today's modern car/supercomputer, and that downside is more parts means more failure points. Good luck trying to fix something with the complexity of the Apollo moon landing computer times ten.
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Longtime listeners may know Jerry as the guy from New Hope who makes food. Well, he still makes food, but now he does it at Walser. Why doesn't Doug ever bring ribs? Even if he didn't make them, they're still ribs.
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There are two kinds of body work you'll probably have to do a lot of in your life. The first is fixing your car's chassis, which Darren can take care of. The second is not eating donut sandwiches. At least try to keep them down to once a year. The only person who can help you there is yourself.
Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Darren Heairet. Darren is a partner with the Walsers in 6 collision centers in Minnesota. He talks about what it takes to stay current on all the changing technology in the industry and the challenge of hiring qualified body repair people leading to the eventual decision to 'grow his own'. In the meantime, he try to sell a guest from the first hour on why he should trade his beloved Tacoma on a new one. Somehow the conversation turns to Tom's childhood dog meeting a sad and cruel end and what our exotic dancer names would be but that's just how podcasts work.
www.walser.com
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Kathy Barth is the Zone Manager for Mazda NA, which means she's privy to technology humankind is not yet meant to possess. At least, that's what it sounds like. She wouldn't tell us any of her top secret information. We did learn what deleting emissions means, which is something nobody in the room had ever heard of.
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We were this close to creating our own Tom Barnard Show car, but the name Every Joy Pop Turbo was taken so we gave up. Plus in the future they're all going to be called the Car 6 or the Car 15 because nobody cares what model of car picks them up and drops them off automatically.
A free-wheeling show where we talk about Nissan's new autonomous golf balls, the future of rideshare, why Mary Barra has to meet President Trump in the oval office to explain global auto production and the all-time worst names for automobiles. We also celebrate Alex (from Mazda) setting an all time, all Walser record with 70 sales in one month.
www.walser.com
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Linda shaves the binders and rakes the zoomies. Or whatever. She does hot rod stuff. And given that Cassie is Linda from an alternate timeline, the two have a lot in common. We've already missed this year's Minnesota Street Rod Back to the 50s event, but it's only 42 weeks to the next one, so put it on your calendar.
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Car Selling Secrets 22 is here, this time disguised as an episode of The Family. The entire literal family already drives Walser cars, so why not adopt their podcast too?
Tom and Doug are joined in studio by Alex Davis. Alex recently accepted a sales position at Walser's Porsche dealership in Wichita. He's incredibly passionate about cars in general and Porsche in particular. Tom has recently fallen in love with Gen Z and young Millenials as he thinks they will save the country. Alex gives him every reason to think he's correct. We also talk about the current anti-auto bias in Minneapolis and Trump's puzzling tweet to 'Politically Correct Automotive Executives."
www.walser.com
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Have you met Harper Lee? Trick question; nobody met Harper Lee. Ever. Except for Tom. Yes, what is apparently the only person who has ever gotten a reply from her is in studio today, and even more interesting, he's also in the car business.
Tom and Doug are joined in the studio by Tom Ryan. Tom runs a company that trains one price dealers but his real passion is collecting books. Tom tells the story of how he helped the Jablonski family when their son was paralyzed in a hockey accident. He reached out to some of the most famous authors in America and wound up becoming friends with the incredibly reclusive Harper Lee who apparently goes by 'Nell' to her close friends.
www.walser.com
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Ever wonder how used car dealers get all those used cars? Billy Joe, that's how. More specifically, they're bought by the dozens or hundreds in the chaotic world of auto auctions. Those auctioneers you can barely understand in cartoons aren't actually much of an exaggeration.
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