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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | #338

Whether you’re looking for an affordable car, a car show to attend or the latest auto reviews – we’ve got it all. Executive editor of Autotrader, Brian Moody, joins us to talk about the new Volvo factory in Charleston, South Carolina. He explains that after all the work Volvo is doing to make safer, more reliable vehicles, it is pretty neat that they’re basically building the car of the future right here in the United States. Changing lanes, Brian reviews the 2018 Mazda CX 9 which is so refined that you may be fooled into thinking it’s a luxury car. While it may be missing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it is definitely a head turner and fits in nicely at the fancy hotel Brian stayed at on a recent trip. Before Brian jumps off the air, he tells us about Autotrader’s list of the “Top 10 Most Affordable Vehicles to Insure in 2018”. The Honda CRV, Ford Fiesta, Honda Pilot, Mazda 3, Toyota Sienna, and the MINI Countryman are just a few of the great cars on the list. Next, Hollywood car consultant, Josh Hancock, sounds off about his surprising test drive of the Mitsubishi Mirage. While the car is extremely small, it was a great car to zoom around the narrow, busy roads he was on. After that, he gives us an update on the Iola Old Car Show that is taking place in Iola, Wisconsin. This show will be movie car themed and even has Henry Winkler as one of the judges, so Josh is excited. Lastly, we end the show with a great Craftsman story from Josh and he raves about the excitement of getting a new set of tools from them. Tune in now for some great auto news and a whole bunch of laughs!

 

• [00:00:00] Volvo’s New Charleston Factory
• [00:06:22] Mazda CX 9 Luxury in Disguise
• [00:12:31] 2018 Most Affordable to Insure
• [00:19:51] Surprise! Mitsubishi Mirage GT
• [00:29:39] Movie Themed Iola Old Car Show
• [00:35:53] Josh Hancock’s Craftsman Story

 

Discover more about segments and guests below…

[00:00:00] Volvo’s New Factory

Imagine a Swedish car brand, owned by a Chinese company, and manufactured in the United States. Volvo is just that company – talk about well rounded! Executive Editor of Autotrader, Brian Moody, recently took a road trip to check out Volvo’s new factory in Charleston, South Carolina. Volvo has promised electrified cars by 2019, self-driving cars, and a no harm policy by 2020. He exclaims how cool it is that this company is basically manufacturing the car of the future right here on our side of the pond. Learn more about the moves Volvo is making now.

 

[00:06:22] Mazda CX-9 Luxury in Disguise

We all know that riding in a luxury car is a wonderful experience but sometimes our pocketbook is not big enough. Well luckily, Brian Moody of Autotrader, shares that the 2018 Mazda CX-9 has really met all the requirements of a fine automobile and includes everything but the hefty price tag. It has comfortable seats, an LED light-up grille, safety systems, heated seats, and a turbocharged engine. The only thing Brian was bummed about is that it didn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto but all of the other features made up for it. The styling of the CX-9 is definitely a head-turner and fits right in at a luxury hotel. Explore the CX-9 now.

 

[00:12:31] 2018’s Most Affordable Vehicles to Insure

When it comes to buying a new car sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the process. Executive Editor of Autotrader, Brian Moody, tells us that it’s important to keep the little details of added expenses in mind. Insurance is one of the bigger bills that comes along with car ownership and Autotrader has a list of the Top 10 Most Affordable Vehicles to Insure in 2018. The Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Honda CR-V, Honda Pilot, and the Mazda3 are just a few that are at the top of the list. Brian also tells us he was extremely surprised that the MINI Countryman was on the list as well because they are usually more expensive to repair. If you’re looking for a low overhead cost of new car ownership, check out Autotrader.com.

 

[00:19:51] Surprise! Mitsubishi Mirage GT

Sometimes a rental car can surprise you and that exact thing happened to Hollywood car consultant, Josh Hancock of JoshCAR. He went to Maine for a week and ended up with a Mitsubishi Mirage GT, which is a very compact car with a 1.2L 3-cylinder engine. He was skeptical when he picked it up but it ended up being super invaluable on the small, busy roads filled with summer traffic. The Mirage, which is so small you could turn it around in the living room, won the hearts of the nieces and nephews he was visiting. Don’t judge a car by its size – find out why the Mitsubishi Mirage could be your dream car.

 

[00:29:39] Movie-Themed Iola Old Car Show

Iola, Wisconsin is home to the Iola Old Car Show and Hollywood car consultant, Josh Hancock, attended because this year just so happened to be movie-themed. He sounds off about this beautiful show in the middle of nowhere that brings roughly 150,000 people and Henry Winkler was even there as a judge. There is just something about movie cars that really stick with the fans and even if the car is not that great, the value could be through the roof because of its popularity. Josh says that sometimes half of his day is spent valuing collector film cars for people and he loves to see what people think they’re worth. Switching gears, Josh also shares the news that a second Top Gun is on the way and he hopes to be a part of finding the cars for it. Are you craving to see your favorite ride from the big screen?

 

[00:35:53] Josh Hancock’s Craftsman Story

Everyone has a story about their first tool, maybe they were hand-me-downs from a family member. Hollywood car consultant, Josh Hancock, gushes that his first tools were Craftsman tools given to him by his uncle who was quite the handyman. At the time he had just bought a Jeep that he was working on and reminisces that it was one of the greatest gifts he‘s ever gotten. Alan excitedly tells Josh that he will be getting him a new set of Craftsman tools and Josh knows that he will be as excited about those ones as he was about his first set. If you really love tools, the second you get them you want to find something to take apart. What is your Craftsman story?

 

Explore More with Helpful Links:

• Contributor: Josh Hancock | Hollywood Car Consultant, JoshCAR
• Special Guest: Brian Moody | Executive Editor, Autotrader
• Website: Iola Old Car Show
• Article: Volvo’s South Carolina Factory
• Article: Top 10 Most Affordable Vehicles to Insure in 2018
• Vehicle Mention: 2018 Mazda CX 9
• Vehicle Mention: 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage

Episode Credits:

• Program Host: Alan Taylor
• Producer: Dave Milligan
• Production Assistant: Joanne Bolden
• Audio Engineer: Dave Milligan
• Copy Editor: Jess Baumgardner

Our Sponsors & Supported Charities:

• Austin Hatcher Foundation
• Barrett-Jackson
• Brembo
• Bridgestone
• Craftsman
• Dodge
• Foundation of Human Understanding
• Go RVing
• KIA
• Patriot Outreach
• Shell
• Subaru

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This episode was produced by Entertainment Right Now (ERN). If you found value in this episode, and you’d like to hear more, please consider leaving us a review on iTunes and be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you don’t miss a beat. Your feedback helps us to reach more enthusiasts around the world! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, please leave a comment below or e-mail us at info@ernlive.com.