Here's Why The Volkswagen ID.Buzz Has Flopped So Far
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Car
Volkswagen Id
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a new electric van that looks like the old VW buses but is made with modern technology. It's part of Volkswagen's line of electric cars.
Car
Dodge Challenger
The Dodge Challenger is a big, powerful car that looks like the muscle cars from the past. People love it because it goes really fast and has a cool design.
Term
synthetic oil
Synthetic oil is a special kind of oil made in a lab that helps engines run better and last longer. It's different from regular oil that comes from the ground.
Term
conventional oil
Conventional oil is regular oil that comes from the ground and is used in engines. It's usually cheaper than synthetic oil but might not protect the engine as well.
Term
viscosity
Viscosity is how thick or thin a liquid is. For motor oil, it tells you how well the oil will flow and protect the engine, especially when it's hot or cold.
Term
motor oil
Motor oil is a special oil that helps keep your car's engine running smoothly. It reduces friction and helps cool the engine, making it last longer.
Term
oil filter wrench
An oil filter wrench is a tool that helps you take off and put on the oil filter in your car. It makes it easier to handle the filter, especially when it's hard to reach.
Term
owner's manual
An owner's manual is a booklet that comes with your car. It tells you how to take care of your car and what to do if something goes wrong.
Term
dipstick
A dipstick is a long, thin tool that you use to check how much oil is in your car's engine. You pull it out, wipe it clean, and then put it back in to see the oil level.
Company
eBay Motors
eBay Motors is a website where you can buy and sell cars and car parts. It's a convenient way to find what you need without going to a physical store.
Term
quarts
A quart is a way to measure liquids, like oil. Cars need a specific amount of oil to run well, and knowing how many quarts they need helps keep the engine healthy.
Car
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a popular sports car in the U.S. The 'Fox body' is a nickname for a certain version of this car made in the 1980s and early 1990s, known for its unique shape.
Term
5.0-liter V8
The 5.0-liter V8 is a type of engine that Ford used in some of its cars, including the Mustang. It's known for being powerful and is often modified for better performance.
Term
DMV
The DMV is where you go to get your driver's license and register your car. It can take a long time to get things done there because it's very busy.
Car
Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf is a popular electric car that used to look quite unusual but has recently been redesigned to look more like a small SUV. It's a good choice for those looking for an affordable electric vehicle.
Car
Chevrolet Bolt
The Chevrolet Bolt is an electric car that can drive a long distance on a single charge. It's known for being budget-friendly compared to other electric cars.
Car
Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox is a small SUV that offers a lot of space and comfort for passengers. It's a good choice for families or anyone needing extra room.
Car
Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV that is popular for its roomy interior and high-tech features. It's part of Tesla's lineup of electric cars, which are known for being environmentally friendly.
Car
Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a new electric car that looks great and has a lot of cool technology inside. It's part of Hyundai's push to make more electric vehicles, which are better for the environment.
Term
manufacturer rebates
Manufacturer rebates are money off the price of a car that the company offers to help sell more cars. It's like a special discount just for buying a new car.
Concept
EVs
EVs stand for electric vehicles, which are cars that run on electricity instead of gas. They are more environmentally friendly and can save money on fuel.
Brand
Cadillac
Cadillac is a brand of luxury cars made by General Motors. They are known for their stylish designs and advanced technology.
Car
Kia Carnival
The Kia Carnival is a family minivan that has a lot of space and features for kids. It's cheaper than some other minivans, like the ID. Buzz, which makes it a good option for families on a budget.
Car
Honda Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey is a type of family car called a minivan. It's designed to be roomy and comfortable for families, with features that make traveling easier.
Car
Chrysler Pacifica
The Chrysler Pacifica is another family-friendly minivan that can run on both gas and electricity, making it more efficient. It's built for comfort and convenience for families.
Car
Toyota Sienna
The Toyota Sienna is a minivan that is designed for families, and the newest versions only use a hybrid engine, which is more fuel-efficient than regular gas engines.
Car
Volkswagen Type 2
The Volkswagen Type 2 is a famous old van that many people recognize. It has a unique shape and is often seen as a symbol of freedom and adventure, especially from the 1960s.
Car
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a large car that can fit a family and has a sporty look. It's known for being fun to drive while still being practical for everyday use.
Car
Volkswagen Vans
Volkswagen Vans are a type of vehicle made by Volkswagen that are popular for camping and travel. They have a distinctive shape and are often used for road trips.
Car
Volkswagen Beetles
The Volkswagen Beetle is a small, round car that many people recognize. It's famous for its cute design and has been popular for a long time, especially with younger people.
Car
Ford Cobra
The Ford Cobra is a special version of the Mustang that is designed to be faster and more powerful. The 1994 model is one of these special versions.
Car
Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco is a tough SUV that can handle rough terrains and outdoor adventures. It's popular for its cool look and ability to go off-road.
Car
Ford Bronco Sport
The Ford Bronco Sport is a smaller version of the Bronco that is easier to drive in cities but still good for off-road adventures. It was launched in 2020.
Car
Jeep Wranglers
The Jeep Wrangler is a small SUV that is great for driving off the road and exploring nature. It's known for being tough and can be customized in many ways.
Car
Jeep Recon
The Jeep Recon is a new electric SUV that will be able to go off-road like other Jeeps. It's designed for people who want a tough vehicle but also care about the environment.
Car
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is a sporty car that looks really cool and goes fast. It's popular with people who like cars that are fun to drive.
LIVE
Hello, and welcome to the Truthbox Cars Podcast. I am Tim Healy, the Managing Editor, and this
week we're discussing the automotive industry in the Volkswagen ID buzz of Tom Mapell from
Consumer Guide. T-Tech contributor Matthew Guide, I discussed motor oil and I talked you
through NASCAR at Teledega. But first, buying a car should feel secure. Start to finish.
That's why you should buy your next ride on eBay. See, eBay has got everything, from
classics to trucks and imports. Now with secure purchase, sellers and titles are verified.
And financing, delivery, and insurance options are built right in. Plus, eligible vehicle
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If you like what you hear on the Truthbox Cars Podcast, please go ahead and give
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Cars, allspallout.com. We're your home for car reviews, car news, and so much more.
Here on the Truthbox Cars Podcast, we are always talking about the stuff that we use
in our homes, in our cars, and on our cars, as the case may be. And we have, as almost
always, Matthew Guide, T-Tech contributor with us. Matthew, how are you doing tonight?
Hey, I'm doing pretty good. How about you?
I'm doing well. So, you're in the midst of some travel. So, for our listeners, you know,
the audio quality might be a little different than what we're used to. But Matthew, thank
you for taking the time out of the busy travel schedule to talk about, you wanted to talk
about motor oil today, right?
Yeah, motor oil is something, you know, that's always present in our cars. But sometimes
we don't think about it enough. And sometimes I don't think about it at all, much to
the dismay of my car's engine.
I hope you're changing your oil on time, though.
Exactly, right? So, that's what I was doing this weekend. And oftentimes, you know, I
just, I try not to rely on the light that's in the, you know, that's on the dashboard
in the Challenger, simply because I know that if I leave it, it will stay in there
for far too long in terms of time versus mileage, because I don't drive that car
a ton, right? So, when I was at the Auto Parts store, I was looking at the different oils
that were available, you know, whether synthetic or conventional. And then I thought,
well, hey, you know, maybe eBay Motors has this type of stuff as well, because it's not
something that I immediately think of when I think of eBay Motors. And sure
enough, they did. They had the proper weight and the proper viscosity that I was
looking for and the brand, because I'm a nerd, just like most of us who are
listening to this podcast, when it comes to all things cars. And we ended up with
ended up with a good name brand motor oil. And at a pretty good price, you know,
it's something I do find that eBay Motors is really, really good for tools. So,
like the, we've talked about them on the podcast in the past, like talking
about the oil filter wrenches and things of that nature. eBay Motors is great
for that stuff. This is my first time buying actual oil from it. So, I had
nothing wrong with it. But it is certainly quicker to just pop out to the shops.
There was no price advantage, but there was no disadvantage either. So that's
okay. Yeah, yeah. So oil, like you said, is something we don't think about a
lot. But, you know, it's obviously the lifeblood of your engine. It's
something that everyone should think about whether you are using synthetic
or not. As you mentioned, time and mileage both matter. So, you know,
people say, I should get my oil changed. And I'm not going to get
into the philosophical debates of how often you should have it changed. You
know, my father, being a baby boomer, believes it should be 3,000 miles,
no matter what. Newer cars, what's that? Religiously, yes. Newer cars,
they'll tell you 5,000 to 7,500 miles, depending on the car maker in
the car. Being a dealership, a former dealership service employee, but
not a mechanic, I was at the desk. I would tell you your owner's manual
probably is fine. There is a bit of a fine print thing that they always
say heavy duty. And then if you read the heavy duty print, most of us
do heavy duty driving if you're even stop and go going to work. So I
would just, you know, go with your car's oil indicator if it has
one, go with your owner's manual. If you really want to change it
more often, it won't hurt the car, but it will hurt your wallet and
you may not, you may be wasting money. But, and also go by time
too, you know, it's 5,000 miles and you're looking at five
months, 3,000 miles is about three months. So, and so on and so
forth. So, yeah, definitely just make sure you give your, your oil
a lot of thought and check it every time you get gas or every other
time you get gas, check the dipstick. If it's especially if
you have an easier car to do it, a lot of newer cars make it
difficult.
Absolutely. It's something that's the last art of checking the
oil every time you fill up, right? And but it's very, very
valuable because you can catch sometimes problems before
they become expensive, just by simply checking these fluids
that are in your car and being, I don't know, of a mindset to do
that really saves you a lot of money in the long run. Not a lot
of people, you're exactly right. And some cars don't even have
dipsticks anymore. There's some BMWs that don't, but you
know, right? But there are, you know, a lot of cars that do
and they make it, you know, depending on the brand, easier to
check than others. But I do think taking the effort, you're
exactly right. Taking the effort to check your oil. If not
every time you fill up, then every other time once month at
least, just to see that, you know, that if there's any
problems that are brewing that you catch them before they've
become expensive.
Yeah, I'm glad eBay Motors is another option to go to for
oil, because so many people think of it as all I need to
go to the parts store or all when I'm getting gas, I'll
run into the convenience store and get it. And that's great.
But it's nice to have more options to get it,
especially in today's day and age when almost anything can be
shipped within a day.
Almost anything ships within a day, you're exactly right. And
the type of thing that it's not my first thought.
Traditionally, when I when I look for that product, but I
think that it's a really, really good alternative. And stuff
ships within a day, because it's not, it's not the type of
product where, you know, you're buying it every single day
or every single week, even so if you're buying it three or
four times a year, that's about it. So and I do I have
found that shipping is actually all right, which is weird,
because it's heavy, you know, so there's enough, I guess,
enough baked in there that they can cover the shipping cost.
So I like that too.
Yeah, is there anything else? I mean, it's obviously a
fairly straightforward topic. It's not really a safety
issue as long as you're not drinking the oil and
changing the oil yourself as a separate topic, because even
if you even if you do rely on your dealer or
mechanic to change the oil, you can fill your oil by
yourself in most cases. So changing your own oil is a
separate topic we can cover another time, which we
probably will because we definitely have oil filters
oil filter wrenches. If we have not talked about that in
the past, we will in the future. But is there anything
else you want to add to this discussion before we
go ahead and wrap the segment?
Nothing I could think of other than to say that your
advice is spot on with making sure to read your
manual to make sure that you've got the proper
weight viscosity and the proper amount to because
some smaller cars might take only four quarts and
others might take seven. So read your manual, make
sure you got what you need and you can get it from
eBay Motors.
Yeah, and I would add to that too. Like you said, the
weight matters. And for those who don't understand
weight, I'm not going to go we don't have time to go
into the specifics is not I would love to do an
auto shop one on one. But we just don't have
that time. But the weight matters, thinner oil
flows better in cold weather. I have that
correct, right? Yeah. Yeah, think about molasses,
right? So so thinner oil flows better in in
colder weather, which some cars you made to
switch weight for summer and winter if you live
in a place where it snows. Although I think
newer cars is not nearly the case as often. I
feel like you know, I think my age is showing
and thinking of cars from the 80s and 90s. And
then the other thing too with with oil that
I would just recommend to with people is
outside of checking it every so often and
making sure you have the right weight. It
makes sure like you said, Matthew, you have
the right amount. I learned this the hard
way owning a Fox body Mustang back in the day.
I didn't it didn't actually happen to me
personally. But I knew a young man who was in
high school who had a job draining oil out of
cars at a quick loop place. And he didn't
understand or didn't know it's not his
fault. No one told him. He didn't know
that Fox body Mustangs with the five
liter V8 had to drain plugs. Yes. Because
there was a suspension cross member in the
way. Very few cars had that. Yeah. He was
probably overfilling any any Fox body he
had in the back. Back at that time, there
are many Fox bodies on the road. So long
story short, I always use as an example
because it's the only one I know of, but
they're true. There's others. There are
cars that you may think only take three
quarts because I only they may have two
drain plugs. So they may take six quarts.
So again, back to the owner's manual
there and and that's that's a huge
thing too. So just check your owner's
manual like you said. Absolutely.
Some of the best advice out there.
All right, Matthew, thank you so much for
your time here on the truth. Our cars
podcast. This has been this week's
stuff we use. Thank you, Matthew.
Thank you.
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On this week's Truth About Cars
podcast, we are talking to Tom
Appel from Consumer Guide
Automotive. He is the publisher
of Consumer Guide.
Tom, how are you doing today?
Tim, I'm well. Thank you.
Yeah, thanks for hopping on.
So what we're talking about today
is kind of your take on the
greater overall state of the
eating market. And we've talked
about it as recently as just a
couple of weeks ago with with
the drive.com. So I kind of want
to see if your take meshes up
with with what we talked about
with the drive or if it's a
little bit different. And then
also, you recently tested the
ID buzz, which I have not
driven in about a year.
I tested it about a year ago,
was one of the first journalists
to get my hands on it. And
then, at least in the Chicago
area anyway. And then I wanted to
hear your thoughts on the buzz
and also if there's any tie in
between that vehicle and the
larger state of the EV market.
So let's start with kind of
where your take is on EVs,
especially as we're now moving
into October and no more EV tax
credit. And there's a few other
things going on. But kind of
what's your take on the
overall state of electric
vehicles in this country?
Yeah, we're at a really weird
sort of calm before the storm
moment, I think, as everyone
now knows, the federal tax
credit expired. So we
don't, we don't have a sense
of where this is going to go.
Although I think everyone
expects that EV sales are
going to drop now. And there
is precedent, of course, from
Germany. We know that last
year, Germany had a tax
credits, I think of 5,000
Euro or might have been 6,000
Euro. But when they drop those
EV sales in the country fell
by about 27%. And I think
that that's a logical number
that we can expect to see
here. Now that said,
manufacturers have had some
time to plan for this. And
there are some interesting
affordable vehicles coming
out. For example, the new
Nissan Leaf is no longer, it
no longer looks like a shoe
on wheels, it looks like a
small sporty crossover. And
it's priced really right, I
think for the market, starting
at about 30 grand right now
for 300 miles of range, we
have a new Chevrolet Bolt
coming out that should
compete very directly with
that. And the relatively
affordable Chevy Equinox, for
example, at 35 grand is
selling very well too. Plus
Tesla just launched a very
affordable, no, not very
affordable, a slightly more
affordable version of the
Model Y. That's out
affordable by Tesla
standards. Yes. Yeah, yeah.
They led everyone to believe
that was going to be a 30
grand car. It's a 40 grand
car. What are you going to
do? And then when they
just cut the prices on the
Ionic five, which is a
delightful car. Yeah, I'm
sorry to say I Ionic five.
Yeah, it's a very good car.
Absolutely. So so the market
is resetting slightly for
a world without incentives,
and there's still state
incentives. And those can be
helpful. And there will be
manufacturer rebates. But I
think that these lower
price cars are probably now
going to be the point of
entry. And we've gotten
passed for manufacturers
needing to sell really
expensive cars that kind of
bury the cost of the EV
technology. We're entering
this phase where it looks
like manufacturers are going
to either make money on
small EVs or pretend to.
Yeah, yeah. So do you
expand on that just a little
bit? Oh, sure. The one of
the crazy things about that
is that General Motors is
now claiming and I don't
know if we can ever know
this for sure that they
make money on EVs, which
is really good news because
they sell it off a lot of
them now General Motors was
the second most popular EV
producer through Q three
this year. Just after
Tesla. So they've got a lot
of product out there too.
And they've got these
Cadillacs five different
Cadillac EVs right now.
So hopefully they are
making money on these
because I think shareholders
like to see that. But that's
part of what drives a lot
of these decisions. And
manufacturers need to show
that they're making money
on these EVs or at least
start to show that they're
not losing money. So yeah,
there's the customers and
then there's shareholders.
Yeah, and two different
goals, right? Yeah. And often
contradictory. Absolutely.
Which is one reason why I would
never last more than once one
of many reasons why I would
never want to be the boss of a
car company or why I would
never last. Oh, yeah. Day as
the boss of a car company.
What an altar factory. Yeah.
What's that? What an altar
factory. I don't I have no
idea. Yeah, all those
different different
stakeholders different goals
pulling different directions.
So yeah, we got to show
automatically for show that
they are going to lose money on
EVs. So you actually drove a
very interesting one that I
think I've driven this vehicle
as well. The Volkswagen ID bus
and I want to hear a little bit
more from you about it. I worry
about that vehicle worries
by the wrong word, but I'm
curious to see if that vehicle
will hurt Volkswagen in the
long run in terms of I don't
think it's selling super well
despite the fact that it looks
really cool. And it's very
spacious. I think there are
two problems with that vehicle.
One is it's priced a little
high, particularly for the
upper trims. And I think the
other thing is as an EV only,
even though it's range is
fairly acceptable. I think
some people are going to pass
on it because they they're
not quite ready for an EV
only powertrain for a vehicle.
That's really meant to be a
road trip kind of car. So I
want to hear what your take
was after you drove it.
Yeah, I know, Tim, I think
you hit it on the head and
how you perceive the ID
Buzz, I think has a lot to do
with what you think it is. If
you are strictly comparing this
vehicle to other minivans and
let's forget the drive chain
through a moment and just
minivan to minivan, this
vehicle kind of fails. And
that's because it is very
expensive relative to other
minivans, right? The cheapest
you can get into an ID Buzz
is about 65 grand into a Kia
Carnival for 38 grand. So too
much money, I think for
most minivan shoppers. But on
the other hand, this vehicle
is just a wonderfully fresh
design and the interior is
bright, open and airy. It is
fun to drive. It is quick. It
is entertaining. Everything
about this car works really
well, except for, and as you
noted, the range. I don't
think the range can work for
families. And then finally,
its stubby shape hurts it
because there's no space
behind the third row when
the third row is in place,
which means that if you are a
five or six person family and
you want to go away for the
weekend, I don't think you've
got space back there for
luggage for six people. So
there were some practicality
issues here, which are
a shame. Now, if you don't
look at this as a minivan,
but if you look at it, this
sort of a style, boutique, fun
vehicle that happens to be
kind of cutting edge
electric, it's very
successful. However, it
hasn't been successful in the
US marketplace yet. Through
Q3, they sold about 5000
models. And that's the
same period of time Toyota
sold 75,000 CN a minivan. So
I don't know how Toyota, I'm
sorry, how Honda, I did it
again. I don't know how Volkswagen
is gauging success here, but
I suspect there isn't success
here. And that's a shame. Now,
they may be bringing in a
less expensive model that
could help, but they hurt
themselves too, because you
can't even get the fun
colors on the cheapest
versions of this van, which
actually, I think for most
people who want to buy
this makes it even more
expensive.
Yeah, I think you could write
a book, any one of us in
this industry could write a
book of vehicles that were
from a design and performance
aspect, just fine or even
really good, and were killed
or hurt by marketing
pricing or as you mentioned,
you know, kind of making the
cooler features or in this
case, cooler colors
unavailable to the lower
cost, the lower cost models
of lower cost terms. And I
think too, you know, I drove
the I have driven the buzz in
about a year, but I drove it
twice. I drove it on the
launch program in the Bay Area
in October. It's almost a
year ago. And then I drove
it here in Chicago, pretty
quick after I was one of the
first wasn't it was just
kind of luck of the draw.
Wasn't anything special that I
did. But it was one of the
first local automotive
journalists to get a chance
to test it for a week. And I
got a lot of attention for
it. A lot of people taking
pictures, particularly because
the testing that I had was
that really bright orange
color. Yeah. But I kind of had
the same impressions that you
had. I I didn't pack a bunch
of people into it. Didn't do
a road trip. Didn't I don't
have a big family or
anything like that. But I'm
not even sure if I did
groceries in it. I think I
did do a grocery run in it,
but you're right. The there
is not a lot of space
behind that third row, just
not a ton for two people on
a road trip on a short
road trip, you know, to
a camp to a campground an
hour away or a hotel or
Airbnb an hour from their
home. That might work smaller
suitcases, girl shoes, I
think was okay. But you know,
it's like you said, there was
not a lot of room in the
third row. The range is okay,
but it should be better if
you want this to be a road
trip vehicle. And then it is
fun to drive. The interior
feels very airy, like you
said, a lot of visibility,
which is huge, much easier
to navigate in traffic than
almost anything else on the
road, that kind of
visibility. And then the
space with the exception of
the space behind the third
row that we just talked
about, I think the space
setup is is otherwise
really efficient, really
well set up. But it's just
like you said, who is that
vehicle for then? As you
said, if you're just a
minivan family, you know, a
mom and dad and two kids
who need a minivan to run
a school and soccer
practice, why spend $30,000
on an EV when either a
hybrid or gas engine
minivan is available to you
for $38,000 to $40,000. And
most of them are better at
that at that particular
task. You mentioned the key
carnival. I would also
argue that the current
Honda Odyssey and Chrysler
Pacifica are better
minivans as well. And
Pacifica can be has a
hybrid. I have not driven
the newest Sienna. But
yeah, I think that the
buzz I don't understand
who the buyer is.
Yeah, and I think that's
the question mark here. And
interestingly, I don't know
if it being a minivan
kind of hurts it because
it's being compared to
other minivans. It's this
retro vehicle, right? It's
based on the old Volkswagen
type two. And I think it
doesn't I think the design
is brilliant. I think if
you look at this, even if
you don't care about cars,
you understand the heritage,
right? You understand
absolutely a throwback
design. So they nailed
it, right? This is a
cool looking car. It's
and it's fun to see on
the road and people wave. And
I think compared it to
other minivans, which it
invites, right? It's a
minivan, unfortunately
hurts it. I think the
people that this vehicle
works for are relatively
well-hilled people that
have kids in high school. And
this is a family second
car, maybe even the third
car, you know? And electric
is so easy as a third car,
right? You get a charger,
you make sure the kids
remember to charge it and
no problem. But as a
primary car, it's a
little problematic 200. I
think my test car was
good for 231 miles of
range. And that's just
a little thing. Now that
said, as you know, as a
fellow Chicagoan, we've
had a really mild summer. And
I had, when I tested this
vehicle, temperatures were
in the 70s the whole time.
And I got vastly better
than that range. I was
closer to 275 miles. So
these, these, I think these
NPA numbers are a little
conservative, but that said
they are going to get
crimped down when it
gets very cold out.
Yeah. And honestly, we've
had more hot weather in
the fall than we did in
the summer. So
yeah, it's been a very
weird year.
Weather wise, it's yeah,
until just a day or two
ago here. It was in the
90s and 80s here in
September and October. So
kind of kind of weird. But
yeah, you're right, the
weather plays a part. Obviously
when we those of us
journalists invited in the
launch drove it in the Bay
area, which is typically
pretty chilly this time of
year. And it was, if I
remember correctly, pretty
cold the day that I drove
it, it was standard San
Francisco weather, overcast
marine layer, needed a
jacket, probably the 50s and
60s. It was a little more
pleasant at night, a little
warmer at night, actually,
but those who know that
area know the city is a
little usually a little bit
warmer than. Oh, no, sometimes
you cross the Golden Gate
Bridge and it's actually
warmer on that side. But
long story short, the range
numbers we were seeing were
probably impacted a little
bit by chilly air. And then
when I tested the vehicle
here in Chicago, we had
pretty standard fall
weather. If I remember
correctly, again, it's
been about a year. And I
don't recall the range
off my head that the
test car was showing me,
but it does sound like it
was about 230 or 240. That
number sounds about right.
And I think 260 is the
factory claim for max. So
that's a vehicle that needs
to have at least 200 miles
range to work, I think, in
my opinion. Yeah, and
entirely because it's
being compared to other
minivans. I think you
lose your minivan audience
on price here in range,
unfortunately. And I don't
know how committed Volkswagen
is to this vehicle in the
US market. As you know,
we waited what, two years,
three years for this
vehicle to get here. And
there was all sorts of
infighting politically
between Volkswagen in the
US and Volkswagen in
Germany about what versions
of the vehicle we were
going to get. And there
was a short
it took forever. And so
some of the fun went out
of that anyway. Although
once it showed up, people
still loved it. This is
also a vehicle, I think
that sells itself on a
test drive. But preventing
people from test driving
it is the price,
unfortunately. And if
Volkswagen is committed
to selling this thing here,
they might have to come up
with a trim level that slots
under their $61,000
pro s base model and
probably make the fun
colors more available.
Yeah, I think it's part of
it. I also think as we've
been talking about traffic
or who the best buyer for
this vehicle is, and you
mentioned a well healed
family with older
children who don't need
car seats and who don't
need a first car through
the second or third car.
I think to the other
buyer for this vehicle
might be
someone my age, older
millennial, or maybe someone
in the Gen X, or even
younger baby boomer range
who remembers the vehicle,
the original Volkswagen
Vans and someone who wants
to go camping. But again,
with the range being what
it is, they can't go
camping super far from home.
Unless they have access
to a lot of chargers
on the route. So but I
could see I could see a
dual income, no kids
or dual income older
children out of the house
couple, you know, using
this vehicle to do
some light camping.
It can't go off road at all,
really. But if you want
to go to a campsite where
it's just, you know, you
park and then you walk
and set up or you park
and that sort of thing,
maybe, but, you know, even
that seems like more like
someone who's really kind
of stretching for
nostalgia. And the vehicles
limitations will make it
hard to use for that purpose.
So even then, I don't I
don't know if that makes
sense. I kind of make I
think I just talk about
stuff on my own point.
But yeah. No, but I think
you make a point. And I
think there is a late Gen X
baby boomer appreciation
thing going on here, too.
And I could see some boomers
buying these, but boomers
are aging out. Yeah, you
describe my folks pretty
well. I just lost my dad
last year. But oh, thank
you. Yes. But but when
they were a little bit
younger, my folks loved
to hit the highway. And
they go on long rambling
drives on Saturdays and
Sundays. And sometimes
they just got a hotel room
and you can't really do
that with this without
knowing where you're
going to find charging
because the range is a
little limited. But the
nostalgia point is there.
Now, I've got a question
for you about the
Stelja marketing, too. And
we all remember the new
Beetle that showed up in
very, very, very late
in the Beetle after a while.
That was 20 years ago.
Is there that much
nostalgia interest for
stuff from the 60s and 70s
still? Or is that group
aging out? Like, that's
old to me and I'm old.
Yeah, that's a good
question. Vegan elder
millennial. I think it
depends on the car. Beetles
were so ubiquitous, even
for people my age. And we
already knew they were
classics. You know, when I
first became a car person
and when I was 12 or 13
years old, I was already
really aware of the
original Beetle. And it
was one of the few non
muscle cars that kind of
broke through from the
60s and 70s. So I
think I think there's
in the beetle has such
a distinctive shape that I
think the beetle always
have some appeal if it
walks like it brings it
back again in a year or
two. And it has the same
basic shape that it did
for the past one of the
discontinued in 2019, 2018,
something like that.
Right. Yeah, I forget
the exact year, but they
had it from like early
2000s until just four or
five years ago. They came
back to the same basic
shape. And then just
maybe a little bit
different headlights or
taillights to make it
a little more modern or
maybe different interior. I
think they would probably
get another boost of
nostalgia, at least at
first. I think part of
the problem with the more
modern Beetle was it
became too common. It was
no longer a nostalgic
boost. It was no longer
nostalgia. Now it's just
hey, a lot of these cars
on the road. Yeah, it was
just ubiquitous. Yeah,
that's the problem with
any retro thing. You
know, we see Ford do
that with the Mustang.
And then Ford has kind
of had the Mustang shape
has been sort of retro
and inspired for gosh,
I don't even know how
long now, since 2000,
2005, something like that.
And they've quietly
modernized the exterior
to make it so it's always
that kind of same shape,
but it's less, less
retro on the outside.
And then finally a year
or two ago, the interior
became less retro, moved
away from those air. Well,
I think they still have
a little bit of influence
there, but they moved away
from those airplane style
switches and they went
with they went, they
moved the center
council, they now
they have the big
screen in the center
council, like every other
car. But they're
also playing some games
with the Mustang. And I
noticed it's the last
of my drove on the Midwest
Automotive Media Association
Spring Rally this past year.
The they had a dark horse
there, we're not allowed
to take it on the track
because of the poor weather,
but I drove it on the street.
They have the gauges now
give you the option of nostalgia.
You can get Fox body,
you can get a Fox body gauge
by pressing a button.
And it's pretty close
to the original Fox body,
a little bit different
just to accommodate
modern times.
And you can also go
with the original gauges,
digital reproduction, of
course, from the 1964
Mustang. And the other
version was the 1994
Cobra gauges, the black
kind of white. So Ford
is still keeping some nostalgia
alive in there. And then,
of course, you've got vehicles
that have never stopped
being nostalgic, the G
Brangler. And then, of
course, the Bronco comes
back and it's it harkens
back to the original.
And then they've been
selling retro additions
about the Bronco and
Bronco Sport. And now
you've got the Scout
coming back. And it's a
modern take on a classic
vehicle. So to answer your
question, I think
nostalgia, these are all
vehicles that for my age
mostly missed us. But our
parents talked about them
and our parents drove them
and we had toy car versions
of them. And we saw them
on the street because they
were still around, even
if they were getting older.
So I don't know, for my
age, I think nostalgia
still plays. But I think
in the Bronco might run
into this as this current
generation starts to age
and it's been on the road
for four years already now.
Nostalgia can be a tricky
line to walk is when a car
sells a lot. And it's even
if it's a popular car in
the Broncos, definitely
very popular. It's I see
them every day in
multitudes. But at some
point, the design are
an nostalgic design can
start to become a little
too common and it kind of
loses its luster. On the
other hand, and maybe
this is maybe this is one
reason why the Broncos
still sells so well three
years or four years into
it. Some of these designs
are really are timeless.
So they can be nostalgic
but also they become
common and people still
like them. So it's a really
tricky line to walk. I'm not
quite sure the answer is
there. Yeah, I'm with you.
I'm glad you mentioned
Scout. I kind of forgot
about that. I think of all
the nostalgia throwback
designs we're going to
see in the near future.
Scout is probably the most
tenuous and I'm I'm
excited about the brand. I'm
sure Volkswagen can do
what they need to do
there. I don't know how
many people recall Scout
and are sure almost no
one has ever been in
one. And I'm not sure
how many people know
they've seen one.
I'm not sure I've ever
driven one. I know I've seen
a few I went through a phase
of high school where I was
really interested in them
and kind of learned a lot
about them. And then I
have in the past year or
two I don't think I've
seen it recently. Being in
the city itself you see
people street park certain
cars and sometimes you
start seeing the same car
over and over again. And
you realize the guy the
person lives here in the
car sticks out because
it's a unique car. Somebody
had a scout that had
seen parked with the
doors and windows off
which is probably not
putting any any personal
valuables anyone's reach.
No. But I've seen I've seen
that vehicle a few times
over the past couple
years. I've not seen it
recently. So that's
probably my most recent
encounter with Scouts.
But yeah, Scouts are kind
of a niche thing. But I
have seen the new Scout up
close and it does look
really good. I just don't
know how it'll drive.
Scout was weird even
when it was new because
Scout didn't really have
consumer facing showrooms.
Scout was a was a
commercial vehicle.
Part of the National
Harvester. Yeah. Yeah. And
they sold a lot of
medium duty stuff. And the
Scouts were really there
to sort of sell the people
who are going to
construction sites. But you
bought them at a dealership
that was not set up for
consumers. And I had a
buddy who's dad actually
wanted to buy one. And
the funny thing was
towards the end I think
they wrapped up consumer
production of the Scout
1980. Fuel economy was
a real big issue at the
time. So international was
buying Nissan diesels
for cylinder diesels to
slap into Scouts and they
were profoundly expensive.
Oh, I'm sure. Yeah. And I
remember my buddy's dad
drive it. It was so slow.
It's so expensive. And he
just went and bought a
Bronco. It was just easier.
Yeah. Yeah. I think I do
think Scout will will
appeal unless the market
changes great greatly the
next year or two before
they launch the EV only
thing. I believe they're
EV only at launch. That's
going to hold some folks
back just because EV
adoption, even though it's
getting better is still
going to be slow for quite
some time until infrastructure
gets better. But I think
there's enough popularity
with off road vehicles
that I think the Scout
will launch fairly well
even though as you say,
it was kind of an each
vehicle when it was around
and not everyone may
remember it. I still think
it's going to launch.
Okay. I think I think
you're right Tim. I think
that has to be the brand
off road capability and
ruggedness has to be the
brand. And they've already
talked about pricing and
they're not going for
luxury pricing, right? It's
sort of near luxury or
well, Wranglers and Broncos
are expensive. Yeah. So they
can probably make money at
those price points. But they
do need to be really good
off road. And I don't
correct me if I'm wrong.
There isn't really a serious
electric off road
manufacturer yet. Is there
not electric only obvious
there are four way versions
of right several different
Jeep models. I don't think
Ford has offered anything
in the Broncos. Yeah, I think
they're so nice only on
both those on the
both powertrains. We're
really waiting for
all but we're waiting on
the Jeep recon really.
And that's yeah. Yeah.
And I'm not sure if that
will launch before
after Scout. So
the problem of EVF
roading is where do you
charge if you run out
on the Rubicon?
That's a big, big
right now. They haven't
figured out a way that Jerry
can electricity. I think
there actually are some
companies working on it.
So I know we joke. I think
they're actually I feel
like I've talked to a few
people who have been
working on something like
this. But nothing has
really come to market yet.
No, although
the things like the
Rubicon trailer pretty
short, but you use up
so much power off roading.
Yeah, you have to go
in the full range. And the
problem is the range you used
to get to the off road.
You know, unless you can
charge right before, you know,
for example, if you're in an
off road park and the off road
park is near a town, that's
not so big. Such a big deal.
You can charge in town.
You have less than a mile to
drive the off road park.
You have enough charge to
bop around all day.
Unless you're using a ton
of torque getting on getting
unstuck or something, you
probably if the weather is
favorable, you're probably
not using up that all that
much juice. You probably have
enough juice to get through
your day and charge again
before going home.
The problem is when you are in
the middle of nowhere in the
western part of the United
States where just to get to
an off road trail can be a
30 or 40 mile drive.
Yeah, and you can't put
kilowatts in a can,
unfortunately.
No.
But yeah, just kind of
swing it back to what jumped
off this direction to answer
your nostalgia question.
I'm very I'm very kind of
mixed on. I think it
really just depends on the
vehicle.
Yeah, the Camaro was
interesting, too, right?
That was kind of a short
lived experience.
And they went back to the
first generation of the
Camaro, which was a great
looking car. And you know,
the the latest version of
the Camaro was great looking
too. Couldn't see out of it.
Yeah. Oh, no. And if you
hated someone, then maybe
you try to put them in the
backseat.
The Mustang is infinitely more
practical.
The backseat in the
Mustang is not much better,
but you're right.
Yeah, it is better, just
not by much.
But I don't know how many
people actually understood
that the new Camaro was
supposed to look like the
original 67.
Yeah, that side, it was great
looking.
Yeah, it was, it was for sure.
Tom, I want to go back to
what started this
conversation, the EV market.
Is there anything you didn't
get to that you want to add
that maybe you have an insight
on with the EVs that we
haven't really touched on
because whenever time we have
an EV conversation on this
podcast, we tend to go over
the same topics over and
over. I'm just wondering if
there's anything you've
caught in your work that
kind of no one else's
really has really explored.
I had a conversation with
my podcast co-host
Jill Simonillo recently.
This was on air.
This is two episodes ago
if people want to hear it.
Episode 294.
But Jill was talking about
the launch of the Nissan Leaf
and one of the interesting
things about the leaf was
how they're going to position
and market this vehicle.
It is entry level more or
less, but it does not look
like a crossover, which I
think is going to be a huge
leap for acceptance.
But one of the interesting
things that Nissan mentioned
is that the leaf is really
kind of a second generation
EV, maybe third generation,
depending on how you look at
it, and that it is designed
and marketed for people who
have already owned EVs.
And that's why they're not
trying too hard in upper
trim levels to hit big
mileage range because they
believe that those shoppers
understand what kind of range
they need.
Interesting point.
I don't know if that's just
an excuse for not hitting
certain range targets,
but I kind of get it.
And the leaf is going to be
affordable.
It's kind of good looking.
It's going to be accessible
and to be available in all 50
states.
And I don't think all dealers
really took the leaf seriously
in previous generations.
No, but I like the idea
that there is this second
generation of EV owners.
And there's a number out
there, too, that the
acceptance rates, acceptance
rate of EVs is about 80 percent.
And I forgot where that came
from. It might have been
JD Power, it might have
been Polk, but that
means that four out of five
people who owned an EV, you
know, are willing to go into
another EV.
So there's momentum here,
I believe.
And even if things slow down
because of the incentives,
people are on the road,
they're using EVs, they're
using charging stations.
And I think that this is
really the base we need
to move forward.
There has to be an audience
out there that is happy
with this product, with
these products and talk
about them with their
neighbors, talk about them
with people at the health
club.
And, you know, they're
doing OK with them and that
the whole process of getting
a charger installed in your
house didn't totally
suck, you know, because
it sounds like a huge headache.
And I'm sure it's at least
a little headache.
But once it's installed,
you have it forever.
Yeah, at least until you move.
Yeah, right.
Yeah. So I think with the
leaf, I think the big
thing there is I think
you hit a bunch of things
right on the head.
It's going to be much
less odd looking,
which I think is
huge for them.
I think I do, too.
I think Nissan getting away
from Chattimo and finally
joining the rest of the world
with the North American
charging standard is huge.
I think it's going to be a big
selling point for the leaf.
And I think the price
and the price in the range
make a lot of sense.
My only real beef of the leaf
is it's not particularly
fun to drive, but I don't
think most leaf buyers
care about that.
Probably not.
No, I think that's that
audience. I think that if you
are a repeat buyer, you know,
it might be your second car.
It could be your first car
if you're single and you live
near work or something.
But yeah, I don't know if I
think you're still kind of
into the EV thing more
than the driving thing.
Yeah. And honestly, I think
the leaf, the range, at
least in the top trim levels
is enough that you don't
need to charge every day
if you're just cleaning the
working back and your commute
is not super long.
It's actually surprising how
far two hundred and fifty
miles of range actually is.
You know, and I have test cars
dropped off with about an 80
percent charge, and there's like
two hundred and thirty miles
there. I never go through two
hundred and thirty miles in a
week. And I try.
I usually don't either.
And that said, I always try
to charge EVs just
and go through the experience.
And I've had some really good
charging experiences lately, too,
which I think is the kind of
thing that is kind of
smoothie the way for better
EV acceptance moving forward.
Yeah, I think we've talked
about this before you and I
have. I know I've talked
about it on the podcast in
general. I think once EV
charging becomes easier to
access and much faster, I
think that'll be the that'll
do that'll do more than
anything else to get people
to buy EVs, particularly
people who can't buy a home
charger, who live in
multi unit buildings,
apartment buildings and
condo buildings. I think
that and then just dropping
at the sticker prices will
be will will really
juice that market.
Yeah, I think so, too.
I intended. Exactly.
What's happening to now?
The manufacturers are going
to drag their feet on this,
but they're not going to give
up on EVs. I think everyone
in the industry believes that
we're eventually going to go
all EV. It's just what makes
sense. And eventually, green
legislation is going to catch
up with us and kind of
force us to do that anyway.
So it's going to happen.
It's going to take way more
time than we thought.
California is not going to
sell 100% EVs by 2045.
No, not in decade from now.
No, and neither is the EU.
That's not going to happen.
And it's a bomber and I
appreciate the enthusiasm,
but it's just going to take more
time. We are making a monumental
shift. We're changing drive
trains. And to some extent,
this is going to hurt consumers
because there's going to be a
little less choice on both
sides of the powertrain divide
because manufacturers are using
up resources building both.
So we are going to see fewer
trim levels on either side
of this. But ultimately, this
is a good thing for
everybody. It's just going to
take a long time.
And, you know, on behalf
of the industry, I apologize
for the confusion.
Yeah, well, you know, like
you said, it's going to be
confusing. And then we leave a
couple of minutes left.
So I'm just going to add my
quick two cents to that.
And then we'll wrap it.
You're right. We're not going
to see EV. We're not going to
see all EV anytime soon.
I also don't think we'll ever
be 100% EV. I think the
internal combustion engine
will stick around for
specific uses as long as
it's as long as it's
legal, which in my mind
would be certain truck use
heavy duty trucks.
And maybe certain niche sports
cars or maybe they'd be
compromised where you could
sell an internal combustion
engine Mustang, but maybe
it's a hybrid power trainer
or mild hybrid, something
like that. But low selling
sports cars might be able to
keep the internal combustion.
Maybe there's a carve out
for all you only sell, you
know, X amount of these
vehicles in a year. Anyway,
the internal combustion engine
is not going to hurt.
That level is not going to
really pollute much. Okay, we'll
keep it around or auto
auto racing as well. Auto
racing may stick with the
I know NASCAR has been
showing EV prototypes and I
know there are some electric
vehicle racing series out
there, but I can still see
the I can see the internal
combustion engine sticking
around and racing for a while
unless there is one possible
game changer that could throw
us completely off and that's
synthetic fuels. If that ever
does happen, whether
synthetic fuels are produced
that are cheap and don't
pollute, that could keep
the ice around for a long
time. But we all have time
to get into that one today
unfortunately. No, no, but
cheap is key there and they
haven't hit that target. It
would need to be as cheap or
cheaper than current gas,
of course. Yeah. So yeah, so
another good wide range of
conversation time. That's one
reason we love having you on
is because we might start with
one topic, but then we
branch out and hit other
industry topics. And I think
that's a really good way to
approach this podcast. So Tom,
thank you so much for your
time. It's Tom Appel from
Consumer Guide, the publisher
of Consumer Guide Automotive.
Tom, thank you so much.
Tim, it was a pleasure to
talk to you again. Thank you.
Here on the Truth About Cars
podcast, we're always
talking NASCAR. And
generally speaking, we
usually have T-Tech
contributor Matthew Guy
with me. I'm Tim Healy, of
course, managing editor, but
Matthew is traveling, so he
cannot join us for NASCAR
today. And we're gonna, so
I will be your solo host.
It'll be a little bit
shorter segment than normal
just because of that. But we'll
roll through it pretty quickly
and then just kind of talk
about Talladega last week
and preview Martinsville, which
is the, I believe, penultimate
as the word we're looking for
here, penultimate race of
the season and the
the last, excuse me, last
race before the championship
race. So we already have two
of the playoff final four
sets. So that'll be
interesting as well as we go
through Martinsville. So let's
kind of go ahead and kind
of look back at Talladega first
and then we'll move into
Martinsville preview. So
Martins, or excuse me, I almost
said Martinsville, but Talladega
was very interesting this past
weekend. So a last lap
pass for Chase Brisco
gives him the gives him the
win and gives him the chance
to compete for the title next
week or two weeks from now,
excuse me, in Phoenix
in the championship race. So
he, you know, he's an
up and comer only 30 years
old out of Indiana. And he
has a chance to tangle with
his teammate, Denny Hamlin, as
well as any one of a few other
drivers who have a shot.
So let's go through the playoff
list real quick here.
It's it's pretty much over
for Chase Elliott at minus
62 below the clinch
below the cut line, excuse
me. So this is just as a
reminder, our top eight going
into the final round of the
playoffs with Chase Brisco,
Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell,
Kyle Larson, William Byron,
Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and
Chase Elliott. Right now,
Brisco and Hamlin are in the
final four because they both
have won a race in this round.
So now that leaves Christopher
Bell and Kyle Larson above the
cut line at plus 37 for Bell
and plus 36 for Larson.
Byron is William Byron is minus
36, Joey Logano is minus 38
and Blaney is minus 47.
Elliott is minus 62, as I
said. So Elliott is most
likely, unless he wins,
most likely not moving into
the final four.
So, you know, points are
probably not going to be enough
for him.
Denny, looking at Bell Larson
and Byron,
I think Bell Larson are in
pretty good shape points wise.
Byron and Logano and Blaney.
Byron and Logano, if I
understand the point system
correctly, which I sometimes
don't know if I do, if they
understand it, if I understand
correctly, they've got a shot
on points.
Blaney is probably on the
on the wild edge of, yeah,
it's like a long shot on
points. But of course, anyone
of those guys can win
Martinsville and be in.
So that's what's really, that's
what's really going to be
interesting about Martinsville.
We'll get to that in just a
few minutes. But those
final two spots being open
and then the four drivers
who are below the cut line
being fairly well below
that cut. So let's go back
to Teledega though. So,
you know, there was a lot
of, a lot, a lot of stuff
going on. And for those who
watched the race, it was the
last lap passed by Briscoe
was also assisted by
Ty Gibbs as his other
teammate. Because Gibbs gave
him a push. So those fans
who listen to this podcast to
follow Mascar closely to
understand super speedway
racing, everyone knows about
the draft, I think. And if you
don't know about it, you've
probably learned about it from
like days of thunder or
something like that. But you
also get the push as well.
Lennacar can sort of push
the guy in front of him
using aerodynamic advantages.
So, so that was, that was
how Briscoe won basically
got a push from his teammate
Gibbs. So, you know,
a non playoff driver helps
the helps his teammate who is
the playoff driver. So that
that that's a team effort.
I don't know if it was team
orders or a spur of the
moment decision by Gibbs, but
but, you know, big, big for
Briscoe who would never
actually won a super speedway.
So, you know, he's he's not
a superstar driver in the
way that like Kyle Larson or
Joey Logano is, but he's
definitely an up and comer.
And so he'll have a shot
at the championship in two
weeks, even though he only
led at 16 laps on Sunday.
So, but all that matters in
racing is leading that last lap,
right? So that's big for Briscoe.
There were a couple other
things in my mind and I'm
going over the recap just to
kind of refresh my memory
because it has been a few days
since the race between the
race and recording time here
for this this yellow wood
500 and Talladega.
So one thing I'm looking
at as well was that there
was not really the big one
wreck that was kind of one
close to that early in the
race, but later in the race.
By the way, let's go back to
the early race crash.
Chase Elliott, we were talking
about him below the cut line.
He was he was also involved
in but the nine car wreck.
So not quite the big one,
but semi big one, I guess.
Yeah, something like that.
So he he had that finishing
last, which is one reason
why he's so far below the
cut line.
He only got 51 laps in.
So he was started six
in the playoffs and he was
only 23 below the cut off line.
So now he's eighth of the eight
as we as we covered.
So basically I'm going back
over the the recap here.
I had it a little bit wrong.
I thought that he didn't.
I thought he had a long shot
chance.
He has to win Martinsville.
I had the math wrong.
So he 62 points down is not
him.
He can't win on points.
He can't get on points.
He is too far down.
So he has to to win,
although he did do that
last in 2020.
So he won Martinsville in 2025
years ago to get into the
championship.
So he saw the shot and it's
not out.
But you know, he needs to win.
So the the other big story
from Talladega to me were
two big rocks near the end.
Chris Butcher being in
position to be a non-playoff
driver to win the race
and near the very end being
hit and spun out.
So that changed the dynamics
and gave Brisco the chance
to win.
It was only two laps to go
when Byron gave him a
butcher, a bad bump.
Spun him to the inside.
William Byron, by the way.
Spun him to the inside
and put Butcher into the inside
wall.
That was because Carson Hosevach
had pushed Byron.
And then Byron ran into
Butcher.
But Butcher was it was not
a square hit.
It was kind of offline, almost
like what they call a pit
maneuver in the police world
and sent Butcher into the
inside wall and really
changed the race.
I don't know if I mentioned
to the outset, but it
actually ended up being an
overtime race.
So that was that was
big for the race and
obviously gave Brisco the
chance to win.
And Bubba Wallace was kind of
in the mix too, just didn't
quite get it.
And then Byron himself
spun across the finish line
as Brisco took the checkered.
But because it was a green
white checkered overtime
situation, there was no need
to run another overtime.
As we all know, as regular
listeners and regular NASCAR
fans know, under the green
white checkered system,
once you hit the white flag,
the next flag ends the race.
And also Byron was only a few
cars back of Brisco when he
spun.
So it wouldn't have mattered.
There was no reason to throw a
caution there.
Byron did finish 25th.
So that's important for the
playoffs.
He did lose a good amount of
potential points because he
finished 25th.
And then one thing I also
almost forgot to mention
because it was it was such a
footnote on a crazy busy
race is that Kyle Larson
ran out of gas and he was
in the mix to the finish in
the top five.
He ran out of gas with a
lap or two to go and you could
see his car go back.
It looked like he was going in
reverse.
He dropped spots so fast.
So he finished 26th behind
Byron.
So for the Hendrick Motorsports
team, that's pretty rough for
a team that's the play of
contention.
And so at the outside, we
set it up that, you know,
Brisco won and put our,
excuse me, yeah, Brisco won
and Brisco put himself in
in a spot to be one of the
final four drivers.
Well, it was really, really,
really important for Larson
and Byron to do better than
they did.
And those two last lap
calamities, Byron spinning
out and spinning out and
losing all that track position
right as he crosses the
start finish line and then
right before he crosses
the finish line and then
Kyle Larson ran out of gas
and I can't recall if it was
one or two laps to go,
but it was very, very late
in the race.
So that will set us up
for Martinsville and again,
this will be a shorter
NASCAR segment than usual.
So if you're hoping for
a half hour deep dive,
you'll get that next week
and Matthew is back from
travel and we can bounce
ideas back and forth off
of each other as we usually do
and oftentimes we kind of
just have a natural flow
and sometimes things pop
into our heads as we talk
no matter how much we prep
for the show.
So if you want a longer
NASCAR chat, please tune in
next week as we look back
at Martinsville and preview
Phoenix, but back to
Martinsville, which we're
going to preview right now.
So Talladega kind of flows
into Martinsville in a way,
right?
So you have, when I say
flows and I don't mean
the two races are, I don't
mean one race follows the other.
What I mean is the way
Talladega ended really sets
up drama in Martinsville.
So you have a must win
situation for Chase Elliott,
which like I said, he's done
before in 2025.
And then, you know, Byron
and Larson both had shots
at a lot more points.
And now Byron's pulled
the cut line after his spin.
So you've got Larson still
in that still in the top four
on points.
So he's sitting fairly pretty,
but you know, it's not going
to be a guarantee, of course.
So Martinsville is going to be
really, really important for
any of the four drivers
who are in the top eight,
but not of that cut line,
obviously, it's going to be
the case every year.
But I think, you know, for
for Blaney and Elliott,
they're basically, you know,
Elliott needs the win.
And I think Blaney, I don't
think he can make it on points either.
So it'll be really big
for those two guys.
And to me, the outlier
here, maybe that's the wrong phrase,
the wild card, I think is what I'm looking for.
The wild card here is what happens
if Martinsville is won
by a non playoff driver.
So these final three races
that determine the championship four,
so far, the first two have been won
by a playoff driver.
Denny Hamlin the week before,
and then that was in Vegas.
And then of course,
Chase Briscoe are at Talladega.
So now we have a situation
where there's one race left.
And if one of these
non playoff drivers wins,
what does that mean for,
especially for Joey Logano,
William Byron, Ryan Blaney, right?
Obviously, Chase Elliott needs to win.
Even Blaney probably needs to win.
Larson and Bell are ahead
of the cut line, but,
so points wise,
those two guys are,
you know, they have the best chance of getting in,
but again, who knows what's gonna happen.
And we have a short track race.
Short track racing is known for attrition,
because you have a lot of bumping and banging,
and it's really easy to have a mechanical issue
or get wrecked out in a race like that.
It's also easy to go down
by a lot of laps really quickly
if you're in the pits at the wrong time.
But it's also easy on a short track to regain
that if you have a problem early
and get back on the track.
So very, very curious to see what's gonna happen
on Sunday at two o'clock Eastern and Martinsville.
You know, right now,
I think Bell and Larson are sitting pretty,
but Logano and Byron still have a shot
and can't count Blaney and Elliott out,
unless again,
Elliott needs to win the whole thing,
or needs to win Martinsville to get into Phoenix,
I should say.
I am really curious what's gonna happen
if a non-playout driver wins.
You still have to fill four slots.
So it's gonna,
if a non-playout driver wins Martinsville,
it's gonna be the top two and points
that fill that third and fourth spot.
So will it be Bell and Larson as it looks right now,
or will Byron and Logano make a comeback?
So again, very curious for our listeners,
if you wanna watch Martinsville,
it is, as NASCAR always is this time of year,
it's the way the world works.
It's right up against the NFL,
but 2 p.m. Eastern Martinsville on NBC.
If you're a football fan and a NASCAR fan,
have your clicker ready to hit the last button on your remote.
And if you're just a NASCAR fan,
well, then just go ahead and tune in to NBC two o'clock
Eastern time for Martinsville.
And that's all we'll have for NASCAR today.
Again, we are a little bit short on time
just because we are missing our other half
of NASCAR chat.
So he's traveling for business
and he'll be back with us next week.
I believe to discuss Martinsville
and preview Phoenix as well.
And then a week after that,
we will be finishing up our on-track talks
because we will have a champion.
But don't worry, there will still be NASCAR talk
going forward throughout the silly season.
We'll start talking about which drivers
who need new rides and who might switch teams.
We'll talk about paint schemes,
any things with the new cars.
We have a few other things I'm working on
behind the scenes that might pop.
And we can talk about NASCAR stuff
all through the off-season.
So go ahead and tune in next week
to recap Martinsville and preview Phoenix.
But for now, we will go ahead
and wrap our NASCAR chat here on this week's
Truth About Cars podcast.
That's all for this week's Truth About Cars podcast.
You can find us wherever you hear podcasts
or online at ttac.com, that's t-tech.com
or the Truth About Cars all spelled out dot com.
We thank Tom Appell and Matthew Guy for their time
and Matt Poskey for editing.
Most of all, we thank you for listening.
We'll see you next time.
About this episode
The discussion centers around the Volkswagen ID.Buzz and its performance in the EV market, with insights from Tom Appel of Consumer Guide. The ID.Buzz, while stylish and spacious, struggles with high pricing and range limitations, making it less appealing compared to traditional minivans. The episode also explores the broader state of electric vehicles, the impact of the recent expiration of federal tax credits, and the challenges manufacturers face in making EVs profitable. The conversation touches on nostalgia in automotive design and the future of EVs in various market segments.
5.0-liter V8
Cadillac
conventional oil
dipstick
DMV
eBay Motors
EV
manufacturer rebates
motor oil
oil filter wrench
Chevrolet Bolt
Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Equinox
Chrysler Pacifica
Dodge Challenger
Dodge Charger
Ford Bronco
Ford Bronco Sport
Ford Mustang
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Jeep Recon
Jeep Wrangler
Kia Carnival/Sedona
Nissan Leaf
Tesla Model Y
Toyota Sienna
Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Volkswagen Type 2
Original notes
This week on the TTAC Podcast we talk with Tom Appel from Consumer Guide about why the Volkswagen ID.Buzz is struggling, as well as the general overall state of the automotive industry.
Matthew Guy talks motor oil, and Tim Healey talks NASCAR at Talladega.
We thank Tom Appel and Matthew Guy for their time, and Matt Posky for editing. Most of all, we thank you for listening!
We'll see you next time!
The Truth About Cars
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