The Carmudgeon Show

• The Importance of Great Insurance (Jason Crashed his Rover SD1) — The Carmudgeon Show Episode Ep. 197

  In this episode, Jason explains how he crashed his 1980 Rover 3500 V8 en route to film an episode of Jay Leno's Garage — and explains why it's so incredibly important to have agreed-value insurance on collector cars. === Visit http://JasonSentMe.com to get a Hagerty Guaranteed Value (TM) collector-car insurance quote! === The Carmudgeons are back from Summer Break 2025! And this episode is all about Jason's experience in crashing his Rover SD1 — and explaining the virtues of having great insurance. Earlier this year, Jason got up early morning to drive 400 miles to film an episode of Jay Leno's Garage featuring the Rover (scheduled to be aired August 4, 2025.) Turns out Leno's crew didn't believe the Rover would make it without incident — after all, these cars weren't reliable when new, 45 years ago. As is turns out, Mr. Leno and his crew were right. But the incident wasn't a mechanical issue, it was Jason punting another car while attempting to make a lane change. Jason takes Hagerty's "Never Stop Driving" tagline to heart — and thanks to him checking every insurance box, he believes the Rover isn't a total loss and will be fixed and back on the road. Drive your cars, and it's not a matter of "if," but "when" something will happen. Jason is no stranger to an insurance claim despite this being his first chargeable claim in 30 years. He annihilated a deer in his E30 Touring, got rear-ended in the Honda Beat, and rammed a Cavalier in his beloved Scirocco – the resulting insurance debacle took years off Jason’s life and required a herculean effort to stop the car from being totaled because of its post-crash, actuarial-calculated “actual cash value”, and was a huge factor in Jason seeking out a better insurance company. He found one in Hagerty and its agreed value coverage. After some initial grieving and embarrassment, it's time to focus on the repairs and the opportunity to make this Rare Rover even better: A Series-1 front-end swap, lights, and euro bumpers, perhaps?,Oh, and a top-to-bottom engine overhaul courtesy of Hagerty's Redline Rebuild team in Michigan – more on that coming soon! Having the right insurance coverage is a literal matter of life and death for your cars, don’t skimp on it or you’ll be sorry! For a Hagerty quote, head over to jasonsentme.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Ask Us Anything: Part 3 — The Carmudgeon Show with Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 195

  Time for another AMA round of Ask Us Anything! We asked our listeners (that’s you) for questions, and we were positively bombarded. Now we return the favor with sarcasm and sass, plus an answer or two! (Note: due to timing concerns, the last two episodes were published out of order. Sorry!) === This episode is sponsored by Vyper Industrial — America’s #1 rated shop chair, tool carts, and creepers, proudly made here in the US. Visit vyperindustrial.com and use code CARMUDGEON for $50 off. === A sampling of listener-posed questions found in this episode: Thoughts on the A124 Mercedes? How do you stop yourself from getting too attached to a car? What’s the special sauce for big coupes? What are the criteria for a fun car in a place without fun roads? What is your 1-car solution for New York? What is a weird, niche corner of car history that needs exploring? Choose your Pope-mobile. What is the right amount of buttons to have in a car? If neither of you could work in the auto industry what would you be doing instead? Is it acceptable to arrive at a funeral in a convertible with the roof down? Has Jason ever ridden a motorcycle and is he willing to try? How do you tell minute differences in car handling? Opinions on Jetta GLI? Opinions on classic Minis? What will become a hot commodity in the next 10 years? Take on the NB (Miata)? Best first daily Mercedes for someone in their 20s prioritizing reliable/wagon? What is unique about SoCal vs NorCal car culture? Will Alfa survive in the USA? Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing or RS6 as a 1-car solution? Thoughts on cyclists? Is Leno’s Law going to affect the pre-1990s car market? Favorite non-Sacco Mercedes? Are 928s the next big p-car thing? Tips for driving in Germany as a Californian/American? What forbidden hot hatches would you want to drive? Best M-lite BMW? What is the weight limit of a true driver’s car? How can Mitsubishi be transformed to become a cool brand again? What are your favorite Japanese sports cars? Which Toyota Camry generation is the best? What’s coming up soon on Hagerty? Why do you guys like the Miata over the S2000? What’s your favorite sandwich? What are your thoughts on the 500 Abarth? How rusty is the Rover? What were your first impressions of Throttle House? What manufacturer has been most upset about a car review? Are you in any way fans of Swedish bricks? What is the best Cosworth – 190 or Sierra? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The C8 Corvette ZR1 Meets Its Predecessors — and Ferraris and Lambos — The Carmudgeon Show Ep. 196

  The C8 ZR1 has arrived, and so too has a new ICONS episode on Detroit’s supercar-killing, 1064-hp twin-turbo, flat-plane crank Corvette. We’ll review the new car in detail and cover all the important bit players: the original 6-cylinder C1, the C3’s optional ZR1 package, the Lotus-powered C4, and the supercharged C6 and C7 – plus rivals like the Ferrari 348, Porsche 911 Turbo, Ferrari 296 and SF90, and Lamborghini Revuelto. Can the C8 ZR1 cement its legacy as peak American sports car, or has it lost the plot pursuing the Europeans? === This episode is sponsored by Vyper Industrial — America’s #1 rated shop chair, tool carts, and creepers, proudly made here in the US. Visit vyperindustrial.com and use code CARMUDGEON for $50 off. === C8 ZR1 ICONS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StWSpZHF998 Check out C4 ZR1 Revelations episode for a deeper dive into the first real ZR1! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vs2tdR-9C8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• BMW M5 Touring vs Audi RS6 Performance — Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 194

  We review the new Audi RS6 Avant Performance, G99 BMW M5 Touring, Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance and Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. One looks spectacular, one has the most impressive suspension of all time, and one is unbuyable. === This episode is sponsored by Vyper Industrial — America’s #1 rated shop chair, tool carts, and creepers, proudly made here in the US. Visit vyperindustrial.com and use code CARMUDGEON for $50 off. === Welcome to the performance wagon episode! We’ve got Jason’s blue E30 325i Touring in the garage as we discuss a pair of long-roof autobahn bruisers: the G99 BMW M5 Touring and C8 Audi RS6 Avant Performance. With the cancellation of Porsche’s Panamera Sport Turismo, we turn to Porsche’s top-spec suppository in its stead: the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. And, similarly, with the E63 wagon gone, we’ll review the Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance to tide us over until the new E53 wagon arrives. Starting with the brand new BMW M5 Touring: a letdown as serious as its curb weight. A twin-turbo hot-vee V-8 alongside some EV juice dolls out 717 hp, but long before you’re able to stretch its legs the suspension will have you nauseous. It heaves and lunges over road imperfections, and the rear-wheel steering makes it feel like you're perpetually entering the D dimension. Even with new, chunky-sidewalled Pirelli P Zero R tires, the ride is harsh, and the suspension is blatantly unfinished. Do a hard launch and prepare for simultaneous – and yet somehow also out-of-phase – wheelspin and violent pogoing. Things aren’t much better styling-wise – the front-end treatment is positively hideous, and there’s comparatively little backseat and cargo room next to the Audi. Overall, a huge let down, and a far cry from the delightful G80 M3 (buck teeth aside). Sadly, it will be a long, long while before we can import the G80 M3 Touring. However, it’s worth noting that early M products have had teething issues before (including the beloved E90 M3). Jason suggests waiting for the arrival of the Competition Pack, but you’ll still be stuck with a gaudy interior and byzantine infotainment system. The Audi RS6 Performance on the other hand is an absolute delight and unexpectedly fabulous. Without the bulk of hybrid batteries, the Audi weighs in at 400 lbs lighter than the Bimmer. It’s all-around gorgeous – inside and out – and has loads of room for both passengers and cargo. Its steering is genuinely superior to the BMW’s and Jason dubs it the “best wagon in the world.” As for the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid – it’s Bose’s 1990s dream realized. Jason heralds it as the most impressive suspension he’s ever felt – ever. Like if a Rolls-Royce could turn. It comes equipped with the same potent powertrain found in the Bentley Continental GT Speed and Flying Spur, which is so powerful it earned the Porsche the label of quickest 4-door ICE car ever (the 4-door electric monsters still have it beat – the Lucid Air Sapphire and Tesla Model S Plaid both run in the 9s). And lastly, we have Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance – a charmer. The interior is slightly gaudy but otherwise splendid. Our particular car’s cabin was a huge improvement over the Macanese bordellos of previous W223s and W222s. The convoluted and clunky drivetrain was an occasional annoyance (and has origins as far back as the first C43 and E63 wagon), but the Benz was mostly a delight to operate despite weighing more than a fully laden minivan – and 3000 lbs more than Jason’s E30. The boys wonder why Mercedes has refused to implement the types of suspensions Porsche and Ferrari figured out for their sports cars years ago that allow for ultra-smooth cruising without sacrificing handling. In any case, the S63’s ¼-mile time leaves Derek’s jaw on the floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Driving 1000 Miles In A 70-year old car — Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 193

  Derek does the California Mille – California’s take on the 1000-mile Italian road rally, the Mille Miglia. Behind the wheel of a 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce, Derek (and OTS & Co. cofounder, Tazio Ottis), experienced some of central California’s best driving roads between Half Moon Bay and Calistoga alongside over 80 of the finest automobiles to exist by the mid-20th century. === This episode is sponsored by Vyper Industrial — America’s #1 rated shop chair, tool carts, and creepers, proudly made here in the US. Visit vyperindustrial.com and use code CARMUDGEON for $50 off. === Initially dreamt up by local driving legend and passionate car enthusiast, Martin Swig, the California Mille hopes to recreate some of the legendary driving experiences of Italy’s Mille Miglia. After Martin’s passing, his wife and two sons (specialists at Broad Arrow and Bring-a-Trailer ) carried on the tradition until the event was purchased by Hagerty in late 2020. It’s a swanky affair with spas, fancy lunches, drive-thru oyster bars, and open regular bars, with specialist mechanics and flatbed tow trucks at your beck and call. Naturally with 70-year-old (or older) cars, many breakdowns ensued. A Mercedes 300SL needed a tow, and a Ferrari 250 TdF required assistance from Patrick Ottis Company after several transmission components welded themselves together. A bolt came dislodged on the shift linkage of a Citroën ID promptly stranding it, but Derek's stash of spare bolts saved the day. Differentials were grenaded, and problematic torpedo fuses were replaced while still in motion. A woman in a Honda Accord even PIT-maneuvered a pre-war Bentley on the Golden Gate Bridge. The Carmudgeons discuss past rally experiences in a W201 190E in Europe, Jason’s 5000-mile trek to Ohio in his Scirocco, the Orange Blossom Rally in a Mazda Cosmo, and the BABE Rally in a $400 Cadillac stretch limo. Derek touches on the Colorado Grand Rally and Copper State Rally, and the boys discuss possibly starting the Curmudgeon Mille e Uno Rally. Derek points out that Miles Collier, cofounder of the precursor to the SCCA, posited that there are 2 types of enthusiasts: contemplative and experiential. Rallies are definitely for the latter. Plus Jason wears an un-tailored button-down, we dive headfirst into porta potties, and we wonder if the 1988 Honda Accord is too reliable to rally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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