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Screen Depreciation; CHEAP V12s; Rainy Days; Q&A

Screen Depreciation; CHEAP V12s; Rainy Days; Q&A

The Smoking Tire Nov 20, 2025 100 min
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About this episode

A lively discussion kicks off with the hosts sharing their experiences with Off the Record, a service that helps with traffic tickets. They dive into the recent rainy weather in Los Angeles, exploring how it affects driving dynamics, particularly in electric vehicles like the Taycan. The conversation shifts to the merits of stiffer suspensions and the future of collectible cars with touchscreens. A Q&A segment follows, covering a range of topics from car recommendations to personal anecdotes about automotive experiences, all while maintaining a humorous and engaging tone.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Porsche Taycan

"...And I learned a whole lot about my Taycan. And we try to ponder cars that are actually better when the suspension is set stiffer."

The Porsche Taycan is a high-end electric car made by Porsche. It's known for being fast and having a lot of advanced features, making it a popular choice among luxury car buyers.

Car

Cadillac XLR

"...oth music from my computer and I ran a microphone XLR just directly into the back of one."
Car

Lotus Amira

"...f I'm a, if, if, if you're the balance of a Lotus Amira, I am more like a, like a GT2 RS, GT2 RS, probabl..."
Term

traction control

"...you know where this skill comes from, you will know, traction control."

Traction control helps your car maintain grip on slippery surfaces. If one wheel starts to spin too fast, the system slows it down to help you stay in control.

Car

Scion Frs

"and a seven fucking tap. FRS, it's a tap tap. Yeah."
Car

Porsche 911 Turbo S

"...es, you can. You can do this in the dry in like a turbo S. Sure."
Term

air suspension

"...it's on air suspension, but it turns off like a lot of the damping. So it's like really soft and wallowy..."

Air suspension uses air bags to support the car instead of metal springs. This makes the ride smoother and can change how high or low the car sits based on the situation.

Term

sport mode

"But actually, if you put it in sport mode..."

Sport mode is a driving setting that makes the car feel sportier. It changes how the car responds to your gas pedal and can make it handle better when you're driving fast.

Term

damping

"it turns up the damping and it feels, you go, oh, it's actually supposed to feel like this."

Damping is how a car's suspension controls bumps and vibrations. It helps keep the ride smooth and the car stable while driving.

Car

BMW M5

"The M5 Touring actually. Yeah, we've been, yes, that's a good example."

The BMW M5 Touring is a fast and powerful wagon that combines the practicality of extra space with sports car performance. It's designed for people who want a family car that can also be fun to drive.

Term

E-pass

"in my opinion, the E-pass, if they get the ratio right, the feedback's good, and the assist is the right amount, I go, well, this feels more direct,"

E-pass stands for electric power-assisted steering. It helps you steer the car using electric motors, which can make it easier to drive, especially at low speeds.

Term

power steering

"Is it power? What, the slant nose? Yeah. Most G-bodies don't have power steering."

Power steering makes it easier to turn the steering wheel of a car. It uses special systems to help you steer without much effort, especially when you're going slowly.

Term

G-body

"Most G-bodies don't have power steering. I don't think it works. It didn't feel power when I was going slowly. Yeah, no, most G-bodies are not"

G-body is a type of car platform made by General Motors that includes models like the Monte Carlo and Regal. These cars are often modified and are popular with car enthusiasts.

Car

Chevrolet Camaro

"...some, like the old six-gen Camaro is like, you hit it in sport mode,..."

The sixth generation Chevrolet Camaro is a sporty car made by Chevrolet. It's known for its powerful engines and sleek design, and it has been popular with car lovers since it was introduced in 2016.

Car

Porsche 911

"... the rain. It looks, it's like a 1970 or 71, like 911 T, and it's got like RS flares,"
Concept

Willow Springs

"...I was supposed to be at Willow Springs all day today. I was gonna spend, oh yeah, yeah, rain..."

Willow Springs is a famous racetrack in California where people go to race cars and test their vehicles. It's known for its beautiful scenery and exciting track designs.

Company

Singer

"...but Singer has the track all day tomorrow, so I can't use it."

Singer is a company that takes old Porsche 911 cars and makes them look and drive better, often using modern technology while keeping the classic style.

Car

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4

"...thing because WCCS is going to be selling a guy's GT4 track car, a race car."
Car

Porsche 911 GT4

"...WCCS is going to be selling a guy's GT4 track car, a race car."

The Porsche 911 GT4 is a special version of the 911 sports car that is built for racing and track driving, offering better speed and handling than regular models.

Car

Subaru 360S

"But he could do like, I don't know, 360s over stairs and stuff, which is much easier on sk..."
Car

Land Rover Defender 110

"New Landfrozer versus Lexus GX versus Defender 110, and then part B, lease, finance, straight cash."

The Land Rover Defender 110 is a tough SUV that's great for off-road driving. It's known for its unique look and ability to handle rough terrain.

Car

Lexus Gx

"This is like- New Landfrozer versus Lexus GX versus Defender 110, and then part B, lease, fina..."
Term

bang for your buck

"The Toyota is the most bang for your buck of those options."

'Bang for your buck' means getting good value for the money you spend. In cars, it means how much you get in features or performance for the price you pay.

Car

Defender

"The Defender drives like a mini Range Rover, like a Range Rover Lite. Because is the Lexus still body frame?"

The Defender is a tough off-road vehicle made by Land Rover, designed for driving in rough conditions.

Term

financing

"on financing versus leasing versus cash purchase. Like that has all the detail you need."

Financing means borrowing money to buy a car. You pay back the loan in monthly payments, usually with added interest, instead of paying all at once.

Term

leasing

"Depends more about you than it does about the car. Really. Like what is your threshold for, and also it's like, are you the kind of person,"

Leasing means you pay to use a car for a few years but don’t own it. At the end of the lease, you give the car back, and sometimes you can buy it if you want.

Term

cash purchase

"if you know you're gonna want a new car in three years, like lease, because that's a bad way to like, to buy a car and then sell it in three years,"

A cash purchase is when you buy a car by paying the full price in cash instead of using a loan or lease. You own the car right away without any monthly payments.

Car

Zinger

"Well, the Zinger briefly. The Zinger made everyone jealous for a minute, and now everyone else gets to drive that."

The Zinger is a very rare and expensive car that many people dream of driving. It's known for its unique design and powerful performance, making it special in the automotive world.

Car

Hennessey Venom GT

"I was one of only like two people to drive the Venom GT. Yes. Which was a big deal for a minute."

The Hennessey Venom GT is a super-fast sports car made by Hennessey. It's famous for being one of the fastest cars in the world and is very light, which helps it go really fast.

Car

Ferrari 458

"...so that you drove that BMW that they did. They've done a 458."

The Ferrari 458 is a fast and stylish sports car made by Ferrari. It's known for its powerful engine and great handling on the road.

Car

Ferrari 458S

"We should for science. 458s are superb. So we should really try what they cou..."
Term

E85

"...if you put E85 in it, it's over a thousand horsepower."

E85 is a type of fuel that is mostly made from corn and can help cars produce more power. Some cars can use it instead of regular gasoline.

Concept

Le Mans

"when like, Chris Harris gets to go in a car that like won Le Mans, like he just sent me a video of him like ripping a Skari..."

Le Mans is a long car race that lasts for 24 hours. It's one of the most famous races in the world and tests how well cars can perform over a long time.

Car

Mclaren F1

"a video of him like ripping a Skari in a McLaren F1 long tail. And I was like driving the 918 at the ..."
Car

Porsche 918 Spyder

"... McLaren F1 long tail. And I was like driving the 918 at the time. And I was like, you had to fucking o..."
Car

Ford Mustang

"Parnelli Jones is Mustang. I got to drive the journalists. You know, they drool over shit like that."

The Mustang is a famous car made by Ford that is known for being fast and sporty. It has been around for a long time and is popular among car enthusiasts.

Car

Gm Sierra

"...urchased a, a running driving functional 1997 GMC Sierra for the rather felonious sum of just 18 Hyundai."
Car

Gmc Sierra

"... I purchased a, a running driving functional 1997 GMC Sierra for the rather felonious sum of just 18 Hyundai."
Car

Toyota GR 86

"...lonious sum of just 18 Hyundai. It compliments my GR 86 as a utility vehicle, but reminds me of the value..."
Car

Mitsubishi Delica

"...especially like slow ones, like our Delica, our little, our Japanese van. When you drive that thing, like it's got 85 horsepower."

The Mitsubishi Delica is a type of van that can be used for many purposes, including family trips and off-road adventures. It's known for being reliable and spacious.

Term

horsepower

"...it's got 85 horsepower. Like you can only go so fast."

Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful a car's engine is. The higher the horsepower, the faster the car can go and the quicker it can speed up.

Car

BMW E39

"...P with a manual? How similar is the recipe to the E39 M5 even with the bad interior?"
Car

Porsche Boxster

"...almost like we were talking about last show, like Boxster to NSX. It's kind of like that evolution"
Car

Chevrolet C7

"Just the Camaro was awesome then. Yeah, the C7 was pointy. Yeah, I mean, those are quick cars."
Car

Toyota 4Runner

"All right. Is a well-maintained Lexus GX or 4Runner with 200K miles worth 13 to 17,000 bucks."
Car

Toyota Land Cruisers

"Oh, it's a slightly bigger one. Those are Link Land Cruisers. Yeah."
Car

Chevrolet Tahoe

"It's a good truck. A roundy Tahoe. I think for 17 grand,"
Car

Ferrari 550 Maranello

"in a front engine rear drive V12 manual? Does the 550 Maranello reign supreme or what about the eight series or A..."
Car

Aston Martin Vanquish

"...t the eight series or Aston DB7 or manual swapped vanquish? I mean, if really, if we're talking value,"
Car

Ferrari 288 GTO

"...t with. You could either do like a 328, 308, 328, 288 GTO and create, that went all the way to the F40, rig..."
Car

Ferrari F40

"... 288 GTO and create, that went all the way to the F40, right? From the 308 to the F40 is like one line."
Car

Volkswagen Golfs

"... they had plans to possibly kill gasoline-powered Golfs and only do an electric run, and this was the onl..."
Car

Audi RS3

"...w they price it because it would compete with the RS3, but you can't get the RS3 in a five-door, right?"
Car

Porsche Panamera

"... find a way to describe that power band, ideally. Panamera Bread says, I recently learned about the Louis Er..."
Car

Porsche Carrera GT

"that you don't own already? Well, I'd love a Carrera GT. Love, love."
Car

Ford Gt

"Love, love. Yeah, I would want Doug's Ford GT. Sure."
Car

Porsche 911 GT3 RS

"Sure. And then Vin and Achlo's got his sick GT3 RS. You know, Ron had a iconic car for like six."
Car

Toyota Prius

"... did 997 says, what's the best invisible car? New Prius. Or Model 3."
Car

Tesla Model 3

"New Prius. Or Model 3. Sure."
Car

Lucid Gravity

"Yeah. Lucid gravity bong says, will there be a press car for the Cele..."
Car

Lamborghini Centenario

"Yeah. Larry Centenario says, you're a cop and can pick from any cop car,"
Car

Toyota Corolla

"...er mild refurbishing with this parallel with a GR Corolla. Me thinks yes."
Car

Toyota GR Corolla

"...after mild refurbishing with this parallel with a GR Corolla. Me thinks yes."
Car

Subaru Wrx

"but I think a beater car is still the smart choice. Between a cheap Subaru, WRX, and a rear wheel drive vehicle like a Mustang or Camaro, what would be more fun for this?"
Car

Volvo V90

"...re driving anything before Thanksgiving? I have a V90 coming for Thanksgiving. And maybe I'll drive the..."
Car

Rivian R1S

"... want to go up on Friday. Rivian is sending me an R1S, specifically because they have that rad tuner"
44 cars featured

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