The Avants Podcast: Recent Episodes
Avants
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.
This week we've got a full house in the shop.
Megan is back from Portugal after pulling off a surprise visit for her brother's wedding, complete with stories about Portuguese car culture, tiny motorcycles, and government rules that somehow make modifying your brakes illegal.
Michael joins us to talk search and rescue, everything from ankle injuries on Mount Si to "flashlight missions" when hikers discover their phone battery wasn't actually an emergency preparedness plan. We also dive into the custom search and rescue truck he helped build, because apparently normal vehicles aren't complicated enough.
Along the way we discuss Facebook Marketplace tire kickers, reporting vehicle sales before someone uses your old car for questionable life choices, Monterey Car Week, the insane lineup coming to Northwest Exotics, seized brake calipers, Ford Explorer Frankenstein projects, teenage first cars, and why every conversation eventually becomes an excuse to buy another truck.
Also: Florida lobster drama, clean-trash anti-theft technology, AC Delco stereos, and proof that Harbor Freight is never just one trip.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Dan and Nick catch up after a week of travel, concerts, camping, and too much time browsing Facebook Marketplace.
The guys talk about taking the camper van on its first real adventure, plans for a Pacific Northwest mini-bike ride, selling motorcycles, buying motorcycles, buying motorcycle lifts, and why tiny bikes continue to be more fun than they should be.
They also discuss Monterey Car Week, diesel emissions systems, Dodge's new Copperhead concept, Toyota's latest TRD colors, Ranger Raptors, ceramic coatings, and an Audi speedometer mystery finally solved by a listener.
As always, it's equal parts automotive news, bad influence, and therapy session.
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
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This episode is a little bit all over the map in the best possible way. We kick things off talking about surviving the heat, house projects that cost more than we'd like to admit, and a surprisingly perfect ride on our Honda Monkeys through Mount Rainier National Park. Sometimes the best automotive experiences aren't in a 700 horsepower sports car. They're on tiny bikes puttering through some of the most scenic roads in the Pacific Northwest.We also dive into the realities of fire season, road trip planning, and why having a backup route is always a good idea. From there, the conversation wanders into the growing trend of van life and overland rigs, and whether a camper van or expedition vehicle actually makes more sense than buying a house in today's market. We compare EarthRoamers, Sprinter builds, remote work, and the appeal of having your home on wheels when mortgages seem to have lost their minds.
On the car side, we talk about a missing Koenigsegg One:1 that turned into an international mystery involving leasing schemes, Interpol, and a multi-million-dollar hypercar. We also get into one of our favorite topics: helping people choose the right off-road vehicle for what they actually want to do, instead of what the internet tells them they should buy. Broncos, Jeeps, 4Runners, INEOS Grenadiers, Raptors and more all get their moment in the spotlight.
Of course, there's also breaking Monkey news, questionable ideas about starting a motorcycle cult, thoughts on brand loyalty, and why small motorcycles continue to be some of the most fun you can have on two wheels.
As always, we wrap up with a couple questions for listeners: Would you ever trade a traditional house for van life or an expedition rig? And what's the best motorcycle experience you've ever had?
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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This week we're all over the map in the best possible way. We kick things off talking about how AI is quietly changing everything from resumes to project work, and whether we're already at the point where talking to a chatbot feels a little too normal.
From there it's back to the stuff we love: a quick tip on why new tires need a proper break-in period, Todd finally buying the monkey he's been threatening to buy for years, and a look at some of the biggest stories coming out of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. We discuss rumors surrounding Polestar's future in the U.S., McLaren's new 788 High Sport, and whether reliability will ever stop being part of the McLaren conversation.
Megan joins us in the studio to talk square-body Chevys, classic truck nostalgia, and an unexpectedly deep debate about Ferrari, intellectual property, and whether automakers should have any say in what owners do with the cars they've already paid for.
We wrap up with motorcycle ride plans, upcoming events around the Pacific Northwest, car show season, Goodwood highlights, and plenty of the random detours you've come to expect.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Ferrari just can't help itself, can it? First there was the Purosangue, then came the F80, then the joke that is the Luce, and now Maranello has decided what the world really needed was a "manual" 12Cilindri that isn't actually a manual. Is it a gimmick? Absolutely. Does it matter if it looks like a manual, feels like a manual, and makes people smile like a manual? Maybe not... at least while it's still under warranty. We dig into Ferrari's latest attempt at giving enthusiasts what they want without actually giving them what they want.
We also recap an epic day on the little bikes, early Audi adopter quirks, discuss Avants Classics on the Green, and cover a bunch of other automotive nonsense along the way.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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This week, Brian Dallas and Megan Zalud join us in the studio for a wide-ranging conversation about how fast the automotive and overland world is changing. Products that used to be reserved for hardcore enthusiasts are suddenly everywhere—and in a lot of cases, they're actually getting better.
We talk about the shift happening across the industry as companies like Wolfbox, Viofo, and others push out surprisingly high-quality gear at prices that would've seemed impossible just a few years ago. From air compressors and vehicle tech to rooftop tents, portable fridges, portal axles, and track conversions, many of the niche products we used to obsess over are now becoming mainstream and more accessible than ever.
Along the way, we discuss what's happening in the overland event scene, why some of the smaller specialty builders seem to be disappearing from major shows, and whether today's wave of affordable manufacturing is creating more competition—or simply changing the rules entirely.
Of course, it wouldn't be an Avants Podcast episode without a few detours. We also swap stories about rooftop tent failures, camping gear, fridges, motorcycles, Jeeps, broken bones, old trucks, and the projects currently taking over our garages.
Is this the golden age of affordable adventure gear? We dive into that and a whole lot more on this week's episode.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Our good friend Brian Elich is back on the show, and we’re catching up the only way we know how—talking cars and bad financial decisions. This time around we get into trade-ins, specifically whether it actually makes sense to de-tune your car before handing over the keys. The answer? It depends… and probably not how you’d hope.
Brian’s been busy since the last time he was on, so we run through his latest additions (none of them boring, obviously), and then jump into what’s happening in the market right now. We talk about the slow death of the V10—and why it’s probably not coming back—plus Corvette casually smashing the Pikes Peak production record with the ZR1X.
We also get into the totally-not-controversial Nitro Circus America situation, relive some of the worst mods we’ve ever done, and talk about how we somehow ended up loving cars we don’t even want to touch anymore.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
This week we had the pleasure of meeting our new friend Pete Nielson! Pete had messaged on the show about a few great topics and took us up on our offer to have him swing by and hang out on the show. Little did we know Pete has had one heck of life of riding motorcycles, racing cars, working on race teams, and working with the aerospace industry.
Nick brings us this weeks question of the week: What mod do you regret doing and why?
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
This week we’re talking tires—and no, not just the dangerously tempting Avants member deals you should be taking advantage of!
California is rolling out a new tire efficiency regulation that’s already stirring up debate across the auto world. On paper, it’s about improving fuel economy and reducing emissions. In reality, it could significantly reshape what tires you can actually buy and make you buy more of them. A lot more.
The rule centers around rolling resistance—basically how much energy your tires waste as they roll down the road. Under the proposed program, replacement tires sold in California will need to meet stricter efficiency standards, similar to the low rolling resistance tires that come on new cars from the factory.
Here’s where it gets interesting:
- Tires that don’t meet the standard may no longer be legal to sell in the state.
- The regulation is expected to roll out in phases starting around January 1, 2028.
- It applies to most passenger vehicle and light truck replacement tires, with some exemptions (like certain off-road or low-volume tires).
- The goal is improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions, with "projected" cost savings for drivers over time (hint: that won't happen).
Critics argue this could reduce tire choice, especially for enthusiasts, and potentially push the market toward a narrower set of approved options. Some also raise concerns about cost, availability, and how these efficiency-focused tires balance performance factors like grip and longevity.
So what does it actually mean for drivers? Fewer options, more regulation—and a lot of unanswered questions about how it’ll play out in the real world.
We break it all down, what’s fact vs. speculation, and whether this is a meaningful step forward… or just another case of California virtue signaling with no actual beneficial impact.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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What happens when you buy a vintage Ferrari in Italy, drive it through the Alps in August with failing alternators, and then rally it to Monterey Car Week? Naturally… you plan on doing it again.
This week on the Avants Podcast, Dan and Nick sit down with Brian McLean — a man who believes old cars are meant to be driven, not hidden away in climate-controlled garages. From a long-wheelbase Rolls-Royce Shadow to a manual V12 Ferrari 400i, Brian shares stories of cross-country breakdowns, roadside repairs, sketchy one-way flights, questionable financial choices, and why the best automotive adventures usually begin with, “This is probably a bad idea.”
The crew dives into:
- Driving vintage cars thousands of miles on rallies and road trips
- Buying a Ferrari sight unseen in Italy
- Why old cars aren’t unreliable — deferred maintenance is
- Rally culture, road-trip philosophy, and building the next generation of enthusiasts
- Fuel leaks in Nevada, seized bearings in Nebraska, and why every adventure needs a backup plan
- Pop-up headlights, oddball wagons, V12 obsessions, and the joy of weird cars
It’s equal parts automotive therapy session, comedy show, and reminder that the destination is never the point — the drive is.
As always: Don’t just get there… enjoy the drive.
Our question of the week: What old car do you want to take on a rally adventure?
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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In this episode of The Avants Podcast, Dan and Nick cover everything from road trip chaos to the dismal launch of the Ferrari Leaf, we mean Luce.
Nick shares a quick getaway to Vancouver Island that turns into a four-hour border detention saga (yes, really), while Dan recaps time spent as a temporary food delivery person during a hospital stay and discovering one of the best burgers he’s ever had in Seattle.
From there, the conversation shifts back to cars. They break down real-world lessons from off-road and motorcycle ownership—including why something as simple as using Loctite can save you from catastrophic failures. Need help deciding on which threadlocker to use? Bookmark this page! https://www.permatex.com/threadlockers/
The episode also dives into the latest automotive news, including new EV trends, upcoming trucks, and a brutally honest reaction to Ferrari’s controversial new bomb.
Plus, shout-outs to the Avants community, highlights from recent car events, and a discussion around where the industry is headed—both the good and the questionable.
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
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
It’s that time again—Forza Horizon 6 has officially dropped, and somehow it’s even better than the hype. Nick is now in the market for a new Xbox, while Dan is fully locked in—couch-bound and completely obsessed. And honestly? It’s justified. The latest Forza is absolutely stunning and might just be one of the best arcade racing experiences we’ve ever seen.
On the automotive side, Ford unveils the new Filson Edition Bronco—a collaboration that feels like a perfect match of rugged capability and outdoor style. It may not be the classic Eddie Bauer partnership, but it definitely brings its own kind of legacy energy.
Meanwhile, things are getting interesting in the world of oil. With several retailers warning about a potential shortage, DIY enthusiasts might want to stock up sooner rather than later—Costco runs might be in your near future.
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
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
OVERHYPED! No, not us, we're pretty self aware. It's why we cry in the shower. In this episode we're talking about overrated cars. Not cars we hate, but cars we actually love, but still think are overrated like the Vector W8, the Jaguar XJ220, the Jeep Wrangler, and several classic cars. Are they bad cars? Not at all, and we want all of them in our garages, but the comprises these cars come with or came with are pretty hard to ignore. What's on your list?
On the life side of things, Nick and Kate picked up a new car, and we’ve gotta give another shoutout to our friends at Carter Subaru for hooking that up. Nick also spent some time in the new S5 this week, which is fully wrapped in STEK, so at least it’s surviving this absolute mess of weather—sun, rain, pollen, and whatever else the trees feel like throwing at it.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
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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!
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Dan took the Bronco Raptor down to the beach—and honestly, nothing happened. It handled everything like it was built for it, no drama, no stories… which, let’s face it, isn’t exactly great podcast material. Meanwhile, somewhere across the globe, two guys successfully the exact opposite: a 14,000-mile journey from London to Cape Town in a Reliant Robin. And as you’d expect, they would never do it again.
Naturally, that got us thinking—we might need to step up our own adventure game. So in this episode, we dive into that wildly ambitious road trip, swap stories about motorcycles and Avants, and start asking ourselves what it would actually take to make things a little more… interesting.
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
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
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
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
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
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
On this week's episode Nick experiences the fun of current fuel prices as he fills up the Storyteller with diesel for the first time. At the time of publishing this episode, Diesel is currently sitting at $7 a gallon! If you're on the hunt for a new vehicle, have you reconsidered due to fuel prices or are you betting on prices dropping? Let us know in the comments!
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
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
The weather’s warming up and the roads are finally drying out—which means it’s prime time to wrap up those long‑overdue mods. What projects are you finishing this season? Nick’s juggling upgrades across his bike, the Storyteller Van, and possibly a rack upgrade for the Ranger Raptor. Dan confesses his F‑150 Raptor is a certified mall crawler, so he’s leaning into practicality with airbags for towing, while the Bronco still has a long list of unfinished upgrades. Brian drops back in after some travel to hang out, share a few favorite roads, and talk about his time with Raptor Junkies—along with some hard‑earned tips on how not to be a total newb. The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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On this week’s episode of The Avants Podcast, Nick and his family have been on an absolute tear—collecting adventure machines like it’s a competitive sport. Nick got behind the wheel of the ultimate go‑anywhere rig: a brand‑new Storyteller Beast Mode. And because spring is basically an invitation to misbehave, he also added a KTM 390 Enduro R to the garage. Naturally, this means one thing: Dan is officially on the clock to acquire another toy. That’s just how balance works in the universe. Our Question of the Week:If someone handed you your dream car, what road would you take it on first? Dan and Nick are both heading straight for Utah’s legendary roads and red‑rock scenery. What about you—where does your dream machine stretch its legs? The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Brian Dallas drops in to give us some updates on the Overland scene for 2026, Nick goes snow wheeling and picks up hitchhikers, and Dan thinks F1 is boring now.
Our Avants community question of the week, what is the most beautiful car ever made? Post a pic of your favorite!
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
Consumer Reports has launched there worst of 2025 and much to our surprise, the new 4Runner made the list! We love the new 4Runner, but CR did have some good points about the underwhelming engine choice as well as it's ride quality on the road. While the other choices were somewhat expected, we were surprised to see the beloved 4Runner make the list, but what do you think?
And for our question this week, where are you most excited to travel to in the upcoming driving season?
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
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review!
With several emissions rollbacks already taking effect, the automotive industry finds itself at a rare and timely crossroads—one that opens the door for genuinely exciting cars once again. Horsepower figures are now pushing past the 1,000 mark from multiple manufacturers, signaling that the long-running horsepower war is rapidly reaching its natural conclusion. As that race winds down, there’s hope that automakers will redirect their energy toward what truly defines a great car: delivering a more engaging, rewarding, and memorable driving experience. Speaking of memorable driving experiences, what automotive related destinations have you felt called to go back to? For us, it's clearly Moab, Idaho, Colorado, and the hidden roads of Sierra Nevada's. What place has you itching to come back and drive? The Tail of the Dragon, the Alps? Let us know! The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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For almost all of us out there, affording a new car means selling the old one. As we get older and more settled in life, sometimes the idea of a project car or buying a replacement for that vehicle you wish you still had becomes more obtainable. Which vehicle would you repurchase and why? Which project car is right around the corner for you? We also talk about the rise of the Chinese automakers that we can't get in the States, but Chinese motorcycles have already snuck in and they're actually good! Will the Chinese motorcycle market direction be an indicator of the upcoming automotive market?
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!
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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!
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On this episode we respond to a helpful listener voicemail, a great suggestion from Juan on the one car that just needs one change, and Brian Dallas swings by to talk about the Ford seat issues that plague their vehicles equipped with Recaros.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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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!
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"Good as new!" "...Yeah... good as new..." This week we talk about rebuilt and salvaged titled cars. There are good deals to be had buying rebuilt titled cars and rebuilding salvaged title cars, but you really need to know what you're looking and when to know you're getting scammed. Episode spoiler alert, you're almost always getting scammed. Also, we're mourning the loss of the local white 250 GTO that sold at auction for a $38.5 million; we will miss seeing it's surprise appearances at Exotics and other local events. Do you think it sold for the right price? Is any car worth that much to YOU? We go back and forth on it. Dan doesn't think any cars is, but Nick wishes it was in his garage.
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We love it when our audience gives us feedback about a topic, so we want to hear how you have used your car for maybe more than its originally intended purpose. The big stories are always fun, but we would love to see and share some of your moments of your car being used to it's fullest. Camping out of your supercar? Towing your track bike with your track car? Converted your Smart car into a tank? Used your Hilux to help overthrow annoying government regime? Let us know in the comments, or send us a voicemail or text message!
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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We here at the Avants Podcast welcomes Kevin Nielsen and Daniel Piker to the crew! Kevin has just started the new San Diego chapter of Avants and is a car person through and through. Daniel joined us back in October and you have probably noticed all the upgrades on the Avants social media. Honda's new Prelude has bombed in the US market, selling just 126 units in the last 2 months. Probably because it's a rebodied Civic with better suspension and brakes and they're asking an insane $40+ thousand dollars for it. Want to see something cool though? Check out this story from VinWiki on the Ganassi racing "secret" tunnel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJR8Ke6Tw6A
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Are you giving your insurance and law enforcement everything they need to ruin your fun drive? If you've opted in to driving monitoring apps, or even just your cars infotainment system user agreement you just might be. We talk a little about the inevitable use of your data against you, yet another Corvette variant coming around the corner, and more on this weeks show!
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The ZR1 and Mustang GTD finally have gone head to head and the ZR1 proves it's almost impossible to beat, not just by the GTD, but by basically anything on the market. We can't wait to see the ZR1X and what numbers it's going to put down. If you're willing to wear the jorts, the Corvette is likely going to be king for a long time. In other good news, Porsche has finally back peddled on the full EV Cayman/Boxster that no one wanted.
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Carvana came to the used car market with big promises and a unique buying experience, but loose spending habits took them to the brink of bankruptcy. Now seemingly out of nowhere Carvana is back and has a market value exceeding Ford and even GM! Will this change the way dealers sell used cars so they can compete? Have you bought or sold a car from Carvana? Let us know!
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This week we talk about the real cost of those pesky speeding tickets, the controversial rollback of the emissions standards and what good news that may bring for enthusiasts, and Jaguar finally realizes that their customers aren't interested in pink and blue toasters being sold by interpretive dance and fires their former design chief, Garry McGovern. We wish him not well.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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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!
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This week Niko Pagones, owner and founder of Amaxi Autosport joins us in the studio to talk about how he started his shop, the excitement and challenges that came with that, and how he's using the latest tech to solve the problems of restoration in older cars. We talk 3D printing, 3D scanning, 3D printed metal, and a whole lot more. If you want to get a hold of Niko to do some work on your ride, you can find him over at Amaxi Auto!
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Our friend and neighbor Brian Dallas swings by the show to join us again this week! If you're in the area and would like to join us for a show, send us a message! We don't open the studio every week, but we always enjoy good company.
On this weeks episode, Koenigsegg randomly decided to take their Sadair’s Spear, which is a more track focused Jesko, over to Laguna Seca and break the lap record! Of course to do that they had to put the worlds ugliest muffler on it to comply with Laguna Seca's noise ordinances. We still love it and we're always glad to see Christian Von Koenigsegg breaking records and pushing limits. We also discuss Motorcycle etiquette, Whitworth and JIS tools, and a YouTuber we think you should be watching with your family, Matt Spears.
While talking about the Rever mapping app, which is really useful for finding curvy roads, we talk about how AI could potentially replace all these apps very easily. What useful ways are you using AI today in your cars?
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Karissa Haydon and Trista Smith join us to give us all the details on their 2025 Rebelle Rally Adventure. Spoiler alert; they did AWESOME! They give us all the dirt on (ba-dum-tiss) on their 2025 Rebelle Rally adventure, how the move to the Ranger Raptor went, those amazing dresses, and why you don't turn at the dead badger. Follow Team Velocity at https://team-velocity.com
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Porsche profits dropped a whopping 99% this year. And as usual, this was extremely easy to predict. They already pulled back on the full electrification of the Boxster and Cayman, but add in weakening sales in China, tariffs, and people just plain tired of paying ridiculous ADMs and Porsche had an easy to see plan to fail. Car companies need to fire their bean counters in our opinion. Nissan brings back cool SEMA cars with their 1,000 QX80, but we have to wonder why Nissan is building anything like it when they’re barely operational since their last CEO escaped in a Box. Ferrari proves yet again that with enough oil money they’ll build anything you want. We also ask the question, if you had to keep one car forever, what would you drive?
Also, a big shoutout to our friends at Team Velocity for their second place finish in the Rebelle Rally! We love supporting them and are so proud of them. Check them out here! https://team-velocity.com/
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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From CVTs with Paddle Shifters to that radio you pretty much forgot existed, we go down the list of features we're wondering why still exist. We can't remember the last time we actually used the factory GPS, when it even worked, and self parking is a great way to lose a spot to the person behind you and cause a small traffic jam as a bonus. What features do you forget your car has? Which ones can't you live without? Which one is underutilized? Cooled seats for all!
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What was your favorite car movie? Do any of you have your movie car?! We're talking about movie cars, tv cars, and what we think is missing from movies that needs to come back to reignite car culture a little.
It sounds like Spyker is going to be making a comeback in spite of their seemingly endless legal battles. Spyker holds a special place in our hearts as being a truly unique automobile and we're hoping their comeback stays true to the soul of the brand.
We also follow up on previous conversation about oil catch cans and why you might actually want one and talk about what movie and tv car shows actually should come back.
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Karisa Haydon and Trista Smith from Team Velocity, factory backed by Ford Racing, join us on the show for a live update from the Rebelle Rally! They'll be joining us again when the rally finishes, but we were lucky enough to have a quick call with them during the heat of the competition!
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This week Nick turns 46. He's so much older than Dan now. You should make fun of him about it. Black Friday is just around the corner and we want to know what's on your list! Let us know in the comments. And, it's the end of the season for our friends over at Exotics at Redmond Town Center, the best weekly car show in the country. You should check out their latest blog and send some love their way. You can check it out here: https://exoticsat.com/newsy/well-thats-it
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The cheapest car you can buy in 2025 is the Nissan Versa with a manual transmission. The days of the $10,000 dollar, 100k mile warranty Kia are gone. Kia even had a buy one, get one free promo at one point! There's a lot of factors in the rising cost of a car, but if you're going to buy new today and you want something good on a budget, what are you buying? We'd love to hear from you and why you chose what you did when it comes to your BUDGET buying experiences. We then talk all about jacking! Harbor Freight seems to have cornered the consumer market, with a few rare exceptions from Costco and Walmart. And when it comes to offroad, you've got Pro-Eagle, Badlands, and then the specialized bottle and high-lift jacks, but what are you using and why? We need to find a solution for Nick!
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Brian Dallas joins us this week to hang out in the studio and talk Porsches, Ford mistakes, and more. In good Porsche news, Porsche rolls back their stupid idea to make Caymans and Boxsters full EV because they realized 99% of their customers don't want one. In bad Porsche news, Porsche doesn't know 99% of their customers cover their cars in Stek PPF and doesn't want to give them new stickers when they do. In dumb Ford news, Ford doesn't know we all want the Ranger Super Duty with a diesel. Someone please volunteer us to run an automotive company for a week.
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Nick discusses his latest build, the ultimate detail cart! Working with our partners at Griots Garage to get the best gear, Nick created the ultimate detail cart with an integrated pressure washer, all the detailing supplies you'd need, and all in one handy rolling unit. In other news, our favorite doomed automotive brand, Jaguar, is doing even worse thanks to being hacked and decimating their supply chain. It raises the question, are we opening ourselves up to big vulnerabilities using tools like FORScan to "hack" our ECUs? Time will tell.
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The new iPhone 17 is here! New cameras, faster processor, and still terrible as a dashcam. We talk about why you probably don't want to use it as one, why action cameras don't work that well either, and more about choosing the right tool for the job. Speaking of tools.. Dan got more tools. We know, you're all shocked.
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Dan spent the weekend in Vegas to attend Ford's Bronco Raptor Assault, or BRaptor Off-Roadeo as it's nicknamed by many. Ford puts on one heck of an amazing experience for Raptor owners, but Vegas really failed to deliver. The experience was memorable to say the least, but it re-fueled the itch for another sports car in Dan's life. What do you think he should get next? Leave a comment and let us know!
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Our friends Todd, Clarke, and Evan join us to recap their rally down to Monterey and all the fun stuff that comes with planning and running a rally. Rock chips, check engine lights, and unexpected cattle grates abound, but the adventure and comradery make it all worth it.
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This week we welcome the 3rd member of the ProFormance ownership family, Donna Porada-Kitch! Donna PK was into cars long before her first track days and we get all the fun, and very sweet, stories of her life with Don and Siena. She tells us the story of how the school started, how her and Don met, and the future of ProFormance and WIMNA. Stories and episodes like Donna are why we started this podcast and we hope you enjoy it every bit as much as we enjoyed the interview.
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Someone decided to take a Cybertruck on the Rubicon and it went as it expected. After multiple steering equipment failures the Cybertruck was recovered after 7 days on the trail, but should they have been there in the first place? Rivian has done it a few times now, but some vehicles just shouldn't be in certain places, like the Rubicon. Ford and Jeep are making some big moves, but not just in recalls this time. And in big news, DEF might finally be dead!
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Scott Barron joins the podcast this week to discuss his show stopping Outlaw Ferrari 308 build. Scott's the kind of car person most of us aspire to be; the kind that does what he wants with his builds because he wants to do it. After seeing his 308 build at Exotics we knew we had to have him on the show.
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In very good news, KTM has been saved! Indian powerhouse Bajaj has stepped up to save the company, but what does the future hold under their new ownership? Should they cut Husqvarna and Gas Gas? The X-Bow is unfortunately almost certainly dead, but we'll take some KTM over no KTM and that new 390 Adventure sure seems like a step in the right direction.
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Dan drove 1,800 miles in just over 2 days and Nick is thankful he wasn't stuck in the car with him this time. We talk about the most recent road trip, overpriced Bugattis we can't afford, the sexy LC500, and Nick finally admits he doesn't like roundabouts.
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This week we welcome Brian Dallas back to the show to talk all about Spot GPS, overlanding, off-road shows, Tackform mounts, and us dragging him through Hell's Revenge. Brian has moved on from our friend at Dirt Fish and is working for Spot Satellite tracking and communication systems, working the show circuit, and living the overlanding dream. There's something for everyone in this fun episode.
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Dan and Nick talk about the many adventures of driving our favorite roads and why we often don't publish the routes. Dan still has Dan's Drives up and running for some of the more popular routes, but both he and Nick have dozens of routes they're afraid to share for multiple reasons. What do you think? Should we throw caution to the wind let Darwinism rule? Should people protect their favorite roads from the unhinged masses?
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Things are heating up in Scottsdale, so we need some new roads to drive! The dilemma? Dan is pretty sure he's driven every fun road in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and Colorado! Speaking of things getting hot in Scottsdale, welcome NiCole Wilson to Avants as the new Director of Scottsdale! We have known NiCole for a long time and she's another great, overqualified hire who is sure to bring the best of all things Avants to Scottsdale.
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Today we talk all about power! Nick wires up, and then rewires, his Starlink Mini, Ram steps it way up with a warranty that's hard to beat, and what is going on with all that public land in the big bill? It's never as simple as that Instagram Reel telling you how to think.
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As much as we want to hate the Chicken Tax for blocking us from getting all those cool trucks we really want, we can't deny it brought out some of the best creativity from manufacturers. We dive into how the Chicken Tax started and the waves of creativity it forced upon the auto industry as a whole. It also helps explain the heat behind the current tariffs and why they might not be so terrible for us in the end. Also, if your car did not come with Lambo style doors, do not put Lambo doors on it. Period.
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GM decides CarPlay isn't necessary anymore, making their already terrible infotainment even worse. Just in case anyone at GM reads this, stop being stupid. On the smarter side of the industry, RAM finally admits mistakes were made and brings back the Hemi with a great comeback commercial.
Check out the awesome new RAM commercial here: https://youtu.be/TseTzC3bQAk?si=9FWLPbSWPEfu19aZ
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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While we often discuss the Countach as being the ultimate "don't meet your heroes" car, we have never driven any other car that got more attention than the mighty Countach. We talk about the news and a few other topics in this episode, but we got a laugh of out how the iconic Countach brings more attention from other guys than anything else by a huge margin. What car still grabs your attention when you see it?
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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While we could be more tactful about this, we won't be, because everyone who has ever driven a car knows the Charger EV was dead before it launched. Not only did no one really want one, but the reviews on them were terrible from the start with subpar range, awkward ergonomics, and the continued questionable build quality Stellantis is getting known for across their automotive range. While other Charger EV models are still out there, the Daytona trim lasted less than a year, and continues to signal the slow, extremely predictable demise of the Stellantis brand. On the bright side, someone over at the Ram brand decided that maybe discontinuing the TRX, the only real competition for the Raptor, was a bad idea and is slated to come back for 2026.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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We conclude the Moab conversation with Megan, Michael, and Brian, and talk about all the things we learned, where we're going next, and how much of a beating Moab gave us all. Thanks to Michael Smith however, we feel more prepared than ever for out next adventures in the wild.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Megan, Michael, and Brian join us in the studio to discuss misadventures in Moab and Megan's impression of the drummer from Def Leppard. The guys talk about almost rolling on Hell's Gate and what they should have done different. Live and learn!
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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We're back from Moab and mostly unscathed! Mostly. Some of our bodies took a beating, but our hitch sliders put in the real work. We definitely learned the real value of geometry and physics, but most importantly the value of a group member with experience.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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On this week's episode we have the pleasure of having Dai Yoshihara in the studio! Dai talks with us about growing up and street racing in Japan, moving to the US, and becoming a champion of Formula D, Time Attack, and Pikes Peak!
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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This week we we’re calling out you gatekeepers! No, not the good kind like the Sean at Exotics, but those people who say you can’t do something without a specific type of mod. Did you really need those Baja Designs lights? Is that Warn Platinum 12k winch necessary? How about the $2,500 roof top tent you use once a year? Yes, there is a difference in all that gear, but eventually you have to admit you don’t need the laser lighting as much as you want it to go down that well groomed gravel road. On top of that, chances are, you probably made your vehicle worse and don't want to admit it. We know, we've done it, and we are going to talk about it! Don’t let the car gatekeepers get you down!
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Dan surprises Nick with a pop quiz of automotive knowledge! Can you beat Nick? Did we get a few wrong? Join us this week and have another good reason to yell at your radio besides listening to the news.
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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In spite of what we think, the McMurtry Spéirling Pure is not in fact related to the Lumpsucker fish, but it does drive upside down and you've got to see it! We also talk about how basic hand tool installation usually means $700+ in power tools, Ferrari teases bringing back a manual transmission, Easter Jeep Safari brings out all the Jeeps we want but Stellantis probably won't build, Chevy pulls a Ford GT move, and.. Super Duty Ranger? Hell yeah!
Check out the video of the McMurtry Lumpsucker Fish Car here: https://youtu.be/g6LYcgaQ46c?si=1ONcOUVxh1z0NTD_
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!
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review! It’ll be worth it!
So many mods happened in the last few weeks! Our friends at HKP Customs installed a Baja Designs lightbar on the R8, Metropolitan Detail did another amazing job of STEK Paint Protection on the F150 Raptor, the Bronco Raptor got power step sliders, and Nick's Ranger Raptor is getting more armor. On top of all that, Dan went to Singer and saw how the million dollar "sausage" is made!
The Avants Podcast is brought to you by our friends at STEK USA and Carter Seattle!
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Avants and this podcast have a long history with John Kleven and Metropolitan Detail and now Metropolitan has moved on to the capable hands of Lee Luna. Lee and John join us in the studio this week to talk about how Lee was chosen to take over ownership and continue the highly respected Metropolitan Detail name.
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!
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We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review! It’ll be worth it!
Is buying a car still hard for you? It doesn’t have to be! If you know how to prepare and how to talk to the sales and finance people you can be in and out in almost no time with no drama. We brought Brian Elich back this week to talk about the buying process, the quickly changing market, ADM, the new truck, and of course the mods that have already started for the truck that isn't getting any mods. We also discussed why the oval piston Ferrari V12 is nothing like the Honda design, more issues for our poor friends at Dodge/Stellantis, and why your service intervals are probably wrong if you're one of our listeners.
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
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We tackle one of the oldest arguments of all time, turbocharging versus supercharging! Both have their advantages and disadvantages of course, but either is better than none. So how about both!? It's been done, even on a few production cars!
Check out this great video that explains everything you'd ever want to know!
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! 425-298-7873
More car buyers than ever are in a pretty rough spot right now due to Covid ADM pricing. If only someone could have foreseen this completely expected and avoidable crisis! It was us. We saw it. We also talk about bumper disappointment and paint by numbers with your tools.
Avants now has THE BEST tire deal in the business! We are proud to announce our official partnership with Discount Tire and Americas Tire! All Avants members now get 10% off at all locations, nationwide. This discount can stack with already awesome 10% off discount on Michelin and BF Goodrich tires, meaning you can up to 20% off! No one has a better deal than that. We also take about why your fuel door is on the side it's on, more mods make their way to the Bronco Raptor and Ranger Raptor, and the F150 Raptor comes soon. Don't forget the Women's Off-Road day coming up this weekend! We'll be there cooking and helping out, so come on by and say hello!
Read more about the Discount Tire and Americas Tire deal here: https://www.avants.com/news/2025/discount-tire
This week we met up with Jon Hickman and Brian Glass, the partners behind Inhabit Design Works. Inhabit is widely known for their luxurious and functional mats, which have gone in everything from Overland Vans to Singer Porsches. They're now branching slightly beyond that and we got a chance to talk with them about their products as well as touch base on how the Overland business is going, post the Covid boom.
Get the best floormats you can buy here! https://www.inhabitdesignworks.com/
Did you know your car probably has a ton of features that are just hidden away in the software and not enabled? Auto folding mirrors, brighter headlights, fog lights with high beams, disable annoying sounds, warmer seats, and so much more are just a few clicks away if you know what you're doing. There is some inherent risk to this, but we think it's worth it. Just take your time and ask on the Avants Facebook pages if you need help!
This week Rory Carroll joins on the show to talk about his life in the automotive industry. From his early days at the New York Times all the way to Jalopnik and Gizmodo and beyond, Rory has driven, written about, and tested some of the most interesting cars to ever exist. We loved making this episode and we know you're going to love listening to it!
Apparently no one told anyone at Scottsdale auction week that inflation and interest rates have gone crazy, because sales figures were nuts. Unfortunately, people buying KTM motorcycles did get the memo and the company is barely alive. Also, does ANYONE have a good wireless CarPlay or Android auto dongle? We keep trying them and keep coming to the same conclusion; these devices absolutely suck. It's a good week for Shop Talk even though Nick is super sick.
We have driven everything from the terrible compact commuter death traps of old to some of the latest hypercars and just about everything between and we still think a truck is the right answer for most of you. In our professional opinion, not owning a proper offroad vehicle at least once in your life, and using it as such, means you're in fact missing out on one of the greatest joys of driving in America - exploring! More than that, todays modern trucks are the new luxury vehicle of choice by offering a better ride, just as many - if not more, luxury options, and the peace of mind of ignoring that giant I-90 pothole. With today's modern hybrids and EVs, even the old mileage concerns are quickly fading away.
Have you ever considered what life would be like if you weren't into cars? Can you imagine just walking out to your driveway and only caring that the thing in the driveway got you from point to point efficiently and safely? Yeah we can't either. We discuss the idea of how to convert those people in your life to the dark side with us. Also, does anyone know actually want the new EV Charger? Anyone? We can't find a single person who actually does and we're genuinely curious if any of you do. Give us some good reasons to check it out! Speaking of the worst of the worst, we explored Doug Demuro's Doug Score list to see the best and the worst. What is the worst car you've ever driven? https://www.dougdemuro.com/dougscore
This week we welcome Automotive Instructor at Clackamas Community College, Wryann Van Riper! Wryann tells us about how he went from the industry to teaching, his many very cool project cars, his love for flying, and how you put a motorcycle engine in your classic Mini!
Now that Dan is able to mostly breathe again, we regroup for the new year to encourage you to get out there and drive! Dan crawled through the Arizona mountains in the BRaptor, Nick finished the prep on his Ranger Raptor and picked up a new toy, and we have a ton of fresh Avants events coming up to get you excited for 2025!
If you didn't get a Porsche GT3RS for Christmas like some of the Avants members, maybe you got a battery powered one. If so, we recommend some Lithium batteries. We already planned our next Moab trip, Nick mods his Ranger Raptor, Dan gets ready to mod the F150 Raptor, and more automotive news.
If you're still looking for that very last minute gift, an Avants membership never fails!
Toyotas highly anticipated new 4Runner has finally launched on the Toyota website! People were so excited that the traffic crashed the configurator. We talk about the new 4Runner, the not-so-shameful minivan, and naming your car.
Are you all ready for Christmas this year? Didn't think so, but we've got your back! We've got some great last minute recommendations for all budgets for the car enthusiast in your life. None of these links are affiliate links; this is just the stuff we love that we think make great gifts.
$50 and Under
- $20 - Husky Stubby Ratchet and Socket Set
- $50 - GOOLOO GT160 Tire Inflator
- $40 - Baofeng GMRS Radios
- $14-50 - Griots Garage products
- $20 - Milwaukee Goatskin Leather Work Gloves
- $22 - Scrubs in a Bucket
- $17 - Lexivon Torx Bit Socket Set
- $11 - RJ45 Panel Flush mount
- $27 - INIU Magsafe Charger
- $40 - 800Pcs Waterproof Automotive Electrical Connectors
- $25 - Door Slot Mats for cupholders
- $13 - 2 pack Eraser Wheels
$100 and Under
- $99 - Kershaw Leek Carbon EDC Pocket Knife (BIFL)
- $99 - Gooloo GT4000S Jump Starter
- $50-100 - QuadLock Phone Case and Mount
- $99 - Husky Mechanics Tool Set
- $99 - OnX Elite Membership
- $70 - The LTT Screwdriver
- $60-80 - Brothers PT Label Maker
- $65 - 2x10 Ratchet Straps
- $70 - TP-Link Tapo Camera
- $70 - Bose Sound link Micro
$200 and Under-
- $150 - Griots Garage Cadillac of Creepers
- $150-$400 - Avants Membership!
- $160-$325 - Morrflate Compressors and hose kits
- $90-500 - Viofo or Vehicle Specific DashCam
- $199 - Milwaukee Blower and batteries or similar for your preferred tool brand
- $120 - Bose Sound Link Flex
- $160 - Mackie 5” Bluetooth Studio Monitors
$200 and Over:
- $300-$750 - DJI Drones at Costco
- Avants Partner Gift Cards - Metropolitan Detail, Park Place Auto Salon, Accutint, HKP Customs, and more!
- Driving School - DirtFish, ProFormance, Turn2
- A night out at Salish Lodge and Spa - 15% off for Avants!
- $450-$700 - Uniden R7 or R8 Radar Detector
- Michelin or BF Goodrich tires at 15% back for Avants members!
- Of course, STEK - tint, PPF, etc.
- $160-$500 - Traxxas RC Crawler in 1/18 or 1/10 scale!
Nick's windshield remains a blurry mess, the death (or rebirth?) of Jaguar conversation continues, the poor man's stethoscope reveals a potential engine issues on the Ranger Raptor for Nick, Nick's still talking about Moab, Liberty Walk molests a Miura, and we need to open an Avants in SLC.
We're getting ready for our upcoming Gift Guide episode and we would love to hear from you! What's on your list this year? Let us know!
This week we discuss what is without a doubt the single worst rebrand in automotive history, Black Friday deals, diving for Porsche parts, how not to clean your glass, and more!
Megan Zalud is back with in the studio this week to catch up! She gives us the scoop on SEMA, Nick talks about his awesome experience with Ranger Raptor Assault, there’s a new Bronco Raptor at Dan’s house, and Dan gives you the inside track on how tell if that Black Friday deal is actually a deal or just a scam to make you feel better.
A special shoutout to Emy Kissick for winning the Mazda Spec MX-5 Shootout!
It's about time Ramon joined us in the studio! Ramon Antonio is the Portland Coordinator for Avants and he joins us this week to talk about his love for all things on wheels, including the unpowered kind. Ramon talks about his brand StillPour, his tow driving work in San Francisco, and his abundance of cars he has owned.
Follow Ramon here!
https://www.instagram.com/stillpour
https://www.instagram.com/stories/antonioautogarage
Formula Drift PROSPEC Driver Justin Chesnutt drifts on in the Avants Podcast this week and talks all things drifting with us! As the owner of After Hours Autosports, Justin isn't just a driver, but he knows a ton about car builds and proper setup for drifting. He's a great resource for anyone looking to get into the sport or who might just be curious about how it all works. You can find Justin at all the links below!
https://www.afterhoursautosports.com/
https://www.instagram.com/afterhoursautosports/
https://www.instagram.com/chesnutt_motorsports/
On this weeks episode we have Adam Cote of Ceramic Pro here to demystify all those different paint coatings you keep hearing about. Adam tells us all about different coatings, how to maintain them, if you can apply them yourself, and every other question we could think of asking him.
Cristy Lee is almost a household name if you're into the car shows, but she does so much more than that. Cristy joins us this week to discuss her love for all things automotive, motorcycles, home improvement, and now... sculpting? Cristy is as fun and friendly as she appears on the screen and a real enthusiast you just have to like. We had such a fun time getting to know her and we know you're going to love this one.
Karisa Haydon and Trista Smith give us a live update from the Rebelle Rally! They're currently sitting in 5th place, but the rally is far from over. They've had some really close calls and some 4 wheel air time already with more exciting updates to come.
Follow along on their journey at on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/live/R0IW8nd6ELM?si=ncm2iuwbrG9EMEDf
Follow with live tracking here! https://www.rebellerally.com/live-tracking/!
Learn more about Team Velocity: https://www.rebellerally.com/2024teams/131-team-velocity/
Nick went to the RV show, the Crosstrek is king according to Consumer Reports, most car "refrigerators" are junk, and more on this weeks shoptalk! We're looking for you remote workers who really are embracing that remote life! Are you living on the road and traveling in a van? We want to talk to you and hear more about your life. Give us a call at 425-298-7873!
Mercedes recently stomped the latest ring record with a blistering 6:29 second run, McLaren drops the P1 successor, and did you know Ford makes a RANGER RAPTOR? Who knew? Hint, not the guy at Griots last weekend.
It's a tough time for car makers right now. Nissan, Stellantis, Tesla and more are making serious cuts to once top selling models as car sales start to fizzle out due to various reasons.
We've got Colton Edwards and Will Morris from Cascade Edge Motorsports this week talking to us about their journey to motorsports. They are yet another reminder that you even if you started a little later in life, you can still have an amazing career in motorsports with a lot of hard work and dedication. They're also driving instructors down with our Avants partner and personal friends at ProFormance, so if you want to try and learn how to drive just like these guys, you absolutely can... try.
Cascade Edge Motorsport is a new race team founded to bring the spirit of Pacific Northwest racing to the national stage. Drivers Colton Edwards and Will Morris are taking the next step in their motorsports careers by entering the Michelin Pilot Challenge in IMSA, the premier series for sports car racing in the United States. Their first professional race will be the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona International Speedway in January of 2025, and Cascade Edge invites motorsports fans to follow their journey as the team makes the leap from local, grassroots racing to competing on a national level.
For sponsor and partner opportunity inquiries, contact Keagen Edwards, Director of Operations, at keagen@cascadeedgemotorsport.com.
We took the Monkeys and Groms to Moab and survived! We tackled Onion Creek, Kokopelli, Hell's Revenge, Fins and Things, Shafer Trail, Chicken Corners, and several trips through Moab traffic all without dying! We even put the GMC HD AEV through its paces tackling Top of the World. It wasn't an easy however with two of the bikes taking some ride-ending damage, not to mention our old bodies taking the brunt of it. We'd like to thank ibuprofen for unofficially sponsoring this trip.
This week Curtis Creager joins us in the studio to discuss his return from the Nurburgring! Back in February Curtis joined and discussed his plans for his first time there, and now he's back with all the good stories and more tips and tricks to help you get ready for the big day.
Thumbnail photo credit to Jason Tang.
We welcome back Brian Elich for some shop talk around buying a previous gen vehicle and upgrading or buying new with all the options. It's a huge price difference, but is the peace of mind worth it? Dan goes and checks out the new GX550 and still thinks you should probably just buy a Raptor.
On this episode we discuss the the new car reveals that worth looking at from Monterey, an automatic noise ordinance camera tickets a car with a stock exhaust, Drivers Assistance features are proven to not actually help, a designer at Audi proves they have apparently never driven a car before, and how the tires on your new truck can easily get out of balance in spite of how angry you make people on a forum.
This week we get the always impressive Faye Hadley on the show! Not just an extremely skilled automotive tech and educator she is also the co-host of MotorTrend’s All Girls Garage, and the featured mechanic on MotorTrend’s Motor Mythbusters series. You can hear all about how Faye got here, her PNW connections, and her love of chickens! Follow along with Faye here!
www.youtube.com/fayehadleywww.instagram.com/pistonsandpixiedust/www.tiktok.com/@fayehadleyofficialwww.facebook.com/pistonsandpixiedustwww.pistonsandpixiedust.com
If you've got a Land Rover Discovery, we've got the show for you! Our friends Daniel and Emily join us to talk about their company Golden Rovers who specialize in essential accessories for Land Rovers. Emily and Daniel were famously the friends of ours who hydro locked their Land Rover discovery while out playing on Stampede Pass with us and then immediately started an LS Swap. They have also helped volunteer for Avants Off-Road days and are always out there supporting the community, so next time you see them be sure to say hello!
Do you like forest service roads? Do you like doing anything off-road? Do you like dispersed camping? Then you should be supporting the Blue Ribbon Coalition. It's hard to believe how much access we have lost to beautiful lands, and the only people really making a difference to keep our access is the Blue Ribbon Coalition. We strongly believe in treading lightly, packing it in and packing it out, and even want higher fines to people who abuse land, but a lack of management is not land management! Unfortunately we're losing the battle and we need your help. The best way to do that is by supporting the Blue Ribbon Coalition.
You can read more about and support the Blue Ribbon Coalition here: https://www.sharetrails.org/
The best driving roads aren’t the same things as the best roads. The best road in the country is Highway 12 in Utah, but the best driving road is almost every road in far northern California. Dan discusses his epic R8 road trip, Nick discusses CRF450 sales, Ranger Raptor warranty repairs, and more on this week’s Shop Talk episode.
We always say the Avants Podcast is a car show about people so it made perfect since to have someone like Ryan ZumMallen on as a guest since he creates car books about people. Ryan tells us about his publishing company Carrara Books and talks more about the book everyone should own, Cult of GTR.
This week the newest member of the ProFormance Racing School joins us in the studio, Siena Kitch! Siena is a proud chip of the Kitch block and has been basically living and breathing the automotive racing world since the day she was born. She's smart, funny, and a great guest we know you'll love to hear!
Check out ProFormance on Instagram and TikTok to see all of the latest content.
Be sure to check out our Avants Track Days at ProFormance!
https://proformanceracingschool.com/events/
The R8 heads to its proper home at the track next month, Porsche lets the media judge it's new hybrid, and that new RS6 Avant GT is HOT!
Check out our friends at STEK USA! https://www.stek-usa.com/
Need the perfect vehicle for the PNW and beyond? Go see our friends at Carter Automotive group! https://www.carterseattle.com/
It finally happened! Nick got the new and Ranger Raptor and it lives up to all the hype. When it comes to factory capable trucks, Ford really set the bar with the F150 and we think they truly did it again with the Ranger. With less than 600 miles on the odometer, we put Nick’s new baby to the test by taking it over Stampede and up WABDR Section 2!
Special thanks to Hailee Lehtinen for making this deal happen for Nick!
It’s no secret we are life long fans of all things Griots and Griots Motors is just the latest reason to like everything they do. This week Phillip Griot, owner and CEO of Griots Motors, join us to chat about what they have been up to down the hill from the flagship store and he gives us all the great results they’ve had working with Bring A Trailer, how to sell a car, what he’s looking for in cars, and so much more.
Lotus finally drops the Emira, a new Koenigsegg gets crispy, and more in a shorter episode this week as we prep for Classics on the Green! We know a few people who have the new Emira now and so far everyone is in love with theirs. If you have the means, we highly suggest it! In sad news, Joe Elmore passed away this past week at 80 years old. He was a staple of the car community, a pioneer in automotive media, and he will be missed.
We know what you’re all thinking, no such magical world of convenience and safe car washing exists! Well, it turns out that John Denver wasn’t full of it and if you’re one of our lucky Avants members in Colorado you can visit one of the many Autowash locations. All brush type car washes are terrible for your paint, and many touchless car washes can do some real damage as well, but Autowash touchless car washes do things differently. Dylan, VP of Marketing for Autowash Companies, join us this week to set the record straight and he honestly answers all of our questions and keeps the expectations real. Dylan is a former pro detailer who knows the in-and-outs of paint care and he will make you really want to go drive all those amazing Colorado Rocky Mountain roads.
Summer is coming and we want to go exploring! Dan has run out of roads and can't find any new ones and Nick needs a Ranger Raptor but can't find a decent Ford dealer to sell him one at MSRP. Won't someone please think of poor Nick and sell him a green Ranger Raptor?!
When we first interviewed Karisa Haydon and Trista Smith, they were the fresh Rebelle Rally Rookies of the Year, but now they’ve grown up to Team Velocity, a Ford factory backed team! Karisa and Trista are working with Ford and driving the big Broncos now in the Rebelle Rally. If you’re thinking about giving it a shot, we’ve got the show for you.
Be sure to check out Team Velocity Northwest online and follow along on their MANY adventures!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teamvelocitynw?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Instagram: @team_velocity_nw
Webpage: team-velocity.com
Email: teamvelocity@gmail.com
It's been a BIG week for us here at the Podcast! Nick got a puppy and a fiancé, Dan got a tractor, and car sales got slapped in the face! This week we talk about the falling prices of even the most popular vehicles on the market, but especially EVs and Bronco Raptors.
We talk to recent PRO3 winner Isaiah Dummer about driving, riding, building, and other fun things that cost too much on this weeks podcast! Isaiah has been racing in PRO3 since Covid times, runs his own construction company, and loves all things with engines, just like us. He's got fun stories and was a great guest.
Krissy Wells joins us back in the studio to talk about the massive amount of Avants events coming up as well as the secret to finding all those elusive Avants Off-Road stickers! We talk about the new Avants Online Store, Classics on the Green, and so much more.
Check out the new store at: https://store.avants.com/
Racing is hard to do on its own, but after a while you will likely find the hardest part is where it hits your wallet. We welcome Brian Elich back in the studio and he joins us to talk about breaking his Camaro into the 9s and still using it as a road race car.
When it comes to mounting solutions, I don't think anyone has even a tenth of the options that RAM Mounts has. Nick Lowe-Hale is the Automotive Aftermarket Account Manager for RAM mounts, so if anyone can figure out your mounting solution it's him. He joins us to chat all about Ram Mounts, his Land Cruiser, and all the areas we never thought to use RAM Mounts.
Follow Nick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nllh
Has anyone else noticed it's been dashboards gone wild lately? We like function and form and it seems like more and more vehicles are trying to transplant your living room into your car these days. We talk about the best dashboard designs, the new 4Runner, the $200k Fox Factory Truck, and more on this weeks episode.
Buz Ras is one of those rare craftsman that combines art and engineering by restoring vehicle gauges. Like a clockmaker for gearheads, his specialized and high demand work speaks for itself, but we brought him in to tell his story in his own words. Buz was such a fun guest with great stories well beyond speedos and tachs. He's a guy you'll love to get to know.
The road trip continues and the diesel gets it's first off-road excursion in Moab, but the AEV equipped GMC just proves it's no match for a Raptor. That obviously won't do for Dan so something will have to give. We talk tools, towing, and what to do when you give up your Raptor and still need one.
Justin Osmer is back this week and he’s taking Wagon Fest to the next level! Justin talks about the expansion of Wagon Fest, the best wagons you can buy, and more adventures with his RS6 Avant. If you’re a wagon fan or just like seeing cars you don’t see often enough, then we’ve got good news for you.
After towing the trailer down to Arizona, Dan quickly realizes Raptors aren't the best tow vehicles in spite of being good at basically everything else. We discuss the cons, and more cons, of driving any other truck that isn't a Raptor for better towing capacity. We also talk the most recent news, the Avants events, and the Michelin 15% off deal is back!
Emy Kissick might only be 16, but she definitely taught us a thing or ten. Emy got her racing license before she got her drivers license, races spec Miata, works on her own car, and drives an 1988 300ZX. Add all that up and she still manages to be a 4.0 GPA student. Needless to say, her parents are proud, and she’s a huge asset to the community. Speaking of, a special thanks to our friends and Avants Partner, Hydraulic Solutions for sponsoring Emy and getting people like her on the track.
Follow Emy on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/emy_kissick/
If doing what you love means never having to work, then I'm not quite sure anyone told Jessica Johnk. As a full time Sales Readiness and Communications Strategist for Porsche, she is constantly on the road with the team. She somehow still finds some time to hike epic places, ride motorcycles, and even still race cars. On this episode we talk to her about life and how she somehow manages it all.
You may not know Jaykee Evangelista right away by name, but you probably have seen his work in many places around the automotive world. From designs for Porsche, Hyundai N, Jeff Zwart, Luftgekühlt, and even Top Gear, Jaykee is a busy, busy man! We absolutely love his style and are huge fans of all of his work. Check out his work on Instagram at Groundworks Design and in the next issue of the Avants Magazine!
We first met Aaron when we did our episode on the Nurburgring and immediately knew we had to have him back on the show. If you're in the bicycle world you probably know Aaron's company and work, PNW Components. PNW Components makes some of the very best bicycle components on the market today, and hands down the best quality swag we have ever purchased. Dan liked it so much he ordered everything they have and he doesn't have a bicycle. Aaron is a huge car guy too of course and just so happens to have a bike rack on his Porsche GT3. That's our kinda car person.
On this shop talk episode we talk all about that crash test video of the Rivian R1T hitting the guardrail, the deteriorating roads, car season coming up, and a painful repair to the R8. Special thanks and shoutout to Chad at Avants Partner: Leather Tech for his great help this week! Check out the video for this episode on our YouTube channel!
February 7th was National Girls and Women in Sports Day and we couldn't think of a better way to kick that off than having the amazing Lyn St. James back on the show! Lyn dives really deep and talks to us in depth about learning how to drive open wheel, Indy, and the future of motorsports. This episode is also available on the Avants YouTube channel, so be sure to check it out!
Of all the places you might be the most excited and yet most nervous to go to, it’s your Senior Prom. After that it’s probably driving the Nürburgring. This episode is all about getting prepped and ready to go to The Green Hell and back without going broke. We brought in 3 experts to help you out: Tom Roberts, Aaron Kerson, and Curtis Creager.
On this special episode we introduce Leif Bergerson, the newest member of the Avants staff! Leif is helping us run things in California, so we thought it would be best if we introduced him on video. You can still listen in here of course, but if you want to see Leif be sure to check out the Avants YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2QdvcrxWMb0i8Ix1ezpVVg
Dan has a new Raptor coming in March, so of course the mods have already started in January. In this episode we're chatting about those mods that start before your new vehicle even arrives. As odd as this sounds, we actually think it's worth to have some parts waiting and ready to be installed. What mods are you doing before you get your car?
In addition to that, the trailer is already getting it's own upgrades and the list keeps growing!
Read that again; Colleen Sheehan got to ride to school in a McLaren F1. No matter how cool you think you are, you didn't get to ride to school in a McLaren F1. So now that we got that out of the way, she's also an absolute authority on everything Ferrari and probably has more seat time on the track than most of us do on the road!
We often thought the glory days of cheap performance cars were behind us, but performance comes in at bargain basement prices today. In this episode we discuss what we think are the real bargains today, and find out we were wrong all along in real time.
In 1994 the Mustang Cobra was $22,425 and had a whopping 240 horsepower, did 0-60 in 5.9 second, and ran a 14.7 second 1/4 mile. Today, the Ford Mustang EcoBoost costs $32,515, has 315 horsepower, does 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, and does the 1/4 mile almost 2 seconds faster at 13 flat. The little turbo 4 cylinder kicks the old Cobras butt in every single way by a big margin, but the most impressive part? Adjusted for inflation, the Cobra came in at almost $46,000 in 2024 dollars!
We welcome back official Avants Magazine Editor-in-Chief Karl Noakes! Karl is on a rare break from IMSA and chats with us about his new M2, the Hagerty not-so-hot list of 2023, and we all compare our old-man back injuries! It's always a good time when Karl is here!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! Our long, lost Megan returns to us to join us for Shop Talk this week and we talk all about squashing nuts, the new studio, Borla's electric "exhaust", R8 build updates, and our very adult Christmas lists! Also, if anyone is selling a BAC Mono, let Dan know.
The Tonkin name is definitely a northwest staple and Brendan Tonkin didn't fall far from the family tree. Brendan talks to us all about the new Ineos Grenadier, track time with dad, overlanding, and more, all while his dog became best friends with Nick while we recorded. Brendan has some big plans for Grenadier owners, so we'll check back with him this summer for more exciting updates.
We also got to check out the new Ineos Grenadier at the Avants Toy Drive in partnership with Collectors' Car Garage (formerly Hagerty Garage and Social / Drivers Club) and it sure lives up to all the hype! If you're interested in one, get a hold of Brendan at Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo.
How big of a hammer do you need when you race Baja in a Porsche 911? We seek to answer important questions like these as we chat with James Manning from Rothsport about Baja, Porsches, and…GIN! Not only does James do awesome things like race Baja, but he also is the owner of The Falls Distilling and makes some damn good gin!
With 55 years in the business, Heckmann & Thiemann have seen it all. We get all the good stories from President and CEO Phyllis Thiemann and Master Technician Bryan Reeves. We talk about the stuff classic Porsche people don’t usually like to in this episode like the Cayenne, Boxster, and even RWB, dive into the topic of the air-cooled boom and how it has impacted owners who bought “cheap” 911s, talk about how to store a car for 20 years, and so much more! Did you know the 356 was going to be the Continental?
Heckmann & Thiemann is an Avants partner and offers 10% off labor for Avants Members! Check them out online at https://heckmannthiemann.com!
We went down to Portland to visit some of our Avants friends and partners to the south! This week we finally got to chat with one of the smartest and nicest people we have interviewed to date, Chris Delano, President of IPD. Chris is as true of an enthusiast as it gets, who has always loved Volvos and upgrading them in every way. If you have a Volvo, you need to check out IPD! https://www.ipdusa.com/
Greg Stanley is a great story teller. He gives us the inside details of the recent, record breaking 250 GTO sale by RM Sotheby's and much more about his own collection.
This week we have a great chat with Vinny Russo, Operations Manager at Westside Collector Car Storage and Special Project Manager for The iD Agency. Vinny talks with us all about his history with Spyker, Hennessey, VF Engineering, and more.
We had some serious audio issues with Riverside, our online podcasting host. Vinny's audio turned out great, and he does most of the talking in this episode. We assure it's worth listening to as Vinny is an extremely interesting guest with a lot of great stories.
This week we chat with Kara Coraci Sellentine! Kara keeps the laughs rolling in and talks to us about all things Alfa, Formula 1, working on Jerry Springer, and more!
With the arrival of the R8 it's time for us to take on the next supercar build! We'll be starting by working with our friends and sponsor, STEK to cover the whole car and add some tint, then we have a few more creative mods to add. We'll be sure to keep you all updated as we go along. There is new, exciting news from Triumph and Ducati who will be entering the very competitive world of Motocross. And in a surprise to almost no one, EV sales have begun to drop like a rock, and Toyota flat out says "We told you so" to the automotive world by continuing to focus on Hybrid and Hydrogen research.
Think of something we should cover on the show? Give us a call at 425-298-7873!
When we say Wade Kawasaki never lifts, we mean that figuratively and literally. From humble beginnings working at a service station as a kid, to racing, and coming up all the way up in the automotive industry to Executive Chairman at The Wheel Group, Wade has truly done it all. Wade and his wife Rose continue to play a pivotal role in keeping the automotive industry going and ensuring that it continues to grow. In his "free" time Wade also acts as Executive Director, Political Action Committee (PAC), for SEMA, making sure we can continue to do all those modifications we love to do that make our cars our own.
Dan gets some first hand experience using the surprisingly good "Buy It Now" Autotrader feature and the new E-Ray configurator is live! Does it change your mind on the new Z06? It may have changed ours!
As the UAW strike comes to a close and wages go up, you can bet those CEOs aren’t going to take a pay cut, which means the money has to come from somewhere! Hint, it’s you, the consumer. This week we chat about the strike and how it’s going to be passed on to the consumers. Got some thoughts on the strike? Give us a call or text and let us know at 425-298-7873!
In this episode we talk about the the worst places to drop your pants. We have done a lot of driving all over this great planet and we have found some incredible places to go, but every now and then we come across places you probably just shouldn't stop at.
Megan has Covid, Dan has a cold, Nick is still getting over his cold, and so of course we spent all of our time being sick browsing Facebook Marketplace for the coolest cars and other good deals. We found a snowcat, a fighter jet ejection seat, R8s, vintage Corvettes, pre-crashed motorcycles, and more!
This week we have a very special guest, Steve Saleen! Steve joins and talks to us all about the creation of the Saleen brand, Mustangs, the S7, the Bronco, and the upcoming S1! This won't be the last you hear from Steve, he's got a lot more stories coming your way on upcoming episodes.
Karen Brown has the job we all probably want to have, doing all the awesome car events you keep hearing about! Krissy and Adam met Karen and said she was a guest we just had to have, and sure enough, they were right! Karen has a wealth of knowledge to share and some great stories.
A lot of people have made a name for themselves in a part of the automotive industry, but R.J. De Vera helped make an entire division of it. If you're not working in the industry, you would probably know R.J. as the kid playing Gran Turismo in the first Fast & The Furious, but he was one of the main people responsible for bringing the cars to the movie itself. From being his days working in the print, to Hollywood consultant, to creating his own wheel brand, to a long career Meguiars, and now the VP of Marketing for S.E.M.A, he is one of the main people keeping the automotive modding community going.
If you're in the PNW, you might know Victoria. From working The Shop to playing at the track to rebuilding her various car projects, she keeps herself pretty busy in the car community in spite of also being a full time student. Victoria got into cars on her own, just like any of you can do, and should. On this episode we talk about the unfortunate learning curve of necessity and have a few tips on keeping your car out of the hands of thieves. She also has a few UW parking tips if you're a fast runner.
Nick is back from his annual trek of working Monterey Car week! Things are changing down there for sure, so if you haven't been to car week you definitely need to get it on your bucket list sooner than later. While Nick was way, Dan was busy installing a new gym and researching the in-and-outs of doubling or even tripling the horsepower on the Honda Monkeys. Are you a motorcycle tech? Have you gone down the engine building rabbit hole and had it go horribly wrong? Give us a call at 425-298-7873!
On this episode of Shop Talk we discuss the YouTube videos that keep us learning, laughing, and entertained like the true group of ADHD adults we all are. From mowing lawns to testing ratchets, we've got some good stuff for you to check out. Megan also officially buys Dan's Monkey and Dan shares his unrelenting desire for a sentry gun.
Dan's Picks: https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectFarm https://www.youtube.com/@FortNine https://www.youtube.com/@mymechanics https://www.youtube.com/@SBMowing https://www.youtube.com/@TorqueTestChannel https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryTillNow https://www.youtube.com/@VortexRadar
Nick's Picks: https://www.youtube.com/@ColionNoir https://www.youtube.com/@throtl https://www.youtube.com/@mightycarmods https://www.youtube.com/@CrossTimbersBison https://www.youtube.com/@kallmekris https://www.youtube.com/@ARB4x4Accessories https://www.youtube.com/@SarahnTuned https://www.youtube.com/@GriotsGarage https://www.youtube.com/@TheStradman https://www.youtube.com/@channel199official https://www.youtube.com/@ItchyBoots https://www.youtube.com/@Formula1 https://www.youtube.com/@LiteBrite https://www.youtube.com/@ObsessedGarage
Megan's Picks: https://www.youtube.com/@Donut https://www.youtube.com/@hubermanlab https://www.youtube.com/@chrisfix https://www.youtube.com/@CartNarcs https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmokingTire https://www.youtube.com/@TigerBelly
Honorable Mentions: https://www.youtube.com/@Fluidride https://www.youtube.com/@Winefolly https://www.youtube.com/@ThrottleGrotto https://www.youtube.com/@essentialcraftsman
Group Favorites: https://www.youtube.com/@EngineeringExplained https://www.youtube.com/@TheProjectGarage
Dan took a big road trip up through Canada to Sun Peaks, Emerald Lake, Lake Louise, Banff, and Jasper National Parks and we think you should too. Outside of the Alps, this is probably the most beautiful mountain terrain on the planet, and it’s not even that far of a drive. Where do you think we should go next? Give us a call and let us know! 425-298-7873!
This is our official 300th podcast episode! Rather than the usual walk down memory lane, we started discussing the desire of hitting the 200 MPH club. What’s the cheapest car we could do it in? What’s the fastest we’ve gone? Where would you do it? We would love to know if you have hit 200 MPH, so give us a call and leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873!
A special thanks to all of you who helped get us here. It’s a long list, but we couldn’t have ever done it without the support of Avants and our friends and families who are the reason we started this show. Thank you to all our sponsors, past and present, who we have had the luxury of truly believing in versus having to take what we were given like many syndicated shows. We are humbled by your support over the years.
After 2 years of planning and multiple hiccups, we finally took our capable Honda Monkeys to McCall to ride parts of the IDBDR and beyond. Friend and previous Backcountry Monkey participant Brian Elich joined us on our latest and longest adventure and joined us on this episode to give us his point of view on why McCall is still magic.
This is another episode where we interview some people and instantly wish they were closer so we could all hang out and be friends. We talked to Toby and Nicole Pond, the official importers of some of the finest seats on the market, Scheel-Mann. As we always say, spend your money where you spend your time, so if you love to drive like we do you owe yourself a pair of these top quality seats. More than that, Toby and Nicole have some really fun car stories and own some of the most incredible cars you know and love. Listen to their story of how they took a chance and made Scheel-Mann a name you know and respect here in the US.
On this fun shop talk episode we talk about upcoming cars on Dan's list, the shop and studio update, tool boxes, and choosing the right trailer for Megan's make believe husband.
This week we speak to the official photographer at Indy, Chris Owens! Chris started his career in photography early and took over as the head track photographer at Indy at the 23 and is now the Manager of Photo Operations at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chris has worked his entire life as a photographer, and at the still young age of 34 is one of the most respected and talented photographers in the motorsports world.
Karl makes his 4th appearance on the podcast, which still doesn’t feel like enough times for all his stories. Ever since retiring from the tech industry Karl has been busier than ever as the Editor-in-Chief of the Avants Magazine, photographing for IMSA, photographing at Le Mans, and so much more. We talk with Karl about all the inside scoops of life at the races and about his new M2!
We have had our fair share of accidents and close calls, but the reality of being permanently disabled by one of them is something we have never had to face. After a severe motorcycle accident, Barry Long found himself permanently paralyzed and facing the reality of life ahead in a wheel chair. Barry talks to us about how he didn’t let if stop him from truly living, loving, and enjoying life. Not just inspirational, Barry was a hilarious and fun guest and we see a long friendship between us ahead.
It's a shorter episode this week as we prepped for the Avants Classics on the Green event! This week we talk about the best way to visit parks, NASCAR goes to Le Mans, the new CARB emissions for small engines, and Dan's dog tries to eat Nick's face. Again.
On this shop talk episode Dan, Nick, and Megan discuss sacrilegious engine swaps we would do (like a K24 in Ferrari 308), hauling a long load in your short truck bed, and some safety tips after Nick almost loses his legs while doing some off-road recovery!
We did a poll on the Avants Facebook page on what special tools we might not have but should and several Avants members helped us out! Do you have any of these? We also touch on what we think are the best cars you should buy right now and save for a lifetime and some exciting upcoming events!
This week we talk to Andrew Norman, Financial Advisor & Managing Director of Colibri Capital, and a great supporter of Avants and keeping the car community moving forward. From his days as a thug at Exotics at Redmond Town Center to racing Ferrari Challenge cars and now sponsoring Indy driver Benjamin Pedersen, Andrew is a guy who truly supports the sport and the community.
We welcome Dominic Dobson back to the show to catch up and talk about his upcoming journey back to race Le Mans again, hopefully with less fire this time. Dominic joined us way back on episode 66, but he's back again and now as the owner of one of best Avants Partners, Dobson Stuttgart. Dominic shares exciting racing stories, upcoming plans with Dobson Stuttgart, and talks a little about electric motorcycles too!
Check out Dominic at Dobson Stuttgart! https://dobsonstuttgart.com/
We're starting a new series! In addition to our regularly weekly shows, every other week we're going to do Shop Talk! This series will cover news, events, project updates, tool reviews, and more! We're looking for your ideas and what roads you want us to go down, pun intended. Listen in for a taste of the new series.
This week we talk to Mark Raffauf, Senior Director of Race Operations for IMSA, about all things racing from IMSA, to Isle of Man TT, to Formula 1, and everything else. Mark is truly an expert on basically everything racing related and is turns out even more. With over 50 years of experience in the racing world, you’ll find it difficult to find anyone with his level of experience and knowledge which made for a really interesting episode we really enjoyed recording.
As Dan went down the rabbit hole of trying to determine what lift to buy, we quickly found out we don’t know jack about lifts. We reached out to the experts at Hydraulic Solutions, Jarett and Sara Bailey, and asked them to come in and give us all the information on vehicle lifts we would ever need to know before purchasing one.
When you decide you need a lift for you shop, reach out to Hydraulic Solutions at https://www.hydraulicsolutions.net/ and follow them on Instagram to see some great design ideas!
You can’t talk about wild car builds of the 80s without talking about the tuner cars of Koenig. Shant Meshefedjian is an expert on Koenig, especially their polarizing Mercedes builds. Shant gives us the incredible stories of how he acquired one the rarest of them all and his love for the over the top builds that Koenig is famous for.
Here at Avants we have one major complaint with car manufacturers and what they choose to sell in the US: they never give us enough AVANTS! Give us all the wagons! Megan Zalud joins in the studio again as we discuss all the cars we wish we could import to the US, but those stubborn manufacturers just refuse to give them to us. Did we miss one? Do you agree? Let us know!
You’ve seen her 280Z on the cover the recent Avants Magazine and seen her work in Black Panther and more, but now you can hear the incredible stories of profession stunt driver and drifter, Brionna Lynch. She gives us all the epic stunt driver stories, stories of last minute engine swaps, race prep, and so much more. Brionna is every bit as great of a story teller as she is a driver. Be sure to check out her article from the Avants magazine posted here and be sure to follow herInstagram to see all her latest updates!
This week we have the pleasure of talking to Molly Saleen, CEO of Saleen Performance Parts and of course of the legendary Saleen family. Molly talks with us all about The Molly Project, Molly Pop Pink, the history of Saleen, the excitement around the upcoming Saleen 1, and a lot more.
The fact that we met Megan through Avants is kind of surprising since she’s been friends with basically everyone we know for years. Megan started life at the Kart track, but has worked with Bondurant, Randy’s Worldwide, DirtFish, Forza, and more pursuing her automotive passions. We caught up with Megan at the DirtFish Women in Motorsports Summit which seemed like the perfect place for this recording.
This week we sit down with Jennifer Klein and she gives us a reminder that being a success in the motorsports world doesn’t always mean being in the car. If you’re looking for yet another inspirational person who’s making a name for themself in the industry without being a driver or co-driver, then look no further. She shares some great stories of working her way up and there is definitely some great lessons to take home for all of us wanting to or currently working in the industry.
You can work with Jennifer by reaching out to her on her LinkedIn.
We start off Women’s Month strong with Karisa Haydon and Trista Smith, aka Team Baby Bronco, who share their journey of doing the Rebelle Rally! They give us the details of how their adventure started before the rally even began and how they completed the rally to make rookies of the year!
Follow along with Karisa and Trista at TeamBabyBronco.com!
We discuss challenges of building a shop and still trying to maintain your sanity all while trying to stay within a budget. We also talk about Dan’s attack dog to defend his shop, some pretty cool tools we don’t need, and the quickly rising costs of buying a new Jeep or Bronco.
Emme Hall describes herself as “Driver, reviewer, rabble rouser”, but we think she left out that she might be the most epic of adventurers. Rebelle Rally? Check. Baja racer? Check. Crossed Mongolia on a knock-off 49cc Monkey motorcycle? Also check. Needless to say, if you know anything about us, we are fans. Between all that fun she is also a great writer, and one we have followed for a long time on Jalopnik, Cnet, and more. Check out this week’s episode for some adventure inspiration!
Follow Emme on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yeahemme
Read all about Emme’s trip across Mongolia on a Monkey on Jalopnik: https://jalopnik.com/riding-a-monkey-bike-across-mongolia-is-amazing-and-pai-1849686223
This week with talk with Amir Bentatou, owner of RS Future, and probably the nicest NSX on the road and on the track. Amir obsessively worked his way up through the motorsports ranks to create his company RS Future, which makes functional aerodynamic race components and more! Amir talks with us all about aerodynamics, Time Attack, drifting, NSXs, and his upcoming Discovery channel show, Monster Garage with Taylor Swift.
Paul Charsley is the Motorsports Manager for Heart of Racing and just won 24 Hours of Daytona, but before going home he gave us a call. We literally had to reschedule Paul because he told us “I need to go win Daytona, but we can do the show afterwards.” True to his word, he gives us the recap of Daytona, tells us about Aston Martin’s comeback, The Heart of Racing all women’s team, and Aston Martin… drifting?
We first met Felix at the 2022 Avants Classics on the Green last summer and we’ve been excited to have him on the show ever since. Felix was instrumental in shaping our love of Hot Wheels and then went on to creating incredible art with people like Magnus Walker, all while still being a successful bass player. Felix is another one of those special guests with endless interesting stories from living a life well lived that you're sure to enjoy.
Read more about Felix in the Avants Magazine article here! https://www.avants.com/magazine/push-and-pull-with-artist-felix-holst
We catch up with long time friend John Kleven, who is now the President of STEK USA. Long time listeners may remember John from all the way back on Episode 32, but a lot has changed since our first chat! John talks about how STEK started, lessons from owning Metropolitan Detail, and his constantly changing and fun car collection.
This week we talk with Arun Sharma, General Manager of Ferrari Newport Beach. More than selling cars, Arun has a long history in the motorcycle world when he ran Motorcorsa. Arun has some great insights on the past, present, and future of Ferrari as well as some really fun stories of his time in the business.
Explicit, unfiltered content warning
We welcome our long time friends STEK USA as an official sponsor of the Avants Podcast! 2022 was a great year for us and we had some amazing guests, but we think we can do even better in 2023 with their help! Avants has more events, more partners, and we’re growing into even more places. Adam and Krissy join us for this episode and we share our favorite memories of 2022 and share what you should be looking forward to most for 2023.
You don’t have to be a photographer to really love this episode with Jamey Price, but if you are, you are in for a real treat! Jamey is one of the most successful, talented, awarded, and well known photographers in motorsports today. We get Jamey’s fun story of moving from Steeplechase Horse Racing all the way to his incredibly successful career as a motorsports photographer. You probably know Jamey’s work, so now it’s time to get to know Jamey!
Stefan is one of those people who just never stops amazing us. From racing Formula 1 and Endurance Driving and then going on to become the incredible artist he is today, he seems to have that golden touch. Stefan starts us off with his stories of racing at the most hardcore time in history to his decision to move to full time artist. Stefan will have a section in an upcoming edition of the Avants magazine for you to see his latest work, but also has a studio you can go visit down in California! We plan to take him up on that generous offer as soon as we can.
It’s almost Christmas and we hope you are enjoying the holidays! If you’re still looking for some last minute gifts, we’ve got a few ideas for any budget, but on this episode we have a chat about our Christmas lists and hopefully you’ll get a few ideas from us.
Thanks to Avants Chief Editor Karl Knoakes, we had the pleasure of interviewing the exceptionally talented Lyn Hiner. Lyn is a truly incredibly artist; her paintings would be as at home in a luxury garage as they would be in an executive office or your living room. If you’re looking for the perfect addition to top off your collection, this is definitely your stop. Check our the gallery attached to this episode page and see more of Lyn’s work on her webpage or Instagram.
Michael Lencioni of Canyon Park Vehicle Licensing answers all of our many questions about the unfortunate mystery of vehicle licensing. You would think it would be pretty easy to register a car or know what you need to sell a car, but if you're buying out of state, buying a car with damage, or buying a car with a lien holder, you may have some questions. Lucky for you, now you have a resource to call who can help you through the entire process.
Contact Michael at Canyon Park Licensing: https://www.canyonparklicensing.com/
*Correction on the Florida fees - Florida has the highest documentation fees in the United States, with an average document fee of $670. Florida has no cap on how much dealerships can charge for this service, but it is not because they handle all licensing, they just are not regulated in this doc fee area.
This extra episode is all about our mistakes and of course our potential for more of them as we start our winter projects! Recently an R34 GTR made the rounds on Bring a Trailer, and after some sleuthing by the community it was determined to have quite the problem history of an extensive list of repairs that were undisclosed by the seller. This sparked the thought of what was our most expensive car mistake? Dan discusses a former 2011 C63 AMG and 1993 RX7 while Nick shares his toasty Subaru adventure. None of these were bad cars be design, but much like the R34 GTR, mods and a questionable history led to their demise. Worst of all, we probably could have avoided all of our problems! Tune in and share our pain.
We partnered with our friends at LeMay - America’s Car Museum to do a live podcast with legendary designer Rick Dore. Rick is most famously responsible for being the man behind the collection of Metallica front man, James Hetfield, and his designs have made front pages and centerfolds for just about every automotive magazine in the industry. Tune in to learn all about his design process and be sure to check out the extensive gallery, courtesy of Jake Welk at LeMay.
This week we got a chance to talk with collector and racer Larry Vollum. Avants Charter members have had the chance to see this collection first hand, but the stories are as cool as his collection! Larry Vollum has been collecting rare and unusual cars for decades. Larry’s fascination with importing vintage rally cars and his past racing experiences has provided him the opportunity to acquire some unicorns. His stories of acquisition are almost as cool as the cars themselves. He’s also probably our only guest who knows how to take the wheels off a 959, because he has one.
This special episode was recorded live in front of almost 100 of our Avants Charter Members at the incredible Rimmer family warehouse! We welcome Steve, James, and Josie Rimmer to the show as we get to know the family behind DirtFish Rally School and their stories. Alternative working titles for this episode are "Whatever Josie Says" and "Josie Rimmer and her Dad and brother."
This week we talk to Joe Potter, founder of Vintage Underground in Eugene, OR all about the fine art of converting vintage Jaguar E-Types into modern, electric masterpieces. Vintage Underground may be based in Eugene, OR, but this is no mom and pop restoration shop. Vintage Underground is a cutting edge restoration shop that specializes in British and European cars and is now a pioneer in the electric conversion business. Tune in to hear all about them and their current work and the exciting work around the corner.
This week on the show we welcome Steve Bortolotti, General Manager of the IMSA winning team Pfaff Motorsports! You probably know the Pfaff livery even if you don’t follow IMSA racing since they have the best looking Porsche on the track in it’s clearly Canadian plaid wrap. Steve tells us all about the high and lows of racing, modding his Time Attack RX8, and a whole lot more. We can’t wait to see what Pfaff does in 2023 in the new 992!
Continuing our trend of long overdue interviews, this week we have Michelle Miller! When she’s not busy co-driving for Lucy Block at Hoonigan, Michelle is an instructor with our friends at DirtFish. Listen in to hear all about her exciting life in both the driver and passenger seat.
In this interview that’s about 5 years overdue, we talk to Matt Bell, founder of The Shop Clubs. Matt talks about being able to “scratch all his creative itches” with The Shop Clubs, his expansion to Texas, motorcycle trips through Europe, and so much more! Matt is a true enthusiast who does a lot for the car community and a great partner for Avants that you should know. Be sure to check out The Shop at https://theshopclubs.com/.
We drive everything here at Avants, but a lot of us ride everything too! Dan’s been riding basically his whole life, and even worked in the industry for a while, and Nick’s done just about everything you can think of to his Monkey and CRF450RL, so on this episode we discuss some of our favorite and least favorite mods. We think you can use this episode to get some fun Christmas ideas too. We recommend a Grom or a Monkey since they fit comfortably by the tree.
This week we talked with the very talented Christi Schimpke, owner and designer at Crash Jewelry! Crashing your car rarely is a good feeling outside of a figure 8 at your local track, but Christi has taken tragedy and turned that twisted metal into jewelry you'll actually want to wear. She sells special items she has curated herself through her connections in the autobody industry or you can work with her to design a special piece from your own crash or restoration. Christmas is coming, so here's a great idea for all of our listeners looking for something special and different.
If driving around Europe isn't on your bucket list, it definitely should be. Dan spent almost a month doing just that and has some great tips to make your life a little easier as you navigate around hidden speed cameras, tolls, roundabouts, and other things it may take you a little while to warm up to in Europe. He also talks about learning how to blow from a tall, beautiful Viking and really likes Chamonix.
We work a lot with Marketing and Events Manager Brian Dallas at DirtFish. From Avants Off-Road, to WagonFest, to the DirtFish SummerFest, and MANY more, it seems like we're always at DirtFish and we wouldn't have it any other way. We get to know Brian a little better and talk about his love for Minis, cycling, and of course all things Rally. We even got a few surprise visits from some other friends at DirtFish while we were there!
In this very special episode of the Avants Podcast we team up with Bring a Trailer Co-founder and President Randy Nonnenberg to announce a very special partnership with Avants! Randy shares his favorite BaT memories, his cars, the Covid car buying boom, and more on this surprise episode!
If you're looking for that perfect finishing touch for your car, then prepare to be a fan of Daniel Chae and his company, Formawerx. Formawerx creates keys for cars, but not just simple replacements. Think of Formawerx keys as like buying a luxury watch for your car, and once you see them you're going to want one. This was no accident though, Daniel took his success from working and designing at Oakley to designing these beautiful keys, which all have a story that fits the cars they are designed for perfectly. Formawerx makes keys for everything for FJ40s to McLaren F1s, so be sure to check them out at https://formawerx.com.
We had a few audio issues while recording this episode unfortunately, but it's still definitely worth a listen or a watch on YouTube.
On this special episode of the Avants Podcast we get to catch up with Betim Berisha, owner and creator of BBI Autosport. Three years ago, on episode 95, we got to talk to Betim about his start here in the Pacific Northwest where he grew up with John Kleven, owner of Metropolitan Detail, and working with our friends over at Park Place Motors. In this episode Betim discusses building incredible Pikes Peak winning cars, building cars from scratch for Hoonigan racing, pushing the technology and development envelope of performance parts, and what the future mandate to move to electric cars means for the performance industry.
This week we talk with Ezekiel Wheeler, the head of Auto Conduct. Ezekiel gives a long overdue fresh approach to car shows and a car storage facility, with an appreciation for all things automotive that those of us at Avants can certainly align with. Auto Conduct takes a fresh, artistic take on car shows that differentiates them from the standard “cars and coffee” we’ve all grown a little bored with by incorporating art, food trucks, entertainment, and more. We really hope to see more of Daniel and his ideas, because we think his ideas are exactly what car shows need.
Did you know the best time for a road trip in the US is the last 2 weeks of September? That means it's time to start planning your next adventure and we're here to help you do it. Dan and Nick talk about their favorite road trip adventures, share a few tips and tricks, and remind you that Drive Everything isn't just the Avants motto, it's a way of life!
We put out the ask to find someone who could really clear up the click-bait headlines and talk to us about EV batteries, charging, power grid problems, recycling, and more on EVs and Chad Maglaque really stepped up the plate. Chad in PNW native who moved down to Texas to start ReCell EV, one of the few companies tackling replacing and repairing EV batteries outside of the dealers. He is wealth of knowledge of all things EV and power and gives us some great answers.
This week we got to speak with Fabryce Kutyba about the leading racewear brand in the motorsports industry, Alpinestars! More than just a guy who sells motorsports gear, Fabryce is and has always been a major gearhead with connections to Aplina, GMG, and much more. He's a racer to the core, has great taste in cars, and has some great stories from a lifetime in motorsports. On top of all that, he's an Avants member!
Dan actually wanted to work really for Alpinestars back in his 20s, and if you dig into the episode notes on the Avants page, you'll get a good laugh at his 20 year throwback.
This week we got to speak with Michael Honn of STEK USA all about protection film and the many differences. This isn't just some ad for STEK though, Michael rallies, rides, off-roads, and drives everything just like the rest of us. He's a real enthusiast with a passion for motorsports and the STEK products he believes in. Come meet Michael and see the STEK demos at Avantsfest, August 6th!!
Here on the podcast we're not shy about admitting we are long time fans of the Griots. We don't just mean the products, we actually like the Griots family and all the work they do. This time we talk with Phillip Griot who is running Griots Motors. Griots Motors offers car restoration, sales and consignment, storage, and detailing, all at the level you'd expect from a name like Griots. Listen in and hear more about the shop from the guy who's name is on the building. You can find out more at https://griotsmotors.com
When Jake decided his International Scout restomod build didn't turn out the way he wanted, he decided to something we all wish we could; build it the way he wanted himself. Jake started Bulletproof Restorations out of a bit of spite and took restomodding Internationals to a new level providing LS swaps for proper power, next level interior upgrades, and full frame off restorations and upgrades. We talk with Jake all about the restomod business and what it takes to build perfect Scout.
This week we talk to Evan Zema! We've known Evan for quite a while as a car collection manager, but now he is working with our long time friend in Hagerty in their very exclusive Radius program. This isn't an ad for Hagerty though, Evan is a serious enthusiast with boosted E30 325i he built himself, and much like us, likes all things with an engine or motor.
No one who runs into Natasha is going to call her boring. When every car you have is a project car you're not going to have a lot of dull moments on or off the road. Natasha takes the term "project car" to new heights with her off-road built Lexus LS400, but that's not all of course. Listen as she tells us all about herself and her many very fun projects.
I don't know what you were doing at 19, but we sure weren't racing Lamborghinis for a living like Bryson Lew. Add on to that he's full time student, a black belt, plays piano, and helps coach our friends at Flying Husky Racing, and you could say he's got his life together better than most of us do even now in full mid-life crisis mode. Bryson tells us what it takes to pilot some of the most exciting cars in the world.
Karen knows her stuff. Not only does she race some of the toughest cars around to drive - Cobras and Daytonas from Factory 5 Racing, but she's also highly educated and extremely engaging to talk to! Karen is a personal life coach, driver development coach, career path coach, and even has expertise she can share in motorsports team organizational development. On top of all that, Karen has over 200 first place finishes in various forms of motorsports; she talks the talk and walks the walk! We had a great time getting to know her we know you will too.
Recorded live in partnership with ProFormance Racing School and Park Place LTD, we got to enjoy a special evening with the legendary Lyn St. James! Lyn shares some amazing stories of her time behind the wheel and gives some great advice about stepping into motorsports and how to get more women involved in racing. Be sure to check out the YouTube video of this event as well, which we remastered after the recording to give you better audio and video.
This week we got to talk to Richard Varner, CFO of MotoAmerica, and Chairman of the Board for the incredible Petersen Museum. Richard walks us through what it was like building MotoAmerica from the ground up with his crew, shares some lesser known details of the Petersen, and talks about his love all motorcycles and cars. If you want to see some incredible MotoAmerica action locally, be sure to be at The Ridge in Shelton on June 24th-26th! https://www.ridgemotorsportspark.com/motoamericatickets
We apologize for a few minor connection issues that caused some quieter, latent audio, but we think we cleaned it up pretty well for you!
Casey is the kind of guy every guy wants to be friend with. From his many adventures, well beyond the car world, to his travels, and to his philanthropy, there was so much to talk about this interview could have gone on forever. There was no shortage of laughs during this episode and we know you’ll enjoy it start to finish. Check out more about Casey on his YouTube channel and be sure to check out Genius Garage, where he’s working to change the world. We’ll see you at Indy, Casey!
Steven Smith is an icon in the shoe world known for creating the New Balance 574, 997, and 1500, the Reebok Fury, and then of course working with Ye (formerly Kanye West) on the iconic Yeezy shoe line, where he still works today. Steven talks with all about his creative processes, his engineering background, and of course his air cooled Porsche 356 and his road racing Beetle. Enjoy this very special episode and be sure to check out the Avants article featuring him and Steve Pelletier! https://www.avants.com/news/sole-brothers-of-stumptown-steven-smith-steve-pelletier
We sit down and talk with Rami Atherton, brand manager for McLaren Seattle. McLaren might not be new to the area at this point, but OpenRoad Auto Group has recently massively expanded the dealer and we talk to Rami about daily driven McLarens, racing, and the quirks that come with McLarens. We also pick his brain on the other quirky occupants of the dealership - Lamborghini, Bentley, and Rolls Royce.
Our motto here at Avants is “Drive Everything” and Alex Haugland brings that to a new level. With 170 cars in The Haugland Collection (and growing), driving all of his cars is almost a full time job. Alex tells us all about his massive collection and of rare, fun, quirky, and historically significant cars, and really epitomizes everything we love to see in a car enthusiast. Enjoy this special episode with Master Collector, Alex Haugland, and check out his website while you’re at it to see some of them: https://www.hauglandcollection.com/
We had an incredible time interviewing Randy Pobst in front of a live studio audience filled with Avants members. Randy shared all sorts of his favorite car stories with us and we know you'll enjoy hearing them too! A special shout out to our friends at Hagerty for partnering with us to make this event happen.
We had so serious fun talking with the iconic gentleman racer, Justin Bell. He told us so many unfiltered stories of his exciting life from growing up and riding motorcycles to deciding to race in his late teens and going on to win Le Mans, work in motorsports media, being a photographer, and now a fellow podcast hosting "Life. With Legends". Justin also shared his entrepreneurial side, giving some great ideas on how to make electric vehicle charging stations more... interesting. This episode is uncut and unfiltered and is therefor marked explicit.
Dan and Nick talk with Andy Kim and Robin Har of Driven Motion about their films and so much more. We had so much fun on this episode and recording on set with them was every bit as fun. These two are serious artists who absolutely love to share their passion. If you haven’t checked out Driven Motions films, you’re missing out on some great car content (even though Dan was in the last one). And if you haven’t seen any of Robin’s mind blowing art, you need to go check that out too! It’s pretty impressive for him being a tracer. Just kidding, Robin. :)
We finally had the chance to meet our Avants co-worker from Oregon, Sher Harbour de Vos! What better way for everyone to to get to know Sheri better than on the official Avants show? She came out of the tiny island of Ketchikan, Alaska, played with some Ferraris, and now she's running wild down in Portland and representing Avants.
In this episode we talk with Tim Cruickshank of BoneFrog Coffee and BoneFrog Cellars about his companies mission to honor fallen veterans. More than that, BoneFrog just so happens to be a sponsor of our recent guest, Benjamin Pedersen! We actually didn’t even know that at the time we booked Tim or Benjamin to be on the show; what a small world. You can read more about BoneFrog, get some coffee, or some gear at https://BoneFrog-Coffee.com. We’re working with BoneFrog right now to get Avants Members some coffee to try, so sit tight and enjoy one more great reason to be an Avants member!
If you're looking for the best adventure riding or overland routes in the country, it's the Backcountry Discovery Routes. In this episode we talk with some of the key players who give us the gift of the BDRs, Paul Guillien and Inna Thorn. We have probably said it 100x on the podcast at this point, but the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route was without a doubt the most fun we have ever had on a trip in our lives, even beating out the SeaMont Rally! So listen up and get ready, because you're going to want to get out and explore after this episode!
For more information on the Backcountry Discovery Routes, GPS tracks, ride reports, and anything else you'd ever need, head over to RideBDR.com!
We recorded this episode live at the Avants Magazine Launch at MotoFish in Redmond! This little bonus episode includes stories from Zachary Philip, one of the first Rivian R1T owners, Sean McDonough, the Exotics “Gatekeeper”, Alex Kochis, who’s Luftgekühlt Porsche 911 Safari is featured in this issue of the Avants Magazine, and Michele Graaff, who wrote the main Land Rover article for the most recent issue. If you missed this event, you missed out. We hope to see you at the next one!
If there is one common theme we have found among the many successful professional drivers we have interviewed, it’s that they work harder than anyone else we know to succeed. Benjamin Pedersen is no exception. Twice-a-day workouts, multiple hours in a simulator, engineering sessions, it’s all just part of a normal day for Benjamin. Now living in Indianapolis, Benjamin joins us online for this interview and tells us everything you ever wanted to know about the road to IndyCar Racing. If you’d like to know more about Benjamin beyond our interview, be sure to check out the article by Karl Noakes with images by Keith Scott here: https://www.avants.com/news/the-rise-of-benjamin-pedersen
For the first official Avants Podcast, we bring in the Alpha of Alfas, Fred Russell! Not only is he an expert in all things Alfa Romeo as the President of the Northwest Alfa Romeo Club, he also has one of the most interesting careers you will ever come across. As a full time collection manager, Fred gets experiences most of us can only dream about. No one just handed Fred the keys and said “have at it” though; listen to how he got here and what makes him uniquely qualified for this particular role.
After almost 4 1/2 years, the Rain City Supercars Podcast comes to a close with this final episode. We have taken an opportunity to join our friends in Avants and the show going forward will be the official Avants Podcast! We won't be changing the format of the show much and you'll be treated with more guests from near and far. You won't need to subscribe anywhere else and over the next week you'll see our logo and title changes pop up. You will still have access to all the old episodes, just now under the Avants umbrella. We were some of the first members (4 and 6) of Avants and Avants was one of our first sponsors. We couldn't be happier, or prouder, to be an official part of their team going forward. Thank you to all the listeners who supported us along the way, our guests who became friends, and our sponsors who helped us make this show into something we never imagined it could be when we started.
Don't just get there, enjoy the drive!
In news that will probably shock almost no one, The Rain City Supercars Podcast is now officially The Avants Podcast. We have been working with Adam and Avants for almost 4 1/2 years now and we could not be happier to officially announce this change. We will be creating shows in the same way we always have, but now with more guests from all over the world and an even bigger show. The full catalog of our show will still be available and you won't have to update any of your subscriptions, so just kick back, relax, and enjoy the drive!
When we first recorded this episode we thought we had a pretty good idea of how the market was working, but after talking through it we realized we needed to bring in an expert. We reached out to our good friend of the show, Brian Elich, who gave us some great insights on buying a car in the current market, a different point of view on ADM, and some insight on the Tesla effect.
We welcome back Justin Osmer, founder of Turn-In Point Consulting, as he shares stories from the Forza Horizon 5 launch, driving Route 66 in his RS6 Avant, and a little info on a recent Bring A Trailer auction. If you don't want to take a massive road trip after hearing this episode, you might just be dead inside.
To see more of Justin's travels find him on Instagram at FatherFlywheel.
If we're being totally honest, we never really know what we’re going to get when we book a guest. Chad Haugen, owner of Leather Tech in Bellevue, came highly recommended and he absolutely lived up to the hype! We went to Chad to see his shop and some of his work first hand and left booking him to do some work for us! Not only is he an expert craftsman, but he turned out to be an all around interesting person and a great interview for anyone to enjoy, well beyond just be an expert on interior repair. From starting his business at 19 to talking about learning Hindi to relate to the people in his community more, we know you’re going to love getting to know Chad.
Check out Chad’s business, Leather Tech at https://leathertechrepair.com/ and don’t forget to use your Avants discount for 15% off! And to keep your interior from needing Chad’s work, use our RCS10 code at Griots Garage for Interior Care and Cleaning products, which Chad does personally use and recommend (and they don’t even pay him to!)
On this episode we walk you through all the basics of towing a trailer! We discuss all those acronyms about weights, how to load a trailer properly, how trailer brakes work, and even balls and shackles! We also talk about the film Dan was in, "F#", by our friends at Driven Motion!
When the members in Avants asked what basic tools everyone should have, we answered in a big way with this extended length show and a huge write-up on our Tips and Links page. We believe these are the most essential tools you should own, and also a few you may not have thought of that come in really handy. We also talk about different price points and why some tools are absolutely worth the money and some just are not.
Check out the giant write-up here where we talk about everything form pick sets to fluid pumps: The Home Mechanic’s Automotive Arsenal
By many popular requests we finally got the guys from Zadart in to tell us all the fun stories about the exotic car rental world! Eric Reiff and Chris Roberts join us and give you all the info you want to know.
In this episode we discuss Hagerty’s 2022 Bull Market List. The whole market feels like a bull market right now, but these are the top picks from our friends at Hagerty. Some of these seem extremely predictable, but who knew the Volvo wagon was going to spike like this!?
Check out the full article here from our friends at Hagerty!
Also, be sure to secure your load! Thanks to our friend Bob for this week’s Carter Automotive Group tip of the week!
Dan is working on his tan and Nick is adding as many layers as possible, but we still managed to put together a new episode discussing the polar opposites of car culture we are currently in. Dan gives an update on the car culture he’s found on Oahu (and is looking for more!) and Nick gives an update on the crazy PNW Snowpocalypse that is keeping even the most prepared drivers indoors.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from us! It’s just the two of us for this holiday episode. We wish you all the best and hope you’re spending some quality time with the people you love.
You’ve probably heard that name before - Otis Porsche. If you’re like us, you probably didn’t realize Otis is actually the name of Richard and Dolores Ranhofer’s Porsche Cayenne, which sat on the dock of a bay a little too long. We meet with the elusive couple who have truly been pioneers in getting the Cayenne it’s off-road credit it actually deserves. These two have been overlanding before overlanding was a word, and continue to take their Porsche on truly challenging adventures. Listen to their stories ranging from how they met to how they started taking just about every backroad and rally around, including the infamously challenging Alcan 5000.
You’re running out of time, but you can still get really cool Christmas gifts for that special car person in your life! In fact, we made a non-affiliate link list so you know you’re not buying anything just because we make money off it. We genuinely love these products and hope you will too! You can find this list on our website in the episode notes with links!
We don’t use that word to describe a lot of people - incredible - but it fits. From drag racing, to stunt driving, to road racing, to drifting, to rally, AND MORE, Verena Mei has basically done it all. In spite of all that, she’s still humble, charming, and was an absolute joy for us to have on the show. Enjoy this very special, extended podcast featuring a guest you won’t forget and definitely enjoy.
To find out more about Verena (because we still couldn’t cover it all in 2 hours), check out her website: http://www.verenamei.com/
You can find Verena on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/verenamei/
Update: Pastrana’s “record” for rolls is 7 3/4 rolls. Now you know.
We had a fun time making this kind of random episode, but we wanted to make sure you had something to listen while stuck in traffic. Thank you to all of you who are listening! We really love doing this and you are the reason we do! We talk about electric cars, autocross, the latest Avant’s Off-Road event, and more! Check out the gallery on this episode if you’re looking for a little motivation to join us for an Avant’s Off-Road event as I don’t think we’ve had a more fun one to date!
We had a really great and honest interview with Nathan Merz, owner of Columbia Valley Luxury Cars. More than that, Nathan is extremely involved in the PCA, a writer, a content creator, and all around great guy. Nathan has been selling and flipping cars, especially Porsches, since he was 13 years old. From giving credit to his wife and family to being open and honest about inflated values, transporting, and auctions, we liked Nathan the minute we met him and we know you will too. Nathan will be coming back very soon to give us some great stories and advise on how to transport your vehicle the right way!
Did you know you can just go sign up for a track day and go? I mean, you’ll want your car in good mechanical shape, but that’s really it. You can just go. Ann Doherty decided after receiving her dream car for her 50th birthday she was going to do just that, and now she is racing a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS.
It’s SEMA time, which means if you’re following any automotive news you’re seeing all sorts of new products coming out you probably won’t be able to buy for 6 months thanks to supply chain issues! We give a brief history of SEMA, talk winter tires (not snow tires), and a few other project updates.
Our audio here is a little rough due to limited infrastructure! Nick went to COTA and Dan went to Moab, but you definitely need to go to both! It’s an adventure update that hopefully inspires you to get out and explore!
Did you know it’s ok to change your beliefs and opinions when you get new, more credible information? Well, we do, so we thought we’d update Episode 159 and the contents of our Off-Road List, which is housed under our Tips and Links section of our website. In this longer, extensive episode we talk about updates to that list, new tips for getting out on the trail, and you NEED to check out the video from Dan’s webcam on our YouTube page and embedded here. You’re not going to believe what we found trying to drive WABDR Section 3!
Dan got to watch a police chase which he caught on his dashcam so we figured now would be a good time to discuss what makes a good dashcam, how to mount it properly, and some other tips and tricks. We also go over the next few weeks as Nick is going F1 in Austin and Dan is going off-roading in Moab! There’s some serious Billy Joel talk in here too.
If you’re looking a great Dashcam, our friend Ariel at Vortex Radar knows his stuff and is a source we trust: www.vortexradar.com/best-dashcams/
If you’re looking for the greatest Wikipedia page ever made, it’s We Didn’t Start The Fire by Billy Joel: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn%27t_Start_the_Fire
We welcome Brian Nilsen with Circuit of the Northwest back as he confirms the track is coming! We also talk about customer service during COVID, DSRP vs MSRP, and welcome Daniella Lewis - head of membership for Circuit of the Northwest. We are very excited to have another track that's really happening, but it's going to be so much more than just another track!
Ray York joins us and finally answers the age old mystery of why there are never enough garage photos in home listings! He also shares his story of growing up not far from Dan, meeting Dale Earnhardt, getting fired by his dad at 18, and starting in real estate at the perfect time… 2007. Text RCS to 59559 to get a hold of Ray!
In episode 201 we talk about a deerly departed friend Nick met on the way home from Dan’s house. Luckily this was a low-speed mishap, but we will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the worst jaywalkers on the road. Tune in to find out if Nick is still pulling fur out his grill.
We made it all the way to episode 200! We’ve come a long way from Nick’s kitchen and we recorded this one in Dan’s dining room. We present the two best car tips we could think of, talk about the cross-plane crankshaft 4 cylinder, and take a short walk down memory lane.
For episode 199 we get Professional Rally Co-Driver Rhianon Gelsomino! Not only is she the 2021 ARA National Champion along with driver Travis Pastrana, she’s legitimately one of the most knowledgeable people we’ve ever met when it comes to all things rally and co-driving. She walks us through all of it in a way even we can understand and gives us all the good stories about her racing life, racing with Travis, and she’s even married to Alex, Ken Block’s co-driver. Talk about a power couple!
Karl introduced us to someone else you’ll want to know, Daniel Pilling! Daniel learned to drive at the track, watched the XJ220 go into production, and has worked with everything from F1, to NASCAR, to Goodwood, and more! Listen in for some great stories!
We discuss the 50 weirdest laws we could find by state. In spite of everything on the internet being true, we found out some these were a lie! I mean, if you can’t trust random blogs you read on the internet for legal advice, who can you trust?! We had fun with this one and hope you will too.
It’s so weird to say “Krissy from Avants” when we’ve known Krissy as our girl at LeMay for so long. We are so excited to see where she takes Avants and how Avants is going to grow from Adam bringing her onboard. Krissy adds a wealth of knowledge and experience in the car world and we catch up with her and what she’s got planned.
Nick calls in to give us the update on what’s going on in Monterey for Car Week post Covid lockdown and Dan sits at home and roasts in the 100 degree heat.
Dan’s out and Branden Ben Powell is in! Nick and Branden talk building an off-road community, building the Pinzgauer, magnets (how do they work?!), and even have a GIVEAWAY! Tune and be sure to leave us a comment! Follow BBP on IG at Sarpinz!
Well, we kinda did it. We did sections 3 and 4 of the WABDR, which was all we were allowed to do thanks to massive shutdowns across the east side of the state due to fire danger, but we did it and lived to tell the tale! Branden Ben Powell and Brian Elich join us in the studio to tell the tale of the first annual Backcountry Monkey recap!
We love guests that are authentically themselves; it’s what makes people truly interesting! We welcome John and Melissa from Group 2 Automotive as they tell us all about stories from South Africa, driving on “closed roads” in Lamborghinis, Ferrari muffler bearings, and a whole lot more! We are indeed a car show about people and this episode definitely fulfills that and more.
A long time ago Dan stumbled across an IG; RoamingRS and thought “What a cool person, she should be on the show!” Turns out that person was none other than Josie Rimmer. You might know that last name if you’re a car enthusiast but Josie is more than her last name to be proud of, she’s a great advocate for women in motorsports, a driver, an equestrian, and just a really fun person to be around! We loved having her on our show and I’m sure you will hear more about her and from her. Go see Josie at DirtFish and get to know why DirtFish is the most fun Dan has ever had in a car and why so many great people work there!
When we decided to undertake riding the WABDR on our Monkeys we knew we needed an expert planner. Lucky for us we have Branden Ben Powell! He survived our assault on his liver and is ready to ride with us on his highly modified Monkey and brining all his expertise alone for the ride. Get read for some crazy adventure stories, just a few weeks away!
Dan’s back and in a new place! Krissy is now with Avants! Covid rules have been lifted! FREEDOM! Yes, it’s also the 4th of July episode and we discuss which cars the MOST American you can buy. Some are surprising, some are not, but we had a great time making this episode.
On this weeks episode we talk to Andy and Mercedes Lilienthal of CrankshaftCulture.com. They also are automotive journalists, work for our friends at Warn Winches, and are active Avants members! These two REALLY walk the walk as well as talk the talk. We cover everything from the Alcan to not defining Overlanding and everything between. There’s a lot here, so kick back, relax, and enjoy the drive these two take us on.
Check out more from Andy and Mercedes at Crankshaftcutlure.com and on Instagram!
1,000 trucks. That’s how may trucks Ford says it makes per day. That’s good, because they have 125,000 Broncos to build for customers. This week’s episode is automotive news you should know and the proper way to jump your car thanks to Carter Subaru!
Also, “If The 2022 Honda Grom Doesn't Make You Happy Maybe You Can't Be Happy.”
Dan’s in McCall, Nick’s stuck at home, and we’re recording via phone! So no, Nick isn’t fighting strep throat, he just has AirPods. Yeah, calling you out Apple. Anyway! McCall is amazing and you should come visit. We’ll catch you up to speed on this on road and off road paradise and why it should be on your driving and overlanding bucket list.
We recorded this episode from Dan’s Raptor! Dan is moving and headed to Idaho for a month, but don’t worry, we’re still making episodes for you! We talk all about Dan’s tractor purchasing, why you need to go to Idaho, and even touch on cars some.
On episode 184 we talk with Zach Mauden, Director of Sales and Marketing at Achtuning, all about tuning, tunes and warranties, and… overland RV life? Tune in for another great episode with a guest who is more than just selling the mods you want for your car!
On this episode we talk with Corey Youngren, owner of Sound Wheel Works. Corey has been in the wheel repair business for over 30 years and knows more about wheel repair than anyone we know. Almost all the local shops use his services and we have been customers ourselves since they opened, long before their Avants partnership. If you want to fix your wheels, change the color, or restore an older set, these are the ones to go to! Find out more about them at SoundWheelWorks.com
Also, sorry Branden Ben Powell, you probably drank yourself to death listening.
We had a fun chat with Michele Graaff; a passionate Mini GP owner who takes to the track on weekends. Michele is one of many people we are fortunate to talk with who will inspire you to get in your car and take it to the track. Not only is she a talented driver and the VP of the Puget Sound MINI Motoring Club, but she also has a great sense of humor and one of those people you just want to be friends with as soon as you meet her.
More about Michele in her own words: ”I am an academic advisor at University of Washington, writer and editor on the side, working on a few different freelance projects. Owning a MINI was a catalyst for learning performance driving because it’s such an accessible car for a lot of people Upgrading to the MINI JCW GP came from realizing my track skills would eventually require bigger brakes, and some other improvements. I love MINI so much that I was recently elected vice president of Puget Sound MINI Motoring Club. We are an all-female volunteer board of the largest non-profit MINI club in the region. Our mission is to encourage local owners enjoy the culture of MINI. My personal journey has put me onto the track, so most of my free time is spent nerding out over how to become a better driver. I’ve done this mostly alone, picking the brains of a handful of amazing coaches and friends, and lots of reading. This has evolved into me wanting more drivers (especially women!) to understand that getting out on the track isn’t just for people with the “right car” or giant bank account (though you’ll certainly go broke with this passion.) We are fortunate to have a lot of great resources for high performance driving in our area, from ProFormance to the local car clubs hosting HPDE days. Right now, I’m starting to learn pit crew support for a couple of IRDC/ICSCC racing friends. Maybe a race car will be in my future, but for now, I love my MINI GP and everything that goes with it.”
You can find more from Michele on her IG: https://www.instagram.com/mgsees/
We welcome Scottie and Jordan Stratton of Northwest Crafted Interiors to tell us all about the dark art of doing interiors! We can tell you without a doubt that quality upholstery is one of the hardest jobs in the automotive industry that we have come across. The guys at Northwest Crafted are absolute masters and can do anything you can dream of to the interior of your car. Like a quality mattress, getting a proper seat is one of the best investments you can make in your car and these are definitely the guys to do it. Even better, they’re an Avants partner!
Check them out at: https://www.nwcraftedinteriors.com/
And on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/nw_crafted/
In this episode we talk about finding the perfect mount for recording from your vehicle with a phone (which is way harder than you think) and we talk to the latest Avants member to go full send at Avants Off-road event, Rachel Neuharth. After a late night birthday Craigslist browsing, Rachel decided she needed a project car and picked up a Bronco 2, then she took the next most important step, she showed up at an Avants event and went full send. We brought Rachel on the show because she’s a good case for what all of us know - just showing up and being nice will get you all the welcoming and support you need.
Follow Rachel’s Bronco project on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/sandy_bronco/
For episode 179 we cover a lot of automotive news ranging from Colorado’s weed friendly license plate lotto, the insane towing capacity of new trucks, the Rivians are coming, and Tesla’s latest interesting Easter Egg.
We get to know driver, enthusiast, and instructor Naomi Watnick! Naomi teaches driving skills for the Porsche Club, BMW Club, and many others, including Avants track days. Get to know Naomi’s story and how she came from driving tanks to racing Miatas.
If you want to learn more about the very cool Merkur XR4Ti - https://www.motortrend.com/news/1985-1989-merkur-xr4ti-buyers-guide/
Dan was gone for a while, so we get you up to speed with this missing episode covering a lot of stuff!
Everyone needs to know about the Lockpicking Lawyer - www.youtube.com/channel/UCm9K6rby98W8JigLoZOh6FQ
Watch some guys riding vintage Honda trail bikes 500 miles, proving we aren’t quite as crazy as you thought - www.youtube.com/watch?v=320vUMEoelc
In reference to our Carter Subaru Tip of the week, check out how APR (and many others) are helping you with your powertrain warranty if you decide to void yours with a tune - www.goapr.com/products/software/…20T-EA888-3-T-IS38
Streetspeed717 from YouTube decided to jump his Urus over his Aventador and we think that’s pretty cool - www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_L7lEgZcdc
Gordon Murray puts his new T50 on a dyno and sorta runs the Nürburgring - www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMbNh8y7HUY
Aston Martin vs Honda - Correction, this was Top Gear Season 6, Episode 5 - and Jeremy Clarkson driving.
Nikola is still full crap, SSC is maybe slightly less, and the story of the Dale.
The story of the Dale is fascinating - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twentieth_C…_Car_Corporation - and to correct something in the show we don't want people to misunderstand, we didn't mean Trans "wasn't a thing" in the 60s/70s, we meant it was not a commonly used term at the time and was not widely used to describe sexual identity in historical reference.
And we discuss Nissan's predatory loan practices: jalopnik.com/nissan-is-going-to…stomers-1846636646
Jim is a guy you know, and yet you don’t. Literally “The Voice Guy”, Jim has done documentaries, movie previews, radio, and so many ads over the years. We learn his story from being a journalist in the Air Force to a full time career as a voice over artist. We met Jim via our car friends, as usual, and he’s a real car nut too!
The Honda Monkey 125. The perfect, adorable, retro style bike for getting you around town. We’re taking it on a 600 mile ride down the WABDR. No, that’s not a joke. Get to hear how this crazy idea became a reality and everything required to take a bike with about 4” of suspension travel and a 1.5 gallon fuel tank down one of Washington’s most iconic, and longest, off-road adventure routes, the WABDR. Tune in as we have a fun ride coming up that we know you’re going to get a kick out of! We also talk about some tips for getting your car ready for driving season!
To read more about the WABDR and see the route, check out the official site: https://ridebdr.com/wabdr/
In this episode we take a dive into the history of women who help create the automotive industry, all the way back to Bertha Benz, the first test driver. In our Carter Subaru Tip of the Week we cover all the resources you can use to find car shows! As promised, here is that list!
- Avants
- Lemay - Americas Car Museum
- Hemmings
- Griots Garage - Don’t forget to use code RCS10 for 10% off!
- Exotics at Redmond Town Center
- And of course we will announce them here!
When we say we’re a car show about people, we mean it, even our own people. In Episode 173, we have a deep, real, and still fun chat with Dan’s brother David, former Washington State Trooper, and leave nothing out. We talk police stories, car stuff, growing up with Dan, adoption, the massive drug problem, the declining police problem, and we definitely don’t hold much back. Enjoy this extended episode with 20 years of stories from being a Washington State Trooper, and so much more.
This episode is not explicit, but deals with some very mature subject matter around drugs, homelessness, and automobile accidents that may no be appropriate for some younger listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
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
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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 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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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” offroad 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
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 offroading 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. :(
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.
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.
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!
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!
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 entrepeneurial story and talks about how he became the go-to guy for all things lighting and now more!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Nathan Muntz is everyone’s favoite kind of car guy. He has a delightfully ecletic car collection and the know how to keep cars that were never reliable on the road and going strong. We go through his fun list and get the stories behind them, because when you have a list like this, you have stories:
2008 Aston Martin DB9
1997 Land Rover NAS D90
1989 Land Rover 110 truck
1983 JZR cycle car. This is a Morgan 3 wheeler kit.
1971 Dri-Sleeve Moonraker. This is a factory made Bugatti Type 37 tribute car. 1 of 6 made.
1965 Morgan Plus 4. Just purchased during Covid.
1952 Muntz Jet. 1 of 198 made. Total restro-mod… with an 8.3L Viper motor in it.
Need we say more?! Yes, yes we do. Listen in!
In this really fun (and explicit) episode, we talk to Griff and The Wookie from Combat Flip Flops. The start of Combat Flip Flops is like nothing you have ever heard before, guaranteed. More importantly, these passionate guys are genuinely trying to make the world a better place in spite of going through hell to get it done. Check out combatflipflops.com and order up a pair!
If you want to hear the extremely detailed, full story of CFF from Griff himself, the Audiobook and eBook are currently free and absolutely worth a read or listen: STEPS ASCENDING: RISE OF THE UNARMED FORCES
On this week’s episode, we talk about the emerging RCS rebrand with our newish graphic designer, Jeremy Salvo. We go down the rabbit hole on a number of topics including design’s role in great music, 80s nostalgia, and the curiously legendary Alfa Romeo logo.
To learn more about the RCS rebrand and check out more of Jeremy's work, head over to www.salvo.design.
One of our favorite guests comes back to catch up with more fun stories. Between being busy making the new Halo TV series and the upcoming Halo video game, Kiki found a little time to come back in and catch us up on her amazing life. Beyond Halo she’s a racecar driver, motorycle rider, and world traveler and always she brings great stories.
We are currently on vacation and Adam Robertson is now in Texas, but we had a really fun and real conversation about Adam and his departure from Bellevue. Please note this episode was recorded in advance - breaks and intro were recorded in post.
We have a conversation with Gooding and Company Automotive Specialist (actual title) Hans Wurl! Hans gives us the details on what you can expect by taking your car to auction with Gooding and Company and gives us a few tips as well. Hans is much more than just a great guy to talk to about Gooding auctions, he’s also an accomplished technician with a wealth of knowledge. You can find Hans on Avants or you can reach out to him at Gooding and Company!
In this especially interesting episode we talk to Dr Greg Birch, the grandson of Alex Birch, one of the lead engineers on the coolest vehicles of it’s kind, GMC Motorhome! Greg is also an accomplished driver, mechanic, and Mini collector who is exceptionally knowledgeable in all things he’s interested. Tune in to this really interesting episode full of fun information! Also, be sure to check out the gallery for this episode! Karl took some amazing photos as usual and Greg was kind enough to share some really great photos of the motorhomes his grandfather helped create.
On this episode we have a Unicorn of a guest, Paul Blake! Not only is a Paul a co-owner of the famous Unicorn bar and restaurant in Seattle, he’s also a racer, driving instructor, and car collector of actually interesting cars! Enjoy some of Paul’s good stories on Episode 140!
A note from Dan: This episode unfortunately had some file corruption we were unable to recover. Fortunately, this only impacted a few scattered seconds of audio across the episode.
On this weeks episode we have Ty Moore of the Cafe Racers Union (CRU)! Ty is more than just a guy running an awesome philanthropy organization, he’s also a former professional race car driver and all around great guy with great stories. Listen and and check out Ty’s work at caferacersunion.com.
We’ve got a great episode talking designing and driving with Kirk Myhre of MC Motorsports Design. Check out a great photo set by Karl Noakes for this episode as well as a lot of original content by Kirk. If you need your helmet custom painted or some great photos, you can find Kirk at McMotorsportsdesign.com.
In this fun episode we talk about snorkels, diff breathers, 3rd row seating, bad coil overs, and how in the world did BMW get a factory roll cage in a car?! If you know the answer to that one, let us know!
Great news Avants members, you now get a great discount at Park Place Motors and Park Place Auto Salon!
MORE TRACKS! That’s definitely what we need. More importantly we need more places for communities to be involved and bring in renewed interest in the car world and everything associated with it. In this episode get to know Brian Nilsen as he talks with us about his life in the motorsports world and the path to The Circuit of the Northwest.
To learn more about the Circuit of the Northwest, check out https://www.circuitofthenorthwest.com/
In this episode we have a call to action from our audience! Tell us about your sporty daily driver, whatever it may be, and why you love it! Tell us your favorite thing about your car. It can be a long or short message, doesn’t matter, just let us know! We also talk about squeaky belts, daily driven sports cars, the ridiculous costs of a Porsche badge on a part, and more.
On this week's episode we talk about aftermarket warranties, Nick gets punched in the face, the latest news from SSC, and a little bit more!
In this short episode we touch on the reality of beadlock wheels and trying to have a car show during a quarantine (hint: probably not a great idea).
On this fun episode we catch up with photographer Karl Noakes on Dan’s back deck. This week we discuss cast vs flow formed vs forged wheels, Formula 1, Seattle car pics, and places we’re going soon!
In this week’s episode we discuss Launch control, full throttle shifting, and what jurisdiction actually means!
In this shorter episode we discuss the ins-and-outs and a short history of active aero on production cars, driving adventures, and quarantine life.
Give the other Nick from Down Under a follow on IG: I’m Called Nick
If you’re a car enthusiast in the area you’ve probably heard of or attended Lake Washington Cars and Coffee. Zach got the idea about 4 years ago and it’s just continued to grow! Not to be confused with Seattle Cars and Coffee, Lake Washington C&C has a great group of passionate and eclectic enthusiasts who meet every week, rain, snow, or shine at Madrona Park in Seattle. We’ve met plenty of friends and even guests at the event and it’s welcome to car enthusiasts of all types. When this quarantine finally lifts, check them out and say hello to Zach!
Get in touch with Zach via his own website for design work at Zhoffner.com.
Find Lake Washington Cars and Coffee on Facebook and Instagram!
And check out Lake Washington Cars and Coffee every Sunday at Madrona Park in Seattle from 10-12 when we’re not in a quarantine!
Rennfilms creates some of the most beautiful automotive films you’ll ever see including some for some previous guests of RCS! Listen to him tell his story from humble beginnings in Hollywood to working some music videos that you actually probably watched and automotive films you will definitely want to see. Then toward the end, he turns the tables! Check out Rennfilms.com and enjoy some of his truly beautiful work!
So what happens when you are in charge of a social club in a time where everyone has to do social distancing? Well, if you’re Amanda from Drivers Club you do A LOT more than you might think. From arranging virtual happy hours, to planning fundraising, to booking exclusive guests, Drivers Club is still in full swing. Listen in to get some fun ideas on what to do right now.
On Episode 126 we try and focus on some of the good things that are happening around us! A special shout to Woodinville Car Club for helping over 20 people celebrate their birthdays while still staying quarantine safe! We also talk about inclinometers, discuss ways of hacking together multiples stops on Google Maps (because some jerk over there took away are ability to add more than 10 stops and we’re still mad about it), touch on some of the crazy financing deals we’ve seen, and explore some of the long term impacts to the automotive industry we are starting to see.
Here are some links to help you out from today’s episode!
MoreThan10.com - Because someone at Google Maps is a jerk.
Rallista - Because Blake Siebe and friends are not jerks and have an awesome app! (Android coming soon!)
A great story about the work done by Washington State Patrol Troopers, Marysville Police, Tulalip Tribal Police, Lake Stevens Police, Snohomish County Sheriff's deputies, Everett Police and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers all coming together to help celebrate a birthday!
Things we never thought we’d say: If you need a rocket scientist, we know a guy. We had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Krene, a fellow member at Drivers Club, and asked him all about rocket science, his awesome car collection, and we tried to understand as best we could. We are doing interviews remotely now to do our part to fight Covid-19, but we’re still having fun, so we hope you do too!
Welcome to Episode 124, recorded and streamed lived from Dan’s garage! Our partners at DC are being responsible and we are holding RCS from Dan’s garage until we get this whole virus sorted out. We streamed this episode live to test out a bunch of ideas and had a little fun, but we also talked about how things are changing in the car world. We have guests and regularly scheduled content coming back next week, so sit back, relax, and enjoy! We’re going to do our best to keep you all entertained through this.
There are a lot of reasons to have a good rack on your car and they are more popular than ever! We brought in Jayme Mayfield, Manager of Rack N Road to talk about racks, roof top tents, and picking the right one. If you’re thinking about getting anything for the roof of your car, reach out to him at Rack N Road Bellevue and tell him we sent you!
We here on RCS love all things with transportation related including the electric kind. We invited Officer Cameron Balazic to talk to us about how the police are handling them and how do be a good rider. He’s also an awesome car enthusiast with a gorgeous Golf R and a fellow Avants member.
Correction: Dan mentioned 50 MPH as the top speed of the Zero 10 scooter - it is actually 50 KMH, or 31 MPH. He was correct on the top speed of the electric skateboards he mentioned.
We welcome back Trevor Wert to talk more about his expanding role at DirtFish and all the amazing things DirtFish is bringing. Trevor gives us all the info on the big moves DirtFish is making in media and becoming yours and the whole world’s source for all things rally! We talk rally cars, rally drivers, drives to Alaska, and his adventures around the world. Check out Trevor’s work and all the new stuff coming at DirtFish.com!
To say the name “Griot” is an icon in the automotive world is an understatement. When we were teenagers the Griot’s Garage catalog was the equivalent of the Sear’s Christmas catalog as kids, hell, it still is. We get to know Richard and Nick Griot on our usual unscripted, personal level and laugh the whole way through. Enjoy this very special EXTENDED episode of RCS!
If you’re an Avants member, Camaro aficionado, or just a regular in the PNW car community you probably known Brian. He’s the friend we refer people to when they want a high performance Chevy. He’s also the guy you call when you want to go snow wheeling, have a great bonfire, or just good company. Brian does things a little a different in the car sales world - he makes a lot of real friends. Brian gives us some car buying tips and tells how he came from Motor City to the greater Seattle area.
Don Kitch is a household name in the car community in the PNW. Those of ours listeners outside of the PNW probably know him too from his many ventures in the driving world - ProFormance Driving School, Team Seattle Racing / Heart of Racing, Dempsey Racing, Le Mans, Daytona, and of course The Art of Racing In The Rain, where he was famously played by Gary Cole. In this special episode we get to know the unscripted and always authentic Don Kitch you’ll want to hear.
Our favorite Dan replacement comes back to join and talk all about car culture around the world. Jason travels constantly for work and gets to see some of the most amazing car culture around the world. He gives us an overview car culture experiences from London, Singapore, Monaco, Japan, and more!
They say you can’t always judge a book by its cover, nor can you know an author by his books pages. Jay is a man of many talents as a writer and musician, the latter we didn’t know at all until this interview. Listen to Jay talk about his love for all things automotive, especially the Gulf Porsche 917s, and music! Check out the links below to see his impressive book all about the Gulf Porsche 917 and hear some of Jay’s music.
Stewart Waliser is a young and successful entrepreneur who started Stew’s Garage in Kirkland on his own. That last part is especially important, because it’s hard enough to start a small business, let alone one in your early 20s! Stew’s shop is an absolutely unique garage that allows people of all skill levels to come and not just work on their cars, but also learn! He and his staff can walk your through just about all vehicle maintenance and help you build a new skill set with professional guidance along the way
In this shorter episode Nick and Dan connect via phone since Nick is having a great time in Scottsdale without him! We talk about what’s crossing the block in Scottsdale and give a quick recap of events there while Dan freezes to death without power at home. Listen in for a unusual, but useful Carter Subaru Tip of the Week as well!
Special thanks to previous guests Scott and Katrina for hosting the AZ Jet Center Event, Shannon Low with Authentic Motorcars for hooking Nick up with an amazing Pantera for the Scottsdale Drive, Ashley Shoemaker from Hagerty, Alexa Bockmier with Park Place Motors for the VIP treatment, and everyone else who made Scottsdale amazing (as usual) this year!
Listen in to Dan who did guest spot on The Money Hour with Tina Mitchell and Keelan Harvey talking about cars, investment cars, money, and keeping it real!
Dan cuts through the marketing hype of Radar Detectors and laser jammers on our Carter Subaru tip of the week, the 2020 Hagerty Bull Market List, and Hollywood-esque escape of former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn on this weeks episode of RCS!
A lot happened in 2019! Not just for us, but for the automotive world. From 300 mph street legal cars to electric all the things, we tried to cover our favorite stories and breakthroughs from the last year. Dan also tells you the scientifically best way to defrost your car in his Carter Subaru Tip Of The Week!
Are you heading to Scottsdale for Car Week? We have discount tickets thanks to our friends at Jet Center Events! Click here to get your tickets and enter the code RCS20 to get $20 off your tickets to the Arizona Jet Center Event!
Byron Sanborn of VRM (Vintage Racing Motors) is a man with stories. Some of which he was nice enough to share and some of which we laughed about for hours off the show. Easily one of the most interesting people we’ve met, let alone interviewed, so we let him go a little longer to share all the details of racing some cars you’ve all probably seen driving around and then some you might have crossed paths with on the lawn at Pebble Beach!
One of our most sought after interview requests is with local legend Roy Cats of Cats Exotics. Roy is the epitome of car guy - he drives his exotics, and hypercars, year round. From his famous 60k mile Diablo, to his manual Murcielago SV, to his 675 LT, you might find him crossing the passes on snow tires just for fun. Then there’s the Senna. Did we mention Roy has a Senna? Did you know he used to be a Sheriff?! There’s a lot to listen to and laugh about on this weeks episode!
Special Note: As usual are interviews are unfiltered and unscripted. While this interview is full of lighthearted fun, we did flip the switch on this one being intended for mature audiences.
On Episode 109 it's story time! We enjoy our fancy new mixer (which we are still learning how to use), Lithium Ion Batteries (at a very high level), $30 car tabs (or not), how there are real consequences for being an idiot at a car show (thanks Redmond PD!), winter stuff, and we also discuss our relationship. Apparently.
We wanted to make a real episode about what it’s like to be from another country and try and get into American car culture, but as 2 very white guys in our 40s we decided we probably shouldn’t tackle this on our own. Our very good friend, Exotics volunteer, track day junky, and fellow road tripper Gaurav Rajasekar joined us to tell us what it was like moving here from India and jumping into the hot seat of a ‘MERICA screaming, push rod punching, tire smoking, steel guitar twangin’ Corvette Grand Sport (no really, he listens to a lot of country). He’s also a great, funny story teller and you’re sure to get a few laughs out this unscripted, unfiltered episode of Rain City Supercars.
It might be winter, but it’s a great time to sign up for your first track day! Curtis Creager is an instructor with Proformance Racing School at Pacific Raceways in Kent and he’s on this episode to tell you all you need to know about doing your first track day, what mods really matter, and gives us great general driving and car advice. Another interesting guy you definitely should know, so we made sure we brought him on the show!
Supra Steve, the very first guest ever on our show, is back for this special episode! By request we were asked to talk all about how to buy a car out of state (and beyond) sight unseen. It’s not as easy as it sounds no matter what, but people do it all the time. Steve tells us how he bought his GT2 out of the country and imported it and Dan talks about buying many cars out of state and the mistakes he has made along the way. This is a great episode for anyone who’s done this or who is looking to do it, and yes, we know the experience varies greatly!
Dan is finally back from rehab for Episode 105 with Shay Hoelscher! We get to talk about race cars, hair, and more! We also announce our big winner for the photo shoot up at Epic Exposure!
If you listened to this episode and felt inspired to contribute to Project Beauty Share, you can find them here: projectbeautyshare.org/. If you’d like to get involved, please do email us and we’ll get you in touch with Shay!
To learn more about Shay’s company, check out Prive here! www.priveproducts.com/
This week we talk to Tyler Brunkhorst who has one of the most remarkable come-to-cars stories. After losing his wife at a young age, Tyler decided that life was about experiences and he wanted more of them. Tyler is now an experienced driver at Evergreen Autocross and finds ways to fuel his passion for aviation. He also speaks with us about his professional experience which landed him working for both Forza and Need for Speed.
Known for building one of the most innovative photography studios on the west coast, Bruce McCallum from Epic-Exposure joins us this week to share his journey. Seeing where he is now, you would never guess the life that this gentleman has led. From fishing in Alaska to racing motorcycles, and from Microsoft to content creation. Check out his work at www.epic-exposure.com or on his Instagram page @epic_exposure. If you like what you see, be sure to comment on this week's post on Facebook or Instagram because, in partnership with Avants and Epic Exposure, we are giving away a free session to get your car photographed at Epic Exposure! Best comment wins! Good luck!
Our Carter Subaru tip of the day has been a popular segment on the show and some of the most common questions we get revolve around tires. Who better than to bring back a guest from one of our most popular episodes to date, Blake Siebe! Blake walks us through the stuff you need to know about your tires, no matter what level of interest you have in cars. This is a must listen episode for anyone with a car!
In this episode we talk to Justin Wilson of Porsche Bellevue who can’t decide what he wants to do, but seems to be good at all of it. It’s easy to put sales people into buckets, but you’d be far from knowing anything about Justin if you just see him as a salesman. He’s an accomplished race car driver who knows a lot about a lot and you’ll be glad you know where to find such a great resource beyond sales after listening to this episode!
We let the nostalgia role as we hit a big milestone, Episode 100! Nick also turns 40 today, so make sure you reach out and wish him happy birthday! We have a lot of people to thank for being here, but most of all our listeners as we are always grateful you allow us to do this. In a world of podcasts coming and going by the thousands every month, we are beyond grateful to have sponsors we actually believe in; a true luxury in the entertainment world. This show is, and will always be, a labor of love, but without the support of Drivers Club, Hagerty, Carter Subaru, Avants, Rainier Beer, and our dedicated volunteer staff, we would not be able to keep doing this the way we have. Simply put, we LOVE doing this, and it’s all been an amazing ride. Thank you!
Need to fix your messed up Ferrari? Adam. Getting shot at too often? Adam. Need to convert your E30 BMW Convertible in a ‘66 Volvo Wagon? Adam. Meet Adam Nonis, owner of Atom Design & Development, who can literally do all of the above and more!
We first learned about Adam after drooling over his '66 Volvo, which is actually sitting on top of an E30 BMW convertible chassis. When you see something like that, you need to know more, and we’re sure glad we did.
Simon Aylett is one of those guys you want to just keep talking to. From RHD Lambos to crazy TVR build projects to making something completely custom to give people who never dreamed of being in a race car a new experience, he’s pretty much done it all. He’s also got one of the lowest mileage MGAs in the entire world and it was a local car! Listen in and get to know Simon!
We did a really fun group of short, live recording interviews with friends we made at the 3 Pedal Posse and SODO Speed's event the Endless Summer block party, and car show.
First up was the woman herself, Jody Elsom, owner of Elsom cellars (or so we found out). Next was the father and son duo of Greg (father) and Miles (son) and there great story about a 914 and a “cat”. After that we had another father son duo, Jake and Dane Greger. Dane is 14 and has his own detailing business down in Puyallup! You can find him here if you’re in that area and need a detail. We then closed out the show with a quick trip down memory lane with Krissy Wells of LeMay - America’s Car Museum. We had a great time as we always do when we hang out with the guys from 3PP and so many of our friends and previous guests of the show!
We’ve had a few photographers on the show before; they keep the car shows going. That said, none of them have been 100%, full time, doing nothing else photographers like Randy Wells. His images have been featured in National Geographic, 000 Magazine, and many, many more. He gives us a few pro-tips and talks his love of Porsches. There’s a theme there. Everyone loves Porsches around here and it seems to be for good reason, or maybe we’re just a little biased.
What’s it take to be one of the best Porsche tuners and fabricators in the world, win Pikes Peak twice, hang out with the guys from Hoonigan, and create the coolest cars in the world? Well, start with sleeping in your car and then continue on to doing whatever it takes. We have an amazing, unfiltered interview with Betim Berisha, owner of BBI Autsport, that you’re going to love and likely learn something from.
When we first started doing Rain City Supercars, we actually intended on starting it as a YouTube channel. It was terrible! Long story short, we got that idea because we loved channels like the one by our guest this week, Sam from Seen Through Glass. It just so happened that Sam decided to go on a world tour and happened to be in our neck of the woods! Check out this weeks episode and his YouTube channel and the episode he shot while here visiting Drivers Club.
We know we missed a few weeks while we were away, so here is a bonus episode recapping Monterey Car Week and featuring a few interviews we did while on the field at Concorso Italiano! We talked to Stefano Sbettega, VP of Prestige, Motorsport and P Zero World with Pirelli Tires and then talk to Ralph Debbas of W Motors, the makers of the Lykan HyperSport and most recently, the Fenyr SuperSport! Enjoy this bonus episode and get ready for another episode this Friday!
This year’s Sea-Mont Rally is going to be really, really hard to top. I mean, we might not have to cross any rivers or move a landslide, but it’ll be hard to top the fun we had this year in the many years to come. We turned the trip from Seattle to Monterey for car week into a 4 day, 1,450 mile trip of a lifetime. Be sure to check out the album for this trip for some great highlights!
While Dan was away actually trying to not work on his vacation he missed a great guest, Beau Borders! Beau is a sound engineer, race car driver, and allegedly a “driver consultant”, but more importantly he’s another guest with some amazing stories. He spends his day job time working in Hollywood on a few little movies you might have heard of like Lone Survivor, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and Titanic. He spends his free time racing in the Tran-Am Series and apparently knew a guy who raced some Miatas. Allegedly. Enjoy and be sure to check out BeauBorders.com!
We have a really deep dive conversation with Matt Moreman of Obsessed Garage about life and building a brand and a business. One of the repeating themes in our highest rated episodes is pure, unfiltered, honesty and authenticity. Matt opens up about his OCD and how it helped him build the masterpiece that is Obsessed Garage.
Have you ever seen the most perfectly restored 911 race car ever? We have, and Rob is the guy who created it. Rob was kind enough to give us a garage tour, a history lesson, and a few life lessons on how to do a project right. This is one of those episodes that just keeps getting better and better as the stories go on and you’re going to love it. Be sure to check out the gallery on this weeks episode, you’ll be very glad you did!
Cars connect people you just don’t really ever expect to have a connection with sometimes, it’s why we started this Podcast. Former Seahawk, Cliff Avril, is no exception of course. While absolutely famous for his work on the field, Cliff is a huge car guy who loves to rack up miles. He’s also a really down to earth, great guy, who gave us an unforgettable interview we’re really proud of and we think you’ll enjoy as much as we did.
What were you doing when you were 21? College? Parties on the weekend? Daniel Piker is a full time photographer, videographer, and rally co-driver. We were definitely not that cool. We still aren’t, but that’s OK. If you’ve heard some of our previous episodes you've probably heard us drop his name a lot and we’ve featured his photography before. Get to know Daniel and his work on this weeks episode!
Also, if you heard our tip today and are still confused about how about 99% of gasoline engines work, this video is Dan’s favorite for explaining it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu7g3uIG6Zo
Are you down with 3PP? 3 Pedal Posse that is. Mauricio Bendana and Jim Krouskop join us to talk about 3PP - what is, why they started it, and how you can join! Join us for an episode of laughs and editing nightmares. Be sure to check out 3PP on Instagram and their website of course. Be sure to stop by Elsom Cellars in Sodo for some delicious wine and always great cars.
We know a lot of people by there cars. Almost EVERYONE in the area knows Bong’s car - his red RWB Porsche 964. Unlike most people though, Bong’s car has track rash. It doesn’t have flawless perfect paint on it’s quarters and the R888s are properly heat cycled and scrubbed in. A Porsche enthusiast of all kinds, Bong talks growing up, cars, mods, and his love for track time. Get to know the guy you already know of in this episode and enjoy the beautiful photo gallery by Karl Noakes!
Art Cervantes joins us to discuss all things Radwood! Radwood is coming to the PNW this year and being hosted at LeMay - Americas Car Museum in partnership with our sponsors Avants and Hagerty so you know it’s going to be good! Art shares with us his story, the history of Radwood, and his deep love for all cars 80s and 90s. Tune in for some serious nostalgia!
Get your tickets at Radwood.co and remember, Avants members get a discount! We’ll see you all there on July 20th!
While Summer in the PNW is beautiful, it also means packed roads and construction. DansDrives.com does have some great short drives, this is the perfect time to go on a drive for a weekend or even a few weeks. We recap some of our favorite getaways in this episode and Dan has laid out the routes in detail below. We hope we inspire you to get away and enjoy the drive!
- Whistler, BC
- That crazy long gravel road that goes up past Harrison Lake that Dan was talking about
- To Neah Bay (Cape Flattery) and back, the really fun way (this is a 2 day drive, trust me)
- Lake Quinault Lodge + Moclips Highway + Seabrook, WA
- A fun road close to Coeur d’Alene, ID
- The Lolo Pass Blast
- Boise to Bogus Basin
- That route through Idaho that will blow your mind, bruise your kidneys, and may cause you to lose your muffler. Part 1 / Part 2. *Warning, this is HARD. Ask James.
- Jasper and everywhere along the way. Stop at Mojo’s coffee in Bonners Ferry and try and win your new AR15 or quilt.
- Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, Craters of the Moon, McCall, Lewiston Hill Climb, Starbuck, and more!
Check out Roadtrippers.com (no affiliation or paid promotion)!
JOIN AVANTS ALREADY.
Have you ever been to Pebble Beach for car week? If not it should be on your bucket list. One of the reasons Pebble Beach is one of the “must do” car events in your lifetime is because of our guest on this episode, Anami Barnett with Hagerty Insurance. Anami is the one behind the many incredible events Hagerty puts on around North America that you REALLY need to do.
Danny Gherman of DG Vintage Coachworks talks with us about the difficulties of being a craftsman versus simply repairing cars and shares his passion for Porsche and BMW. The gallery for this episode is definitely a must see! Special shout out to Daniel Piker for some of the photos of the famous Martini Racing livery 964 created by DG and wrapped by our previous guest Gorilla Mad Wraps.
Follow Danny's work on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dgvintagecoachworks/
Check out Daniel Piker Photography as well at: https://www.pikerphoto.com/
Ever judged a book by its cover? We all have a time or two, but here’s why you shouldn’t. From homeless to GTS and everywhere between, Jillian shares with us her personal story about growing up in trailer park, eventually being homeless and couch surfing to get through school, and to where she’s at now, which as you can imagine is a very different place.
More about Jillian’s adoption here: https://kotaku.com/nintendo-is-such-a-close-knit-company-its-employees-are-5809890
Allow us to formally introduce our producer and #4 of the RCS Team, Jared Eades! Jared has been helping us for a long time now and does our website graphic updates and is working on a lot of upcoming video and a storefront for Rain City Supercars! Beyond that he’s a volunteer at Exotics@RTC and a big car guy with one of the more interesting classics on the road. We talk old cars, new cars, and touch on Corvettes, GTRs, and doing your own work on them. Tune in and get to know Jared!
On this episode we talk to Troy Dorn, owner of Gorilla Mad Wraps! Troy has earned his reputation as the best in the business and his work has been featured in Forza, various magazines, and in rallies all over the world. We go into how he got his start, what makes a good wrap, and what sets him apart from the other guys.
See more of Troy’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gorillamad/
We didn’t really know Kerry before this episode. We knew who she was, we knew what she drove, we knew her friends, but we didn’t really know her. We didn’t know her story or how she got where she was. We didn’t know just how hard she worked to get where she is today. And we certainly didn’t know just how much fun she was going to be! She’s just another shining example of why we love doing this.
If you’re a woman and want to dip your toes into racing, check out Shift Up Now!
We (finally) had the opportunity to get to know Alan beyond his work at Turn 10 Studios and he did not disappoint! Alan has great stories and a real love for cars well beyond the digital kind. We played some Forza, talked about all the cars he has owned, his time at Dreamworks, and living life in the PNW. This special episode was extended a little longer for your entertainment!
If you’ve been listening a long time, you’ll know we only actually recommend one single valet; Salish Lodge and Spa. Our guest Chris Roberts runs the show though and we brought him on to answer the questions on what sets them apart, what to do ahead of time to make sure the valet likes you, and what the proper tip is!
Be sure to follow Salish Lodge and Spa Valet on IG, and as a pro-tip, message them ahead of time and let them know you’re coming! Unlike other places, these guys can make your whole night and even offer concierge services for you! These guys really do raise the bar.
Check out the Drivers Date Night designed by Dan on DansDrives.com!
On this episode we talk to Dante Morelli about how he came to form his collection in honor of our past great friend, Bruce Leven. Dante and Bruce have been friends, competitors, partners, and collectors for years; they are staples of the PNW car community. When Bruce passed away, Dante and many of other Bruce’s friends helped save Bruce’s vast car collection and bought many of his vehicles. Dante joins us on episode 74 to share some his favorite stories with the late, great Bruce Leven.
Loving a good glass of wine and loving cars seems to go hand in hand for most people. Not at the same time of course, but certainly in interests and hobbies. On this episode we just happen to have the absolute queen of the wine world, Madeline Puckette! After this longer episode, it’s so easy to see how she’s gone so far and risen to the top of her field. Listen in and find out why she was just awarded the International Wine and Spirit Competition Communicator Of The Year award!
Where do you really even start when trying to sum up someone like Kiki Wolfkill? She’s the Studio Head for 343, the studio producing arguably the greatest First Person Shooter of all time, one of the directors of Halo: Nightfall, a former professional race car driver, and as it turns out a ton of fun to talk to! Basically she’s one of the most authentically cool people we’ve ever met and you’re going to love this episode.
I don’t think Will was trying to win the title of most interesting man in the world, but he’s definitely a contender. We like all our guests, it’s sort of a requirement to be on the show, but even with people we know it’s amazing how much we learn when we do an interview. Will is a shining example of why we started Rain City Supercars. From working in tech to racing, sailing, judging Ferraris, and being an all around awesome guy, Will definitely has lived a life and has so many great stories. You’re going to love Episode 71!
Dan is back and so we did a bonus episode! We discuss driving in Ireland, the Geneva show, and our Manager/Producer/Little Sister has a special announcement! Listen in to a fun update and don’t worry, there’s a whole new episode coming tomorrow as usual!
This editing nightmare brought to you by what I’m guessing was a lot of Rainier and maybe some Basil Hayden. It sounds like no one had any fun at all recording this episode. Enjoy the chaos!
She races cars, she owns her own company, and she makes things happen! We’ve been looking forward to interviewing Shay for a really long time for many good reasons that you’ll hear on this weeks episode. Shay talks about getting in Porsches, her collection, and her driving experience.
Buying a supercar isn’t like buying a Honda or a Ford. The expectation for knowledge and service has a MUCH higher bar. Luckily, you have Emily who eats and breathes McLaren. Working in service and now in sales, Emily has the in depth knowledge you want when looking for a car like a McLaren. It’s no secret your hosts are McLaren fans, but we’re not in the same league as Emily. Listen in to Episode 67 as we talk McLarens. Again.
Our friend Dominic Dobson has one of the most diverse racing careers around; something you just can’t do today. From Baja to Pikes to the Indy 500, he’s done at all and has some absolutely amazing stories to share. A racing fan or not, we know you’ll enjoy the stories he shared on this week’s episode!
SNOWPOCALYPSE STRIKES SEATTLE! Actually, that’s not too far off. The city shutdown for most of us for about a week. We brought back Branden Ben Powell with Avants Off Road and King County Search and Rescue to give us some stories and talk about the work S&R has been doing, which isn’t necessarily what you might think.
To answer your first question, no this isn’t a joke and we have the pics to prove it! Jeff Evans of Throttle Grotto tells us about RallyCross in the PNW and how he started doing it with a Prius. More importantly, he was competitive! Just goes to show, you really can race anything.
In this episode we recap the fun, the work, and the Wankers we met in Scottsdale. This was another adventure to remember with great people and we’re already looking forward to next year. If you think these stories are good, you should hear the ones we couldn’t record!
We have to put out a HUGE thanks to Seth Thomas of APC Auto Spa and Davis Mock who volunteered there time to help with our event.
Most importantly, this was our official one year friendiversary with our manager and practically little sister, Amanda from Drivers Club! We wouldn’t have made it this far without her.
We talk to our friend and fellow Podcaster Mark Greene of Cars Yeah about how he got started and what made him the host of one of the biggest automotive Podcasts going today. To date, Mark has produced over 1,200 episodes with all sorts of world famous automotive guests. Our Podcasts have a a pretty different format and we’ve got to hand it to him and his success. Mark is a good friend and we had a lot of fun getting to know him beyond the voice on his show. Listen in and check out the story behind Cars Yeah!
On this episode we have the local, the legendary, WINGNUT! You’ll probably recognize his voice from his real job as the afternoon DJ on 100.7! Wingnut is a huge car and motorcycle guy and tracks both his GTR and his Ducati Panigale 1199R. It’s such a small world in the car world. Enjoy this episode while Dan tries to keep up and stay on topic while Nick’s and Wingnut’s ADD runs wild. Get to know your local DJ beyond the radio on this fun episode.
Did you wonder what the title “Master Collector” actually meant? Listen to the follow up episode with Master Collector Peter Gleeson and you will quickly understand exactly why they call him “Master Collector.” The BMW fans are especially going to love this episode, but we’ve got something here for just about everyone. You might even be able to strike up a conversation with that art history major barista you’ve been flirting with after this one.
*Art history majors can send their hate mail to info@raincitysupercars.com and put “For Dan” in the subject line.
Peter Gleeson is one of those rare people you hope just keeps talking. His car collection is more than a collection of nice cars he bought because they were good investments or eye catching; each car has a story - like being involved in a bank robbery. We’re already looking forward to having Peter back on in the future and we’re sure you will too. In part one of this two part episode, Peter talks to us about his life and his move to the states and how his love for cars and taste in them was formed.
Did we say great? We may have been overselling it a little, but it was fun! We asked our friend and crowd favorite previous guest Jason Bourriague to come into Drivers Club and join us for a fun episode sharing stories and recapping what a fun year we’ve had. Photographer Karl Noakes even had us dress up extra nice for the photos. Jason made sure to make us look bad, but we digress.
Our guests this week are Scott Ingebretson and Katrina Couch who organize Jet Center Events in Scottsdale, AZ and do the marketing for Concorso Italiano in Monterey during car week. If you’re looking for how the big time shows run, these are the ones to talk to.
The most common question we get asked when people ask about Drivers Club is “What is Drivers Club?” Well, we could spin that question 100 different ways, but Doug Perry is here to tell you himself.
We love stories. It’s actually why we do this - we meet a lot of great people with great stories we think the people will want to hear. When eGarage does this they turn it into fine art on the screen. As fans of eGarage we were really excited to have Ben Abrams on our show to hear more about his creative vision, his life, his cars, and the future of eGarage. Ben was kind enough to open up and tell us his story about the vision behind the lens of his eGarage projects including his latest amazing video for Driver’s Club.
Continuing in our trend of talking to awesome couples with a love for cars, we talk to Matt and Allison Byers about buying and building cars their way from the very beginning. Being together since before they could drive, they talk car adventures, car shows, and car builds together. Get to know them and say hello next time you see them at one of the MANY car shows you’ll find them at.
We’ve got some exciting news about the progression of Rain City Supercars (with more to come!), Dan talks about meeting Derek Bell, we discuss McLarens and other Hypercars, and talk about upcoming road trips you can be a part of! We took this episode to just be car guys and talk car stuff.
We’ve got Joe and Dana, the founders of one of our favorite shops, MULE Expedition Outfitters. Mule is who we turn everyone to if they need advice on how to do a build right. We are huge offroad fans and Mule is a game changer for the PNW offering more than just fancy parts for sale. We first found out about Mule when they were offering free tech sessions on everything to do with offroad. We love a company that earns their customers and Mule is the standard for customer service in the off road/overlanding world. To top it all off, they’re now an Avants Partner so Avants members get a discount!
We talk to Shannon Low of Authentic Motorcars in Redmond. If you’ve spent anytime in the car scene in the PNW your probably know Shannon as a staple in the car community here. Shannon is a specialist in just about every car brand, but especially the obscure and unique. Unlike us, he’s a jack of all cars and a master of most. Tune in and hear about LaForza, Spkyer, Saab, and more!
WE MADE IT TO EPISODE 50! It’s been quite a ride and we decided to take this episode to recap some of our favorite moments, guests, and a few of our blunders over the last year.
We tried to narrow it down to our favorite episodes since the start and it wasn’t easy, but we felt like these were some milestones we personally enjoyed. If you haven’t heard us before or you’re new to the podcast, give these a shot!
Just so you know, this is more like episode 49.5. Nick and Dan were both REALLY sick this week, but we wanted to do a quick episode letting everyone know what’s coming up on RCS as well as introduce our new sponsor, Hagerty! This has always been a labor of love for us, so we’ve been intentionally slow to grab sponsors as we want to only represent brands we personally believe in. We joke a lot, but putting our names on anything is something we actually do take seriously and we are really proud and honored to be associated with Hagerty who has always treated us and their customers well. We should know, Nick has been one before this Podcast ever started.
Amanda, Ashley, and Kristen take over the mics for episode 48, which is not 49 like we mentioned in the podcast! The episode is mostly all about the women in the industry who are putting together a driver's group specifically for women enthusiasts that enjoy track time, group drives, and more than just standing next to their cars for attention. The group is officially organized and led by Amanda with Driver's Club so you know it's going to be good.
We talk to the extremely interesting Branden Ben Powell, the owner of the SaRPinz. He talks about one of the most impressive off road vehicles ever made, the Pinzgauer, and how he actively uses it for Search and Rescue. As a huge fan of off roading, this was easily one of our most entertaining guests to us and even if you have no interest in the off road world, this was a really eye opening interview about how multifaceted and important Search and Rescue is to the PNW. We let this one go quite a bit longer than usual since we were having such a good time talking to Brandon.
We welcome our friend Adam Cramer with Avants back to talk about the massive growth of Avants since way back in Episode 12 and to talk about all the amazing upcoming stuff including his partnership with Blipshift on a PNW tee shirt design, some winter offroading you can do, some rainy weather driving, and more! We talk about Avants often on our show with good reason. If you’re an enthusiast it makes almost no sense why you wouldn’t be a member!
On this week’s episode we get a visit from John Schommer aka JOHNIWANNA aka Heavy Metal Affliction! John is a Forza Content Creator, streamer, writer, and photographer and you can find him on IG as Heavy Metal Affliction where he chronicles his love of cars. John is a man after our own hearts who loves cars and the people that love them.
In this episode we discuss some polar opposite drives - a sunny Sunday in a McLaren 675LT Spider and an off road excursion in a Land Rover Discovery Sport! It’s hard to describe in any form of communication outside of a stupid grin just how amazing the 675LT is and if you haven’t done any off road driving you don’t know what you’re missing!
It's almost impossible to describe what Monterey Car Week is actually like if you've never been before. It's even harder to accurately describe what it was like for Dan this year. We'll walk you through the day by day of our trip, which was every bit as great for us as it sounds and hopefully convinces you to put this on your bucket list if you've never been. Check out our gallery here for the photos, which still don't do it justice.
WE ARE BACK! And there's a bonus episode coming just a few days after this one! We had an insane amount of fun on the rally and our best year ever in Monterey. On this episode we discuss bug genocide, back roads, bears, bad car washes, and SO MUCH MORE. Buckle up!
We talk about the Sea-Mont Rally and all things Car Week. Get ready for a lot of updates on social media, live streams, and a whole lot of road tripping!
We're headed down 97 and the Volcanic National Scenic Byway to Yosemite and then to Monterey for Car Week! You can follow us on our journey via our Instagram and Facebook as well as some updates coming here. Stay tuned for a lot fun times ahead!
I won't tell the story in the description, but Keith is one of those guys we had to meet before we knew him. As usual, a bunch of our friends already knew him and wondered how we didn't. Did we mention it's small car world after all? You probably know Keith via his amazing creation, The Trophy Rat! Easily one of the coolest vehicles we've ever seen.
It's hard to write a summary about a multifaceted guy like Blake from Northwest Auto Salon and now Right Away Tire. From humble beginnings to the over-the-top style of cars he's created, we were fascinated listening to his story and the lengths he's gone to create the look of the vehicles he has owned.
One of the biggest questions we get asked is "Who do I talk to for this thing." Well, we've got you covered. This a short list of who we'd send our mom's to if they needed help, and we like our moms! They're our biggest fans!
We talk about some great upcoming events like our very own Sea-Mont Rally and the CARnival (GET IT?!) at LeMay - America's Car Museum, our AWESOME drive over Highway 20, and Dan genuinely feels bad for insulting the Juggalos.
We recap our 4 day, 3,000 mile adventure, discuss why Hellcats make terrible plows, and then discuss some highlights from 4 car shows in 3 days! Well, technically one really fancy car wash and 3 shows, but whatever!
We talked to Ferrari Concours judge Dave Tegeler about the 2018 Ferrari Concours, judging Ferraris, and getting sued by Lamborghini. You read that right.
Nick's ADHD got the best of him so we mixed it up this time. We answer some listener mail about what you do to get into the car scene after you bought your shiny new supercar, discuss a big money Ferrari, recap a cool LeMay event you should know about, discuss some upcoming car shows, and send out an invite to hang out with us in California!
We talked to Audi Technician Brandon Elin about tips and tricks for getting your car serviced, maintenance, and weird stuff we've found in cars over the years. This is a great episode for absolutely anyone who's ever gotten their car serviced professionally!
We talked to our friend John Kleven who happens to own the best detail shop in the state, Metropolitan Detail.
It's summer here in Seattle which means all those crazy group drives are popping up! A lot of people run group drives, but if you want one that works and insures the best chances of being drama free we think we've got the magic formula here.
We were lucky enough to have one of very favorite photographers on the show this week - An Englishman in Seattle known as Karl Noakes. We see Karl pretty much everywhere and chances are you do too and might not know it. Karl photographs car events because he loves the community cars brings which really sets his photos apart. See our gallery for some his amazing photos and listen to his story on episode 30!
Rain City Supercars talks to Phil Raymond with Servco Pacific Insurance about getting insurance for those really special things that don't normally cross the desk of your local agent. We cover project cars, out of state restorations, modded cars, and yes, TANKS! Dan really wants a tank. Nick is wondering if he should call someone about it.
So you went to a few car shows and you thought "Hey, I want to do my own car show!" First off, we're sorry you're crazy and don't know it so we recommended finding a good therapist.
In spite of how often we (and everyone else in the car industry) cross paths with Ashley she never tries to hide or pretend she doesn't know us. I don't really get it either but we sure have had some fun hanging out with her and the group from Hagerty.
Hear me out; what if instant gratification wasn't the driving force behind a car build? What if your goal was to build a car without cutting any corners? What would the result be? Chances are it would be something as special as John Zuberek's perfect E30 M3.
We got Adam Robertson with Lamborghini/McLaren/Bentley/RR of Bellevue to talk slowly enough for Nick to understand his Welsh accent for almost an entire hour.
We talk about road rallies and some alleged speed related fun with attorney John Eltringham! John has had A LOT of amazing cars, but especially loves his V12 Lamborghinis.
Nick and Dan recap the Lamborghini Urus Launch, the Mule Open House, and talk about all the upcoming events for spring. If it ever stops raining anyway.
Nick and Dan talk to Jaurdey Samuel with 425 Business Magazine about the advertising side of the car world.
Nick and Dan talk to Jason Bourriague, owner of Stella the Bus ('67 Deluxe Safari) and Alice the Bus ('66 Westphalia) and talk about just how great VW Bus culture is
Nick and Dan talk to Trevor Wert, head of media and former driving instructor from DirtFish Rally School.
Ok, so there's more to D.J. MacLean than just owning a badass Hummer H1 Turbo Diesel, he's also responsible for some time keeping and tracking at Baja and is working on a new lighting systems that's going to change industry. Check it out on Episode 19!
We talk to Kristen (not Krissy) from LeMay - America's Car Museum! If you haven't been down to the museum by now you're really missing out, no matter what kind of cars you're into. We go several times a year and are never disappointed. Have listen and here all about it!
Nick and Dan talk about modding your car the right way in the right order and why! Special shout out to our friends at Avants, APC in Woodinville, Metropolitan Detail, MULE Outfitters, and HID Kit Pros who we've talked to on several occasions for professional advice.
On this episode we talk to Amanda Friedman, the General Manager of Drivers Club Redmond. Amanda was a really fun guest to have on the show we're already looking forward to the next time when she comes back after Driver's Club opens this Summer!
We talk to our friend and professional race car driver Andrew Evans!
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We interview The Gatekeeper - Sean McDonough. You probably know Sean from Exotics as the man at the gate. We know him as a dear friend with a life full of great car stories.
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We had a fun adventure in Scottsdale thanks to the friends we've made at home. To top it off, we were lucky enough to meet a Wanker!
Special thanks for making our trip great to Scott and Katrina with Jet Center Events, Krissy Wells with LeMay - America's Car Museum, Ashley Shoemaker with Hagerty, Amanda Friedman with Drivers Club, and of course, the Wankers.
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In this episode we get to know Adam Cramer with Avants, a rapidly growing car club you need to know about!
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We're back for a new year! Dan's not entirely dead in spite of sounding mostly dead and Nick forgot how to use a mic.
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We discuss the absolute essentials everyone should carry in their car all the time and a few extras.
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Nick and Dan talk about their favorite places to meet up with their car friends. The perfect podcast for an upcoming long weekend!
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You probably know Kevin's cars, so it's time to get to know our friend Kevin!
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Nick and Dan discuss the ultimate PNW Supercar, if you could only pick one.
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Introducing our first sponsor, Benji Meder! Benji is the owner of M² Fitness! Listen in to hear more as we discuss our stance on advertising, here about Benji, and of course we talk about cars.
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We interview the creator of Peanut Butter Jelly Time and his wife, Kevin and Kaitlyn Flynn!
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Meet your hosts, Nick and Dan and tag along on one of their adventures.
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