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Recalls And Real-World Car Values

Recalls And Real-World Car Values

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About this episode

The hosts kick off with a recall rundown—misassembled airbag sensors, wheel-stud separation, fuel-tank leak risk, instrument panel display failures, and seatbelts that may not restrain occupants—then pivot to how real-world prices shake out. They run a “Hemmings sold car roundup,” guessing auction results from photos and descriptions, starting with a 1948 Studebaker Commander. Classic-car value keeps coming up: stock originality, hard-to-source parts, and details like 6-volt vs 12-volt systems, plus more sale outcomes across the lineup.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Term

airbag sensors

"Okay,Igotsomerecalls,okay,asIalwaysdo. Misassembledairbagsensors. I mean,whatdoesthatmean?"

Airbag sensors are the car’s crash detectors. They help the car decide when to deploy the airbags to protect you.

Car

Hyundai Elantra

"UhHyundai,Elantra,Alantrain,Tucson,TucsonHybrid,Tucsonpluginhybrid,allfromthe2026modelyear. Wow. It'sbeingrecalled."

The Hyundai Elantra is a common compact car. Here, the hosts mention it because a recall is tied to the airbag system not being assembled correctly.

Car

Hyundai Tucson

"UhHyundai,Elantra,Alantrain,Tucson,TucsonHybrid,Tucsonpluginhybrid,allfromthe2026modelyear. Wow. It'sbeingrecalled."

The Hyundai Tucson is a common SUV. The hosts mention it because the recall is about the airbag sensors being put together incorrectly.

Term

wheel stud may separate

"Wow. It'sbeingrecalled. Wheelstudmayseparate. Darnit."

A wheel stud is what the wheel bolts onto. If it fails and separates, the wheel can come loose, which is dangerous.

Car

Tesla Cybertruck 2024 to 2026

"Wheelstudmayseparate. Darnit. TeslaCybertruck2024to2026. Howdoesastudseparate?"

The Tesla Cybertruck is Tesla’s electric truck. Here, it’s mentioned because the recall is about a wheel-stud problem that could make a wheel come loose.

Car

Dodge Charger EV

"Fueltankmayleak,LandRoverDefender,2026. Instrumentpaneldisplayfailure,DodgeChargerEV,JeepWagoneerS24to25. Uhseatbeltsmaynotrestrainoccupants,thenwhatgoodarethey?"

The Dodge Charger EV is an electric Charger. The hosts mention a recall where the instrument panel display can fail, meaning important driving info may not show correctly.

Car

Jeep Wagoneer S 2024 to 2025

"Instrumentpaneldisplayfailure,DodgeChargerEV,JeepWagoneerS24to25. Fueltankmayleak,LandRoverDefender,2026. Uhseatbeltsmaynotrestrainoccupants,thenwhatgoodarethey?"

The Jeep Wagoneer S is a Jeep SUV. The hosts mention it because the instrument panel display can fail, so the driver may lose key information.

Car

Land Rover Defender 2026

"Instrumentpaneldisplayfailure,DodgeChargerEV,JeepWagoneerS24to25. Fueltankmayleak,LandRoverDefender,2026. Uhseatbeltsmaynotrestrainoccupants,thenwhatgoodarethey?"

The Land Rover Defender is a rugged SUV. Here, it’s mentioned because a 2026 recall says the fuel tank could leak after a crash.

Term

seatbelts may not restrain occupants

"Fueltankmayleak,LandRoverDefender,2026. Uhseatbeltsmaynotrestrainoccupants,thenwhatgoodarethey?"

Seatbelts are supposed to hold you in place during a crash. If they may not restrain occupants, that means they might not protect people the way they should.

Concept

real-world car values

"It'stimenowforHeming'ssoldcarroundup. [236.8s] Wepickafewoutoftheweeklylistthattheysupply,andwesaywedescribewhatthecaris. [247.0s] Marsshowsusthepictureofthecar,andthenyouguessthepriceofwhatthatcarsoldfor."

They’re talking about what cars truly sell for, not just guesses or asking prices. The hosts look at photos/descriptions and try to predict the final sale price.

Car

Studebaker Commander

"Whilewe'reinthemoodforStudebakers,let'sdoanotherone,shallwe? [353.8s] Herenowisa1941StudebakerCommander. [359.2s] Okay. [359.9s] Itisait'sgotsuicidedoorsonit. [362.9s] Soandthatwasstock,I'msure,fromthefactory. [365.1s] Becausethislookslikeacompletelystockcar."

This is a classic Studebaker from the early 1940s. The hosts are talking about it as an original, factory-style car, which is important when people estimate what it’s worth.

Term

suicide doors

"Okay. [359.9s] Itisait'sgotsuicidedoorsonit. [362.9s] Soandthatwasstock,I'msure,fromthefactory."

“Suicide doors” are doors that open like older rear-hinged designs. They’re called that because, historically, they can be less safe than the doors most modern cars use.

Term

stock car

"Soandthatwasstock,I'msure,fromthefactory. [365.1s] Becausethislookslikeacompletelystockcar. [367.5s] 1941StudebakerCommanderprobablyhasgotaspinelesssix-cylinderinit,wouldbemyguess."

A “stock car” means it’s basically the way it came from the factory. Collectors usually care because original cars are often worth more than heavily modified ones.

Term

six-cylinder

"1941StudebakerCommanderprobablyhasgotaspinelesssix-cylinderinit,wouldbemyguess. [375.1s] Anduhwhatdoyouthinkthatlookslikeit?"

A “six-cylinder” engine has six working cylinders inside the engine. The hosts are guessing this car has that kind of engine based on what they think it is.

Car

1968 AMC AMX

"Next up is a 1968 AMC AMX. ... So a 68 AMC AMX. They didn't build that many of them. That's kind of a hint at what this car sold for."

The 1968 AMC AMX is a classic muscle car made by AMC. The big takeaway here is that there weren’t many of them, so the price can be higher than you’d expect for a car that looks “smaller” than some rivals.

Car

Ford Mustang

"they put what was their high performance motor in it to compete with the Mustang and the Camaros and that's sort of stuff."

The Ford Mustang is a famous American muscle car. In this conversation, it’s mentioned as the “target” car the AMC AMX was meant to go up against.

Term

high-performance motor

"they took the backseat out of it, and they put what was their high performance motor in it to compete with the Mustang and the Camaros"

A “high-performance motor” just means a stronger engine than the basic one. They’re saying AMC put a better engine in the AMX to make it compete with the other muscle cars.

Car

Chevrolet Nova

"It's a big it's a big's bigger than a Nova."

The Chevrolet Nova is mentioned as a size reference point while discussing how big the 1968 AMC AMX feels in person. This kind of comparison is common in muscle-car conversations because packaging and overall dimensions affect how the car looks and drives.

Car

Chevrolet Chevelle

"It's like a Chevelles size. Yes."

The Chevrolet Chevelle is another classic muscle car. They’re comparing the AMX’s size to it so you can get a better mental picture.

Car

1985 Chevrolet Camaro

"Thisisa1985ChevroletCamaro. ... Sohowmuchdoyouthinkthatthis85ChevyCamarowentfor?"

The 1985 Chevrolet Camaro is a classic car from the 1980s. Here, they’re talking about a specific example and how added accessories can change what someone might pay for it.

Term

headlight covers

"IdecidedthatIwantedtoputsomeheadlightcoversonit. ... theywereclearplastic,andIhadtodrilltwoholesatthefrontofthelowerpartofit"

Headlight covers are add-on pieces that go over your headlights. They can be for looks or protection, and here they’re described as something you physically install and secure.

Term

horsepower

"Sohowmuchdoyouthinkthatthis85ChevyCamarowentfor? Ithadnohorsepower,I'lltellyou."

Horsepower is a number that tells you how strong the engine is. Here, they’re basically saying this Camaro didn’t have much engine power.

Term

T-tops

"DoesithaveT-tops? Uhapparentlyitlookslikeit. Itkindoflookslikeit. Yes,itdid. Yeah,ithasTtops. Umiftheydon'tleak,thenthat'sagoodthing. Buttheyallleak."

T-tops are removable roof panels that let you take the top off in sections. The hosts are saying they can leak water if the seals aren’t perfect.

Car

1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible

"This is, ladies and gentlemen, a 1976 Cadillac ElDoradoConvertible. I'mtearingup. Areyou? Yeah. Thislooksuhactuallystock. Andrememberthosepaintedwheelcovers?"

This is a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible, a classic American luxury car. The hosts are talking about how it looks close to original (“stock”) and pointing out some period details like the wheel covers.

Car

Cadillac Riviera

"Ohno,thatyou'rethinkingoftheRiviera. Okay. Yeah."

The Cadillac Riviera is another classic Cadillac model, and in this conversation it’s used as a comparison point for styling details. The host suggests the other car they’re thinking of is the Riviera, implying the headlight-cover feature may be associated with that model instead.

Car

a 64 Shelby Cobra

"Allright,nextup,we'regonnagototheotherendofthespectrumandtoa64ShelbyCobra. Now,basedontheprice,I'mjustgonnasaytoyouthatthisissomesortofanoriginal,uh,unrestored."

The Shelby Cobra is a famous classic sports car from the 1960s, built to be fast and dramatic. Here, they’re talking about a 1964 example and how its condition—like being unrestored—affects what it might be worth.

Term

injectors

"Thosearethoseareininjectors,aren'tthey? Yeah,they'rethey'relikeawesomeness."

Injectors are parts that deliver fuel to the engine. They help control how much fuel gets used, which affects how the car runs and how strong it feels.

Brand

Roush

"Well,Roush,it'saRoushmotor,butthatthatwasnotthatwasnotstockin64likethat. Georgeisat119.999."

Roush is a company that makes performance upgrades for certain cars, especially Ford models. If a car is described as “Roush,” it usually means it has recognizable aftermarket performance parts, not just stock equipment.

Concept

factory street car

"Itsoldforyoutothinkthisisafactorystreetcar. No. No,it'saracecar."

A “factory street car” means it was made to be driven normally on the road, not set up for racing. The hosts are saying this one isn’t really that—it’s more race-oriented.

Term

open headers

"No,it'saracecar. It'sgotopenheadersonit. Right."

“Open headers” usually means the exhaust is modified so it’s louder than stock. People do it for a more aggressive sound and sometimes for performance changes too.

Concept

modified for racing

"Ithadahood. It'sbeenmodifiedforracing. Yeah."

“Modified for racing” means the car has been changed to perform better or be more appropriate for track driving. Here, that matters because it affects what the car is really worth compared with a stock version.

Car

1978 Pontiac Firebird

"Andourlastoneupthismorningisthisone,a1978PontiacFirebird. AndIpickedthisoutbecauseitlooksalittlerough. Alittle? Itlooksrough."

The 1978 Pontiac Firebird is a classic muscle car from the late 1970s. Here, the hosts are talking about what it’s worth based on its condition—specifically that it looks rough.

Term

honeycomb wheels

" [979.0s] Ohmygosh. [980.0s] Thewheel,thehoneycombwheelsareprobablyuhagoodthingifthey'renotscuffedup. [984.2s] Well,butthey'renotstock."

Honeycomb wheels are wheels with a hexagon pattern like a beehive. The hosts are saying they’re probably a good thing as long as they aren’t damaged or scuffed.

Term

hood scoop

"[1000.7s] Whatever. [1001.2s] Imean,therearemorepicturesofitwiththeuhthereversedhoodscoopthatgoesthroughthehood. [1006.48s] "

A hood scoop is an opening on the hood that either helps bring in air or just changes the look. They’re pointing out a hood scoop style that’s “reversed,” meaning it’s not the usual direction or setup.

Term

drag coefficient

"That'sforthecoefficient. [1427.8s] Thedragcoefficient. [1429.6s] That'sright."

The drag coefficient is a way to measure how much the air “pushes back” against a car. A lower number usually means the car cuts through the air more easily.

Concept

recycler (buying tires from a re-claimer)

"Unlessyoutheycameinonawreckerandyouhadnochoice. [1611.3s] Collisionshoporsomethingelse."

They’re talking about buying tires from a salvage yard instead of a dealership. A salvage yard sells used parts taken off wrecked cars.

Term

automated car wash scratches

"Getridofthoseterribleautomatedcarwashscratches. [1647.2s] GulfCoastAutoShieldisyourSavethePaintCompany."

They mean the kind of marks you can get from a machine car wash. The brushes or moving parts can rub on the paint and leave scratches or swirl marks.

Brand

Gulf Coast Auto Shield

"GulfCoastAutoShieldisyourSavethePaintCompany. [1650.2s] JohnGrayandhisteamofdetailingexpertscanhelpyourcarsfinishwithoutafullrepaint. [1655.1s] Searchingforrealexpertsinwindowtentorwindshieldprotection,GulfCoastAutoShield."

Gulf Coast Auto Shield is a company being advertised for protecting your car’s paint and glass. They’re claiming you can protect your car without repainting it.

Term

window tint

"Searchingforrealexpertsinwindowtentorwindshieldprotection,GulfCoastAutoShield. [1660.1s] Dashcams,radardetectors,GulfCoastAutoShield."

Window tint is a thin film put on your car’s windows. It helps cut down glare and heat and can protect what’s inside the car.

Term

windshield protection

"Searchingforrealexpertsinwindowtentorwindshieldprotection,GulfCoastAutoShield. [1660.1s] Dashcams,radardetectors,GulfCoastAutoShield."

Windshield protection is something you add to your windshield to help it stay clearer and cleaner. It can also help with rain and glare.

Term

dashcams

"[1660.1s] Dashcams,radardetectors,GulfCoastAutoShield. [1663.5s] Gotanewcar?"

A dashcam is a small camera that records what’s happening on the road. It can help if there’s an accident or dispute.

Term

radar detectors

"[1660.1s] Dashcams,radardetectors,GulfCoastAutoShield. [1663.5s] Gotanewcar?"

A radar detector is a device that warns you if it senses police speed-detection signals. It’s meant to help you slow down before you get a ticket.

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