Dan Roth  0:04  
This is wheel bearings. I'm Dan Roth from Forbes. 

Sam Abuelsamid  0:07  
I'm Sam Abuelsamid from Navigant research. 

Rebecca Lindland  0:10  
And I'm Rebecca Lindland from Rebeccadrives. 

Dan Roth  0:13  
Rebecca I've seen some content from some of our other friends. I think Nicole wakeland posted her first thing on my Rebecca drives. 

Rebecca Lindland  0:19  
Yes, yes. So I had a couple of friends and Nicole Wakeman put posted on

the Kia Seltos. And then Abby Bassett posted on the Toyota Highlander they were two trips that I did not go on and I really wanted the content for Rebecca drives. So I had them it just it's not an all girls website just to clarify I because Sam has posted as well so it just so happened that two of my friends were available. But yeah, they did a great job and it's been a lot of fun and I continue to enjoy writing and 200 words or less

Dan Roth  0:54  
yeah so if you want to read that stuff go to Rebecca drive so calm right like that's, that's where speed When they were posting because you were busy.

Rebecca Lindland  1:03  
I was busy with the

Dan Roth  1:05  
Can you talk about it? 

Rebecca Lindland  1:07  
Yes. Okay, we'll get. We'll get to that. But let's let's talk about other stuff. First because Sam, I'm actually correct me if I'm wrong. I think I'm wrong, actually. But you you were driving the 22 chats with that. Yeah. I usually am. My Twitter breeding this morning certainly told me I was wrong.

Sam Abuelsamid  1:27  
You were never wrong, right?

Dan Roth  1:28  
The 2020 Nissan Armada is that that's like the old one, right? Like that's not anything. Yeah. No, I

Sam Abuelsamid  1:37  
mean, it's it's been around at bastas. And our motto for three years now. You know, they previously had the old generation Armada, which was based off the first generation Titan pickup truck, and then that got discontinued for 2017. They replaced it with this new Armada, which is actually a rebadged version of the Nissan Patrol, which is what they sell it as globally. And apparently it's quite popular, especially in the Middle East and Africa. And they brought it to the US to replace the the old Armada, rather than doing a new SUV off the new generation Titan platform. And in fact, there's also another version of this that's also sold here as the Nissan Qx 80, which arrived in its current form a couple of years before the Armada did. So the Armada is, you know, the slightly more affordable alternative to the QX at

Dan Roth  2:40  
qx, it looks like like it's so funny that they've got like the cure it looking the way it does, because it looks like a giant whale like Moby Dick. And then the Armada is you know, that's a name for fleet of arm ships. And it's kind of like, Moby Dick one the day so yeah.

Sam Abuelsamid  2:56  
Yeah, pretty much. So yeah, their motto, you know, is a big three row, full size body on frame SUV, roughly the same size as the Chevy Tahoe or Ford Expedition, or, you know, Nissan or Toyota Sequoia. And you know, those, those, there's basically four vehicles in this segment or four, or platforms in this segment in the US market right now. You've got the GM utilities, the Chevy Tahoe and the long wheelbase suburban, the GMC Yukon and the Cadillac Escalade. And then from Ford, you have the expedition and navigator. Toyota still has the Sequoia, and then Nissan has the Armada and the Qx 80. And, surprisingly that the Armada is actually got a decent amount of market share. And back in December when I went to the background or for the new Tahoe when they were showing us at The Proving Grounds, they put up a pie chart showing the market share For the big three row body on frame SUV segment, and they actually had, you know, the Nissan out about or had Nissan at about 9% of the market, which surprised me that they had that much but you know, pulled up the sales figures for 2019. And Nissan sold 32,000 armadas last year in the US, which was quite a bit more than I anticipated. More than a lot more than the cell Titans, the net, the navigator, the navigator sold just shy of 19,000. Last year. The expedition which would be the more direct competitor, this sold at 6000. And the Sequoia was, but just over 10,000 units last year, but GM really dominates the segment they you know, between the Chevy GMC and the Cadillacs they sold 263,000 in the US alone last year. So you know, they're they're still the the big guns in this in this segment. We like our big trucks? Oh yeah, we certainly do, especially if they come from GM. The Armada is a big, heavy SUV. And, you know, because it's based on the patrol, you know, it benefits from a lot of features that the patrol has, you know, because the patrol, like they, you know, total Land Cruisers, and you know, some of the other higher end SUVs, big SUVs that are out there. They're they really are designed with some pretty substantial off road capabilities in there, you know, so this is not just a crossover, this thing's got all the kinds of things that you expect something that can go run in the desert or anywhere where there isn't actually pavement, you know, so you've got things like a dual range transfer case. So you've got four wheel drive, low capability, locking rear differential, different driving modes, so you can switch back and forth to it manipulates the things like the stability control, slip threshold, you know, so that you can put it into snow mode and get better traction and snow or lose dirt or sand Things like that. So it's it's actually a pretty capable SUV and I went I went on the drive couple years ago in California when they want when they first launched this Armada here, we drove it out in Carmel and we drove it on an actual off road course. And, you know, it's it's got four wheel independent suspension, like, you know, like the other vehicles in the segment. And it was pretty, it was pretty capable and you get you know, it's one of those things like like with a Jeep, you know, you get it up on two opposite wheels there and it just keeps right on going, you know, two wheels in the air two wheels on on mounds and it just, it just keeps on going. That said, you know, it's not it's okay, on road. You know, it's reasonably comfortable but you know, when you compare it especially to something like the new Tahoe, suburban and the Yukon and expedition, the body control is not as smooth as what you would expect from those. You know, it does drive pretty heavy. You know, you feel all 5500 pounds of this thing. It's nearly three tons. And at the price point this, this was a platinum reserve, you know, so it had, you know, all the all the options in there, it came to over $71,000.

Dan Roth  7:12  
That's right in the heart of the market. Wow.

Sam Abuelsamid  7:14  
Yeah, you know, it's at 71 grand, you know, it doesn't feel as luxury as you might expect it to at that price point, especially if you compare it to a navigator for example, now, you know, a Lincoln Navigator, you know, or an escalator is probably not going to have the kind of off road capability that this has,

Dan Roth  7:34  
but nobody's gonna use it. Like,

Sam Abuelsamid  7:36  
that's probably true, at least, especially in North America, you know, it's gonna be a lot fewer people are going to use it here than they might in some other markets. You know, and for those that really want off road capability, you know, there's a lot of other options that are probably a little more expensive, but also more offer more of a more luxury feel to them. My wife and I went out to dinner, and she looked at the wood. It was really wood trim on the dashboard and she said it looked like plastic and it kind of does. It doesn't look really premium. You know, the seats are kind of flat. They don't offer a whole lot of support. You know, it's roomy, you know, it's a big truck, so it should be roomy. It's also really thirsty. This thing averaged about 11 and a half mile I mean, from what

Dan Roth  8:18  
I hear that's about what like the Cadillac 65 gets.

Sam Abuelsamid  8:23  
Never done that better than an SD five. Yeah,

Rebecca Lindland  8:26  
I Sam, you're right, though the patrol is first of all, they're everywhere in the Middle East. And we see it often it is quite capable in the sand which of course is desirable. And it is that traditional truck base that is, you know, almost required for driving in, in other parts of the world and it's done frequently. So I think it's it you know, it's a great vehicle from that standpoint, even though it is pretty old, but it's still it's, I think it's a I think it's a fun, it's a fun vehicle to drive around and stand That's all I'm going to say not that I ever drove in Saudi Arabia.

Dan Roth  9:04  
Right, that's, that's true. It

Rebecca Lindland  9:06  
never happened. Never happened. Um,

Dan Roth  9:09  
but I think that's the thing, like, that's the thing to remember is that, you know, 30,000 units here in the US is kind of just like, icing on the cake for them when they're, they're making their money with the petrol elsewhere and it allows them to have something in in that market space. It's funny, though, that the, I guess not, it makes some sense where so where the Nissan ends, right, this is your Platinum reserve sounds like some kind of whiskey, but your Platinum Reserve was 71 that crosses over the QX he starts at like 6667. So

Sam Abuelsamid  9:48  
and that's, you know, that's fairly typical when you look at, you know, where there's a mainstream brand and a luxury brand, you know, within the same automaker, you know, like for Ford or Lincoln, you know, that, you know, there's usually I'm over a bit of overlap there, you know, it's not a clean break, you know, because, you know, the reality is that most people aren't going to buy the the absolute base version of the premium one anyway, you know, so they usually end up spending more than that. So it's it's not it's not that surprising. There'll be some overlap,

Dan Roth  10:19  
because I think if you really want the nice interior, the Curiosity has always impressed me. Yeah, at least the way they put it into press fleets, which is so nice. I love the cabinet. That thing. I have always loved the QX at cabin and it is it's like you said it's it's very thirst, he's got that. And it's another one with a big v eight that makes good noises and just doesn't make a lot of power.

Sam Abuelsamid  10:41  
But it's got adequate power and 400 horsepower.

Rebecca Lindland  10:44  
Yeah, and that base, you know that the amount of start at 47 one, so there is overlap at the top end, but you're not really getting the same capabilities. If you spend 70,000 or 65,000 on the Armada vs. You know, the same amount on the Infinity version?

Dan Roth  11:02  
Oh, yeah, I'm sure like the difference is you get the Armada with everything. Exactly with like, now Exactly. Moving on from very expensive Nissan's to cheaper. Nissan's you, you Sam, we're in the Versa as well.

Sam Abuelsamid  11:21  
Yeah. So, the new Nissan Versa launched last summer. And Rebecca and I were both on the last drive down in Lily, Nashville. Nashville. Nashville. Yes.

Dan Roth  11:31  
nashvegas. Yes. It's much better than the old version, right. Which was like

Sam Abuelsamid  11:35  
all Yeah, yeah, this is this is actually quite you know, quite a nice car you know, for for an entry level car. This is one of the cheapest cars you can get in, you know, as a new car in the us right now. Aside from I think the only one that's cheaper is the Mitsubishi mirage. And you definitely want this more than you want the mirage. No, no question about that. Fact, starting price, you know, including delivery. For the for the new Versa for the base S model with a five speed manual is 15 650 with delivery, the one I had was the SSR which was loaded Kim to just over 21 grand and that you know it had everything on there and you know for 21,000 you're getting, you know, a decently sized compact sedan with full suite of Driver Assist options as features so you got Lane Keeping Assist, forward collision warning, radar based adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, you got everything on here, and you know, it's it's a nice looking car it drives got decent driving dynamics, you know, it's not enormously powerful. I think it's like 130 horsepower from the 1.6 liter four cylinder CVT, but the you know, it's it's more than adequate for you know, as a daily commute. You know it's certainly not going to run with a Corvette or anything like that. But you know it's fine it's it's all most people need and you know in the you know when you look at the way prices are going you know it's it's actually really hard to afford a new car you know and i think you know, Rebecca you can confirm this I think it's about the ratio of used car sales every year the new car sales is about three and a half to one I think.

Rebecca Lindland  13:27  
Yeah, yeah it's like two Yeah, I can't remember that but it's a huge use cars a huge number.

Sam Abuelsamid  13:34  
Right? But you know, for somebody that's looking to maybe buy their first car by a bit by basic transportation they want something new with a warranty. This is not this is a really good choice and choice you know, it's it's roomy enough for for for adults, it's got a decent size truck. Personally, I'd rather have a hatchback but you know, it is what it is, you know, it's the American market III think it's a mistake

Unknown Speaker  13:57  
to not offer nice back

Sam Abuelsamid  14:00  
Probably not, you know, I don't think the the note Versa note, which was the hatchback version of the previous generation, I don't think that ever sold really well. You know, personally, you know, like I said, I, my preference would be a hatchback, but I think, and at the Chicago Auto Show, Honda was talking about their press conference, they talked about the Civic hatchback. They were surprised at how well it's selling, it's actually about 20% of civic sales, you know, for the versus size class, you know, considering that customers are moving away from smaller cars, I think they probably decided that offering a hatchback version of this one probably wasn't worth it for the volumes that they would have.

Rebecca Lindland  14:41  
Yeah, but and that's civic hatch is so cool looking. It's really badass, like they've set it up where it's so sporty looking.

Sam Abuelsamid  14:50  
Right? Totally agree. So I think you know, the, the only real complaint that I have about this about the Versa I just wish Nissan would find a better supplier for their, their in vehicle screens for the displays on pretty much everything they build on the Nissan brand. They have what I would say are probably among the worst center screen displays of anybody in the industry. They're low contrast or dim, have a lot of glare from the sun. They're hard to see even when you're not wearing sunglasses and if you put on polarized sunglasses they become almost invisible there they're just terrible screens. I got an idea please

Dan Roth  15:34  
I've got an idea keep the screens out of the cars well there's a

Sam Abuelsamid  15:39  
concept

Rebecca Lindland  15:42  
that crazy talk it's not gonna

Sam Abuelsamid  15:44  
happen unfortunately that's not a realistic proposition now is so you know I mean, I mean look at Hyundai Kia You know, they're they have cars in the same price segment. You know that the Kia Rio Hyundai Accent and they have found a special choir of displays they they have some of the best displays you know they're they're high contrast there's no glare there they're matte screens they look really good. Nice and one

Dan Roth  16:10  
of the things I will say about the screens and Hyundai Kia cars is is I can't get them dim enough on like regularly I just expect that now when I'm in a Hyundai Rukia or Genesis I can't I can't get the screen dark enough at night for for me. I mentioned like a kind of thing. Yeah. And that's not like that's such as as kind of like a picky detail. But it's not it's

Sam Abuelsamid  16:34  
not an it's not an insignificant detail.

Rebecca Lindland  16:36  
Yeah. Cuz I actually can bring up eyestrain and and that glary at night, that can get tiring after a while.

Sam Abuelsamid  16:44  
Oh, absolutely. And I think that's, you know, that's why we're going to start to see in the next few years a shift, probably towards more OLED screens like what we have on the new Escalades, like you talked about

Dan Roth  16:54  
they're just very expensive at this point. So right,

Sam Abuelsamid  16:57  
but they're but they're coming down in price but You know, at least among the LCD screens, you know the the ones that Hyundai and Kia use are so much better that mean they're at least usable you know the the Nissan screens are just terrible please Nissan fix the rest of the car you know it's fine I I had didn't have anything any real complaints about it you know and keeping in mind you know that this is basic entry level transportation you know it's maybe it's not quite as already feeling as you know, say a Honda Fit. But you know if if you want basic transportation, it's good, it's really good. And I think it's, it's highly you know, I would highly recommend this. Yeah. And you know, the the one I had you know, was the SRR which is the top end model, which starts at 18 to 40. You know, the one it the the test car I had, you know, had a couple of option packages on there the electronics package with Matt talk about that pocket light and illuminate kick played CEO stuff you don't really need lighting package, you know, the exterior ground lighting, you know, 700 bucks for that, skip those, just add the convenience package that gets you the heated front seats and the intelligent cruise control, and you're good 18 519 five with delivery. You're, you're all set, you know, under 20 grand, and you've got a really good car got 35 miles per gallon. You know, and it's it's decently fun to drive

Dan Roth  18:26  
a penalty box from the draft because this is this is the penalty box class, like

Sam Abuelsamid  18:30  
No, I mean, you know, you're not going to get, you know, all soft touch surfaces in there. You know, it's mostly hard plastics, but, you know, it looks fine. You know, they did a nice job on the texturing. You know, there's no, when you look around or you feel the the edges, there's no sharp flashing, you know, everything's nicely trimmed off, you know, so it's definitely not a penalty box. It's comfortable to drive. You know, it's adequate performance. So no, I would not, I would not say it's a penalty box.

Dan Roth  18:56  
Okay. All right. I mean, and it's To you went over the power train right it's going to the the CVT is the transmission Nissan does a pretty good CVT, so

Sam Abuelsamid  19:07  
no it's it's it's a good CVT, 1.6 liter four cylinder naturally aspirated, you know, it's, it's the same power train that's in the kicks, you know, it's well it's it's a decent power train, you know, it's, you know to get the keep the price down, you know, they get things like a twist being rear axle instead of an independent rear suspension but it still had, you know, good ride quality, you know, even on Michigan roads, so yeah, nothing, nothing that I would complain about, especially, you know, in the context of what this is supposed to be. It's definitely, you know, if somebody is looking for basic, a new car, you know, with a new car warranty, you know, and yes, basic transportation. You know, if you don't want a crossover, you know, then I think that this is one, you know, this is a really good option.

Dan Roth  19:51  
So your choices are basically like, verses or kicks are kind of the same sort of hardware right underneath it.

Sam Abuelsamid  19:58  
Yeah, they're both on the same platform. So, either one of them's is fine, you know, and if you want something a little taller, basically if you want something taller that you know is more, you know, that has a tailgate. You know, it's kind of hatchback. Like, go for the kicks. You know, if you want a sedan go for the Versa and the verses a little bit cheaper. Did you want to talk about the Qx 50

Dan Roth  20:19  
it's kind of anonymous and I wish that that really neat two liter engine was a little bit more refined. This is this is not not the crossover to drop $50,000 on it's it's nice it's not super duper expensive but there's there's better choices in the class. I had some issues with the new Infiniti in touch, I don't really like it as much as the you know, like the Hyundai Kia systems tend to just wind up being the benchmark. It just it's not, you know, I put it in Eco mode and I was shocked at how like borderline dangerous it is. It's really really numb to the to the accelerator. So you gotta like floor it kind of raises any point of putting You go Yeah, overall I was not not blown away by it. And there's there's materials issues in it that I don't think it was a lot more Nissan than infinity. Which, which surprised me, but you know it's the right size, it's not priced poorly, it looks good. doesn't doesn't really distinguish itself in any other way. Okay.

Sam Abuelsamid  21:23  
Let's get your take on the Corvette.

Rebecca Lindland  21:26  
So, I will be the first one to say I have not spent a lot of time in previous versions of the Corvette. So I am not probably the best person to compare one to the other. On this by the same token, I do like the fact that my first real time in a Corvette was in the mid engine. And because I feel like I'm starting out with really one of the best cars on the road today. And you know, we often talk about price point on this show and this price point at 5999. Five is insanely good. Like it's, it's crazy what they have done for that price. So I was in in Las Vegas earlier this week. The way that they set up the program was the first afternoon we actually had it on road. There's beautiful roads outside of Vegas, the Valley of Fire. We drove through national parks, and it's just gorgeous. And we were blessed with an incredibly gorgeous day as well. So this car, I was in lt five one with it with the high speed of the track performance package. z 51 c 51. Thank you. But what I loved what is so cool about it is there's this thing called the the Z mode for for xaro. And it basically allows you to pick and choose every aspect of your experience. So I tend to like a heavy, tight wheel. But you know, you don't necessarily want that system. tension on the road. So I was able to pick a track, steering feel with a more touring road feel. But I wanted my brakes to be really crisp and fairly aggressive. So I did sport for my brakes. And you could just pick it's really, really cool. And it provides such a personalization. In this vehicle, I was driving with the delightful Henry Paine who writes for the detroit news and he's actually a very accomplished racecar driver. So it was fun because we were able to talk about how he would set up the car and it was there was a lot of similarities we both like that heavy, heavier steering feel, but it just the ability to be able to pick and choose was was really really cool. I drove for about an hour and a half and it was just non stop comfort. The other thing that I do mentioned quite a bit and and go back and forth on whether I should is the height you know, I'm sure and so trying to get comfortable in a lot of cars can be difficult but the visibility because there's no engine in the front anymore. The visibility is is, is fantastic out the front, in the back at that base model or entry level, I prefer to call it because there's really nothing base about this vehicle at that $60,000 price mark, you're not getting the rear camera view on the mirror rear camera view, which is a 1500 dollar option. And I will tell people that that is an absolute necessity. Because out the back, it's very, very narrow, you know, the engineers back there now you've got really thick, I guess they're see pillars back there. And, you know, and visibility is definitely compromised South back, but at the front, it's fantastic.

Sam Abuelsamid  24:41  
So, you know, that's fairly standard for a mid engine.

Rebecca Lindland  24:44  
It is it is very much so. And I think we're also fortunate that we have that technology now with that camera view to be able to help with that rear visibility.

Dan Roth  24:55  
It was interesting to read some of the early impressions too because the the front visibility The was, you know, compared to, I guess some of the other cars it's not quite as good as like a McLaren or an NSX. And I'm just like,

Rebecca Lindland  25:10  
well, I don't know. I mean, I haven't driven. I haven't driven to McLaren I have spent time in the NSX I found this car to be, I mean that the eight pillars are incredibly narrow. I don't know, who's having trouble with visibility because I felt like there was a wide open landscape.

Dan Roth  25:28  
I think that is less the visibility overall, which is definitely an improvement it's more of the the fact that like, you can see the road closer to the edge of the hood in some of the others which Yeah, I mean, you but you some of the seating position, sort of where where the seat height is set, but also Yeah, I mean, that's that's like a variable of the car.

Rebecca Lindland  25:50  
Yeah, I mean, I, I found it to be outstanding. And it's and because, yeah, the other cool I mean, I don't know, I just I felt the visibility was really Really good. The other thing that's neat is the steering wheel, which there's been some controversy about the steering wheel, because it's square because it's square. But, you know, it allows for easy movement on the track because in the next day we had it on the track. And so you know, again, it never got in the way and there's plenty of room there's a lot of travel back and forth in the steering wheel so you can push up all your I like to push it all the way back into the dash. And again, some you know, other people with if you're taller, you need to pull it out more but it's all electronic. So it's easy to make those minute adjustments. But the the top of the steering wheel when it says in the square position, you can actually it perfectly frames, the the dashboard and and you know the information center that's right in the middle it right in front of you, and it fits it perfectly. And which is those kinds of attention to detail was pretty cool. I think. I again, I had a very souped up version was $85,000. But we looked at the six $2,000 when they what they had there as well, it was a 70,070 $5,000 one so you can,

Sam Abuelsamid  27:06  
yeah. Even even 85 Yeah, that's half the price half the starting price of NSX.

Dan Roth  27:12  
Like that's, that's it's always been a sort of the corporate thing is like, yes, but for the price, but I feel like that doesn't really need to be that sort of disclaimer no as much anymore. Like, it's, it's amazing what they have, where they have priced it. But it's not like you You miss out on anything. It's it's comprehensively engineered, it's well made. It's, you know, maybe it's down a little bit on power, compared to some of the other cars that are quite a bit more. It's almost 500

Rebecca Lindland  27:42  
Oh my gosh, which

Dan Roth  27:43  
is

Rebecca Lindland  27:44  
which is up and the DC team so that the dual clutch transmission, they base it off of Porsches edk, which is a really, really good benchmark. And because the PDK is now I actually drove the original PDK when it first came out years ago. 911 and it was okay. But then we got to drive it again. And it was that much better. And you know, now of course, it's it's really, I mean, it is the benchmark and the, the jewels, the DCT that this Corvette has, it really is it's faster than a human. It's faster than anything that you could shift. And, you know, Henry played around a little bit with the paddle shifters. I just, you know, and the pro driver when we did hot laps, he played around with it, but not that many people really did because you just don't need to you're not going to be better than what they've set how they've set it up.

Sam Abuelsamid  28:37  
I'm curious about, you know, one of the other controversies with this thing, you know, was that cold center console and that crazy strip of buttons that, you know, that sweeps up ensel What did you think about that?

Rebecca Lindland  28:52  
So, so this is what I wrote in my, in my review, is it it's for students With an array of control buttons and bifurcates the passengers in nearly puritanical fashion. And unfortunately because I'm limited to 200 words, I did have to take out the text about any Hanky Panky is going to be limited to only the most acrobatic

Dan Roth  29:14  
God or the Holy Spirit.

Rebecca Lindland  29:20  
But you know, it wasn't as noticeable. Once you're in the cabin, it definitely divides I mean, it is it is a cockpit. I for one, for sure. The passenger is almost like a sidecar. I but you kind of get used to it a little bit. I guess. It's you know the buttons are actually so that the top portion of the buttons are are the driver controls that h back I the heated seats, things like that some comfort ones. And then the bottom part is for the passenger and then I actually works out pretty well, because it is, it is at like arm's length, it's at hand level for both the passenger and then the driver. If they've got their hands at at nine and three, then it's at a nice level for them to play with the buttons. The the screen is the the center dash screen is very much oriented towards the driver. And the only wrinkle we ran into that was with the radio, the radio button is real is at the top left hand corner. And that means that it's really only accessible to the driver. Henry is very tall, and he was able to reach over but to turn it off or to adjust the volume, but it was a significant stretch. And like for me, I looked down like that thing's just too far away for me

Sam Abuelsamid  30:57  
and raised about 6465

Rebecca Lindland  30:59  
yeah Exactly. So, you know, it was it was not I think if they had and I actually told them I made the suggestion, I would look at moving that button to even the right corner, upper corner or or right lower corner, I think they would be better off. I mean, it's sort of like right now it's all the way up. And if you think about the US, it's all the way up in Seattle, and I'd rather see it down in Florida. So, you know, I think it's just from a positioning standpoint. But what they told me so and this really kind of surprised me was that most Corvette drivers are drive by themselves. Which I was kind

Dan Roth  31:40  
of surprised. I mean, have you spoken to most Corvette drivers?

Rebecca Lindland  31:46  
That you're getting into my dating pool right now.

Dan Roth  31:51  
In your diaries that drove Corvette insufferable pages and pitch

Sam Abuelsamid  32:00  
Though I think I think that's probably not uncommon for sports cars, right? I

Dan Roth  32:04  
was gonna say, but it's probably the same as Miata drivers in that sense, where it's it's a it's two seater. And so most most people kind of drive only themselves other than family drivers. Right? I don't know.

Sam Abuelsamid  32:16  
Yeah, that's true. I know.

Rebecca Lindland  32:18  
I was I was a little surprised so I you know, but so that's that's one of the reasons it it's not I'm not going to say that I love that center console because I don't I think it's very um there's there's two kind of awkwardly placed cup holders and and but there is still it's not so much there awkwardly place it's more that they're awkward to us. I there's very little cabin space, there is a slot for your phone, which is kind of cool because while it's behind you, for safety reasons, it's in a good spot. I and it kind of it's like a rubberized container. I should have taken a picture of it. I'll try and find one online. I and that's where your phone goes, which is kind of cool. I buy you know and then there's a small center console like little cabin little storage bin. But that again it is it is quite small. So, you know, the storage in the cabin is pretty minimal. There's there's little, I don't know if they still call the map bins because we don't have maps anymore, but

Unknown Speaker  33:23  
we do on each door

Rebecca Lindland  33:24  
for pockets. What do they hold?

Unknown Speaker  33:27  
For pockets?

Rebecca Lindland  33:28  
Yes, they're the door pockets were which again, we're pretty useless. They're there. They're pretty shallow. But you know overall, I mean, there's the front is great. There's you could definitely fit some grocery bags in the in the front of the vehicle. And then in the back they did show that they could fit two golf bags that were Corvette designed golf bag, so I don't know if you're gonna, of course, being a Corvette,

Sam Abuelsamid  33:56  
you know, it's got to be able to hold a couple of golf bag. Exactly.

Rebecca Lindland  33:58  
I asked about says and got nothing

Dan Roth  34:01  
I hate that trick just because I've coughed very little and I hurt. But the, the Corvette, like the immediately it came out and it took this just shellacking for sort of the shape and the, you know, the squared off tail which I honestly, I've seen it enough now I don't think it looks bad. There's definitely it's a modern design. So there's a lot of angles, a lot of strikes a lot of lines. It's, it's not quite as like, sort of minimalist as some of the earlier Corvette designs but it's in keeping with the times it's a modern design, so I'll give I'll give that

Rebecca Lindland  34:38  
so yeah, what yeah, I mean, I didn't there's, it's hard to take a bad picture of this thing. I gotta tell ya.

Sam Abuelsamid  34:45  
Yeah, I've seen a number of these these seats now you know, and it's, I'm fine with the exterior design. I think it's a good looking car on the

Dan Roth  34:53  
end, like when you think about the the amount of practical considerations that took into account for the sick and that's why I say like it's it's so comprehensively engineered for $60,000 you know, you can store the target top in the back. So it has you know, built in storage for the roof panel it can carry your your groceries so you could daily it it's it's a team enough that you can you can drive it around, you know, like you were talking about the drive modes you adjusted for comfort or you adjusted for, you know, a little bit more performance oriented driving. It's got so much capability, it's got a really wide range of talents.

Rebecca Lindland  35:34  
That's that's hard to do. Yeah, and that's so impressive and can put a 60 pounds now in like three less than three seconds and so fast. Exactly. I mean, there's It's so fast. And the thing is that, you know, when I've driven like a Ferrari 458 I'm driven and Aston Martin the NSX you know those vehicles. I especially felt like this I in the Ferrari. It's amazing to drive but What I want to take that every day? No, you know, it's a lot, it's a lot to drive. I found this Corvette, like, I would love to do a road trip in this thing, I would love it, because you can adjust those things. So like, I didn't, I really didn't enjoy the steering in the touring mode, it was just too loose. It just wasn't, it wasn't engaging enough. For me personally, the great thing is that you can fix that you can adjust that. So if somebody else drives it, that does like that type of steering, they can change that. And so there was just, you know, again, it's just that personalization, and the, the breadth and depth of capabilities. And, and, and variety of uses, you know, the track I mean, we had the same vehicles then on the track the next day, and they were it was fantastic. I mean, it definitely made me a better driver. I you know, it just it was it was really comfortable. We did launch great Which was a lot of fun to do. And it just, you know, it was one of those vehicles that you just want to keep driving it. I just want I wanted to keep driving it. I wanted to keep experience.

Dan Roth  37:09  
Well, so that's that's something that, you know, you mentioned it in passing. Right. But do you have the same vehicles from the road drive on the track for the second day? Yes. You know, and you were just one of I know, however many waves of people

Rebecca Lindland  37:24  
have right seven waves about 100. And, and they said there was gonna be about 150 people.

Sam Abuelsamid  37:29  
Yeah. Was that it? Las Vegas Motor Speedway?

Rebecca Lindland  37:32  
No, it was at Spring Mountain, with Oh, that's right. Yes. Where they also offer a two day driving class for all purchasers. So if you buy a Corvette, you get into a driving class. And that's, that's a nice track in it. Well, you know, it was really nice. I, you know, I've spent some time on tracks more than the average consumer, but less than a lot of other people in our industry. And I felt like I could adapt to that, you know, I was coming comfortable in a part of it was comfortable on the track. But part of it was I was so comfortable in the vehicle, like I felt, I felt very secure and confident in with that vehicle. I'm just,

Sam Abuelsamid  38:14  
you know, I think one of the one of the interesting things about Corvettes, especially the last couple of generations of them, is they've, they've actually done a shockingly good job of packaging and practicality. You know, for the kind of car that this is, you know, I mean that, like from especially from the sex onward, you know, you had, you know, a pretty good sized trunk under that rear hatch. Yeah. So front engine, and you know, there was a lot of space in there to put stuff in, including that target top and you still have that ability to put that target top in the trunk of this one. And still have some storage room. Especially with the front.

Rebecca Lindland  38:51  
Yeah, exactly. No, we took the top off in the afternoon and we were able to store it again very easily. Now. I did not lift it Henry did I don't know how heavy it is, which which was I should have done that I but it was it was very easy to get off. And it slid in, in secured at, but there was there was still space on either side, but your writing was in the front, you can fit I, you know several pieces of luggage and so there actually is a good amount of storage in a vehicle that you know of this size. And of course the engine takes up most of the back as it should. So they just there was there was a little doesn't it

Sam Abuelsamid  39:32  
doesn't actually take up that much space because one of the advantages to continuing to use GMC classic Chevy small block architecture is it's actually, you know, for what is a fairly large displacement engine at 6.2 liters. It's actually a really compact package. It's shockingly small and lightweight

Rebecca Lindland  39:51  
yet but they did they did make the vehicle a little bit longer to accommodate that golf bag size, that golf bag metric. So it is a little bit longer, you know, but No, you're absolutely right there, there's, I feel like people that are going after clickbait are going to really, they're going to be very picky and find things that are really they would probably let go in any other vehicle. Because this thing is really good. There were a couple it's 60 grand

Dan Roth  40:24  
and 150 of us idiots beat the hell out of however many for days and days and they didn't break. Like

Rebecca Lindland  40:32  
there was a couple of there was a couple of material choices, particularly the switches like the and the levers on the steering wheel, and the and the stocks that were they were a I was a little bit annoyed because they could they should have been upgraded they should be they should be at least aluminum. And I told you I said I think you should offer an appearance and interior appearance package. Because that's kind of where you see some of those a little bit of the cost you know they're they're just they're constraining themselves which is understandable. But I mean they so much of it is so good like that was really nitpicking you know like it's every everything you everything you end up touching in this vehicle feels really good even the $60,000 one, it doesn't have the leather dash it doesn't have some of these other things but it still has the top stitching. It still has really comfortable seats it's still does does really well. They also do have three different kinds of seats that you can purchase as well. So again, you can customize this vehicle I just in a fabulous fashion.

Sam Abuelsamid  41:43  
Yeah, they've learned all the all the good lessons from Porsches charging to put it back. You have you have a price that you advertise and then you have, you know, all kinds of ways to personalize it that you know, if you are in judicious with your use of the options list, you can end up spending a hell

Dan Roth  42:01  
likely thinking about the Corvette is with the car, right? You can spend $60,000 with just like boxter money and get something that's going to run with a 911. Very, very capably or fast or for faster. Yes. Definitely going to. Yeah, it will have to run with one of those. hundred plus thousand dollar 911. Not. Not so

Rebecca Lindland  42:23  
well that I mean, the portion the 911 starts at $95,000 cash.

Dan Roth  42:27  
It's been a while.

Rebecca Lindland  42:28  
Yeah, yeah. Cuz somebody said, why not just buy a 911 I like because it's 94

Dan Roth  42:35  
different things and it's okay to have more than one choice, Mike.

Sam Abuelsamid  42:40  
Yes, exactly. It's good to have multiple choice.

Rebecca Lindland  42:44  
There's room in the market for multiple vehicles like this. And, you know,

Sam Abuelsamid  42:49  
even even if you're just looking at, you know, mid engine, high end, mid engine, sports cars, you know, you look at what's out there in the market today. You know, you've got the NSX you've got You know, the Ferrari the f8 now, that what's out now, yeah, the f8 you know, or the, the, you know, the for the, you know, the previous generations you've got, you know, you've got all the McLaren's and Lamborghinis and the Audi era. And every one of these cars has a distinctly different character to it, and they're not all of them are going to appeal to everybody, you know, the, you know, an RA, you know, feel feels like something very different from a Corvette, you know, they're just the way that engine sounds and you know, the way it went rumbles you know, is is entirely different. NSX is something else entirely different. The NSX is a wonderful car, I love the NSX but it has a totally different kind of character to it, than what you're going to get from something like this.

Rebecca Lindland  43:50  
It does and it also the NSX doesn't have nearly the modern technology from an HDMI standpoint, I mean that the you have the information Payment System on this was really good as an example, we were driving in the middle of nowhere, I had no cell phone signal, and I was able to tap into the Wi Fi at, you know, the hotspot that GM has and all their products. And it worked. And you know, it was it was a good example of why of where you're driving this fantastic, you know, awesome driving machine. And that also happens to have a hotspot. Yeah.

Sam Abuelsamid  44:25  
Yeah, you know, and, you know, in to accurate credit, you know, they put all their all their technology, our training. Yes, for sure. It's got it's got an infotainment system. That's exactly the same one. That's

Rebecca Lindland  44:41  
right. No, it does. It does and and you know, again, as you said they the NSX is fantastic and it's but it's a different driving experience. It is all right,

Sam Abuelsamid  44:52  
right. Sounds like a ringing endorsement. Well, it's good to hear that it turned out well and and I found a picture of on the the media site Phone mounted in there dropped it in a drop box in this slot. That is, as you said, you know, it's on the back wall between the two seats. So imagine it's got to be really awkward to actually put your phone in there. Yeah, I guess unless you reach with your left arm across, and it is lighter in there.

Rebecca Lindland  45:19  
Well, and and that's, that's I mean when we think about the interior, and it is very cozy, for sure. Especially I can't imagine cars are,

Sam Abuelsamid  45:29  
I'm sorry. Settlement engine cars are, you know, that way?

Rebecca Lindland  45:33  
Yeah, this is definitely cozy. And the other thing is that when we did take the target top off, there's no place for a windscreen. So it was while we were able to carry on a conversation. It wasn't quiet by any means. So is there is there a gap

Sam Abuelsamid  45:47  
back there between the air or is the there's there's you still have the rear window on there? Right?

Rebecca Lindland  45:53  
Right. You still have the rear window and there is a bit of a gap. There really is no place to put any question. Kind of a buffer you know a buffering system and and and speaking of envy they did a really nice job of the car you do have you definitely have some road noise that comes in from the Michelin tires but nothing intrusive. You can hear the engine but you almost like I almost wanted to hear in a little bit more they almost overcorrected. Because you're in a sports car and you know i i am a total exhauster junkie. So I wouldn't have minded even a little bit more rumble. I the vehicle does

Sam Abuelsamid  46:34  
not have a dual mode exhaust that they've had on previous vets.

Dan Roth  46:39  
I don't know if that is an act of exhaust, but I think most of what you hear in the cabin is actually intake noise. Because they were there was an auto line I think was an auto line after hours with Tezuka, who lead engineer on and Tad Schuster. Okay, get better. You're better at it than I am. The problem they had was they they have a very thick rear window and a very thick sort of rear bulkhead there because what they needed to get out of the cabin was all of the accessory drive noise. It's off the front of the engine. You don't you don't want to hear the alternator and the water pump. You want to hear the intake and the exhaust. Nice. And you're further from the exhaust now then you you had been you know it all it all exits back way behind you. So they stopped a lot of noise coming through the firewall. And they allow you to hear some of the because it breeds from the side vents there that are right outside the windows. You can still hear some of that. I'm sure there. There's some coming over the audio system or something. I'd be surprised if there wasn't. But that's that's the balance they have to make right is there's noise regulations. They wanted to sell this thing in global markets, so they have to make sure that it's it's quiet enough GM, maybe not so selling it in right hand drive markets even though they engineered it to be right hand drive or left hand drive and said that'll be interesting to see if they if the Corvette is like the one exception because GM decided to not do any anymore right hand drive cars.

Rebecca Lindland  48:15  
No they are doing they are doing right hand drive. Well there I know that only only the quarterback right for the for the Corvette right for the Corvette. And I talked about only one. I talked to them a little bit about that. Because it requires them to I basically to YouTube, they had to there were some there were some parts of the interior that they were able to keep. But certainly that center console, they did need to to have a new mold for that for right hand drive. It's not an easy switch over, you know, because that because it is so Copic centric, and there were some there was some expense there that they had to do.

Dan Roth  48:55  
Yeah, but I think it's that's also a really smart play because the Corvette is popular. Like around the world and to make it easier to acquire and to drive in those markets, I think is it's just, it's smart. So it was it was worth it. There's a lot of engineering that you just don't see in this car that yes, it's just so impressive and like I I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to sort of poke in and around it. Just again, it's just the Corvette the Corvette is always a fantastic bargain for what you get

Rebecca Lindland  49:31  
it well i and i think that they I think this they did a good job of honoring the legacy of this vehicle and really setting it up for future success. I think they did a nice it's, it's really, really good.

Dan Roth  49:44  
Okay, well, we'll have to get one and see if our

Sam Abuelsamid  49:50  
summer reports top 10

Dan Roth  49:52  
how many of these have we all had a chance to drive it I feel like I've had a solid, solid time and most of them A good good number of them. Do you think that their recommendations are? are on or or off? Like, there's stuff that I just expected to see here, which I did like, their number one compact is the Corolla, like, okay, go home.

Sam Abuelsamid  50:14  
Yeah, I mean, I would, I would take the Civic over the Corolla.

Dan Roth  50:19  
I mean, that's sort of like hard to get, I'm sure they would shrug and be like, Okay.

Sam Abuelsamid  50:24  
Yeah. You know, I haven't driven either the Subarus that they've got on the list here. But, you know, I think one that I would take another one I would take issue with is that, you know, their choice of hybrid with the Prius, you know, just, you know, I mean, the Prius is very efficient, you know, drives much better than the old one. But, yeah, it's just kind of it's hard to look at, you know, for you know, the same same price range, I would probably take either the key and euro or the

Dan Roth  50:54  
Hyundai onic. Okay, we should, we should we just give them a Does it give away the store? If we tell people what all the pics are? I mean, they they put it

Sam Abuelsamid  51:04  
out there. I mean, yeah, we're gonna include the link in the show notes anyway So, okay, you know starting off, you know, under $25,000 they picked the Corolla or small car, which, you know, they said, I would probably go with the Civic drawl, the new Corolla is very good. It's way better than any past parola So yeah,

Dan Roth  51:21  
I you know, I like the reasons for you know, how it comes with all the safety tech and stuff stuff that's important to to buyers, you know, looking for value and safety, which is like those are two very important things that are way more important to regular consumers than how it handles or you know, turns and stuff so,

Sam Abuelsamid  51:40  
no, absolutely. And then, you know, moving up the small SUVs, they picked the Subaru Forester, I've not driven the new forester yet, or latest generation forester Have you I

Dan Roth  51:54  
if I have It's been a while or Little bit I did the most recent super I had was the legacy. But supers are so consistent. I know what I would get if I stepped into the forest or I'm not sure I fully agree with that. That pic it's not a bad choice. But I just I don't know, there's so much choice in that field. I think you you hardly can go wrong, but I've really really liked the route for the newest draft for I think it's just so well done. It has everything the forester offers in the Toyota way. Yeah, so it's, again, it's like pick, pick the color, pick the styling you like it. It's hard to go wrong here. The forester really does. I I can see why it appeals to them and standard all wheel drive versus being an option on some of the others. It does have good visibility. It's got all those those super retreats that we like But I think the rav4 is you know, it's more pleasing to actually drive and I don't think it's any less of a value and may actually be more so in tech and both sucks so yeah,

Sam Abuelsamid  53:14  
I mean you know I you know in there in the text you know they also mentioned you know the Honda CRV and you know, I think I'd probably opt for the CRV but again,

Dan Roth  53:26  
again like I quite like the CRV to me the other

Sam Abuelsamid  53:28  
they're all they're all very good choices. Yeah. Okay, so hybrid they picked the Prius I already mentioned, you know, the ionic or the Nero. What about you?

Dan Roth  53:38  
Um, yeah, I don't mind the Prius. But I'd actually lean towards like, get the Camry Hybrid or the Corolla hybrid. Yeah, like, I don't feel the need to jump into the Prius itself. It's just it's a little funk box. I still don't like the way the they may have changed it now. But the last one of The last priuses I had that center console the trim was all laid. It looks like a day.

Sam Abuelsamid  54:04  
Yeah, that's on the Prius Prime. Okay. Yeah. On the plug in hybrid. So midsize sedan with a legacy um,

Dan Roth  54:13  
yeah, I like the legacy if you like Subarus, you'll you'll like the legacy to its it's it's kind of squishy in that super away. Visibility is good. It's it's a good legacy but it's not a great mid size sedan even with all wheel drive, and now the competition has started nipping at its heels you can get the camera with a little drive you can get the ultimate overdrive and i think i think the all wheel drive Camry despite of you know, it's it's looks which can be a bit much. I think the super looks great. But I think the camera is probably a better choice.

Sam Abuelsamid  54:49  
I would tend to agree with you there. Okay, large sedan Toyota Avalon. Okay. Again, the choices in this segment are shrinking. You know, a lot of what was there has gone away or is about to go away. You know, and I think of what's left. You know, the the Avalon is probably you know, you think, I think Hyundai discontinued this era in North America, right?

Dan Roth  55:20  
If they haven't, they're close,

Sam Abuelsamid  55:22  
I mean, but he had just launched a refresh of the cadenza. So there's the cadenza but, yeah, I mean, you know, the Avalon is a great choice. You know, if this is what you're looking for,

Dan Roth  55:33  
I think so the cadenza may look a little sharper may feel a little nicer inside. I think that was my impression of it the last time I think the Avalon is actually the better Carter own and drive. It's weird though in large car or large sedan land, you've got a couple of different architectures to choose from, right. You could go with the Avalon, which is basically a bigger camera. So it's front wheel drive, and it's, you know, a pretty well known quantity and But you could also go with something like a Chrysler 300, which, beyond being old, which is fine, it's an older car doesn't drive for late. But it's also a large city and so there's there's still some choice and it really comes down to what you want and expect out of out of your car. So that's a really kind of a, it's not a high, high volume segment, but that's a kind of a buyer specific segment that everyone's a great all around her. Like, it's gonna be just about everybody. So

Sam Abuelsamid  56:27  
yeah. And you know, if, if you want something, you know, in this in this size class, you know, with a little more sporting flavor to it, you know, you could always get the charger with a Hellcat engine in it. Yeah. And there's a wide body Hellcat charger now so you know, that's always an option for you. Right?

Dan Roth  56:45  
I would like to see an Avalon with 707 horsepower.

Sam Abuelsamid  56:51  
That could be interesting. Yeah, you would definitely want the all wheel drive with that though. Yeah, absolutely. Yes, definitely. All right, midsize three row utility. You tell you ride and I think obviously a toss up here between this and the Hyundai palisade.

Dan Roth  57:08  
Everybody loves to tell you right? I mean come on to tell you right is I think of the two to tell you rides the better one of the between the Hyundai and Kia but I mean what's the competition for midsize three or SUVs? Like

Sam Abuelsamid  57:25  
let's say you got you got the Highlander the Honda Pilot Ford Explorer.

Dan Roth  57:34  
So this is this is the issue with this class right the new Highlanders really pricey it's it starts at like 35

Sam Abuelsamid  57:43  
yeah and and so the same is true the Explorer You know, it starts in that same price range you know, they're all the prices on all these are you know, keep climbing up every year as they add more stuff to them. You know, and you know, the key and the Hyundai you know, our has usual great value propositions, you know, I think a maxed out tell you ride you know, doesn't get you above like 46 $47,000

Dan Roth  58:10  
Yeah, I mean and that's that's really the winner and it feels like a million bucks inside it looks so good. The interior you took the badges off this thing and parked it next in xc 90 it would look right at home. Oh yeah, absolutely. So I

Sam Abuelsamid  58:24  
pick up on the ridge line

Dan Roth  58:27  
yes absolutely 100% agree.

Sam Abuelsamid  58:29  
I think for the vast majority of people yes this this is absolutely the best choice for them. You know in terms of its cargo capacity, you know, it's roominess is driving dynamics, fuel efficiency, you know, I think it's a fantastic choice. If you need something that is more truck like you know, you know, with, you know, especially if you need, you know, any kind of towing capability any more significant towing capability, you know, either the, the GM or or Ford's I mean that the Tacoma you know, is reliable but not great to drive. But you know, the the Ranger or the Chevy Colorado GMC Canyon, you know are other alternatives if you're in that segment.

Dan Roth  59:13  
Yeah. So remember the focus of Consumer Reports too, because you're gonna, I think this is a mildly controversial pick it for some truck buyers who are looking for tricky trucks. And that's not necessarily who reads Consumer Reports. So I think that this is perfect for the people they're talking to. And for most people

Sam Abuelsamid  59:38  
like this perfect truck for me, you need to haul home some, you know, 20 bags of topsoil for your garden or, or you know, 20 bags of mulch. Yeah, then this is a perfectly good truck, you know, and it's so good in so many ways.

Dan Roth  59:52  
Yeah. And it's, I it's comfortable. It's roomy. It's it's a good truck.

Sam Abuelsamid  1:00:00  
Alright, midsize SUV Lexus RX.

Dan Roth  1:00:03  
No, no, I'm yeah, I come from

Sam Abuelsamid  1:00:10  
I have no idea there are so many good choices in this segment. You know, you know from the you know, the Ford Edge is really good. You know, if you want something more premium, you know, they Lincoln MK x is also in there. You know, the Acura RDX i think is a great option here. You know, there are so many choices here. Yeah. And that Rx, you know, is fine, but no,

Dan Roth  1:00:39  
the RX is so old. It's ungainly. It's it? No, this is not, don't I, I get from the consumer perspective. Lexus dealers will treat you really well. The vehicle is going to be viable. And you know, it's not that expensive for what it is. It's just it doesn't feel All that luxurious and it's Alexis so it's supposed to be luxurious. It's again, it's, it's infotainment is not good. And it sucks to dry. That is true. It's awful. This is this is actually this is one of the few Toyota products that hasn't moved to the TGA right.

Sam Abuelsamid  1:01:18  
Yeah and and you know this this generation of RX has been around for a while now. It's Yeah, it's probably going to get a replacement you know, within the next 12 months. So I would, I would probably stay away from this particular choice

Dan Roth  1:01:34  
for print like practical consumer like cars, dishwasher things, it'll be fine. But not I can't I can't get behind it.

Sam Abuelsamid  1:01:45  
All right. Last one sports car Toyota Supra.

Dan Roth  1:01:49  
Um, you know, sports cars are really personal choice. I feel like the more subjective

Sam Abuelsamid  1:01:55  
than any other second.

Dan Roth  1:01:57  
I feel like people who are buying sports cars are really particular. So it's it's hard to pick one sports car that's going to satisfy every kind of sports car buyer. I don't think the soup is a bad choice, though. I I I know it's controversial. A lot of folks don't like the way it looks. I think in I've, you know, I was astounded at how great it looked when I saw one for the first time in person. I like it a lot. I think in terms of how it drives, you know, the BMW bones help it out. So, I don't I don't think it's a terrible choice. I think that this one's going to spark more. Yeah, but what about you know.dot.com or anything else?

Sam Abuelsamid  1:02:44  
I think yeah, I think the reality is that anybody is looking for a sports car is probably not going to be looking to this list to help them make their decision. Yeah, that's Yeah, depending on what you want, you know, there. There's such a it's such a broad range of cars that fall into the category of sports car, you know, from the Miata to the Corvette, you know, to, you know, an NSX. You know, and everything in between. So I think, I think that this is this, this one just doesn't make this particular category doesn't make sense on this particular list.

Dan Roth  1:03:20  
It's a really, I would say, and we can, we can ask, I know, Keith Barry. He's another New England writer. So he writes for custom reports. So I can ask him about sort of the difficulty of the choices here, this was probably the hardest category for them. Because it is again, it's it's a little outside of their normal. Sort of, I guess, sort of, like, who you generalize is the Consumer Reports, reader or, you know, audience member and there's so much emotion wrapped up in sports cars, it's, it's, that's a hard thing to pick. It's a super fun, it's gonna be a fun time. You're gonna find stuff to like about it, but it wouldn't be my first pick. But quite honestly, I can't tell you what my first pick would be because I'd have to like this is one of those things where I'd be to like actually put them in sort of a list and be like, well, what are we like about this one? We're like about that one. And it depends on what you're using it for, too. So the best thing is to get a lot of sports cars different reasons. That's right. But you know, we skip the EV they have the Tesla Model three is what do you think about that? But I mean, you have more experience with Tesla's are with Yeah, with Tesla's Andy V's than I do like I I have been watching the Tesla Model three like it's got a gotten a lot of accolades and you know, the owners love them. But also the you know, the the media those of us who look at this stuff critically, also a very impressed by that car. So

Sam Abuelsamid  1:04:56  
yeah, I mean, it does a lot of things really well and You know, again, you know, if you're, if you're in the market, you know, for something in the 40 to $50,000 price range, you know, or 40 to $60,000 price range, in an EV, you know, it's, it's a really good choice. You know, if you're, you know, again, it depends a lot like sports cars, you know, I think, you know, this is a, this is a category now where you're picking it by power train, and there's going to be an increasing increasing number of choices over the next year or two that are radically different cars and even what's available today among these are radically different, you know, from, you know, the Nissan LEAF, you know, up through, you know, Model X, you know, and, and all kinds of stuff in between, you know, later this fall, we've got the Mustang machi coming, you've got a Hyundai Kona Evie that's already out there to Chevy Bolt. So I think it depends a lot on what you want from a car. You know, for from from a vehicle, you know, you kind of, you kind of have to, you know, make all the same kinds of decisions, you know, like which of these other categories, I mean, this could fit into any of the other categories above, you know what, you know, cars versus utilities and wagons. So, we're going to see a lot of different options and there's there's already a lot of widely disparate options now just like sports cars.

Dan Roth  1:06:27  
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I, without having an opportunity to be in as many TVs and stuff like I have more faith in this stuff from from Audi and other automakers. It's sort of not quite here yet. And I know range says even

Sam Abuelsamid  1:06:45  
the stuff that's, that's here now, I would probably be more inclined to buy, you know, a Kia Nero or a Chevy Bolt than I would to buy a model three.

Dan Roth  1:06:54  
I've been looking at boats on like CarGurus and Carphone and stuff. You need a Lot of car a lot of a lot of EV for your dollar there. Yeah, well under $20,000 for used one and

Sam Abuelsamid  1:07:08  
and that's you know, that's one of the challenges with TVs too is the depreciation tends to be really high. So you can actually get some screaming deals on use Divi. So if you if you want to buy an EV, I would seriously look at a two to three year old, you know, bolt or a leaf or you know, or, or even a Tesla rather than a brand new one.

Dan Roth  1:07:28  
Yeah, yeah, and everybody's concerned is the battery life and I just did the battery life is simply not an issue. It's not It's not an in any of them, like the battery's gonna Outlast other stuff.

Sam Abuelsamid  1:07:40  
Alright, so with that, let's let's wind it up. And, you know, thank everybody for the for the good reviews on Apple podcasts and you know, keep them coming if you can, it helps us to get up onto their, their top lists and hopefully help more people find the show and and you Let your friends if you like the show, let your friends know about it and you know, Tom the Tom come and listen.

Dan Roth  1:08:05  
Yeah, and Sam, you're gonna you're gonna make appearances and other places. I think everybody should look for you. I know you're a tech guy. Surely and like you, you are around you're, you're the figurehead of

Sam Abuelsamid  1:08:18  
somewhat prolific.

Dan Roth  1:08:21  
So, yeah, good. All roads lead back to us though. So that's good. Um, so anyway, thanks for listening. We'll catch everybody next time. Bye. Thanks for listening to wheel bearings, find us at wheel bearings, media and on Twitter as at wheel bearings cast. Remember, there's only one vowel that's the a and cast. We're also a car review tweets on Twitter or you could just email us at feedback at wheel bearing stop media

Transcribed by https://otter.ai