The Avants Podcast

Dan is working on his tan and Nick is adding as many layers as possible, but we still managed to put together a new episode discussing the polar opposites of car culture we are currently in. Dan gives an update on the car culture he’s found on Oahu (and is looking for more!) and Nick gives an update on the crazy PNW Snowpocalypse that is keeping even the most prepared drivers indoors.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from us! It’s just the two of us for this holiday episode. We wish you all the best and hope you’re spending some quality time with the people you love.

You’ve probably heard that name before - Otis Porsche. If you’re like us, you probably didn’t realize Otis is actually the name of Richard and Dolores Ranhofer’s Porsche Cayenne, which sat on the dock of a bay a little too long. We meet with the elusive couple who have truly been pioneers in getting the Cayenne it’s off-road credit it actually deserves. These two have been overlanding before overl...

You’re running out of time, but you can still get really cool Christmas gifts for that special car person in your life! In fact, we made a non-affiliate link list so you know you’re not buying anything just because we make money off it. We genuinely love these products and hope you will too! You can find this list on our website in the episode notes with links! 

We don’t use that word to describe a lot of people - incredible - but it fits. From drag racing, to stunt driving, to road racing, to drifting, to rally, AND MORE, Verena Mei has basically done it all. In spite of all that, she’s still humble, charming, and was an absolute joy for us to have on the show. Enjoy this very special, extended podcast featuring a guest you won’t forget and definitely en...

We had a fun time making this kind of random episode, but we wanted to make sure you had something to listen while stuck in traffic. Thank you to all of you who are listening! We really love doing this and you are the reason we do! We talk about electric cars, autocross, the latest Avant’s Off-Road event, and more! Check out the gallery on this episode if you’re looking for a little motivation to...

We had a really great and honest interview with Nathan Merz, owner of Columbia Valley Luxury Cars . More than that, Nathan is extremely involved in the PCA, a writer, a content creator, and all around great guy. Nathan has been selling and flipping cars, especially Porsches, since he was 13 years old. From giving credit to his wife and family to being open and honest about inflated values, transpo...

Did you know you can just go sign up for a track day and go? I mean, you’ll want your car in good mechanical shape, but that’s really it. You can just go. Ann Doherty decided after receiving her dream car for her 50th birthday she was going to do just that, and now she is racing a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS.

It’s SEMA time, which means if you’re following any automotive news you’re seeing all sorts of new products coming out you probably won’t be able to buy for 6 months thanks to supply chain issues! We give a brief history of SEMA, talk winter tires (not snow tires), and a few other project updates.

Our audio here is a little rough due to limited infrastructure! Nick went to COTA and Dan went to Moab, but you definitely need to go to both! It’s an adventure update that hopefully inspires you to get out and explore!

Did you know it’s ok to change your beliefs and opinions when you get new, more credible information? Well, we do, so we thought we’d update Episode 159 and the contents of our Off-Road List , which is housed under our Tips and Links section of our website. In this longer, extensive episode we talk about updates to that list, new tips for getting out on the trail, and you NEED to check out the vid...

Dan got to watch a police chase which he caught on his dashcam so we figured now would be a good time to discuss what makes a good dashcam, how to mount it properly, and some other tips and tricks. We also go over the next few weeks as Nick is going F1 in Austin and Dan is going off-roading in Moab! There’s some serious Billy Joel talk in here too. If you’re looking a great Dashcam, our friend Ari...

We welcome Brian Nilsen with Circuit of the Northwest back as he confirms the track is coming! We also talk about customer service during COVID, DSRP vs MSRP, and welcome Daniella Lewis - head of membership for Circuit of the Northwest. We are very excited to have another track that's really happening, but it's going to be so much more than just another track!

Ray York joins us and finally answers the age old mystery of why there are never enough garage photos in home listings! He also shares his story of growing up not far from Dan, meeting Dale Earnhardt, getting fired by his dad at 18, and starting in real estate at the perfect time… 2007. Text RCS to 59559 to get a hold of Ray!

In episode 201 we talk about a deerly departed friend Nick met on the way home from Dan’s house. Luckily this was a low-speed mishap, but we will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the worst jaywalkers on the road. Tune in to find out if Nick is still pulling fur out his grill.

We made it all the way to episode 200! We’ve come a long way from Nick’s kitchen and we recorded this one in Dan’s dining room. We present the two best car tips we could think of, talk about the cross-plane crankshaft 4 cylinder, and take a short walk down memory lane.

For episode 199 we get Professional Rally Co-Driver Rhianon Gelsomino! Not only is she the 2021 ARA National Champion along with driver Travis Pastrana, she’s legitimately one of the most knowledgeable people we’ve ever met when it comes to all things rally and co-driving. She walks us through all of it in a way even we can understand and gives us all the good stories about her racing life, racing...

Karl introduced us to someone else you’ll want to know, Daniel Pilling! Daniel learned to drive at the track, watched the XJ220 go into production, and has worked with everything from F1, to NASCAR, to Goodwood, and more! Listen in for some great stories!

We discuss the 50 weirdest laws we could find by state. In spite of everything on the internet being true, we found out some these were a lie! I mean, if you can’t trust random blogs you read on the internet for legal advice, who can you trust?! We had fun with this one and hope you will too.

It’s so weird to say “Krissy from Avants” when we’ve known Krissy as our girl at LeMay for so long. We are so excited to see where she takes Avants and how Avants is going to grow from Adam bringing her onboard. Krissy adds a wealth of knowledge and experience in the car world and we catch up with her and what she’s got planned.

Nick calls in to give us the update on what’s going on in Monterey for Car Week post Covid lockdown and Dan sits at home and roasts in the 100 degree heat.

Dan’s out and Branden Ben Powell is in! Nick and Branden talk building an off-road community, building the Pinzgauer, magnets (how do they work?!), and even have a GIVEAWAY! Tune and be sure to leave us a comment! Follow BBP on IG at Sarpinz !

Well, we kinda did it. We did sections 3 and 4 of the WABDR, which was all we were allowed to do thanks to massive shutdowns across the east side of the state due to fire danger, but we did it and lived to tell the tale! Branden Ben Powell and Brian Elich join us in the studio to tell the tale of the first annual Backcountry Monkey recap!

We love guests that are authentically themselves; it’s what makes people truly interesting! We welcome John and Melissa from Group 2 Automotive as they tell us all about stories from South Africa, driving on “closed roads” in Lamborghinis, Ferrari muffler bearings, and a whole lot more! We are indeed a car show about people and this episode definitely fulfills that and more.

A long time ago Dan stumbled across an IG; RoamingRS and thought “What a cool person, she should be on the show!” Turns out that person was none other than Josie Rimmer. You might know that last name if you’re a car enthusiast but Josie is more than her last name to be proud of, she’s a great advocate for women in motorsports, a driver, an equestrian, and just a really fun person to be around! We...