0:00 / 0:00
What is the Best Toyota and Lexus Off-Roader  AND We Bought Yet ANOTHER Bargain Porsche!? | Ep. 326

What is the Best Toyota and Lexus Off-Roader AND We Bought Yet ANOTHER Bargain Porsche!? | Ep. 326

TFL Car Chat Mar 03, 2026 63 min
0:00
0:00

About this episode

The hosts discuss their recent adventures testing Toyota and Lexus off-roaders in Southern California, blending skiing, surfing, and off-roading. The conversation shifts to a recent purchase of a 2003 Porsche 911 Carrera with an automatic transmission, highlighting its unique features, the infamous IMS bearing issue, and its value in today's market. They also touch on the desirability of different 911 models and share insights into the Range Rover L322, including its market value and ownership experience.

Filter:
|
Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Concept

off-roading

"Tommy, have you ever wondered what the best Toyota slash Lexus off-roaders? We just had the chance to drive a ton of them because we did a really cool thing where in the course of just a day or two, we went skiing and surfing and off-roading in Southern California."

Off-roading means driving a car on rough ground that isn't a normal road, like dirt or rocks, which needs special cars that can handle it.

Car

Land Rover Range Rover

""So we've been looking for a Range Rover. To buy an old one. What's the model? It's L322.""

The Range Rover L322 is a fancy SUV made by Land Rover between 2002 and 2012. It can drive well off-road but also has many comfortable and high-end features inside.

Term

KBB

"Like do KBB, they'll tell you the cars worth about 2K because of course the legendary reliability of rain drovers."

KBB is a website that helps you find out how much a used car is worth, so you know if the price is fair.

Car

BMW X5

"he says, Hey, I got a mission and I'm like great and I said, Why are you selling it and he said, Well, I just bought a BMW X5 and I'm like, Oh, well, that makes sense."

The BMW X5 is a big car that can carry people and stuff comfortably. It is fancy and has good features, making it popular for families or everyday use.

Term

manual transmission

"So, you know, that's not great. Everybody wants a manual."

A manual transmission means the driver changes gears themselves using pedals and a stick. Many people like it because it makes driving more fun and gives more control.

Car

Porsche 911

"... [SPEAKER_01]: And we buy the Range Rover and the 911 so that's what I'm thinking side was like I'm com..."

The Porsche 911 is a famous fast car that looks unique and is fun to drive. People talk about it because it's been popular for a very long time and is known for being really good on the road.

Term

fried egg headlight

"So the early ones had what's known as the fried egg headlight. Yeah, people hate those. And the reason that it's called a fried egg headlight is it looks like if you crack an egg and then the yolk kind of falls to the bottom of a pan..."

The fried egg headlight is a funny name for the early headlights on the Porsche 911 (996) because they look like a fried egg with a yolk in the middle. Many people didn't like how they looked.

Term

wheel curbing

""It's got some wheel curbing.""

Wheel curbing means the wheels got scratched or damaged because they hit the edge of a sidewalk or curb.

Term

check engine light

""Oh, yeah, check engine light.""

The check engine light is a warning light on the car's dashboard that tells you when something might be wrong with the engine or other important parts.

Term

airbag light

""I'm no, sorry, an airbag light on.""

The airbag light is a warning on the dashboard that tells you if there is a problem with the airbags, which help keep you safe in a crash.

Term

full service history

""it's got full service history. Suspension's good.""

Full service history means there are records showing all the times the car was checked and fixed, so you know it was taken care of.

Term

clean title

"especially being a hard-tock clean title low ownership good service history"

A clean title means the car has not been badly damaged or written off by insurance. It's a good sign the car is in decent shape.

Term

low ownership

"especially being a hard-tock clean title low ownership good service history"

Low ownership means not many people have owned the car before you. This usually means the car was taken care of better.

Term

convertible

"And then of course being a convertible and then of course being in automatic so this one has one two of those three That's why it's affordable"

A convertible is a car where the roof can be taken down or folded back so you can drive with the top open and feel the wind.

Term

automatic transmission

"And then of course being in automatic so this one has one two of those three That's why it's affordable so it does have them automatic."

An automatic transmission means the car changes gears by itself, so you don't have to use a clutch or shift manually. This makes driving easier, especially in busy traffic.

Term

body rigidity

"And then of course the less body of rigidity, which makes for less performance, it's kind of the dentist's car, right?"

Body rigidity means how strong and stiff the car's frame is. A stiffer car handles better, but convertibles usually have less stiffness because they don't have a solid roof.

Part

hydraulic power steering

""Hydraulic power steering, the ride quality is really good. That's three, six.""

Hydraulic power steering helps you turn the steering wheel more easily by using fluid pressure, so it doesn't feel heavy when you steer.

Term

Porsche Crest

""It's got the Porsche Crest and the headrests, which people people like. It's got both premium audio, so it's got some little options here and there.""

The Porsche Crest is the special badge or logo you see on Porsche cars that shows it's a Porsche.

Part

shifter

"the shifter is just a pleasure to work. The car just puts a huge smile on your face because you take the top down"

The shifter is the stick or lever you move to change gears in a manual car. A nice shifter makes it easier and more fun to drive.

Part

brakes

"It actually steers, but it didn't break really well and that was a problem because Tommy and I want to take this car and we want to go and use it as kind of a rally car this summer. It actually did break pretty well. I mean, the brakes were very good. Well, they like kept lighting up."

Brakes help a car slow down or stop when you press the pedal. Good brakes keep you safe and help you control the car better.

Term

rally car

"and that was a problem because Tommy and I want to take this car and we want to go and use it as kind of a rally car this summer."

A rally car is a special car made to race on different kinds of roads, like dirt or gravel, not just normal streets.

Car

Land Rover Defender

"...is is a third one. [SPEAKER_01]: First we had our defender truck because it was missing the new keys. [SPEAK..."

The Land Rover Defender is a tough car made to drive on rough roads and in the wild. People like it because it can go places many cars can't, but some older ones might need more fixing.

Car

Fiat 500

"... [SPEAKER_00]: We wanted them to check out a Fiat 500 thing that we had going on. [SPEAKER_00]: They ch..."

The Fiat 500 is a tiny car that’s easy to park and drive in the city. It looks cute and doesn’t use much gas, making it good for short trips.

Term

whale tail

"We're asking 59,000, it's pretty sorted, whale tail, a white body 87-9-11 there it is."

A whale tail is a big spoiler on the back of some Porsche 911 cars. It helps the car stay stable when driving fast and makes it look special.

Term

soft line

""...that there was a bad rubber break hose that the soft line in the left front corner, so he went down the rabbit hole of putting new soft lines on it...""

Soft lines are flexible hoses in your car's brakes that help connect hard metal pipes to the brakes on the wheels. They bend and move so the brakes work properly when the car moves.

Term

brake fluid

"completely blocking the the brake, fluid from the rear brakes"

Brake fluid is a special liquid that helps your brakes work when you press the pedal.

Part

brake master

"He had to actually surgically remove the brake master because the captive, I think it was a nut broke off on the inside of it."

The brake master cylinder helps make your car stop when you press the brake pedal by pushing brake fluid to the wheels.

Car

Toyota Land Cruiser

"...be the case when we actually broke our 100 series Land Cruiser two weeks ago. [SPEAKER_01]: You want to tell the..."

The Toyota Land Cruiser is a big, strong car that can drive over rough ground and last a very long time. People trust it because it rarely breaks and is good for trips into nature.

Car

Toyota RAV4

"...ause two to build a lot of 400, so you've got the RAV4, it used to be an adventure now, it's called the ..."

The Toyota RAV4 is a small SUV that’s easy to drive and doesn’t use much gas. Many people pick it because it’s good for family trips and everyday use.

Car

Lexus Gx

"...ys switch to Lexus for the GX, and then after the Lexus GX, you go to the LX. [SPEAKER_01]: So you're starti..."

The Lexus GX is a fancy SUV that can go off-road but also feels very comfortable inside. People like it because it’s both tough and nice to ride in.

Car

Toyota Tundra

"...rs and of course you also have the Tacoma and the Tundra in there on the Tundra side. [SPEAKER_01]: I didn..."

The Toyota Tundra is a big truck that can carry heavy things and last a long time. People choose it because it’s tough and works well for big jobs.

Car

Toyota Tacoma

"... did all the cars and of course you also have the Tacoma and the Tundra in there on the Tundra side. [SPEA..."

The Toyota Tacoma is a medium-sized truck that is known to last a long time and can handle rough roads. Many people like it because it’s good for work and fun trips.

Car

Ford Bronco

"...d of course, [SPEAKER_01]: There I say the Raptor Bronco Raptor because at 74 you're only 5,000 away from ..."

The Ford Bronco is a cool SUV that can drive on rough roads and looks a bit like old cars from the past. People like it because it’s good for outdoor trips and fun to drive.

Car

Jeep Willys

"...p Rubicon 392 because there's a new There's a new Willys 392 coming out. [SPEAKER_01]: That's going to be ..."

The Jeep Wrangler is a strong SUV that can drive on rough paths and lets you take off the doors and roof for fun. Many people love it for adventures and outdoor trips.

Car

Ford Maverick

"...PEAKER_00]: Yeah, I found them. [SPEAKER_00]: The Maverick for $28,000, right? [SPEAKER_00]: No, that was ne..."

The Ford Maverick is a small truck that’s easy to drive and doesn’t use much gas. It’s a good choice if you want a truck that’s not too big or expensive.

Car

Mitsubishi Lancer

"..._01]: Yep. [SPEAKER_01]: This has things that the Lancers who doesn't have, well, it doesn't have the built..."

The Mitsubishi Lancer is a small car that can be sporty or just good for everyday driving. People like it because it’s fun to drive and not too expensive.

Car

Ford Model T

"...f you're old and crotchety like me, you can get a model T. Yes, you can get a model T. All right, let's go ..."

The Ford Model T is one of the first cars ever made that many people could buy. It helped a lot of people start driving cars a long time ago.

Term

massaging seats

"you get a much better autonomous system which we can talk about, you get massaging seats."

Massaging seats are special car seats that can gently rub your back to make you feel more comfortable.

Term

torque

"So you get the 3.4 liter twin turbo V6, 479 pound feet of torque now... Tons of power, tons of torque."

Torque is how much force the engine can use to make the car move or pull heavy things.

Car

Lexus Lx

"...other vehicle we drove on this trip, which is the Lexus LX 700H over trail. [SPEAKER_00]: Boom, they're the ..."

The Lexus LX is a big, fancy SUV that can go off-road but also feels very comfortable and smooth inside. People buy it if they want a luxury car that can handle rough roads.

Car

G-Class Gwagon

"[SPEAKER_01]: It actually competes with a land rover auto biography. [SPEAKER_01]: It also competes directly being triple-ocked with the G-Wagon and a G-Wagon would probably start at 175,000 that auto biographies like 250,000. [SPEAKER_01]: You can get a G-Wagon 63 which is going to be 225,000."

The G-Class is a fancy, expensive SUV that looks square and can drive on tough roads. People like it because it’s strong, stylish, and rare.

17 cars featured

Request an Explanation

Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.

Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.

Want to learn more?

Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.

Explore Terms

Help improve this episode

See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.

Report incorrect info
Suggest better explanations
Flag missing cars