Rain City Supercars

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! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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!

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! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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!

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! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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!

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! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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!

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! Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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!

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!  Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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!

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. 

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!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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!  Not an Avants member? https://www.avants.com/member-plans Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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!

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!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 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 Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!  Leave us a voicemail! 425-298-7873 We're doing give aways! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we'll pick a random name every 25th review and we promise it will be worth it!   

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 here 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/fayehadley www.instagram.com/pistonsandpixiedust/ www.tiktok.com/@fayehadleyofficial www.facebook.com/pistonsandpixiedust www.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.