The Avants Podcast
Avants
Updated 6 days agoJoin 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)
Worth It, Not Worth It!
In this episode we cover some common products we have found to be worth it and a lot that we have found really were not. Hopefully this list saves you some time and gets you the right stuff the first time! You can access the short link to this list here! https://www.raincitysupercars.com/worth-it-not-worth-it
Meet David Plotts, The New GM Of Drivers Club!
We first met David when he introduced us to Matt Moreman of Obsessed Garage. He also knows our friends at Combat Flip Flops, because it’s always a small world. David is now the new GM of Drivers Club, but his path is an interesting one for sure! From being a Green Beret, to Nordstrom, to Drivers Club, David has held some impressive lines of work. Get to know him on episode 171! If you liked our Carter Subaru tip of the week and have some alcantara to clean, pick up some Griots Interior Cleaner and a boars hair brush set and get 10% off you order with our code RCS10!
Protecting Your Noggin With Some Helmet Knowledge
This episode is a deep dive in all things helmets! Dan is sort of an expert on them and Nick has a huge head so we thought we would make an episode about it. We cover everything from construction, to safety ratings, to materials, and more odds and ends.
Automotive Topic Potpourri
It's an automotive topic potpourri episode! Nick reminds us to check our insurance coverage SSC sets a record, for real this time Koenigsegg produces another amazing car we can't pronounce Lexus decides to actually look at it's model line-up and remembers styling is important What's a new, used car worth? Here come the embarrassing accessories for the new Bronco Why do racing simulator wheels and pedals kind of suck? Nick also reminds you to clean your air filter There’s a New Top Gear America and it doesn’t suck as much as usual this time! Stop street racing in Tacoma please! And the Mt Si Pub is BACK OPEN! For our local listeners, come visit! Great food, great service, great people, and they serve delicious food on metal trays.
All Things RS6 Avant with Justin Osmer!
Justin Osmer joins us at Drivers Club to talk all about Forza memories, a lifetime of Audis, and his new RS6 Avant; the unicorn we all want. Justin has a lot of great car stories and he’s more than a guy who just bought the currently hottest Audi on the market. Justin has worked with Forza, Top Gear USA, Gymkhana, and numerous celebrity automotive podcasts until he made it big with us. Tune in and get to know a great car enthusiast with more great stories. Follow Justin on Instagram at FatherFlywheel! Remember to use our code RCS10 for 10% off at GriotsGarage.com to in person at the Tacoma store!
Monkeys, Movie Cars, Vectors, And Off-Road Events
In this Dan and Nick episode we talk about riding Monkeys, movie cars we can’t think of, Mr. Feeny, Vectors, and the return of the extremely popular Avants Off-Road Events that we will be at, handing out prizes!
Mike Tolliver Helps Us Give Stance a Chance!
We joke relentlessly about Stance culture on RCS, but we brought in the amazing man behind StanceWars, Mike Tolliver, to give us some real insight on the scene. Mike is easily one of the hardest working event promoters in the car business and Stance culture is easily the most controversial area of the car world, but guys like Mike are exactly why you should give Stance a chance. This is a great interview with an absolute professional who puts on a hell of a show worth seeing. We had so much to talk about on this episode that we are going to have Mike back to talk about his upcoming shows and his lifetime of great car stories from a true car nut.
We Go A Little Off The Rails with Racer On Rails
We got the chance to sit down at the pub with the Bryce and Jordan Allen, the brothers from Racer On Rails, and go a little off the rails! We discuss racing (of course), boats, McLaren rotor costs, and everything Racer on Rails offers to their clients. Listen in for another fun, Mt Si Pub fueled episode! Learn more about the guys at RacerOnRails.com!
So Long 2020 and Hello Big Changes for 2021!
For 2021 we welcome Griot’s Garage as the exclusive car care provider of Rain City Supercars! We know 2020 was a pretty rough year for a lot of people, but we are extremely thankful to say it was our biggest year ever! We made several changes that yielded a lot of growth as we went beyond Rain City Supercars to RCS in an effort to be more inclusive of everyone that makes up the car community, well beyond supercars. Above all else, thank you to all our listeners for making this possible. We love making this show for you and we have some extremely interesting guests coming up we know you’re going to love. When COVID-19 permits, you’ll be seeing us at a lot more events too, so stay tuned for a big 2021!
Want to Ride Better? Talk to Linnea Rooke!
Like a lot of car people, we like anything with wheels, including bicycles. Thanks to a great listener suggestion, we tracked down Linnea Rooke, Chief Operating Officer at Fluidride Mountain Bike School in Fall City. She’s not only the COO, she’s also a pro-racer and stars in the instructional series. Fluidride offers global tours, in-person clinics, online classes, and so much more. As we keep preaching here on the show, you can always learn more from professional training and Fluidride is right in our backyard. We had so much fun recording this show and we know you will love it as much as we did! Check out Fluidride on their website and follow Linnea on IG for some awesome bicycle adventures.
Living the Baja Dream with David Wheaton (Part 2)
On part 2 of our episode with David Wheaton we talk all about epic trips to Baja you find out you booked when you wake up, Raptors, suspension, and laugh all the way through. We had a lot of laughs creating this episode, but it is marked explicit due to some language and an explanation about why penguines like vanilla ice cream. Some stories are just better told unfiltered and we felt this one fit that flow.
Living the Dream with David Wheaton (Part 1)
When Karl first told us about David we knew we were in for a great episode full of great stories. David Wheaton did not disappoint! From his time in Monterey working around Sonoma and Laguna Seca to owning the Mt Si Tavern in North Bend, David is a guy you'll want to know. Not only does he have the best "dive" bar around, he's a friendly guy you just want to keep talking to. Enjoy part 1 of getting to know David!
Snow Wheeling; Our Cure for Covid Boredom
In this shorter episode we discuss our latest little adventure and a few highlights from the week. We have a lot of new and interesting guests coming up in the next few episodes we know you’re really going to enjoy. For now, enjoy this short take!
The RCS School for People Who Don’t Off-Road Good
We get asked all the time, so we made it a highly controversial episode so you can yell at us while listening in your car! Here is all the off-road gear we are carrying all the time and links for most of where you can get it. A lot of this was purchased pre-Avants, on a budget, or in a hurry, and those are marked with an * as we do believe there are in fact better options out there, but this is exactly what we have. You can basically one-stop-shop all of this at our friends at MULE Adventure Outfitters and HKP Customs where your Avants discount really helps! We make ZERO from these links and we know there is better gear out there when it comes to straps, shackles, etc, but we wanted to be honest about what we use and it’s been working fine for us. We are not “hardcore” off-road experts, but we have been doing it a long time, and we do know this gear (and an occasional winch) get 99% of the work done and out of that snow bank or ditch. See our website for the full list of gear we think you should be carrying and links to get it all: https://www.raincitysupercars.com/the-podcast
A Snowy Stampede and Another Lockdown
Covid may have locked us all down again, but there’s no restrictions off-road! We went up to Stampede Pass last weekend for some snow-wheeling and of course came back with more stories. This episode is all about driving in the thick stuff and settling that AT vs MT tire debate! Also, check out this awesome product for airing up and airing down! We consider this a must have for off-roading and they’re made by a guy down in Oregon. We don’t get anything from this, but we are happy to promote it because it just works so well - https://morrflate.com/ If you just love DIY, you can easily build your own from this parts list here: https://trail4runner.com/2018/05/06/diy-4-tire-inflation-system/ Sadly, we have to report the Avants Off-Road event scheduled for the 21st is cancelled due to the lockdown. :(
James Bond Picks Up The Kids From Soccer Practice
We got an early opportunity to test drive the new Aston Martin DBX! We didn’t get to race a RSQ8 up a mountain like Top Gear, but we definitely got to have some fun! Our friends at Park Place Aston Martin gave us a call and said “Hey, want to drive an SUV you can’t afford?” We of course said yes and we think you’ll get a kick out of our review. Luckily for us, we’ve actually spent a lot of time in the competition, so tune in to hear how it stacks up! RCS received NO compensation of any kind for this review! We think you know that, but we wanted to be sure. We’d tell you if we ever got paid for a review. We just have really awesome friends who let us drive amazing cars.
Picking The Right Off-Road Vehicle
When it comes to picking the right off-road vehicle, what you want may not be the right tool for the job. Raptor? Terrible for trails. 4Runner? Not exactly built for Baja. Jeep? Not exactly built for… asphalt. That said, all are recognized as some of the best in their class. Then there’s Subaru, which keeps defying the odds with just a little bit of work.
Coley Tipton, President of IRDC
In this weeks fun conversation we talk to Coley Tipton, president of the International Race Drivers Club or IRDC. Coley has some great stories of growing up at the track, getting into racing thanks to Paul Newman himself, crashing into tire walls, and other fun things. We hope you have as many laughs as we did!
Sam Stone and The Philosphy of EVOMS
If you’re into tuning Porsches, you’re probably familiar with Evolution Motorsports or EVOMS as they’re often known to the rest of the world. Sam Stone is the co-owner of Evolution and is here to tell his story and the future of Evolution, opening up very soon in Kirkland!
Your Go-To for Lights and More, Ben Smrecansky of HKP!
Long before we knew who Ben Smrecansky was or that HID Kit Pros was a local company, we knew they were the go-to company for lights. In fact, if you search for LED replacement lights, you’ll probably come across their page as the top result. Beyond lights, HKP Customs can now do everything from lifts, to radars, to stereos, and everything between (except gearing). Ben tells us his entrepreneurial story and talks about how he became the go-to guy for all things lighting and now more!
E-Boards And The Raptor Project
It’s official, the Porsche 911 Turbo S has been sold! That means a road trip, a raptor, and a new build! In addition to that, we added another “vehicle” to our fleet, and Metroboard-X Electric Skateboard! This isn’t your average kids toy; hence the X for X-TREME! We really hate that name, but it’s an impressive piece of tech and a ton of fun. If you’ve been on the fence about something like this, we can’t recommend this little toy enough.
The New CEO of America’s Automotive Trust, Jennifer Maher!
We welcome the new CEO of America’s Automotive Trust, Jennifer Maher! America’s Automotive Trust includes LeMay - America’s Car Museum, TechForce, and The RPM Foundation. In this episode we talk all about jobs in the automotive industry, the future of America’s Automotive Trust, and so much more all about her! More than that, we welcome Automotive Trust as an In-Kind Sponsor! We both want to see the industry grow and we look forward to working as partners.
RCS Rally Recap!
Alright, we admit trying to run a road rally during the apocalypse may not have been our best decision, but we did it anyway. This year was different to say the least. 2020 in general isn’t exactly a great year for anyone, but when you add constantly changing wildfires, rapidly moving wildlife, and rapidly moving police cars things get a little more problematic. Listen in to the 2020 Rally Recap; definitely a drive to remember. Rest In Peace Sam Work. We know you would have loved this drive and we wish you were here to enjoy the next one. You meant a lot to us and we mourn the loss of a great man and a big part of our car community.
Conversations on Consignment with Jason Harris of NW European
I love it when we have a conversation with someone who is clearly an expert in their field. Jason Harris of Northwest European is clearly one of those guys. NW European specializes in consignment and selling of very special cars and Jason gives us his story and shows it’s truly a labor of love for him, which makes the stories all the better. Check out more on Jason and Northwest European at NWEuro.com.
CAGS is a Crock, Rally Time, and the Avants Magazine Launch!
In this short episode we talk about CAGS, the RCS Rally, and the new Avants Magazine! This is a shorter episode, but stay tuned, we are heading out on our 2020 Rally and the stories will be coming!