In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show

A tiny, overlooked component is bringing giant assembly lines to a halt. We dig into the Nexperia saga—European control, Chinese export blocks, and a packaging choke point—and explain why the “boring” diodes and transistors tucked into door locks, HVAC, and wiper motors matter as much as any cutting-edge processor. When each vehicle hides 300 to 600 of these legacy chips, one missing part can park...

We sit down with newly appointed Houston Auto Show president Rochelle Salinas to unpack what it takes to steer a legacy event through inventory shortages, EV uncertainty, and shifting manufacturer strategies while still delivering experiences people can feel. Rochelle shares concrete updates: Camp Jeep is confirmed, a curated luxury showcase with Modern Luxury is on deck, and outdoor ride-and-driv...

Two family haulers, two very different promises. We put the 2025 Mazda CX-90 and the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica through their paces to find out whether driving joy or everyday ease should lead your next purchase. If you’ve ever stood in a dealer lot torn between a sleek three-row SUV and a minivan that just works, this head-to-head is your shortcut to clarity. We start with the CX-90’s immediate curb...

A vinyl roof once meant instant glamour. We open with the style story that turned sedans into showroom stars, tracing how factory-installed tops promised convertible vibes without the compromise. From luxury badges to muscle icons, the trend peaked with opera windows and bold textures, then collided with reality—moisture trapped under fabric, hidden rust, and a slow retreat from the option sheets...

As we head to the end of the year, with new 2026 models out or on the way, many buyers are looking for end of year deals.  We are doing a review of some of our reviews of popular models, just in case.... A trail tamer or a family hauler—what truly fits your life right now? We put two 2025 standouts under the microscope: Chevrolet’s Colorado ZR2, a factory-built off-road machine with real armor and...

With Dodge thinking real hard about bringing the Hellcat, we take a look at two of our favorites. A three-row family hauler with 710 horsepower sounds like a punchline, but the 2023 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Premium makes a strong case for everyday insanity. We dive into the details that matter: the captain’s chairs that make carpool easy, the Laguna leather and heated second row that keep everyon...

With the weather changing toward Winter, it is a good time to check our batteries, so we decided to revisit an earlier discussion to start ... the discussion. Ever wonder why your car starts strong some mornings and struggles on others? We take you under the hood of battery choices that actually affect daily reliability, from budget-friendly picks at big-box stores to premium designs built for har...

The headlines promised an EV future on rails, but the market had other plans. We open with a candid look at Porsche’s sharp margin squeeze, the cost of a rapid electrification pivot, and why tariffs and a cooling Chinese luxury market are reshaping the brand’s near-term outlook. From Taycan’s steep first-year depreciation to the 911’s long-haul value and the Macan/718 model timing gaps, we map the...

A turquoise 1958 GMC Apache pulled us in with classic lines, then surprised us with a 2016 heartbeat: a 5.3 V8, 6L80, four-wheel discs, cold AC, and the kind of road manners that beg for long miles. With shop owner and builder Sonny Bennett at the mic, we dive into what it takes to craft a true driver from an old truck—why stock-style pulley systems matter, how water-based paint helps with real-wo...

Skip the time machine and grab the keys—we’re charting five Renaissance festivals worth the drive, then mashing the throttle on a set of street-legal legends before closing with a grounded, real-world review of the 2025 Toyota 4Runner. We start with why people keep returning to these immersive fairs: the craft markets, roaming characters, dense 16th‑century villages, and the freedom to show up as...

The morning started as a casual remote at Houston’s Back to the Past car show and turned into a deep dive into 1910 luxury on wheels. We met Lee Brown and his extraordinary Bianchi limousine, a Milan-built brass-era time capsule that still runs, still turns heads, and still asks you to earn every mile. From bevel glass and flower vases to a chauffeur’s exposed perch, the car lays out a social map...

A boom in a quiet hangar, a frantic call, and a beloved 1968 Dodge Coronet 440 suddenly fighting for its life—this one starts with a gut punch and turns into a blueprint for getting back up. We’re broadcasting from the Back to the Past Car Show in Spring Branch, surrounded by alumni, barbecue smoke, and a lineup that stretches from American muscle to a fresh JDM class. Adalia Graves, from the Spri...

The headlines say EVs are the future. The fine print says “not so fast.” We dig into a turbulent moment for electric vehicles as incentives fade, demand cools, and automakers rework plans in ways that actually make sense for drivers. From Acura and Nissan pauses to Ram and Porsche pivots, we unpack why hybrids and range-extended powertrains are stepping into the spotlight and what that means for c...

Engines, honor, and a Main Street that turns into a living museum—this is how a small Texas town makes car culture feel like a civic holiday. We sit down with the Bastrop Car Cruisers to map the two‑day plan: a laid‑back Friday cruise‑in and a sold‑out Saturday showcase capped at 400 cars. They walk us through the choreography you never see—numbered curbs, early‑morning parking crews, tight coordi...

Want fall roads that aren’t just postcards but proper drives? We lay out a practical, enthusiast-friendly map of autumn routes that pair tight turns with big color: Blue Ridge Parkway’s banked curves and layered foliage, the Cherokee and Nantahala forests with their 900–5,000 ft rhythm, Talimena’s ridgetop vistas in the Ouachitas, and Arkansas’s double feature—Highway 23’s Pig Trail and the long,...

Shoppers are researching harder and buying faster, and the old guesswork about what to stock is getting expensive. We sit down with Shannon Pinto, VP of Statistical Surveys at Trader Interactive, to pull back the curtain on how real DMV registrations and real-time marketplace behavior from RV Trader, Cycle Trader, and Boatline turn into a clear picture of demand—down to the ZIP code, make, model,...

A sleeker Prius that’s actually fun, EV incentives vanishing, and a sports car that resets your grin—this one brings the big swings and the small joys. We kick off by tearing down the old hybrid myth and putting the latest Toyota Prius through a real-world lens: punchy off-the-line torque, thoughtful ergonomics, and the kind of efficiency that makes weekly gas stops feel optional. From there, we h...

A bargain part that looks perfect, installs easily, and quietly destroys your engine months later—that’s the nightmare more drivers are waking up to. We dig into the growing wave of counterfeit auto parts sold online, from fake water pumps that toast head gaskets to sensors that never program and starters that die long before their time. As shop policies shift to protect both customers and reputat...

A shuttered high school, a two-story library, and a parking lot full of chrome—this is how a community keeps its story alive. We welcome Spring Branch Senior High School Alumni Foundation president Frank Klam to share the unlikely journey from a closed campus in 1985 to a living museum that safeguards trophies, uniforms, and hard-won memories the district nearly hauled away. Then we shift gears in...

Fall energy meets turbo torque as we jump from steins to stopwatches, mapping the most spirited Oktoberfests in the U.S. before tearing into “muscle cars” that talked big and drove small—then we strap into the 2025 Hyundai Sonata N Line to see what real-world performance feels like today. We start with pure festival joy: Denver turns six downtown blocks into keg bowling, stein hoists, and polka be...

A friendly grudge, a lit tree, and a time slip—few things capture real car culture like club-versus-club drag racing. We sit down to explore the Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge and how it turns raw horsepower into community, safety, and bragging rights across eighth-mile tracks statewide. Even when a guest’s signal fades, the story stays clear: organize the adrenaline, race where it’s safe, and br...

Ever felt your stomach drop at the top of a blind hill? We handed the wheel to Olivia, a 21-year-old nursing student and brand-new Bronco owner, and watched a long day in the Texas Hill Country turn nerves into mastery. With guidance from veteran auto journalist Sue Mead, Olivia moves from classroom theory to real trail work—learning why GOAT Modes matter, how hill descent control actually feels,...

Buckle up for a high-octane exploration of automotive industry trends and challenges that are reshaping the market landscape. We dive deep into the alarming rise of "credit bust out" scams targeting dealerships, where criminals orchestrate the purchase of multiple vehicles through falsified loan applications before credit reports can catch up. One brazen example involved financing six ve...

Navigating the murky waters of auto body repairs just got easier thanks to an innovative approach that puts transparency and consumer choice at the forefront. Ilan Mandil, founder of OttoFixIt, joins us to unveil how AI technology is revolutionizing the way drivers approach collision repair estimates. By simply snapping photos of vehicle damage, consumers can now receive preliminary cost projectio...

Step right up to a fascinating exploration of the Texas State Fair's hidden gems! Beyond the legendary fried foods lies a world of unexpected attractions waiting to be discovered. Did you know you could view world-famous butter sculptures in the Creative Arts building? Or that a 212-foot Texas Fair Swell offers breathtaking panoramic views of Dallas and Fair Park from 44 illuminated gondolas?...