Back by popular demand, it's another Random Number Generator Car Reviews episode, where Jason and Derek pull reviews of cars from their extensive spreadsheet. This, after Jason succeeds in getting his van, Jynah, stuck in the snow. And succeeds, despite there being no snow.
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Jason takes the van to Tahoe to finally test the Vredestein Wintrac Pros in the snow. He experiences the joys of installing tire chains on the side of a cold, wet freeway while chain-control enforcers allow countless all-season- or even summer tire-equipped SUVs to pass by. The Carmudgeons discuss the importance of tires and the dramatic grip disparity between various tire types in the snow. Then they open up their driving history spreadsheets once again for more random number generator car reviews!
Jason heads to Lake Tahoe just after a 4-foot snow storm that somehow never materialized. After trekking another 2,000+ feet up in elevation to Mt Rose, he found some, and a simultaneously serene and serendipitous photoshoot ensued. Caravaning up the mountain alongside the van were Jason’s pals in a VinFast VF8 (which easily beats the van in a roll race) and a Range Rover. Someone has to call AAA – guess who!
Jason is incensed by the farcical chain-control restrictions which forced him – driving the FWD van on brand new dedicated winter tires – to pull over and install chains on the slushy roadside, while countless boobs driving AWD SUVs wearing all-seasons or even summer tires were allowed to pass right through (one of which winds up totalled in a Jersey Barrier).
The Carmudgeons can’t stress enough the importance of tires. Especially in the wet and snow. We’ll cover stopping distances of various tire types, and recommend excellent videos from both Engineering Explained and Tyre Reviews on YouTube – especially this one measuring stopping distances and acceleration times on snow using a variety of tire types and grip enhancement measures like chains, ladders, snow socks and more: https://youtu.be/W-k_1gz87vM?si=gR3iIm_77Go1vzmZ
Following the tire discussion, we dive into yet another Random Number Generator Car Reviews session. The Carmudgeons will recount their drives in the following cars:
Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG 4Matic Wagon W210
First-gen Porsche Panamera (alongside a 760Li and S63)
B8 Audi S4 3.0 “Tupercharged”
Acura TL SH-AWD 6-speed (and ZDX)
1957 Porsche Speedster with 4-cam Carrera engine
1958 Porsche 356 Speedster Intermeccanica
2006 Mk5 VW GTI 2.0T
1960 Alfa Giulietta Spider Veloce
2012 E90 BMW M3 Competition Package
2007 Chevy HHR Panel van
2006 Jaguar XJR
2023 Acura Integra Type-S
2009 Ford Escape 4-cyl
1949 Hudson Super 6 Convertible
2010 Jaguar XFR 5.0 Supercharged
1971 Mercedes 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet
2019 Mazda3 AWD Sedan
2003 Aston Martin Vanquish
2019 Genesis G70 AWD
1974 Lancia Stratos HF
2008 Ford Expedition
2000 BMW Z3 2.3i
2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty Diesel
2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet Tiptronic
Jason once got to play policeman while driving around a 2012 CLS63 AMG Fashion Force “police” car that Mercedes created for New York Fashion Week, where he tickets egregiously modified cars.
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