00:32
This is a Bose moment.
00:35
It's 10 blocks from the train to your apartment door.
00:37
10 basic, boring city blocks until the beat drops in Bose clarity.
00:43
Street lights become spotlights as you strut down the sidewalk,
00:46
your own personal runway.
00:47
With Bose, you get every note, every baseline, every detail,
00:51
just as you should.
00:52
Those 10 blocks, they could be the best part of your day.
00:55
Your life deserves music.
00:56
Your music deserves Bose.
00:58
Find your perfect product at Bose.com.
01:04
Welcome back to the podcast.
01:06
Thrilled to have you with us.
01:07
We do have our latest video coming up later this week that
01:10
is the Kia K4 hatchback versus the Honda Civic, which we also
01:15
think is its primary competitor.
01:17
So it's cool to see Kia actually doing
01:19
a hatchback version of the K4.
01:20
It's much better looking.
01:22
It's a wagon, everyone.
01:26
They're just toe in the pool to see how people
01:30
like it will customers buy.
01:32
We're not calling it a wagon, but it's a wagon.
01:34
So we're doing that later this week.
01:36
It's like Toyota with their crown.
01:38
Yeah, the crown signia.
01:43
Well, also interesting that you bring that up because they
01:45
introduced that right at the minute Subaru goes,
01:47
that's enough when I'm doing wagons.
01:48
Yeah, no more wagons.
01:49
We're doing SUVs because that's what everybody buys.
01:51
I just really want the wagon thing to come around.
01:52
Anyway, let's hope for the best.
01:53
So that piece comes out later this week on Thursday.
01:56
So hope you watch that.
01:57
Welcome back to the podcast with all of the things.
02:00
The news, three car debates, some questions.
02:02
There's a lot to run through, so we're going to dive right in.
02:04
Yeah, we're leaning heavily into the car debates again.
02:07
We're getting a lot of them.
02:08
Thank you guys for that.
02:10
Let's start with news up front.
02:12
Does Porsche know their customer
02:14
or did they know their customer?
02:16
Did they know their customer or what?
02:18
You and I are going to be split on this, I think.
02:23
We haven't talked about it at all.
02:24
You're talking about the new GT3 convertible 911.
02:29
It is the GT3 SC, so there is a slash between SC.
02:34
So it is not super Carrera, because I thought SC,
02:36
super Carrera from the 70s, no.
02:38
It is Sport Cabriolet because they had the ST, the Sport
02:43
This is a GT3 Cabriolet.
02:48
You might think it's a GT3 RS because of the GT3 RS
02:52
bodywork, the composite panels.
02:55
But in reality, it does not have the RS engine.
02:57
It's got the 502 horsepower engine with the manual,
03:01
just like a GT3 with GT3 RS bodywork.
03:04
And you might think that Porsche decides, huh,
03:08
don't have too many products in the pipeline.
03:11
What will customers buy?
03:12
What will our customers just glom onto next?
03:16
Let's take a Cabriolet and turn it into a GT3
03:19
with a GT3 motor and all the GT3 bits underneath,
03:21
but GT3 RS bodywork on it, the new buckets,
03:24
and carbon everything.
03:25
So it's lightweight.
03:27
Interestingly, this is only 3,300 pounds, just over.
03:30
So it's lighter weight mainly because of the carbon panels
03:33
and the magnesium wheels and the lighter brakes
03:35
and all the jazz, all right?
03:36
Keep trying to sell me.
03:39
But I think I'm not a convertible kind of a guy.
03:43
I'm not into convertibles.
03:45
I don't think you really aren't too much of there.
03:47
I mean, the targ on your release is.
03:48
The perfect day at the perfect time,
03:50
it's the perfect thing.
03:51
Short of that, it annoys the crap out of me.
03:53
Yes, I don't want to.
03:55
I don't want a convertible, but customers will buy.
03:59
Maybe they needed, I don't think they needed this car
04:02
to be the car you have to buy before you buy the super car.
04:05
It's just going to be car for sale.
04:07
So all that aside, it seems like just parts
04:13
and a new model and we'll kick it out the door
04:16
and customers will buy,
04:17
but are there car companies do this too?
04:21
Everybody does this, BMW for example.
04:23
We've got the M2, but then we've got the M2 competition.
04:27
Oh, well, that's not good enough.
04:29
We've got the M2 CS now and we just keep adding parts.
04:33
And it keeps getting better and it keeps,
04:35
I'm surprised there's not a CS Cabriolet
04:37
and like let's extract all the dollars out of the.
04:40
Porsche does the special editions more than anybody.
04:44
That doesn't surprise me.
04:44
So my issue, everybody does this.
04:47
You haven't talked about the primary thing
04:49
that turns this for me.
04:50
Okay, well, I'll touch on price very quickly.
04:54
That'll get us there.
04:56
And then we'll follow that rabbit trail for a minute.
04:58
I barely flicked through the configurator
05:01
and you're curious enough now too.
05:03
So I went to the configurator and I've just
05:05
select a paint, no Sanderwush, no special,
05:09
it does normal stuff.
05:09
It's a quasi normal stuff.
05:10
I picked Gentian blue because I like Gentian blue.
05:12
I know you do, yes.
05:13
So I picked that and I was just, I barely try.
05:15
I didn't really try and just, oh, that sounds interesting.
05:18
Click there and I didn't dive into all the really,
05:20
the minutia of what you can do.
05:22
And I got to 299,000 without trying.
05:26
Of course you didn't.
05:27
I didn't put serious effort behind it.
05:28
Doesn't it start at 250?
05:30
It starts at 250, 259 and I just casually clicked
05:34
a few buttons like that.
05:34
Looks interesting and I probably want those seats
05:37
and yeah, maybe the different color interior
05:44
Trust me, I did not dive into the sub menus
05:47
No, if you try, you're gonna break 300
05:48
without much effort.
05:49
This was 299 without trying.
05:52
Is this the one that you configured by the way?
05:54
No, this is just press photos from Porsche.
05:58
It's a great color.
05:59
I like the red with the gold wheels.
06:00
It looks beautiful.
06:02
So I'm thinking, huh, does Porsche know their customers?
06:06
People are gonna buy this like crazy.
06:08
It's gonna be marked up once again
06:09
and let's say they're 350 with all the goodies
06:12
and all the stuff and then add whatever premium
06:15
on top of that and here we are.
06:16
Porsche knows their customer.
06:19
But this to me is the latest step
06:24
in what I am going to call the Ferrari-fication of Porsche.
06:29
This 9-Eleven is a billboard for the problem
06:32
as far as I'm concerned.
06:33
This 9-Eleven Corridor would be three.
06:34
And I'm gonna walk as to why.
06:35
They didn't have any products in the pipeline.
06:36
I'm gonna walk to why I think that.
06:38
What do we do next?
06:39
But here's the reality.
06:41
Porsche has always been great to drive cars
06:44
looking for drivers.
06:47
And they are moving more and more away from that
06:50
to looking for people who want branded identification
06:55
to go with their special watch and their special shoes.
07:00
It is you a little bit.
07:02
But they're looking for people that wanna identify
07:04
with the brand and may not even care to drive.
07:09
And what makes this even more alarming to me about that
07:13
is because they make tons of versions of the 9-Eleven.
07:16
And I've joked before about being at cars and coffee
07:18
when two guys got pretty much identical 9-Elevens
07:21
and have a discussion, excited discussion,
07:23
about how the stitching on their two cars are different.
07:26
And I'm like, you both are driving white 9-Elevens
07:28
with brown interiors.
07:30
I'm sorry, but difference is not the thing to lead with.
07:35
It's you bought the same car as me.
07:37
That's the conversation.
07:39
And then we're done.
07:40
How do you like yours?
07:41
Where do you drive it?
07:43
What surprised you the most?
07:44
Has it been worth it?
07:45
These are real conversations.
07:46
My stitching's different than yours.
07:48
It's not a conversation starter.
07:49
But these guys were gone for a while, okay?
07:52
So we're headed there.
07:53
We're headed with brand identification
07:54
with Porsche anyway.
07:55
But here's the thing.
07:56
They offer 20-something,
07:58
almost 30 varieties of the 9-Eleven, okay?
08:02
We have a piece coming out that actually,
08:04
it actually just came out.
08:05
But the time you were watching this,
08:06
it just came out on Test Drive last Sunday
08:07
where we got to drive Ryan's 992.2 Carrera T,
08:12
which is the cheapest way to buy a 9-Eleven
08:15
with a manual and it was $160,000.
08:18
Yeah, at least, yeah.
08:19
My entire car awareness as a person, okay?
08:23
Porsches have been expensive,
08:25
but they've been aspirational.
08:26
They've been the ones that are just out of reach.
08:29
Like if I dedicate myself, I could afford a 9-Eleven.
08:33
And they keep walking away from that market.
08:35
Now I understand they're chasing
08:36
where the money is, I get it.
08:39
Porsche sells all these 9-Elevens.
08:42
The GT3 exists because it is
08:44
the hardcore 9-Eleven designed for track.
08:47
That was the reason that the GT3 moniker
08:50
got established for 9-Elevens
08:52
and we've driven the GT3s and they're very cool.
08:54
And if you're buying a track car and you have the money,
08:56
it's just buy a GT3.
08:58
GT3 for class racing rules to meet the rules
09:00
that teams could ostensibly buy.
09:02
And then Porsche went, huh,
09:03
maybe other people would just like to buy this
09:05
and drive around on the street.
09:06
And if, so seriously, they're right.
09:08
If you are buying a car
09:11
to take to the race track,
09:12
you wanna drive it on roads
09:14
and you wanna take it to the race track
09:15
and you have money, you just go buy a GT3.
09:17
I mean, even though I am not a huge,
09:19
like, evangelist of the 9-Eleven,
09:21
that's still the answer, okay?
09:22
We've driven them, they're brilliant, okay?
09:24
They litter track days all over Europe.
09:27
They litter track days for hooked on driving
09:29
because they are brilliant, okay?
09:31
But now you take the GT3, the hardcore version
09:36
and you from there make a,
09:38
well, what if I don't wanna drive it on track?
09:40
Well, first off, I gotta stop you.
09:42
It's the track car.
09:43
The GT3 exists to be the track car.
09:46
What if I wanna buy a GT3
09:48
because essentially I'm preening,
09:50
I'm peacocking all over the place
09:51
but I don't wanna drive it on track?
09:53
Well, then we'll make you a GT3 touring.
09:56
And then while everybody is buying the GT cars
09:59
because essentially that's bragging rights,
10:00
why don't we make a GT3 convertible?
10:03
We have lost our way into a sea of people
10:06
that are just buying the brand like Ferrari.
10:09
And I know that I'm getting heated.
10:12
I know that Ferrari has done this forever successfully
10:16
and I also know to Porsche's credit,
10:18
this is where the big money is.
10:19
True, you go where the money's at.
10:21
But I look at this and I just go,
10:23
you're walking away from what you've been.
10:26
I think about all those ads in the 80s
10:28
and all the ads in the 80s,
10:28
the black and white ones with the sexual innuendo
10:31
and the cars that are airborne and that kind of stuff.
10:33
Porsche was going, you like to drive,
10:36
come drive our cars.
10:38
And they're going, you'd like to show off,
10:40
we'll sell you the track car that's been softened
10:42
from a track car and given a convertible,
10:44
but you get to say GT3.
10:46
Oh, and by the way, $300,000.
10:50
If I have $300,000, I am not buying a 911.
10:55
With the possible exception
10:57
of I'm only buying a GT3 for actual tracking.
10:59
I was gonna say I'd buy a GT3 for track use,
11:02
But the reality is $300,000 for a peacocking car,
11:05
you're not buying a 911.
11:07
I'll buy a used McLaren.
11:08
I'll buy a used Ferrari.
11:11
Two of something or four of something.
11:14
Yes, I'll pull up in my Amira very happily
11:16
and have cash on the table for a bunch of other cars.
11:19
And please don't misunderstand me.
11:21
I am not claiming that my Amira drives better
11:25
I'm not claiming it's the best car ever.
11:27
It was wildly expensive.
11:29
I can't believe I own $100,000 automobile.
11:33
But I also don't think
11:35
that the average person spending three times that
11:39
on a convertible track car, okay?
11:42
Convertible track car.
11:43
All right, that's what you did.
11:45
You bought a convertible track car.
11:47
No one in history has designed a track car
11:49
and go, let's make it convertible.
11:52
They wanna make a hard top for all the reasons, okay?
11:55
For all the track driving, so convertible track car.
11:58
The person buying the convertible track car
12:00
is not having a better time than I am in my Amira.
12:04
And I wanna argue that it doesn't drive better.
12:08
Different, yes, better.
12:11
Depends on your taste.
12:12
I mean, you could argue.
12:13
Depends on your taste, absolutely.
12:14
And I am a mid-engine guy, for sure.
12:17
One could argue that a Miata is a convertible track car.
12:23
I mean, if that's what you were looking for,
12:24
a convertible track car, why spend $300,000?
12:29
Miata still, still is the answer.
12:33
Convertible track car.
12:34
And if you really are gonna track your Miata,
12:36
you're gonna put a cage in it
12:37
to take the structural rigidity and convertible away.
12:39
And if you put a cage in this, why not buy a GT3?
12:44
I have read in multiple places
12:46
that GT3s are primarily street-driven.
12:50
Of course they are.
12:52
Because look how, whatever, finish that sentence.
12:57
Fast I Am, cool-looking I Am,
12:58
how much money I have, finish the sentence.
13:00
There is a huge contingent of buyers
13:02
and also people that do media in LA
13:06
that brag about buying a GT3 RS,
13:09
the most track-y of the track cars to take to coffee.
13:17
And Porsche's leaning in
13:19
because they need the money and I get it.
13:20
And your customers are there-
13:21
Oh, they need the money.
13:22
And those guys have money and I get it.
13:25
It is just becoming a bragging rights brand.
13:27
And it makes me sad because I look at Porsche as,
13:30
literally I look at Porsche as the every man's exotic car
13:34
that can run with anybody.
13:36
And now it's just becoming another exotic car brand.
13:39
$300,000 for your track convertible is absurd.
13:44
And that's just to begin with.
13:47
It's interesting about your point
13:48
how people associate with the brand.
13:51
How do brands get there over time?
13:54
Because I suppose Mazda's up there
13:58
but you're enthusiast driver or you're tracking it.
14:02
It's not, you're not buying the Mazda jacket
14:04
to show off like Mazda.
14:07
No, you probably have the car
14:08
and you're not buying the Mazda shoes
14:10
and the Mazda shot glasses
14:11
and going to Mazda world and-
14:15
Mazda world in Dubai.
14:17
It's Zoom, Zoom world, Paul.
14:19
We're gonna bring back Zoom, Zoom for there.
14:21
I mean, that doesn't exist.
14:23
Over here at Ferrari because they are so expensive.
14:25
And so on one hand, I'm coin operated.
14:28
I see, you go where the money's at.
14:30
Any good business, you go where the money's at
14:33
and that earns you dollars.
14:35
I totally get that.
14:36
But on the other hand, I am in full agreement.
14:40
Wait, why is just a regular Carrera II convertible
14:48
Because you're gonna be doing the same kind
14:49
of driving with that car as you are with this car.
14:51
It's going to be on the street.
14:53
And all the published photos
14:56
are on the street from Porsche.
14:57
Of course they are.
14:58
They're not on a racetrack.
14:59
Even though it's a track car.
15:03
But they're not going to take the photo of the convertible.
15:04
And if you put a cage in this to put it on track.
15:08
And the stakes were made.
15:09
You could have just, now here's the only,
15:12
and I can't believe I'm saying this,
15:13
here's the only potential argument for this car.
15:16
To this point, Porsche has now decided
15:19
that the only way to get a manual transmission 911
15:21
is you buy the Carrera T, which doesn't,
15:23
or actually does come convertible now, doesn't it?
15:26
The T does convert, yes it does.
15:29
So you decided you don't want the T convertible.
15:32
Well it didn't cost enough money.
15:34
So you end up jumping here.
15:36
Because they aren't offering the Carrera S or GTS
15:39
in convertible form with a manual.
15:43
So you want to suggest that you like to drive
15:44
and you want a manual.
15:46
But the Carrera T isn't high enough in the lineup for you.
15:50
To me, this has to do with the art world
15:53
and photographers whom we've noted
15:54
who've created false demand.
15:56
It's not false demand.
15:57
They create their own demand.
15:58
They just say, this is what we're charging
16:00
and you have to deal with it.
16:00
Yeah, it's just, they've created the demand
16:03
kind of out of nowhere,
16:05
even though it's built up over the years.
16:08
And Porsche kind of used to do that,
16:10
that the reason their cars got so good
16:12
was because they continually tracked
16:13
and customers did take them to track.
16:14
They were a winning machine, I mean they are.
16:16
But then people started to buy it
16:19
to be associated with that glory,
16:22
that money, that expertise,
16:26
that build quality, name a reason.
16:28
And I mean, I'm right there.
16:29
I admit, I wouldn't buy this car though.
16:33
Well, I mean, I admit to being a Lotus fan,
16:36
but what I identify myself as a Lotus fan,
16:39
that is problematic because am I identifying myself
16:42
with racing heritage that no longer exists?
16:45
Am I identifying myself with a brand
16:46
that's known to have cars that are broken?
16:48
What am I identifying myself with?
16:50
I like how they drive.
16:51
I like how they look.
16:52
You're buying what's good.
16:53
I like what speaks to me as a driver.
16:56
I don't think that the 911 GT,
16:58
trying to land the plane here,
16:59
I don't think the 911 GT3 convertible exists
17:03
because it's the best thing to drive.
17:05
It exists because people want to buy the GT track car,
17:09
but I'd like it softer please,
17:10
mistake one, and convertible while you're at it.
17:13
And by the way, $300,000.
17:17
It will drive well.
17:20
Please don't misunderstand me.
17:21
It's gonna drive well.
17:22
It's gonna drive great.
17:23
But really, this is where we are.
17:25
Lamborghini does it, Porsche does it.
17:27
The ferrariification of Porsche is where we are.
17:30
And it makes me a little bit sad.
17:33
Okay, Porsche, what you need is to bring the Cayman back,
17:36
Cayman and Boxster,
17:37
and maybe something right underneath that's aspirational.
17:40
And it's, see, that would be key.
17:41
Crazy light, my Miata light.
17:45
Okay, 500 pounds heavier than a Miata.
17:47
I'll give you that.
17:49
What's the new Porsche 550?
17:54
You can't load it out.
17:56
There's no such thing as stitching.
18:01
You can't order stitching on this car.
18:03
The seats are sewn together with something.
18:05
But alternating stitching is not a thing we're doing here.
18:07
You don't even offer that.
18:09
And that becomes, wow.
18:10
And I mean, they've kind of done it
18:12
with a make series with the flat four engine.
18:17
Not a GT class racing series.
18:19
It's great, but something just for,
18:21
you want to do this, you buy the Cayman and Boxster,
18:24
It's where the 924 and the 44
18:27
existed in the lineup forever ago.
18:28
What are the entry-level Porsches?
18:30
And the entry-level Porsches are now the Cayman
18:32
and Boxster at 100 grand, is entry-level.
18:34
So where is the one at 50, 60?
18:36
We gotta go underneath that.
18:37
But does it now degrade the Porsche brand
18:39
that's so aspirational?
18:40
See, this is the problem.
18:41
If, mm, it depends on the perception
18:44
that they want to chase.
18:45
And I think this is the buyer they want to chase.
18:47
They want to chase the Ferrari buyer,
18:49
not the enthusiast buyer.
18:51
And I will admit, as we see, every one of these,
18:54
you know, multi-million dollar bespoke hypercars,
18:57
this is where the money is.
18:59
This is where the margin is.
19:00
But Porsche's always been pretty good with margins.
19:03
Even on their, quote-unquote, less expensive cars.
19:06
I would just like them to do a salvo for the everyman,
19:11
to keep a foot in that world.
19:13
I think we're gone.
19:15
Moving on to news from Rivian.
19:17
It was only like 30 minutes of another rant on Porsche.
19:20
I'm sorry, I got carried away.
19:22
Rivian, if you don't know, the R2 is coming out.
19:24
We're excited to drive that.
19:26
But our friend, Jordan Schieffer,
19:28
told us about the Block Party.
19:30
It's on rivian.com.
19:31
They are having a Block Party nationwide in the U.S.,
19:34
Venice, Denver, Chicago, Long Island, Atlanta,
19:37
Miami, Palo Alto, and Nashville,
19:39
to introduce the new R2 to people, to the people.
19:45
It's come have food, hear music, hang out.
19:47
But the premise here is you need to see this car in real life.
19:52
But there's no driving.
19:53
It feels like what most brands do for journalists
19:58
at a car show, where we get into the car show
20:00
before everybody else does and all the cars are open
20:03
and you can sit in them and you can open all the doors,
20:04
you can try all the stuff.
20:05
And then when it's public days,
20:07
they put it behind the velvet ropes
20:08
or they lock the car or whatever.
20:09
They get accessible.
20:10
This is what they're doing.
20:11
They're gonna have it there, essentially sitting open
20:13
because it's electric, it can be all lit up,
20:15
everything can, you can play with the menus,
20:18
climb in it, see it in real life,
20:19
see it in real sunlight, clouds, whatever.
20:24
You can't drive it.
20:26
But also, we're headed so much toward cars,
20:29
especially electric cars, being experience-based,
20:31
that as long as it drives properly, it doesn't matter.
20:35
Car companies have done the short test drive thing
20:38
at car shows, you can sign up for the drive.
20:40
I don't know that it really tells you too much
20:42
plus the drive is super short
20:43
because so many people sign up and it's around the block
20:46
and you don't really get to experience it.
20:48
But this just seems to be putting it out
20:50
in front of people, which I love.
20:52
And the reason we bring this up is because
20:54
I think a lot of other car companies could learn
20:56
from this business model.
20:57
It still feels start-up-y.
21:00
It still feels kind of, you know, the hip and cool,
21:03
you know, oh, they're doing different stuff.
21:05
But can you imagine Volkswagen doing this
21:07
with the next golf?
21:09
It's a good idea, yeah.
21:10
Volkswagen should pay attention.
21:11
A ton of other car companies.
21:12
I mean, I think they kind of did with the Buzz,
21:14
the ID Buzz van, they kind of had a few roll-out events
21:17
and there was the car show thing,
21:18
but even that took way too long from the time
21:21
everybody saw it to it's finally available.
21:23
It was just like, we're so past it now.
21:26
This is, in the news, it's ready to go.
21:30
It's fresh, it actually will get updates spring 2027
21:33
as well for self-driving, but put it in front of people.
21:38
You're touching on another thing
21:39
that has grown worse over the time we've been doing this job
21:44
and that is the lag time between big flashy announcement
21:47
and I can go buy one.
21:50
Yes, yes, many, many things.
21:53
I feel like car makers need to reduce that lag time
21:56
and I think one of the reasons it happened
21:57
is because what car makers don't want to have happened
21:59
is they don't want to get scooped.
22:01
They don't want to get the leak of the new whatever.
22:04
They want to be ahead of the leak
22:05
so they put the information out much, much further out
22:08
so somebody doesn't leak new photos of the whatever
22:11
because it's actually going down the assembly line.
22:12
That's why it's happened.
22:14
But the downside to it is the fact that the new Z car,
22:18
great example, people are all excited about a car a year
22:21
before it might even show up at their local dealer.
22:23
A year before they'll see it in an auto show.
22:26
And in Rivian's case, I'm not saying
22:28
that they've perfected it here,
22:29
but they've at least reduced the lag time.
22:32
They're saying this exists at a time
22:34
when you can go order it.
22:36
Even if you haven't driven it,
22:37
you could go try to purchase one now.
22:40
And I think we have to reduce that lag time
22:42
because that'll actually sell cars.
22:44
You know, on the other hand,
22:45
Scout has just announced they're going to increase the time
22:47
for their new truck to 2030
22:49
before we even get to see the new truck.
22:52
I have a buddy who is on the list for Scout.
22:55
At the last time we talked about Scout,
22:57
he just wrote me privately a text message and said,
22:59
am I ever getting a Scout?
23:01
And I was like, buddy, I don't know, man,
23:02
it does not look good.
23:05
Maybe they'll do the forward thing.
23:06
We send you a hammock.
23:08
Remember the Bronco?
23:09
The Bronco got so delayed,
23:10
they started sending people accessories.
23:12
A flag, a hammock, a map.
23:14
Like, could I have a car, please?
23:16
Your Bronco's coming.
23:19
Another hammock to dream about your Bronco.
23:22
We had a follower of the show,
23:24
actually one of our patrons sent us a photo
23:26
of like all the kitschy gear he was set
23:28
before his truck showed up.
23:29
And the crazy thing is, it was a lot of gear.
23:31
The crazy thing is he liked his Bronco enough,
23:33
but he ended up having it like six months
23:35
and he was like, I'm done.
23:37
Got a great hammock out of it.
23:39
He did get a really nice hammock.
23:40
Anyway, branded hammocks are where it is.
23:42
News from Ford, they have shattered
23:46
the production car ring record.
23:50
Once again, it's been a giant contest between
23:56
Porsches in there, but it's Corvette and Ford.
23:58
It's Chevy and Ford with the Corvette ZR1X
24:02
and the Ford Mustang GTD now announced
24:04
as a special edition GTD competition.
24:07
The competition version, which here it is.
24:09
They haven't been clear about what is different,
24:11
but it's supposed to be lighter components throughout
24:14
and more aero and a little bit more out of the engine,
24:16
which was already like 815 horsepower.
24:18
So they've cranked everything up
24:21
and they're going to sell even more limited.
24:24
The GTD was not like available as a dealer near you.
24:26
They were hard to get already.
24:27
This is the even more hard to get,
24:30
more rare version of the GTD, the competition.
24:32
They are going to sell it to the public,
24:34
but we're down to 640 now.
24:36
Six minutes and 40 seconds,
24:38
which is like nine, almost 10 seconds faster
24:43
than the ZR1X, which two sides of the equation.
24:47
One, we're down into the bleeding cutting edge
24:51
The only thing faster than this is the Mercedes one.
24:54
Okay, this has surpassed the Manti Racing 911 GT3.
24:58
It's better than the Corvette.
24:59
This is the production light.
25:01
And here's the thing.
25:02
How many Mercedes ones are they going to make?
25:05
I have one of two Mercedes ones.
25:06
It's probably about what it's going to be like.
25:07
And they're all going to sit in some chic collection
25:10
and never ever move.
25:11
Right, but corner getting dusty.
25:13
So this theoretically, and this,
25:14
look, I'll go the other side.
25:16
It was just coming down on Porsche.
25:18
You can go buy a piece of this
25:20
by buying a base Mustang as crazy as it is.
25:25
But this will be a $300,000 to $400,000 Mustang.
25:29
But it did do 10 seconds faster.
25:31
And here's the thing you have to understand about the ring.
25:33
The ring is so long.
25:35
You and I are not like ring record drivers by any means,
25:37
but we've driven it a lot.
25:39
A small screw up is seconds difference in your lap.
25:45
So while 10 seconds on any normal racetrack
25:49
is like, was somebody asleep in the pit?
25:51
10 seconds on the ring is,
25:54
you can swing 10 seconds in the same car
25:56
on the same day with the same driver.
25:59
It's not hard to have a 10-second swing on the ring,
26:02
but this is more than 10 seconds faster
26:05
than their last record,
26:06
and truly they have taken it from Corvette.
26:08
So what does Corvette do now?
26:11
If Corvette surpasses the Mercedes record,
26:14
then Mercedes is gonna be like, oh.
26:18
We gotta put jets on our car now.
26:21
But then we're getting into the,
26:22
you're right, the bleeding edge of physics.
26:26
This ring record was set by the Ford Racing
26:29
and Multimatic driver, Dirk Muller,
26:31
who did the faster, he broke his own ring time.
26:36
Yeah, yeah, nine or 10 or 11 seconds,
26:37
somewhere in there.
26:38
But I just read Ford Racing Engineer, Steve Thompson,
26:41
drove this car to a time of 649,
26:46
faster than Dirk's original time.
26:48
Because this time, this car is faster, sure.
26:50
Okay, all right, so somebody else
26:52
still got faster times out of it.
26:53
He's a racing engineer,
26:55
and he has driven the ring fewer than 40 laps.
26:59
Now, we don't know what SimTime he's had.
27:02
Still though, but that does suggest
27:04
how really impressive this car is.
27:06
Yes, monumentally impressive,
27:07
and not to take away anything from Steve,
27:09
because I'm sure he's an incredibly fast driver.
27:12
I mean, obviously he is,
27:12
but a racing engineer with fewer than 40 laps
27:15
now doing a 649 with this car.
27:18
Under seven minute ring time, yes.
27:20
Right, and a true racing driver
27:22
doing nine seconds better than that.
27:24
Well, as I've said before,
27:25
what is a true master of the ring racing driver
27:30
That's the thing they haven't done yet.
27:32
True, they haven't done a ring master race driver
27:37
And I bet you, I've said before
27:39
that I think there's 10 seconds left in the vet.
27:42
I bet you there's every bit of four or five.
27:44
If they wanna beat this, there is.
27:45
Well, yes, but I'm saying,
27:46
even without making the special competition version
27:47
of the ZR1X, I'm just saying race driver,
27:50
I bet you finds five to 10 without,
27:53
I mean, not without trying.
27:54
There'll be lots of trying,
27:55
but these guys that know the ring,
27:58
it's amazing how good they are.
28:01
Yeah, I'm fascinated by this.
28:02
So yes, hardware updates,
28:04
aggressive tuning for more power,
28:05
rear wing mods, secondary front dive planes,
28:08
rear carbon fiber arrow to increase total downforce.
28:12
They don't say what the tires are,
28:13
new high performance tires,
28:14
new magnesium wheels, new carbon bucket seats.
28:17
And you'll see they're doing the Manti racing thing
28:19
with the carbon arrow discs on the rear wheels.
28:21
They probably went, huh,
28:23
Manti's onto something over here.
28:24
So let's investigate what they're doing.
28:26
One arrow for certain.
28:27
And other unnamed weight-shaving activities.
28:32
But what's crazy to me,
28:34
the third fastest car around the ring
28:38
is their own GT, the Ford GT Mark IV.
28:42
So a Mustang is quicker than a GT.
28:46
Yeah, because they just had that happen of late.
28:48
Yeah, like, a brick is faster.
28:52
A brick is faster than a midi to supercar, fair point.
28:54
This supercar sports car that should be like,
28:57
wow, that's the quickest, fastest thing.
28:59
Nope, the heavier Mustang is faster.
29:02
Because arrow, I mean, that's where the,
29:05
yeah, add a little bit of power,
29:06
but that's what Porsche discovered with the 911.
29:08
Let's work on arrow, which leads me to think,
29:11
like my prior conversation,
29:13
I'm wondering about arrow being the future that,
29:17
I mean, they're all discovering it here.
29:18
So now Corvette's got to show up with,
29:21
Wings, and I don't turn the wings upside down
29:24
and really stick it to the pavement.
29:30
And I'm not taking anything away
29:33
from the Corvette development drivers.
29:35
I'm not taking it because they are super fast
29:37
But just somebody, one of those guys
29:39
that is just one of the ring kings in a vet,
29:43
I'm certain they'd go faster.
29:45
You know it's coming.
29:46
So, see, we welcome the ongoing wars for,
29:50
and it's not relevant.
29:52
It's fascinating, but it's not, not relevant.
29:54
Well, I guess that's a question.
29:55
Does any of this sell more cars?
29:59
Do you buy, do we all think,
30:02
this, the Corvette is probably gonna beat it
30:05
because Corvette's going, all right,
30:07
or both companies were sandbagging,
30:09
just sort of like inching up to like,
30:11
okay, Corvette takes it, Ford's like, uh-huh.
30:18
We're gonna finish October fast and we'll be back.
30:21
And then they surpass Mercedes,
30:22
Mercedes jumps back in and then they make a class,
30:26
go faster than all of them or something.
30:28
To your question though,
30:29
do they sell more Mustang GTs
30:33
because they have a ring record in the GTD competition?
30:36
Because you said, if you buy Mustang,
30:38
you got a little piece of this.
30:39
Does it translate to sales?
30:41
That's what they're gonna try to push for.
30:43
Do Corvette sales suddenly dip
30:44
because the Mustang GT competition,
30:46
special edition just went a little bit faster
30:47
and then, oh, this beats it.
30:49
And like, oh, Corvette sales went up.
30:51
I think there's a contingent of the market that cares,
30:54
but I think it is small.
30:55
I think it's very small, yeah.
30:57
So what they need here is a convertible for,
31:01
I didn't think you'd go there.
31:03
Okay, the convertible GT competition,
31:06
the wing doesn't help you much anymore,
31:07
but the top goes down.
31:08
I don't know what you screw the wing to anymore, but,
31:11
but the top goes down, it's slightly heavier
31:13
and you can power available for $400,000.
31:17
Add a hundred grand to that maybe.
31:19
Right, the half million dollar GTD competition SC.
31:23
Ford, are you listening?
31:24
That's where the money's at.
31:26
This does the ring time and now chop the top.
31:28
You make it convertible.
31:32
It's a brave new world.
31:34
Kayak gets my flight, hotel and rental car right.
31:37
So I can tune out travel advice that's just plain wrong.
31:41
Bro, sky coin, way better than points.
31:44
Never fly during a Scorpio full moon.
31:47
Just tell the manager you'll sue.
31:49
Instant room upgrade.
31:51
Stop taking bad travel advice.
31:53
Start comparing hundreds of sites with Kayak
31:55
and get your trip right.
31:57
Kayak, got that right.
32:02
Griot's Garage is our official car care partner
32:05
and one of the first ever sponsors of our show.
32:07
They don't just make great car care products.
32:10
They want you to get out and drive.
32:11
Griot's is a family owned company
32:13
and they've been a part of every one of our road trips.
32:15
We always take speed shine on every shoot,
32:17
helping us spot clean cars in a moment's notice.
32:20
Griot's Foaming Glass Cleaner is the quickest
32:22
and best way we've ever found to get windows clean
32:24
before a big day of driving.
32:26
Griot's is always releasing new and improved products
32:28
like their updated wash bucket too.
32:31
Plus, all of Griot's liquid products
32:32
are 100% guaranteed and made right here in the US.
32:36
The Griot's folks are always happy
32:37
to answer any questions you have
32:38
and make sure you get the right product
32:40
and the right results.
32:41
So get the best quality car care products out there
32:44
from a company that has always supported this show.
32:47
Our audience can always get at least 10% off
32:49
by using the code driver10 at griotsgarage.com.
32:54
I know you're not surprised to hear this
32:56
but there are track days coming up with Hooked On Driving.
32:58
We're very excited.
32:58
The entire country is activated right now.
33:01
All of the regions have got like major days
33:04
Spring driving season is here.
33:06
Ridge Motorsports Park, that's a Pacific Northwest.
33:08
That is happening on Friday, May 1st
33:10
and Saturday, May 2nd.
33:11
So that's very cool.
33:12
The Northeast, opposite side of the country
33:14
is doing the exact same weekend.
33:16
Essentially, Pocono Raceway is doing
33:18
May 2nd and Sunday, May 3rd.
33:21
Of course, at the end of May, we are still doing.
33:23
We haven't canceled it because it's full.
33:26
Coda, circuit of the Americas.
33:27
We're gonna be there for two days.
33:28
Hundreds and I think it's like
33:30
better part of 300 people are gonna be there both days.
33:32
Now, we keep the actual numbers of people on track
33:35
low enough that it's not gonna be super busy on track.
33:37
But just with the people that are on track,
33:39
which the groups are full,
33:40
the people that are coming,
33:41
we had a conversation just this past week
33:43
with some folks from our patrons that are in the area
33:46
that are just gonna come out and hang out.
33:47
Because of course you should.
33:48
Coda's really cool.
33:50
So it's gonna be probably 300 plus people there.
33:52
We're gonna do a podcast that night.
33:53
So come out May 30th, 31st in Austin, Texas.
33:56
Saturday, Sunday at Coda.
33:58
And we have that one lingering space available
34:03
We will put you in a Mustang GTD competition.
34:07
I was gonna try to tempt everybody.
34:09
We'll put you in a competition.
34:12
Everybody's getting the GTD competition Mustang to drive.
34:19
No, there will be excellent coaching.
34:20
There will be a variety of cars.
34:22
And who wants the last slot?
34:24
Yes, well, but here,
34:25
you know, while we're talking about the ring and spa,
34:27
you know, I will say this,
34:28
putting the ring in perspective, okay?
34:31
We're talking about sub seven minute lap times.
34:35
I need all of you listening to understand,
34:38
you take a competent driver in a fast car
34:42
and they will struggle to break eight.
34:47
We're talking below seven for these hypercarves.
34:50
There was a van at 10.
34:54
Nines are something we're proud of.
34:56
That's so key because the people that come with us,
34:58
what we tell people to expect,
35:00
if you come with us
35:02
and you're doing your first laps on the ring,
35:03
I don't care how many times you've done it on the sim,
35:06
10 minutes is about what you should expect.
35:08
You're going to be gone for 10 minutes
35:10
and you got a lap done.
35:11
Watch your fuel gauge.
35:13
You go out for two laps,
35:14
your fuel's probably gone
35:16
and you've been gone a half hour, okay?
35:18
It takes a while because that track is so much.
35:20
So we're talking, we keep joking
35:21
about these less than seven minute lap times.
35:23
You've got to recalibrate.
35:25
you do a nine on the ring.
35:31
And we're all sitting here laughing like nine.
35:33
We're doing less than sevens.
35:36
Eights are very fast.
35:37
Sevens are pro driver level.
35:39
And under seven is, well, I guess you're a race engineer.
35:42
You're an astronaut.
35:43
Yeah, we're a race engineer.
35:45
I guess that's more true, yeah.
35:47
So you're saying with Hilton Honors,
35:49
I can use points for a free night stay anywhere?
35:53
What about fancy places like the Canopy in Paris?
35:56
Hilton Honors, baby.
35:57
Or relaxing sanctuaries like the Conrad in Tulum.
36:01
Hilton Honors, baby.
36:03
What about the five-star Waldorf Astoria
36:06
Are you going to do this for all 9,000 properties?
36:09
When you want points that can take you anywhere, anytime,
36:12
it matters where you stay.
36:14
Hilton, for the stay.
36:15
Book your spring break now.
36:18
Hey, let's do some car debates.
36:20
That sounds like fun.
36:21
We've got three of them to do.
36:22
We're going to start with Logan.
36:23
Logan writes to us on behalf of a friend
36:26
who is going through an identity crisis.
36:29
Logan is this secretly.
36:31
Yeah, is this friend also known as you?
36:33
I'm guessing not, but he never told us his name.
36:36
Logan's friend is the current owner of a 2025 Audi RS3
36:41
and an E46 gutted track-only car.
36:45
Lives very near to the Taylor Dragon,
36:47
which we have discovered we love.
36:50
He frequents Taylor Dragon.
36:52
He doesn't get the E46 to the track as much as he would like
36:54
and doesn't enjoy the RS3 in the mountain back roads
36:56
quite as much as his prior FL5 Civic Type R.
37:00
So the current Civic Type R doesn't enjoy that
37:03
as he used that as a daily.
37:05
He loves the RS3 for daily comfort and it's an automatic,
37:09
but he could not stand the Civic manual transmission
37:11
in daily traffic, so hence the swap.
37:14
We're talking about E46 track-prepped car gutted,
37:17
which tells me probably might only have one seat.
37:20
I don't know if he went that far,
37:21
but we're talking cage, we're talking belts,
37:23
we're talking a serious car
37:25
you don't want to drive on the road.
37:26
So that's not a car he wants to take Taylor Dragon.
37:29
He wants to take it to the track,
37:31
but he doesn't really go to the track.
37:32
So that means he has a daily that needs to be fun,
37:34
but the daily needs to be auto,
37:37
because when he had, I mean the current gen,
37:40
Civic Type R, we love it, the FL5 is awesome,
37:43
but it is manual only.
37:44
He loved that on Taylor the Dragon
37:46
and all of his fun driving and hated it as a commuter.
37:49
So the RS3 is the daily compromise.
37:52
It's still kind of fun on back roads,
37:55
but I can sit in traffic in it.
37:57
Then he has the E46.
37:59
The dilemma is the RS3 is not fun enough.
38:03
Logan's friend's options are,
38:06
keep the RS3, sell the E46 by a back road,
38:08
like track duty car for about $40 to $45,000.
38:12
The considerations are another Civic Type R,
38:16
a GR86, 981 generation Cayman S.
38:19
He doesn't like how small the cabin is
38:21
on a Miata or a Supra.
38:23
And any of these would eventually
38:25
be modified more for track duty,
38:27
except Logan, your friend,
38:30
isn't getting to the track anymore.
38:31
It has a gutted E46 track car.
38:35
So when you say it's gonna inch towards track mods,
38:39
you don't use the one you got now.
38:42
What I hear is he's going to modify
38:43
the fun car full stop, it's gonna get modified.
38:46
But you gotta stop short of,
38:48
now this isn't good on the street anymore.
38:50
So it can be better for track,
38:51
but it's gotta stay streetable.
38:53
That's what he has now.
38:54
He has that recipe right now.
38:56
It sounds like he's gone too far into tracking.
38:59
His wife will not allow a single do-it-all car.
39:04
So what I hear is she wants a car
39:06
that when she rides with this, I'm reading in.
39:08
I don't know, I have no idea.
39:09
Plus we're talking about Logan's friend's wife,
39:11
so I really am out on a limb.
39:12
But what I'm sensing here is
39:15
his wife wants a car she can ride in
39:18
with him for fun drives
39:20
that isn't a full crazy modified thing.
39:24
He can do crazy full modified thing,
39:27
but she's not getting in it.
39:28
So what does he have that she can actually ride along in?
39:32
That's where I think that no single do-it-all car thing
39:36
The alternative option is,
39:37
and he doesn't like this as much,
39:38
sell the RS3 and the E46,
39:42
get an economical fun daily
39:43
and then a larger budget for the fun back road car.
39:45
That is the alternate.
39:47
But a GTI is suggested right here.
39:49
But Logan's friend has already owned a 2010 GTI
39:54
And the Type R that he's considering getting again.
39:58
Right, he's had one.
39:59
So what if I got another Golf?
40:01
Well, that would be your third.
40:03
Another thing like I had that I got rid of.
40:05
Right, and if we go back to a Civic Type R,
40:07
because you liked it better, you've already had it.
40:10
It sounds like keeping the RS3 is on the table.
40:13
We don't have to sell it
40:15
because it's great for the daily.
40:16
It's just not so great on tail
40:18
or as great as other cars.
40:19
It seems like he has found the right car
40:22
for the daily commute.
40:24
It's fun, but it does the daily commute thing.
40:28
Which means, okay, keep the RS3.
40:30
And you said 40 to 45,000 if you sell the E46
40:35
for a light duty track car, back road car.
40:38
But I think you're leaning more, Logan's friend,
40:40
to the back road kind of car
40:42
rather than more heavy duty tracks.
40:43
But maybe you could still track.
40:45
I mean, you could theoretically track any cars.
40:48
Some cars are better at it than others.
40:50
I went in a lot of different places here.
40:52
Logan's friend, I'm showing the R53 Mini Cooper S
40:56
because you can get one of these,
40:57
a really nice one for five or $6,000.
40:59
You can get kind of like a lot of miles
41:01
for about four grand.
41:03
We've kind of accidentally become
41:04
the mini podcast of late.
41:05
When I bought my sons for no money.
41:08
The second one I've owned.
41:10
I bought my sons for no money
41:11
and you and I both drive it with,
41:12
these are great and they cost nothing.
41:14
And now we're like, what are minis again?
41:15
Everybody's like, let's go buy cheap minis.
41:18
Sorry, go on, go on.
41:19
It doesn't all quite make sense yet.
41:22
But I thought, what if you sold the RS3
41:25
and you want something fun to commute in?
41:26
I mean, it's fun on tail of the dragon,
41:28
but what if this is the cheap $5,000 commuter,
41:32
still manual, so not quite there.
41:37
And I was also thinking, what if it's a Fiesta ST?
41:39
So the Mini Cooper, the R53 and the Fiesta ST,
41:43
those are the two like we're pushing right now.
41:47
No one's paying us,
41:48
but we are at the pattern.
41:49
The pattern is holding it.
41:50
Pushing these cars for some reason.
41:50
It's just because rediscovering them has been delightful.
41:54
Yeah, they're so great.
41:54
And then realizing like, really?
41:56
How much are they again?
41:57
How cheap are those?
41:57
Yeah, shouldn't I buy one?
41:59
And then you did and there was like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
42:03
My son is totally obsessed with his car,
42:06
It really is great.
42:07
Maybe this doesn't fit because, all right,
42:08
let's say you keep the R53
42:11
and instead of the Civic Type R,
42:13
why don't you go a little bit more luxurious
42:15
and it helps your wife out,
42:17
even though the problem is these are still manual,
42:18
but what if the Audi stays as commute duty
42:23
and you get an Integra Type S,
42:24
so these are still great on track.
42:27
You can do the back road thing and they shine it back road,
42:31
but then it's kind of like two of the same thing,
42:34
one with an auto and one with a manual.
42:37
Same thing with the M2.
42:39
I'm showing the M2 CS because,
42:41
well, these are a little bit more expensive.
42:43
I mean, just a little bit.
42:44
This midget out of his budget, but keep going.
42:46
Tiny bit, I'm just working with ideas here.
42:48
Okay, keep the RS3, that's the daily,
42:51
and then you add the track capable
42:54
and back road focused fun car, yes.
42:57
Okay, yes, I like this.
42:59
What I'm trying to do, Logan's friend,
43:00
is not just do this circular,
43:02
like my car evolution has just been a wreath.
43:06
I'm gonna go back to stuff I owned already.
43:07
Golf, Civic Type R is BMW 46s.
43:10
We just keep going.
43:10
We're just gonna do an all out.
43:11
I've owned it long enough to forget how that one drove
43:14
and so I went back to him like, oh yeah.
43:15
It drives like this.
43:17
I'm trying to avoid.
43:18
I'm trying to get you out of the rut.
43:19
Okay, good, I like it.
43:21
The RS3 stays, all right?
43:23
So we look at the M2, the newer M2.
43:26
You could go look at an older M2,
43:27
but then it's kind of the same.
43:29
They both kind of do the same.
43:31
One's auto, one's manual.
43:35
I'm trying to get you two specifics here.
43:38
And now, not just a Cayman,
43:40
but the 987 Cayman R, which is delightful.
43:46
This could still work for track use.
43:49
They're designed for track use,
43:51
but also for a back road.
43:52
This shines like crazy, especially if you get the manual.
43:56
Isn't this like 70, though?
44:01
Aren't they 70 grand?
44:02
They're 70 grand, that's the problem.
44:06
It's a great car for his choices.
44:09
I also had the Cayman T from 2020.
44:15
Both of these are very specific
44:17
because I don't want you to just say,
44:18
okay, go get a Cayman and your problems will be solved.
44:20
I mean, maybe, but if you get the Cayman R
44:23
and the very lightweight sort of track focus,
44:25
back road focus, more sharp driving tool,
44:29
which are both of these cars,
44:31
maybe that will be the difference.
44:32
Because again, there's much tracking you should do.
44:34
You don't need to do anything to these cars.
44:37
I mean, change brake fluid, maybe better tires.
44:40
Look at your brake pads, do a self inspection.
44:42
Take both of these to the track.
44:44
You could still commute in this,
44:46
but you're not going to so you got the RS3
44:48
and the Cayman T, interesting manual.
44:52
It starts to get interesting
44:53
and it's not a stripped out E46 super track car.
44:58
Here is the Cayman R that I found.
45:05
They used to be $55,000 to $60,000 there
45:08
and not that anymore.
45:09
And this one is a PDK.
45:11
The PDK is actually brilliant on these cars
45:12
and it works very well.
45:13
And so maybe that's the tipping point
45:16
because for back roads and track use,
45:18
yeah, this would be really great,
45:19
but it's still, you know, just drive around town
45:22
but you've got the RS3.
45:24
So I'm trying to like force the...
45:28
You're trying to find two cars
45:30
that they're somehow got it.
45:32
Looking at these Cayman R's again,
45:33
makes me want one of these again.
45:35
They're expensive now.
45:38
But even with 35,000 miles, it's $71,300.
45:44
Are you an Elise buyer?
45:46
But then if the Miata and Super Interiors
45:50
you said is too small for you,
45:52
he's gonna peek inside the Lotus Elise interior
45:56
I mean, what's crazy is I fit in the Elise
45:58
and I do not fit in the Miata.
46:00
But if you're worried about cramped interiors,
46:03
the Elise is probably out.
46:04
You will have to learn the Lotus position
46:06
to get in and out properly without seeing a chiropractor.
46:09
But it can be done, taught as proof.
46:11
And I'm asking, are you an Elise person
46:13
because this is specialized, but it's not the,
46:17
it's so track car, all the parts.
46:19
You can take this to the track just like it is.
46:22
And back roads on Tail of the Dragon.
46:24
You've got the RS3.
46:26
I kinda want my Elise on Tail of the Dragon
46:28
now that you're bringing it out.
46:29
Manual Elise over here for tail.
46:31
And for some track driving.
46:33
Now we're a little bit more separated.
46:38
And these are 40 to 70,000 now, I think.
46:40
Which is crazy that that's the swath.
46:42
The ones with miles on them,
46:44
you can get them in the high 30s.
46:46
And the special ones with no miles,
46:48
you can get about 70.
46:49
So his budget's 40, 45.
46:50
So yes, is the answer.
46:51
Oh yeah, you could find a few.
46:52
Probably gonna be 05s, but yes.
46:54
Your wife is gonna continue to want to ride in the RS3.
46:57
She'll spend maybe eight minutes in this.
47:00
She'll probably look at it in the garage
47:01
and be like, you have fun, honey.
47:03
I don't even know if she gets in it.
47:04
She's probably like, mm-hmm.
47:08
The last choice is a crazy, crazy wild card.
47:12
But Logan's friend, I want you to be enamored with your car.
47:15
I want you to, the next thing you get,
47:16
because if we just revolve through E46s,
47:18
Golfs and Civic Type Rs,
47:19
and we're just kind of doing this over here
47:22
Where are we on the clock of those cars?
47:24
What else is there?
47:25
And I don't like super too small,
47:27
Z's too heavy and we just keep going around.
47:30
Let's try to break out just a little bit.
47:34
I found a 1991 Nissan Skyline GT-R with mods.
47:41
So maybe a little bit less than you thought, 87,000 miles.
47:46
But this is a special car.
47:48
It's JDM and it's, it's further over here.
47:52
It's RS3, commute, funnish, good.
47:56
But then this, it's different enough past a Cayman,
48:01
past a Lotus, it's way over here.
48:04
So this is right hand drive.
48:07
You can see the interior here.
48:08
It's got quite a lot of mods, but it's in top shape.
48:12
In no way do we suggest buying a car
48:15
with your headspace thinking.
48:16
This is going to go up in the future.
48:18
Don't buy it for that reason.
48:19
But this does have that potential.
48:21
So I'm just noting that this particular Skyline.
48:24
So in 1991, it's JDM.
48:26
So it's right hand drive, it's got mods on it,
48:30
but it's in really clean condition, top mods.
48:33
It's got a lot of power, all wheel drive, of course.
48:36
And it's different and special enough
48:39
where you're going to be in the headspace for this.
48:41
It's going to be track duty, back road duty.
48:44
And again, you don't have to do anything to this.
48:47
You have to throw parts at it to make it track worthy.
48:49
And then you're going to want to take it on back roads.
48:51
And so it's just, it's something different.
48:53
I want to break you out of the normal stuff.
48:55
It's just, I get it, I get it.
48:57
For me, that's what this represents.
48:58
It's just weird and not normal enough.
49:02
Well, it's, I mean, it's a known,
49:04
I mean, it's a known, it's a known awesome car
49:07
that is not typical.
49:08
Let's just get you away from all the stuff that you've lived with.
49:11
You've had two golfs.
49:12
You've had a civic type.
49:14
You've done all that stuff.
49:14
So what's different that's still light and still
49:18
because as soon as we go down the road of that
49:19
something else from BMW, heavier.
49:22
Mercedes are out of here.
49:24
I think you wouldn't.
49:26
I think you would easily dismiss those.
49:28
But this hopefully it's intriguing.
49:30
This is good stuff.
49:31
I'm going to give my, my ground rules for myself here.
49:34
Okay, because it seems that the RS3 is staying,
49:37
that it's the right car.
49:39
So the E46 goes away and I've read into it,
49:41
but I think the E46 is going away
49:43
because it got too far to tracking.
49:46
It can't be used on the street.
49:48
So it doesn't have a purpose anymore.
49:50
But what I'm hearing is this fun car
49:53
to live alongside the RS3,
49:56
I'm hearing that it's not going to say stock.
49:59
Besides not saying, staying stock,
50:01
you're going to do stuff to it to try to make it
50:03
better for track use.
50:06
And then if you don't take it to track, well true.
50:08
Spend a bunch of money for no reason.
50:10
But you could take a car and you could make it more
50:12
kind of track hard driving capable without making it
50:14
so track worthy that you don't want to take it
50:16
to tail the dragon anymore.
50:18
That's what's happened with the E46.
50:20
So I'm going to stay with the RS3.
50:22
I'm going to stay with this budget of 45 grand.
50:24
I'm going to walk through some of the suspects
50:25
you brought up and tell you pros and cons as I see them.
50:28
And then I'm going to give you a wild car
50:30
that I think is the answer.
50:32
The FL-5 Civic Type R, you've already owned one.
50:35
You have $45,000 to spend.
50:37
I have one on the screen right here right now,
50:40
a 2024 in my favorite color on the car,
50:43
which is that very bright blue.
50:47
This has just under 10,000 miles.
50:50
It is listed for 46,000 and change.
50:52
So 46,000 right on top of your budget.
50:54
Could you get this car?
50:57
But you've already had one.
50:58
And I hear that you want to make it more track worthy.
51:01
And I'm not sure what you do.
51:04
Honda's done a lot on this.
51:05
And I even dug into the forums a little bit.
51:08
And right now, people's conversation
51:09
what to do to this is minimal.
51:10
It's like, well, track fluid.
51:12
It's like changing tires and wheels.
51:14
It's minimal stuff.
51:15
There is not a lot to do to this
51:17
to make it more track worthy than it already is.
51:20
So don't get me wrong, it's brilliant.
51:22
You know that you owned one.
51:24
But you've already had it.
51:25
If you need to get something new and different
51:27
to your point, Paul, just keep buying the same thing.
51:29
Let's get something different for the fun back road car.
51:32
Maybe didn't get finished with the Type R.
51:35
Maybe sold it, now regrets it, and he's not done with it yet.
51:38
The other thing on the list here from you
51:40
was the 981 Cayman.
51:42
I'm showing one here.
51:43
I learned lots of stuff on autotempus.com today.
51:46
I found that a lot of the cars that you and I talk up
51:48
that are the known enthusiast highlight cars
51:52
have gotten more expensive.
51:53
Four to five grand across the board.
51:56
I don't think that's due to us talking about them.
51:58
But I'm just saying people are settling into.
52:01
I think it's because there's not more new different stuff
52:04
And these standbys of the last decade
52:07
that are truly great drivers cars
52:09
are bouncing a little bit in price.
52:11
Because $45,000, you're not getting an S.
52:15
This is a 2014 Porsche Cayman.
52:19
That's the 981 generation.
52:21
It is a very good car.
52:22
This is a gorgeous looking one in a nice spec.
52:24
Looks like they filmed it somewhere, Arizona, or something.
52:27
It's a Porsche Cayman Cayman.
52:29
This one's actually for sale here in Utah.
52:31
So this one is coming in right at $45,000 with 43,000
52:36
miles, but it is a base 981.
52:40
My problem with the Cayman for you though
52:42
is if you start A, tracking it, or B, modifying it,
52:45
it's going to be wildly expensive.
52:48
And you've blown your budget.
52:49
The great thing about Porsches
52:51
is how capable they are on the track.
52:53
The same is true with BMWs.
52:54
The downside is the amount of consumables you go through
52:57
can be catastrophic.
52:59
So if you're really going to track this, and God forbid
53:01
you're really going to tune this,
53:03
your base Cayman is going to be wildly more expensive
53:07
than you expected it to be.
53:08
So I think it may be out, which leads me
53:10
to the next obvious one you brought up.
53:12
The GR86, I'm showing a Hakone edition.
53:15
This one is still selling, even though it's used,
53:19
It's still listing it for $39,000.
53:22
So these are hanging on to some value.
53:24
Are you kidding me?
53:26
This is $39,000 used 10,000 miles on it.
53:30
And the ones like the one that we sold to Mike
53:31
that was our show car are still selling with miles
53:37
You can find the, here's the one you find less
53:39
are autos and in a color you don't want.
53:42
If you want a cool color, like the cool color we had,
53:45
and you want a manual, they're hovering around $30,000
53:48
right now, which is interesting.
53:49
So this is $39,000 for an 86.
53:51
Now, the 86 is a great platform for you to tune and play with.
53:56
You would love that.
53:57
You might not ever find it has enough power.
54:00
And the problem with these engines
54:01
is you start to put a lot of power through them,
54:03
and that's when they break.
54:04
Now, you would have plenty of power here for Tail of the Dragon.
54:09
And you can do stuff to this.
54:11
It's really good on consumables.
54:13
I think you would like all of that.
54:15
But my answer for you is none of these.
54:18
My answer for you, because these cars have not bounced
54:20
yet, and you can't believe what
54:21
you can get for your money, $45,000 in your pocket,
54:24
you need to buy yourself a Z car, the current Z.
54:28
I'm showing one right now with 141 miles.
54:31
This is a two-year-old, but technically a used car in yellow.
54:35
I also picked one in a color.
54:37
You get a boring color, and they get cheaper.
54:38
This is $46,000 right here.
54:40
141 miles, what's wrong with it?
54:42
141 miles, manual transmission.
54:45
This was bought and not driven, OK?
54:47
But the reason I'm bringing up the Z car
54:49
is because the Z car is mods away from brilliance.
54:55
If you buy one of the less expensive mods than Porsche mods.
55:00
And there's more for him to do.
55:03
If you put the same, here's the thing.
55:04
If you put the same kind of mods into this
55:07
that you would put into the 86, I
55:09
think you'd be have a more unique, interesting, faster
55:14
In Nismo form, it's right.
55:16
In performance form, it's not.
55:19
But you can get it in manual.
55:21
You can get it for your budget.
55:23
And then you can have that, world is open to you.
55:26
What would I like to do to this?
55:28
And you can make it yours.
55:29
And you can make it more of a great back road, barn
55:32
storming car without taking it full track car.
55:35
The engine's brilliant.
55:37
Yes, engine's got the gearboxes good.
55:40
The bones of this car are great,
55:42
but it is too soft in stock non-Nismo form.
55:46
But he wants to tune it anyway.
55:48
The answer for me, for you, Logan's friend,
55:51
and hopefully his wife would like it too.
55:53
But manual transmission, Nissan Z, current Z,
55:57
and then start playing.
55:58
And I think you'll find a car that most people don't have
56:01
that you can make yours.
56:04
Logan's friend, you have ideas
56:06
to get you out of the Cycle of Three series
56:08
and Type-Rs and Golfs.
56:09
We've hopefully broken you out a little bit
56:12
Your debate, everydaydriverTV at gmail.com.
56:16
This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company.
56:19
No matter how you do game day, on the couch, in the crowd,
56:22
or manning the snack table, athletic brewing fits right in.
56:25
With a full lineup of non-alcoholic beer styles,
56:28
you can enjoy bold flavors all game long.
56:31
No hangovers, no buzz, no subbing out for water
56:34
in the second half.
56:35
Stock the fridge for tip-off
56:36
with a variety of non-alcoholic craft styles
56:39
available at your local grocery store
56:40
or online at athleticbrewing.com.
56:43
Near beer, fit for all times.
56:46
If you own a European enthusiast car,
56:48
you need parts from FCP Euro.
56:50
Founded in 1986, this family company
56:52
is celebrating its 40th year serving DIY enthusiasts
56:56
and remains focused on giving you
56:57
a better ownership experience.
56:59
Every part you buy from FCP Euro
57:01
is guaranteed for the life of your car.
57:03
Plus they have a dedicated team of service advisors
57:06
to help you solve issues and complete jobs correctly
57:10
With fulfillment centers nationwide
57:11
and pre-built kits for common jobs,
57:13
there's no better place for genuine OE parts
57:15
for your European car.
57:16
And yes, even your Saab.
57:18
FCP Euro only sells products
57:20
they'd put on their own cars.
57:22
So find the right part for yours.
57:24
FCP Euro is a proud partner of everyday driver
57:27
and supporter of our road trip films.
57:29
Go to fcpuro.com today
57:31
to prepare for your own adventure.
57:34
Cardioby number two is Kevin writing in.
57:36
He has had almost as many cars as his age.
57:40
He's been an automotive tech for the past nine years.
57:42
He currently works for a company where he does
57:45
heavy diesel engine mechanics.
57:46
Wow, that is crazy.
57:48
He's an avid car enthusiast.
57:50
He's had his license since he was 17.
57:56
He's owned 23 cars.
58:02
I still haven't caught up.
58:04
Kevin, this is really impressive.
58:06
So we're gonna chase down a good car for you.
58:09
Notable cars Kevin has had include everything
58:11
from a 1983 El Camino as his first car, 2004 GTO,
58:16
three NB Miata's, which is how many times it took
58:18
for Kevin to realize at six foot four
58:20
he does not fit in them.
58:21
I love that you own three NB Miata's desperate to fit.
58:26
I also say this to you, Kevin.
58:27
I think you'd fit in an NC.
58:30
I'm just putting it out there.
58:31
How about a fourth try?
58:32
But you've had three NB's.
58:34
And I'll just say this.
58:35
NB is the one I fit in the least.
58:38
You really could fit in the NA a little bit better
58:40
Well, because your head is above the bottom of our head.
58:42
So you've had three of them.
58:46
He's had a sign FRS, a 1993 Toyota Cresta,
58:50
a 2011 Subaru WRX and many other project cars
58:53
on the side, which he does not name.
58:56
23 cars total is a ton though.
58:59
His current daily is a Fiesta ST.
59:01
He drives to work as the fun gas saver
59:03
and a 1998 Evo 5 as his fun weekend car.
59:08
He enjoys the Fiesta ST on back roads,
59:10
but out of his 140 mile daily round trip commute,
59:14
he only gets five minutes of roads that aren't straight.
59:19
He's not all that comfortable in the Fiesta
59:20
for the one hour commute before and after work.
59:22
And he's exploring other options.
59:24
Who wants to buy Kevin's Fiesta ST?
59:27
I mean, he loves it.
59:29
But it's the wrong commute car.
59:31
Kevin is very aware of the fact
59:33
that non-fun cars don't last very long
59:35
in his driveway before he's looking for something else.
59:38
He's not looking for something without rages power
59:40
because doing triple digits in first gear isn't his thing.
59:43
So long geared super powerful cars are out.
59:46
Something with good power would be usable on the highway.
59:49
He doesn't say, I don't need a 4,000 pound boat.
59:52
He doesn't have a need for anything four doors.
59:55
The bases are covered with his wife's 1993 Toyota chaser
59:59
and a 1983 Buick estate wagon.
00:02
That's when wagons were wagons there, people.
00:05
That is, that's a Clark Griswold wagon.
00:09
That's really good.
00:10
We definitely pick up on the certain era of cars
00:12
that you like, but he says whatever he gets
00:15
needs to be reliable because getting a 70 mile tow home
00:17
on a work day is not something he looks forward to.
00:21
He's looked at GR Supras, Nissan Zs,
00:23
a few others in that realm,
00:24
but has a real affinity for the 996 and 997 Carreras.
00:29
The only thing that scares him, it scares all of us.
00:32
Kevin is the bore score problems
00:34
that's plagued a lot of the M96 engines in those cars.
00:38
If you're going to go that route,
00:39
definitely look at the 997.2 engines.
00:43
Definitely less, but certainly bore scoring
00:45
can plague any of them.
00:47
Even a 981 Cayman, they're still bore scoring
00:51
He can't spend more than 50 grand.
00:53
He said that means you, Paul.
00:56
Newer cars are in the options.
00:57
He's not a stranger and anything older.
00:58
He specifically looks for two door coupes,
01:00
no convertibles, good driving dynamics,
01:02
rear or all wheel drive interiors
01:03
that are comfortable for a long commute,
01:05
bonus points, if we can find something in a cool color.
01:09
We don't know what the other cars are that Kevin's had.
01:15
And I'm worried about recommending
01:17
duplicating other things.
01:19
And here's the issue.
01:20
I mean, I know, I really appreciate you guys
01:23
when you write your emails and you give the car history.
01:26
And sometimes, probably when you're writing
01:28
the car history, like, oh yeah, I did own one of those.
01:31
That happens, yeah.
01:32
If they're notable, definitely call them out,
01:34
but if it's a huge car history, I get it.
01:37
He didn't want to list everything.
01:38
Bit of a balance, but you're right.
01:40
I don't want to duplicate anything.
01:42
So I'm going to just touch on Supras.
01:46
You mentioned Supras and you're looking around at Supras.
01:52
I don't understand what's stopping you from a Supra.
01:55
Supras are good, yes.
01:56
And yeah, manual here.
01:58
The badge is red on the back,
01:59
so you can tell it's a manual.
02:00
You said you looked at Z cars.
02:05
The used Nismo's are not manual yet
02:10
because the manual was just recently announced,
02:12
but they're not used yet, they're not even out yet,
02:13
but you could look at Zs.
02:15
I mean, either Supra or Z car.
02:17
The Nismo, I found for 46 actually.
02:20
So this is in your budget, which is no bad thing here.
02:23
I'm on autotempus.com slash everyday right now
02:26
and I'm scrolling through
02:27
and there's a surprising number between 45 and 50.
02:31
Yeah, these are definitely in his budget.
02:33
I mean, specifically Nismo's, which is pretty interesting.
02:35
And this is how we think the car should have driven
02:37
from the very beginning and they're automatic,
02:39
which means better for the commute,
02:40
but still sporty and fun, good suspension,
02:43
so it's comfortable enough, but it's going to be taught.
02:45
It's definitely in the performance category.
02:48
Only you can tell us what the commute roads
02:50
are going to be like,
02:51
and this could work for the commute.
02:53
At 21,000 miles for 46, these are easily in your budget.
02:56
I have to interrupt you
02:58
because look at this one I'm looking at right now
03:01
and I have to make the joke.
03:02
I am pulling up a Nismo.
03:05
It is 3,900 miles, $52,000.
03:08
But the thing I'm noting about it is
03:09
it's for sale at Hyundai of Las Vegas
03:11
and that is in the Hyundai in colors.
03:15
Do you think they took it on trade
03:16
because it's in the gray of Hyundai
03:18
with the red accents like they do for Hyundai in?
03:21
It looks like it belongs on the lot.
03:25
But you know they took it on trade
03:26
because somebody had this car and said,
03:28
I need four seats and I need something performance
03:31
from Hyundai and they got the exact same color choice
03:34
on their Elantra N.
03:35
On the Elantra N and now this is for sale
03:37
at Hyundai of Las Vegas.
03:38
It belongs on the Hyundai lot.
03:39
$52,000 with 3,000 miles.
03:41
That's practically new.
03:43
Sorry, back to you.
03:44
No, that's really good.
03:45
I was like, that is the Hyundai lineup Nismo Z car.
03:49
It's get a Hyundai Z Nismo.
03:52
All right, so that just proves
03:54
there's a lot of Nismo's for sale under 50
03:56
or right at 50 or so.
03:59
And I highly recommend both these cars.
04:01
Yes, which one feels better to you?
04:03
Which one do you think you can spend a lot of time with?
04:06
I do take into consideration,
04:08
I note your statement,
04:10
non-fun cars don't last very long
04:12
but these are very fun
04:13
but they're gonna do the commute thing really well.
04:15
So it's gonna be quite a nice balance.
04:17
But speaking of fun and cool color,
04:21
how about a 987, quite raw?
04:24
Can you do long distances in these?
04:28
We've done the long distance.
04:30
Actually, you and I both went out to Oklahoma
04:33
when I bought my 987
04:34
and drove all the way back to California at the time.
04:37
And we kept marveling.
04:39
This is comfortable.
04:41
We're very happy and it's a great road trip car.
04:46
and it's got a little bit more raw feel.
04:49
It's gorgeous to look at.
04:50
You'll want to go drive it.
04:51
I know you've got the Evo,
04:53
but this is really interesting.
04:56
987, go back and with your budget
04:59
you can easily find one of these.
05:01
The Dot 2s of the 987
05:05
also have less of the fears
05:08
that you might think from the M96 engine.
05:10
Less of the bore scoring.
05:12
Anything can still happen
05:13
but because you're gonna be commuting in this
05:16
you're gonna be putting a lot of miles on it
05:18
and Porsches like to get the miles on them.
05:21
And I think it'll do just fine.
05:25
I'm gonna jump in here Kevin
05:26
and I'm gonna note right away,
05:28
I'm gonna note the kind of cars you like.
05:33
1990 300 ZX hatchback for $30,000.
05:39
That is kind of the perfect commuter.
05:40
I mean, you're wanting fun.
05:42
You're wanting rear wheel drive.
05:43
You're wanting two door coupe.
05:45
You like cars from the 80s and 90s.
05:49
What's the mileage on this thing?
05:51
I actually, the way I've got it noted here,
05:53
I don't know what the mileage is,
05:54
but it wasn't terrible.
05:56
The only downside actually to this specific one I'm showing
05:58
is this one happens to be an auto
05:59
but it is the twin turbo.
06:01
He's got the Mitsubishi,
06:01
now the Nissan keep it all in the family.
06:03
I drove this car all over the country.
06:07
I had to put it out there
06:08
because it feels like your love of older cars
06:11
puts me right here and goes, and we're done.
06:13
I'm not staying here.
06:14
Your budget of $50,000.
06:16
Yes, you can get a Cayman.
06:17
I am showing a 2007 base Cayman in the manual
06:23
to show you kind of where the bottom of the market
06:25
for a nice one is right now.
06:28
This one that I'm showing right here,
06:31
This is a very clean,
06:32
very similar to the one you had except not an S.
06:34
It's black with the tan interior,
06:36
manual transmission,
06:37
all of the pictures of this car,
06:38
it's very, very clean.
06:40
And you're making me miss my 987.
06:42
This is the bottom of the market for those 987s
06:45
and it is the smaller engine.
06:46
So that's the problem is the way you get a lot
06:49
of these options is you get the non-S.
06:53
But then there's two cars that I'm thinking about commute.
06:56
I'm thinking about fun.
06:58
I'm thinking about powerful, but not crazy,
07:00
manual transmission,
07:02
but that commute keeps ringing in my ears.
07:05
I thought of two cars,
07:06
I don't understand why you haven't considered them.
07:08
I'm gonna show you a couple of options for both.
07:10
The first one of the two is the C7 Corvette.
07:15
Green, and I pulled up specifically because it's green,
07:18
a green 2014 base Stingray,
07:22
40,000 miles for $42,000,
07:26
$43,000 for this 40,000 mile 2014.
07:31
This would be a fantastic commute car.
07:34
If you decide you wanna go cross country on a road trip,
07:36
this is great for that too.
07:37
These are so great.
07:39
Big ol' V8 in the front.
07:40
You would love driving a C7 Corvette.
07:43
I had so much so I got another one here,
07:45
a 2019 for $48,900.
07:48
This one is an LT2,
07:50
so it is better specced than the last one.
07:52
$48,900, this is dark blue with a tan interior,
07:56
manual transmission, $49,000 for 40,000 miles.
08:05
you would love cruising in this on your commute.
08:10
It has a lazy amount of power
08:11
when you need to pass that guy
08:12
and you're just gonna pass him.
08:14
You don't worry about it,
08:15
but you can hang out,
08:17
you can get good gas mileage,
08:18
you can put tons of stuff in the hatch.
08:20
But then as we proved on all of the roads in the Ozarks,
08:24
you get a tight road all of a sudden.
08:27
And this thing's brilliant.
08:28
True, it does come to life.
08:29
So I really think that the Corvette Stingray,
08:31
the C7 needs to seriously be considered,
08:33
but I went further commute.
08:36
BMW M2, the base original 2017 model.
08:40
That was before they changed the engine
08:41
and went competition.
08:44
37,000 for 69,000 miles.
08:48
And the great thing about the M2 BMW is,
08:51
it is a car that only enthusiasts know what it is.
08:54
It's just a BMW sedan to most people.
08:55
I have it in the cool blue here,
08:58
Most people don't know what it is.
09:00
could you do a competition
09:01
when they changed the engine and revised it?
09:04
I've got an M2 competition here at 2020 for 46,400
09:08
with 60,000 miles on it, 58,000 miles on it.
09:11
The problem with the competitions
09:12
at this level price-wise
09:14
is they're all boring colors.
09:15
Silver, white, black.
09:17
Those are the way to get a competition,
09:19
but you might be able to find one.
09:20
I think the M2 competition really gets this done,
09:25
It's full-on commuter, drive cross country,
09:28
comfortable place to be,
09:29
plenty of room for you at 65,
09:31
but it also has tons of dynamics
09:34
and the VET works as well.
09:35
So hopefully one of those two,
09:37
I'm going M2 or VET
09:38
and hopefully one of them works.
09:40
You got me thinking about Grand Sports.
09:42
And I just went looking
09:43
and here is a $46,000, $47,000, 2017 Grand Sport,
09:52
Look at this, everyone.
09:54
If we're gonna go C7,
09:57
can we do a Grand Sport?
10:00
See, some of these are 60, that's 50.
10:01
He's a little above his budget.
10:02
He's in the low 60s for all of these.
10:04
This is the one I was talking about,
10:05
this 2017 right there.
10:06
But there is one right there, yep.
10:08
$46,000 for 70,000 miles, but it's a commute car
10:11
and it's just gonna lope along and...
10:13
Yeah, but it's still fun.
10:14
Telling you, if VET would do it,
10:15
got me thinking about the Grand Sports.
10:18
Okay, so, your budget.
10:20
Kevin, you're gonna have to work on your budget.
10:25
Today, we'll attempt a feat once thought impossible.
10:29
Overcoming high-interest credit card debt.
10:32
It requires merely one thing,
10:34
a SoFi personal loan.
10:37
With it, you could save big on interest charges
10:39
by consolidating into one low fixed rate monthly payment.
10:43
Defy high-interest debt with a SoFi personal loan.
10:46
Visit sofi.com slash stunt to learn more.
10:50
Loans are originated by SoFi Bank and a member FDIC.
10:52
Terms and conditions apply.
10:56
We know that you're either shopping for your next car
10:58
or looking up prices for fun.
11:00
We do it too and we only use autotempus.com.
11:03
Because autotempus pulls listings
11:05
from all the top sites as fast as in a single site
11:07
and shows them all so you don't miss a listing
11:09
for your perfect car.
11:10
You can save your search, get alerts
11:12
and even compare prices with their price trends tool.
11:15
Plus, autotempus was our first sponsor
11:17
and they've been our partner for years.
11:19
Like us, they want you to find the perfect car.
11:22
For this podcast or for your garage,
11:24
find the next car with autotempus.com slash everyday.
11:28
All the cars, one search, autotempus.
11:32
Diego M is in Puerto Rico.
11:34
Thank you for writing Diego.
11:36
Thanks for listening.
11:37
We really appreciate it.
11:38
He's been watching since episode 949 and hasn't stopped.
11:42
Love it, that's great.
11:43
Thank you for being with us, that's really cool.
11:45
Diego's got a base 2010 Genesis Coupe 2.0
11:48
that he bought himself when he got out of high school
11:51
He's loved the car and he's had lots of goodies
11:53
but in these five years of owning his car,
11:55
he's now put more into it than $5,000
11:58
in full suspension replacement engine mounts
12:01
and now his transmission is dead.
12:03
He said it broke by reversing into a parking spot.
12:07
I'm so sorry to hear.
12:09
He's gonna fix it but he's tired of the car
12:10
and he's thinking about selling it.
12:12
So, good thing you wrote.
12:15
He's a college student but he also works
12:17
as a track supervisor at K1 Speed.
12:19
He gets paid 12 bucks an hour
12:21
but you are a true enthusiast, Diego.
12:23
You're always around it and I'm sure you're,
12:26
you've seen your share of crazy driving
12:29
by all kinds of customers.
12:31
Some place like K1 Speed.
12:32
You've seen people run into barricades
12:33
where you're like, what happened?
12:34
What just happened?
12:35
Did you fall asleep?
12:36
Did you use your eyes?
12:38
The tracks the same as it was last lap.
12:42
He said in Puerto Rico, the Genesis Coupe
12:43
is worth to eight or $9,000
12:46
but everything else is high priced.
12:48
The only thing close to his budget is $10,000.
12:51
The only thing close is an RSX Type S.
12:54
Those are around nine or $10,000.
12:56
He needs at least a manual that is reliable and fun
12:59
and won't have issues going up and down mountains
13:01
because he says that's all they've got there
13:04
plus lots of potholes.
13:06
Needs to be all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive
13:08
because he's got a steep hill that he needs to go up through
13:10
to get out of his house,
13:12
which the Genesis had trouble going up
13:14
because it's had, it's got an open diff.
13:17
Okay, so front-wheeler all-wheel drive
13:19
and that sounds something to handle that hill.
13:22
$10,000 is the max of the budget
13:24
and he asked us to look into prices
13:26
specifically for Puerto Rico
13:27
because he said they're always more expensive
13:28
than you think looking from the US.
13:30
So we had to do a little bit of digging.
13:32
This was hard, but it's intriguing.
13:34
You've said that you've added mods to your Genesis
13:38
because you want more fun out of it.
13:39
And so I started here, Diego, with the Corolla XSE
13:44
from 2020 in that great blue.
13:46
Some of these, it was a little tough to find the pricing
13:49
but based on the $10,000 mark that I entered,
13:52
I did find a lot of these that were right around 10.
13:56
This one is an automatic
13:57
but I'm sure you could find a manual transmission
14:00
and there's tons of cars in Puerto Rico,
14:02
all kinds of price ranges.
14:04
But I figured if you started here,
14:06
this was a lukewarm hatch that really had some fun in it.
14:09
It didn't go as far as a GR Corolla
14:11
but it doesn't need to because it keeps the price down
14:14
but it's gonna be reliable
14:15
and still interesting and fun to drive.
14:17
I think you could really make this work.
14:19
I've got two other suggestions here for you.
14:22
I went to Honda Civic SI
14:24
because again, I'm thinking I want it to run for you.
14:26
I want you to be a little bit invisible
14:29
but SI's are fun to drive.
14:31
So at 2020, I know this is right around $10,000.
14:35
So you're back a generation.
14:39
But still, I think this could,
14:40
you could really make this work.
14:41
And again, there's great gas mileage.
14:43
There's a bit of invisibility
14:46
but you can still do stuff to this
14:48
that makes it kind of interesting and fun.
14:50
Start with tires, start with brakes.
14:53
SI's are a great platform.
14:54
They're just a great fun to drive.
14:56
There's a lot of value here
14:58
that is the front wheel drive goodness
15:00
that we love about Honda Civics.
15:02
It's just a lot of fun driving in it.
15:04
And then also I want you to take a look
15:06
at Hyundai Veloster Turbos.
15:09
Found you one from 2016.
15:13
So I thought, oh, wonder what Veloster ends are these days.
15:16
Ends are still out of your budget.
15:18
I mean, if you find one you can,
15:19
definitely buy the Veloster end
15:20
because what a great car.
15:22
Now I know this keeps you in the Hyundai family
15:25
and you've experienced the Genesis.
15:27
You might want to go away from that
15:29
but still, you know Hyundai,
15:31
the Veloster is a superb car
15:33
and the turbo has a lot of power
15:35
and it's just fun to drive.
15:38
It's funny, I found this exact same car that you're showing.
15:41
I was like, oh, Veloster Turbos is an option.
15:42
I'm glad you brought it up because it's an excellent one.
15:44
Eight grand standard transmission.
15:46
Turbo and here's the thing,
15:48
the turbo really is the middle ground
15:50
between the base Veloster
15:52
and what they made into the end.
15:53
It's the almost end.
15:57
So this is an interesting thought.
15:58
It keeps the price down.
16:01
I can't speak to reliability
16:03
but we have not heard much about Velosters.
16:05
Of course, different engine and transmission
16:08
so I think this would serve you just fine.
16:12
Well, actually you and I found a lot of the same things
16:14
because there were limited places to look them up
16:15
but I'm gonna run here real quick
16:18
through a couple of things
16:18
that I don't have pictures for
16:20
but I just want to note for you, Diego,
16:22
you know what I found a ton of automatic BMWs
16:25
for less than $10,000, surprisingly new.
16:30
Just like three series?
16:31
All kinds of like pick your BMW.
16:33
I found a really interesting X1.
16:35
I mean, I know you don't want an SUV
16:36
but the X1s are surprisingly good to drive.
16:41
They were smaller and surprisingly good to drive.
16:42
Some of the older ones actually the mid teens
16:44
had hydraulic steering.
16:46
I found one of those auto.
16:49
So here's the problem.
16:52
it was like take your pick of which one
16:54
you'd like for 10 grand.
16:55
To manual it was three cars.
16:58
So that is the differentiating factor there, Diego.
17:00
So they may be out but I did want to note
17:02
I was shocked most every brand I could find
17:05
all of the kind of stand-bys
17:07
that we look for certain cars.
17:08
I couldn't find them in your price range
17:09
and BMW was like, which one would you like, sir?
17:11
Which I couldn't believe.
17:12
That's interesting though.
17:13
So that's a consideration though.
17:15
I looked at Honda Fitts auto only.
17:18
I looked for a Fiesta ST, couldn't find one.
17:20
Yeah, I didn't find that either.
17:21
I looked and found that exact same Veloster N
17:25
No, Veloster turbo.
17:27
I looked for the N, found the turbo
17:28
but the things I did find you're going to laugh.
17:31
The Fiat 500 Sport.
17:34
Oh, interesting. Not the Abarth.
17:35
$6,000 manual transmission.
17:39
They're not amazing but it's in that same category.
17:42
It's the lukewarm hatch thing
17:43
like you did with the Corolla
17:44
where they're fun to drive
17:45
and the chassis is small and they're interesting
17:47
and their front wheel drive
17:48
and the manual transmission is decent.
17:51
It's below your budget of 10 grand.
17:53
It's a good consideration.
17:54
And it would be a great little city runabout.
17:56
You wouldn't have to be precious with it.
17:59
Fiat 500 Sport, that's a 2012.
18:01
That's one of them.
18:02
And then I know you won't be surprised any of you
18:05
You can find Mini Coupers down there for this budget.
18:08
Mini Coupers in various varieties.
18:11
I just, that would be fun.
18:13
$10,000 manual transmission, Mini Cooper.
18:15
I can't believe I'm back at Mini
18:17
but this is one I'm showing right now.
18:18
We're selling Mini's.
18:19
When we are, we're selling old Mini's
18:21
Doesn't matter where it's located
18:22
but if you could find an S, R53, Mini Cooper S
18:27
and it's been well taken care of,
18:29
I would say yes, Diego.
18:30
For sure, but here's the thing,
18:31
even if it's not an S, I think if you could find one,
18:33
they're just, they're fun little chuckable runabouts
18:35
and the price is right here.
18:37
So that was the other one that I had for you, Diego.
18:39
Diego, wishing you all the best
18:40
with your transmission rebuild
18:41
and hopefully you can sell that and move on
18:43
but there's a lot of fun awaiting you
18:45
and really appreciate you listening and watching.
18:48
So good, so good, so good.
18:50
Spring Styles are at Nordstrom Rack stores now
18:53
and they're up to 60% off.
18:55
Stock up and save on rag and bone made well.
18:57
Vince, All Saints and more of your favorites.
19:00
How did I not know Rack has Adidas?
19:02
Why do we rock for the hottest deals?
19:04
You're so many good brands.
19:05
Join the Nordy Club to unlock exclusive discounts,
19:08
shop new arrivals first and more.
19:10
Plus buy online and pick up
19:11
at your favorite Rack store for free.
19:13
Great brands, great prices.
19:15
That's why you Rack.
19:18
Got some questions on social media.
19:20
I just wanted to start here.
19:22
We got a note from Isaiah T on Instagram.
19:26
He just wanted to thank us for our advice
19:28
regarding going into the car business.
19:29
He is now working at Sewel BMW in Plano, Texas.
19:33
Our advice has been incredibly helpful to him.
19:35
Any fellow enthusiasts looking to get into a BMW in Texas,
19:40
please hit up Isaiah.
19:41
Come see him at Sewel.
19:42
Sewel is a huge, huge dealer group.
19:45
Congratulations on your new job.
19:47
I'm glad you're loving it.
19:49
You're around cool BMWs.
19:50
They have said they're going to save the manual transmission.
19:53
They're going to continue manuals.
19:55
And I'm sure you're getting to drive
19:56
a lot of cool stuff, Isaiah.
19:57
So thank you for writing.
19:58
That's really awesome.
19:59
And yeah, if you need a BMW, you're in Texas,
20:01
or even if you're not in Texas, go call Isaiah.
20:05
He'll help you out.
20:06
Kirk Meyer has an interesting question.
20:07
He says, if simulated engine and gears
20:10
make an EV more engaging,
20:12
he's using the Ioniq 5N as a reference here,
20:14
which of course simulates everything, right?
20:16
And it makes it more engaging.
20:18
Is there something else that could be simulated
20:20
to make driving in general more fun?
20:22
Kirk, not simulated, but I'll tell you something
20:24
that if manufacturers worked on what I'm about to say,
20:28
it would revolutionize people's enjoyment
20:30
of driving their cars.
20:32
And that is lower weight.
20:34
If every manufacturer across the board
20:36
was concerned about what their cars weigh,
20:38
and I'm not saying let's make cars less safe.
20:41
How do we make cars light
20:43
and still safe like they are now?
20:46
Because what's happened with EVs,
20:48
especially with batteries weighing so much,
20:51
is that most manufacturers have just thrown the scale away.
20:53
They've just said, well, because we have all this power
20:55
with an EV, we'll just make it weigh whatever,
20:57
it just weighs whatever it weighs.
20:58
And then I'll tell you,
20:59
you end up with a nearly 10,000 pound hummer.
21:02
What are we doing, everyone?
21:04
No, seriously, no vehicle made drives better
21:08
because it's heavier, okay?
21:11
Now, if all you're wanting to do
21:12
is isolate yourself from all sensation,
21:15
then yes, weight helps that
21:16
because the world will not be moved, okay?
21:19
But if everything was lighter,
21:20
everything would drive more engaging and interesting.
21:24
Kirk also asked how much time
21:25
or how many miles does it take
21:26
for us to form our thoughts for a test drive video?
21:29
Not much, and it's definitely dropped over the years
21:32
because we know what we're looking for
21:34
depending on the car we're getting into.
21:36
For example, if we're getting into a pickup truck,
21:37
of course, we're not instantly looking for steering feel.
21:40
We're not looking for the sports car dynamics.
21:41
And so the headspace instantly shifts.
21:44
So we're looking for amenities.
21:45
We're looking for power.
21:46
We're looking for ride comfort.
21:48
You think, if I were buying this,
21:50
here's what I would be looking for.
21:52
So it definitely changes.
21:53
It's not always, does this handle like an Elise?
21:56
And we get into a ram truck and the answer is no, it doesn't.
22:00
You could fit the Elise in the bed,
22:02
but it's not gonna drive like an Elise.
22:04
The time and mileage has dropped
22:06
very quickly over the years.
22:08
But what I love is there's still a lot of cars
22:10
that surprise you and I.
22:12
It really has to do with getting up to speed quickly.
22:14
So not just slow speeds around town,
22:17
but getting up to highway speeds and getting it
22:19
on a road that has curves in it.
22:21
And it quickly reveals the differences in the modes.
22:24
When you switch to sport mode and you're in a curve,
22:27
you can instantly feel what the car does or does not do.
22:31
Playing with modes very quickly,
22:32
looking for those dynamics in a car
22:35
and even looking for them in a SUV that has sport mode.
22:40
That's still valid.
22:40
Still putting sport mode out there.
22:42
They're still declaring it, yeah.
22:43
So looking for that.
22:44
But I would say it depends on the car,
22:46
but it's definitely dropped very quickly.
22:50
Did you see Thomas' question?
22:52
I did, I have an answer for it too.
22:54
It's a terrible answer.
22:57
Thomas says you have $25,000 to buy a depreciated
23:00
EV daily, which one do you pick and why?
23:03
All the usual suspects, all the ones that I wanted,
23:05
although I did find a GV60 with really high miles
23:10
Good work and those are cool, but all the other ones,
23:12
I mean, I went straight to Audi e-tron GTs.
23:15
They're not that low.
23:16
They're getting there, but they're not that low yet.
23:18
I mean, if they're dropping weekly, I thought, by now,
23:22
this is where we should be.
23:23
They are getting close, yeah.
23:27
For $25,000, this is my terrible choice.
23:30
It is the EQ E350, we're saying he's Ben's,
23:33
because here's my thinking.
23:35
For less than $25,000, it's got 108,000 miles on it.
23:38
So somebody just commuted in this.
23:40
But you're driving a Mercedes-Benz.
23:42
It's still a Mercedes-Benz.
23:43
You've still got NAV system.
23:45
You've still got all the Mercedes amenities, the luxury,
23:49
and you're just going to be commuting and it's a daily
23:51
and you're just going to be cruising around.
23:53
I'm sure the range was terrible on this
23:55
because the 450 that we had was even, it was terrible.
23:59
So I'm sure the 350 is even worse,
24:01
but still it's ugly.
24:04
It's got a lot of space.
24:06
It's super cheap, but you're driving a Mercedes-Benz.
24:10
It's like what I heard Total Wolf tell George
24:13
when he came on board to be their main driver.
24:16
Like George, you're still going to be driving a Mercedes-Benz.
24:19
Works an F1, it works here for your daily EV.
24:23
Sure, I mean, there's other EVs out there,
24:25
but I get the Mercedes luxury.
24:29
I get the freaking ugly.
24:33
I have one answer and it's not going to surprise anybody
24:34
because I've talked about them before,
24:36
but I would have to go right back to the one
24:38
that I have toyed with, the BMW i3.
24:41
By having 25 grand to spend, you can get one like this.
24:46
It's a little miles, 28,000 miles.
24:48
Here's the white and black,
24:50
which actually looks decent on this car,
24:52
but here's the thing, after 2017,
24:54
these got better and the range got better.
24:56
So this is a 2019 i3 with the range extender.
25:00
So it's everything you want this to be and it's 21.5.
25:04
But Thomas, will you allow the range extender?
25:06
Your range goes down to about three.
25:10
It's not quite that bad, but it isn't good.
25:13
Maybe you can get to the store back home in a panic.
25:14
I think I'm going to stay with the i3
25:17
because the thing, even if I don't get these improved ones,
25:20
they're still pretty good, man.
25:22
All things considered, there's,
25:23
I mean, I want to hold a tempest right now.
25:25
There's just tons of them.
25:26
There are tons of them.
25:27
It's amazing, $25,000.
25:29
I could get the nicest one on the planet.
25:30
I don't need the nicest one on the planet.
25:31
I'll get one of these.
25:33
Ooh, what are i8s now?
25:35
I mean, I know they're not pure EVs, but okay,
25:38
here's one of 2018 in red and black for $12,000.
25:44
I could see you rocking this.
25:47
That's where I'd go.
25:47
That'd be my choice.
25:48
Pick it up in Florida.
25:51
Here's the answer, Thomas,
25:52
and that is a used German EV.
25:56
Talking about Audi E-Twan.
25:58
E-Twan, E-Tron, Quattro, GT Quattros.
26:02
Talking about Mercedes, whatever,
26:04
because the Mercedes E-QE and EQSs, nobody liked them.
26:09
Like it was worse than that.
26:11
Everybody hated them.
26:12
They were so nasty and ugly.
26:13
So imagine all those used on the market.
26:16
They're terrible looking, right?
26:18
Actually, it's still a Mercedes Benz,
26:20
and here you found, yeah, the BMWs.
26:22
So clearly it is used German EVs.
26:25
Those are the cheap ones.
26:26
They're still luxurious,
26:27
and they're really well priced now.
26:30
Who knew we'd be there?
26:31
That's something we would buy
26:32
and I'm not sure anyone would watch,
26:34
but we'd do it anyway.
26:34
That's kind of what we do, yeah.
26:36
Thank you for all your engagement with the show.
26:38
Really appreciate you listening, watching,
26:40
sharing the podcast.
26:41
That's how we continue to stay in the top 10, at least.
26:44
Oh yeah, this is a very successful automotive podcast
26:47
worldwide and that is entirely thanks to you guys
26:50
and your rating and reviewing
26:51
is a big, big help there for sure.
26:52
EverydayDriverTV at gmail.com
26:54
for all your top of Tuesdays, car conclusions,
26:56
car debates, things CEOs say.
26:59
We're taking it all that way.
27:01
Here's the thing, when we post on social media
27:03
for questions, those are just questions,
27:04
but everything else, send it to the email address
27:06
we'd love to hear from you.
27:07
We read them all, by the way.
27:09
And we're looking forward to next time as always.