Brand
KTM
KTM is a motorcycle brand. “Gremlins” is just slang for annoying little problems that keep happening, even if the bike is still rideable.
Concept
full tank of gas as a dealership bonus
Some dealerships advertise “we’ll give you a tank of gas” as part of the deal. It’s essentially a marketing incentive that can offset some of the buyer’s immediate fuel cost, but it’s not the same as a discount on the vehicle price.
Term
gas light
The gas light means the fuel level is getting low. How much driving you still have left varies by the vehicle, but it’s a warning to refuel soon.
Concept
i-90
I-90 is a big highway. They’re saying part of the route involves getting onto that faster road, which affects the overall trip planning.
Car
Honda Grom
A Honda Grom is a small, beginner-friendly motorcycle. It’s the kind of bike people recommend to friends, and then the friend ends up wanting one too.
Term
gromming
“Gromming” is basically a playful term for peer pressure—getting someone to buy a Honda Grom over time. It’s done by selling the idea as fun and easy, until the person decides it’s their choice.
Term
wheelie
A wheelie is when you lift the front wheel off the ground. People bring it up because smaller bikes like the Grom can be easier to learn on (with proper practice and safety).
Term
tighten his chain
Motorcycles with chains need occasional chain tension checks. If the chain is loose or too tight, it can wear out faster and cause problems.
Car
Ferrari F40
The Ferrari F40 is a famous supercar from Ferrari. It’s known for being very focused on driving feel and performance. The podcast mentions it because it’s considered a standout, classic model by fans.
Term
color shifting
Color shifting paint looks different when you move around the car or when the light changes. It can make the car seem like it’s “glowing” or changing shades.
Brand
Kirkland motor oil
Kirkland oil is Costco’s own brand. It’s usually made by another company, but you buy it under the Kirkland label at Costco.
Concept
private label brand
Private label means the store sells the product under its own name, but another company makes it. That’s why store brands can sometimes be just as good as big-name oils.
Brand
Mobile One
They’re comparing Kirkland oil to Mobil 1. The idea is that different oils can protect engine parts differently, and tests can show which holds up better.
Term
change it often
Oil gets dirty and loses its ability to protect the engine. Changing it regularly helps your engine stay cleaner and last longer.
Brand
Mobil 1
Mobil 1 is a well-known oil brand. Some car makers mention specific brands because they’ve tested oils that meet their exact requirements.
Brand
Jaguar
Jaguar is a luxury car brand from the UK. They make cars like sporty coupes and comfortable sedans, and they’re now talking a lot about switching to electric vehicles.
Concept
exclusively electric
“Exclusively electric” means the company wants to sell only electric cars. That usually means no gas-only or hybrid models going forward.
Brand
Toyota
Toyota is the company behind the recall they’re talking about. It involves a safety problem with how the car warns people when it’s backing up.
Term
gas prices
Gas gets more expensive, so driving a gas car costs more. When that happens, people often look for cars that sip fuel or are cheaper to run.
Term
gas mileage
Gas mileage tells you how far a car can go on a gallon of gas. Better mileage usually means you spend less on gas.
Brand
Subaru
Subaru is a car brand. Here they’re talking about possibly buying a Subaru hybrid to save money on gas.
Term
diesel
Diesel is a type of fuel. Diesel engines burn it differently than gas engines, and that affects things like cost and how the car performs.
Car
BMW i7
The BMW i7 is a big, fancy electric sedan from BMW. The point here is that even though it’s a great EV, it may be too large for everyday city parking and commuting needs.
Concept
V8
A V8 is a type of engine with eight cylinders. People often want it because it can feel powerful and responsive.
Concept
V6
A V6 is another type of engine, with six cylinders. It’s often seen as a middle ground between smaller engines and a V8.
Brand
Chevy
“Chevy” means Chevrolet. The speaker is basically saying they want Chevrolet to compete harder and bring out something appealing.
Brand
GM
GM stands for General Motors, the big company that owns several car brands. The speaker is saying GM is planning more new vehicles across different brands.
Brand
Buick
Buick is a car brand owned by GM. The speaker is saying GM is bringing out new stuff under Buick too.
Brand
Cadillac
Cadillac is GM’s luxury car brand. The speaker is saying GM is also making moves with Cadillac, not just the mainstream brands.
Concept
take delivery
“Take delivery” means you finally get the car in your hands. The speaker is pointing out that Jay Leno’s delivery is a big moment people are watching.
Term
slicks
“Slicks” are special race tires with smooth surfaces to grab the road better. They work best on dry tracks and usually aren’t safe or practical in rain.
Concept
aged out
“Aged out” means the mail trucks have reached the end of their service life and are being retired. In fleet terms, aging out usually happens when maintenance costs rise and reliability drops.
Concept
right-hand drive
Right-hand drive just means the steering wheel is on the right side of the truck. That’s normal in some countries, but it can feel different if you’re used to U.S. cars.
LIVE
Welcome to the Avant podcast. I'm I'm Nick. How's it going? It's good. Good. I'm besides the fact that I put my head
I went to my office at 6 30 this morning came out at 5 just to come here. Yeah, so
Yeah, I don't know those days, too. Yeah, but I mean, I guess that's you know, it's a lot of busy work right now
I don't know what's going on like
my my my dental side of things is really slowed down, but it's a lot of little business busy busy work trying to keep up with a
bunch of stuff so
And it's that's the says we just came in a second quarter of the year
So I'm doing snapshots and helping my dad with his stuff and so you know
But like I was I was getting ready to head out here and Kate called me she was coming home
She's like you riding your new bike and I was like, yeah, I am I'm gonna do that today like I need I need that
I even if it's just a three-minute journey. I know. Yeah, I need to get out
Yeah, that bike looks great by the way. I'm really enjoying it. I've only put 55 miles on it, but it so far so good
It definitely has some KTM gremlins, but nothing that can't be solved and nothing that stops me from riding so
Question when you worked at a at a at a motorcycle dealership
When a customer left did you give them a full tank of gas?
Was that a thing?
This is not this is a general concept because I see a lot of people that advertise it as like a bonus like we're gonna
Give you a tank of gas and after I just I just spent the most money. I've ever put into my truck
I I finally went over like $95 filling up my truck. I'm trying to think I know
I
Think they did back in the day. I was never in direct to I was never directly selling motorcycles. Yeah, they hit you in the back
Yeah, so yeah, but I think that was a thing. Yeah, they fit. Yes, they did
I remember that was like just part of the practice. She filled up the bike with gas. Yeah a lot cheaper on motorcycles
But yeah, I just wanted like I said, I was riding over here and my gas light came on
I've only got 55 miles, which probably means they didn't give me no way gas. So I was
Either that or I'm gonna have to start carrying gas when I go places. But yeah
That's speaking of your bike one send us in a text message
Also send us a bunch of photos from trips. He's been on in more cycles, which were that's cool. Awesome
He said first off a big laugh out loud to Nick saying that 390 doesn't need anything famous last words for a dude with a new toy
That loves modifying
Yeah, I know it's
At that when I said that between that second and that second it did not need anything
It needs some things. In fact, I was Dan and I were just talking about that and the main thing it needs more than anything is a new
Rich spring. Well, yes, but that's that's my fault. Not the bike
It's a new bash guard. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it needs a new skid plate. It's pretty weak one
I don't even know why it's down there. Well, it's funny because on the
The the moto version of that bike, which is just that bike with with slicks on it. Mm-hmm. It doesn't have one
Yeah, which is interesting because that means your pipes just getting blasted even on the road with rocks. Oh, yeah
They don't they don't tell. Yeah. Yeah, that's funny
For the listener question, you said I would probably recreate the road trip
I went on with a few friends on motorcycles a few years back
Try to hit as many back roads as we could and stayed in Washington the whole time
Lake Stevens to Mount St. Helens Carson the BZ corner click a tat the dahlies the dahls, excuse me
Back to Carson to Cougar to Long Beach forks Port Townsend Friday Harbor via two ferries
Winthrop Shilan, Leavenworth Lake Stevens. Yeah, that's a heck of a trip
Sounds wonderful. Yeah, he's on a Ducati
Does it does maybe which one is this the adventure bike the rally bike? I can't remember the name of it off top of my head
Yeah, why am I not like the actual rally bike with the tower? I know what you're talking about. I can't
I'll look at me, but yeah, anyway, yeah, it looks like an epic trip and thank you for the photos
I'll post this with the episode because yeah listeners. You should see the sights
He saw that's every time I see photos like Washington's a beautiful state to ride around and drive around especially in the East and out of the
Traffic, it's just I love it here. I decided and I'm I'll probably get somebody to come with me and follow me like you guys or something
I want and it's not gonna be anything to do, but I want to do the net that the actual Natchez trail
Oh, yeah, that bike. It'll be so easy, but because well
I mean my point is it's a lot easier than taking the truck where you're crawling through
You know your line options are a lot more, but that's that's all they're gonna go with you
Yeah, be kind of fun. I mean, I just ride take it over in the truck and do it. Yeah. No, I'm gonna work truck it down
I thought did I tell you I tried to do that once yeah
And I made it like about I was but I made it to about halfway to green water where I realized
I was not gonna be able to like that road that ground would not go fast enough on that road and that road scary
And there's no sideline and and then because my original plan and again
Best laid plans. I was gonna ride from my house all the way down the backside to not Everett. What is that?
Where's the safeways down there? That's not Everett. That's
Enum claw. Oh, yeah, and then I was gonna ride in him clawed a green water green water over stampede
and then somehow I was gonna work my way down the back roads to
Down to back to my house and I even thought about the fact of breaking and don't ever do this
And I didn't do it obviously was I thought oh the one section
I don't want to do is that what section we come out of stampede on to i-90 and when you get to over to the ski resort
Because I knew from the ski resort
I could pretty much take the back road back down
Yeah, get on the freeway for a little lot of back roads
I can do it but I was like there is that trail that runs along the the south side of the lake
I was like it's a walking path, but if I was really like it's a small bike if I was really sorry for what I was doing
I thought maybe I didn't do it, so
Yeah
Um, I do want to give a huge shout out. Uh, I took we took the the the beast mode down to inhabit
Down in portland my mom and I did she had a wonderful time
I want to give a huge shout out to brian and john
The owners of inhabit they treated us really well. They treat everyone really well, but the mats came out amazing
I'll post a few picture of it pick few pictures of them
Um, you don't realize how dirty stuff gets like how quickly it was like I felt bad
Like they cleaned it before and I thought I cleaned it before we went down there
But it was still dirty, but huge they've been on the show. They're going to be on the show again
In fact, they're going to be up here for the the van expo
Up in everett in august and we're going to have them back on the show
So yeah, nice. I'm looking forward to having them. They're great guys and obviously they make a great product
So so much fun. Yeah. Yeah
Uh, so there's a bunch of another article came out, uh about why everybody should buy a grom
Oh, yeah, yeah, it was grom or monkey or any of the small honda bikes and there's a term now. It's called gromming
It's a noun
The act of being slowly and strategically convinced to buy a honda grom by a trusted friend until you believe it was your own idea
It's a long-term psychological manipulation involving phrases like it's cheap. It's fun. You'll learn how to wheelie easily and you need a grom
I think it all started when we took a certain friend of our slash bar owner
And convinced him to buy one and he ended up buying like five of them. Remember, right? Yeah, and then it has just
Yeah, yeah snowballed
Yeah, the amount of people that have them now because of us so yep
Todd's still on the list. Todd. Don't need one. Kristoff got his though. I know and apparently he learned how to tighten his chain
I was I was I was I went to the opening day of exotics by the way
I was just gonna lead in with that. Yeah, but I and I saw him but I wasn't able to talk to him
Yeah, Kristoff is a thug there opening day obviously slammed for all the volunteers think a big shout out and a big
Thanks to the thugs who put that on every year. Yeah affectionately called the thugs for those of you listening
I don't know. It's not we're not being mean. They it's we used to be rougher. I mean, you know, we used to stuff
That's why what a turnout though man
Was the Newtester Rosa?
Not a fan. Yeah, the new absolute the the perfect f40. Yeah, always a fan. Yeah the Newtester Rosa
I mean, I get it. I get every part of it. I understand it
I just it's not aesthetically pleasing as like especially when it's sitting next to an enzo and an f40 and an sf 90 xx like
It's not I I you're not alone
A lot of people are saying that faria is feeling it because a lot of people are saying that
So, I mean, I feel bad because it's like usually I I love a lot of stuff faria is put out. I do
Um, you know aesthetically they're beautiful cars, but in farina did a wonderful job
I don't know who's designing the bodies now, but there's just a look to it. That just doesn't doesn't work
I was talking to somebody and I said it's gonna make a really cool matchbox card like it will look good in small scale
Right. Yeah, exactly. So but yeah, if you want to see stuff like that
Even if you don't like it, uh, which is even better because you get to see stuff like that and make that decision
You can't normally do that. Uh, so big shout out to our friends at exotics. Um
Shout out to jag by the way our our our attorney motto. Yeah his new revuelto in person
The photos do not do it justice. It's this
Color shifting part. It's just insane. Yeah, you're on avance and anybody says, hey, I got a ticket. Who do you call?
It's jag jag. Who do we call jag? Who do we call before avance jag? It's jag. It's jag. It's jag
Call jag if you get it in he got a ticket
I I was just blown away. So yeah, it's he earns his money though
Yeah, so shout out to him for buying cool stuff because he earns it and we are thankful stuff
Yeah, yeah, he's true true car enthusiasts. Yeah
Um, I want to do a quick Carter tip, which is more of a just an interesting thing to know because this gets asked a lot
Uh, who makes Costco's Kirkland motor oil Kirkland Kirkland. That's right. It's made in Kirkland. That's all I need to know
Yep, right over by their main office downtown. No, just get the guy out back with a pump. Get it right out of the ground
Yep
They go well donkey back there up and down just mipping it out. Yep, absolutely
No, uh, Kirkland signature is a private label brand, but it's um, it's actually made by a place company called Highline Warren, which um
They are formerly they're called Warren distribution
You don't know that name, but you know everything they make prime guard sprayway blue devil mag one superior automotive amp flow
Lubramatic true flight pj one very popular rain ex
And they are prime distributor not maker of mobile one filters and lubricants
So uh independent testing everybody says it's mobile one. It's not it's the same distributor, but it's not the same oil
mobile one an independent test
Tends to have higher anti wear additives. Um, so they last a little longer between oil changes mobile one is a
Technically maybe superior oil, but this is not junk. They're full synthetic past every testing of the sun
It's good stuff. I would trust it in any of the vehicles I own including the r8, but that goes the dealer
I'm just saying this is good stuff. It's not junky oil. This is an absolute quality product
So you should feel very confident buying
Is the independent test if you want to look at independent tests go to youtube and find the kirkland motor oil
This is a very popular test because everybody wants to talk about it. It holds up great. Yeah, I watched tv just today and I was like
It's actually better than most, uh
store-bought like automotive store-bought brands it vastly outperformed the uh, O'Reilly synthetic
The napa synthetic so it's a good cheap way to keep something like in your car
Like yeah, exactly. You need if you're worried about a price point or to keep it something and I get it
You walk into an O'Reilly and you walk into that oil section. It is confusing. It is expensive. It is overwhelming
It is overwhelming. Yeah, yeah
It's the main thing we talked about this one man probably a couple hundred episodes ago about oil in your car
The most important thing to do with oil is change it often. It's far more important than the oil
That's in it as long as it is the right weight
Yeah, and it is the right synthetic or not for your car
I mean, there's a few exotics that are specifically calling out mobile one or shell oil
Motorcycles as well. BMW always had castrol. Yeah, exactly. They all have they all have their brand recommendations, but
They're not especially for them. They pass the same test
So you could get away with putting whatever in there if you had to and it's far more important that you change it more often
So yeah, every no more than 5,000 miles. I don't care what anybody says
they're I mean
Yeah, and given the way we'd like to drive because we are in a bond changes every 5,000 miles at least
Oh, yeah do in the truck and that's free. So I should probably do I do that
Yeah, yeah, I do them every 5,000 just
No, it makes I don't keep them long enough for it to be a problem, but
Somebody else's problem, but I don't follow the indicator. I just do every 5,000. It's just good to keep
It's the best way to keep your oil or your engine clean
Um that in carbon is always a problem. Yeah, that's a different topic. Yeah
Uh, what else is it? Oh, yeah, speaking of Costco. I wanted to break this in straight to a topic
There's a new thing that's popping up Costco
If you've been to if you are from the northwest and you go to the Issaquah Costco
It is the biggest parking lot shit show you've ever seen in your life any day of the week any time of the day
Especially the gas station
So I know we're going with this and in a response Costco is now opening up
Costco Kirkland signature members on the gas stations in high traffic areas, but they're not doing it here
Yeah, I know it's in California, which again high traffic area, but yeah
Yeah, well and also starting in California if you're from the Pacific Northwest and you're at the Issaquah Costco
If you don't realize this that is the test Costco
Like corporate is across the street down the street. So everything is literally across the street
But yeah, I saw that article and I was like, why are they not I want that here
I do too
And it and what I love about it is it is Costco gas. There's no concessions
There's no
Little booths where they can sell you ice and crap like that so people can park it a pump and wait. I hate that
Yeah, fill up your car move to a parking spot. Yeah, that's off topic. But yeah, exactly. Yeah
Yeah, um, what else are you going on?
so
A popular car company that we talk about a lot on here is Jaguar
Everybody loves Jaguar and they're
Rodin Glover, I believe he's the managing director of Jaguar
I don't know who's in charge now after they fired the last guy for all the designs
He basically came out this week and doubled down and says that Jaguar will be exclusively electric
They're not working on anything else. That is a direct quote
Um, I don't think yet. He's everybody else is shifting in the market and they're doubling down
Um
I don't know, uh, you know, I was having a conversation with uh, uncle peter and aunt sandy because you know
They traded in she has one of those big four-door Jags that they don't really make anymore
and they got a an F type which is a great car but, uh
The Jaguar always had great two-door coupes and their their four-door sedans were above way above par
I mean, yeah, they were British and they had some British gremlins and things like that
But they were great cars and I don't quite understand this like
I know and if you're around here now, and I'm sure our california audience and and
Scotty audience you guys see those f-paces
We now have them up here where they're not at isn't an f-pace. That's the electric ones. They're driving themselves
Yeah, every time kate and I see one. I'm like, oh look it's driving itself and then there's somebody driving it
So they're still testing up here, but um, so they can get in a giant traffic jam up here and block up an intersection
but
I don't think I don't think this is the direction to go
We said that when they introduced all their new cars that looked like
They can't make it any uglier. So there's that that came out of east like it looked like Easter candy, but yeah, so
It's another interesting
Double down. I don't think it's going to be a profitable thing for them. I don't see who's going to buy them
I'm obviously it's great, you know
If you're living in the city, but I don't I don't see jaguar building like I don't see them coming out and saying
We're going to build a compact small little like Prius competitor
I I think they're going to try to come out and do something. Who are they competing with lucid?
I actually have no idea. I guess maybe lucid lucid's a pretty high probably tesla. Yeah, I guess. Yeah, I don't know
I don't know. I'll probably make some generic electro box that looks like everything else
Yeah, and then put a jaguar badge on it. I don't yeah, I'm with you. I don't think it's going to work calling it right now
Jaguar, I just will fail again
Unfortunate
And then just a little fyi toita recalls 73 000 hybrid vehicles
Basically the vehicles don't don't admit enough warning sounds while reversing creating pedestrian safety risks
So I don't know if they're what if they're replacing the speaker or what it is
But if you have one of these cars a lot of people do around here, especially the highlanders and stuff like that
Go ahead and look that up
And we're seeing a spike in car prices again. Yep, like
Which is interesting. Um, I don't I I don't know what necessarily is causing that
Obviously gas prices through the roof
And maybe people don't want to go out and buy a new car. So they're looking for used cars with better gas mileage
Yeah, it's
I'm with you on that. I don't I don't know what that was causing the increase
Especially right now when you'd think people would be going for
Just whatever iconobox they can get I'm well, I mean minus not fixing your own car
I would think people would be sticking with the car. They have like it's you know
Obviously, you know as recording of this
Gas prices. We're starting to come down today. I don't know if that will last but um, give it a week
Yeah, yeah barrels went through the floor again. Is the straight opened up and now it's closed again. So we'll see what happens
Um war is always interesting for gas prices
Daytime nighttime. Yeah, especially when they're over there, but you know, hey, we should be used to that by now
It's only been a few thousand years. You'd think
You'll have to figure it out by now. Yeah. Yeah, um, it's just interesting to me and I would be interested
We've got to get Brian keeps threatening to come back on we got to talk to him about that because I think he has an interesting
Perspective on that of people coming and buying cars and it's funny because I you know as much as
Kate and I are you know, we're budget conscious
I mean
We're thinking about buying another car
But we're thinking about buying a new Subaru hybrid because I I mean for saving gas mileage because that's our
Our transport car and I don't know maybe someone now that um, yeah, well, I'm working on that. Yeah
I wait. Yeah
We'll be back. That's exactly what I was talking about. Um
I
We brought this that you and I were talking about this before um
So part of the deal with the beast mode is whoever uses it has to fuel it
Um, I haven't bought diesel. I don't know if when I've bought diesel, but it was seven dollars a gallon
Going down to Portland
And I don't know if you know this but um those Mercedes and diesel engines don't get real good gas mileage
Because there's all that weight on top of them. So we're learning a lot of weight a lot of emissions. Yeah, yeah
Well, you might be able to de restrict it soon which on that would make a huge difference
Anything with turbos that you can get rid of death out of usually gets massive increases in boots
I'm wondering if even if the law goes away if if if if companies will allow it
Yeah, that's the main that's that's because I mean about the time if it's not illegal to do it
That's one thing but Mercedes could come back and say no, that's going to void your warranty
They could we built this engine to the smart move would be what they used to do
And and they did they used to make it very easy to desmog your diesels. I mean very easy
and
and
Let's not forget that all of these companies make
Emissions removed vehicles. Yes, like every single one of them. They're not out there to save the planet
They're out there complying with regulations wagon is
always is
The lawsuits say so
Yeah, so like every government version of these vehicles is desmogged and so yeah every single one
So it's not like it's a big change. You're not out there doing some dramatic thing the vehicle is never designed for
You're just removing the crap that's on there. But wait Dan
The government tells us we have to have it, but then they don't I know. Okay, never mind. I just want to clarify that
It's very strange. I'm good with it. Yeah, it's fine. Yeah do as I say not as I do. Yeah, okay
They get a pass on a lot of things sure. Yeah that don't really pass on emissions. It sounds like yeah
Yeah emissions trading you name it. Okay. Well, that's gonna go off on a deep another deeper dive. Yeah
But yeah, I know it's I think it's worth looking into at some point
Hopefully, I mean those vehicles are right for it. I'm actually kind of hoping I am I am hedging my bet that gas prices will tank again
They will and I am hoping that I can swing the purchase of a diesel vehicle
At the time they do not
I am willing to make that gamble
I'm sorry say that one more time right now large truck diesel prices are very low
Oh, I got you. Okay. So if I can swing into something that is a large diesel
Got it that I can rip the emissions out of got it at a discounted price got it
Then I can get a very nice truck for a very low price
Okay, and because
My commute is I'm sure the bronco is the commuter vehicle to work. It gets actually less mileage in the truck
Nobody ever right the bronco raptor is what we have to get us to work
Well, it gets slightly worse miles in the truck
It's about half a mile per gallon less, but it gets six more miles to gallon than the r8
Yeah, you know, I'm I'm just gonna say the obvious that could be the foot that's pushing the pedal
It is. Yeah, I mean I think I think a very skilled foot, but very skilled foot. Yes, but it's okay
Well, I mean it's the same thing. I think the r8 on a road trip once I got it up to like 15 miles to the gallon
Are you going downhill in neutral? It was just a long open highway. Yeah, but we usually get around nine
Nine to ten and a half out of it. Wow. Yeah, that's wow
I didn't know it was that bad. Oh, yeah, okay
I was thinking 10 11, but okay. No, no, we're lucky. We if we see 10 and you know what it's worth
I was gonna say that's the driver and totally. Oh, it's a hundred percent the driver
Yeah, I don't need to manually downshift here to eight, but why not
And just so we're clear Dan's not the driver. No
Dan's the navigator and the navigator. Yeah, well
It's gonna be interesting. I think obviously this will
No matter where you stand in this whole issue. This will equal itself out
There will be a
resolution. Oh, yeah
You know, uh, I'm actually surprised that, you know
We're not more
Depended on well, you know, we we are oil sufficient. We're not sufficient. What's your self sufficient self sufficient
If we wanted to be if we wanted to be I mean
We need to rebuild the coffers because somebody got rid of all of them for some reason
But yeah, we need to rebuild a few pipelines or open up some pipelines
No, we need to rebuild our reserves is what I mean rebuild the reserves and open up some pipelines
So
Maybe I mean
there's
The ev push I think it's there's a I'm watching all the spins is what I'm getting at
There's all the spins of like we need to come back and revisit our small electric fleet. Um
Again, Nick and I are not anti electric god. No at all. I actually really like them
I just don't fit my use case. Yeah, if you're in a city, it makes great sense
We have a lot of listeners who understand this but I think there's
Every now and then I get some weird sentiment about an ally. I'm like, no, I would love one
They just don't really add up in value to me because I have to drive so far and I don't drive that often
I think it's the size of them
I think the electric vehicles belong in the cities and they should be about the size of a smart car
Because it takes up less space. It takes it takes quicker to charge
You could park it straight into the curb, which means you could park 10 times more cars on the on the side of the road
It the use case is what it is. I mean, we you don't need a giant
I'll put this an example like the bmw i7 right
Amazing car. Yeah, we have a very good friend that has one and and uses it for some transportation things
But it doesn't necessarily
Just so we're clear. He has supercars too. Right. Yeah, this is
But I don't think that it you don't need a giant four-door sedan in like a downtown city area
That's the marketing miss. Yeah, the the model 3 when it was low 30s high 20s. That's the sweet spot
Well, that's a little i3 or the bmw thing. No, no, no the test the model. Oh, yes. Yes, sorry
Yeah, okay, but I think the best one of all if you can get your hands on one is the Chevy bolt
Yeah, that little thing is awesome. It's if they were available. That's the biggest thing
They don't make them
Like that's the sweet spot that I think they need to be pushing is like all these small
Electric cars make great sense. They they're a quick recharge times
They're super compact like you were saying they were affordable
Those the Nissan leaf like they need to update that like that's all you need
Do you remember when they had that leaf like
Lease that was like 13 or 14. My brother had one. Yeah, it was ridiculous. He made money on a lease. Yeah
There you go. Yeah, that's what you need and that's what I think they keep missing is they keep trying to break into the
$40,000 plus market in a vehicle that for a lot of Americans who are in that bracket are limited use
like you you can't the people that
There's there's the disconnect right there when I had my cheap cars my commuters
It's because I was driving 60 80 miles a day
If not one way because I didn't have the money to live closer to the places
I had to work when you get convenient living you get cost of living increases
So people travel a long way for work, especially we are welcome to america. It's a big place
And it would be in if you rent like an apartment you how many of those people are adding fast chargers?
It's more and more now, but it's still not a lot
You're not going to go to a town home and you know outskirts of woodenville or baffle or up toward up highway
9 of like Stevens Arlington area where a lot of people are living and moving because it's cost of living
And you're not going to find a lot of super chargers or even charging stations as well
You're going to find a 110 outlets going to charge your car over four days
So you either got to charge at work find this place in between there wait 30 minutes to charge
Which is not a long time. That's getting pretty fast to get you there
But like this infrastructure doesn't exist yet. So they I think they've got it just in the wrong order
Yeah, give us cheap electric cars
Give us easy ways to charge it at our office and make the infrastructure improvements at home
But that's a lot to do. That's a that's a complex problem. And it's an expensive one. So
Right now the only people who are really buying are luxury buyers
Or mid luxury buyers. There's you're not seeing the huge demand
Like we've there's been plenty articles out there americans don't want to buy electric cars
It's only because the infrastructure doesn't exist and the charging time is too long. That's it
So, but yeah, if you can't I'm not going to buy something I can't use
Yeah, you don't have like you're you're renting for example. Yeah, no snow charging your house, right? No, god. No, exactly
And energy cheap here relatively it's not but it's still cheaper than most places in the country. It's apparently it's going up again
Yeah, it's going up. Um, yeah
Thank god for all these led lights. Oh wait
They made us buy like go out faster than my
The led led light people they're behind it all it kind of work probably Disney and yeah
The mouse the house a mouse that's who to blame blame disney blame disney. I don't know how
But it's their fault. No, yeah, I mean it it's it's a thing. I'm not gonna buy something
I can't use if if it's not really available to me
and that's like you're right if I was commuting and
If I was living in downtown seattle and I had to commute in downtown seattle
I would either walk take the bus the train
But if I needed a car like I would see having
At least a hybrid if not an electric car because I'm assuming all but buildings downtown
Have been retrofitted with a lot of a lot of the charging systems. Yeah, a lot of those are missing now in downtown seattle
Well, okay, I'm talking about in the building
But yes, you're correct. Yeah, the copper is just missing dan the chargers are still there
Yeah, yeah the precious metals that are missing. Yeah
This is brings me to something else. Uh, you're not so favorite
But I was kind of looking forward to seeing it scout announced today
Uh at the time of this recording was wednesday that uh, yeah, they screwed the pooch
Oh, what their earliest vehicle releases as early as 2028 now
in 2030 for the truck
That's how
Just just the do they not have the infrastructure to build it dan?
I think it was supply chain issues actually
But uh and testing and everything else building a car is hard. We know this but yeah scout is Volkswagen back
So they should have a little experience in it, but it was disappointing news. So the least even if you didn't like the scout
Um, I wanted to see it out there. I wanted to look at the scout. I want to see it with a v8. Yeah
I'll take a v6
It's just like
I mean as a kid that grew up with giant square-bodied blazers, you know ram chargers, you know scouts
I want to see that. I mean, there's there's the you know
You have a super duty axles and a 5o make it a true scout
Loot me. Yeah. Yeah, or a 7 3 diesel or a 6 7 diesel. I mean sure. I'll save the environment. Put a diesel in it
That's fine. I'm good with that. I was hoping to see it because almost like
Over 90 percent of their pre-orders were the range extended with the generator on it, which was a really great
I thought was a really great idea and I was hoping to see more of that
So the but they didn't really
Did they didn't really release an issue? They just said supply chain issues. They just said it was delayed
Yeah, I've got to see if there's an actual I always say so there are articles out there
I'm waiting to find one that's actually real as an I know it's delayed
But I haven't seen like a full press statement saying this is why
So before I say it's this I want to I want to look into that but um
I think somebody owes me an apology from last week. They're not here right now, but they owe me an apology
Yeah, we were gonna call this out. It's it might be brian. Yeah, it's brian dallis. It's brian dallis
It's brian dallis
For a a wonderful who I thought was a friend of mine. I know yeah, but no rude nay. I say nay. I say
Would you like to explain? I'm almost too mad even talking about it. All right
nick
pointed out
That on april fool's day
It was not an april fool's joke. Yeah, but a manufacturer is coming out with a very good-looking concept
Bronco slash jeep wrangler competitor. Mm-hmm and it turns out that is absolutely true
That our friends at hundakea are putting out a body on frame direct competitor to the jeep jl and the ford bronco
And i'm gonna say this right now if they can put the reliability into that
It this is really gonna make the market an interesting place and it needs it. Yeah, I said it once I'll say it again
I am not a purist. I love competition. My favorite car is the next one and if somebody can do it better
I will buy that
Yeah, so kudos to them the concept it is absolutely a concept. It is a rear suicide door
Some novel concept stuff that you see, but it is really good looking
It's a great starter concept and I hope to see a derivative of that hit the market
They're planning on hitting the market no later than 2030
Um, hopefully 28 will we see it or the scout first? Right?
Yeah, and so it's expected to be a hybrid drivetrain, which as expected. I think you know
Asian market anything that yeah with toyota and everything like that. Yeah, so everything else would be great. Um
Yeah, so kudos to them. I it's about time. I wish toyota would do it
I do not count the forerunner as a bronco competitor. It is not the serious off-roader that should be
Uh, it's well, it's not it's it's it's it's a more luxurious vehicle. It's a quieter vehicle
It's doesn't have a movable top. I mean, it's not really competing. It isn't money, but I
You're definitely going for the real off-road audience with the bronco in the ring. You can make a forerunner
But oh, yeah at the end of the day
You and I both know that there are the ones that are only never going to see dirt. They're going to be on pavement
They're going to be driving around
You know the cities so
Yeah, and I'm not saying the trd pro and the uh
By the way again, and I have to keep we like that forerunner. I love the forerunner
I looked at the forerunner. It just didn't fulfill what I needed it to do. Yeah
Which one do I think at the trail hunter? Yeah, they're both fantastic. God. Yes. They're awesome
I seriously considered when I'm actually considering the gx 550 even as a replacement down the road because I
Which is basically the same thing with the v6, but
It's just it's not
It's not the serious off-road contenders that the bronco and the
Wrangler are and they're not it's not trying to be that's the point
So it's not I'm hoping to see somebody break into that market
Hyundai especially in this case has stepped it up. So I hope I hope chevy does the same thing
Chevy really easy bring back a real blazer. Well, they're bringing back a real Camaro
So
Yeah, so it's it's on the market, right? And that's the that was the latest news
I want to talk about as well
Chevy steps up gm and they're bringing out a buick
Uh a Camaro a buick on based on it and another Cadillac. Are we getting a firebird?
Like a trans and fire without maybe a Pontiac, but I understand that but I mean something within Pontiac
A buick
Okay, yeah
Speaking of videos that I think you're gonna are breaking the internet right now
Have you seen Jay Leno take delivery of his news the r1x? Oh my god. Shawna is very excited
That's obviously that's her next car. She wants to do the whole engine build experience delivery. Oh, I'm sure. Yeah
Yeah, and so we've been watching all the zero one x videos
There's a lot a lot of people taking
Taking delivery if you don't know Jay Leno got one he paid for it himself
Jay Leno has zero number oh one of the c6 zero six zero one
This he didn't I don't think they gave him the same courtesy on this one
but
Beautiful beautiful car. I love everything about it like hey, too
And it's interesting to watch if you've never watched Jay Leno's garage videos
It's interesting because he drives these cars on on the road and they have they film it so they can't do anything stupid
But he you know he made a phrase and I and I wish I'd written it down about the fact
He goes there's no way you could use all this power on the street. Yeah, absolutely
You can't like there's just no and I mean, yeah, he knows how to drive and you can kind of see in his eyes
He's like oh jeez like yeah
He had nothing but good things to say about it. Yeah, he loved everything about it
It's is you know, it's the fastest best GM product maybe ever
Which is saying a lot but that sends tends to be the consensus among people driving it
Which is why this is the first time I think
Corvette has always been able to put down the numbers
They built fast cars even the c606 and c6 cr1
Were on the same page in numbers as Ferrari, Lamborghini everybody else
But if you looked at a c6
Corvette and you got inside of it
You realized you were very much in a GM product with GM quality
And it squeaked and creaked and twisted as soon as you got in the car and doesn't go fast
But that plastic's gonna break right and it would because you're
You're
Literally would because your left leg would be pressed up against the driver's door and break the speaker grille and the door frame
Or you'd go to the right and you'd break the the the plastic behind the tunnel
Yeah, so yes, it would break just by driving it if you drove it hard
C7 was a huge step up, but you still had the same creaks
You had that transverse rear leaf spring rear suspension
It was front engine and tail happy and didn't handle that great
Compared to
Ferrari and other cars like if you were a pro driver two to three times the price if you're randy popes on the track
You could put down the numbers the rest of us died
So if trying to do that because the car wanted to kill you. Yeah, exactly now into the c8 and even the
The c8 base z51 c8 is probably the best bang for your buck performance car
You can buy because you can buy them for the like low 40s now. Yeah, and they're as fast as a c7's
Grand Sport almost zero six because they're mid-engine and they can put down the time so
Now you're finally getting into an
Into a gm or such a gm is getting into the market of having a car with a quality interior
That doesn't squeak and yeah and to rattle apart
The materials are really really nice the dash fit and finish is great
The panel gap is better than it used to be still not great seeing a few issues on the forum
Still not what it used to be. It's a night and day difference than the c7 car
Like it's the the step forward in quality is
Like it did this come from gm to this is clearly a gm and this it's c7 earlier
Yeah, so I think this is the first time that corvette may actually interrupt the supercar market
since probably the 60s
So good for them. Um, I'm not saying I hope but it's nice to see people look at the c8 and go
Yeah, maybe I won't get that Porsche
Or maybe I won't get that Lamborghini because I can get everything I want for half the cost
Probably get it faster and faster
And the only thing that's going to compete with it from ford is twice the price
Yeah, it was a gtd. Which don't get me wrong a bad ass. I don't that car
Oh, I would own that car. I actually thought arguably even though it's a must-thing
I still think the gtd is a slightly better car. Yeah better looking car. Excuse me
Um, it's just so freaking bad ass looking. Yeah, even though the c8 kind of blows it away as far as performance goes
I mean on the street speaking of that. Did you see that ford went and took the record for the nirburgring not but with that ford gt
Whatever it is. Yeah, it's basically it's on full race setup. Well, no, no, it's a ford. It's not the gtd
It's the ford gt and it's their race car, but they took the it's not a production car
So but they took the new lab record. Yeah
So good. I mean, I love it. I love watching america go over and do that because it's been so dominated by everybody else
So yeah, we're in the ring. I literally yeah, so good. Let's do that. I tell you I I think
as a car enthusiast and as a
Person who has played video games before
I think people and kids coming up these days are so much more prepared for racing if they have the money behind it because
The sims are so insane these days like
It's funny. I was watching a video of some some youtubers that were doing a lap
They were being taken on a lap of the nirburgring in a gt3 rs
and in my mind like I
I've driven that track so many times on so many sims and and forza
Like I know the track and I'm thinking but again you put like they got out of the car and they're like that was so different
Like the sim doesn't prepare you but it does you know, you know, it's coming
But you don't know how the car is going to react
Even the you know, hundred thousand dollar sims aren't going to aren't going to give you there's a feeling there that's still going to be missing
Yeah, you can't really simulate the gym forces the gym the g forces because the gym forces
Yeah, because even with the airbag attachment and stuff
I mean the air seats and they press on you you don't get quite the same thing
But I just think it's interesting that we you know, I could
drive that ring
With probably, you know, not with my eyes closed but on a simulator like I know it enough to know
Where things are I think and I just think that's an interesting time in the fact that
You know back in the 80s and 90s people didn't have that you had to go drive the ring to know it and now
Every little kid in their basement knows the the green hell. Yeah. Yeah. Is that it green hell? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah pretty cool
Yeah, speaking of the video games forza horizon six footage came out god. Do you see that? Well, no
I mean, who you know, so I'm with the gamers or whatever. Yeah got to play the first hour of the game, right? Oh
I I I
I'm
I'm not a gamer, but I will be oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I'll be driving a lot
Absolutely, but that's I mean that I was just I was I had it
I put it on this at lunch day when I was eating and I had on my big TV downstairs and I was just watching the scenery and I
Forza in turn 10 always blow it out of the out of there
You know, Japan has been on the list for everybody
But this is going to be so so cool one thing I noticed I was watching the footage. It's so pretty. Yes
It's a beautiful point. I wasn't watching the cars
I was watching them come over and see Mount Fuji and I was watching them, you know
Like blast down the the ski hill and you're looking down into tokyo and yeah. Yeah. Yeah
That's one of the I mean
It's always fun to drive forza of course
Yeah, they do such a good job on the course design and this has really stepped it up even more
So yeah shout out to our friends at forza. There's a lot of avance members that are on the forza team
And so thanks to you guys appreciate your work
Yeah, I think that comes out end of may may 21st something like that. So yeah, right on the court get out there
I'm sure if you drive it. It's just like driving in japan. Totally, you know
I gotta ask a megan if they have k trucks
Oh, I hope so
I need to k truck on that. What's what's the number one drifting course? They put the road in the game the toga
Yeah, that's what it is. Yeah, it's in the game. Yeah. Um, oh, yeah k truck. Yeah. Hey, they're mid engine put it on slicks
Oh, yeah, that's gonna be awesome
Sure, you go drive your gt3 rs. I'm good right here in my Subaru
That's what I'm looking forward to uh, yeah, so I'm not gonna bring this up too much or go into this too much
but there's a there's a whole
thing in the us about our mail truck dilemma
And the manufacturing of these mail trucks and how it's
Are you talking about the giant mail truck that joe biden paid like billions of dollars and they only made like three of them
Yeah, oh, I didn't hear about it. Yeah, nobody knows about that. Okay. Yeah, it's
They're wish I wish it was three billion. Uh, yeah, okay. Yeah, I understood. Yeah, it's not. Um, and
I don't know why like
It is not the 40s. We are friends with japan. We like what they make
Send us your k trucks and just convert those to mail trucks, you know, their body on frame
So if you don't know the mail trucks of the united states are aged out they have been aged out for a long time
The biden and I'm not I'm not making a political statement the biden administration
That's what it happened was was researching it and and they did find a new
A new truck. Obviously, they don't have to be good-looking. They are hideous by the way
And something happened. I don't know where the disconnect is so they were
Yeah, I swear we weren't going to go down too much
But they were made by a company who doesn't make cars there we go and and if anybody knows in case you haven't heard
Cars are hard to make they are of any kind
Ask anybody yeah cars are hard to make and so they went
As usual insanely over budget. They never produced anything. They're still not producing anything. We don't need these things
When we have vehicles for this we have
Our dear friends in japan make perfect vehicles that are small and carry large volumes of cargo
And they come right hand drive and they come right hand drive
And we have factories of theirs in the u.s. Yes, so we could like hey guys
Can you outfit one real quick and they would probably be let's say they go nuts
Let's say they build the ultimate mail delivery k truck
50 grand maybe if they went nuts maybe
Maybe yeah, maybe with extra security to protect your packages. But yeah, and that would be like a sema build
Yeah, I agree. Yeah, because these things when you buy them in bulk new
I mean they are about 20 000 dollars if you buy a outfitted k truck in japan
Obviously these things aren't made for highway legal neither are our mail trucks
And they also come in all-wheel drive four-wheel drive automatic transmission manual transmission
They have emissions they can meet which our government is not required to make
Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, our government vehicles do not need to meet emissions. That's why none of those trucks do
We have flexible fuel options. We could go
Full-flex fuel actual e85 we could run diesel because they come in diesel
And they have a body on frame so we can do anything we want on the back we want that you could think of
Okay, so the company that was hired by the united states took the money. They didn't build the cars
They don't know how to build the cars, right? Right
So why couldn't you and I try to get the government contract? We buy k trucks. We convert them
Maybe I shouldn't put this idea out on the internet
This was my suggestion. I'm talking about being honest here try the way to stop trying to reinvent the wheel
The problem's already been solved that nobody did it better than the japanese because those vehicles are made to go into tight spots
Down small alleys and carry a lot of cargo. Yep. There you go. Come on government. Like didn't you ask anybody who wasn't getting paid?
Yeah, on the side. Yeah, I mean it's it's so obvious at this point. You kind of have to laugh about it
Not really. It's tax money. Yeah laughing. Yeah. Yeah, it's a lot of tax money
Sanny if you haven't looked into this and the absolute
Disaster that is the us mail truck. We will find a photo and post it up with this
Of what they created I would I would love to have I would actually like to hear
And I'll do a little bit of research on it how they got to that design like what
What because obviously the postal service came to them and said this is what we need and they came back with
I I just
It looks like somebody took a mail truck and stung it in the forehead and then
So ugly
Again, it does not need to look nice. No, I mean, yeah
Just it just needs to be obnoxious enough to you see it. So you don't when you back out of your driver
You don't hit your mailman, but yeah, the only thing I and you know would be even better
If they actually would convert cave vans because then they could accommodate larger drivers
Yeah, and we are american k-trucks are small. I agree. So I'm just saying like there's the solutions out there
I don't know why they'd nobody thought of it. I don't know why somebody just take one and copy it
Like you don't even have to make them. You don't even have to ask the japanese
You can just take one take it apart and be like, okay mad when they do that. We can't do that
Oh, that's the chinese sorry
Same thing same thing. Yeah, it's an odd thing though
I've been following it a little bit because as someone I know it is actually no reporter who did an investigation on it
Oddly enough. Okay, so maybe I'll invite her to the show actually that would I would love to I think it's an actual interesting thing
Without being again political. I think it would be funny to hear
The I got an idea. Okay. I'm gonna bring it. I'm gonna run it by nick
But I think I have an idea for a little fun vacation segment. Oh vacation
I could I could use one of those will the show pay for it. Yes. Oh great
The show doesn't get paid
Oh, okay. Hey s-tech. Yeah, you want to like put some s-tech on some mail vans. Absolutely protect your vans hashtag
Wrap your government employee
Okay, yeah
What else you need an audience question of the week. What was it? We had it earlier. Oh
I don't know. Are you gonna buy an electric vehicle with the ass prices? Yeah
Well, actually that's the question are the gas prices affecting are you thinking about buying a new vehicle?
Or buying a used vehicle in this market because of the gas price. Yeah, how are the gas prices affecting your vehicle purchasing decisions?
Not how are they affecting your everyday life? I did so some people matters a lot some people it doesn't
Um, but yeah, is it affecting your vehicle purchases? If so, how do you care?
Do you think it's going to rebound like I do? Do you think it's going to be not really a point in a few months?
I'm curious. Yeah, but I mean
There can be a win-win in the fact if you go out and buy a new vehicle or a used vehicle with better gas mileage
And then gas prices drop. You're still winning. Oh, yeah, you're so it's still a good idea. Okay. That's the question
That's the question. All right. Well, well, let's wrap it up for this episode of the avance podcast as always
I'm nick and i'm dan and don't just get there. Enjoy the drive
About this episode
Nick and Dan bounce from bikes to cars to EV policy, starting with dealership “tank of gas” memories and Nick’s new KTM/390 setup needs (skid plate, spring). They trade road-trip stories around Washington, then shift to practical buying talk: Kirkland oil sourcing, why frequent oil changes matter, and Costco gas updates. The big debate turns to diesel vs emissions and whether Jaguar’s push to be exclusively electric makes sense. They also cover rising used-car prices, Scout/EV delays, off-road competitor rumors, and Jay Leno’s new C8 ZR1/01X-style hype, plus Forza Horizon 6 footage and a wild USPS mail-truck fiasco.
Original notes
On this week's episode Nick experiences the fun of current fuel prices as he fills up the Storyteller with diesel for the first time. At the time of publishing this episode, Diesel is currently sitting at $7 a gallon! If you're on the hunt for a new vehicle, have you reconsidered due to fuel prices or are you betting on prices dropping? Let us know in the comments!
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