Cool Cars with Chris: Car Talk, Driving Tips & Auto Life

In this episode of Cool Cars with Chris , Chris sits down with Jesse Jackson, co-founder of Mango Automotive, to discuss how she's redefining auto repair through customer experience, innovative business practices, and a fresh approach to an industry that has remained largely unchanged for decades. Jesse shares her journey from the software industry into automotive repair, the story behind the...

On this episode of Cool Cars With Chris, we're joined by Jeffrey Willerth of the Z Club of America at the legendary Willow Springs Raceway for a conversation about Datsun heritage, vintage racing, and the passion that keeps classic Z cars alive. Jeffrey shares the story of his beloved Datsun 260Z that was stolen and recovered, how it sat in storage for nearly 30 years before finally returning...

What's happening everybody! On this episode of Cool Cars With Chris, Courage is back from another track day with his Hyundai Elantra N, and he's getting closer than ever to reaching his goal of breaking into the 5-second club. We talk about his latest runs, the difference 95-octane fuel makes, Hyundai's unique octane learning system, and whether his new drag tires are helping him get t...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , Chris heads to  Willow Springs Raceway  to sit down with  Meredith Burns , President of the Southern California Chapter of  Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA)  and Editor of  Performance Racing Industry Magazine . Meredith shares how women are becoming increasingly involved in every aspect of motorsports—from racing and engineering to business lea...

🔥 Welcome back to  Cool Cars with Chris  — the ultimate automotive podcast for car enthusiasts, muscle car fans, JDM lovers, hot rod builders, and performance car addicts. In this episode, Chris and Courage dive deep into the legendary  Temecula Hot Rod Run , one of Southern California’s coolest classic car cruise nights packed with vintage hot rods, classic Mustangs, custom muscle cars, V8 build...

Back at Willow Springs Raceway, I sit down with Joey Moreno to talk about the growing Cars & Coffee 805 movement, Ventura car culture, and his aggressively modified 2026 Honda Civic Si.  Joey shares how the 805 car community is building momentum through pop-up meets and local Cars & Coffee events across Ventura, Camarillo, Moorpark, Montecito, and Santa Barbara. We also talk about what it...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , we break down the real truth about  electric vehicles (EVs) , including the growing debate around  EV vs gas cars ,  EV range anxiety , and why major automakers like Ford and GM may be  pulling back on EV production . We dive into a shocking real-world  Tesla flood test in San Diego , where a Tesla Model 3 drives through deep water, raising questions abou...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , we take you inside  Willow Springs Raceway , one of the most iconic racetracks in California, for an exclusive interview with Kevin Hart, who runs sales, events, and business development at the track. If you’ve ever wondered how a real racetrack operates, how to attend track days, or how to drive your own car on a professional circuit, this episode breaks...

Car breakdown stories, car battery failure, driving in snow, and real car problems—this episode covers it all. Chris shares two real-life car disasters, including a dangerous snowstorm drive years ago and a recent dead battery that caused his car to die unexpectedly. If you’ve ever dealt with car trouble, electrical issues, or being stranded on the road, this episode breaks down what went wrong an...

A special bonus episode of Cool Cars with Chris recorded live from KDM Week at Escondido Cars & Coffee in Southern California. Despite rainy weather, enthusiasts still showed up to celebrate Korean performance and automotive culture, featuring Hyundai N models, Genesis sedans and coupes, Kia performance cars, and more from the growing KDM scene. This episode explores how Hyundai, Kia, and Gene...

In this episode of Cool Cars with Chris, we sit down with Michael Castro Garcia to talk about his 2005 Nissan 350Z build. Inspired by Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, Michael shares how he turned his dream into reality with a bagged 350Z running a full air suspension setup that allows the car to sit extremely low while still being street driven. We also dive into the common VQ engine oil burning i...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , we dive into one of the biggest debates in  car culture :  Built vs Bought —and whether modifying your car is really worth it. Chris and Courage break down real-world experiences with  turbo mods , including how  boost PSI  and  octane learning affect performance on modern cars like the Hyundai N platform. If you’ve ever wondered how much power is too muc...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , recorded live at Willow Springs Raceway, Chris sits down with Manuel Gutierrez—a lifelong car enthusiast, Datsun Z owner, and skilled leather craftsman. Shop - https://zclubofamerica.com/shop/ Manuel shares the incredible story of his  1976 Datsun 280Z , a car that quite literally traveled the world with him during his military career. From Hawaii to Spai...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , we take a deep dive into  street legal drag racing , real-world car performance, and what makes driving feel truly exciting. Recorded live from the backyard studio, Chris and Courage break down their experience at a  street legal dragway , including what it’s like to race your own car, how a 330-foot drag strip works, and what beginners need to know befor...

We took  Cool Cars with Chris  on the road—and this time, we went  LIVE from Willow Springs Raceway  for one of the wildest track day experiences we’ve ever had. From pulling up at 6AM in the middle of nowhere to being surrounded by roaring engines, insane builds, and a full-on Nissan Z takeover… this event did NOT disappoint. This episode was recorded LIVE at the  All Japan Showdown , where we sa...

The Z is BACK… and this time, it’s mine. In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , I take a trip up to Temecula to hang out with Courage—and show him my brand new (to me)  Nissan 370Z . We take it for a spin, break down first impressions, and get into what it’s  really like  owning one of the most iconic Japanese sports cars ever made. But this isn’t just a car reveal… We dive deep into: Real-wor...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , Chris and Courage dive into the  crazy surge in California gas prices  and uncover a surprising loophole that allows some gas stations to sell fuel  cheaper than everyone else . Chris shares insider knowledge from working in the fuel industry and explains how certain  reservation gas stations in California  are able to bring fuel in from  Nevada and Arizo...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , we dive into  San Diego car culture , a  Southern California car cruise , and the timeless debate every enthusiast faces: Should you daily drive your dream car? Chris and Courage talk about a recent  San Diego car cruise with Avant Car Club , featuring a wide variety of enthusiast vehicles including  Porsche 911 sports cars, modified Nissan builds, and hi...

On this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , Chris and Courage recap their visit to Scripps Ranch Cars & Coffee in San Diego — and what turned into an unexpected Dodge Viper showcase. A 2000 Dodge Viper ACR steals the spotlight, complete with the original window sticker. We break down the $90,000 MSRP, the $10,000 ACR package, radio delete, no air conditioning, competition suspension, and even t...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , I walk out to find my Mustang’s rear tire completely slashed — inside a gated community. I break down how we discovered the sidewall damage, changed the tire with my son, and dealt with the frustration of random car vandalism. We also continue the mini bike build with a brand-new 98cc engine swap. We talk through intake upgrades, mounting challenges, thro...

Doug DeMuro’s Bat Cave at Cars & Bids headquarters, the $318,000 Ford Mustang GTD, Porsche 911 GT3 performance comparisons, Tesla ending Model S and Model X production, and the future of the Tesla Roadster and Tesla humanoid robots — this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris  covers the most talked-about stories in the automotive world. We go inside Doug DeMuro’s Cars & Bids “Bat Cave” in San...

In this episode of  Cool Cars With Chris , I share a huge parenting and car-guy milestone —  letting my 16-year-old drive a Mustang for the very first time . Yes, it was controlled. Yes, it was legal. And yes… it was nerve-wracking. I break down exactly why I chose a  2005 Ford Mustang  as his first car, what it’s like driving a 20-year-old Mustang today, and how older cars still have a personalit...

This episode of  Cool Cars with Chris  is all about the  2005 Ford Mustang ,  first cars , and the modern  Mustang horsepower  arms race. I talk about buying a  2005 Mustang V6 S197  as a  first car for my teen driver , what it’s like putting a new driver into an older  muscle car , and how that led me down a rabbit hole of  Dark Horse Mustang ,  Mustang GTD ,  EcoBoost vs 5.0 GT , and even  1,000...

In this episode of  Cool Cars with Chris , we dive into the Southern California car scene with a recap of  Escondido Cars and Coffee , featuring rare cars, custom builds, and big turnouts. Chris talks about  test driving a Nissan 350Z , reflecting on his past 370Z ownership, and shares the full story behind  buying a cool car (a 2005 Ford Mustang)  — but not for himself. We also break down the gro...

This episode of  Cool Cars with Chris  explores the real cost of car YouTube, breaking down how big YouTube car channels spend thousands of dollars per video on production, cars, marketing, and crews—often with poor ROI. Chris and Courage discuss car content creation, YouTube algorithms, indie car creators, short-form vs long-form video, and why relatable automotive content often outperforms high-...