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Good As New!

Good As New!

The Avants Podcast Jan 26, 2026 42 min
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About this episode

Dan and Nick share their recent adventures, including a failed snow-wheeling trip and emceeing an Aston Martin event. They dive into Aston Martin's brand identity, comparing it to luxury icons and discussing its evolution, especially the DBX SUV. The hosts reflect on Aston Martin's reputation for elegance versus reliability and its appeal as a status symbol rather than a performance daily driver. They also highlight the success of event organizer Shabby and touch on the challenges and considerations of buying rebuilt title cars, emphasizing the importance of understanding vehicle history and insurance implications.

Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Term

trail turn assist

"We had to drive all the way up outside of Cliellem just to find an empty parking lot to try our new trail. Trail turn assist in both the vehicles. Well, and yours is the new feature."

Trail turn assist helps your car turn better on narrow or twisty paths by moving the back wheels or helping you steer more easily.

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Concept

culverts

"there's the two cement culverts that go through the road that's closer to North Bend than it is to the past, and they're meant for that."

Culverts are like tunnels under roads that let water pass through so the road doesn't get flooded or washed away. They help keep roads safe when it rains a lot.

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Brand

Rolls-Royce

"...when do you want to say that these, all these car companies started bringing out their SUVs? So like Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, things like that."

Rolls-Royce makes very fancy and expensive cars. They also make SUVs, which are bigger cars that can go off-road and carry more people.

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Brand

Bentley

"...when do you want to say that these, all these car companies started bringing out their SUVs? So like Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, things like that."

Bentley makes very nice and expensive cars. They also make SUVs, which are bigger cars that can carry more people and luggage.

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Aston Martin DBX
Calreyn88 (CC0)
Car

Aston Martin DBX

"...late 20 teens. And I feel like they're with their DBX, they were way behind. Their latest one is really..."

The Aston Martin DBX is a fancy and fast SUV made by a company known for sports cars. It came out later than other similar SUVs but is still very nice and comfortable. It helped Aston Martin make cars that more people can use every day.

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Lamborghini Urus
Johannes Maximilian (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Lamborghini Urus

"Aventador, you had a Urus and things like that."

The Urus is a fast and fancy SUV made by Lamborghini. It's like a big car that can carry people but still goes really fast and looks stylish.

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Lamborghini Aventador
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA)
Car

Lamborghini Aventador

"Aventador, you had a Urus and things like that."

The Aventador is a very fast and fancy car made by Lamborghini. It has a big engine and looks really cool, often seen as a dream car for many people.

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Term

CarPlay

"They're behind in tech. They didn't have CarPlay or anything like that, which is like that's not the kind of brand you can do that with."

CarPlay is a way to use your iPhone in your car's screen. It helps you get directions, play music, and make calls safely while driving.

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Aston Martin Vanquish
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Aston Martin Vanquish

"...oked at me and gave me the keys, that that was it vanquished, that 2025 was a vanquish or vantish or what wa..."

The Aston Martin Vanquish is a beautiful and fast car that is also very comfortable inside. It was one of the best cars made by Aston Martin a while ago. People like it because it looks great and drives very well.

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Bmw I8
Damian B Oh (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Bmw I8

"That's it. Kind of like a BMW i8 for people with more money. Exactly. And more taste."

The BMW i8 is a cool car that uses both electricity and gas to go fast and look modern and stylish.

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Term

salvage title

"The obstructed review bumper is falling off. Had a salvage title. Yeah."

A salvage title means the car was badly damaged, like in a crash or flood, and the insurance company said it was too expensive to fix. Cars with salvage titles might have problems and need a lot of work to be safe to drive.

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Term

rebuilt title

"A rebuilt title means the same vehicle was repaired. It passed a state inspection"

A rebuilt title means the car was fixed after being badly damaged and checked by the state to make sure it's safe to drive.

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Concept

total loss

"...There's a lot of reasons to total a car that makes sense on paper, where like I said, the value of the repairs exceeds the value of the car. And so it gets declared a total loss"

A total loss means a car is damaged so much that fixing it would cost more than the car is worth, so the insurance company decides not to pay for repairs.

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Audi S8
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Audi S8

"... where this comes into play all the time. An Audi S8, perfect example. They don't hold their value, an..."

The Audi S8 is a fancy and fast car that is very comfortable to drive. Even though it is great, it loses its value quickly, so it might not be worth as much when you want to sell it later. People should think about this before buying one.

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Concept

hail damage

"hail damage is another one of the total cars."

Hail damage means little dents or marks on a car caused by hail falling from the sky. It can make the car look bad or lower its price.

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Term

body shop

"but the body is straight and a body shop will tell you that very easily. Not just by looking at it, they'll need to put them on a rack,"

A body shop is a place where cars get fixed if they have dents, scratches, or damage to their frame. They use special tools to make sure the car's shape is straight again.

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Toyota Land Cruiser
TTTNIS (CC0)
Car

Toyota Land Cruiser

"On some older SUVs, the electrical is placed, Land Cruisers is what my experience is with. The water line is super high, even inside the car."

The Toyota Land Cruiser is a big SUV that can drive through deep water without breaking. It has special design features to keep important parts safe even if water gets inside.

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Term

flip

""This is how they flip many vehicles at a time. You can, I pulled cars apart...""

Flipping a car means buying it, fixing it up, and then selling it to make money. People do this to earn profit from cars that need some work.

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Term

seam sealer

""...that are held together by seam sealer. Literally, I can pull them apart. You can push them apart by hand.""

Seam sealer is like a special glue or sealant used on cars to close gaps between metal parts so water and dirt don't get inside and cause rust.

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Company

Bring a Trailer

"...that was on, bring a trailer to that actually. Oh, you're talking about the Cadillac."

Bring a Trailer is a website where people buy and sell special cars, often old or rare ones. People can see pictures and talk about the cars before buying.

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Term

panel misalignment

"like if you've got a panel that's misaligned, that means everything under is also misaligned."

Panel misalignment means the outside parts of a car, like doors or fenders, don't line up right. This can mean the car was damaged or fixed badly.

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Term

frame straightening

"Frame straightening stuff. The old shade tree mechanic way does work if you are good with math."

Frame straightening means fixing the main metal part of a car that holds everything together if it gets bent or damaged. This helps the car drive safely again.

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Term

frame rail

"So we tie it to this post and just pull the frame rail out."

The frame rail is like a strong beam under the car that helps hold everything together and keeps the car sturdy.

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Term

DOT approved

""They're safe. They're DOT approved. It's not total trash.""

If something is DOT approved, it means it has passed safety tests and is allowed to be used on public roads.

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Term

stock parts

"A lot of companies will not sell you stock parts."

Stock parts are the original pieces that come with a car when it is brand new. Using them helps keep the car like it was made.

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Brand

Porsche

"I've seen this with Porsche."

Porsche is a company that makes fast and sporty cars.

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Brand

Volkswagen

"I mean, the whole brand, I think Volkswagen brand is where it comes down to."

Volkswagen is a big car company that owns other car brands.

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Honda CRX
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Honda CRX

"...e were talking about this the last episode, every CRX out there is virtually worthless, but a really ni..."

The Honda CRX is a small and sporty car made a long time ago that is fun to drive. Most of these cars are not worth much money now, but if you find one in good shape, it can be special. People like to fix them up and make them better.

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Honda S2000
Handelsgeselschaft (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Honda S2000

"...ink cars like that are worth keeping on the road. S2000s are a really popular rebuilt title car, actually...."

The Honda S2000 is a small, sporty car that is fun to drive because it can go really fast and handles well. Many of these cars have been fixed after accidents, so if you want one, you should check it carefully to make sure it's in good shape.

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Ferrari 250 GTO
Unknown photographer (Public domain)
Car

Ferrari 250 GTO

"...me, it's like, it's beautiful to look at. All the 250 GTOs are art. They're just stunning."

The Ferrari 250 GTO is a very old and very pretty car that many people think looks like a work of art. Only a few were made, so it's very special and expensive. People love to talk about it because it is so beautiful and rare.

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Mclaren F1
MrWalkr (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Mclaren F1

"I don't know, maybe five million bucks McLaren F1, like for an LM,"

The McLaren F1 is a very fast and special car made a long time ago. It has a unique seat in the middle where the driver sits, and only a few were made, so it's very expensive. People talk about it because it's one of the coolest and rarest cars ever.

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Ferrari 288 GTO
TTTNIS (CC0)
Car

Ferrari 288 GTO

"Like for me, I'm much more interested in say the 288 GTO. Actually has more value to me"

The Ferrari 288 GTO is a very special and rare car made in the 1980s that was built to be very fast. It was made to race but also for people to buy and drive. People like it because it is powerful and hard to find.

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Bugatti Veyron
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Bugatti Veyron

"...to get it. Bugatti, when they started selling the Veyron, they sold it to you for a million bucks."

The Bugatti Veyron is a super expensive and super fast car that was sold for about a million dollars when it first came out. It is one of the fastest and most special cars in the world. People talk about it because it is very rare and powerful.

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Tesla Semi
Korbitr (Public domain)
Car

Tesla Semi

"...hrough Zion. I'm thinking, how many people take a semi, let alone you can't get through the tunnel?"

The Tesla Semi is a big electric truck that carries heavy loads without using gas. It is new and different from regular trucks, and people are talking about how it will change how goods are moved. Some places, like tunnels, might be hard for it to go through because of its size.

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14 cars featured

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