diff --git a/tools/car_porting/auto_fingerprint.py b/tools/car_porting/auto_fingerprint.py
index e14a018917..7dae9ce048 100755
--- a/tools/car_porting/auto_fingerprint.py
+++ b/tools/car_porting/auto_fingerprint.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from openpilot.selfdrive.debug.format_fingerprints import format_brand_fw_versio
 
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.fw_versions import match_fw_to_car
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.interfaces import get_interface_attr
-from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, ReadMode, get_first_message
+from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, ReadMode
 
 
 ALL_FW_VERSIONS = get_interface_attr("FW_VERSIONS")
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 
   platform: Optional[str] = None
 
-  CP = get_first_message(lr, "carParams")
+  CP = lr.first("carParams")
 
   if CP is None:
     raise Exception("No fw versions in the provided route...")
 
-  carFw = CP.carParams.carFw
-  carVin = CP.carParams.carVin
-  carPlatform = CP.carParams.carFingerprint
+  carFw = CP.carFw
+  carVin = CP.carVin
+  carPlatform = CP.carFingerprint
 
   if args.platform is None: # attempt to auto-determine platform with other fuzzy fingerprints
     _, possible_platforms = match_fw_to_car(carFw, log=False)
diff --git a/tools/car_porting/examples/ford_vin_fingerprint.ipynb b/tools/car_porting/examples/ford_vin_fingerprint.ipynb
index c4f2088b38..b020b1100b 100644
--- a/tools/car_porting/examples/ford_vin_fingerprint.ipynb
+++ b/tools/car_porting/examples/ford_vin_fingerprint.ipynb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
      "name": "stderr",
      "output_type": "stream",
      "text": [
-      "kj/filesystem-disk-unix.c++:1703: warning: PWD environment variable doesn't match current directory; pwd = /mnt/c/Users/jnewb/AppData/Local/Programs/Microsoft VS Code\n"
+      "kj/filesystem-disk-unix.c++:1703: warning: PWD environment variable doesn't match current directory; pwd = /home/batman\n"
      ]
     }
    ],
@@ -74,9 +74,6 @@
     }
    ],
    "source": [
-    "from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import get_first_message\n",
-    "\n",
-    "\n",
     "VINS_TO_CHECK = set()\n",
     "\n",
     "for platform in platforms:\n",
@@ -86,13 +83,13 @@
     "\n",
     "  for segment in database[platform]:\n",
     "    lr = LogReader(segment)\n",
-    "    CP = get_first_message(lr, \"carParams\").carParams\n",
+    "    CP = lr.first(\"carParams\")\n",
     "    VINS_TO_CHECK.add((CP.carVin, CP.carFingerprint))"
    ]
   },
   {
    "cell_type": "code",
-   "execution_count": 4,
+   "execution_count": null,
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [
     {
diff --git a/tools/lib/logreader.py b/tools/lib/logreader.py
index 58883c6865..6c1174611b 100755
--- a/tools/lib/logreader.py
+++ b/tools/lib/logreader.py
@@ -264,9 +264,9 @@ are uploaded or auto fallback to qlogs with '/a' selector at the end of the rout
   def from_bytes(dat):
     return _LogFileReader("", dat=dat)
 
-
-def get_first_message(lr: LogIterable, msg_type):
-  return next(filter(lambda m: m.which() == msg_type, lr), None)
+  def first(self, msg_type: str):
+    m = next(filter(lambda m: m.which() == msg_type, self), None)
+    return None if m is None else getattr(m, msg_type)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/tools/lib/tests/test_comma_car_segments.py b/tools/lib/tests/test_comma_car_segments.py
index 1d6088d821..484a4aae08 100644
--- a/tools/lib/tests/test_comma_car_segments.py
+++ b/tools/lib/tests/test_comma_car_segments.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import unittest
 
 import requests
 from openpilot.tools.lib.comma_car_segments import get_comma_car_segments_database, get_url
-from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, get_first_message
+from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader
 from openpilot.tools.lib.route import SegmentRange
 
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class TestCommaCarSegments(unittest.TestCase):
 
     lr = LogReader(url)
 
-    CP = get_first_message(lr, "carParams").carParams
+    CP = lr.first("carParams")
 
     self.assertEqual(CP.carFingerprint, fp)