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Porsche Profits Are in the Tank

Porsche Profits Are in the Tank

The Avants Podcast Nov 03, 2025 44 min
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About this episode

The hosts dive into the intricacies of rotary engines, focusing on why apex seals fail, emphasizing lubrication and maintenance challenges. They share personal anecdotes about their cars and discuss the unique appeal and drawbacks of rotary engines, especially in RX-7s and RX-8s. The conversation also touches on modern automotive tech trends, like Ford's collaboration to map the Trans-American Trail on Google Earth, offering off-road enthusiasts new planning tools. The episode blends technical insights with casual banter about car culture and personal experiences.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Ford Bronco

""I saw you in the Bronco and then as random as it was, we were coming in them in row after doing some shopping.""

The Ford Bronco is a type of big car that can drive well off-road, like on dirt or rocky paths. It looks tough and is good for adventures.

Car

Audi R8

""And I was like, there can't be that many Audi R8s with," "

The Audi R8 is a fast and sporty car that has its engine in the middle, which helps it drive really well. It looks cool and is very powerful.

Term

apex seals

"But I want to talk about that as a Carter tip was why do apex seals fail?"

Apex seals are small parts inside a rotary engine that help keep the engine working properly by sealing the moving parts. If they break, the engine can stop working well.

Concept

rotary engine

"Why do rotary engines fail? We joke about it a lot."

A rotary engine is a special kind of engine that works differently from normal car engines. It spins in a circle instead of using up-and-down parts, which makes it smooth but sometimes tricky to keep working.

Term

oil change interval

"And they need oil changes a lot more frequently than modern cars. They need oil changes about the same interval as older cars, which is about 2,500 to 3,000 miles under heavy use about 2,000 miles."

Oil change interval means how often you need to change the engine oil. Rotary engines need their oil changed more often than most modern cars.

Car

Mazda Rx7S

"And they are more susceptible, rotary engines in general are more susceptible to overheating from the way the coolant runs through the engine in those jackets. And the way, especially with RX-7s, you had those twin sequential turbos on one side of the engine. You had a huge heat build up coming out and they run at high RPM."

The Mazda RX-7 is a sporty car with a special kind of engine that spins very fast. It’s fun to drive but needs extra care to avoid engine problems.

Term

high RPM

"I guess by standards now, not really, but at the time a motor pushing 7,000-8,000 RPM was really high, especially way back in the 90s."

RPM is how fast the engine is turning. High RPM means the engine is spinning very fast, which can make the car go faster but can also wear out the engine quicker.

Car

Mazda Rx8S

"especially way back in the 90s. And the RX-8s, I mean, had the same problems even being naturally aspirated, but that's the common failure with Apex Steels though."

The Mazda RX-8 is a sporty car with a special kind of engine that spins very fast. It can have engine problems if it’s not taken care of properly.

Term

oil consumption

"And you often need to add oil between. The more performance you're pushing through those, the more oil you're using, typically."

Sometimes engines use up oil faster than usual, so you have to add more oil between changes. This is called oil consumption.

Concept

engine swap

"Obviously, you know, the joke is with these cars, with Mazda's and the fact that if you want to make it more liable, you put a Chevy engine in it, you put a Ford engine in it."

An engine swap means taking out the car's engine and putting in a different one, usually to make the car work better or be easier to fix.

Concept

trans-American trail

"We've never talked about the trans-American trail."

The trans-American trail is a very long path across America that people drive on with special vehicles made for rough roads.

Car

Ford Expedition

"It is. It's like a Bronco, a stock ranger and expedition, which was kind of cool, I thought. So, you can a..."

The Ford Expedition is a big SUV that can carry lots of people and things. It’s good for families and can pull heavy trailers.

Car

Ford Ranger

"It is. It's like a Bronco, a stock ranger and expedition, which was kind of cool, I thought..."

The Ford Ranger is a smaller truck that can carry things and drive on rough roads. People like it because it’s tough and good for both work and fun trips.

Brand

Toyota

"And he went to work for Toyota and his family did not really like it. It's kind of an interesting process to hear where he came from."

Toyota is a big car company from Japan that makes many cars known for being reliable and good on gas.

Concept

small electric trucks

"And Ford is now pushing towards these small electric trucks. And it'll be interesting to see what actually comes of that."

Small electric trucks are little trucks that run on electricity instead of gas. They are better for the environment and good for city driving.

Car

Ford Bronco Raptor

"Like he's done, I was at the Bronco Raptor off-road and they had pictures of Jim there."

The Ford Bronco Raptor is a special version of the Bronco that is built to drive really well off-road, like on dirt and rocks.

Brand

Xiaomi

"He drives a Xiaomi SUV. Yeah. Yeah. Xiaomi is, that's the proper pronunciation I know. I'm glad you knew that. I didn't. Yeah. But it's, it's X-I-O-M-A-I, I think. Xiaomi is, I've heard a lot of Americans say, or Xiaomi, but it's actually Xiaomi."

Xiaomi is a company from China that usually makes phones and gadgets, but now they also make cars, especially electric SUVs. It's like when a phone company starts making cars you can drive.

Term

self-driving

""You know, they self-driving. It's not as good as Tesla's, but it's definitely there.""

Self-driving means the car can drive itself without you controlling it all the time. It uses cameras and computers to help with things like steering and braking.

Term

heated and cooled seats

""They have, you know, heated and cooled seats. Like all that stuff you'd expect in a luxury vehicle...""

Heated and cooled seats mean the seats can get warm or cold to make you feel comfortable, especially when it's hot or cold outside.

Car

Jeep Grand

"...ean, it is a fantastic ad. If you don't know, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer was rated by Jalopnik, the number one ca..."

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a big car that can carry people and stuff, and it can also drive on bumpy or rough roads easily. It’s comfortable and strong.

Car

Jeep Grand Wagoneer

"...it is a fantastic ad. If you don't know, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer was rated by Jalopnik, the number one car to have..."

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer is a big, fancy SUV that can go off-road and is very comfortable inside. Many people think it’s one of the best SUVs you can get.

Brand

Ram

"But Jeep saw it and with what's his name coming back in as the CEO of Ram and Jeep and all that."

Ram is a company that makes big trucks used for carrying heavy loads and towing things. They are popular for work and hauling.

Company

Stellantis

""... it marks a really good shift for Stellantis.""

Stellantis is a big company that owns many car brands like Jeep and Dodge. They make and sell cars all over the world.

Car

Infiniti QX80

"but X, boy, that's going to be in my head. Infinity came out with a concept, which is the QX-80 R-spec."

The Infiniti QX80 is a big, fancy SUV that can carry many people and has a strong engine. The R-Spec is a sportier version with cooler looks.

Car

Lexus GX

"Like we were talking about the LX and the GX and things like that. That's an actual off-road model."

The Lexus GX is a medium-sized SUV that can handle rough roads and also has nice features inside. It’s good for both adventure and everyday trips.

Car

Lexus LX

"Like we were talking about the LX and the GX and things like that. That's an actual off-road model."

The Lexus LX is a big, fancy SUV that can drive off-road and is comfortable for everyday use. It’s like a tough car that also feels nice inside.

Car

Nissan Juke

"technically, if you could get one, the Juke Nismo R. True. Which is what I want to see more of from... Nissan."

The Nissan Juke Nismo R is a special version of a small SUV that is made to be sportier and more fun to drive. It has extra features that make it faster and look cooler than the regular version.

Car

Nissan Gtr

"Like, you guys can't even put out a new GT-R a little. Yeah."

The Nissan GT-R is a very fast car that can drive well on all kinds of roads. People like it a lot, but it hasn’t changed much in recent years.

Term

manual

"Not only is it a manual, it's got the big wings on it."

A manual transmission means the driver changes gears themselves using a stick and a pedal. It can make driving more fun because you control the car better.

Term

differential switch

"It's got, they brought back the differential switch in the middle that you could do that."

A differential switch is a control that helps your car send power to the wheels that need it most, so it can drive better on slippery or rough roads.

Car

Subaru Outback

"Subaru is bringing out the new outbacks and the new foresters and especially the outback ..."

The Subaru Outback is a car that can drive on rough roads and in bad weather. It’s good for families and people who like to go on adventures.

Car

Porsche Boxster

"You have to have bought a Boxster, a GT4, a GT4. You have to have bought all"

The Porsche Boxster is a small, sporty car with a roof that opens. It’s fun to drive and handles really well on the road.

Brand

Audi

""I mean, within that group, does, does Audi do that? I don't see Audi really.""

Audi is a car company from Germany that makes fancy and comfortable cars.

Car

Ferrari F40

"Some are calling as a modern tribute to the F40, which is kind of a stretch."

The Ferrari F40 is a very fast and special car made a long time ago. People think it’s one of the coolest and most powerful cars ever made.

Car

Lancia Stratos

"It reminds me more of a Lancia Stratos, we imagine. It does."

The Lancia Stratos is a small, fast car made for racing on rough roads. It’s very famous because it won many races a long time ago.

Car

BMW M3

"what is it, the F80 now. But some of these"

The BMW M3 is a fast and sporty car that’s good for daily driving and also fun on race tracks. It’s like a regular car but much more powerful.

Car

Lamborghini Huracan

"Yeah, the Huracan's the exception. That's different."

The Lamborghini Huracan is a very fast and cool-looking car. It’s made to be exciting to drive and looks amazing.

Car

Mclaren F1

"Excluding the McLaren F1. Do I have to drive it?"

The McLaren F1 is a very fast and special car made a long time ago. It’s famous because it was one of the quickest and most advanced cars of its time.

Car

Porsche Carrera GT

"and it's the Holy Trinity. Carrera GT, Clarem P1"

The Porsche Carrera GT is a very fast and special car with a loud engine. It’s made from light materials and is exciting to drive.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"wants to kill you more than your Corvette wanted to kill you."

The Chevrolet Corvette is a fast sports car from America that many people love. It can be a bit tricky to drive because it’s very powerful.

Car

Porsche 918 Spyder

"obviously, but the 918, you're correct."

The Porsche 918 Spyder is a very fast car that uses both gas and electric power. It’s one of the newest and most advanced sports cars.

Car

Mclaren P1

"Well, I mean, all these McLaren P1 owners are having to replace their batteries."

The McLaren P1 is a very fast and special car that uses both gas and electric power. Sometimes, the batteries in these cars need to be replaced, which can be expensive.

Car

BAC Mono

"a BAC mono was the first thing I thought of, but I was like, it's so unlivable except for such extreme circumstances."

The BAC Mono is a small, very fast car that only has one seat. It's made for people who want to drive really fast on race tracks, but it's not very comfortable for everyday driving.

Car

911 Porsche Gt

"another great thing about Porsche GT cars is that you can really adjust everything."

The Porsche 911 is a famous sports car that’s fun to drive. Some versions let you change many settings to make the car drive just how you like.

26 cars featured

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