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S2 Ep24: The FINAL Nail In The Coffin For Electric Cars? (+ ShedFest Announcement!!)
S2 Ep24: The FINAL Nail In The Coffin For Electric Cars? (+ ShedFest Announcement!!)
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About this episode
Discussions range from the latest automotive news, including the new road tax on electric vehicles, to personal car updates and a lively debate on whether to keep or sell a beloved Lexus IS 200. The hosts share their experiences with various cars, play a fun game guessing power outputs, and announce the upcoming ShedFest event. With humor and camaraderie, they explore the challenges of car ownership and maintenance, while also addressing listener questions and concerns about the automotive landscape.
Topics:
0-60 time
1J swap
4.4 litre twin turbocharged V8
Apple CarPlay
classic cars
diesel fuel
EcoBoost engine
engine knocking
estate
EV
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ShedFest tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shedfest-2026-tickets-1636688642789
ShedFest tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shedfest-2026-tickets-1636688642789
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Technical
Too Afraid to Ask
Term
V8
"You're better off just getting a V8. I was going to say we're better off driving V8s."
A V8 engine is a type of car engine with eight cylinders shaped like a V. It makes the car powerful and gives it a deep, loud sound that many people like.
A V8 is an eight-cylinder engine arranged in a V configuration, known for producing strong power and a distinctive sound. V8 engines have been popular in performance and muscle cars for decades.
Car
BMW M3
"Ricky, who recently took his E92 M3 on a road trip of a lifetime to the Bavarian Alps."
The BMW E92 M3 is a sporty two-door car made by BMW. It has a powerful V8 engine and is loved by car fans for being fun to drive.
The BMW E92 M3 is the coupe version of the fourth-generation M3, produced from 2007 to 2013. It is known for its high-revving V8 engine and balanced chassis, making it a popular choice among enthusiasts.
Car
BMW E92
"...y're all boxy ones. Ricky, who recently took his E92 M3 on a road trip of a lifetime to the Bavarian ..."
The BMW 3 Series is a small luxury car made by BMW. The E92 M3 is a sportier version with a powerful engine, designed for people who enjoy driving fast and having a comfortable car.
The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car known for its sporty handling and luxury features. The E92 M3, a high-performance coupe variant from the third generation (produced 2007-2013), is especially celebrated for its naturally aspirated V8 engine and driver engagement. It's often discussed for its blend of everyday usability and track-capable performance.
Car
Toyota GR86
"another Chris in the Lake District, who just got his GR86 turbocharged."
The Toyota GR86 is a small sporty car that is easy to drive and fun. People often add turbochargers to make it faster.
The Toyota GR86 is a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive sports car known for its balanced handling and affordability. It is a successor to the Toyota GT86 and is popular for modifications such as turbocharging.
Term
Ingenium engine
"Ross Hamilton, who bought an ingenium powered Evoque that blew up shortly after purchase."
Ingenium engines are a type of engine made by Jaguar Land Rover to be powerful and save fuel.
Ingenium is a family of modular engines developed by Jaguar Land Rover, designed for efficiency and performance. These engines are used in various Land Rover and Jaguar models.
Term
engine knocking
""While it was there, they went, oh, you do know it's knocking. The engine's knocking. She didn't say whether it's the engine or something else. They said it's knocking.""
Engine knocking is a noise you might hear when the engine isn't running smoothly. It means something inside the engine isn't working right and can cause damage if not fixed.
Engine knocking is a knocking or pinging sound caused by abnormal combustion in the engine's cylinders. It can indicate issues such as improper fuel mixture, low-quality fuel, or mechanical problems like worn components.
Car
BMW 540i
"349.7s What have I been up to? 351.9s So, 540i. 353.5s Yeah. 353.8s I've got my 540i back."
The BMW 540i is a fancy car that is both comfortable and fast. It has a strong engine that helps it go quickly while still being nice to ride in.
The BMW 540i is a model in BMW's 5 Series lineup, typically featuring a powerful inline-six engine with turbocharging, known for blending luxury and performance. It is a mid-size luxury sedan that balances comfort with sporty driving dynamics.
Concept
Nürburgring
"He's been to the Nürburgring in it. He's done a lap in it. He's been to Belgium."
The Nürburgring is a well-known race track in Germany where people test and race cars. Driving a lap there is considered a big achievement for car lovers.
The Nürburgring is a famous motorsport race track located in Germany, known for its challenging layout and use as a testing ground for high-performance cars. Completing a lap there is often a badge of honor for car enthusiasts and manufacturers.
Car
Peugeot 205 GTI
"in the unit, I had my 205 GTI. And obviously, I hadn't forgotten about it, but where I hadn't driven it in a couple of months,"
The Peugeot 205 GTI is a small sporty car made by Peugeot. It's famous for being really fun to drive and is loved by many car fans.
The Peugeot 205 GTI is a classic hot hatch from the 1980s and early 1990s, known for its lively handling and spirited performance. It is a highly regarded model among enthusiasts for its fun driving experience and iconic status in the hot hatch segment.
Part
head gasket
"You had head gasket and everything on it, because obviously you blew that up."
The head gasket is like a seal inside the engine that keeps oil and water from mixing. If it breaks, the engine can get very hot and stop working properly.
A head gasket is a critical engine component that seals the cylinder head to the engine block, preventing coolant, oil, and combustion gases from leaking. Failure of the head gasket can cause engine overheating and severe damage.
Brand
Ford
"It's a Ford. Ford? A Ford? A Ford. Yeah. I've bought a Ford. Have I bought your Aston? No. Ford. You bought a Ford. Oh. No, that's Mum's car. You went out and went with her and bought it."
Ford is a big car company from America that makes many types of cars and trucks. Lots of people know the brand because it has been around for a long time.
Ford is a major American automotive manufacturer known for producing a wide range of vehicles from trucks to performance cars. It has a long history and is one of the largest car companies in the world.
Term
EcoBoost engine
"Yeah, Mum's got a 1.5, 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine. It's not the EcoBoom, it's the EcoBoost."
EcoBoost engines are special engines made by Ford that use turbochargers to give more power while using less fuel.
EcoBoost is Ford's brand name for a family of turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engines designed to deliver better fuel efficiency and performance compared to traditional engines.
Term
timing belt
"The wet belt actually runs the oil pump. It doesn't run the timing belt, so we should be all right."
The timing belt is a belt inside the engine that helps the engine's parts move together at the right time so the car runs smoothly.
A timing belt synchronizes the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft(s) to ensure the engine's valves open and close at the correct times during each cylinder's intake and exhaust strokes.
Term
gearbox
"Yeah, and then we'll blow up the gearbox. So you're right, bought that, okay?"
The gearbox is the part of the car that helps change gears so the car can go faster or slower.
The gearbox, or transmission, is the component that transmits power from the engine to the wheels, allowing the car to change speeds and torque.
Term
Apple CarPlay
"I've got Apple CarPlay in it now and everything. You've ruined it. It's the Bollocks. You've ruined it. What do you mean? Would you not have done that? You've ruined it. Would you not have done that? Not that one. No, I would have put Mr. Carfonix one in it so that it's the OEM head unit, but it's got Apple CarPlay integrated."
Apple CarPlay lets you use your iPhone on the car's screen so you can get directions, play music, or make calls more easily while driving.
Apple CarPlay is an infotainment system feature that allows iPhone users to connect their phone to the car's head unit, enabling access to apps, navigation, music, and calls through the car's display.
Term
OEM head unit
"No, I would have put Mr. Carfonix one in it so that it's the OEM head unit, but it's got Apple CarPlay integrated."
The OEM head unit is the car's original radio or screen that was put in by the car maker, not something added later.
An OEM head unit is the original factory-installed car stereo or infotainment system that comes with the vehicle when new, as opposed to aftermarket replacements.
Car
Hyundai i30 N
"I've just sold my Hyundai i30N after moving out. It's been fun."
The Hyundai i30N is a sporty version of a small car that is fun to drive and faster than regular models. It's made by Hyundai and is popular among people who like quick hatchbacks.
The Hyundai i30N is a high-performance variant of the Hyundai i30 hatchback, known for its sporty handling and turbocharged engine. It is Hyundai's answer to hot hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
Term
V6 TDI
"Mark I Twareg, V6 TDI. No."
V6 TDI means the car has a six-cylinder diesel engine that uses a turbo to get more power and uses fuel efficiently.
V6 TDI refers to a six-cylinder diesel engine with Turbocharged Direct Injection, commonly used in Volkswagen Group vehicles for a balance of power and fuel efficiency.
Concept
estate
"Please tell me otherwise. Would love to know of any similar cars I've missed and you would recommend estates are very much preferred."
An estate is a type of car that looks like a regular car but has a bigger back part to carry more stuff.
Estate is a British term for a station wagon, a car body style with an extended rear cargo area for more storage space.
Term
diesel fuel
"...It's not. You're talking like six or seven MPG. Diesel is also more expensive, so you've got a factor that in as well."
Diesel is a type of fuel for some cars. It can help cars go farther on less fuel but usually costs more and works differently than regular gas.
Diesel fuel is a type of fuel used in diesel engines, which are typically more fuel-efficient and have more torque than petrol engines but can be more expensive and produce different emissions.
Concept
electric cars
"So it looks like what you're going to have to do with your electric new car, even though you don't have to go to an MOT, you have to take it to an MOT station every year to get the mileage checked on it. The government are the ones saying, we need to all be in electric cars by 2030."
Electric cars run on batteries instead of gasoline, so they don't produce smoke or pollution from their tailpipes. Many countries want people to use more electric cars to help the environment.
Electric cars are vehicles powered entirely or primarily by electric motors using energy stored in batteries, offering zero tailpipe emissions. Governments worldwide are promoting electric cars to reduce pollution and dependence on fossil fuels.
Term
fuel duty tax
"So now, not only are they paying the fuel duty tax, they are also now paying 1.5P a mile on top of that."
Fuel duty tax is a tax you pay when you buy petrol or diesel for your car. It helps the government raise money and can make fuel more expensive.
Fuel duty tax is a government tax applied to the sale of fuel such as petrol or diesel, intended to generate revenue and influence fuel consumption behavior.
Car
BMW E39 540i
"Get yourself an E39, 540i, Wacker Supercharger. Yeah, or an M5."
The BMW E39 540i is a model of car made between 1995 and 2003. It's known for being fun to drive and having a powerful engine.
The BMW E39 540i is a generation of the 5 Series produced from 1995 to 2003, known for its strong inline-six engine and balanced driving dynamics. It is a popular choice among enthusiasts for its performance and build quality.
Term
ICE car
"with road tax charges more expensive than an ICE car."
An ICE car is a regular car that runs on petrol or diesel, not electricity.
ICE stands for Internal Combustion Engine, referring to traditional vehicles powered by gasoline or diesel engines.
Concept
classic cars
"But classic cars as well, they're going to get taxed and... I hope not."
Classic cars are old cars that people keep because they are special or have history. They are different from new cars and sometimes have different rules.
Classic cars are older vehicles, typically over 20-25 years old, that are often preserved or restored for their historical or nostalgic value. They can be subject to different regulations and taxes compared to modern cars.
Part
4.4 litre twin turbocharged V8
"Do you know how I know that? Because that 4.4 litre twin turbocharged V8 is the one that they use in the F90M5. Oh, is it? Which comes from factory and non-competition form in 600 brake horsepower."
This engine has eight cylinders and uses two turbochargers to make the car go faster and be more powerful.
A 4.4 litre twin turbocharged V8 engine is an eight-cylinder engine with a displacement of 4.4 liters, equipped with two turbochargers to increase power output and efficiency.
Term
naught to 60
"58 horsepower and naught to 60 in 13.8 seconds. ... 380 brake horsepower, 5.2 seconds."
"Naught to 60" means how fast a car can go from stopped to 60 miles per hour. It's a way to see how quick a car is.
"Naught to 60" is a British English term meaning acceleration time from 0 to 60 miles per hour. It is a common performance metric used to compare how quickly a car can accelerate to highway speeds.
Term
horsepower
"420 horsepower, 4.9 seconds."
Horsepower tells you how strong a car's engine is. The higher the number, the more powerful the car usually is.
Horsepower is a unit of measurement for engine power, indicating how much work an engine can perform over time. It is commonly used to compare the performance capabilities of different vehicles.
Term
0-60 time
"So it is 360 horsepower and it is a naught to 60 of four seconds."
0-60 time is how fast a car can go from stopped to 60 miles per hour. The lower the time, the faster the car accelerates.
The 0-60 time measures how quickly a car can accelerate from a standstill to 60 miles per hour. It is a common benchmark for assessing a vehicle's acceleration performance.
Concept
1J swap
"My long-term plan is to 1J swap it once I'm back from the military in a few years."
A 1J swap means taking out the car's current engine and putting in a different, stronger engine called the 1JZ. This engine is popular because it can make the car faster and is very reliable.
A 1J swap refers to replacing a car's original engine with a Toyota 1JZ engine, a popular inline-six engine known for its strength and tuning potential. This swap is common among enthusiasts seeking more power and reliability.
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Do you know what this just goes to show?
You're better off just getting a V8.
I was going to say we're better off driving V8s.
Yeah.
Hello, everyone, and welcome back
to the AutoAlex podcast,
home of automotive financial mistakes,
our life in cars, and your questions answered today.
Rory, Taylor, and I will fill your ear and eye holes
with discussions about what we've been up to.
We'll play a new game of How Much Power That,
which Rory, you're going to be hosting.
How much power that?
How much power that?
That's a new one.
That is a new one.
We'll try and help you guys with Keep or Quit,
and we have an angry email from a man
who drives an electric vehicle,
because there is new news,
which we'll get onto in a little bit.
But before all of that, a massive hello this week too.
Youho in Finland, who's just taken delivery
of a 1984 Alfa Romeo GT V6,
which he imported from Germany.
They're nice.
They're all boxy ones.
Ricky, who recently took his E92 M3
on a road trip of a lifetime to the Bavarian Alps.
Chris in the Lake District,
not our Chris in the Lake District,
another Chris in the Lake District,
who just got his GR86 turbocharged.
We've got delivery driver Jason in Wokingham,
Ross Hamilton, who bought an ingenium powered Evoque
that blew up shortly after purchase.
There's a surprise.
Yeah.
Yeah, and then he had a big battle,
and it cost like four and a half thousand pounds,
and it went to court, blah, blah, blah.
And then he won.
And then the dealership actually had to fix it.
We have got Jeff Smeal in Canada,
who asks, whose car is worse for rust?
TDC's Cadillac, or Alex's Type R?
The Cadillac.
Oh, good. Really?
I'm not being biased.
OK. The Cadillac.
At least the top half of the Civic is all right.
Yeah. And the bottom half is...
That car is just...
The Cadillac's gone everywhere.
Oh, really?
Yeah. Fantastic.
Even the bonnet.
You shut the bonnet and there's chocolate cornflakes coming out.
You can actually pass each other a packet of Chris
without opening the door.
Really? Yeah.
Oh, wow. That's interesting.
We've also got Jaython Chennery,
who's just bought a Saab 93 convertible...
Convertible?
Convertible?
Yeah, it is.
Is that like a pterodactyl mixed with a convertible?
Sorry. Oh, what?
Crap!
Also, who's Jaython?
Jaython?
Where have I put Jaython?
No, you did say Jaython.
And I thought, that sounds like you've said Jonathan and Jaython together.
Nathan. Nathan.
Sorry.
Sorry. Sorry, Jaython.
And...
Rory's Mum, Jackie!
All right, Mum.
I don't know. Is she?
Yeah.
Yeah?
Is she doing all right?
Well, you say that.
Oh, no.
Oh, is she not doing all right?
No, Honda Civic.
I still haven't actually...
The Jazz.
The Jazz.
I still don't know, actually, the answer to it.
Did you buy your Mum a ringer?
I don't know.
So, she basically had...
My Mum doesn't drive the car a lot.
She still likes it, but she doesn't drive a lot.
But anyway, battery went dead.
And then she drove it to her local...
Well, she managed to get jumped, started,
drove it to her local place to get the battery stopped out,
because she didn't want to do it herself, which is fair enough.
Yeah.
And then they...
While it was there, they went,
oh, you do know it's knocking.
And that's all the information that she's passed on to me so far.
The engine's knocking.
She didn't say whether it's the engine or something else.
Oh, OK.
They said it's knocking.
Maybe the battery's knocking.
Maybe.
Or the door is knocking.
Yeah, someone's knocking.
Or someone's knocking on the window.
On the back door.
It must run in the family, Rory.
Yeah, we don't talk about that.
She says another car over there with the bottom end stripped off of her.
And it belongs to you.
Guess which car it is?
Could it be the world's shittest Mini?
Yes, it is.
It's the Mini that just keeps on giving, isn't it?
Honestly.
Yeah.
So, you need to sort out your Mum's knocking battery.
Yes.
And then, hopefully, it's not knocking.
Was it knocking?
I don't know.
Those cars don't go wrong.
They don't unless you limit bash them from cold.
Oh, damn.
She'd been doing that.
Oh, yeah.
She drives round, 0-60 tests every five seconds.
Really?
Yeah.
Anyway, what have we all been up to?
Rory, let's get started with you.
Actually, no, you've done it.
Oh, there's...
Something's going on.
Oh, my word.
Sorry.
That was me.
My thing fell out of my thing.
Oh, is that what that was?
Yeah.
Are you pressing the button by it?
Are you fiddling?
Maybe.
Taylor, what have you been up to recently?
Oh, you've asked me.
I didn't even think.
What have I been up to?
So, 540i.
Yeah.
I've got my 540i back.
It's outside, isn't it?
It's outside.
I've driven it here today and it's very fast.
Is it?
Oh, it's very fast.
Is it M5 faster or is it faster than M5 fast?
Faster than an M5.
I think it's faster than every single car that we all own.
We were having this discussion earlier.
I don't think there is a car that we own
that is faster than that car.
I think my 60 M5 will be faster when it works.
But it's not currently.
I think my fastest car is probably the M5.
Well, it's faster than the M5.
Okay.
We've got more power.
Oh, shit.
Okay.
Well, then, yeah, your car is faster than...
Is it faster than you asked them?
I don't know.
We were discussing this.
Well, we're all going out later, aren't we?
Yeah.
Which we'll get onto.
Yeah.
So, I thought maybe we should have a little...
We might have to have a little...
Yeah, but I'm going to...
50 to 70 on the motorway.
I'm going to be there in my 320d.
More in.
Yeah.
So, I don't...
Actually, I've got diesel talked and I don't allow...
Short ratio diff.
I do have a short ratio diff.
But his car couldn't beat a standard 330i, let alone anything else.
That is very true.
Very true.
Anyway.
Speaking of which, my Libby, I just got back from the body shop.
Yeah.
She's all been tighted up.
New rear arches I had welded in, inner and outer, because it was quite rotten.
Yeah.
New front wings, all the paint's been done.
Looks lovely.
Yeah.
Have you made your decision?
Yeah.
I think I'm going to sell it.
Yeah.
Because I'm going to be a bit more sensible.
I don't want to sell it, but I want to be more sensible this year.
I want to move out, get a place, blah, blah.
I've got too many cars.
Is it year two?
Who's been saying that now?
Or year three?
No, no.
Actually, yeah.
But you've got to admit I have been more sensible.
You have been a lot more sensible.
You've been talking about moving out for a long time.
Yeah, I have.
I really hope you do it.
Because you, on the M25 every morning...
I will still be on the M25 every morning.
Yeah, yeah.
But not so much...
Not as much.
Because that's soul destroying, isn't it?
The last week or two weeks have been particularly bad.
Admittedly, I have been getting off a bit later than normal,
because I've been a bit tired.
But the traffic, even getting home, has been really bad.
Oh, really?
I got stuck the other night.
I can't remember what it was when I spoke to you.
I got stuck for like two hours.
Bloody hell.
And I didn't move.
Yeah, that's no good.
And Jay, one of our cameramen, was stuck like 10 cars behind me,
in the same thing for like hours and hours.
I got home at like 10, 11 at night.
No, Jay's a sturdy driver.
There's no way.
He wasn't being hard on me.
Do you know what?
He was considering it.
Was he really?
And someone else went up the hard shoulder, next to him,
and he was going to put out, I was on the phone to him,
and the police chased that car.
Oh, really?
And he went, I'm not going to do it.
Oh, yes.
So, and then last night, I got stuck on the M4.
It said, oncoming traffic, oncoming car, on the thing.
It's 20 miles an hour on the M4.
I've never seen oncoming car on a board before.
And a terrifying thing to see.
Yeah.
And yeah, even for all the cameras, it was 20 miles an hour.
20 miles an hour on the M4.
And then it went stand still.
They shot it and I got home, I think quarter to 10, I got home.
Yeah, but you left late as well, didn't you?
I did leave a bit late.
But yeah, it took, what, two and a half, two hours, 45 to go.
It was nothing.
Move out, move out.
So yeah, I genuinely, I have been more sensible.
My plan overall has been to take the cars that I have and that I love,
and make them mint, which is what I've been doing.
Yep.
And then the ones that I don't think I'll use or not as attached to,
I'll pass on, like Libby.
But I wanted to do Libby well and make sure that she'll live a bit of a longer life.
So is Libby now officially for sale?
Yes.
I actually have someone from my Instagram that's been bugging me to come and buy it.
And I think he might be coming later on this week.
Really?
Oh, that's interesting.
Libby's a good car.
Well, yeah, because I was on a chat with Taylor about this last night,
and I was saying, realistically, when is the time that you would drive Libby over anything else that you have?
Yeah.
Like, you've got a car that does something better than it on every step.
Yeah.
If I didn't have my 540, I'd keep it.
Yeah, I love my 540.
Because it's quite similar, isn't it?
Like, I think maybe we could all potentially agree that all of the cars I own,
or most of them, they do something differently.
Yeah.
They're different in...
Go on.
I'd argue there's one that I think you could get rid of.
Is it the 309?
Two of them.
Yeah, okay.
I think the 309.
Yeah.
And I think the Alpha.
Yeah, I know.
But that's Italian.
Do I have any Italian cars?
No, you don't.
It's front-wheel drive.
It's V6.
It is a pretty unique car.
I just don't think...
And it's the same question that I think you have to ask yourself.
Yeah.
Is there a time that you would drive that over another car?
And I don't think you would.
Before your answer, I disagree.
Why?
I, through and through, I'm a BMW guy.
You know that.
Yeah.
I love them.
I think you should keep the Alpha and sell your E39M5.
Yeah, I'm probably going to do that.
Yeah.
I think the Alpha.
Yeah, so I have been wanting to drive the E39M5 again
because I really enjoy driving it.
Yeah.
But as a long-term, not really investment, but just like enjoyment car,
I think I would get more enjoyment.
I know I would get more enjoyment out of the Alpha.
Yeah, I think the Alpha is actually, believe it or not, more special than the M5.
I would agree.
You know what?
We should probably do that.
We should pull it out of storage next year.
And actually fix it.
It just needs a few little bits and then it needs just the Sills painting
because it's had new Sills.
And then I probably will put up.
No, I'm talking about the Alpha.
Oh, the Alpha.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah, well, the M5 also needs work.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But yeah, the Alpha, we should actually make it
because I wrote down, I do have somewhere,
I wrote down a list when I borrowed it for that day or two
of all the things that make, stop it from being a natural car you can use.
There's a few niggly bits that it needs.
I would also like a carbon plenum on that as well.
I think that would be great.
Yeah, that would be really cool.
But yeah, I love that Alpha.
Okay, that's amazing.
I love the M5 as well.
But the Alpha to me is just that little bit more.
Do you know, the more we talk about the Alpha,
the more I want to pull out of storage today
and take it up to our Christmas meet.
Is it because you'd forgotten about it?
No, no, I've definitely not forgotten about it.
But now I'm thinking I really want to drive that again.
You did forget about it.
No.
But you didn't forget that you own it,
but you forgot like how good it is.
Yeah, now I'm just with the side of it.
So this weekend, so another thing I've been up to
is I've moved units.
So I've swapped units.
One of my neighbours, David, who's into Porsche 944s,
which we won't get onto.
Oh, I'd like to know more about David.
His mate, Lee, turned up in his Porsche 944
to help David move out, which is your Porsche 944.
Oh, really?
And he has done, I think, 30,000 miles since you owned it.
Shut up.
He's been to the Nürburgring in it.
He's done a lap in it.
He's been to Belgium.
He's been everywhere in it.
I love that Porsche.
I love that Porsche.
Yeah, he drove it down.
He very much likes it.
Yeah, good, good, good.
And yeah, David is a prolific hoarder of Porsche 944s
and 924s.
Oh, fantastic.
So he's got a lot of them.
So we swapped units, because he needed more space
for all of his 944s.
And I needed something that was a bit nicer,
a bit cleaner, a bit newer, a bit lovelier,
but it's a little bit smaller.
So it's just a bit of a nicer place to fill it.
And the ceiling's higher, so hopefully I should get one
of these two places.
And not as leaky, maybe?
Not as leaky.
Mind you, the old unit didn't really leak.
It just had loads of air gaps.
Okay, okay, yeah.
And yeah, hopefully in the next week or so,
equipment for garages are going to come down.
Yep.
And we're going to put a two-post lift in,
light one of your ones,
and then I can lift a car full-height,
which means I can take the engine out of my truck.
Speaking of...
Honestly, equipment for garages,
if you need any ramps or anything like that,
go to them.
We've just had a new scissor lift, but if...
Yeah, which...
Can we, can we...
Let me take a picture, actually.
It's very messy.
This is bird's-eye view of what I'm seeing.
Messy, lovely.
It is a shithole.
So yeah, if you're watching with your eye holes,
you will have just seen a picture that I've posted.
It's really messy.
That's actually in the video itself.
But yeah, Rory, what have we got in front of us?
So we've got a very half-finished 4x4 overlander.
We're still talking about the post.
Yeah, but so we've got a 2.6 tonne twire egg on our two-post lift,
which is ready to, I think, 3.6 tonnes, actually.
And then behind that, we've got Rory's mini,
with the bottom end stripped off of it.
Yeah, for no reason.
Well, no, for good reason.
For on our 2.6 tonne full-height scissor lift,
which is a really, really cool thing.
And I actually suggested putting that in,
because I had one of those in my old unit.
And the only thing that limited me before was my ceiling height.
But obviously in here, you've got more height.
And it is an amazing bit of kit.
So we've got two cars in the air.
You can walk underneath them.
The really good thing about the scissor lift as well is,
firstly, it's going to be cheaper.
Secondly, you don't need to have, you know,
a metre square concrete base.
To actually put it in.
I think the cement over there is probably,
like, I don't know, three, four inches or so.
Yeah, and it's also a bit for filming as well,
but you don't have the two posts you decide.
No, and also, you just drive onto that,
and up and away you go.
Yeah, it's really good.
It's really good.
So yeah, massive shout out to equipment for carriages as well,
for sorting us out.
And yeah, we genuinely rate their stuff.
Yeah, it's really, really good.
If you want to work on your car in your garage or so,
then just get one of these.
They're not as expensive as you think they are.
Also, we were working on the quick jacks,
the quick lifts as well,
the equipment for garage quick lifts,
which are fully movable,
and you can get the car to, what would you say,
like two feet height or so,
which means you can get underneath them.
They're like a grand.
And you can put them outside.
So if you're OCD like me,
and drive your car in the dirt,
you can put your car outside,
jack it up and jet wash it underneath.
You can, yeah, yeah.
I've got me, whenever I thought of like a ramp,
I thought they'd be like 10,000 pound,
or like 20,000 pound.
I imagine some of them are,
but these, yeah, like, I think the scissor one is,
is like in the three to 5,000 range.
They're great value for my name.
It might even be a bit cheaper than that.
And the floor space, it takes it's tiny as well.
Really good.
Anyway, let's move on.
What else have you got?
Yeah, so swapped units with David.
So now in the new unit,
but while I was swapping,
I took my cars, obviously,
took my cars out of the unit,
and in the unit, I had my 205 GTI.
And obviously, I hadn't forgotten about it,
but where I hadn't driven it in a couple of months,
I haven't actually driven it since Monaco,
because when I got back from Monaco,
it went straight to the body shop.
It's had a little bit of paint done,
because I had a few issues with it.
And I've had it back,
and I've not really,
the weather's been so bad,
so I took it out for lunch.
And I got in it, obviously warmed it up.
I took it out the road,
and I put my foot down,
and that car, it doesn't make me smile.
It genuinely makes me giggle.
Oh, wicked.
It's so fast and funny,
and like, the noises it makes,
and you know, you get the odd trim rat or whatever,
but you just don't care.
It's just such an awesome bit.
It's a great car.
Very, very well put together, so fair play.
Yeah, I love that.
And I've done a few more bits to it since Monaco.
I've put new trims down the side
just to tidy it up,
and sorted all the trumpets and stuff out.
And it's just probably a bit like your Alpha.
You know that it's there,
but until you think about it,
you forget actually how much you enjoy it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Especially with the valves open on that.
Yeah.
So yeah, I've been up to that.
I did the 540.
My twire is still going well.
I haven't broken it yet.
It has got a bit of a clunk.
Oh, that bit.
So I need to have a look at that.
There's a little bit of a clunk.
What else have I been up to?
Oh, obviously you guys have been on holiday.
No, we've been on a world trip.
So you've been on holiday to Vietnam,
and I stayed behind and did loads of mechanical work.
You were very efficient.
Fair play.
I worked because you weren't here.
So I rebuilt Rory's mini's top end.
You had head gasket and everything on it,
because obviously you blew that up.
Yep.
So you didn't do the bottom end?
Doing that now.
Okay, why wouldn't you do that?
It's just a couple of small issues.
You know you painted the rear quarters on that car?
Yeah.
I think when you painted them,
you got a bit of the metallic overspray in the oil.
Really?
Yeah, I think you must have left the oil cap off.
Yeah, we do have a tendency to do that.
That explains it.
Yeah, that I think all left a dick stick out slightly,
and it just got in there.
That can be the only thing that's happened.
Yeah.
And then obviously working on the twireg,
which is the other twireg that we're doing
for the Overlanding series.
So I've been doing all the maintenance,
see if it's on that slightly caught fire
because it took it to the dyno.
And a few other bits.
So that's coming along well.
And...
Just living your best life.
Yeah.
Good.
I can't remember what else.
I'll be honest.
Rory, what have you been up to?
You know what?
Recovering from our work trip.
From your holiday.
In Vietnam.
It's really that tough your holiday.
I don't know about you, Alex,
but I have not been...
I'm still 4.30 this morning.
Oh, I'm all right.
Oh, I can't get back into it.
Although I was up at 4.30.
I was very hot, very sweaty.
I was so gassy last night,
farting so much.
Good Lord.
Did that pass on from him?
Because he was also really gassy.
I don't know what's been going on.
But are you, you know, recently really helpful?
Really well, yeah.
I'm so gassy.
I'll tell you why I'm so gassy.
It's because Rianne's ordered us a new Hello Fresh,
you know, the meal box box thing that come.
And then she put it all together.
I got into the house yesterday
and it was all there.
It was already...
It was all there.
It was all there, was it not?
It was a chicken tikka with lentils.
I don't eat lentils a lot.
It was very, very, very tasty.
It was lovely.
But I was so gassy
because I'm not used to lentils.
Yeah.
I was just farting.
I was pumping away all night.
Pumping away.
You were.
The sheets levitating.
They were.
They were levitating.
A magic car.
Yeah, it was.
It was.
Yeah.
Another thing I just remembered that I've been up to
that was probably the highlight of
since I last done this podcast with you guys.
Matt Wood.
Yeah, we were going to get onto that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And had a really good time.
Really lovely, very, you know, emotional.
And it's just lovely.
Yeah, so we did Matt Wood last Sunday.
We had around 700 or 800 people,
around 200, 300 cars at Goodwood again.
And we raised 20,000 pounds,
just shy of 20,000 pounds.
So all of the profits from ticket sales,
merch, we also did a live auction as well.
That all went direct to the Fountain Center,
which is a charity run.
What do you describe it?
Charity run.
Organization.
Organization that helps people with cancer diagnosis,
you know, if you need to chat to anyone,
or if you need massages, anything like that,
then the Fountain Center is there for you.
So yeah, really, really, really worthwhile.
And Cass, who works there, she was up on stage
and she was basically explaining, saying,
you know, 15, 20,000 pounds,
which is what's been raised today,
pays for one of our therapists for an entire year.
So which is incredible.
And she was in tears.
And yeah, it was just, it was really, really good.
So thank you again, everyone who came, donated,
and yeah, just helped make Matt Wood such a vibe.
But yeah, that was, that was my highlight.
I'd say it was, it was just lovely.
It's always lovely.
Speaking of which, actually, you owe me a meal still.
Why?
Well, I won.
I won a prize.
Well, no, you bought it.
Oh, I bought a prize.
Yeah, you bought it.
You have a charity.
I bought a prize for us to go out for a meal.
You did.
Ben, you did do that.
Yeah, you did do that.
It's probably the most expensive meal
that I think I'll probably go out for with you two.
But oh, I don't know.
We can up that if you'd like.
Yeah, so we're going to Beefy Boys, aren't we?
We are, yeah.
So Beefy Boys donated dinner for two.
Yeah.
And then we said that we would come along as well.
So, so that'd be good.
And then Alex said I could choose the location.
No, no, I didn't.
No, I didn't.
Yeah, we're doing the Oxford one.
Yeah, we'll do the Oxford one.
You have one shot.
Yeah, the other one shot.
No, I've shot for the win for the one in Middle Earth,
as you say.
No, no, we can't do that.
Can't get to it.
It's waterlogged.
Yeah.
I've not got a full before.
Taylor's got a wife and kids to get back to.
I have, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
What have you been up to, Rory?
Um, so it's obviously been quite hectic
getting back from Vietnam.
We, we, we, that was a lot to catch up on.
No, it was not a holiday.
It was not a holiday.
It wasn't a holiday.
It was not a holiday.
It was a holiday from you.
Did you, at any point, have beer?
No, absolutely not.
Then it was a holiday.
No, but yeah, it's been a bit hectic.
So we were trying to get back into the work rhythm,
uh, including, you know what?
Let's address the elephant in the room.
At the moment, there is a mini on the scissor lift
and it's broken again.
Do you know what?
I stayed late last night.
It's a strict back car down.
Very good of you.
Very good of you, yeah.
Right, yeah.
To see what was wrong with it,
because I actually genuinely thought
Rory was going to cry.
I, I don't think I've ever been so broken
by a car before in my life.
Really?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've lost 90,000 pounds on cars, Rory.
Oh, everyone's lost loads of money on cars.
They just don't calculate it.
No, no, no, 90,000 pound is a bit more than most.
No, no, no, no.
People just don't calculate it.
Look at Rory's.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no.
The mini we, I took out for my first test drive.
I took everyone to Sainsbury's.
Can I just say, you know, it's just been,
it's had a lot of work done that.
Oh, it's so much work.
It's just had, you know,
It's just been finished.
Severe surgery, that thing.
It doesn't, it doesn't matter.
So what do you do?
You get in it, you started it up,
you drove it to the end of the drive
and then absolutely ragged the R.
No, I did not.
I drove it to the end of the road
and then wrecked the R.
Yeah.
So there was 30 seconds in between that period.
So it was about a minute.
You let it warm up for a minute.
And it was running outside for a little bit as well.
The worst.
So it was warm.
But anyway, we drove it to Sainsbury's
and it did that fine.
And then on the way back from Sainsbury's
drove it a bit more aggressively.
More?
Yeah.
On the way there, it was quite gentle.
I did warm it up.
Did he wheel spin it?
Oh, could you?
On the way back, I did.
Yeah, quite a lot.
I feared for my life many times.
Yeah, we wheel-spin quite a lot.
But yeah, we got back and then I came to a stop
and then suddenly the red oil lamp comes on.
The Aladdin's lamp.
Yeah, signaling low oil pressure.
We had two options.
We could either just ignore it and then send it
because it's meant to be going on the dyno on Thursday.
But you don't want it to blow up.
I don't want it to blow up
because I do actually quite care about this car a lot now.
Oh, I should hope so.
You spent a fortune on it.
And anyway, we ended up sort of agreeing
that we would drain the oil from it.
We drained the oil and it was shimmery.
Yeah, a lot of diamond in it.
About those metallic paints,
you know, when we were painting it,
like you said earlier, we left the oil cap off.
Yeah, and then we took the oil fill out
and sure enough, that was even worse.
So yeah, we then had another option
of do we just put oil back in it and then just send it?
Sell it.
No, no, send it.
Send it, send it, send it.
And we did originally do that.
Yeah.
And then me and Taylor sort of pondered
and I think after me looking a bit more broken went,
Taylor went, no, come on, let's take the sump off.
You looked totes a mosh.
So anyway, we took the sump off and I'm glad we did
because we did discover quite a lot of stuff
that was probably not helping the matter.
Which you guys will have to see on the V2 channel very soon.
Yes, yes.
But by the time we've done what we've done,
that car will have pretty much had a full-engine rebuild,
bar the piston rings and re-honing.
Yeah.
Other than that, everything's new.
Yeah, and then nothing will go wrong with it.
While we're on the mini chat just quickly,
while you were aware, I've also been restoring my Mini,
my R53.
So everyone will be able to see that soon as well.
If you're not bored of Minis yet, which you might be,
Probably are.
But it's tough because mine's, I've done a lot to it.
Okay.
If you want to see another green Mini
that's probably going to blow up.
No, it won't stick around.
That won't blow up.
There's no way that'll blow up.
All right.
Okay.
That's mint now.
All right.
Okay.
Rory's was mint last week.
Anyway.
Mine's minted.
Mine's like a polo.
A cement polo.
Sure.
Okay.
As for me, or as for us,
we are on our way to our Christmas meet this afternoon.
We are.
At Dunkartons.
Yeah.
So we had 300 tickets on sale.
They sold out very, very quickly.
It's a food and fuel event.
We're looking forward to that very much.
We've got a lot of work to do before that.
Yeah.
Including, actually, there is one thing I did miss.
Oh, go on.
My new wheels have arrived from the Aston.
Yeah.
They do look nice.
Yeah.
For anyone going tonight, we'll be able to see.
I was thinking about that.
But I finally ordered some wheels for it.
Fantastic.
And they took like four months to come.
But yeah.
How much were they?
Well, how much were those?
I think you'd be surprised, actually,
about how much they were.
They were cheaper than I thought they'd be.
How much?
What about the import?
So the import duty and buying them was 1,800.
Oh, okay.
It's not as bad as I thought.
For Aston mine wheels, that's cheap.
Just for those alloys without the tyres,
they cost more than the entire twireg in front of me.
And which one's faster?
I don't know.
Don't actually know.
Probably not.
Probably the twireg.
It will catch fire.
Not in its current state.
So if you have been, or if you went to the Christmas meet yesterday,
you will have seen Rory's Aston with the beautiful new wheels.
It looks fabulous.
Don't curb them, Rory.
I'll curb the crap out of them.
Okay, fine.
I'll let Chris drive it.
Let Tom Lempfield drive it.
Oh, yes.
Yeah, oh, bloody hell, yeah.
Oh, he's slipped the clutch as well.
If Tom arrives on his project A,
have a look at his wheels anyway.
Oh, yeah, they're bad.
They're not good.
Last week as well, so on Friday,
I drove all the way up to a location very, very far away.
And the reason for that is because we were going to check out
the new Shedfest location for 2026.
Now, this year, we did Shedfest at Goodwood.
Yeah.
And we promised the SAF,
and we promised everyone that we would do Shedfest in North.
So that's what we're doing.
We have confirmed, and this is actually the first announcement
of Shedfest, the new location and the date.
So the location of Shedfest 2026 is Bolesworth Castle,
which is just south of Liverpool.
So Bolesworth Castle is where Carfest did their Carfest North
for about four or five years.
So it has a little race track, sprint track.
It's also got a donut pad.
There is going to be so much going on.
We're going to have fun fair, live track action,
loads of stage action.
We're going to have a Tom Lenthal area.
There's a massive marquee.
There's going to be loads of stuff for the kids to do as well.
It's going to be amazing.
We're going to have a food market.
It's going to be the bollocks.
And the date of that is the 2nd of May.
So Shedfest will be pretty much the car show opener for 2026.
It will be probably one of the first car shows happening in 2026.
So tickets hopefully will be on sale.
If not now, then they'll be on sale this week.
Tickets will be on sale.
But they'll be on sale soon.
Very, very, very soon.
We will do a podcast and announce it when they are.
Mark in your calendars the 2nd of May.
May the 2nd be with you.
Shall we move on?
I haven't bought any cars.
Good.
I don't think.
That's a good...
Oh, it's been two weeks.
Right.
It's been two weeks.
I said this to Rory earlier on.
I'm on a car buying ban.
Lie.
Right.
I'm on a car buying ban.
I think, because you're in trouble here,
because you've got too many broken cars.
You've got too many cars.
I think we should all go on a car ban.
Do you know what?
The reason I haven't bought any cars is because I don't want to buy...
What?
You bought a car?
What have I bought?
You sort of bought a car.
What have I bought?
It's a Ford.
Ford?
A Ford?
A Ford.
Yeah.
I've bought a Ford.
Have I bought your Aston?
No.
Ford.
You bought a Ford.
Oh.
No, that's Mum's car.
You went out and went with her and bought it.
You still got the thrill and the excitement.
Oh, I got the thrill.
Look, if you couldn't buy one, you were like,
I'm going to go out and go buy one for someone else.
Even though the man in the dealership clicked at me,
he did not.
He clicked at me.
Was he like, here, boy.
I used the wrong door to get into the reception.
He clicked at me.
It was like this to her.
And I was like, did you just click at me?
And it was like, yes, I was like, please don't click at me.
I don't like it when people click at me.
No, it's horrible, isn't it?
Anyway, I bought the car.
Yeah, Mum's got a 1.5, 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine.
It's not the EcoBoom, it's the EcoBoost.
The wet belt actually runs the oil pump.
It doesn't run the timing belt, so we should be all right.
That's the same engine they put in a Fiesta ST.
So we should chip that up, stick it down, pipe on it,
chip it up, and then away she goes.
Oh, your mum would love that.
Yeah, and then we'll blow up the gearbox.
So you're right, bought that, okay?
But personally, or for the business, I've not bought any cars
because I can't think of a car that I actually want to buy at the moment.
Strict carbine ban, one in, one out roll.
All right.
No.
I think, no, I actually think you should
because you've got problems and you've got problems.
Can I just say, we're saying this, and I just looked over to my right
and our landlord, Trevor, has just walked in.
And as you said that, Taylor, he was shaking his head aggressively
to say yes, because I think they're fed up of the amount of cars that we have.
I mean, can I just say, we have got a storage unit, right?
Yeah.
It's enormous.
We've pretty much filled it up.
You have, yeah.
And the paddock outside is still full up.
Yeah, yeah.
So this needs to stop.
You need to stop.
You need to calm it down.
Pour any car.
I am actually buying a car this weekend.
But that's by the bar.
Your Tuareg, well, kind of your Tuareg, your Mini, right?
Your 540, your KN, your one series.
How many cars do you have at the unit?
Quite a lot.
Five.
I am going to take some five.
There's some at this storage unit as well.
But look, that's by the bar.
You've got problems.
But rules need to be in place now because you're getting out of hand.
The problem stemmed from you.
Me?
Because you said, you said to him.
How am I getting the blame for this?
You said to him, yeah, we've got loads of space.
Now you go out and buy what you like.
And he's started going out, flapping, and just buying this, that and that for nobody.
We've done it for series, all right?
We've done it for series.
So that's all right.
Anyway, my point is I can't think of a car at the moment where I'm like,
I need to scratch that itch.
I can.
All of my classic.
No, no.
It's gone.
It's gone.
The itch is gone.
The itch is gone.
Okay.
Yeah, I went to the doctors and they were like, yeah, we see this part of us.
But ever since I bought the L322,
the Range Rover classic itch has gone.
You really like that car, don't you?
I really like.
Do you know why I like it most?
Because it annoys me that you own it?
Yeah.
I've got Apple CarPlay in it now and everything.
You've ruined it.
It's the Bollocks.
You've ruined it.
What do you mean?
Would you not have done that?
You've ruined it.
Would you not have done that?
Not that one.
No, I would have put Mr. Carfonix one in it so that it's the OEM head unit,
but it's got Apple CarPlay integrated.
I don't care.
No, because then you've got low res, crappy screen.
Don't care.
It's period correct.
Doesn't matter.
Anyway, you were going to say something.
I have no car at the moment that I want to buy.
I do.
What car do you want to buy?
I want an A46M3 again.
Oh, yeah.
Okay.
I'm not going to buy one.
If you want to buy that, then you need two out.
Two out one.
Yeah, fair.
Yeah, okay.
And now a quick break from the podcast to give a massive thanks to our sponsor, Shopify.
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Now, Rory, we've been using Shopify across our businesses
for, what, three and a half years now?
And it really has helped supercharge our growth.
Explain why.
Yeah, so recently, we've had quite a few sales on.
We've had the Black Friday sale.
All of the sales.
And we've had our Christmas sale as well.
Yep.
So, Shopify has allowed us to sort of put in many different discounts,
many different codes, and it's clever enough to...
So, we've got one for Christmas jumpers, for example.
When you spend £50 or more, you get a free Christmas jumper.
You do, indeed, yeah.
It's clever enough that when you obviously get up to the total 50,
it then marks it off as free, and then if you removed one of the items,
for example, it then removes that free item.
So, it's a really clever platform, and it's really helped us sell everything
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Absolutely right.
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This is Possibility, powered by Shopify.
Now, on with the podcast.
We have received an email from a man called Barney,
and no, it is not my M3.
Is he purple?
No, he's a big dinosaur, big friendly dinosaur.
So, Barney has written in to the email which is...
Podcast at autoalexcars.com.
There was an ur, there was an ur.
There's a disqualification.
Is it a podcast?
No, it's podcast at autoalexcars.com.
Anyway, Barney writes, the subject line is,
the best downgrade car advice.
Hi guys, turning to you for ideas.
I've just sold my Hyundai i30N after moving out.
It's been fun.
However, the cash in my pocket is much more valuable to me right now.
Let's just shut up.
Well, God, he's been...
He's having an allergic reaction to those lentils.
I'm telling you, it's the lentils.
They're coming out the front.
My question is, what do I downgrade to?
The i30 was perfect for me in my early 20s.
Quick, loud and reliable.
I'm hoping to spend no more than £8,000 on its replacement.
My thinking is to try, to not try and directly replace the i30,
but look for something,
yeah, look for something in a completely different league.
And he goes on to continue.
My three main options have been,
Skoda Octavia VRS estate.
No.
Mark I Twareg, V6 TDI.
No.
And A6 slash A4 Allroad.
Very tempted by the Twareg's mainly interesting power train,
seemingly decent value and fairly reliable underneath.
Please tell me otherwise.
Would love to know of any similar cars I've missed
and you would recommend estates are very much preferred.
Here we go.
We're not...
Or older SUVs.
Before he...
Stop on.
You haven't even finished.
I haven't even finished.
I'm all the best.
I want to say why.
I want to say...
He's going to come out and say,
what's he need?
Is he Jaguar or a lingerie?
Do you know what?
Because there's only one place you can go from having a hot hatch.
That's that hot hatchy.
You have to go luxury barge.
You have to.
Now what's your luxury barge?
Look no further than a Jaguar.
It's just...
What?
Would you go for like a 5-litre supercharged?
I would go for something like that.
Yeah, if he's looking...
He's got a budget of £8,000.
You could get...
No.
You know, yeah, no you could.
You could get the older XJ though,
which even you know looks cool.
I like them.
But the X350.
Oh no.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So that's the one before yours?
Yeah, yeah.
The one with the Barney.
Barney don't listen to them.
Rory.
He's got...
Oh, there we go.
Maserati Quattroporte.
Taylor.
What would I recommend?
Well, if it's something luxury...
To be fair, I would recommend the V6 to our egg.
They're quite reliable.
They're pretty decent.
When they go up in the mileage,
they can suffer with timing chains or fuel injectors,
but that's only if they haven't really been looked after.
I'm already bored listening to you speak about...
Rory, how do we...
How do we delete your audio?
They're very good to drive.
They've got very good chassis.
Yep.
But do also bear in mind,
but for the same sort of price,
you can get a facelift KN with the V6 diesel in it.
Yeah, the V6 diesel in it, which to be honest,
if I love the V10 to our egg for what it is,
I think it's cool, interesting.
It's a bit pain in the ass, but I like them.
If I was going to get a V6 one,
I would probably get the KN just because it's...
I don't know.
It drives the same.
It's the same car underneath,
but they look a little bit more premium,
and the interior is a little bit more premium.
Can I just say, though, they're not easy to work on?
No, they're not.
No, the V6s are.
I would say this is worse than a Range Rover.
Before you carry on, let's just all be honest,
that if we had instructions and read them,
that would have been a really easy job.
But we didn't have instructions with the bits, did we?
But that's not the car's fault.
But that would have been...
But it's also actually easier than fitting yours,
because it just bolts on, but we messed it up,
which you'll see soon in a video.
Either way, let's get back to Barney's dilemma.
V6 diesel to our egg or KN, they're both pretty good,
but again, make sure, listen out for time and chamber at all,
or low fuel pressure codes in there,
because they can suffer with that.
Other than that, they're pretty reliable.
As I found out with this one,
the suspension arms are relatively cheap.
The brakes are relatively cheap, even though they're massive.
The parts to actually service and maintain these cars
aren't really that expensive.
I think they're nicer than an X5.
If you want to make it a bit more luxurious than that,
just buy yourself a TD V8 Range Rover.
So I was going to say, because I'm an owner now,
an L322, 4.2 supercharged.
No, I never thought I'd do that.
I really like it.
I really like it.
Get yourself a 4.4 TD V8 with a ZF8 gearbox.
Yeah, but if you want petrol, then do that.
Otherwise, if you want a bit more economy,
get yourself a 4.4.
Otherwise, the 955 generation KN.
Yeah.
V8, KN-Azile.
No, I'll go for the petrol.
You can spend five grand on it and the rest on fuel.
If you like being a petrolhead,
then maybe go for a petrol powered KN.
I will say, there's not much difference
between the actual MPG on a...
When you start getting into that size of car, you're talking...
It's not.
You're talking like six or seven MPG.
Diesel is also more expensive,
so you've got a factor that in as well.
You did say, and this is quoting from you,
that you loved your KN,
but you got so bored of putting petrol in it all the time.
I did.
Yeah, I did.
You don't get that with the diesels.
Hopefully, that gives you a bit of insight, Barney.
Range Rovers, KNs, Tuaregs,
Trev over there on Landlord.
He's nodding his head.
Range Rover, yeah.
Just something luxury,
but I feel like you have to go completely different category
from a hot hatch.
I would say, experience an L322.
That's coming from me.
They are nice.
If you want a luxury saloon,
just buy an S-class diesel.
Or an X3 5.1 Jaguar XJ.
No, you're not like yours.
Yeah, it is an amazing car.
It is fast as well.
It's fast and it's an amazing car for the value.
I won't allow it because Rory's just narrow-minded.
It's also not quite as good as a BMW,
but anyway, let's move on.
News, Rory, we've got some news.
Oh, news.
Basically, we've got a new three-pmile for electric cars.
Yeah.
And 1.5-pmile for hybrid cars.
So previously, there was no tax on an electric car,
nor was there on a plug-in hybrid?
No, that's a different thing.
So they are putting now road tax on electric cars.
That's happening anyway.
But this is now an extra thing,
because they're basically saying that the electric cars
don't have fuel duty,
so they need to now pay a mileage thing,
which would be equivalent to fuel duty,
but it's still cheaper than fuel duty.
So you pay tax on the car and you still have to pay per mile.
Yeah.
Yes.
But we do.
Like, so I think tax on fuel is like 50p a litre.
So every time you fill up, it's quite a lot.
How do they monitor your mileage?
Does it see the machinery here?
This is the funny thing.
There was an interview with...
Was it...
It was Rachel Reeves, I think.
I think it was, where they were asking her,
so, all right, so how do we now check this mileage?
And she was going,
well, the MOTs, you know, they're done yearly
and whatever we can then see from...
And then it was quite good,
because the actual interviewer then went,
what about new cars?
And then she was like,
well, and MOT,
and then kept going back to this MOTs that are yearly.
And then he explained,
no, new cars don't have to have one for three years,
which, so how are you planning on checking the mileage?
And at that point, she didn't have an answer.
They now have come out with something,
which is, this is amazing.
So it looks like what you're going to have to do
with your electric new car,
even though you don't have to go to an MOT,
you have to take it to an MOT station every year
to get the mileage checked on it.
Oh, God.
Yeah.
The government are the ones saying,
we need to all be in electric cars by 2030.
Let's try and offer as many incentives as we can.
Get everyone into electric cars.
Oh, wait, no, too many of you have done it.
Let's tax you now.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We need to make some money back.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it just seems so counterintuitive.
This is the exact same thing they did with diesels.
Diesels was all,
everyone getting diesels,
we're going to lower down the tax,
have it cheaper on the road tax,
everyone getting...
Oh, wait, no, diesels are bad.
We're going to tax you now more
and you're going to get higher fuel rates.
Get rid of the garbage game and this and that and the other.
Yeah, they just can't make their mind up.
The one thing that I feel really sorry for
is people would plug in hybrids.
So there's not been much...
Everyone's focusing on this electric, electric, electric.
People aren't mentioning about plug-in hybrids,
which are also going to be charged.
Not the 3P, it is 1.5P, whatever, 1.5P a mile.
But they are already paying fuel duty.
They are paying fuel duty.
So they've halved it.
So basically what the government are saying,
that if you have a plug-in hybrid,
you drive 50% of the time on electric.
Bullshit.
Which everyone knows is not the case.
Like most plug-in hybrids probably do 90% of their driving.
Most people buy plug-in hybrids
so they can get the government grant,
but then they just run it on petrol anyway.
So now, not only are they paying the fuel duty tax,
they are also now paying 1.5P a mile on top of that.
So even if they're driving just on petrol,
they're paying the fuel duty tax,
and they're now paying this other tax.
Do you know what this just goes to show?
You're better off just getting a V8.
I was going to say, we're better off driving V8s.
Yeah.
Just everyone go out and buy a V8.
Get yourself an E39, 540i, Wacker Supercharger.
Yeah, or an M5.
Or an M5, it'll be for sale soon.
Cheapest tips to run.
It's honestly, it is bonkers.
It is absolutely bonkers.
I just don't, I get the purpose of it,
and I get, obviously, they've done this thing
where they bat themselves into a corner
because they've, they kept going,
no tax for their electric cars.
No, they've, which they've now put in the road tax.
But then at the same time they put in the road tax,
they're now putting in this other tax.
They're a bunch of morons.
Government needs to get in the bin.
Yeah, you just, I don't know.
It just does not make any sense.
Which leads me very nicely into an angry message
that we've got from the audience from a man called Dan Wigley.
And the subject says, EV market buggery.
Afternoon, Alex, Rory and Taylor.
Love the Podden Channel and all the warranted usual smoke
blowing, et cetera, et cetera.
I've got an Audi e-tron and I've had it for two years
and cannot fault the speed and comfort of it.
However, the current situation with EVs
has left a bitter taste in my mouth.
We were fed the lines, EVs are better for the planet
and will be clean to run.
But all of a sudden we are now being hit
with road tax charges more expensive than an ICE car.
It boils my piss, the utter crap, the government's spew.
Why can't EVs be in the same category
as the old clean blue, blue motions for road tax?
Instead of being around 200 pounds a year,
it just doesn't make any sense.
Am I being stupid to think this or am I right?
Anyway, thanks for letting me rant
and keep doing what you're doing.
Can't wait to see you in NAMM.
Sorry, Taylor, because you weren't in NAMM.
All the best, Dan Wigley.
No, we completely agree with you.
It is rubbish.
This is the other thing as well.
Yeah, so their road tax is actually,
it's not like they've just put a road tax in
and then put it equivalent to, I don't know,
like my mom's car is what, 30 quid a year to tax
or something like that at the moment.
They're making it like 200 quid for them, which is just...
Is it like a blanket amount for EVs?
No, there is like a minimum amount
and then it does change on the value of the car, I think, as well.
I think, I'm not 100% on that one, but I believe it is.
So if Dan does big mileage in his e-tron,
he's going to be paying 200 pounds plus 3p a mile.
Yes.
If he does 10,000 miles a year...
It's not as crazy as you think it is.
Yeah, yeah, but it still all adds up to more road tax
than you would be paying if you bought an ICE car.
Yeah, yeah, which is so dumb.
But the thing that's crazy is,
why are you bringing this at the time
where you're still trying to encourage people into electric cars?
Yeah, it's a bit...
Do you know what I would be interested to see?
Obviously, we know at the moment that the resale values
or the depreciation on electric cars is shocking.
I wonder if this makes it even worse.
I reckon it will.
They're going to be so cheap.
We could start off roading them.
We could buy a little JQ or something...
Take the battery out and put an engine in it.
Yeah, yeah.
It is interesting though, but I just don't understand it.
It's all just hassle, isn't it?
It's all bullshit.
It is hassle.
I've got a thing.
Why don't we scrap all of the road tax system
that there is currently,
and everyone just pays a flat fee?
And no matter what car it is, it's that fee.
And then it just feels so discriminatory
that if you can afford a newer car or whatever,
you can then get cheap tax,
but if you can't, you then have to pay more tax on an older car.
On the flip side, people who are on minimum wage,
you expect them to pay the same road tax as someone
who's like a multi-millionaire.
Yeah, but that's what they do at the moment.
A multi-millionaire will probably pay less tax than a minimum wage person
on their car.
It used to be based on emissions.
They added that thing, the £40,000 tax.
So if your car was over £40,000,
and then less than three years old,
you had to pay an extra grand a year or whatever.
Oh, it's such a headache.
They're just making it up as they go along.
Yeah, and then they add this,
and it's like, it's not based on emissions.
So go out and buy an old V8 and be done with it, all right?
So they're basically saying that the electric,
because the slogan that they're saying is,
then electric cars need to help towards paying for the roads.
Which is like, where's that stop then?
Are you going to now start charging cyclists?
Because they're technically on the roads.
Oh, they should be charged, yeah.
But like, where does it stop?
Do you know what I worked out the other day?
Do you know what the cheapest car to buy and drive about in today is?
The actual cheapest car.
Is it a CR-V by any chance?
What a new car, do you mean?
No, no.
Or an old car.
No, just a car on the road.
Some sort of VW.
No.
What, go on.
A 1971 Austin Allegro.
Oh, okay, because there's no road tax, there's no MOT.
It's Uless Exempt.
Uless Exempt, yeah.
It's tax exempt.
Right.
So go out.
It does 50 miles to the gallon.
Yeah.
It's petrol.
Yeah, petrol.
So petrol's cheaper than diesel.
And it's cheap to buy.
So what's the advice then?
Go out and buy yourself a 1971 Austin Allegro.
Everyone buy Allegro.
Can you imagine if it happens where they just keep taxing people so much,
they just end up that everyone's driving around in pre-1985 cars?
But classic cars as well, they're going to get taxed and...
I hope not.
They can't do that.
They will, they will.
They're doing it to electric cars.
They're going to do it.
It's just one more way to make money.
It wouldn't surprise me if you would annoy me.
Yeah, we're all pissed off about it.
My main fear is that they were on about getting rid of classic cars and older cars
and petrol cars and whatever and not allowing them to be on the road.
I hope that that can never happen.
No, we won't let that happen.
But at that point, I will actually leave.
Yeah.
Right, shall we move on?
We've got our game, how much, how much power that.
Okay.
So, Rory's got five cars and then we need to guess the power figures.
Not only that.
Not only that, there's two points per car.
So, one is for the power.
10 points up for grabs, yep.
And then the second is for the naught to 60.
The closest that's okay.
Okay, okay, here we go.
Okay, so we're going to start it off with a new car.
A new car.
Okay, here we go.
The Defender Octa.
Oh, so now this is their Defender's, I don't know.
It's almost like the SVR version of a Defender.
It's a supercharged V8.
It's 4.4 litre, I think it's twin turbo.
Yeah, it's one of the Defender, it's their new, it's nice.
It's like their new engine.
Okay.
All right.
But yeah, how much power is in the Defender Octa?
Taylor, ladies first.
I'm going to say 630 brake horsepower.
I reckon it does naught to 60 in about 4.6 seconds.
Okay.
I'm going to say the 600.
Okay.
4.2 seconds.
Okay, one point each.
Taylor, you are closer on the horsepower, 635.
Oh, okay, well done.
Alex, you are closer on the naught to 60.
3.8 seconds.
Wow, bloody hell.
Do you know how I know that?
Because that 4.4 litre twin turbocharged V8 is the one that they use in the F90M5.
Oh, is it?
Which comes from factory and non-competition form in 600 brake horsepower.
Oh, okay.
Interesting.
Interesting.
Okay.
BMW engine.
All right.
One point each.
Yeah.
Next one.
Yeah.
A Triumph Spitfire Mark 1.
Oh my God.
58 horsepower and naught to 60 in 13.8 seconds.
I'm going to say it's got 42 horsepower and it's got a naught to 60 of around 7.8 seconds.
Are you mental?
Okay, Alex, two points to you.
So Triumph Spitfire Mark 1.
63 horsepower.
Oh, okay.
And a naught to 60 of 16.4 seconds.
You were well off.
But I thought, well, you know, short ratio gearbox,
it might get off the line a little bit lively.
You never know.
With 40 horsepower, you said?
3.1.
Okay.
Next one.
A Porsche 964 turbo, 3.6.
So this is the second light because they did have a 3.3, I think.
380 brake horsepower, 5.2 seconds.
420 horsepower, 4.9 seconds.
Alex, you won that one.
So it is 360 horsepower and it is a naught to 60 of four seconds.
Four seconds.
Four seconds.
Okay, so one a piece there.
So you got the power, I got the naught to 60.
This is very confusing, this game.
Okay, so four to two.
Make me let's just do one at a time.
Totting up the scores.
No, no, we've got two more cars to go, it's four to.
Okay, so the next one.
Koenigsegg Jamera.
So that is the brand new Koenigsegg.
I'm going to say 2100 horsepower and a naught to 60 time of 1.9 seconds.
Okay, I reckon it's got 1700 horsepower and it's got a naught to 60 of 1.9 seconds.
I said 1.9.
Yeah, I know.
Well done.
Both of you have obviously seen some statistics because the naught to 60 is 1.9 seconds.
Yeah, I googled it.
But the power, you're both incorrect, but Alex is closer.
2300 horsepower.
Oh, I was 200 out.
Yeah.
2300 horsepower.
See, now that seems like quite a lot when you say it like that.
Yeah, that is a lot.
That's a lot.
That's a four door car, not a four door, four seat car.
That's almost as much as my 540i.
Yeah, almost.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So six, three.
Okay, last one.
Well, I've won this.
It is a Model T Ford 10 horsepower and it doesn't do 60.
I was going to go for 10, but I'm now going to go for 9.
And I don't think it does 60 miles an hour.
Okay, you're correct on the doesn't do 60.
But what is its top speed?
Oh, okay, okay.
Top speed.
I'm going 42.
35.
So Taylor with the 10 horsepower is the closest.
It actually has 20 horsepower.
Does it really?
And Taylor again, closer.
So it's apparently 40 to 45 miles an hour,
depending on how many people are in the car.
And because that was the last question,
winner takes all, I won that.
Thank you very much.
Yeah, it was double points on the last one.
Sorry, Alex.
Okay, well, it's 7 all.
Well, then it's a draw then.
If it's double points, it's 7 all.
But I still won out of principle.
It's 7 all, I'm afraid.
No, no, sorry.
Taylor, well, I lost track.
Thank you very much, everyone.
For what reason?
For what reason?
No, there's no reason.
Is it mini-related by chance?
No.
He may have gestured towards if I want my mini-fixing
that I should tell him the answers.
Okay, don't give it away.
Tell him the answers.
Have you been cheating?
No, I know.
If he has, he's been doing a terrible job.
He's been doing a terrible job, yeah.
Right, we've got quick time for final keep or quit,
and then we'll call it.
This is from Australia Emmith.
Hiya.
First of all, just want to say a huge thanks for the podcast.
It's become a highlight of my week.
I've got a keep or quit question I'd love your insight on.
I'm 20 and live in Australia and currently own two cars.
My first car, which I absolutely adore,
is a factory manual bright yellow Lexus IS 200.
Excuse me.
Again, I know.
Delurg it to that one?
With 300,000 kilometres on it.
I bought it at 18 and it's been a massive part of some of my
most important memories these last couple of years.
My long-term plan is to 1J swap it once I'm back from the military
in a few years.
My newer car is a 2008 Lexus ISF,
which has been my dream attainable car for a long time,
and owning it has been incredible.
The question is, do I keep the IS 200?
I won't be driving it regularly for three to four years,
and it's costing me passively through Rigo.
I don't know what that means.
Premium plates and upcoming maintenance.
Red joe.
Red joe.
Oh, yeah.
You got the red joe.
You got the red joe, mate.
I love both cars deeply,
but I'm wondering if that love and the future potential of the IS 200
is really worth the financial weight,
especially when the ISF is already expensive to run and maintain at 20.
Would love to hear your thoughts.
Love from Australia.
Emith, I think you've already made your mind up.
Look, I know what he's going to say because he's going to go,
keep you car, keep you car.
I'm a hoarder.
Yeah, but he's already telling himself that he needs to get rid.
He doesn't want it.
He just wants us to go get rid of it.
Get rid of the IS 200.
So, get rid of it.
No, no, I disagree because the IS 200 means a lot more to you.
You've had a lot of stories in it and stuff like that,
and the only reason you're considering selling it
is because the ISF is more expensive to run,
but realistically isn't as special
and doesn't have as much of a part of your life in it.
Yeah, but he has more fun in the ISF.
He's not going to drive the IS 200 for like three or four years,
so he needs to get rid of it.
Keep the ISF.
You clearly love it.
You've clearly already kind of hearted ways in your brain.
Usually, I'm not like this.
I was going to say, this is usually me versus you two here.
Yeah, but I mean, the fact that he's saying,
is this your new one in, one out policy?
The line here is, is it really worth the financial weight?
No.
It's a burden.
Get rid of it.
Even our landlord, Trevor, is shaking his head.
Get rid of it.
Emith, move on from it.
You can buy it when you're rich, when you're 30 or 40.
Let me ask you this.
What if his IS 200 was an E46 330i manual touring
and the ISF that he's got is an M5?
Get rid of it.
Because you're only saying that,
because you're not really a Lexus person.
No, no, I'm only saying that,
because he just wants us to confirm his thoughts.
Because he's also saying it's a 330i manual touring
that is high mileage and it's haggard and it needs a load of work.
He already has his special car.
He needs to put loads of money into the IS 200
to make it super special.
Just be a hoarder.
Just keep it.
Right, OK.
Are you going to pay him for it?
Are you going to help him out financially?
Oh, I don't need to.
No, you do.
I will support him with the sound of my voice
through this podcast.
OK, so get rid of it.
Can we give him your number and you can call him up
and give him advice?
Sure, OK.
You'll go fix it.
You'll go over there?
Yeah.
If he's paying for the flight.
Which won't happen.
Get rid of it.
Move on.
You can buy a similar car when you've got enough money,
disposable income.
Anyway, from us, we've got a lot of work to do.
We do.
I'm looking at a Tuareg that needs lots of work.
We need to clean our cars as well for the Christmas meet tonight.
Yep, I've got to rebuild my wheels.
You do have to rebuild your wheels.
Yeah, we're very much looking forward to seeing you guys tonight.
Thank you as ever for your support,
listening with your ear holes and your eye holes.
If you want to write in, which we'd love to see your emails,
you can do that at podcasts.autolexcars.com.
And remember, keep made a second free for Shedfest at Bowlsworth Castle.
Whatever you do, do it to the best of your abilities.
We love you guys.
And we'll see you and hear you and listen to your eye holes and ear holes next time.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
He definitely swallowed a burp.
I did.
That was at Lemtals.
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