The Avants Podcast

The Avants Podcast

Avants

Updated 6 days ago
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Join hosts Dan Putnam and Nick Bergeron as they get to know industry leading guests beyond just what they drive. The Avants Podcast is never scripted and never predictable, but it’s always a good time and full of surprises. You won’t find any boring reviews that sound like reading off a pre-planned info sheet, ”history of” shows that are reworded Wikipedia articles, or advertisements for the next new foam mattress here! The Avants Podcast focuses on making sure guests are always authentic, just like your hosts.

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Episodes (447)

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Brake-by-Wire Is Here… Are We Still Driving?

The future of driving just took another step away from… driving. BMW is bringing brake-by-wire to production—ditching traditional hydraulic systems in favor of fully electronic control. It’s a big leap forward in technology, but also raises a bigger question: are we slowly being disconnected from the driving experience altogether? EV drivers already rely heavily on regen braking—so does this even matter anymore, or is this the tipping point? Meanwhile, Lucid just dropped a $1B loss, proving once again that building high-end EVs isn’t for the faint of heart (or wallet). Backed by Saudi funding, they’re not going anywhere—but can the next wave, like the Rivian R2, finally deliver the EV breakthrough the market actually needs? On a more hopeful note, Nissan might be back. A new Skyline is on the horizon, and somehow Infiniti could be the one bringing back a proper manual sports sedan. Is this the comeback enthusiasts have been waiting for? And speaking of performance—how fast is fast enough? Dan shares his run at 193 mph in a GT-R, still chasing that elusive 200 mph club. The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail or send us a text any time at 425-298-7873! We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!  

S1E444 May 11, 2026 43 min 79 annotations

Enjoying Cake and Being Sad About Our Key Fobs

This episode kicks off with a bit of well-earned self-hype as Avants Magazine Issue 23 drops—featuring us! Huge shoutout to Brian Elich for capturing some incredible photos that made the feature even better. From there, we dive into some big industry news: GM pulling out of the electric truck market. What went wrong for legacy automakers like Ford and GM, and how did Rivian manage to get it so right? We break down the challenges—and we want to hear from you. If you’ve owned (or ditched) a Ford Lightning or GM EV truck, tell us what you loved… or didn’t. Next up, we talk about Ford Raptor cost-cutting, and why enthusiasts are starting to notice some questionable decisions in a premium product. Over in motorsport, Formula 1 changes the rules yet again, and surprise—fans and drivers aren’t thrilled. We unpack the latest shake-ups and what they mean for the sport. On the brighter side, Porsche reveals yet another 911 variant, proving once again that they somehow never miss. Is it necessary? Maybe not. Does it look amazing? Absolutely. And finally, Dan makes a life decision: buying his first e-bike (an Amflow PR Carbon Pro)—which also happens to be only his third bike ever… at 46. What could possibly go wrong?  The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail or send us a text any time at 425-298-7873! We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!

S1E442 Apr 27, 2026 46 min 124 annotations

Birds, Trucks, and Bad Decisions

This week’s episode takes a few fun detours and a few hard turns into the reality of today’s car market. We kick things off in unexpected territory with a discussion on Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching and the strange, entertaining world of accidental ornithology—proof that bird watching can be far more intense (and competitive) than anyone expects. With the GMC Jimmy officially making a return, we ask the obvious question: does this finally give us hope that Ford might bring the Everest stateside? That leads into a bigger “what if” conversation—cars that *should* have been massive hits but were held back by baffling decisions. We argue the Cybertruck may have been more popular as a true SUV instead of a polarizing pickup, and the Honda Prelude is our go-to example of a car that was absolutely nerfed by its manufacturer. We also ask listeners which car they think deserved better. Truck talk continues as Toyota announces the Tundra TRD Hammer Edition, a clear shot across the bow of the Raptor. We think Toyota nailed this one and expect it to be a serious competitor. On the performance side, pricing for the new Grand Sport X has dropped, and at $113K we make the case that it’s one of the best bang‑for‑your‑buck cars on the market right now. We then dive into the brutal reality of depreciation—especially in the EV space. The Tesla Model 3 RWD losing roughly 62% of its value raises a bigger question: is this a reflection of the EV market as a whole, or is Tesla dealing with its own unique set of problems, including brand fatigue and Elon‑induced polarization? Along similar lines, Ford officially confirms what many saw coming—the death of the F‑150 Lightning. The twist? We think it’s actually fixable, and we break down how Ford could have saved it. We wrap up with some real‑world pain: gas prices. When a full tank in a Raptor is flirting with $200, it begs the question—what’s the most you’ve ever paid to fill up? And finally, our Question of the Week: what shop or garage upgrades are you planning this year? Dan thinks a mini‑split is non‑negotiable before summer hits—do you agree?   The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail or send us a text any time at 425-298-7873! We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!

S1E441 Apr 20, 2026 44 min 127 annotations

We Don’t Really Do Car Reviews

We talk about cars all the time, but we’re not out there test driving them very often so we don’t really consider ourselves “car reviewers”. Reporting in general has changed significantly over the years, and the latest “review” on the F250 by Dan Neil in the WSJ shows how even car reviews aren’t safe from bad taste and political soap boxes. In better car review news, the real car reviews on the new Rivian R2 have started to drop and we all seem to think it’s a great step in the right direction EVs as a whole, but we would love to hear your thoughts on it. Dan is more excited for the Scout and Rivian R3, and we both think the new Slate is unfortunately doomed due to increasing costs. Who do you think was the biggest brand loser of 2025? We give our vote to Ford for having more recalls than we didn’t think possible and the huge failure of the Lightning, which should have been an easy win. In really good consumer news, the Michelin and BF Goodrich discount is renewed for 2026 and you can save more than ever by buying from our partners at Discount Tire! Considering how warm it has been in the PNW, it’s getting close to time to get those new summer tires anyway! The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail or send us a text any time at 425-298-7873! We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!

S1E433 Feb 16, 2026 43 min 35 annotations

Bring Back Stereo Dolphins!

Bring back stereo dolphins! We think there's a market for simplified vehicles that will outlast you with proper maintenance, and we think diesel, non-hybrid, trucks with no built-in infotainment, and manual options would be just the thing. Doug DeMuro disagrees, but do you? It turns out about 1/2 a million Washington drivers have expired tabs. In a surprise to no one living in the area of constantly increasing taxes and costs, more drivers than ever are skipping tab renewals. We often forget the tabs on our motorcycles and trailers, but what about you? Did you hear this episode then suddenly realize your tabs are still from 2021? Living in that RTA zone and it just doesn't make sense to renew them for you? Tesla pulls the plug on the Model S and Model X; is it a sign of decreasing demand for EVs?  Questions for the audience this week!  Is simplicity something you want and would actually pay for? Is there an actual market for vehicles like the 70 series or is it just a nice idea?  What vehicles is close to perfect, except for 1 or 2 glaringly obvious flaws like the Prelude?   What other manufacturers are obviously missing the mark on their models besides the Honda Prelude? Did you "forget" to renew your tabs? Is it just too expensive now?  The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail or send us a text any time at 425-298-7873! We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!

S1E431 Feb 02, 2026 51 min 43 annotations

It's Time to Shop Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals!

We're dropping this one early because it's time to shop for holiday shopping! Obviously the first thing on your list should be an Avants membership of course, but we've got a great list of things you or someone you know probably wants!  None of these links are affiliate links; we just love this stuff and think you will too!  An Avants Membership! Griots Products A quiet compressor The DeWalt Stealthsonic Vac (Dan has this one) A battery conversion for that old Dyson hand vac so you can use it again A battery powered hand vac that matches your tools Mini Lowes, Home Depot, or Harbor Freight bucket cups We're not above gift certificates and no other car people are either Icon or Gearwrench 1/4 drive mini ratchet set Get that shop minisplit and heat and cool your space efficiently like this 18k BTU YitaHome for $555 Quick Jacks! Or reach out to our friends at Hydraulic Solutions!  Get some lights or some other custom work from our partners at HKP Customs! And rumor has it they're doing a little extra for Avants members.  Starlink Mini is a game changer, they're on sale for $230, and we swear everyone who road trips or overlands should have one!  OnX Offroad is on sale for 30% for Black Friday, and if you enjoy exploring it's the app to have.  Baofeng GMRS Radios are dirt cheap and great for communicating with your friends on rallies, out while offroad, hiking, and more!  Silicon Gun Cleaning mat - we use these for cars projects, not guns, and they're great!  Mackie Studio Monitor speakers for the best shop speakers I've used to date The EDC pocket knife I think everyone should have, the Kershaw Leek The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail or send us a text any time at 425-298-7873! We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!  

S1E423 Nov 28, 2025 45 min 33 annotations
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