“Cabriolet” just means the car is an open-top convertible. “Sport Cabriolet” is Porsche’s way of saying it’s a sportier version of that convertible style.
GT3 is a type of race car class. The point is that it’s built to racing rules, so the speaker thinks calling something GT3-like is misleading if it doesn’t match the usual race-car setup.
“Homologate” means racing officials approve a car for competition. Usually it requires the manufacturer to make enough street versions so the race car isn’t totally made up.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK is a luxury car line, usually in a coupe or convertible body style. The podcast mentions the “CLK DTM,” which is a racing-related version. It’s brought up because the speaker is talking about how that racing version was set up.
The Renault Sport Spider sounds like a roadster name, meaning a small open-top sports car. In the podcast, the speaker isn’t fully sure what it is and thinks it might be similar to a Miata. The mention is mainly about figuring out the correct car identity.
Homologation is the “rules” side of racing that forces manufacturers to build street-legal versions. It helps ensure the race car is eligible to compete.
The Porsche 911 is a sports car made by Porsche. It’s famous for its recognizable shape and performance. The podcast mentions it because the speaker is talking about how the model name is handled.
They’re comparing the car’s open-top feel to a Porsche Boxster. The idea is that it should be fun and usable like a normal convertible, not just a hardcore track toy.
Center locks mean the wheel is held on with a locking mechanism in the middle, instead of several lug nuts around the rim. Performance cars use them to make wheel changes faster and more precise.
They’re saying that if something happens, you might not be able to fix it yourself on the spot. So instead, you’d need to get the car towed to a shop.
Concept
backfired, died
They’re describing the engine making a loud pop (“backfired”) and then turning off completely (“died”). That usually means something went wrong with how the engine was firing or getting fuel/air.
Concept
pushed it through the intersection
They couldn’t get it started, so they moved it by pushing while steering. This is something people do to get a broken car out of traffic, and it can sometimes help depending on how the car is set up.
The intake is how air gets into the engine. If something “pops” through the intake, it means the noise and pressure are moving into the air path the engine uses.
The air box is part of the intake system that helps route and filter air before it goes into the engine. In this story, it can get damaged if backfires create too much pressure.
A pop-off valve is a safety valve that opens when pressure gets too high. It helps prevent damage by venting the extra pressure instead of letting something break.
“Ricers” is slang for cars that are modified mostly for looks, like loud styling or big add-ons, not real performance. The speaker is using it to describe a certain type of car culture.
They bring up the Mitsubishi Eclipse from “Fast and Furious” as an example of a convertible with a big spoiler. It’s used to make a point about how wings can look silly on convertibles.
Term
VQ platform
They’re talking about Nissan’s V6 engine family (the VQ). In car circles, people often associate certain Nissan/Infinity cars with this engine, and the host says those kinds of cars were banned.
“Supercar Saturday” is a special Cars and Coffee day with a supercar-focused theme. The argument here is about whether certain cars should be allowed to attend.
“Rev battles” means drivers competing by revving their engines at each other. It’s basically a loud, confrontational stunt that can cause trouble at events.
The Nissan Rogue is a common SUV/crossover. They’re saying even a regular car like this doesn’t fit the event’s “supercar” theme, so it was being banned from that day.
The Nissan 350Z is a sporty Nissan coupe that many car fans know. In the story, it’s being used to show how event rules and “who belongs” can be kind of silly.
Gatekeeping here refers to controlling who is allowed to participate in a car event based on rules or perceived status (like only letting certain car types in). The hosts connect it to the idea that people can be turned away even if they’re just trying to enjoy the scene.
A classic car show is an event where people bring older cars they care about. The speaker is being told their car doesn’t match what the event is “for.”
The Pontiac Grand Prix is a mid-size car made by Pontiac. Some versions were built to feel more powerful than a basic family car. The podcast mentions it as a classic that can be expensive, and the speaker talks about their own experience with a similar Pontiac from that time.
The Ford Taurus SHO is a sportier version of the Taurus. It’s basically the “performance” trim, and the hosts are talking about it losing a trophy at a car show.
The Ford Taurus is a regular family-sized sedan made by Ford. The podcast specifically mentions the Taurus SHO, which is a more performance-focused version. The speaker is recalling a time when it competed in a class event.
“GT” is a label car makers use to mean “sporty” or “sport trim.” Here, the speaker is basically saying the badge didn’t actually mean much in terms of real performance.
NGK makes spark plugs, which are the parts that create the spark to ignite the engine. A “platinum tip” spark plug uses platinum on the tip, which can last longer and keep working reliably.
Miles per hour (mph) is the speed unit most road signs use. It’s useful for everyday driving, but safety math sometimes uses other units to show the physics more clearly.
This is how long it takes you to notice something dangerous and then start doing something about it. Even if the car could react fast, you still have to wait for your reaction time first.
It’s the idea that while you’re reacting (not yet braking), your car is still moving. So the car may travel a dangerous distance before you even start to slow down.
This is a common way to measure how fast a car is going. The speaker’s point is that even at around 10 mph, accidents can be serious because there’s not much time to stop.
Carvana is a company that sells used cars online. People talk about it a lot because the buying process and policies can be different from a traditional dealership.
This is an Aston Martin sports car with a big V12 engine. “Manual” means you shift gears yourself, and those versions are usually harder to find and can cost more.
Marshall Goldman is referenced as a dealer/marketplace seller that had an Aston Martin V12 Vantage listed for months. The hosts discuss how pricing and availability changed quickly after demand surged.
They’re saying the interest in these cars suddenly spiked. When lots of buyers want the same car at the same time, the cars sell quickly and prices rise.
“Deal pending” means the sale is basically in progress, but it’s not fully finalized yet. The car might still be around for a short time, but it’s likely already spoken for.
The hosts are discussing the car’s condition—specifically whether the dealer was transparent about issues. In used-car listings, “condition” can include paintwork, accident damage, repairs, and other history that affects value and safety.
“Paint work” means the car was repainted or refinished. If it’s not mentioned in the listing, it could be a sign the car had damage or repairs that the seller didn’t want to highlight.
They’re talking about the car’s past—like what happened to it before and what repairs or ownership changes it had. The speaker suggests people were sharing that info online, and then the posts got taken down.
They mention Route1auto.com as the place where the dealer has the vehicle listed. The point is that the dealer may not be telling the full story about the car’s past.
Shaughnessy Overland Express is a company that ships cars for people. They’re being described as doing careful, private door-to-door transport for expensive vehicles.
The Chevrolet Express is a large van made by Chevrolet. It’s built to carry people or cargo. The podcast mentions it in a context that sounds like describing a particular Express van.
“White glove care” is a phrase for premium, extra-careful service. In this case, it means the company treats your vehicle like a high-priority item during shipping.
Cargo insurance is the insurance that covers what’s being shipped while it’s on the road. Here, it’s meant to protect expensive cars in case something happens during delivery.
Switchcast is the company behind this transport brokerage pitch. They’re basically saying, “Use us to find a shipping company,” and they’re also promoting a specific one.
A car transport brokerage is like a coordinator that finds a trucking company to move your car. You’re not usually dealing with the trucker directly at first.
“Vetted” means they’re supposed to check that the trucking company is legitimate and trustworthy. The goal is to lower the chance of problems during shipping.
UShip is a website where you post what you want shipped and carriers bid or accept the job. The hosts are saying it doesn’t guarantee the carrier is legitimate.
B&J Transit LLC is the company the victim hired to transport the car. The hosts say there may be a fake or confusingly similar company name involved, which helps the scam work.
A flatbed carrier is a truck with an open, flat trailer. It’s often used for things like equipment or materials, and the hosts are saying this one wasn’t really set up for careful car transport.
Operating authority is the government permission a trucking business needs to legally haul freight. The hosts are saying one similarly named company had authority for other kinds of cargo, not cars.
Due diligence means doing basic checking before you hire someone. The hosts are saying the victim didn’t verify the carrier, even though it would have been quick to do.
They’re saying someone got into the account and changed the contact info. That can trick the shipper into dealing with the wrong person during pickup or delivery.
These are official ID numbers that trucking companies use to prove they’re legally allowed to operate. If someone doesn’t have them (or they’re fake/expired), it’s a major red flag.
It’s when a shipment gets “handed off” to another trucking company. In a scam, the hand-off is used to reroute the delivery so the cargo ends up somewhere else.
Think of a bill of lading as the paperwork that says where the shipment is supposed to go. If the address on that document doesn’t match what the driver is told, it’s a big warning sign.
Term
dispatcher would only text him
A dispatcher is the coordinator for the delivery. If they only communicate by text, it can be harder for a driver to verify instructions and spot fraud.
The host says the hired company is East Kentucky Home inspection, but they allegedly haul metal coils instead of cars. That mismatch is presented as a warning sign that something doesn’t add up.
Gotrans.com is a service that tries to connect people shipping cars with trustworthy trucking companies. The pitch is that it helps prevent scams by vetting carriers.
Double brokering means your shipment gets passed through multiple “middlemen” instead of being handled by the real truck company. More middlemen usually means more chances for things to go wrong.
They’re describing reckless driving tricks—spinning the tires (burnouts) and sliding in circles (donuts). If someone does this with a car before delivering it, it can cause damage and wear.
The Nissan Altima is a common everyday car model. Here, it’s mentioned because the hosts are guessing what kind of car someone drives based on a vanity plate.
Mercedes-Benz makes big SUVs, and the GL 55 is a stronger, higher-power version. In the game, they’re trying to guess which car the plate owner likely drives.
The Ford Mustang is a popular sports car, and “convertible” means the top can open. They’re guessing the car type based on the plate’s wording and attitude.
The Subaru Forester is an SUV/crossover that’s built for everyday driving and often comes with all-wheel drive. They’re using it as the “correct answer” for the vanity plate guessing game.
Term
de-chunking
They’re using “de-chunking” as a nickname for a problem where small cracks can show up around parts of the engine. The point is: some versions are said to crack, and others supposedly don’t.
They briefly throw out “Lamborghini Huracan” as a possibility. It’s a popular Lamborghini supercar model, but they later say the actual car is different.
They’re saying the car is an Aston Martin V12 Vantage Coupe with a V12 engine and a manual transmission. That’s the kind of setup many car fans specifically look for.
The G-Class is a Mercedes-Benz SUV known for its boxy shape. It’s designed to handle rough roads while still feeling like a luxury vehicle. The podcast mentions it as the “G wagon” while trying to identify the car.
“Cam” usually refers to the engine’s camshaft. Changing it can change how the engine makes power, and here it’s just another clue in their guessing game.
The Chevrolet SSR is a weird-looking Chevrolet that mixes a truck style with a convertible-style roof. The hosts are trying to identify the car from clues like color and body style.
The Corvette C8 is the newest-generation Corvette, and it’s known for having the engine in the middle of the car. The hosts say “there it is” when they land on this one.
Collision repairs are the work done to restore a vehicle after crash damage, often involving bodywork, panels, and sometimes structural components. The hosts use a specific dollar amount of collision repairs to illustrate how accident history can affect resale value.
Diminished value means your car can be worth less after an accident, even if it’s fixed properly. It happens because the accident history makes buyers nervous.
E-check is a program where certain cars have to be tested to make sure they meet emissions rules. If your car fails, you usually have to fix it before you can keep driving/registering it.
The Ohio EPA is the state office that handles environmental rules. In this case, they’re the ones who have to approve how the emissions testing program changes.
Fox8.com is a news website. In this segment, they’re citing it for information about changes to emissions testing in Ohio.
Company
U.S. Environmental Protection Service
This is the federal environmental regulator that sets and enforces air-quality rules. The speaker is saying a federal official announced Ohio’s air quality status.
“Attainment” means the state is meeting the air-quality goals set by regulators. The idea is that pollution levels are low enough to be considered acceptable.
It means the government says the air quality numbers are good enough to meet federal rules. They measure pollution levels and check if they’re below certain limits.
This means the air gets better little by little because of ongoing efforts. Instead of one big change, it’s the result of many improvements stacking up.
They’re saying the numbers matter, and how you handle the numbers can change what people think is happening. If you change what gets counted, the result can look better or worse.
They’re talking about using measurements in a dishonest or misleading way. Even real numbers can lead to a false conclusion if they’re presented the wrong way.
Term
Echex
Echex sounds like a state-run emissions testing program. Cars have to pass it to be considered compliant, and the episode is questioning whether the effort is worth the results.
The check engine light is a warning that something in the car’s engine or emissions systems isn’t right. The hosts are saying some cars may show a warning, but others have deeper issues that stop them from passing emissions checks.
A fault code is a message your car’s computer saves when it finds a problem. Emissions testing can fail the car if the computer reports certain issues, even if you don’t feel anything wrong.
They’re saying a problem with the car’s electrical wiring for the radio somehow led to a computer warning code. That warning then caused the car to fail the emissions test, even though it wasn’t really an engine problem.
Idling means the engine is running while the car isn’t moving. The hosts are arguing that if lots of cars are waiting around with engines on, that creates emissions too.
Concept
offset by the emissions allegedly saved
They’re basically saying: even if fixing some cars helps, the testing process itself might create enough pollution to wipe out that benefit. So the overall impact might be smaller than claimed.
Concept
title a car in a different county
They’re talking about registering a car under a different local area (county). That can change which emissions rules the car has to follow, and the hosts imply some people might do it to avoid failing.
Your car has computer tests for pollution control. “Readiness monitors” are like checklists that prove those tests have run, so the inspection system knows the car is ready to be checked.
The BMW 2002 is an older BMW model that was made decades ago. It’s a smaller sports car that many people like for how it drives. The podcast mentions it because someone recently bought one that’s still on the road today.
A temp tag is a temporary license plate you get while your car’s registration is still being finalized. It only lasts for a short time, so you have to handle the next steps before it runs out.
VIN is your car’s unique ID number. The host is saying the self-service inspection machine sometimes can’t read/recognize that ID, so it won’t proceed correctly.
They’re talking about an Acura NSX that an auction house is calling a rare “unicorn.” The car’s special color/interior combo and limited production are what make it stand out.
“One-of-one” is marketing language meaning the car is unique—no other vehicle is exactly the same. In this case, it’s tied to the Acura NSX’s specific color and interior combination and the auction house’s claim of rarity.
They mention “Corvette Rare” as the group trying to sell the idea that the car is uniquely rare. It’s part of the scam/marketing story, not a car part.
This is a 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S, which is a performance version of the classic 911. The host is especially excited about the unusual paint and interior color pairing.
The Ford F-150 is a popular pickup truck. Here, the hosts are talking about a recall for certain F-150s because a sensor can make the truck shift unexpectedly.
If the wheels lock up, the tires lose grip and start skidding. The host is saying unexpected shifting could make the truck harder to control.
Car
1995 Chevrolet 1500
This is a 1995 Chevrolet pickup (the 1500 model). The host is telling a story about accidentally selecting the wrong gear and how it affected the truck.
The Chevrolet Spin is a small family-style vehicle meant to carry people. The podcast mentions it during a moment where the car had traction problems but the driver stayed in control. It’s brought up because of how the vehicle behaved in that situation.
NHTSA is the U.S. agency that investigates vehicle safety issues. Their test center runs experiments to see how a problem affects real driving behavior.
A 10-speed transmission is an automatic gear box with 10 different gear ratios. It can help the car feel smoother and use the engine more efficiently, but it’s also more complex than fewer-gear setups.
A recall is when the car maker admits there’s a problem and asks you to get it fixed. Sometimes it’s a physical repair, and sometimes it can be handled with software updates.
Concept
found-on-road dead acronyms or initialisms
They’re making a joke about internet comments using shorthand for car problems people have seen. It’s basically “car-slang” for issues, not a formal technical term.
Over-the-air updates mean the car can get software fixes wirelessly, without you needing to go to a shop for every issue. It’s like updating your phone, but for the car’s computer.
Bore scoring means the inside wall of an engine cylinder gets scratched. That can hurt engine health and may lead to problems like low compression or burning oil.
The Dodge Charger is a car made by Dodge that’s designed to feel fast and sporty. People often talk about it when comparing performance cars. The podcast brings it up while discussing whether it makes sense for it to be compared to certain other models.
LIVE
Welcome to Switchcast Season 7, where we're changing it up all the time, but the more
things change, the more things stay the same.
I'm still your host, Doug Tavitt, here with my co-host Tyler Sanders and Ethan Huffnagle,
our executive producer with no assistant.
He doesn't have an assistant, and he is not an assistant, he is just the executive regional
producer.
Why'd you point at me after you said that, bro?
Because you're always calling me your assistant to all of our friends.
It's just terrible.
It's really embarrassing.
I've asked you to not.
Did I start snapping it?
Hey, hey, whiskey.
Dan, who said our technical advisor is in-house and our research assistant, my wife, is upstairs.
She does help, though.
She's very good at it.
The research is coming from inside the house.
We did a lot of research on a couple of main topics today, one in particular,
because it was trucking related, of course, but before we get to the main topic of course,
we've got to do the warm-up lap or hors d'oeuvres, right?
If we're thinking non-automotive analogies, it's like the hors d'oeuvres, the appetizers
before the main course.
Switchcast, if you don't know, is an atypical automotive show that talks about all things
automotive, not just technical details on cars.
In fact, we try to avoid that in case we get them wrong.
Just in case.
Feels like a fun conversations with old friends.
Every episode is fun to listen to, and if you do agree with that statement,
which is from a listener, couldn't have described it better ourselves,
please help us out with the algorithms.
Like, subscribe, share, write a review, a five-star one, of course, unless 10 is an option.
Send to your friends.
Put on repeat as white noise while you're sleeping.
Bring those view counts up.
If you got AI, use AI to listen to it over and over again.
Just kidding, don't do that.
That is not advised.
Somebody went to jail for doing that with his own music, but...
Right.
So, what is fueling this podcast?
Ooh, well, today I'm drinking a Penelope Rose cask finish, bourbon whisky, which is delicious.
That was not a very good cork pop, though.
It's very refreshing.
What are the notes, Tyler?
Whisky and Rose.
B-flat.
I'm drinking a Weller 12 Perfect Manhattan.
Ethan, our executive producer, did not produce this Manhattan.
I did, but I'm curious, what do you think of it?
How would you rate it?
Doug, this is a great Manhattan.
And I think I'm somewhat of a Manhattan snob a little bit, but I do like the bite
of the drive-remove in here.
It's, dare I say, perfect.
Ah, yes, there we go.
A perfect, perfect.
Okay, let's get warmed up.
GT3SC is the thing that everybody's talking about.
I will confess, I think purposefully did not read anything about this.
I've seen a few quick clip videos.
So, Tyler, you have some very strong opinions on the new GT3SC, as apparently the rest of the
world does, but I'm going to be a new listener here for a second and just go,
what is this about?
And, yeah, a react in real time.
So, I feel like I had a very intense reaction, I think, at first to this.
What is it?
It is.
I mean, it's a GT3 convertible, right?
Yeah, I mean, that really sums it up.
It is a GT3 convertible.
So, it's a 2019 Speedster, but a 992.
Yes, kind of, but it obviously doesn't have the Speedster body style or the cachet of the name.
It is a GT3SC, they call it, which I think stands for Sport Cabriolet.
Sport Carrera, Sport Cabriolet, could be anything.
So, it is a, they've got like, I think the fenders from the ST, I think.
There's no back seat.
It's got buckets.
It does have a stick, which I think is a very positive thing, and obviously it's a convertible.
Is it a touring?
Yes, there's no wing.
There's no wing.
So, it is a, it is kind of like they really just took a Speedster and made it a cab,
like a normal Cabriolet with a roof that you can put up and down at like 30 miles an hour,
20 for 20, whatever it is, it's more usable.
Okay.
So, what's not to like?
I love well engineered convertibles that drive light coops and are made as proper sports cars,
not as touring cars.
I'm all about the drop top sports car.
So, bring it on.
I felt like the boomers when they announced the Mustang Mach-E, when this came out because
I just had such a like visceral reaction to like, why did you call this a GT3?
Like, it's obviously not a GT3 because a GT3 should be, and it was in the year of our Lord
2000 or 1999, when the GT3 was built to homologate race cars.
And you do not homologate a race car with a convertible.
So, that's problem number one.
CLK DTM.
That wasn't a homologation.
That was a special edition based on the racing series.
Okay.
Renault SportSpider?
I think that actually was an Amiat, but was that built to homologate that race car?
Well, but the race car itself was a convertible.
It was because that was like a crazy street version, whether it's a homologation or not,
is a street version of like the reason this car is called GT3 is to homologate the GT3 race cars.
So, that's where I had, it's a very stupid issue.
This is a ridiculous opinion because the car is cool.
But like, it bugs me that they didn't just call it like 9-11 SC.
This sounds like Porsche pedantry.
No, no, it totally is.
It is a ridiculous opinion.
My next thought, my next two thoughts are less ridiculous though.
So, I watched the video that I think Hagerty put up talking with Andreas Brödinger about like,
why this car is awesome?
Why they built it?
You know, it's his job to sell it.
He's the mastermind behind the GT program.
And he talks about how they want it to be usable.
You want to have this power.
You want to have this engine, this sound with an open-top experience for your twisty
cannon drives, like amazing.
Yes, like a Boxster Spider.
Why the F does it have center locks?
And why does it have buckets?
If you want a usable...
I'm sure you can get non-buckets.
You probably can.
The center locks I have a larger problem with.
I think center locks on a convertible that you argue is for usability is ridiculous.
You can't change a wheel.
You can't take it to any tire shop.
Who in the 992 is doing their own maintenance on anything?
Oh, but it's so cool.
They are building cars purposefully so you can't do your own maintenance.
And that's what...
Oh, it frustrates me.
That is a whole frustrates me.
So it just felt weird for him to be talking about usability to be like,
you can't...
If anything happens to this car, you got to call tow truck.
Which I know is what Porsche is now.
That's what everything is newer than 2015-ish.
It still upsets me.
It still upsets me.
I just wish they...
Speaking of which, I feel very proud.
I am a back...
Not even.
I give a backyard shade tree mechanic a, you know, I shouldn't use that term.
I fiddle.
You fiddle, okay.
My air cooled 911 broke down the other day.
Okay.
In the middle of an intersection.
Oh no.
And...
Nightmare.
I was definitely wearing loafers too.
And it would not start again.
It just like backfired, died.
Oh no.
And I pushed it, got out.
It's light enough.
So I got out and I literally just pushed it through the intersection while I'm steering.
And as much as I felt super embarrassed, I felt awesome because I'm like, yeah.
It's light enough.
I can do that.
Yeah.
And I fixed it.
Okay.
You fiddled.
What did you have to fiddle with?
And there was like all these office buildings around.
So you know, people are like, oh, look at that Porsche that's broken.
I had that.
Yeah, look at that guy.
Like Jim Bay open, right?
I'm...
I usually don't dress like this is my hoodie and my jeans.
This is my like, my daily outfit is hoodie and jeans.
And for some reason, I think I was wearing a collared shirt and loafers that day.
So you know, they were judging.
Like all of these guys.
Super judging.
This guy who broke his Porsche and I had the engine bay open and so I heard a pop when it broke.
Okay.
And I was like, okay, that sounded like a really loud backfire.
I'm like, that was probably a backfire through the intake.
And you know, the 911 SCs had the issue with that backfire coming through with so much force
that it would explode the air box.
Okay.
So you install what they call the air box pop off valve, which just, you know,
it opens and allows that pressure to release.
So when you have these crazy backfires, it doesn't sideline you.
Okay.
That makes sense.
Well, my thought was, hmm, maybe has something to do with that.
But I, we did the pop off valve when we did all the upgrades.
But when I noticed the air box was like not the top of it was not perfectly aligned.
Okay.
So with the bottom half.
So I was like, all right, well, I'm just going to pop that off.
No pun intended.
See what's going on.
And it hit the backfire happened with so much force that it blew the pop off valve out of
its seat entirely in the air box.
So I was like, all right, sweet.
So I just seated it back into the air box, reattached the top and you're good to go.
Nice.
Boy, did I feel super proud when I like pushed my car through the intersection,
opened the engine bay and was like, I'm staring at like people always do.
You know, what's going on here?
Yeah.
And you're wondering, what are they staring at?
They're like, what are they, what could you possibly fix now?
You don't have any tools.
And I fiddle, no tools, hop back in and drive away.
Nice.
Like I really hope people in the office building were watching.
They watched you and just standing there with your hands on your hips, but they didn't
see you fix it and drive off.
And they got a look at that guy and they walked away and they didn't see your Victor.
Right.
Scanning things with my phone, watching YouTube.
That's amazing.
No.
Anyway, but so yes, that I see your point, but 992s are like, it's not, it's not a thing.
I do to cap all this off though.
I'm very glad that they have a manual transmission Cabriolet with this engine for people that
want it.
I think putting the GT3 engine into other stuff.
So it is more potentially more accessible, even though this starts at $273,000.
My goodness.
At least it's not limited, I guess.
GT3 engine and more things I'm all for.
Okay.
Fantastic.
But I just.
So if it's, if it doesn't have a wing, but it's not a touring.
So that's a standard one.
If they add a wing, what does that become?
Will that be like the CS like club sport or RS will be the GT3 SC RS?
That would look so dumb.
A wing on a convertible like that.
Like, I don't.
All right.
I know people would like, I don't know.
There's the Mitsubishi Eclipse from too fast to furious.
That was a convertible with the big wing.
Speaking of ricers with big wings, VQ platform, infinities, Nissan's, et cetera, were banned
from a show in, I think it's Omaha, Nebraska, right?
Cars and coffee, Omaha, but it's their supercar Saturday event.
So they had been having a number of issues according to the post with rev battles and
other shenanigans that all came back to VQ owners.
So they made the announcement that they were totally banning.
Sorry, Ethan, you can't take your Nissan Rogue to supercar Saturday.
But, you know, a lot of people were very upset about it.
Like, hey, what, you know, why not just ban the individuals who are causing the problems,
et cetera, et cetera.
And I responded, well, it's supercar Saturday, not takeover Tuesday.
Like, what were they doing there in the first place?
Who thinks that their Nissan 350 should go to a supercar Saturday?
It's a cool car.
We're not punching down here, but like, it's not a car worthy of supercar Saturday.
It's in the name.
Yeah, that's just, well, you got to think too, like,
if I was organizing a large cars and coffee event and it needed to scale because I wanted
people to attend, it's, can you imagine having a list of like blacklisted people?
You could like blacklist a car, but then somebody could have another car or they could
change it enough that you don't know what they get in.
They still cause problems.
Like, at scale, that's impossible to manage.
And somebody could potentially sue you.
Like, their lawyers may have said, hey, you can't ban individuals unless there's like
really extended circumstances because, you know, they might claim some sort of discrimination
or whatever.
And this way, and that way the people at the gate or the entryway also know these models
of cars not allowed.
Turn them away.
Like very easy.
I have a feeling if Jay Leno showed up in an Infinity G 35, which he wouldn't, but if
he did, they'd be like, it's cool.
That looks like a Ferrari to me.
You know what would be hilarious though, is if they still stuck to their guns.
I'm like, sorry, Mr. Leno, you got to park over there.
You should have read the rules.
What would be hilarious is if somebody like Leno
Joe after this was like, I'm going to get a ratty 350Z and go to supercar Saturday.
Wouldn't put it past him.
Well, I know you love gatekeeping.
So I do.
I want to share this.
So I was reading reviews of a friendly competitor recently and one of their one star reviews
came back to the fact that they have a Friday night, weekly, your monthly car show and somebody
was upset because of the gatekeeping that occurred there.
Yes.
Are you using the selfie cam to fix your hair?
I do.
The cameras are going to turn on in a second, Doug.
I got to make sure I look presentable.
He's not even denying it.
You could have said, no, I'm checking my notes and just happening to run my fingers.
I'm an honest man, Doug.
I do not lie.
So vain.
Oh my gosh.
My face is on the internet.
Oh, you shouldn't have to be worried about your hair with that beard.
All right, I quit.
I'm out.
Have fun.
What?
No, no, we're still, we are still warming up.
We're doing 17 warm-up laps here.
We're giving the people what they want.
We got some really thick oil.
Okay.
So this, this, this review of this dealer is awesome.
Used to go with my car.
I feel like I got to do Hank for this one.
Where's my hat or where to go?
I don't have my Hank hat.
It doesn't matter.
We're not on camera anyway.
Oh yeah.
Well, you're going to put on a hat.
Oh my God.
That's where my mallort went.
Oh, we didn't turn on.
I'm sorry.
Pause.
Pause.
We're not on it.
Oh, I mean, we are on that camera.
I forgot I left.
No, I don't think so.
We fixed it.
We have to turn on our sponsor lights.
Okay.
I love that.
That's, I forgot I left my mallort here.
Here we go.
Speaking of gatekeeping.
Used to go, I can't do it anymore.
How much of that man had if you had to?
Half a one.
I've been out of the Hank mode for a long time.
I can't do it with a straight face.
Okay.
Used to go with my car to their every Friday car shows.
To their not, I spelled it wrong.
Okay.
As well as all their annual car shows.
Went to another annual car shows with the same car
and was immediately approached by one of the staff
saying you are not welcome here
and gave me an attitude right off without saying hi.
I respond to him, what's wrong?
I come here every week as well
to all your annual car shows.
What seems to be the problem?
Of course I'm being respectful.
This is a classic car show.
Good vibes.
Good times.
The bigger gentleman said, I don't care.
You're not welcome here.
This car show isn't for you.
These are high dollar classic cars.
I drive a 2001 Pontiac Grand AMGT.
Never seen snow or rain.
Beautiful condition.
The gentleman put his foot under the car
and would not let me go forward to turn around.
So dramatic.
I love the I come here every week
to their annual car show.
Let's do that.
That's so good.
I never have been back for anything car show related
and forever will talk bad about them.
Well, that's fine.
You weren't a customer anyway.
But nothing wrong with it.
I think when I was in high school,
my Ford Taurus SHO lost a class trophy
to a Pontiac Grand AMGT,
which GT means nothing for those,
but different wheels, I guess,
and the NGK spark plugs, Platinum Tip spark plugs.
Anyway, I don't know.
I like those a bit like this.
This is GT of V6 as opposed.
Yeah, OK, fine.
Technical advisor says yes.
But anyway, my SHO lost 25 years ago
to a Grand AMGT at a car show.
They did not become more special since then.
No.
And we don't know the point.
We're missing a lot of context.
We don't know the point of the car show.
It could have been some specific makes models
or you had to be a customer.
Who knows?
You don't.
It's a cruise in.
Whatever.
I'm not saying he's wrong,
but it's just hilarious that he was so uptight.
And his Grand AMGT became that much better
because it's never seen snow or rain.
Yeah, he really just kind of did himself in.
It is the Corvette curmudgeon that didn't buy a Corvette.
Didn't.
Speeding.
It's a topic of speeding.
We talked about that a lot lately.
I saw a shame post where like police departments post,
you know, somebody they pulled over.
And it was about a driver going double the speed limit,
which was like 52 in a 25.
Now, while double the speed limit, I agree,
it's usually likely excessive 140 on the highways,
probably too fast.
Double of 15 is 30, which is still slow.
And the post referenced feet per second
to illustrate how dangerous going 52 in a post of 25 was.
But I'm like, you know, all they did was do math.
52 miles per hour is more feet per second than 25 miles per hour.
That's just a fact.
But what if 25 minute 25 was like artificially low to begin with?
Like all they're saying is this is more feet per second
than the other speed.
Well, and they're so unashamedly converting it
to a larger number to sound more impactful.
But going faster always means you're going faster,
regardless of the units.
And that means you travel farther before you can react
and you're stopping just as longer.
Like we get that.
That's the risk we take with increased speed.
Moving is dangerous.
But let's like let's flip this on its head.
14 feet per second.
That's dangerous, right?
14.
Anybody?
I mean, that sounds fast, I guess, I don't know.
14 feet per second.
That's like traveling across an entire room in one second.
Every second you are traveling the entire length of your automobile.
And given that the average perception plus reaction time
is about a second and a half,
that means if a kid jumps out in front of you at 14 feet per second,
you have already run over them completely
and spit them out the back before you can even process it.
Is this kid the flash?
14 feet per second.
One second.
Your car's average car is 14 feet long.
So in one second, you've run over a kid, right?
So 14 feet per second.
We should drop everything to limit people to five feet per second, right?
It's, I mean, I'm sure I'll go along.
How fast do you think 14 feet per second is?
I have kind of a feel for it.
Okay.
I mean, is it 25?
It's 10 miles an hour.
10 miles an hour is deadly if we put it in feet per second
and actually do the numbers.
And 500 people every year are killed in parking lots.
So like, sure, math.
Okay, numbers, numbers per number.
It, moving is dangerous, but let's not confuse that
and just say because moving faster is moving faster,
which we all know it's more dangerous.
It's just, I just, it's lame.
Yes.
Maybe the speed limit should have been 40 there
and they were just traveling a reasonable speed for the area
and the speed limit was unreasonable.
But we already unpacked that last week
and we will unpack it again probably next week and the week after.
Always comes back.
Always come back.
Yes.
I was right about something.
We do love that.
I love it.
I was wrong still about Carvana, but I'm, I'm holding out for now.
I've, if you hold out long enough, you'll be right one day.
Maybe about everything.
Really?
It's just, I'm never wrong.
I'm just early.
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
Oh, God, God, can we start?
Get me out of here.
I was right, but it didn't do me any good
because it didn't make my move in time.
Aston Martin V12 Vantage manuals are officially now the next big thing.
Was I have, I not called it freaking ever.
Yeah.
And you were looking for one for a bit and didn't make a move
because you were, you know, focusing on your challenge car of this,
which this was not, and I didn't want a black one.
I, I owned a black one two months ago for very cheap and I don't like black.
Yeah.
On paper, I should have kept it, but I didn't because I wanted a cool color and
yeah.
So a silver V12 Vantage S manual that was for sale last year for quite a while for 250K
went off the market and then sold the other day on Bring a Trailer for 315 out of the blue.
Whoa.
Within 24, 48 ish hours, almost every car that was on the market, including one at Marshall
Goldman that had been on the market for a while at 228 were immediately just all gone.
Whoa.
The demand just materialized out of nowhere.
Last week, I could have bought an S at Marshall Goldman for probably 215 because
they had had it for months and they would have discounted it.
And then just like that, it's worth 300.
That's just, ugh.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, so not fun.
And the blue, purple one that I had been trying to buy, I texted the guy, I'm like,
hey, I'll pay whatever you want now.
Just because I'm trying to like, I'm not trying to get in on the hype.
I just want to get in before the hype because I don't want to pay the hype to prices.
I want the car.
I think it's a great car.
And he's like, yeah, somebody made me a crazy offer two weeks ago.
I couldn't say no.
I'm like, somebody's fricking messing with the market.
And that's, see, that's the thing is I can't look, I can't hear about the situation and think to
myself, wow, somebody's noticing these cars like they're really popping off.
It's somebody decided they're limited.
They're interesting.
People will love these.
This is going away.
I'm going to hoover up all I can, probably have something to do with that insane result
and bring a trailer.
And now they're all worth a gazillion dollars and money enthusiasts can have them,
but car enthusiasts cannot.
Yeah.
Anyway, you, there's a saying that you either control the market or you are a victim of it.
And I'm totally playing the victim card right now.
Cause I want to be 12 vantage manual.
That's not black or silver.
And, and the mint green GT three is back again.
Again, at this point, we need to license Ethan.
Can we license Slim Shady as the theme song for just playing in the background
whenever we discuss this car?
Yeah.
Yeah, I guess who's back back back back again.
Shady's back.
I don't know.
Is it a lot of money?
It's 200 grand.
That is a lot of money for a storied car.
Oh, deal pending already.
Oh my goodness.
It's only been listed for a few days.
According to my sources, the dealer was not forthright about the condition
and that kind of jives with their reviews online.
Their description is pretty general.
Doesn't mention anything about any paint work or damage.
I don't blame them for not volunteering that information,
but I did message one of their salespeople and did not get a response
and I was asking specifically about that and allegedly
on one of the Facebook groups where they posted it,
because they posted it on a lot of Facebook groups,
everybody commented about the history and the posts keep getting deleted.
Of course.
Like according to the reports we're getting,
the dealer is not being forthright about the history.
I can't confirm that, but it seems like it's just a repeat.
What is it?
Deja Vu all over again.
Just same things that keep happening.
Right.
Route1auto.com.
That is the dealer that has it.
And man, it just keeps going around and going around.
Okay, our Patreon topic.
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Our favorite road trip is the discussion tonight is, yeah, I'm excited.
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What I'm really excited about is this story here.
Okay, the headline everywhere is a Porsche that was supposed to be shipped from Florida
to Michigan, was stolen by the trucker and used to run errands. That is one heck of a
salacious headline. And I don't like using the word salacious because people use it wrongly,
but I feel like it's correct in this context, sort of. Really sensational is the right word, but
the real story, though, is even crazier than that. And we're going to dig into it. And I am
going to pat myself on the back because I did what I consider proper journalism. All the other
news outlets and stuff that wrote about it basically did a two paragraph or one minute
blurb and they're just like, well, this is what happened. The guy took the car out of his trailer,
used it to go to the family dollar, went to the DMV, and the owner noticed that the car was driving
around on his Porsche tracking app called the police. He was arrested and booked and charged for
Grand Theft Auto and the car was returned to the owner. I said, okay, well, this is a fun one. I
need to at least find out the name of the trucking company because part of what I do is vet
trucking companies and find good ones and also help people figure out why their cars were stolen
by a trucking company. I've consulted on some cases and so my specialty is figuring out, and
it's really not hard, but figuring out what went wrong for these people when they have major issues
with transport companies. And in the simple task of trying to find out the company name
of the transporter, I uncovered a much, much wilder story. As if it wasn't crazy enough that
a trucker stole a guy's Porsche out of the trailer to run errands. Okay, so here's what happened.
A guy in Florida wants to ship his Porsche and two scooters to his house in Michigan along with
all the other snowbirds. So he goes on uship.com, which is a site that people go on to find,
like typically owner operator carriers for whatever. I mean, just if you need a drum set ship or a car
or a boat, just kind of a catch all place. Now he, I did talk to the victim in this case,
and he said that he assumed that UShip vetted the carriers and the companies that were on there,
which UShip does not purport to do. So no shame on UShip there, it's just a platform. But it is
terrible. I've used it myself. I found a few people on there, but it is a big, big hassle.
So he books through UShip and he contracts a company called B&J Transit LLC. Now this is
where it becomes really, really murky, but at the same time, I could have predicted this. Like
before I even did the research, I could have said, here's what happened. And sure enough, it is.
There are two companies, B&J Transit LLC. One of them is legit, one of them is not.
One of them is, has an operating authority for like metal coils and a couple other things.
Basically, they're a flatbed carrier. They're not a specialized automotive carrier.
And they're a small company based out of Kentucky. They're also associated with East
Kentucky Home Inspection. It's this small company and it's a guy and his wife. And man,
I found pictures of them online and it's pretty wild. The main review for East Kentucky Home
Inspection, it looks like a friend of his who is giving a finger, middle finger to the camera,
and it's Jeremy Iceman Wright. So it's a hillbilly trucking company that contracts their flatbed,
right? So this is who the guy hired to ship his Porsche and his scooters from Naples to Michigan.
That's in. Okay. Zero due diligence. All of this stuff is publicly available.
Less than five minutes to find out the important stuff. Their
account had been hacked and they had changed the phone number and the email address to the point
where the person's name, it was Brittany Collins. Their email address was spelled Britainette K.
Collins. Okay. Okay. And that was changed. And there also is a fake company named B&J Transit
who has zero operating authorities and it used to be a real company. They have a DOT and MC
number, but they haven't been around since 2015. So what it looks like happened is the organized
crime ring in Russia, whatever, it's Ben Zilberstein and Margarita Lappin.
Looks like they hacked in and used this information to get an account on U ship.
What they do then, this is what they always do, is they rebroker the load out to somebody else,
but they change the delivery address to their desired destination and send it to Atlanta or
Miami or New Jersey and then they put it in a container and ship it overseas typically.
And it goes away. Guess what? Sure enough, when I dug into it, I pulled the case records and I
pulled the police report and through that got the cell phone numbers ever everybody and talked to
the victim and according to the police report and confirmed with the victim, here's what happened.
So the B&J Transit LLC, who's a shell company, somehow contracted this guy Alfonso Avila, Alfonso
Estrada Avila, who's a guy in Lehigh Acres, Florida. Not a trucker. In fact, he has a fairly long
criminal record. So they hire this guy out of Florida, who then borrows a truck and a trailer.
The trailer was not even, didn't have the right license plate on it. It was a fictitious plate
that went to another trailer and the truck didn't belong to him. He goes down and picks up this guy's
2026 Porsche and Naples. There are a number of red flags. In addition to the ones we already
discussed, when the trucker showed up, Avila could not speak any English. There were no markings on
the truck, not even a hand written, taped on marking on the window. And the bill of lading
instead of Michigan was Miami. Now, these should have been immediate flags to say, I am not handing
over my keys, but instead he just called the company. Wait, no, he didn't call them because
they wouldn't talk to him over the phone. The dispatcher would only text him. So he's texting
the company saying, I'm not going to release my car until you give me a correct bill of lading
that's going to Michigan. Not thinking, oh gee, maybe there's something actually wrong here.
And there was. So they send him a correct bill of lading, but Avila, the driver, is instructed to
go to Miami anyway. So he goes to Miami with the Porsche and the scooters, even though he's supposed
to go to Michigan, and he gets kind of a funny feeling and he decides not to give the car to
these guys in Miami who met him to take the car because they wouldn't show him their IDs.
Now, this is according to the trucker. He filed a report with the Miami police and then he goes
back to his home in Lehigh Acres, Florida before allegedly probably intending to actually make
the delivery in Michigan. He then decides that he needs to go to the family dollar and the DMV
to get a new license, apparently is his words. And so he's like, well, you know, I can't park my
truck and trailer at the DMV, so I'm just going to pull the Porsche out and drive it around.
That's when the Porsche tracking app alerted the owner that his car was being driven around.
He contacted the, you know, Shell company dispatcher and they made some excuse that the
truck broke down or something and he didn't buy it. So he contacted the Lee County Sheriff's office,
they went and arrested Avila at the DMV. So all of that to say, when you summarize it down,
a guy goes on U ship, hires unknowingly, a organized crime operation to pick up his Porsche,
essentially to steal it, they dispatch it to a guy that's not using his truck or his trailer
and has a criminal record to pick up this Porsche, deliver it to Miami, put it on a container.
This guy with a criminal record says, hmm, this sounds weird. I'm going to thwart this
major crime operation and prevent this Porsche from being stolen. And then I'm going to take
it home and steal it myself. It's like, there's a web of crime. What's going on?
So you can't make this stuff up. And none of the journalistic outfits that did a story on this
got this far. Like number one, they don't necessarily understand that this is what's
happening, but they didn't do any real digging. But like reading through this police report,
I'm like, hold on a second. This car was about to get stolen for real. And so when I was talking
to the victim, I was like, Hey, do you, do you know, do you realize how close you were to
completely losing your car? And he's like, Yeah, I kind of get that sense. I'm like,
no, your your car was going on a container in Miami. Yeah, like gone. So this guy owns
the number one power sports dealer in Western Michigan. Okay, so he ships stuff all the time.
And he goes, Yeah, I should have known better. I ship stuff all the time. I was like, Oh, okay.
I was going to say it, but you beat me to it. I mean, yeah, really? Well, I thought you ship
better their carriers. No, no, they don't care. You gave the keys to your brand new Porsche to a guy
who can't speak English who has no markings on his truck. You have a wrong bill of lading. And
the company you hired is East Kentucky Home inspection and they haul metal coils.
Not Porsches. Is it so hard to just call up alert like a reasonable transporter?
Guess where our sponsors Shaughnessy overland Express is based out of Naples, Dang, Florida.
It's right in the back yard right in his back. Sorry, using Fort Myers Beach. But
like my goodness, like just hire a decent carrier and why after why are you going on you ship?
Speaking of which is a great time for an announcement. Oh, so if you want to find a
good carrier like Shaughnessy overland Express, but maybe they don't service your area or you want
an option of multiple carriers, I'm launching a new business called Gotrans.com. And it is a
network for people like this guy and other car dealers to have access to all the best carriers
that actually are fully vetted. So you will never get a company like B&J Transit. You will not be
dealing with international crime mobs. You will not have any double brokering. You will not have
people that can't speak English. You will have properly insured vetted carriers like Shaughnessy
overland Express. So it is not launched yet. But if you want to get on the waiting list,
check out Gotrans.com. Thank you. But all that knowledge to good use. I've got to
recap this. We won't cover this other one. But like this isn't a one off solution or one off
occurrence. A listener, Ed Krakojak, sent this one in. Many of you may have seen this on social
media. Another trucker also quote unquote stole a car that they were supposed to be transporting.
They had a ZL1 convertible and there's videos on Facebook of the trucker pulling it off the
truck to do a whole bunch of burnouts and donuts, put it back on the truck and then delivered it,
which we're quite sure ended up at a local car dealership.
I was saying I have the link pulled up. It is still there.
Yeah, it's at North Coast. Something North Coast Mitsubishi of Bedford.
Right. Which they have a similar reputation to a lot of these carriers. So you know,
whatever the match made in heaven. Yeah, there you go. That's the phrase I was looking for.
But nobody should have that happen to them and to their car. Regardless if they're a shady dealer
or not allegedly shady, you shouldn't have to deal with that. You should have good transporters who
care about your car the same way that you do. And for the dealers who are protecting your
investment and your profitability. So with that, let's move on to plate to sample because
the Lee County Sheriff's Office used license plate readers to assist them in their case
and to catch Alfonso Estrada Avila. So, you know, perfect segue here to the plate to sample game where
people submit crazy vanity plates that they've seen and we read them off and the other person
blindly has to say, oh, do can I figure out that stereotype? Do I know what kind of car that is
on based on what the owner is projecting about themselves? I guess I got a really tough,
tough week to follow up because last week I feel like I did a pretty good job. Yes, this time.
You were not going to this. Is that so? Yeah, it's being rude.
Darn right. Okay. Hit me. All right. Just punch me in the face. All right. Starting with this one.
I saw this one in person. Sugarlips. It's a Nissan Altima. No. A Mercedes like GL 55. No.
A Mustang convertible. No, we could be here all night and I don't think you will get this.
This is a kind of grayish green Subaru Forester. Okay. And it was driven by an
octogenarian white couple. That's amazing. Home the confidence. Whoa. Can you imagine?
Like, I, oh, I just, I want to know. I'd say late 80s too. Oh, you know, good for them. Props.
Good for them. First one for you, Doug. Crack head. C.R. C.K. H.E.D.
I'll wait. Eric Clapton. Wait, the car. We're talking about cars. The car. It's a Bentley. No.
Hmm. Do not think drug dealer is it? Get that out of your head. Head. Crack head. I don't
know what a white Mercedes. I can't know. That's still drug dealer. You're so stuck.
This is a Mark one nine nine six cracked head, but they didn't have cracked heads.
What? They'll like, it's called de-chunking or whatever where they like,
there's like little cracks in the shape chunks that pop out of the head. Oh,
another reason to buy a nine nine six Porsches. Yep. But that's only the mark ones. Apparently
the mark twos never suffer from that. I don't know why. Mark two ones don't suffer from IMS,
but you can get a crack. De-chunking, but that. Oh my gosh. Yep. Yep. Okay. People love Porsche.
Still do. They ever done for them. All right. I don't know who submitted this. I'm sorry,
but it's an awesome one. 401K, L-O-L. I feel like we've seen a bunch of these. I'm guessing
this is something we haven't seen before. Correct. So this is going to be a Lamborghini,
like a Huracan. Nope. Like a 458 maybe Ferrari. Nope. It is an Aston Martin V12 Vantage Coupe
six speed manual. Well, in no status white. Oh, okay. That's a good use for that plate. I like
that. Well, and the funny thing is like until three days ago, they were depreciating like a rock.
So that would be an accurate plate. And now it's kind of like, well, maybe you should get rid of
plate because it's a fairly good play. It's not accurate anymore. Over MSRP.
9 11 ST GT three RS. Something RS. Yeah. It's an RS. Okay. That was a layup, but I liked it.
The sad thing is they're bragging about paying that. I think I know it's a little like
cool, bro. All right. Again, apologies. I don't know who submitted this and being terrible at my
job tonight. Equity. Equity is the plate. Oh, this is an AMG badged Mercedes.
No, or an AM what do they call like the AMG Trent? Do they have like an AMG that's just
like a trim package and not an engine? Oh, yeah, my wife has one. Yeah, that.
Sorry, was it not that dug? And my last wagon was my last two wagons were now I have a real AMG.
It is a Lincoln MKZ. Oh, God, never. Okay. I'm guessing his equity is not in his car.
It better not be. I have fear for his financial future if it is.
I think that's like somebody who's invested very, very well. And yeah,
it's got pinstriping under the MKZ and the 2.0 H. So I'm guessing they're also
geriatric. Oh, yeah. And he's invested well. So it's probably like I drive this, but like you
have no idea how much money I have, right? Walter White situation, right? I mean, Lincoln is
is respect. It's a white Lincoln. Oh, no, that's like a Cadillac for some people. That is a life
achievement like that in a gold watch. Yep. For you, Ethan, can we swear? Is that a thing?
You do you 98 shit box. How did that get allowed? Did you run this through Carfax
to make sure this wasn't Photoshop? Because somebody sent me a not real plate recently.
Oh, really? I wonder actually looking at the S on this plate. Now I wonder if it is that looks real.
So California plate 98 HT SHT BX BX.
All right. We have to guess what it is. Oh, you're right. You just you've ruined it.
State combination not found. Really? Subaru SVX. No, that was earlier. That was early 90s.
And this also has a window sticker with, you know, the, the like,
the, I don't know, the, the hand with the O that's like, oh, yeah, it's effin mint.
Toyota forerunner. It's a Jeep grand Cherokee or whatever. All right. The boxy Jeeps.
I'll take close along those lines. Rhode Island plate. This is from Chase. What matters
G wagon. Okay. So I'm guessing it's not a G wagon. You would be correct. Is this a
what is a boxy a boxy SUV that is not a G wagon? Is it a nope? No. Okay. Nope.
Is this like he's a G and it's a station wagon? Nope. Okay. He might be a G.
What the, but it might be a she might be a she might be a G or it might be a she or
he might be a she or is she a G? Oh God, I was a Toyota RAV four. That doesn't make any sense.
Nope. That's why I gave it to you. That's not the point of the game. That's not a stereotype.
But it's awesome people doing what the poop. I get so many submitted to me that are just like
not actually good stereotypical plates and I don't do them because I'm kind to you. Okay. Go ahead.
Viagra. No, I saw Viagra wrapped McLaren 720 recently. What do you mean? Was it wrapped as a
Viagra pill or was there? No, it was wrapped with like the Viagra logo on it. Came in on trade
or something to a dealer. What the heck? Yeah. Viagra, is it a McLaren 720? Is it that one?
Corvette C606 with a cam. It's a little closer. That would do it for me.
All right. I don't think this is, the car is Viagra. I think this, the guy uses Viagra,
I'm guessing the guy has to use it. Chevrolet SSR. It's so much closer. It is a Camaro ZL1.
Oh man. But it's blue. So I think maybe it's like, it looks like, yeah, it's a convertible. Yes.
Oh, he's got a hair piece too. Or one of those hat, the visor hats with the hair built into it. Yes.
Yes. All right. From Dom Marconi on Instagram, Mr. Real Estate.
An Escalade. No. Navigator. No. And excursion. I'm just going to keep guessing,
no. Is it an SUV? Yes. Okay. Is it a Mercedes? I'm surprised you haven't guessed Jeep. The Jeep
Grand Cherokee is like the real estate vehicle for real estate agents. You know, now that you say that.
Howard Hanna even like has the green ones. They've got the fleet. Yes. But it's not that either.
Oh, okay. It's a Range Rover. Oh, okay. That fits. Bet they're selling some big
Berkshire Hathaway. Michael came kind. Yeah. I'm pretty sure Berkshire Hathaway sells some
big houses. Free shout out for him. Doug, your last plate. Timu 458. Toyota MR2.
Accurate NSX. Nope. That would be an insult to all of us. Corvette C8. Yes, there it is. Ding,
ding, ding, ding, ding. Yeah. Not bad. Third time's a charm. All right. Well, come back next week
for more of these because that was fun. Oh boy. Next week. More where that came from.
I've got plates for days. I have so many plates. Thank you to all who submitted them.
Seriously. Please slow down. Honestly, I'm using like recent submissions more because a lot of the
ones that are in the queue, I'm like, eh, there's a reason it's still in the queue. You know, I say
that, but the crackhead plate was from a year ago. And I don't know how I just accidentally like
found it looked at it in the big old folder that I have the ones I haven't used. I knew you weren't
going to get it, but I liked it. Imagine two identical vehicles, same year, mileage, options,
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Beach Gardens, Florida. We've talked a fair amount about Ohio emissions tests and emissions tests
in general. And, man, a year ago, at least the Ohio legislature passed a law to do away with
E-check, which only exists in seven counties in northeast Ohio. Which is kind of, it's way less
than I thought, because I've always lived in an E-check county. I just always thought it was a
thing that everybody did. Nope. Nope. Used to be. Used to be all the whole state. So the governor
signed it. So technically, it passed as an Ohio law, but they didn't do away with them because
they had to wait for the Ohio EPA to green light it. Yes, I pun intended there. Emphasis on green.
So the Ohio EPA finally did kind of, but not for the reason we think. So a recent article on
Fox8.com said E-checks can soon be eliminated in Ohio because, as I say, in a move that has been
decades in the making, the regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Service
announced on Wednesday that Ohio has been removed from a list of states that do not
meet EPA clean air standards. So they've been added to a list of states that do.
Governor Mike DeWine and Vogel, a lot of other officials are proud to announce that the state
has reached what the agency calls attainment. The air is cleaner. Your children are healthier.
What it means for businesses in Ohio is that they are more competitive. There's a lot
What does that have to do with anything? For decades, the state, along with private and business
partners, have been working toward cleaning up both the air and water in Ohio. Bernie Marino.
There's so many different officials who are taking credit for cleaning up the air in Ohio.
There's a lot of photo opportunities, a lot of people with their pictures taken.
There's an article on Ideastream Public Media. Northeast Ohio's air is cleaner. Seven counties
reach federal compliance and they did a press thing on the shores of Lake Erie with Cleveland
in the background. Yeah, we're so happy. Yeah, they said it's a cumulative effect over time.
You know, we've done so much, right? I guess. Do you know what the reason was that?
Oh, wait, hold on. Another Grace Gallucci, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Area
Wide Coordinating Agency. What even is a coordinating agency? It's a government
organization that exists to organize other government organizations. She says this did
not happen because of one single change. It's a result of decades of steady progress,
continuous improvements in policy, technology, planning, and partnership.
Actually, it is a result of one single change. You know what that is. What is that, Doug?
It's that somebody asked the EPA to not include the dates that Northeast Ohio and Ohio in general
was affected by the Canadian wildfires in their reporting, their measurements. Seriously?
And once they removed, because what was it, two years in a row there's massive Canadian wildfires,
once they removed those time periods, Ohio was magically in compliance.
You know, data is so key to understanding the world we live in, but it is also
so easy to fuck with. Context matters. Oh my gosh. Hey, you're really dirty. Well,
there's this, see that cloud coming from Canada? Which to be fair, when those wildfires were here,
that was rough. I can't imagine what it was like, obviously closer or like having your
community affected by such a thing. But it was, I was amazed at how bad it was here so far away.
Right, right. Man, just people misusing data. That's what our modern society is,
is just misuse and misrepresentation of datums. But there's so many people who want to take credit,
and there's probably billions of dollars that have been spent on this. And I'm sure some things
have improved the air quality. For sure. However, Echex, that was not solving anything.
According to a source of mine, the compliance rate of Ohio's Echex is 98%.
98%. So we were jumping through all these hoops for a 2% failure rate. Well, I wonder how many
of the 2% are people with sports cars with like, I don't know, you know, like, I don't know. They
just sometimes throw check engine lights or, you know, like project cars or something and not
actually like daily transportation that is a problem that is putting a bunch of emissions
into the air. Right. I failed Echex one time in a Porsche because it was throwing a fault
code in the system, not a check engine light, but it was throwing a fault code that was preventing
it from passing Echex. It failed multiple times and it was due to a wiring issue for the radio.
Seriously? I am dead serious. What? I don't know how that was creating a fault. People will call BS.
No, there's no way that that would happen. I'm telling you, it happened. I can't explain why
it doesn't make any sense, but it happened. That is why it failed Echex because of a wiring issue in
the freaking radio. Oh, gosh. So that's insane. What was the code? I don't have to do, I don't even
remember, but it went to Steinels. It went to a Porsche specialty shop. This is not me fiddling
as a backyard mechanic. This is like callback. Somebody that's an authority said, here's what
we found to be the problem. Ran it back to Echex. Good. That's nuts. Right. So I don't have to do
a study, but I'm sure millions will be spent on one anyway. I don't have to do a study to say that
there's no way that the emissions produced by the testing centers themselves operating,
the employees driving to work and all the vehicles idling during their tests plus waiting in line
and driving to the centers was offset by the emissions allegedly saved by correcting those two
percent failure rates, two percent if they were even corrected. Some people decide to just
title a car in a different county. Yeah. Also the construction of all of the testing centers
that are now sitting dormant. Okay, fine. But you could say they're buildings. They could be used
for other things. I'm going to take that out of it, but they're being used for something that doesn't
need to be done like that. I've driven to Echex a bajillion times and cars weren't,
the readiness monitors weren't set, so I had to go drive around a bunch and literally just
drive aimlessly in order to get the readiness monitors in so they could be tested like.
Good. Gravy. So thankfully Echex will finally go away soon. I think. Oh, is that a thing? I've
heard conflicting things. Is that actually going to be, is that really happening? I think it has
to happen, but it's not going to save the government any money. They're going to find out
something else to spend it on. And I'm hoping it goes away really soon because I've just bought a
2002 BMW that's 24 years old, so it isn't exempt yet. It'll go through Echex. Fine. I just don't
want to bother. Dan was very anxious about his newly acquired Aston. Yeah. Because British.
But I'm like, I just, I need nine months. I only got 45 days on the temp tag, but watch them
like eliminate Echex at 47 days. And then I'm like, I just wasted time to go to the Echex. But
anyway. I mean, it's, it is a waste of time, but you got to go at off hours and just go to the one
down the road that has a self-service station and plug it in and you're good to go.
You know how many times the plug-in self-service thing doesn't work because it doesn't recognize
the VIN or whatever. I had to take a 2013 Scion. I had to take the Signet through...
Signot. Yeah, the Signot. I had to take that through the lanes.
That had to be so ridiculous for the people. What is this? Oh my God. Did they not care?
They loved it. They loved it. Yep. All right. That brings us to our shrew negotiator.
This week I'm going to make fun of an auction house for being a shrew negotiator. Usually
they have excellent writers on staff. Now it's probably AI. I don't know. But anyway, they were
very, very proud. This is a cruise auction in Auburn, Indiana. They're very, very proud of
their one-of-one unicorn Acura NSXT. It is emola orange with orange interior, which one might
say is a terrible combo, but I happen to love it. It's not like bright orange leather. It's like
terracotta kind of. That's cool. It's awesome. And I would love to own a manual one in that
combo, but they keep using the phrase unicorn. I'll quote from their website.
A mere 49 NSXs across the entire 15-year production run were factory finished in the
shade of emola orange pearl, such as this example. Combined with the optional four-speed
automatic transmission, this NSXT becomes a one-of-one example and rightfully achieves unicorn
status. They're using Corvette Rare to make an NSX a one-of-one and call it a unicorn.
This car is worse, but it's rare. Like, golly.
Anyway, it's still sold for, I think, 161,000. That's NSXs now. They're kind of crazy, but yeah.
Good gravy. I kind of got excited. I'm like, ooh, I want a pit on it, but not an automatic.
Nope. No, thank you. Not worth it, no matter how cool the color combination is.
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to receive a free RTD gift. All right, that brings us to the props and flops which are
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or come visit the indoor showroom in Twinsburg, Ohio. Tyler, what is your pick of the week?
An opposite day is so weird. I'll tell you what. I've never not read that in the years of doing
this. Anyway, there is a 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S in midnight blue over Seafoam, and I know it's a
911. It's very basic, but my God, midnight blue is amazing, and I love a weird interior color.
It's like orange on orange. It's just like, and like Seafoam makes me think it's green,
but this is very much just like a blue, but it's got the sport seats. Such a well-optioned car.
It's gorgeous. I am basic, and I own it. That's fine.
Sweet. Tyler, what is our flop of the week? The flop of the week comes to us from another recall
from Ford. They've been doing a lot of those the last three years. This one is a recall for 1.4
million Ford F-150s coming to us as reported by car and driver, where the transmission will,
because of a range sensor issue, some electrical thing will cause, well,
some significant problems. It's going to shift unexpectedly, which, you know, shifting into...
Women do that too.
So, if your car downshifts unexpectedly into a much lower gear, your wheels can lock up and
cause you to lose control of the vehicle, which if you're on the highway going, you know, 60,
70 miles an hour is not a good time. You know, that happened to me.
My sister was driving, I think, and maybe she accidentally hit the column shifter,
but she shifted into reverse 25 years ago in our, like, 1995 Chevrolet 1500 truck. And yeah,
it locked up and she didn't spin it out. She maintained control, but...
Did that, like, blow the transmission? No, it was fine.
They don't make them like they used to. Man, I love the last line of this article.
Additionally, preliminary testing from NHTSA's Vehicle Research Test Center has shown that
one possible side effect of the TRS, which is the sensor that we were talking about,
transmission range sensor, cutting out as a change in vehicle direction,
which is such a clinical way to say losing control.
Specifically, the investigation document points out that a vehicle reversing up a hill
may suddenly shift into neutral, causing the truck to roll forward, which is also not good.
You have brakes for that.
I do, but if you're not expecting it, if you're doing, you know, like,
if somebody's in following, you know, too closely in front of you, it's a dumb situation.
If you're backing up a hill, like, the car has to stop before it changes directions, technically.
And that's just a really steep hill.
It's still for a very small amount of time.
Yes. So, like, you have a moment to react. Is that the same 10-speed that's in the Chevy
or similar? Because they share architecture.
Well, the Chevy's had a lot of recalls on their 10-speed transmission as well,
but it's interesting that you brought that up because I read today that Ford currently has
more recalls than all the other manufacturers combined. It's like nine million vehicles or
something like that. And the discussion here was interesting. I thought the comment section
would be a dumpster fire of them, like embodying their found-on-road dead acronyms or initialisms,
if we want to be correct. But the comment section actually was like, well, a lot of this is over the
air software updates that they can do. And maybe it's not that they have problems. It's that Ford
is being more proactive and or transparent about issues that they just want to get fixed, whereas
a lot of other manufacturers will avoid recalls and say, oh, that's not a problem. And like Porsche,
Porsche won't recall their de-chunking or their IMSs or anything like that.
Never did.
Bore scoring. They just wait till they get sued and then settle.
So is it that Fords are crappy or is it they're like better customer service?
Well, that's going back to my data comment from a while ago. There's just context matters. And
you can really look at that in either, I guess, whatever your initial slant or opinion is on Ford,
but I would at least hope that they would do these recalls out of caution and safety for
their consumers in hopes that they will continue trusting the brand to be right by them in the
future. I mean, my I grew up in a Ford household and they've never really turned my family wrong.
So yeah, I mean, they're doing the right thing.
I love that their CEO is like into motorsports and races himself and is like an actual car
guy. I think that's awesome. Yeah. Yeah, I've only had I think my excursion seven three was
awesome and my Crown Vic was awesome. My Mustang four six blew up the motor. My Lincoln Aviator
four six blew up the motor and my Ford Superduo six liter didn't blow it up, but I sold it before it
did. So, you know, just avoid the four six. Yeah, I think there's a common thread.
Oh, my sister's Ford Fusion blew up the motor too. So, you know, manufacturers are all the same. It's
yeah. But what is our prop of the week? The prop of the week is that the Camaro's coming back
maybe probably possibly also reported to us by car and driver for a production to begin in late
2027 for a 2028 model year Chevy is apparently I don't know of any sources. This seems to be
insider stuff, but going to be bringing back the Camaro and now the V eight with a V eight
with a manual. There's some other rumors that it might have like a four door option to like
compete with whatever which is a little Mustang Mach E. Yeah, I don't know like the charger,
I guess. I don't but either way, don't compete with those. Please. I agree. But I'm so happy
that a car that I thought was kind of done for a while and an affordable American sports car,
even though I don't like them. I'm glad it's coming back and I'm glad that there's options.
I wouldn't allow them into my cars and coffee, but I'm glad.
Well, man, I don't know. It depends. We'll see what the owners of Tyler over here.
Look, just because I don't like something doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. I'm so happy
that this car exists and we'll be very happy that the Camaro is coming back. Absolutely.
But he won't buy one because those dealers, man, they're going to right get him for every penny
he jobs. Ah, well, wonderful, wonderful evening tonight. Again, thank you for joining us and
stick around. Or if you're listening later on, sign up for our Patreon for even more
bonus discussion because we typically have another drink and it gets a little bit livelier. So
kind of a switch cast on. Well, it's not unplugged. We're still plugged in switch cast unhinged.
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The opinions expressed on this show are exclusively held by the people pontificating at that moment
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About this episode
The conversation jumps from Porsche hot takes to a deep dive into a bizarre transport-broker theft, where a shipped Porsche is allegedly stolen and tracked through a maze of fake carrier identities. From there, the hosts riff on car-show gatekeeping, misleading speed math, Ohio emissions politics, and a Ford recall before ending on rumors of a Camaro comeback. The throughline is equal parts enthusiast debate and skeptical detective work, with plenty of side tangents and sharp one-liners.
A Florida man hired a shady uShip broker to ship his 2026 Porsche to Michigan and nearly lost it to a Miami theft ring before the driver stole it himself to run errands.
