Daily Recap: Friday, April 4, 2026
15 episodes · If you only listen to one: Brake Basics, Why the Check Engine Light is On, Straightening the Steering Wheel, WCCO's Car Care
The shows spent considerable time on vehicle affordability, with two episodes addressing how monthly payments now stretch budgets as financing terms grow longer and average new vehicle prices cross the $50,000 mark. Listeners also heard practical repair advice covering spark plugs, brake calipers, and tire rotation, plus a caller's story about a jack failure during a roadside tire change. The Toyota Camry, Ford Explorer and F-150, Hyundai Genesis, and Range Rover came up in various discussions throughout the day's episodes.
New Vehicle Prices Near $50K, Monthly Payments Follow
Average new vehicle selling prices have reached approximately $50,000, with tariffs and supply chain factors cited as contributing causes. That sticker price translates to monthly payments that vary widely by segment. Ron Ananian broke down the range, with mid-level vehicles running $600 to $800 a month and luxury German brands pushing well past $1,000.
Weekend Drive: Q1 sales dipped for several major automakers; New York International Auto Show recap
"In February, the average new vehicle selling price was almost $50,000."
"The average payment on a lot of cars, depending on what you're buying, you know, mid level up can be anywhere from six to eight hundred dollars a month. Some of the vehicles today are eleven hundred dollars a month... I'm reading stories about BMW's and Mercedes in the highline German cars fifteen sixteen hundred dollars a month"
Episode Spotlights
3 Car Questions That Could Save You THOUSANDS (Q&A Saturday)
On how cold engine starts affect fuel mixture adjustment:
"cold start mode means that the computer looks at the temperature of the antifreeze...it adjusts instantly the air fuel mixture...at this time of year where we're bouncing around in the 40s, low 50s, back into the high 30s, there's cold start function will kick in, that's where more fuel, less air"
#2627: Better to Die in a Fiery Crash
On a jack failure that nearly crushed a tire changer:
"I'm driving a green Dodge Caravan 95... I put the spare under the car just in case I forbid the jack would break... And suddenly the thing just slipped and the car went down. And it hit the tire and I watched the disc brake and it actually hit the ground as well."
Car Pro Radio Show April 4 26 Hour 2
On a major used car retailer's California lawsuit settlement:
"They have settled a lawsuit in California for just over a million dollars... they were told by a court they had to pay $1.1 million after prosecutor said the nation's largest used car retailer repeatedly failed to deliver vehicle titles to buyers on time."
If You Only Listen To One
Covers new brake squeaking and brake pad quality evolution, plus oil change intervals for new vehicles.
By the Numbers
Most-Discussed Cars
| Car | Mentions |
|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 7 |
| Ford Explorer | 5 |
| Hyundai Genesis | 3 |
| Land Rover Range Rover | 3 |
| Ford F-150 | 3 |
| Porsche 911 | 3 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 3 |
| Honda Accord | 3 |
Trending Terminology
| Term | Mentions |
|---|---|
| spark plugs | 3 |
| concept car | 2 |
| calipers | 2 |
| rotate the tires | 2 |
| coolant | 2 |
| hoses | 2 |
15 episodes. 151 car mentions. 367 terms explained. Browse every episode with searchable annotations and plain-language term definitions in the Car Curious app.