Episodes

Recalls, real prices, and a brutally honest look at what a modern pickup costs when you spec it like a luxury car. We start by sorting through this week’s automotive recalls, including Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator updates, a Mustang Mach E trim concern, F-150 and Super Duty camera issues, a Genesis G80 fix, and a Mercedes-Benz recall situation big enough to make you want to open SaferCar.gov right now and check your VIN. Then we pivot to the fun part: auction results. We play “guess the sa...

Richard Tomlin shows up with the kind of racing story that makes you laugh first and then take notes: he ran Pikes Peak against teams with mind-blowing budgets, qualified into the “Hella Fast 15,” and still had his day complicated by a throwout bearing that was supposed to be the safe, new upgrade. We talk through what failed, how much time it cost, and why finishing still matters when the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is basically a stress test for every part you bolt to the car. If you l...

A four-door Camaro sounds like a joke until you look at the space it could fill. We kick things off by unpacking the latest reports and AI-style renderings that imagine Chevrolet bringing the Camaro name back as a performance fastback sedan. We talk through why it would be a massive break from Camaro tradition, and why GM might still do it if they want a true halo car that sits beneath the Corvette and doesn’t step entirely on Cadillac’s toes. Then we get into the details that matter to car peop...

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cross-country rally doesn’t have to cost a supercar budget, and Doug Demore is proof. We sit down with the Long Haul Rally founder to talk about building a Corvette-focused coast-to-coast road trip from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to Monterey, California, with a cap of 100 cars and a plan that prioritizes safety and fun over racing. Doug breaks down what drivers actually want to know before committing: who’s eligible (C1 through C8), how the route uses optional app-based checkpoints, and ...

Your next car might not be chosen by you or even by the dealer, and that’s just one of the wild threads we pull this week. We kick things off with a fast, practical run through key automotive recalls, including a massive RAM pickup recall tied to a seat belt anchor issue, plus Jeep wheel concerns, Land Rover rearview camera trouble, and a Ford Bronco fire-risk note. If you like staying ahead of safety issues, this is the kind of recap that can save real headaches. Then we have some fun with our...

Someone can steal a modern truck without “hotwiring” anything, and that reality changes what security needs to look like. We sit down with Ford Motor Company’s Ian Grotenhuis to unpack Ford Secure, formally the Ford Security Package, and why Ford is betting on proactive protection instead of alerts that leave you powerless. If you’ve worried about F-150 theft in Texas or anywhere else, this conversation gets specific fast. We walk through what the package includes for eligible vehicles: theft a...

The fastest way to ruin a DIY weekend is getting careless under a car, so we start with something unglamorous but essential: car jacks. We break down what makes a dependable floor jack, why lift points and pinch weld support matter, and how different designs fit different real garages. If you’ve ever fought low ground clearance or wondered whether a combo bottle jack and jack stand is worth it, we give you a clear way to think about safety features, lift range, lever effort, and portability. Th...

Hybrids just pulled ahead of EVs in California, and the reasons are a lot more practical than political. We talk through the real-world mix of fuel prices, model availability, and day-to-day convenience that’s pushing drivers toward gasoline-electric hybrids, even in the biggest EV market in the country. If you’ve been trying to decide between an EV, a plug-in hybrid, and a regular hybrid, we lay out the factors that actually change the experience: road trip frequency, charging access, safety an...

A road rally sounds like racing until you learn the best teams win by thinking, not speeding. We sit down with John Poulos from the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Texas Region to break down what road rally really means: precision driving on public roads, sharp navigation, and a driver-navigator team solving a moving puzzle while trying not to miss a turn. We dig into the different “flavors” of SCCA road rallies, from time speed distance formats to scavenger-hunt style gimmick rallies, then z...

Missing gear indicators, brake assist concerns, camera failures, and the kind of recall notice nobody wants to hear: “park it outside.” We move fast through this week’s car recalls across brands, then slow down just enough to talk about what they mean in real life, like how a simple display issue can become a safety problem, and why battery and motor overheating warnings deserve immediate attention. Next, we turn Hemmings auction results into a listener game and let the market humble us. We gue...

You can learn a lot about a used car dealership by one question: do they care how you feel after you drive away? We sit down with Jerry Emmons of Emmons Autoplex in Webster, Texas to unpack what “doing good business” looks like in real life, from treating customers with respect to pricing vehicles aggressively enough to move them in a competitive market. We talk used car buying tips you can actually apply, including why they run a Carfax report before purchasing any inventory, what their averag...

Houston heat doesn’t wait for the calendar, so Marrs brings a list you can actually use when summer hits hard. We talk through easy, high payoff getaways that keep you cool without turning the day into a complicated production: a Blue Bell Creameries run to Brenham for peak summer ice cream, the Bryan Museum in Galveston when the beach feels like a skillet, and the Lone Star Flight Museum for air conditioned aviation history that still feels hands on. If you want a little nature with a plan, we ...

A pedestrian crash is not just “bad luck” anymore, it is the predictable result of bigger vehicles, faster streets, and nonstop distraction. We sit down with Caroline Cash from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) to unpack what state highway safety offices are seeing right now and what changes can actually reduce traffic deaths in the United States. We get into the uncomfortable design reality behind modern SUVs and light trucks: higher hoods and blunt front ends change where a pede...

Solar cars are not a gimmick, they’re a moving test lab that has to survive real traffic, real rules, and real weather. We sit down with Gail Lueck, event director for the American Solar Challenge, to unpack how collegiate teams build and campaign solar-powered cars under a 90-plus page regulations book, then prove themselves in scrutineering before they ever hit the road. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to make sunlight turn into dependable transportation, this conversation makes it concr...

A recall notice can feel like background noise until it’s your driveway, your garage, and your family on the line. We dig into the latest car recalls and translate the fine print into plain language, including a third-row power folding seatback issue, a roll-away risk affecting multiple Ford and Lincoln models, and a Kia Telluride power seat motor problem that can overheat and potentially cause a fire. We also talk through the kind of practical advice that actually helps, like when “park outside...

A used car can look perfect under the lights and still come with a past you did not sign up for. We bring in Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief at Carfax, to break down what a Carfax vehicle history report actually reveals, why “Show me the Carfax” became shorthand for transparency, and how shoppers can use VIN-based data to negotiate with confidence. We talk about the real-world mechanics behind vehicle history reporting: what service shops and dealerships share, why DIY maintenance and small repa...

Some cars disappear so quietly you don’t realize they mattered until they’re gone. We kick things off by digging into forgotten 1960s cars that used to be everywhere, including the Plymouth Valiant Signet, Rambler American, Mercury Meteor, Chevrolet Biscayne, Mercury Comet Cyclone, and the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire. These aren’t just trivia picks, they’re a reminder that “popular” and “memorable” aren’t the same thing, and that practicality can be the fastest path to being overlooked in car cultur...

A Dakar-designed Ford Raptor T1 is about to find out what American desert racing feels like, and we’re here for every gritty detail. We sit down with Matt Martelli, CEO of Unlimited Off-Road Racing, to talk about why Ford chose the Casey Folks Vegas to Reno run for the Raptor T1’s American debut and what makes this run so different from the rough-and-tumble world of Baja-style courses. Think long distance, high speed, and a 550-mile day that stresses cooling, electrical systems, and durability i...

Your car doesn’t just get you places, it reveals what you’re willing to put up with. We’re back on the In Wheel Time car talk show and we jump straight into a question every owner of an older performance car eventually faces: do you modernize it, or do you move on? Don’s 2001 C5 Corvette still has that old-school factory setup, so we talk through the real-world appeal of a modern aftermarket display with Bluetooth and Android Auto, and whether a $500 upgrade makes sense if the car only comes out...

You’ve probably noticed it at the pump: no more twisting off a grimy gas cap, no more second-guessing whether it clicked tight enough, and fewer random check engine lights tied to EVAP leaks. We dig into the real reasons capless fuel systems took over, from tighter emissions standards and better vapor sealing to cleaner fueling, added security through the locking system, and smart designs that help prevent misfueling with the wrong nozzle. We also talk honestly about the drawbacks drivers report...

Gas is “down” in Southern California and it’s still in the high fives per gallon, so we start with the kind of reality check every driver understands. Then we zoom out and ask the bigger question: if the economy is supposedly struggling, why are people still buying so many cars, and why are they paying around $50,000 on average for a new one? We cut through the noise and follow the money, the demand, and the on-the-ground market signals. We also bring you inside the modern manufacturing machine...

A three-row SUV that looks traditional can still feel shockingly upscale once you shut the door and settle in. We take you through Don Armstrong’s drive of the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, focusing on what actually matters when you’re spending real money: design, comfort, tech, power delivery, ride quality, and where the value lands once the window sticker gets involved. We walk through the trim lineup, then zoom in on the Grand Cherokee L Summit 4x4 configuration with three rows and seating for s...

Touchscreens are getting bigger, buttons are disappearing, and electrification is rewriting what “good value” even means in a new car. We put all of that to the test by driving a lineup that spans luxury, mainstream EV, full-size towing muscle, and sporty sedan practicality, then calling out what impressed us and what would drive us crazy after a month of ownership. We start with the 2026 Lexus RX 450H Plus, a plug-in hybrid SUV with standout styling, a high-end cabin, and the kind of premium a...