Daimee Rosales has three goals: be a skilled mechanic, a role model, and keep her six-pack abs.   

The 25-year-old rose to internet fame with a viral oil-changing video and now has over half a million TikTok followers.

In the video, she effortlessly performs leg raises while hanging from the underside of a car, making the auto shop seem like her personal gym. This stunt even led some fans to humorously suggest that her toned abs could substitute for a torque wrench.

However, these engaging clips serve a greater purpose than mere entertainment. They aim to inform a younger, broader audience about cars, with a special focus on empowering women who might otherwise be subject to biased treatment by sexist mechanics.

Through her channel, Rosales offers car maintenance advice, pokes fun at mechanic stereotypes, and lip-syncs—all primarily recorded in her father’s auto shop. This presence has helped her rise as an influential figure.

Her ultimate objective remains deeply rooted in hands-on experience. She’s been enhancing her automotive repair skills, notably by dismantling and reconstructing several complex Nissan CVT engines.

These highly sought-after skills in the automotive world can lead to lucrative careers, but Rosales, hailing from Toronto, emphasizes fair pricing, especially for her female clientele.

‘My dad and I have many women visiting our shop,’ she explained to the Daily Mail. ‘We are committed to ensuring they are never overcharged. I strive to deliver quality work at a reasonable cost.’

Daimee, 25, spoke with the Daily Mail about which cars she would avoid to save money

Her experience gives her a well of information about the most dependable cars in North America — and how much maintenance they’ll require in the long term.

For drivers who want to avoid the shop beyond routine oil changes and tire rotations, Rosales doesn’t mince words when asked what cars she would never recommend. 

‘Ford, Volkswagen, and Chevy,’ she said flatly. 

Her recommendation might be bad news to millions of Americans: Ford perennially takes the best-selling vehicle crown with its $40,000 to $85,000 F-150 pickup. 

GM, Chevy’s parent company, is America’s most popular car brand. Its similarly-prices F-150 competitor, the Silverado, also racks in hundreds of thousands of sales each year.  

Meanwhile, Volkswagen is the world’s second most popular car brand. 

But beyond entry-level vehicles, Rosales says drivers should avoid European luxury cars if they want to optimize reliability. 

‘BMWs are fun to drive, but to own one? Not a good idea,’ she said. ‘They’re expensive to fix and they don’t last.’

The TikToker has garnered over a half-million followers on the platform

Rosales is also involved in the production of Pony, an adrenaline-fueled action movie about two dirt-track racing sisters

Rosales said the BMW cars are fun to drive, but claimed they weren’t worth the expensive repair costs

Rosales suggested drivers stay away from imported luxury vehicles, including the Land Rover lineup

She also said that the worst brands for dependability are imported luxury vehicles, such as Jaguar, Audi, Mercedes, and Land Rover. 

Drivers, she added, should avoid purchasing electric vehicles due to their potentially higher battery replacement costs, which could easily cost owners thousands of dollars – especially in cold-weather regions.

Instead, Rosales spoke highly of longtime, well-regarded car companies like Toyota and Honda. 

‘Those are super easy to work on,’ she said. 

Much of her expertise lines up with what other mechanics have told the Daily Mail. 

In July, Scotty Kilmer, a frequently viral YouTube mechanic with 50 years of car-fixing experience, said drivers should avoid Ford and Chevy trucks. 

Jon Ling, a mechanic with 30 years of experience, had some similar advice. 

But for those already behind the wheel of the oft-fixed vehicles, Rosales says many car owners doom themselves to expensive engine and transmission fixes simply by neglecting basic upkeep.

Filming for Pony began at Bridgeport Speedway in NJ in 2024. Rosales said of her time at the shoot: ‘Had such an amazing two days filming behind the scenes for the ‘Pony’ movie. It’s an action packed dirt track race car movie. Get ready. Pony’s coming! Remember the name.’

Behind the viral persona, she’s putting in serious work. Rosales has been honing her skills by tearing down tricky Nissan CVT engines and rebuilding them, part of a push to master the craft

Behind the viral persona, she’s putting in serious work. Rosales has been honing her skills by tearing down tricky Nissan CVT engines and rebuilding them, part of a push to master the craft

She largely told drivers to avoid German made cars – including the Audi pictured above – because of faulty transmissions

Rosales also said drivers should avoid paying for EVs because the battery replacement costs are too high

‘A lot of people, especially women, don’t keep up with their oil changes,’ she said. 

‘It’s a simple suggestion, but it goes a long way. Over time, it will cause major issues with the transmission or the engine.’ 

She advised drivers to keep to a standard 5,000-mile scheduled check-in. 

Rosales suggested drivers in sedans and SUVs should only pay between $70 and $90 for their oil changes. A heftier bill might indicate that the shop is overcharging. 

But truck owners should expect to pay more. She said a $120 oil change charge is standard for anyone driving a V8-powered vehicle.