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Car Pro Radio Show March 28 26 Hour 1

Car Pro Radio Show March 28 26 Hour 1

CarPro Radio Show Mar 28, 2026 34 min
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About this episode

The CarPro Show focuses on why timing is everything right now: end-of-month, end-of-quarter, and big manufacturer pushes are creating strong incentives on new cars while used inventory is tight. Trade-ins are still bringing record values, and dealers are paying top dollar for clean, low-mileage vehicles—especially if you act before Tuesday. Callers discuss choosing a 7-passenger SUV (Palisade/Telluride/Highlander/CX-90), trading a 2020 Buick Encore, and whether to wait for a new Tahoe. There’s also a Tiger Woods/Genesis GV80 crash “connection” story and advice on warranty timing for a high-mileage VW.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Term

Tires

"Tires matter. They're the only part of your vehicle that touches the road."

Tires are what actually touch the road. If the tread is worn or the tire isn’t right for the weather, the car can stop slower and handle worse.

Company

Tyraq

"Tread confidently with new tires from Tyraq. Whether you're looking for expert recommendations or know exactly what you want, Tyraq makes it easy. Fast, free shipping, free road hazard protection, and convenient installation options."

Tyraq is a company that sells tires and tries to make it easier to pick the right ones. They also mention extra perks like shipping and protection for tire damage.

Term

tread

"Tread confidently with new tires from Tyraq. Whether you're looking for expert recommendations or know exactly what you want, Tyraq makes it easy."

Tread is the grip pattern on the outside of the tire. Deeper, healthy tread helps the tire hold the road and handle wet conditions better.

Concept

bundle home and auto

"That's why the State Farm Personal Price Plan can help you save when you choose to bundle home and auto. Bundling, just another way to save with the Personal Price Plan."

Bundling means getting your home insurance and car insurance from the same company. Often it comes with a discount, but you should still check what’s covered and what you’d pay if you had a claim.

Company

State Farm

"That's why the State Farm Personal Price Plan can help you save when you choose to bundle home and auto."

State Farm is an insurance company. In this segment, they’re mentioned as offering a pricing plan that may help you save money when you insure both your home and your car.

Brand

Toyota

"Just a few of them is the big ones. Toyota, Honda, Mazda. All those are really putting the push on for the end of the year."

Toyota is a big Japanese car brand. The host is saying that when Toyota (and other Japanese brands) are trying to hit sales goals, it can change deals on new and used cars.

Brand

Honda

"Just a few of them is the big ones. Toyota, Honda, Mazda. All those are really putting the push on for the end of the year."

Honda is a major car brand from Japan. When Honda is trying to sell more near the end of the year, it can lead to better deals on new cars and change what happens to used-car prices.

Concept

shortage of used cars

"And that has caused somewhat of a shortage of used cars. The dealers are scurrying to get used car inventory right now."

A shortage of used cars means fewer pre-owned cars are available than people want. When that happens, used cars often cost more and trade-ins can be worth more.

Car

Lincoln Aviator

"My wife and I just sold a couple of months ago her 2022 Lincoln Aviator. Sold a couple of months ago and she had a total of 18,000 miles on it."

The Lincoln Aviator is a luxury SUV. In this story, they owned a 2022 model and sold it because they didn’t end up driving it often.

Car

Hyundai Palisade

"we have looked at the Hyundai Palisade. We've looked at, um, Toyota Highlander and even the Mazda, I think it's the CX-90."

The Hyundai Palisade is a family SUV with three rows. It’s on their shortlist because it can fit a larger group.

Concept

seven passenger

"Yes. And that mid-size, she would love to have the seven passenger, um, one, um, you know, six to seven passengers and really want your opinion..."

“Seven passenger” means the SUV can seat up to seven people. That usually requires extra seats in the back and can affect how much room you have for luggage.

Car

Toyota Highlander

"we have looked at the Hyundai Palisade. We've looked at, um, Toyota Highlander and even the Mazda, I think it's the CX-90."

The Toyota Highlander is a popular midsize family SUV. They’re considering it as another option that can work for their passenger needs.

Car

Kia Palisade

"So here's, I love the Palisade and the Telluride both. I've had the, the new Palisade, uh, we've not had the new Telluride yet."

The Kia Palisade is a big family SUV with three rows of seats. The speaker likes it, but says it’s so new that discounts may be limited right now.

Car

Mazda CX-90

"I dearly love the CX-90. You really hit me on that one. And I love it for the interiors."

The Mazda CX-90 is a family SUV with three rows. The speaker especially likes the cabin and says the hybrid system is impressive.

Company

AutoHeatShield.com

"Go to AutoHeatShield.com and get yourself one, though, because it is an amazing product. It just it covers the entire windshield. There's no sun coming through whatsoever."

They’re telling you to buy a windshield cover/shield from AutoHeatShield.com. The idea is that it blocks a lot of the sun and heat from getting into the car.

Car

Buick Encore

"Yeah, I have a 2020 Buick Encore with about $15,000 and rules on it. Yeah, I still own about $5,000 with another two weeks to pay."

They’re talking about a 2020 Buick Encore. They want to know what it might be worth as a trade-in based on how old it is, how many miles it has, and whether it’s in good shape.

Term

almost 60,000 miles

"Okay. So you're five years old. You got almost 60,000 miles. That is, you know, right below average mileage, which is good."

They’re talking about mileage. Cars with fewer miles usually hold their value better, so it can affect what you get for a trade-in.

Car

Kia Sportage

"As far as replacements, I think you got to look at the key of Sportage for sure. It's a great SUV about the same size."

The Kia Sportage is a popular compact SUV. In this segment, it’s being recommended as a good-value choice, especially because of the warranty and pricing.

Car

Chevrolet Equinox

"I would look at the Chevy Equinox, which has got some great incentives right now."

The Chevrolet Equinox is a compact SUV. The point here is that it may be cheaper right now because of special deals or incentives.

Car

Mazda CX 50

"Let's see. What else could you look at? I'd look at the Mazda CX 50. It's a great SUV. And it's probably got the nicest interior."

The Mazda CX-50 is a compact SUV. The speaker’s takeaway is that it has a particularly nice interior compared with the other SUVs mentioned.

Car

Toyota RAV4

"Of course, the Toyota RAV4 is always going to be a good choice."

The Toyota RAV4 is a very common compact SUV. The speaker is saying it’s a safe, reliable option worth considering.

Term

incentives

"And there are some incentives on it right now, which has gotten to be a little bit rare for Tahoe."

Incentives are deals from the manufacturer that can lower what you pay. Here, they’re saying the Tahoe doesn’t usually have many of these, so it’s a good time to shop.

Concept

competitive market

"Look, the reality is Houston is probably the most competitive market I know of anywhere in America. And part of the reason is there's so doggone many dealers there, and they just beat each other up."

A competitive market is where lots of car dealers are competing for your business. That competition can lead to better deals than in areas with fewer dealers.

Concept

dealer competition

"...Houston is probably the most competitive market I know of anywhere in America. And part of the reason is there's so doggone many dealers there, and they just beat each other up."

Dealer competition is when multiple dealerships are trying to sell you the same car. When they compete hard, you may have more room to negotiate or find lower prices.

Car

Toyota Grand Highlander

"Your first question was about the Grand Highlander. I reviewed it when it first came out... I've had the 2025 model earlier this year... It's got more third row seat room... And it is almost a Lexus."

The Grand Highlander is a bigger Toyota SUV with three rows. The host is saying it’s roomier and feels more upscale, and when you add options it can cost nearly as much as a Lexus.

Concept

2026 redesigned and updated vehicles

"Well, if you're interested in looking at some of the all new redesigned and updated vehicles for 2026, there's a handy little list of the cars that are out there that have been redesigned and updated for 2026 that you might want to choose from."

Car makers often change cars from year to year. For 2026, this means some models got refreshed or redesigned, so the newest ones may have updated features or improvements.

Company

AutoTrader

"AutoTrader in the newsletter is under the new section has the 10 best new cars of 2026."

AutoTrader is a website where you can shop for cars and read car buying content. Here, they’re being used as a guide for which new cars to consider.

Concept

base model starting below $100,000

"Apparently they do all the work and they qualify with a base model of a vehicle starting below $100,000. Most cars on the list are thousands of dollars below that..."

They’re only including cars that start under $100,000 in their basic version. Once you add options, the price can go higher.

Concept

microchip shortage

"...when cars got so short in supply, they had to drop out. We lost some dealers, you know, after COVID and the microchip shortage and all that stuff, but they're back."

A lot of cars need computer chips, and there weren’t enough of them for a while. That made it harder for dealers to get inventory, so some dealers couldn’t participate as much.

Term

warranty

"...bust out of the warranty. And having a modern German car without a warranty has me scared."

A warranty is basically a promise that certain repairs will be paid for. The caller is worried because once it ends, they’ll be paying for repairs themselves.

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