970: The Cadillac Irreleviq, A Car That Makes You Earn It, Driving Beyond The Brink
Everyday Driver Car Debate
970: The Cadillac Irreleviq, A Car That Makes You Earn It, Driving Beyond The Brink
Annotations will appear as you listen
0:00
61:50
Term
EVs
EVs stands for electric vehicles, which are cars that run on electricity instead of gasoline. They are better for the environment and are becoming more common.
Concept
internal combustion engines
Internal combustion engines are the type of engines that most cars have, where fuel is burned inside the engine to create power. This is different from electric cars that use batteries.
Term
EV
An EV, or electric vehicle, is a car that runs on electricity instead of gasoline. This means it doesn't produce exhaust fumes and is often better for the environment.
Car
Lucid Air
The Lucid Air is a fancy electric car that can go really far on a single charge. It's known for its luxury features and is a new player in the electric car market.
Car
Chevrolet Blazer
The Chevrolet Blazer is a stylish SUV that is good for everyday use and can also handle some adventures. It's popular for its looks and features.
Car
Cadillac Celestic
The Cadillac Celestic is a new luxury electric car from Cadillac. It's part of their effort to create high-end vehicles that run on electricity instead of gasoline.
Car
Dodge Demon
The Dodge Demon is a special version of the Dodge Challenger that is built for racing. It has a very powerful engine and is designed to go really fast in a straight line.
Car
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a large car that is popular for its powerful engines and sporty design. It's known for being fast and is often used in car racing and performance events.
Company
AutoTempest
AutoTempest is a website that helps you find cars for sale by searching multiple car listing sites at once, making it easier to compare options.
Term
turbochargers
A turbocharger is a part that helps an engine produce more power by forcing in more air. Some turbochargers can take a moment to respond when you press the gas, but newer ones are designed to react faster.
Part
ZF-8 speed
The ZF-8 speed is a type of automatic transmission that helps the car change gears smoothly and quickly, making driving easier and more enjoyable.
Car
BMW M235I
The BMW 2 Series is a small luxury car that is fun to drive and has a nice interior. It's popular with people who enjoy a sporty feel in a compact package.
Term
N55
The N55 is a type of engine made by BMW that uses a turbocharger to provide more power and better performance in their cars.
Term
horsepower
Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. More horsepower means the car can go faster and accelerate better.
Car
Audi A4
The Audi A4 is a stylish car that is comfortable and fun to drive. The 2001 version is known for its good handling and a range of engine options.
Term
boost
Boost is the extra power that a turbocharger adds to an engine by forcing more air into it. This helps the engine produce more horsepower.
Term
paddle shifters
Paddle shifters are levers behind the steering wheel that let you change gears in a car without using a clutch pedal, making driving more fun.
Term
torque
Torque is how strong an engine is when it turns. It helps a car speed up and pull heavy things. More torque usually means better acceleration.
Term
RPM
RPM means how many times the engine's parts spin in a minute. Higher numbers usually mean the car is going faster, but too high can hurt the engine.
Term
chassis
The chassis is like the skeleton of a car. It holds everything together, including the engine and wheels, and helps the car drive smoothly.
Car
Porsche Cayman
Car
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4
The Cayman GT4 is a special version of the Porsche Cayman, designed for better performance and handling. It's often praised for being fun to drive on the track.
Car
Porsche 981
The Porsche 981 is a model of sports cars made by Porsche, specifically the Boxster and Cayman, that were built between 2012 and 2016. They are known for being fun to drive and having good handling.
Concept
Nordschleife
The Nordschleife is a long and difficult racetrack in Germany where many car companies test their cars. It's known for its twists and turns, making it a tough place to drive.
Term
naturally aspirated engine
A naturally aspirated engine gets air into the engine without any extra help from a turbo or supercharger. This means it can feel more responsive and fun to drive, especially when you push the gas pedal.
Term
red line
The red line is the highest speed your engine should go before it could break. It's like a warning sign telling you to change gears before it's too late.
Car
Nissan Gtr
The Nissan GT-R is a fast sports car that many people love for its speed and technology. It's designed to handle well and go really fast, making it fun to drive.
Term
all-wheel drive system
An all-wheel drive system helps a car use all four wheels to drive, which can make it easier to control and safer to drive in bad weather or on slippery roads.
Term
throttle mapping
Throttle mapping is how a car's computer decides how much power to give when you press the gas pedal. It can make the car feel faster or slower depending on how it's programmed.
Term
manual transmission
A manual transmission is a system in cars where you have to change gears yourself using a stick and a pedal. It gives you more control over how the car drives.
Car
Jeep Cherokee
The Jeep Cherokee is a small SUV that can handle rough roads and is good for both city driving and adventures. It's popular for its flexibility and comfort.
Car
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is a tough, boxy car that can drive on rough roads and trails. It's popular for people who love outdoor adventures and want a vehicle that can handle tough conditions.
Car
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado is a big truck that can carry heavy loads and is great for work or family use. Many people like it because it can do a lot of different jobs well.
Car
Ford Mustang GT
The Ford Mustang GT is a powerful and stylish car that many people love for its speed and cool looks. It's considered a classic American sports car.
Car
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a fast and stylish sports car that many people dream of owning. It's known for its speed and cool looks, making it a favorite among car lovers.
Car
Acura MDX
The Acura MDX is a roomy SUV that is nice to drive and has a lot of tech features. It's popular with families because it has plenty of space and comfort.
Car
Dodge Ram
The Dodge Ram is a big truck that can carry heavy things and is great for work or play. Many people like it for its strength and usefulness.
Car
Mercedes-Benz Sclass
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a very fancy car that is designed for comfort and luxury. People talk about it because it has a lot of high-tech features and is known for being one of the best cars in the world.
Car
Acura TLX Type S
The Acura TLX Type S is a sportier version of the regular TLX that is faster and more fun to drive. It's a good option for people who want luxury with a bit of excitement.
Car
Acura TLX
The Acura TLX is a nice car that is comfortable to drive and has lots of tech features. It's a good choice for people who want a luxury feel without being too flashy.
Car
Audi Allroad
The Audi Allroad is a fancy car that looks like a mix between a car and an SUV. It's designed to be comfortable and practical for different kinds of driving.
Car
BMW M40I
The BMW X3 is a small luxury SUV that is comfortable and good for everyday use. It's popular for its mix of space and sporty driving.
Car
Toyota Supra
The Toyota Supra is a cool sports car that many people love for its speed and style. It's popular among car fans who enjoy modifying and racing cars.
Car
Mercedes-Benz GLA AMG
The Mercedes-Benz GLA AMG is a fancy small SUV that is fun to drive fast. It's designed for people who want luxury and excitement in a compact package.
Car
Toyota Corolla
Car
Toyota GR Corolla
The Toyota GR Corolla is a sportier version of a regular Corolla, made for people who like to drive fast and have fun. It's designed to be more exciting than the usual Corolla.
Car
Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is a small car that is easy to drive and great for everyday use. Many people like it because it's comfortable and fun to drive.
Car
Subaru Wx
The Subaru WRX is a small car that is really fun to drive, especially in tough weather. It's known for being sporty and good in different driving conditions.
Car
Kia Stinger
The Kia Stinger is a sporty car that is fun to drive and has a lot of space. It's a good choice for people who want a mix of performance and everyday usability.
Car
Jeep Cj
The Jeep CJ is an old version of the Jeep that is known for being tough and good for off-roading. It's a classic car that many people remember fondly.
Car
Mazda Miata
The Mazda Miata is a small, two-seat car that is really fun to drive. It's light and sporty, making it a favorite for people who love driving.
Car
Porsche Panamera
The Porsche Panamera is a fancy car that is both fast and comfortable. It's designed to be a luxury car you can drive every day while still enjoying a sporty feel.
Car
BMW M2
The BMW M2 is a fast and sporty car that many people enjoy driving. It's designed for performance and is popular with car lovers.
Car
Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 is a small sports car that is very fast and fun to drive. It's popular with people who enjoy a thrilling driving experience.
LIVE
Love them or hate them, everyone has an opinion on cars. But we believe we're all one great car away from being our enthusiast. So we're here to help you find a car you love. And let it take us to everything else in life. I'm Paul. I'm Todd, and this is the everyday driver car to me. It's Tuesday, everybody. Welcome back to the podcast. I think there may be rants incoming. Paul and I are hot today. We're hot. I don't know, it's going to happen. We got a really cool topic Tuesday talking about gear ratios, torque,
things. There's a lot of like fighting words coming on this topic Tuesday, by calling a non-turbo, a turbo. Anyway, well, there's that I say that out loud. Daniel's writing in also asking about a cool car debate. Some questions that are actually kind of lengthy. So those are cool as well. But I do want to say if you haven't heard it already, I want to acknowledge it again, because I feel like other outlets are now picking it up. Porsche has decided, you know that holy V thing we were going to do, pivot back pedal back pedal back. Yes, exactly. All of you hearing friends right now, you're welcome. Anyway, so they are going to try to figure out how to make.
Combustion engines indefinitely. Yes. And the most interesting thing about this is car makers are doing it. Now, Porsche is, it's interesting to hear a niche brand like Ferrari Lamborghini, whoever say they're going to keep making an internal combustion engines, because from the moment these 2030 or 2035 hard lines were made in Europe for EVs, those niche manufacturers were applying for exemptions. Yeah, Porsche is too big for that. And Porsche is in spite of the fact their prices aren't this. They continue standing in the
gap between the every man car and super cars. They are like the, the dividing line. It's new. It's used. It really is where they are. They're entirely proud of our point. New used. What are we talking? Then their connections to Volkswagen, the fact that they are making this pivot back. My question is twofold. I am not surprised that Porsche is doing it. They're the latest manufacturer. We are hearing do it. But of course, all enthusiasts are now going, what now? Because it's Porsche. Right. But what are the governments going to do? Meaning what? Well, if the government has got these
2030 or 2035 requirements and the car makers are not going to adhere to them, where's it change? The announcement that there were no more gasoline cars after 2035 was on the front page, the retraction is going to be at the back of the back page. Just it's going to be right there by the ads for your local supermarket. That's where that's going to be. I know I'm using a newspaper analogy, and you're all half of you are lost, but follow me anyway.
Fascinating to read newspaper here. I look at financial times. I see headlines like BMW bets on petrol cars as at warns of US roller coaster EV transition roller coaster. Huh? That's how we're describing it now. That's being kind.
Car companies want profit. Yes, they're pivoting to profitable vehicles because they want to make money because that's the whole point of making cars and trucks and SUVs, right? They want to make cars that people are going to buy.
And here's the crazy thing that you and I are continuing to experience. And this isn't just us. This is everyone we know in the YouTube space with the possible exception of Kyle Conner and Jordan who do out of spec about EV's about. Yes, people that that one EV content are flocking to their channel to get EV content. Those guys do other stuff, but that's what they do. Okay, but everybody else has done EV's because they've been in automotive for long enough doing other things. And now what they're being fed by the manufacturers to review as EV's.
Yeah, I don't know a single other YouTube channel that has had success with EV content. Let me rephrase besides Jordan and Kyle. Exactly. Let me rephrase because I would almost argue they're a tech channel about EV's more than they are even a car review channel because they're talking that charge times and battery management to exactly. But the thing I think is interesting here is that everyone we know that makes automotive YouTube videos gets less viewership on all EV content.
Then they do on non EV content. And that's just the entertainment audience. Let alone the fact people are buying them. I'm just I'm continually fascinated to see how this shakes out. And I will continue to also say I don't have any issue with an EV in the right context.
We had that lucid air on our long term trip. It was phenomenal. Yeah. And when the charging system works well, they're great. And if you commute, why not have an EV. I have no issue with any of that. But it is the lack of choice that I'm fascinated to watch.
I hate to call it grass roots, but to watch kind of the consumer in mass go. I'm seeing like the Chevy blazer that vehicle alone. If Chevy decided to make an EV version.
And it was called the blazer or the blaze of or to blave.
You said to blaze. This is good movie references for you today. I'm impressed. We've had friends with it. Okay. I like it. A good stuff on the other hand over here are jeeps and forwards and all the off roaders like the blazer like just make a box.
Put the word blazer on it. Make it off road with a cool engine. People will buy it. You want profits. Every car company is sort of scratching their heads going. Yeah.
The board is asking us to pivot towards profitability. That's our new mandates. When did that disappear? When did that mandate sort of like, you know what? That's on the back burner. Make money. Who needs to make money? No profits back on the table.
Well, this is the test problem. Fine. Everybody be fine. Make two versions of whatever choice is always the best thing for sure. But this is the Tesla problem again. Tesla has not been successful because of their cars. They've been successful because of their stock.
So so they they're independent to how many cars they sell. It's a whole separate thing. GM can end production of the gas powered blazer by the 2025 model year. So that's now. No, don't make another weird look in SUV. Call it a blazer or resurrect some name that is like hallowed like it's a blazer because it.
It's a blazer you can't look like anything else scout is now trading on the way it used to look as a gas car truck now selling or what soon be selling vehicles based on the old look and it has nothing to do with the old construction at all.
Nothing about the company is Cadillac, but that's a scout that's totally a scout released a version of the blazer. Is it the blazer Eek?
What is we're having fun naming cars. So I just thought I'd continue the tradition. It's got to have an IQ on the end. So the blaze Eek. I don't know. I'm just I'm, you know, because that's all probably it's contrived weird name. So it's got to sell. Well, but okay. What does this do to the Cadillac Celestic, which has not been released at all Cadillac.
Kixiek to the Kirby pot possibly irrelevant. It's gonna be irrelevant. That's I'm writing that with doubt because that is no longer carry well, but because here's the reason I bring it up uninteresting.
GM jumped feet first maybe even headfirst into an EV world and they're having to pivot out of that. Okay.
Again, with the pivot. It's all happening, but but here's the thing. They've also seen the thud of response from the universe about the new Jaguar.
The thud and they've watched GM parent company trying to figure out a pivot away from an all EV thing. And here's the Celestic that doesn't actually exist yet. And it's supposed to be a flagship EV when every other automaker is moving away from flagship EVs.
What happens to that car? Oh, maybe another big sedan challenge because they're so cheap and we take them to the salt flats. I love it. And see how fast this thing can go and how much it'll corrode.
Yeah. How quickly it corrods flat versus an EV. What does that make a time lapse?
Hey, look, I watch that too. How fast will it corrode in the massive salt, but we're back to the problem because in general the audience doesn't watch EV content. So we buy old cheap EVs.
I don't think enough people would watch to justify. It's a weird circle of life and death we're dealing with here. Then begs the question not just for consumers, but car companies worldwide. You need to make cars so they'll get views on YouTube.
The Dodge did really well with this for a while. Correct. Hellscat everything. The hellcat was created to challenge the Tesla, which was and those challenges were entirely YouTube gold.
That's the whole point the car existed was because of YouTube. So if we're going to make cars anymore, they need to exist because of YouTube. How off am I?
Well, you know, the entire launch. By the way, we started this podcast not having any news to talk about. Look at us go anyway. The whole launch of the Dodge demon felt like somebody's YouTube video anyway. And that was done by Dodge. Yes.
Yes. And we're the chopper it in and drag it and get the front wheels off the ground and the whole thing. Oh, they've already created an opportunity for themselves because there's now rumblings. The V8 might make a return in the new charger, which is not a forward or anymore. We're back to the original charge everybody, which is two door. Yes.
Even though it's even bigger than before, but the chassis, well, I guess a different chassis to fit different components to different drive trains. But what if the V8 comes back, then they're really like we're back.
Can you imagine the new marketing campaign and it's YouTube all over again, but they've now got products that compete against each other because they can have a drag race of the new charger EV versus the charger V8.
And Dodge should produce those YouTube videos. Of course they will. Of course they will. Because if anybody else does it, well, see, Dodge needs to do it to themselves. They took the V8 away. Now they bring it back. They're building YouTube cars.
We always have our talking point sheet that that we work up before we get on this call. And one of the things that we talked about we were starting in this podcast today is we thought about the fact that we didn't have any like what news topics we case up front.
And now yeah, we had nothing to talk about and now we've gone for 10 minutes.
That dream again, my small business needs to hire, but I don't use LinkedIn and I hire an energy vampire, but also they're a literal vampire.
And suddenly my team is spending all their time sharpening wooden stakes and buying folks silver and rehearsing ancient chance and then I wake up.
Don't let hiring nightmares ruin your dreams. LinkedIn jobs new AI assisted takes insights from over one billion professionals to create a short list of the best fits for you.
Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash quality. Start hiring today with LinkedIn.
Since you're listening to us, you'll end up shopping for your next car. And when you do you need auto tempest.com.
Any car anywhere at any price auto tempest searches all the major car listing sites on the web local or nationwide.
And auto tempest has recently added price history for every car listed so you can see how prices are trending and know if you found a good deal.
You can also create search alerts and lists of saved searches so you can find your perfect spec even easier than next time.
Search on any device in your browser or as an app for Apple or Android.
New used or unexpected auto tempest is how we search for cars go to auto tempest.com slash every day so they know we sent you auto tempest all the cars one search.
Ricardo M writes to us asking if too many gears ruin torquy engines.
Do small lag less turbo chargers, not legolas.
It's moving.
Full of movie references.
Yes, we're doing really well on movie references.
They're very impressed with you.
Yeah, turbos with no lag. Yes.
Defeat the point of modern paddle shifting transmissions.
I find his life experience leads into this to be fascinating.
He is the former owner of a BMW M235i rear wheel drive with the ZF-8 speed.
He kind of breaks apart the pieces, the components of these this car because he acknowledges that that engine, that N55,
BMW engine speak, which is something I try to stay away from, but I'm there anyway.
Too late.
The N55 turbo straight six of the M235 BMW has torque everywhere.
The torque map is a plateau.
It comes off of idle and goes up to maximum torque and just sits there at maximum torque for like four or five thousand rpm and then eventually drops off up at that point.
You've got all the horsepower.
It's a plateau.
Yeah, it's not a map.
It's ridiculous.
So he's pointing out that engine, but then he's also pointing out the fact that you've paired it with a ZF-8 speed transmission whose mission in life it is to give you maximum performance.
Ricardo says this is the fastest car he's ever owned.
There's lower tune, had a wide open exhaust and a loud carbon intake.
It made all the noises all the time.
Looked awesome.
Got sideways.
If you breathed on it in Sport Plus mode, obnoxious pops and bangs and had phenomenal brakes.
Excellent.
And then he got bored.
In fact, it made him miss his old 1.8 liter 2001 A4.
I remember those.
Those are so cool.
With its rubbery shifter, numb clutch, painfully slow acceleration.
Quater that never gave him an inch of slip on throttle lift off over stairs.
Another matter, but he said it had a little mound of boost, a mound of boost.
You had to go look for it in the mid range with a wheezing top end and a gutless bottom end.
But it was fun to engage through all five gears and keep it in that boost sweet spot.
You had to go find it.
It had power if you knew where to look.
That's when it hit him.
The two series engine and transmission didn't like each other.
They're both too good and they upstage each other in the worst way.
You see them every now and then.
You meet those married couples where they're both so wildly successful as individuals.
You cannot understand how they even talk to each other.
They're married and apparently their marriage is okay.
And by the way, I will say this as a long time married guy.
You never know how anyone's marriage is going.
You never do.
The marriage that looks amazing may be an absolute tire fire when they leave.
You have no idea.
You have to admit those people, both the spouses are so wildly successful.
I've met folks like this from just like, I don't understand how you two work.
Because you're both so type A and so hard chargers and so don't need the other person.
That how are you even talking?
This is what's happening with his BMW.
Apparently, the ZF8 could keep the engine above 6,000 RPM 90% of the time with paddle shifters.
But that N55 engine never rewards the driver for using the paddle shifters
because all the power is available at all speeds and all the gears.
Of course it is. It's just a plateau of torque.
The ZF also didn't encourage him to exercise the engine.
Because if he breathed on the throttle, it would downshift two to four gears in the blink of an eye,
bring him right up to 5,000 RPM,
never giving him a chance to savor the mid-range torque in a fun way.
He'd have to use the paddle shifters to skip three gears at a time if he wanted to feel that
and deliberate shifting to go slower isn't an exciting experience.
He says, together there, Michael Phelps on a jet ski.
The fastest water, 50b of freestyle ever, but not exactly what he came to see.
That is a fantastic description, Ricardo.
I really, I laughed so hard when I read that. That is a great merging bravo.
You know, it's up to car manufacturers when they build something fun.
Part of the development process is not just picking the engine off the shelf
and match it with a transmission that we've got available
and saying, Bob's your uncle, here's the sports car.
It all fits in this chassis. We're good to go.
The good cars, the really good cars, it's deliberate.
And the really, really good cars, that engine plus that transmission
is available nowhere else across your product lineup.
It is just for that car because it's made for that car,
the size of the wheelbase, the chassis, the power it makes.
Everybody complained about the GT4 Cayman.
The 981 generation, third gears to tall.
Where did Porsche test it on the Nordschleife?
Which is a third and fourth gear track.
Third, fourth, third, fourth. That's it.
Sure, sure.
It doesn't really surprise me, and they're right.
It's not really great for every track everywhere.
Can it be solved? Sure.
But that's where the car was developed.
That in the Autobahn. There you go.
Well, yes.
Maybe we'll have long gears.
But it also encouraged you to wind the engine out,
being a naturally aspirated engine, wind it out in third gear,
reach red line, then happily shift to fourth,
then you're back in the sweet spot of the engine.
And those engines are very much the top end.
But, you know, Ricardo, you're right.
I think car manufacturers are forgetting this.
They're forgetting that to make a car fun,
there has to be part of it that is,
you gotta go search for it.
It can't deliver everything up front all at once all the time,
everywhere.
Sure, sure.
You have to give drivers,
fun light weight where there's not enough power,
so you gotta keep your speed.
That's up to you as a driver to make it.
Sure.
Keep your speed.
Or you know what, if this is really powerful,
you've gotta control this car in such a way
that you're still in control on a racetrack,
on a canyon road,
doing some fun driving that we've given you the tools
and they're deep in there,
but it still pulls on you.
And that's what I like about the powerful cars,
but it doesn't,
it's not across the board.
It's not every powerful car,
because anybody can get in and mash the gas.
Jam the throttle.
That's what the Nissan GTR was when Todd and I discovered that
back in the day.
Our 35 generation, 2009, we thought,
this is so easy to drive that a cat could drive it.
Well, that makes it both brilliant and frustrating.
And I remember actually the lead engineer on the GTR said
he wanted to make a car.
He actually was quoted saying this,
I'm gonna get a little bit wrong,
but he wanted to make a car
that his grandmother could drive
almost as fast as a professional race driver.
Now, as an engineer,
that is a holy grail effort.
That is the brass ring.
Look at what I've done.
It is.
But as a driver,
that results in you and I getting in it and going,
this car doesn't need me at all.
When you came back from your first drive in it,
and you said to me,
this car can go around a corner at 100.
I'd never heard those words
in connection to a car.
And knowing the physical limitations of the tires.
Well, you knew the canyons that was on the car.
That's not possible.
You said it could go around a corner at 100.
What are you talking about?
What have you done with Todd?
Who are you?
Yeah.
Seriously, yeah.
And then I experienced it for myself
and backing out of the driveway.
The early versions of that car, as we all know,
it's so terrible.
I mean, the grip from the all-wheel drive system is so good,
but it's all the tires are turning at the same rate.
So when you back out and turn the wheels,
it's skipping across the ground.
It hated it.
Like, is this normal?
Nissan, do you know that this does that?
Oh, they do.
Yeah, they did.
But then when you go around a corner at 100, you go,
oh, amazing.
So now when it comes to off-roading,
we've got off-roaders and we've driven them
that pretty much every car manufacturer
makes a pickup truck or an SUV
that can do such absurd things.
45 degree angle up this down that.
It senses everything.
You don't really have to do anything.
And we've noted it many times.
Why am I in the driver's seat?
This car doesn't need me.
The fun is gone, the challenge is gone.
So just like EVs need to have their martinis dirtyed.
Oh, look at you.
Okay, got it.
Yeah, yeah.
It sounds like Ricardo that car manufacturers
for future fun sports cars,
power will always be there.
Transmissions will be good.
Brakes will be good.
But it sounds like they need to dirty it up too
for our combustion engine cars, too.
I agree.
I have a side rant that this bumps into Ricardo.
So everybody strap in.
I don't know where this is going.
I would dive in here real quick.
But I think EVs have exacerbated a problem
that already existed.
And that is cars for the last,
I would say, I'm going to go this way.
Since we went to electronic throttle.
Okay.
Which was done for lots of reasons.
Okay.
But since we went to electronics,
mainly saving money.
But sure.
There's that as well.
I have seen this proliferate.
And that is the throttle mapping.
Because it's all it is.
It's a map.
Okay.
The throttle mapping for any car you get in.
Is optimized for you leaving a stoplight.
Yes.
Because of the test drive.
This thing quick.
Exactly.
And you want to leave the stoplight
at partial throttle.
Because the average person.
And I know that we're weird.
And I love cars that I can full throttle.
A lot of places.
Something I thoroughly enjoy.
And I'm going to come back to that.
But in general,
all of you that love cars that are listening.
And all of the people you know in your life
that drive cars that don't like cars.
We don't floor the throttle at the stoplight.
We just don't do that.
It's just not something generally that we do.
There may be a car in front of you.
Or there's a cop over there.
Or there's pedestrians crossing the street.
We drive like normal people in a normal city.
So you want to just a little bit of throttle.
Just tap it when the light goes green.
And you want to feel like the car just got out of its own way.
And just surged forward and gave you enough to be satisfied.
You don't want to feel like you have to earn it.
But what that's trained us on the other side is
we as a collective of car people never use full throttle.
Ever.
And what this has done is it's created this thing.
And this is what I feel when I drive anything really powerful.
Is it drives home the point to me, pardon the pun,
that the people that are buying powerful cars
have probably never floored them.
We want a car to feel really powerful when I give it just a little bit of throttle.
But what that means is it's got a thousand horsepower.
So that when you give it 10%, you got the equivalent of
300 horsepower car when you floored it.
Because you never floored it.
We have had multiple emails to this show
where people have asked two questions with an utterly straight face.
One, do I hurt my car if I floored it?
We've gotten multiple of those emails.
And also, am I damaging my car if I drive it in a gear to red line?
Now, when did we learn this?
Why do we even think these are problems?
Where did we as a culture reach a place
where we're concerned about those two things?
This is within the operating parameter of the machine.
That's why it has a red line.
This is the place that's a universal thing.
Watch any movie, watch any submarine movie,
while we're talking about movies.
When the gauges get into the red, it's about to go bad.
Submarine's gonna blow up.
Pull this lever when the dial gets to red.
Everybody understands that.
Everybody understands that.
And then you know the explosion's coming, right?
But you also know that anywhere when it's not in the red, it's fine.
We are trained as humans that that's the operating range.
And yet we have confidence with people about
the upper half of the rev band is the place you don't go.
And I'll give you a perfect example.
There have been people that have critiqued my POV driving
in manual transmission cars.
I've gotten this commentary.
It's happened on Discord.
Somebody's gonna call me out after this
and try to explain themselves.
But here's what's up.
I'm gonna jump away from manuals and come back real quick.
If you drive a Porsche PDK,
I think we can all agree with you.
Different one or not.
The general knowledge is that the PDK is the definitive
dual clutch transmission.
That's the definitive one.
If you put it in the full sporty goodness mode
and you go drive it on the street or on a racetrack,
it will only be in whatever gear it needs.
Yeah.
And if you were going 50 miles an hour,
there is no chance you're in third.
You're going in second.
It'll be a red line.
But you're going in second.
It's only gonna change when you got fast enough
that it has to be in the next gear.
Correct.
Yeah.
It's programmed that way, yeah.
So when I drive a manual transmission on a canyon road
and I get up to a speed where I am at,
let's say red line is 7,000.
I'm at 5,000 RPM.
I'm within the operating range of that car.
Could I go out of third to fourth to fifth to sixth?
Yeah, but I'm still going the speed that results
in 4,000 RPM on the gauge.
Why would I upshift?
But this is how all of these automatics have trained us
the car is supposed to operate.
Well, hunt for the high gear?
We got to get efficiency.
But engines generally, not this in 55rd time,
but generally have a place where they're giving you
the most power and the most responsive.
And this is why Porsche's PDK, when you crank it up,
it goes exactly to the red line at the part of the rev bend
that it needs and it hangs out there.
And it's only going to move when it needs to move.
When it needs to give you more power or needs a different gear.
This is the way transmissions are designed.
And I say this because that's how you ride a bike.
Yeah.
You're riding a bike.
Turning the weight, turning the crank, turning the crank,
turning the crank, turning the crank.
If I'm in sixth gear on a bike,
I'm not going to randomly go to seventh or randomly go to fifth.
If sixth is the correct gear for this RPM and this load.
That's how cars are meant to be driven.
That's why it has a red line because, well, I better change
because it's about to be a problem for the engine,
about to blow up the submarine.
But we have all been conditioned because we drive as commuters
where we don't need throttle.
And the throttle mapping is all for initial tip-in
for 10% to get us everything we need to commute.
You never floor it.
You never need to stay in a gear.
And all of these cars are tuned that way,
which comes back to the N55 with full torque,
why doesn't it have full torque before 2000 RPM?
It doesn't need that because most people
are never even going to see 3000 RPM.
Yeah.
So what I hate here at EVs exacerbate this
because EVs have full torque.
I mean, you might do it on a problem.
People might do it on test drive because it's not their car.
Maybe.
And the salesperson is probably goading them.
But they're probably not flooring it.
I'm talking about you pushed the pedal into the carpet
and you found where it stopped.
True, true.
Most people that have a powerful car,
I stand by this.
I would love to pull them all anonymously
because I bet you it's 90 plus percent
have never floored their car.
They may have all used a lot of the gas pedal.
Have you pushed it until you're actually
making effort against the firewall?
I bet you it's 95 percent have never done it.
And then we have I got to get up through all the gears.
I got to get up through all the gears.
Why are you in eighth at 60?
Why?
Why?
The cars do in 2500 RPM.
The red line is 9000.
You're in sixth.
What are you doing in sixth?
We have conditioned ourselves that we only
want to use a little bit of what's available.
And then we complain when the car's not powerful enough
we never floored it in the first place.
This is my rant.
My rant is more full throttle, more red line.
Use the gear you need because that's how you ride a bike
and that's how the machine was designed.
But that's not how the average person drives.
Which brings us back to silver CUVs.
Being driven slowly at partial throttle
where we don't want to feel that there's a transmission.
So why not just make a CBT.
And we're just going to ease our way through traffic.
Which is the opposite of the kind of driving
we talk about on this show, which is,
did you touch red line?
Did you shift correctly?
What gear do you need to be in for that corner?
Which can't be done all the time.
But when it's appropriate and you do have space at a track
come to a hooked on driving track day.
But even on a back road.
Even on a back road.
Yeah.
If you can go down this back road at 3,000 RPM
and your red line is six,
why did you shift up to make it run above idle?
What are you doing?
We have talked ourselves back to numbers.
And everywhere I look, every time it all comes back to numbers
because we have all associated a number with fun.
Either a zero to 60 time, a horsepower number,
a range, anything.
You look at the speedometer on a car like,
oh, it says 180.
That must be fast.
This car must be fast.
Must be fun.
Yeah, true.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Profits, car manufacturers,
if you're listening, I hope you're listening.
Somebody, if you want profits,
everything for every car moving forward
has to be done through the filter of fun.
It's almost like we all need to stop
looking at the numbers and recalibrate everything
because 1,000 horsepower EV is that fun?
Maybe.
It's not fun for your friends when you crack their nacks
and take off and you don't warn them.
Yeah, true.
It's fun for you for a little bit,
but then you start to feel queasy
is a 340 horsepower came in.
My GTS.
That sounds low.
That sounds weak compared to most cars
that you can buy today.
It's really quick.
Off the line, it's quick.
There's stuff that's quicker.
Of course.
Yeah, but it's also pretty light.
It's very nimble and the way it makes power.
If I stay in it,
it's one of the fastest cars around.
Well, and there's more waiting.
You have to wind it out to find it,
which is also something that doesn't exist anymore.
So higher on the RPM range doesn't mean fun for Ricardo.
A higher gear doesn't mean fun.
So we almost need to disconnect ourselves from numbers.
And if you build a car manufacturers
and move it through the filter,
the very last development filter of fun.
Well, is it fun?
What is fun?
Well, it's finding the goodness,
the soul, the character, the car.
And I feel like I earned it.
Just like you said, yes.
You're earning it and connecting.
You know, I didn't intend to go here,
but it does dovetail really nicely
into the recent piece we did on the Ionic 5N.
What makes that fun
has nothing to do with the power number?
What makes it fun is they have...
And it's utterly fake.
I called it the Matrix on Wheels while driving it.
It's utterly, completely fake.
I know the stake is fake and I don't care.
It's that.
Okay?
It's absolutely the taste of the Matrix.
Seriously.
I know it's fake.
I know it's just code and I don't care.
That's what the Ionic 5N is.
It's faster if you turn off all the things
you have to do to earn and interact with it.
It will be faster.
Just turn them all off and just floor it.
It's faster.
But actually, marching up through the gears,
you can't see my air quotes.
Because there aren't any gears.
There's no gears.
But actually having the interaction and feeling like
you're earning it.
And I'm going to rev up to this and I'm like,
oh, I'm getting close to red light.
No, you're not.
But those interaction points matter.
And that makes it more fun.
And it does come back to earning.
Now we are a culture I will admit.
I heard somebody say this once that I thought it was genius.
If you want to make billions of dollars,
make something in a human's life easier.
We are not striving beings.
We like to sit a lot.
Maybe take a nap.
Well, we like to strive to make the thing
that will make our lives easier.
We'd like to take a nap.
I'd like to eat something else
and then maybe I'll sleep again later.
That's really our goal in life.
But there is that section of our lives
that I think the things that we end up enjoying the most
are the things we worked hard for.
The things we earned.
And I don't mean you hated the earning
because hopefully you enjoyed the process
of working on whatever was.
But we appreciate the stuff that we worked hard for.
You've taught me this over time with design and other things.
The stuff that didn't charge enough,
you don't respect enough.
No.
If it's a nice product that they gave it to you
at a bargain basement,
you will not treat it as well as if a nice product
that they charged you a lot for.
Correct.
This is what I'm talking about.
Once you earn it, you like it.
We need to earn it.
We don't earn a thing in a modern car.
I saw a short delivering of drones
now delivering a cup of beer in a plastic cup
sitting on top of the drone
and delivering to the person standing across the stadium.
Beer delivery on the top of a drone.
And they try the drone
carrying the one single plastic cup of beer
to the person.
This is the world we live in.
Drone beer delivery.
Well, drone delivery does exist
in some parts of the country.
It already exists.
It does exist.
But just a single beer with no top on it.
And the drones like totally gambling the thing
and flying the beer over the person
and then it takes the beer off the top of the drone.
And this is the world we live in.
So why can't we have fun cars?
It doesn't matter the power to our fun cars.
We were all with a map.
I know there was a lot of ranting specifically
from me in the middle,
but that was fun.
I really did like that Ricardo
and I just let's buy stuff.
You have to earn it.
I like that.
That's why you like your Audi.
Hey, what's up, y'all?
Kelly Clarkson with Wayfair.
My favorite thing about the holidays.
Dacking out my whole house.
It's not a competition,
but if it was,
well, I'd win the season with Wayfair.
Outdoor inflatable Santa.
Got it on Wayfair.
Trees, lights and ornaments.
Wayfair.
Hosting bus tabs like dining sets,
beds, sheets and towels.
Wayfair.
For everything in your style,
delivered with fast and free shipping,
visit Wayfair.com or the Wayfair app
to win the season.
But again, it's not a competition.
Wayfair every style, every home.
Daniel P is a large American seeking
a Euro driving experience.
Okay, I like it.
He was turned on the podcast from a friend.
He's used as his sounding board for seeking
a new, exciting driving experience.
And Daniel said he wanted to reach out
since he's been spinning his wheels
trying to decide his next move.
Okay.
He loves spending too much money on cars
and driving the wheels off them.
You have written to the right place.
We're here for you, buddy.
Absolutely.
Good job.
Yep.
But his situation is tricky.
His driving pass was stuck in a groove for many years.
He loved jeeps.
He loved the fact that he could have a convertible in the summer
because he loves open air driving.
But he's lost interest in that effort required
to raise and lower a jeep top.
He says, do it once and you'll understand.
I have done it many times.
My wife had one.
It's right.
And it's a process.
It's a process.
Now you can get the like hit the button ones.
But yeah, the traditional jeeps.
It's like this has got a removable top.
Does it really do you want to?
Yeah, anyway.
Putting it back is even worse.
Taking it off is one thing.
Putting it back is like schedule time.
Anyway, I see it.
All right.
Well, he wants an ultimate off-road
and winter driving vehicle on one.
He has driven five, his five jeeps.
Five jeeps.
He's had a big jeep history, folks.
Not counting his mom's 86 Cherokee pioneer
when he was 16 years old.
He had an 88 Wrangler, 98 Wrangler Sport,
98 Wrangler Sahara to replace the totaled sport.
They took a break for Silverado because he bought a house
and thought he needed a truck.
Then an 05 Accure MDX because he works
in construction management and needs to be able
to access dirt job sites.
This one's all-wheel drive.
His ex thought they needed a family car,
but he hated how it drove like the Odyssey
because it chaired the platform.
So after the divorce, both the X and the MDX.
So after the divorce for both the car and the person.
Yeah.
Ouch.
Okay.
All right.
He went back to jeeps, bought a 2013 Sahara Unlimited
and thought he found the best of both worlds.
But then it began to have major electrical ECU issues
around 130,000 miles.
He dumped it for a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
with a lift kit, 37s, remote start, and three tops.
Oh my gosh.
Hard for winners, soft for summer,
and the frameless fast back because less parts
means easier up and down, right?
We says no wrong, it's the same story.
Even though.
But he keeps buying jeeps.
He keeps buying jeeps.
Even though it only had 50,000 miles,
he was still convinced the Jeep was,
Jeep life was for him,
and he would drive them forever.
As he got older, the latest Jeep crept closer to 100,000 miles
and he craved the driving excitement of his younger years.
When he was 15 to 17, his parents had a 95 Mustang GT
and a 76 Corvette, his dad's,
and he got to occasionally drive them both.
And he says it was thrilling.
He had a fun time.
But the speeding truck tickets were pricey
and he almost lost his license.
You did have a fun time.
Yeah, okay, got it.
All right.
It says part of that Jeep appeal is a slow speed.
It was fun to drive.
I love it.
A few years ago on the advice of Matt and Johnny,
he test drove a 2015 Mercedes GLA-45 AMG.
He couldn't drive it without smiling.
Those are so good.
We recommend it a lot.
They're super fun.
He says it was the ultimate version
of the boy racer fast and furious cars
when he grew up drooling over
but was never able to afford to drive,
again, speeding tickets and purchase price.
Yes.
He found it a bit small
and the cars were way too stiff and small
for his six foot five inch 350 pound body.
Back to the title,
Large American Seeking Euro Experience.
That is, okay, that is an issue.
I get it.
Those were cars were not designed for you.
He's over the off-roading thing.
Okay.
He wore off quickly since he drove everywhere in his Jeep
to beaches and mountains and rock crawling
and he decided to sell his side by side.
He got a side by side recently
to relive his old Jeep glory days
and, you know, what's better than a Jeep
is a side by side?
He absolutely said.
Yeah.
2017 Polaris RZR.
He did this at the height of the pandemic
pricing because of that accident,
the sport accident,
and he has no patience.
So, he just tried it all.
He wanted to find.
He's really searching.
It seems like Daniel,
you kind of threw money in time and effort
at anything to try to find that feeling
and recapture that.
How do I get the perfect off-road experience?
I know, side by sides.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
The other side of this issue
about having the side by side
is that his current life drives a 2007 Accure MDX.
Likes the updated MDX much more than the one they had prior
but, yeah, she also is getting to a place
where she may need another car.
But she prefers SUVs
and she wants one larger than the MDX.
Luckily, they both agree that the answer
is a full-size American offering.
So, an expedition or suburban
and they're just going to look for one of those.
So, they've got that solved.
So, he doesn't need an SUV.
He's done with Jeep.
He's done this side by side.
He doesn't even really need a truck,
which is helpful.
He's got a RAM, right?
Looks like he's got a RAM.
Yes, but he's going to be able
to get rid of it.
He doesn't need all the normal truck stuff,
which is nice.
He has the ability to actually get something fun,
but the trick here is his size
and he occasionally has to go to job sites
where he's the project manager
and they may be down dirt roads.
So, it has to have some sort of
dirt road capability,
but then there is the flip side.
We've run into this so many times on this podcast.
It's one of perception.
You'll probably get down the road, Daniel,
in something flashy in parking
so somebody's pick up the cost twice
which your flashy car did.
Nobody looks down on the $90,000 pickup
at the job site,
but the $70,000 sports car,
sometimes sends the wrong message.
So, he wants to be a little bit concerned
about the optics of showing up in a luxury car.
Again, the pickup costs more, but okay.
So, his requirements is he feels like R.
Fundadrive is first.
No more jeeps.
No more big trucks.
Fundadrive is first, comfortable for his size.
All weather or light dirt road capable
for a job site,
and a budget of $30,000 to $35,000.
Well, Daniel writes he wants either reliable vehicle
with cheaper maintenance
or having a decent budget in the amount
because he's got a $700 a month vehicle allowance
through his job.
Okay.
He's not averse to a two-car solution,
including an older trucker SUV,
but then he wouldn't have much left
to spend on the Fundadrive portion.
Yeah, yeah.
And he also says are his dreams of a Mercedes S-Class
convertible AMG, something that he should give up on.
Ooh.
We are not a podcast that says give up on your dreams.
We are not those people.
No.
Fight for those.
Well, Daniel feels like his options are nothing right now.
All weather capable, something large enough to fit him
is counterintuitive to being fun to drive.
Okay.
I say if we can't give you handling, we should give you some power,
but power doesn't necessarily mean fun,
so I'm trying to strike a balance here, Dan.
Sure, okay.
Yeah.
I started with big cars.
No more jeeps.
I started looking at 2018 and newer Dodge Charger SRT 392s
or Hellcats.
That's good.
I like it.
A lot of good.
This power is fun.
They're okay on handling.
They're okay.
I mean, for a large heavy car.
I mean, coming out of jeeps, though, they're pretty good.
They're pretty good.
And then I thought, all right,
if I'm going to suggest that, why not a Chevy SS?
You know, could you look at a Chevy SS?
Okay.
Agreed.
That's a good one.
And I thought, all right.
You like Accurus.
Your wife has a new one,
and she likes it.
Can you fit in a new TLX type S?
Look, I realize I'm being very cavalier with your own budget.
I know that.
But I take your point.
The problem with the TLX, of course, as we've always talked about,
is not good for backseat passengers,
but the front seats are good.
The front seats are good.
I don't know.
I mean, if you put that seat all the way back, can it fit in?
Maybe.
Maybe.
It's usually just going to be him.
It's a luxurious enough car, fast 40 sporty and fun to drive.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But it won't have that perception of luxury car.
You show up in an Accurus versus Mercedes.
There's a different feel, for sure.
I totally agree with that.
Yep.
So I thought, maybe an Audi all-road.
And then, yeah, I keep coming back to that perception thing.
And I want to try to balance it here,
because I'm going to spend more than your budget,
but you also have that vehicle allowance
in the form of $700 a month.
Can you put something down
and then utilize that vehicle allowance
to go get yourself a BMW X3 M40i.
That's a surprisingly fun car, yeah.
It is fun to drive.
It's got this super engine, so it's got a lot of power.
It does.
I think it's big enough to fit you, Daniel.
Probably.
Only you can tell.
It's larger, so it's all-wheel drive, all-weather.
It's job-site capable.
And it's luxury-ish enough, but it's not expensive enough
on the German luxury car scale.
Sure.
Where people are going to give you a sideways glance
and say, whoa, whoa, look who just rolled in
and you're a fancy thing.
Well, it's a BMW and it's good.
It's got a fast engine, but it connects you
to sports cars that are amazing.
I doubt you could probably fit in a Supra.
You might fit, but you know, you'd be pretty unhappy.
Let's probably do.
But it has that connection to a Supra
in the form of that engine.
There are about 10 grand more than you want to spend,
but they're new enough that you wouldn't have to have
a huge maintenance budget.
So again, could you put money down
and then utilize your vehicle allowance
to go towards a monthly payment?
So we're talking 46 grand for something used,
20,000, 30,000 miles.
You could go even up to 50 if you wanted,
but in that $40,000 to $47,000 range,
there's lots of them.
Sure.
You could even consider X3M.
Those are even faster, lots of power.
Again, it's luxury and it fits into that, you know,
40 fun driving.
I think you'll have a better time bidding,
but it's not so expensive that it's like,
oh, you know, okay, you're paying you too much
or something like that.
It doesn't carry as much that perception.
And it's an SUV.
I can bounce around the job site and get it dirty.
Don't care.
Wash it off and then go for a fun canyon drive too.
Good stuff there, Paul.
I like that.
That's really good.
Daniel, I got to admit, at the end of your email,
you just seem kind of defeated and bummed.
And I want to find you something fun.
I really want you to have a fun car.
And one of the things I was very struck by in your writings here
was how much you did like that Mercedes.
We loved it too.
The GLA AMG 45, really fun car.
That led me down the world of hatchbacks.
I want to talk about some hatchbacks real quick.
And then land on the car I think might be the answer,
at least from my perspective.
I kind of want you to get a GR Corolla,
but I also don't think you'll fit and be comfortable.
I think it's too small.
It's going to be tough.
So because I also was trying to think about all-wheel drive
for you.
So you don't have any dirt road.
But I was also thinking about you show up at the job site
and it looks like it's a little bit of a fun car.
It's an odd ball on the parking lot,
but you're not the guy that brought the luxury car.
I'm trying to think about that as well.
You could go Golf R.
I think Golf R would be great for you.
Those are surprisingly roomy.
That's good.
They're very roomy cars.
You can get it manual transmission or DSG.
You could find Golf R's for your money.
And that is a solid car.
You're coming out of jeeps.
That is absolutely a sports car compared to a Jeep.
The Golf R is fun on its own right.
But I'm just saying, this is the transition
from side by sides and big trucks and jeeps to a Golf R.
That thing's a little chuckable rocket ship.
Yeah.
And it's a little Volkswagen hatchback.
It's not flashy, but the people that know know.
That would be really fun to drive.
So Golf R, I like going a little more casual in branding.
I did think a Subaru WX would be great for you.
It's good.
It's good.
Not the upper level with the stiff recarrows,
the little bit lower level, middle of the range, WRX.
Now, unfortunately there's a CVT if you get the automatic,
which is actually in the world of CVTs,
the best one out there.
I will admit.
You have the fake shifting.
Anyway, this separate thing.
But you could also get a manual.
I don't know if that's of interest to you.
But the Subaru WX is a genuinely fun all purpose.
Nobody's going to look at that as a flashy car.
But you get it on a back road.
You have a great time.
You get it on a dirt road again.
You can make a rally stage going to the job site.
Be careful.
Don't end up in the ditch because they're going to laugh at you.
But you can make a rally stage on the way to the job site.
Like Daniel's here.
Love it.
But my favorite for you is all-wheel drive,
turbo power, good space,
surprising dynamics every time I've driven it.
And I think when you pull it in the job site,
I think I'm going to be like,
oh, that's a cool car,
but they're not going to be like,
that's too much car.
Kia Stinger.
All-wheel drive with the big six cylinder in it.
That's really good.
Every time we've driven one of those in a back road
have been surprised by how great they drive.
They drive really, really well.
It's a full-size car with a lot of space and a hatch.
And it's a Kia.
So it's not like,
well, we're paying Daniel too much.
You bought a Kia.
Right.
So that's the brand perception.
It's not a problem there.
All-wheel drive.
Take that to the job site.
Nobody cares.
Every time I see one of those in traffic,
they just have this kind of sleek, sharp-like feel.
They aren't the smallest thing out there.
It's not as small as these hatchbacks,
but I think you're going to fit very well.
You're going to have options at your budget.
Kia Stinger loaded all-wheel drive.
That's really good.
Daniel, thank you for writing.
Thank you for listening.
Really appreciate it.
If you've got a debate like Daniels
or a topic Tuesday like Ricardo,
write to us every day.
Drive a TV at gmail.com.
Right now, get up to 20% off select online storage solutions.
Put heavy-duty HDX to good use,
protecting what's important to you.
The solid, impact-resistant design prevents cracking.
And the clear base and sides make items easy to find.
Even when the toads are stacked.
Find select online shelving and toad storage
up to 20% off at the home depot.
To organize every room in your home.
From your garage to your attic.
Visit homedepot.com.
How doers get more done?
Lots of good questions, lots of lengthy questions
or at least potentially lengthy answers.
I want to go here to Tom,
who kind of wrote in a mini-card debate,
but I'm going to see if I can jump through it real quick.
It relates to where we've been.
He's been a Jeep CJ driver for 40 years.
And wants to look at start going fast.
He's mid-50s.
He's never been on a racetrack.
He's never really driven cars fast again.
Jeep CJ driver for 40 years.
Living in Dallas, Texas, which means not a lot of great back roads.
He wants something that he can enjoy.
Feel like he's driving fast, but we'll have this as key.
The technology and safety equipment
to help him avoid losing control and crashing.
He wants to improve his driving skills,
but he doesn't want to start with a Miata and work his way up.
He says, I don't have enough years left for that,
nor am I willing to work that hard.
We're coming right back around the beginning of the podcast.
Work for the fun.
Anyway, not interested in the most engaging
or challenging card to drive,
but he wants it something that can allow him to push it as far as it will allow him
but keep him from pushing too far.
Very interesting request.
He's landed on Porsche.
No one's surprised.
He's landed on Porsche.
Tom, good job.
Yeah, well done.
Budget is under 70, so it's good stuff.
Tom, here's the thing I really want to encourage you on.
You're in Dallas.
There's some good race tracks there.
We're trying to get some hooked on driving events happening in the Dallas area.
But whatever car you drive,
I want you, 100% to take it to a local auto cross
and even better take it to a high-performance driving event.
In fact, here's what I'm going to say to you.
Buy it.
Buy whatever this car is we're going to talk about
and come down to our circuit of the America's event in Austin at the end of May.
That's good.
And get in our A-group.
Not because I am saying Tom buy a sports car and become a track driver.
I'm not saying that.
In spite of the fact that we own hooked on driving,
I'm just saying you have to put your car in a situation
where you can safely explore the limits
and you just safely explore the limits with somebody riding with you
who can help you find them.
Because what I don't want you doing
is just trying to figure it out with no experience in Dallas.
I remember when the first McLaren Senna,
the first one of the first ones crashed in the US
was a guy in 45 degree weather on an overpass in Dallas.
And the minute I read it, I went,
of course it is.
Of course that's where it happened.
Because the overpass is freeze first.
He's got this super-powerful car he just got in the wrong weather
has never driven it before.
Summer tires.
He put his foot in it with summer tires
and he hit the railing and he wrecked the car.
Of course he did.
So Tom, whatever car you get,
I really want you to actually go places
and learn to drive it and learn to drive it near the edge
because the problem is,
yes, all cars now have some level of technology
to pull you back from the brink.
But if you drive beyond the brink,
they can't help you.
And now you're going crazy fast.
This is the problem.
This is why meadas are so great.
This is why GR86s are so great.
Because you get yourself in less trouble
so that when it goes wrong,
it's not as catastrophic.
A lot of these cars will help,
but they're keeping you at a distance
which can be problematic.
So whatever it is,
I do want you to go to some sort of race track.
I do think that, look,
a Porsche Cayman would treat you very, very well.
A Porsche Panamera would treat you very, very well.
But a BMW M2 would be great.
A super would be excellent.
These are the cars of that level above the GR86
that I can think of.
I think a super be wonderful for you.
I think you'd thoroughly enjoy that car.
But I'm worried about you leaning on the systems
to save you.
You would be much better off in the long term.
Even if you, I'm not saying get a Miata as much as I love it,
as much as I love the 86,
get something with some genuine power and real capability.
But find a place to explore it
and have somebody teach you
because you'll be much safer
and you'll get a much more out of the car in the long run.
From last social media posting,
Jared Willie asks,
what is the best looking color for a dirty car,
especially for those of you in northern climates?
Where salt and grime is a reality
for at least four months of the year?
Does it have to be white?
Does it have to be silver?
Man, everybody says that because then they say,
I don't have to wash my car as much
because you can't tell a dirty it is,
which I just horrifies me.
And I'm not even a guy that washes it much.
My dad always called it the protective coating for the paint.
And it makes me shiver.
And he's laughing right now.
I love it.
Or something that looks great shining through the dirt.
Is that better?
Like a sole red or even a flat color
like zandwort blue?
Oh.
Brown, brown, Subaru, out back.
Brown forster.
Brown, brown, brown.
Hey, it looks the same.
It's...
You're hiking boots.
Dirty, clean.
They look horrified.
Like boots, right?
Yeah, I do.
No, I don't want you to choose the color of your car
for the amount of dirt and grime
that it's going to have on it.
Excellent point.
I want you to first think about what is the color that I want
so you always love it, dirty or clean.
That's excellent.
I like that.
That's the answer.
Hard to justify that when I do understand.
Well, four months out of the year,
what's the point of washing this thing?
It's going to look filthy.
You will wash it occasionally.
I mean, I hope you do.
Somewhere in that stretch of four months,
you wash it occasionally.
And then you fall in love with your car all over again.
And then when that four month period is over,
oh, I'm so glad I have this color.
Even dirty.
If you love the color,
you'll still like it, dirty.
You'll still be like, well, yeah, it's dirty.
It's not looking its best right now.
But, you know, I do love that color
and I do love the car.
And that's my jam.
So I don't want you to choose color
or feel like you have to be cornered
into buying a black silver charcoal something
just to cover up dirt.
That seems like the antithesis of owning a car
that you love.
But I do understand.
So think color first.
What do I really want?
Timothy is asking about the YouTube algorithm.
I may stop there because I don't know much.
Anyway, he says what helps us the most
to have the best return on our videos.
He's got new, better internet
and he's just sawing his way through YouTube content.
Which I really appreciate.
Thank you very much.
He said he's heard that we have mentioned watch videos
the day they drop, subscribe, and follow.
Yes, that all of that helps.
I will also say there is a play going on on YouTube.
It's happened for a few years but it continues.
People are complaining that the people they subscribe to
which should suggest high I'd like to see more from this person.
Those subscribe videos are not showing up on their home page
as so and so released a new video.
Because the YouTube algorithm is always looking
for the stuff they think you'll like
while they are somehow ignoring.
This is not us.
This is across YouTube.
They are ignoring the fact that you already told YouTube
what you like because you subscribed to it.
That's the number of channels, the number of us
and others that have gotten emails where like
do you guys still make videos?
Or will drop a video like, oh cool.
I didn't know you guys are still doing stuff.
It's like we never went away.
Where did you go?
I used to get angry at the viewer.
But now I realize it's YouTube not serving it up.
So that is something really hard to fight.
What YouTube is really excited about right now
is time on platform.
That's what they're really interested in.
Everybody is fighting for your streaming eyeballs.
And especially in the world of TikTok and shorts.
Where you watch for an hour but nothing was longer
than 45 seconds or a minute.
Getting people to engage with one piece of content is gold.
Yeah.
So what YouTube cares about is you clicked on it.
You watched it early and you watched it all.
Or you were there for a while, okay?
We get about a 50% retention rate.
If our video, roughly, if our video is 20 minutes long,
people watched 8 to 10 minutes.
If our video was an hour long, they watched 15 to 30.
Okay, this is about what happens, all right?
But the more time that a video is getting watched,
the more percentage of it getting watched,
the more YouTube goes, people really like this.
Yeah.
So you don't have to necessarily watch a certain portion,
even though, look, the filmmaker in me,
it drives me nuts to not sit down and watch all of the thing.
I know.
And I edit it for you to watch all of the thing.
What do you mean you didn't get to the credits?
I don't understand.
Well, what do you mean you missed that one section
where I said the thing that you said we didn't talk about?
Yes, true.
I could tell you didn't watch.
There's a lot of that.
But I do understand, look, as much as it bugs me,
I do understand that we collectively,
and I do it too, you're watching a video,
you just go, I don't have 25 minutes.
I've got 10, so I'm going to jump this section,
oh, like people chapter markers,
and I don't care about that.
I understand you hop around.
But the amount of time you watch is probably the biggest thing.
So we need to get viewers on stuff as soon as possible
and watching as much of it as you can.
And I hate to say it, but please share.
It sounds so stupid and cliche at this point.
But because YouTube is not serving up stuff
that people subscribe to,
sharing's becoming super vital again.
You can convince other people to watch a thing you like.
You are affecting the algorithm
because subscriptions apparently don't matter.
Smash the share, like the bell.
Smash the share button.
I don't know, don't like the bell.
Nobody likes the bell.
I don't know.
Nobody likes that at all.
Ashton arm, known as Martin 47 on Instagram, has a question.
That is, if you have a short list of cars of interest,
but can only do drive homework on a few,
how do you properly evaluate the rest?
There's a GR-86 and Indy Miata in Ashton's area on Turo,
but he's been eyeing other cars like the 370 Zee Nismo
or S2000 among others.
Yeah, that's hard.
Go drive those two.
And then the videos that you watch
select the trusted reviewers that you have.
Ashton, on your short, whoever that is,
but there's a catch here, there's a twist,
and that has to do with them driving in context
of how you're shopping.
If they're doing a drag race, don't watch the video on that S2000.
It won't do well.
It won't tell you what you're looking for from a buying experience.
If they're comparing it to another car
or they're doing canyon driving or track driving with it,
and it's going to match the context
in which you are going to use that new car,
that is the video that you can trust generally.
Speaking, more commentary to help you understand
what that drives like.
But the cars that you're naming,
the two, those are the lightest cars,
the lightest, most fun sports cars on the market today.
GR-86 and Indy Miata.
If you want to know, they're really brilliant.
It comes down to do your fit,
and then the others, do you want that brand?
Do you want to own them?
And then, yeah, you've got to go review them.
But I'll leave you with one last thought, Ashton.
And that is make it known to all of your friends
and everybody in your community
that you're looking for those cars to drive,
and I wonder if they come to you.
That's excellent.
And you're right.
It's very likely that they will.
I'm going to also say this to you.
I'm just going to add to something that Paul said.
What you want to do, and it may be us,
and maybe somebody else,
find a reviewer who feels the same way
about the cars you have driven as you do.
That's good.
Paul and I vary.
That's the whole point of our show.
Paul and I vary in what we think about certain cars.
So, whatever your feelings are about the GR86
or NDME audit that you have driven,
when you find a review that is like,
I agree with what they're saying.
I felt the same sensations in that car.
Then now, when that reviewer compares it to something
you haven't driven, you have a reference point.
True.
True.
You can say, oh, that's interesting.
And you can do the reverse.
It's harder.
I don't agree with that person's assessment of that car.
So, if they feel differently about something else,
I know where all these things stack up.
Harder do.
But also wait.
Do the opposite of what they say.
Yeah, for sure.
Last question for me.
Grey's on green.
Speaking of snow.
Have you guys ever had anyone make a fuss about snowy
parking lot donuts?
He's asking about anybody.
Locke's security guards, police officers,
whatever, random civilians.
Random civilians are the ones that get frustrated about it.
I don't feel like the authorities really care.
Parking lots are private property.
So, if you're not causing a problem,
don't know me wrong.
Don't go to snowy parking lot this morning
and plan to be there all day.
True.
Go.
Have a little bit of fun.
Leave.
Yeah.
We're just going to be here for just a little bit.
Just a few minutes, okay?
True.
If you start attracting a crowd,
it is past time to leave.
You should have left by now.
So overall, look, this is not a problem I encourage.
It's a great way to learn car control.
Stay away from light poles.
I've seen people do really stupid things
in parking lots with light poles.
I got it.
I got it.
True.
I think the whole parking lot is free of the parking stops.
Yes.
The parking stops.
Check that first.
Yes.
Followed a wheel underneath your car.
All bad.
I don't feel like the police typically matter very much
unless somebody called them.
Yeah.
True.
That's the thing.
You start to annoy the neighbors
or they don't want you there.
I feel like it's always somebody
who doesn't have a reason to care
and they call the police.
But parking lots are private property
so who is the property owner
and are they going to care?
Thank you for all your questions, guys.
I'm Thomas, EverydayDriverTV at gmail.com.
Don't forget to go to EverydayDriver.com
onto the Adventures tab
to find where to register for the 2025 pilgrimage trip.
That's going to be amazing.
Late April, early May of 2025.
And then make your way to Hooked On Driving
to find a track day near you.
Don't forget the Watkins Glen, July 4th event.
That is a three-day incredible event.
Watkins Glen is an amazing track.
It's very little track.
It's going to be great event.
It's a huge facility.
So it's going to be car shows.
It's going to be fireworks.
It's going to be a massive event.
Don't forget to register for that one.
And also, the Hooked On Driving European Adventure
is now available that includes
Zanvort, just outside of Amsterdam,
Spa, Frank or Shaw, in Belgium.
And the famous Norge Life, the Nurburgring Norge Life.
So we welcome all of you to come on those.
For sure.
Check us out and write to us.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Cheers, everyone.
About this episode
A lively discussion kicks off with Paul and Todd debating the relevance of combustion engines as manufacturers like Porsche pivot back to them amidst rising EV trends. They explore the implications for brands like Cadillac and the consumer's desire for engaging driving experiences. The episode dives into listener questions about gear ratios, torque, and the balance between fun and reliability in cars. With a mix of rants and insights, the hosts emphasize the importance of earning the driving experience and the need for manufacturers to create cars that engage drivers beyond mere numbers.
all wheel drive system
Auto Tempest
boost
chassis
EV
horsepower
internal combustion engines
manual transmission
naturally aspirated engine
Nordschleife
Acura MDX
Acura TLX
Audi A4
Audi Allroad
BMW 2 Series
BMW M2
BMW X3
Chevrolet Blazer
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Silverado
Dodge Challenger
Dodge Charger
Dodge Ram
Ford Mustang
Honda S2000
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep CJ
Jeep Wrangler
Kia Stinger
Lucid Air
Mazda MX-5 / Miata
Mercedes-Benz GLA AMG
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Nissan GT-R
Porsche Boxster
Porsche Cayman
Porsche Panamera
Subaru WRX
Toyota Corolla
Toyota GR Corolla
Toyota Supra
Volkswagen Golf
Original notes
For Topic Tuesday, the guys help Ricardo M. decide if too many gears ruin torquey engines? They debate perceptions for Daniel P., who wants something fast, luxurious and sporty without giving off the wrong vibe. Social media questions ask how you do Drive Homework on cars that aren’t available to test drive, what’s the best-looking car for road salt and grime, and should people make a fuss about snowy parking lot donuts?
Please rate + review us on iTunes, and subscribe to our two YouTube channels. Write us with your Car Debates, Car Conclusions, and Topic Tuesdays at [email protected] or everydaydriver.com. Don’t forget to share the podcast with your car enthusiast friends!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Everyday Driver Car Debate
Everyday Driver
0:00
61:50