In Wheel Time Podcast

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What If The Economy Is Fine And Cars Prove It? Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

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 with a firsthand look at Hyundai and Kia operations in Georgia, including what it means when production targets and EV plans get reshaped by real-world demand. From the Kia Sportage Hybrid story to the sheer logistics of moving thousands of vehicles by rail and truck, we talk about how the auto industry actually works when it’s running at scale, and why that matters to pricing, availability, and what shows up on dealer lots.
Then it gets personal and practical: used car shopping that turns into a sea of options, the hunt for value, and why the Chevy Trax keeps coming up as one of the few genuinely affordable new crossovers that still feels modern. We dig into regional buying patterns, why certain brands are rare in certain states, and the ongoing argument between turbocharged efficiency and the kind of naturally aspirated V8 horsepower that people still crave, especially with Stellantis signaling a return to more muscle.
Finally, we shift into pure car culture with tips on Texas swap meets and a fascinating tour of abandoned Detroit car factories that still hold the fingerprints of the Motor City era. If you like smart market talk, real enthusiast opinions, and stories that connect today’s cars to yesterday’s industry, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a car friend, and leave us a quick review so more listeners can find the show.

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Inside The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit L From Trims To Real-World Impressions Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

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 six. The exterior earns praise for its clean, conservative Jeep look and familiar seven-slot grille, but we also talk honestly about why the design is starting to feel ready for a bigger modern update. Inside is where the Grand Cherokee makes its strongest argument, with standout materials, excellent fit and finish, and a cabin that feels legitimately premium. The one catch: the newer infotainment system isn’t as intuitive as the previous version, and it can take time to get comfortable with it.
Then we get into the numbers and the feel. The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes a headline-grabbing 324 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic and a tow rating around 6,200 pounds. MPG is rated at 20 city and 25 highway, and we share a real-world 21.1 mpg result over more than 400 miles. We also call out the downside that surprised us most: turbo lag that shows up in certain situations. Finally, we explain why the air ride suspension is a must-have for a “smooth as glass” ride, break down pricing from roughly $40K to a $72,770 as-tested sticker, compare rivals like the Hyundai Palisade and Toyota Grand Highlander, and tease next week’s review of the Land Rover Range Rover Hybrid. Subscribe, share this with a fellow SUV shopper, and leave a review with your biggest dealbreaker: price, tech, or power delivery?

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2026 SUV And EV Reality Check Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

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 audio that makes you take the long way home. Then we get real about the PHEV catch: if you do not plug it in, you may be paying for capability you never use. From there we jump to the 2026 Chevy Equinox EV RS, a sharp-looking electric SUV that keeps the controls surprisingly approachable, delivers smooth ride quality, and raises the big EV question: is today’s range enough, or are we all still waiting for the “bigger battery” version?
We also climb into the 2025 Ford Expedition Tremor 4x4, an aircraft-carrier-sized SUV with serious torque and towing capacity, and we talk about why a hybrid could be the perfect fix for its fuel economy. After that, the 2026 Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus reminds us how much fun a compact sedan can be, even as we wish for a refresh and simpler infotainment. Finally, the all-new 2026 Subaru Uncharted EV surprises us with great proportions and real punch, while its range sparks an honest debate about what “urban EV” should deliver.
If you care about real-world MPG, EV range, towing ratings, pricing, and the small design decisions that make a car easy or annoying to live with, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a car shopper, and leave a review with the one feature you refuse to buy without.

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Indy’s Fastest Decade Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

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Ford Recalls And Collector Car Reality Check Jul 03, 2026

Show notes

A recall list can feel like boring paperwork until you realize it’s your brakes, your lights, your transmission, and the way your vehicle behaves when you think it’s safely parked. We kick things off with a Ford-heavy slate of safety recalls, talking through what’s affected and why issues like daytime running light behavior, window reversal systems, hands-off detection alerts, unintended vehicle movement, and unexpected downshifts matter for real drivers and real families.
Then we jump into the most addictive way to understand the collector car market: our “Guess What The Hemmings Car Sold For” game. We size up everything from a clean 1986 Chevrolet K10 square body to a heavily modified 1941 Cadillac, an ’86 Monte Carlo, a 2005 Chevrolet SSR, and more. The results are a reminder that auction prices are a cocktail of condition, originality, restoration quality, nostalgia, and timing and that one outlier sale can reset expectations overnight. Yes, the 1966 Ford Bronco number is as wild as you’ve heard.
From there, we round out the car talk with weekend racing plans (including NASCAR at Sonoma and holiday-week events), quick auto history that connects past innovation to today’s engineering, and the headlines shaping the buying landscape: a Tesla crash investigation, Nissan governance drama, the steady shift toward hybrid vehicles, and why new car prices keep climbing. If you’re trying to make sense of recalls, trends, and what cars are really worth right now, you’ll feel right at home with us.
Subscribe for weekly car talk, share this with a friend who loves auctions and track weekends, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What’s the one car you’d overpay for if you found the right one?

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How A 1968 Road Runner Hit 12 Minutes Up Pikes Peak Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

A 12-mile road, 156 turns, and stretches with no guardrail is a different kind of “car review” of the human brain. We sit down with Pikes Peak Hill Climb driver Ben Ryan to hear what it’s really like to aim a purpose-built monster at the summit and keep your eyes on the next apex instead of the thousand-foot drop beside you.
Ben breaks down his journey from watching the mountain as a kid to finally earning a spot after years of applying, then going back again and again because nothing else compares. We get into the details of Big Bird, an unforgettable build that pairs a 1968 Plymouth Road Runner body with a NASCAR chassis and roughly 800 horsepower to the wheels. Ben explains how he manages focus at altitude, why course familiarity matters when corners blend together, and how tire development data can change everything when you’re pushing hard on a narrow mountain road.
After the hill climb, we pivot to the headlines drivers see every week. Jeff’s Motor Minute digs into Ford reliability news, JD Power initial quality rankings, and why “award” stories can look very different next to recall reports. Don also reviews the all-new 2026 Subaru Trailseeker EV, covering design, cabin tech, real-world charging habits, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, range expectations, and where it sits against electric SUV competitors.
Subscribe for more real car talk, share this with a friend who loves motorsports or EVs, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. What’s the most extreme drive you’d try, Pikes Peak or an EV road trip?

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Blame It On The Oil And Other Engine Excuses | Subaru Trailseeker | Wet and not so Wild | Auto History Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

Recalls and reliability headlines can feel like background noise until you’re the one staring at a warning light and a four-figure estimate. We put the spotlight on five current engine problem cases that keep showing up in owner complaints, class action lawsuits, and government investigations, and we explain why these patterns matter if you’re shopping new or used. You’ll hear what’s being reported, what kinds of failures are at stake, and why “we changed the oil recommendation” doesn’t always restore confidence.
We move brand by brand, from Honda’s widely used 1.5-liter turbo and its oil dilution and head gasket worries to Nissan’s variable compression VC turbo recall situation. We also dig into GM’s 6.2-liter V8 problems in high-volume trucks and SUVs, then talk through the Jeep 4XE plug-in hybrid’s mix of mechanical and electrical concerns, including fire risk and the strange but serious casting sand recall. Even Toyota isn’t off the hook as we cover ongoing noise around the 3.4-liter twin turbo V6 and engine bearing failures.
Then we lighten it up with summer driving ideas: water parks around Houston that offer a different feel than the biggest corporate destinations, including city-run spots and smaller neighborhood-style parks that can be easier with kids.

We wrap with a first drive review of the all-new 2026 Subaru Trail Seeker EV, covering design, screens and controls, 281-mile range, charging habits, towing, pricing, and how it stacks up against competitors like the Model Y and Ioniq 5.
If you got value from this mix of practical car buying advice and road trip ideas, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review. Which engine issue surprised you most, and what would you research first before buying?

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How To Handle Holiday Traffic And Aging Drivers Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

A holiday road trip can flip from fun to dangerous in seconds, and that is why we wanted a real-world Fourth of July safety check from Texas Department of Public Safety. We finally reach a trooper out on the roads, talking enforcement, summer traffic, and what it looks like when Texas is packed with visitors and major-event crowds. We also hit a detail that sounds small but gets people in trouble fast: extreme heat and dehydration, especially when you are driving long stretches or spending hours outside before you ever get behind the wheel.
Then the conversation takes a heavier turn. We wrestle with the question families dread: how do you know when someone is too old to drive? We talk cognitive decline, reaction time, and the emotional reality that a driver’s license is more than permission to drive, it is freedom. We share personal stories about taking the keys, what happens when a parent forgets they no longer has a car, and how “don’t drive” only works if you have a plan to replace independence with real support.
We keep the car-lover energy going with our cruise-in and events calendar for the July 4 weekend, then dive into the week’s automotive news. Tesla tops the Cars.com American-Made Index again, while EV representation shifts and hybrids stay competitive. We also unpack a California vehicle technology rule tied to preventing domestic violence tracking, which opens a wider debate about connected cars, location data, and whether drivers should get a true off switch. Finally, we look at how the AI boom is driving DRAM memory chip prices higher and reshaping the supply chain behind software-defined vehicles, infotainment, ADAS, and over-the-air updates.
Subscribe for more straight talk on cars, share this with a friend who is driving for the holiday, and leave a review with your take: what is the fairest way to handle an aging driver in the family?

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How Texas Muscle Car Clubs Compete In Bracket Racing Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

You can feel the Texas heat through the microphones, and it sparks a simple question with big consequences: where do you go when you want to race your car without doing something stupid on the street? We talk with Scott Striegel from the Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge (TMCCC), a long-running team-on-team bracket racing series that gives everyone a place to compete, learn, and hang out, whether you show up in a true street car or a full-blown track build. Scott breaks down how the points system works, what “driver rewards” mean, and why the club even added an EV drag racing class, because electric cars bring a consistency advantage when weather and track conditions swing.
We also get practical about the racing itself. Eighth mile vs quarter mile isn’t just a detail on a sign, it changes how cars are geared, how transmissions shift, and what a setup is optimized to do. Scott shares what it takes to make a heavy modern Dodge Charger run hard, from a purpose-built automatic transmission to driveline parts designed for serious horsepower. The theme stays grounded: this is competitive, but it’s also laid back, family-friendly, and affordable for spectators who want to walk the pits, see the cars up close, and ask questions.
Then we pivot to the stuff that hits your wallet: engine reliability. Jeff runs through five engines tied to major recent recall activity and owner complaints, including Honda’s 1.5 turbo, Nissan’s 1.5 VC turbo, GM’s 6.2 V8, the Jeep 4XE 2.0 turbo plug-in hybrid, and Toyota’s 3.4 twin turbo V6. To cool it all down, Mars delivers a list of Houston-area water park driving destinations, mixing big names with smaller city-run parks that can make a summer day trip feel a lot less chaotic.
If you like real-world car talk with local flavor and useful takeaways, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave us a review. What are you driving this summer, and where would you take it first: the track or the water park?

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Are Car Tech And Emissions Rules Making Cars Riskier? Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

Your car can be perfectly fine one day and on a recall list the next and some of these aren’t minor. We kick things off with a no-nonsense rundown of fresh automotive recalls, including a Hyundai software issue tied to the front camera that can accidentally trigger forward collision avoidance and cause sudden braking. We also talk through recalls touching control arms, instrument panel displays, and seat belt problems across multiple brands, plus why “it only happens once” is still a safety problem.
Then we switch gears into pure car-nerd fun with the Hemmings sold car price roundup. We put real auction results against our best guesses and let the market do the talking, from a classic Cadillac convertible and a former police Chevy Caprice to a 1969 Camaro convertible, a Pontiac Bonneville, a Buick Grand National, and a surprisingly affordable BMW Z3. If you’ve ever wondered what condition, originality, and hype actually do to prices, this segment makes it real fast.
We wrap with our cruise in and events calendar, then hit the week’s biggest automotive news: U.S. EV registrations stabilizing, Tesla’s continued lead, Mitsubishi teasing a stronger U.S. lineup, Mercedes updating its AMG twin turbo V8 with a flat plane crank to meet stricter emissions rules, and the expanding robotaxi race through partnerships aimed at Level 4 autonomy. We also connect high fuel prices to changing demand for full-size pickups and SUVs, and what that could mean for new vehicle shopping.
Subscribe for weekly car talk, share this with a friend who checks recall notices late, and leave a review so more drivers can find the show.

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