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But it's never bothered me

But it's never bothered me

Smith and Sniff Feb 02, 2026 62 min
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About this episode

Johnny Smith and Richard Porter dive into the quirky world of car fragrances, specifically the infamous magic tree air fresheners. They share humorous anecdotes about their experiences with these scents, including an overwhelming vanilla mishap. The conversation shifts to vintage finds, including a unique medallion and a Seiko watch, sparking a lively discussion about their value and nostalgia. The episode also touches on a listener's connection between a Matra Rancho and a Honda Prelude from a Dutch children's show, highlighting the show's charm and the duo's camaraderie.

Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Seat Leon
JustAnotherCarDesigner (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Seat Leon

"...the only time I've ever bought and used a magic tree was I had a Seat Leon long-term test car from Evo..."

The Seat Leon is a small car made by the company Seat. It's designed to be fun to drive and is often used by families or for everyday commuting.

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Porsche Boxster
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Porsche Boxster

"...I could swap it. I'll straight swap it with a listener for another Porsche Boxster, especially if it's a bit ghetto..."

The Porsche Boxster is a two-seat sports car that is fun to drive and has a convertible top. It's known for being a good balance of performance and comfort.

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Honda Prelude
Riley from Christchurch, New Zealand (CC BY 2.0)
Car

Honda Prelude

"...ichard. Are you still pursuing that citizen Honda prelude watch that you saw the other day? If anybody can..."

The Honda Prelude is a two-door car that looks sporty and is fun to drive. It was made for many years and is popular among people who like cars that are stylish and perform well.

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Talbot Matra Rancho
unknown, affiliated with Garage de l'Est, uploaded by Bravada (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Car

Talbot Matra Rancho

"...I've got a Matra Rancho, Talbot Matra Rancho project and lots of listeners of Smith and Sniff seem to hail from the Netherlands..."

The Talbot Matra Rancho is a type of car that was made in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It looks different from regular cars and was built to be used on both roads and rough terrains, similar to today's SUVs.

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Matra Rancho
unknown, affiliated with Garage de l'Est, uploaded by Bravada (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Car

Matra Rancho

"...they used to have a Matra Rancho when they first started the series. The series started in I think 70, 78..."

The Matra Rancho is a type of car that was made in France. It looks a bit like a mix between a station wagon and an SUV, and it was popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

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Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

"...where would they go next? Maybe a Julia Quadrifoglio?"

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is a fast and sporty version of the Giulia car. It has a powerful engine and is made for people who love to drive quickly and enjoyably.

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Term

leather interior

"...David paid extra for a leather interior in his lewd while they were happy with cloth to demonstrate..."

A leather interior means that the seats and inside parts of the car are made from leather, which looks nice and is often found in more expensive cars.

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Term

VTEC

"...they might have done a spot of kind of high V-Tech street racing in the spare time..."

VTEC is a system used in Honda engines that helps the car use fuel more efficiently and gives it more power when you need it. It's like having two different engines in one.

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Car

Fiat Coupe 20 Valve Turbo

"there's a photo of him leaning on it when he was racing off of a Formula One team. And yeah, he had a yellow fiat 20 valve turbo coupe."

The Fiat Coupe 20 Valve Turbo is a stylish car made by Fiat in the 1990s. It has a turbo engine that makes it fun to drive.

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Term

Formula One

"when he was racing off of a Formula One team."

Formula One is a type of car racing that features very fast cars and takes place on special tracks. It's one of the most popular and exciting forms of racing in the world.

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Term

MOT

"...I pull up at the MOT station. My colleague Lisa has driven in my bargain Boxster because its MOT just expired too."

MOT is a yearly check-up for cars in the UK to make sure they are safe to drive. If a car doesn't pass, it means it has problems that need fixing before it can be on the road again.

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Saab
Pixelatedfacealex (CC BY 4.0)
Car

Saab

"...I also go into the MOT station to see. Heart, my friend Nick. Good old Nick. He's got the heating on in there..."

Saab is a car brand from Sweden that is known for making unique and well-engineered vehicles. They often have turbocharged engines, which means they have extra power and performance.

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Term

DFV

"What's the V8 F1 engine? Something V... DV? DFV? DFV. He's got a Cosworth DFV"

DFV is a special kind of V8 engine made by Cosworth for racing cars. It helped many teams win races in Formula 1.

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Company

Cosworth

"What's the V8 F1 engine? Something V... DV? DFV? DFV. He's got a Cosworth DFV"

Cosworth is a company that makes powerful engines, especially for race cars. They are famous for their work in Formula 1 and other racing events.

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Ford Focus Mark I
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Ford Focus Mark I

"...his grandpa's amazing Mark I Focus, which he inherited. And it turns out that, yeah, the cable, the cable is somewhere snapped..."

The Ford Focus Mark I is the first version of the Focus car, made between 1998 and 2004. It's known for being fun to drive and is a common choice for many drivers.

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Skoda Yeti
Robert Basic from Germany (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Car

Skoda Yeti

"But yeah, so I instead, I took my girlfriend's Skoda Yeti, which is by far the most modern car out of all the cars I took, and it failed the worst."

The Skoda Yeti is a small SUV that is good for city driving and can handle rougher roads. The 2014 version is known for being practical and having a lot of space inside.

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Part

lower rear wishbone

"I didn't know this, but lower rear wishbones on that model and the, which is shared with a VW Touran, I think, and the golf of that era."

The lower rear wishbone is a part of the car's suspension system that helps keep the wheels in the right position. If it gets damaged or rusted, it can affect how the car drives.

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Volkswagen Golf
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Golf

"...ich is shared with a VW Touran, I think, and the golf of that era. So it's a 2014 car. Apparently they ..."

The Volkswagen Golf is a small car that's easy to drive and very popular. It's known for being reliable and comfortable, making it a great choice for everyday use.

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Toyota Alphard
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Toyota Alphard

"... ago, on the podcast, we talked about Gulliver's Alphard. I still can't, still can't actually remember wh..."

The Toyota Alphard is a big, fancy van that can carry many people comfortably. It's great for families or groups who want a lot of space.

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Term

air conditioning

"...sellers list something on the car that doesn't work and they'll be open about it, but they'll follow it with, for example, air conditioning has never worked..."

Air conditioning in a car is what keeps the inside cool and comfortable when it's hot outside. It's like having a small refrigerator in your car.

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Brand

Jaguar Land Rover

"Well, because the story is that Jaguar Land Rover has a relationship already with Cherry in China because they work together building cars in China, like building JLR cars."

Jaguar Land Rover is a company that makes luxury cars and SUVs. Jaguar is known for sports cars, while Land Rover is famous for rugged off-road vehicles.

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Brand

Chery

"Well, because the story is that Jaguar Land Rover has a relationship already with Cherry in China because they work together building cars in China, like building JLR cars."

Chery is a car company from China that makes different types of vehicles. They often work with other companies to build cars together.

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Land Range Rovers
DeFacto (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Land Range Rovers

"China. So I'm sure they do all right there. I don't know what percentage of the sales there are the ones that are made locally versus, you know, like Range Rover's shipped in from the UK. But anyway, the story says, and this is all a rumor, like as far as I work out, no one's confirmed"

The Range Rover is a fancy SUV that can drive on rough roads and still feel comfortable inside. It's known for being very luxurious and is often seen as a status symbol.

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Range Rover Sport
OSX (Public domain)
Car

Range Rover Sport

"Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport and the Range Rover what? Sorry, Spon. They seem to be selling pretty well."

The Range Rover Sport is a sportier and smaller version of the regular Range Rover, combining luxury with better handling.

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Defender
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Defender

"The Defender and the Discovery are built out into the facades. They don't count."

The Defender is a tough SUV made by Land Rover, famous for being able to go off-road and handle rough conditions.

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Discovery
Kirill Borisenko (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Discovery

"The Defender and the Discovery are built out into the facades. They don't count."

The Discovery is a family-friendly SUV made by Land Rover, known for being comfortable and good for off-road driving.

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Evoke
Sophjs (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Evoke

"there'll be a Velar replacement and then a new Evoke and this Defender is supposed to be all electric."

The Evoque is a smaller luxury SUV from Land Rover, designed to look good in the city while still being able to handle rough roads.

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Term

EV

"this Defender is supposed to be all electric."

An EV, or electric vehicle, is a car that runs on electricity instead of gas. They are better for the environment because they don't produce exhaust fumes.

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XJ
IFCAR (Public domain)
Car

XJ

"...modernising work done in, I think, ahead of building the electric XJ that was then cancelled and which had a sister car..."

The XJ is a luxury car made by Jaguar. It's known for being stylish and comfortable, often packed with high-end technology.

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Tesla Model
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Tesla Model

"...tack. Massively. Can I just say a little owed to Tesla Model S? Oh, because it's dead or dying."

The Tesla Model Y is a modern electric SUV that runs on batteries instead of gas. It's known for being very efficient and has lots of high-tech features.

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Tesla Model S
Granada (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Tesla Model S

"Massively. Can I just say a little owed to Tesla Model S? Oh, because it's dead or dying."

The Tesla Model S is a high-end electric car that started being sold in 2012. It's popular for its long driving range and fast acceleration, and it's one of the first electric cars that many people have heard of.

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Tesla Model 3
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA)
Car

Tesla Model 3

"... then where the glass roof ends at the back, the Model 3, it does feel if you're tall, like your head is s..."

The Tesla Model 3 is a small electric car that doesn't use gas. It's popular because it's more affordable than other Teslas and has a lot of cool technology.

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Term

Stanley knife

"...I'm going to Stanley knife out some of the padding of the squab on my Model S..."

A Stanley knife is a tool with a sharp blade that you can pull in and out. It's used for cutting things, like when someone wants to change the inside of their car.

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Term

horsepower

"...the Plaid version with over a thousand horses is still, it's probably the fastest four-door car I've driven, quickest, fastest. There is a bit of a contention. What is quickest..."

Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful a car's engine is. The more horsepower, the faster and stronger the car can be.

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Tesla Model X
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Tesla Model X

"The real reason, obviously, it must be because 97% of all Tesla sales last year were Model 3 and Model Y. So the Model S and the Model X are almost not wanted by anyone."

The Tesla Model X is an electric SUV that has unique doors that open upwards. It's known for being spacious and very safe.

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Cadillac V16
Jay Cross from Berkeley, California, US (CC BY 2.0)
Car

Cadillac V16

"...ow, 600 cc or something. What was the size of the V16? Is it the BRM V16? Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah."

The Cadillac V16 is an old luxury car that had a very powerful engine with sixteen cylinders. It was known for being very fancy and expensive.

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Volkswagen Id Buzz
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Id Buzz

"...d crucially, as an MPV, it's half the price of an ID buzz. It might be even more than half price. So it's ..."

The ID. Buzz is a new electric version of the old VW bus that many people loved. It's designed to be fun and spacious, perfect for families.

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Delorean DMC-12
Grenex at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Car

Delorean DMC-12

"...sting car taste. He's got everything, you know, a DeLorean and a Fiat barquetta. And the rarest car he's go..."

The DeLorean DMC-12 is a unique car known for its shiny metal body and doors that open upwards. It's famous for appearing in movies and is considered a classic.

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Fiat Punto
Throwawayacc222 (CC0)
Car

Fiat Punto

"...a Fiat barquetta. And the rarest car he's got, a Fiat Punto convertible. Bloody hell. Apparently, there's 14..."

The Fiat Punto is a small car that is easy to park and drive around town. The three-door version has a sportier style and is fun to use.

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21 cars featured

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