The John Clay Wolfe Show
Episode #3 (Hour 3) - January 9, 2016
Released February 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This high-energy episode of The John Clay Wolfe Show delivers a lively blend of car business expertise, offbeat news, irreverent humor, and unpredictable listener interactions. John and his co-hosts riff on sports, share wild stories from the auto world, help listeners with car valuations live on-air, and crack wise about everything from lottery jackpots to football playoff predictions. The panel keeps it loose and honest—sometimes edgy—with their trademark "anything goes" banter (as long as it won’t get them fined by the FCC).

Main Topics & Key Discussion Points

Listener Engagement & Show Recap

• The hosts read and react to a Facebook listener’s recap, highlighting the show's trademark blend of oddball moments (00:49).
• Discussion about past efforts to catalog their "best of" content for fans, and how listeners can stay involved with recaps and highlights (01:36).

Live Vehicle Appraisals & Car Buying Advice

• John takes live calls to appraise listeners’ vehicles, discuss trade-ins, and offer tips on getting top dollar at dealerships:
  • 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe appraisal and trade-in negotiation advice (02:22)
  • Explanation of “in and out” car deals—using his network to get listeners better trade-ins at their own dealer, maximizing tax advantages (03:46, 04:52)
  • Appraising a Ford F-150 Lariat and offering to connect a caller to a Lincoln MKX for his wife (06:23)
  • The importance of market value vs. payoff price, especially for a Kia Optima owner (16:37)
  • Multiple calls valuing Tahoes, Explorers, and a Chevy 3/4-ton truck—showcasing John’s expertise, transparency, and no-nonsense style (13:09, 17:42, 32:07, 47:49)

“Just go to GiveMeTheVIN.com, load the truck pictures, and write in comments... ‘Talked to John on the radio.’ That way it refreshes my buyers’ memories.”
— John Clay Wolfe (08:58)

• Candid breakdowns of car dealer business realities—like how slim profit margins really are, and why dealers balk on certain cars (45:10, 46:11).

Dealership Stories & Auto Industry Insights

• Wild story of a Houston car salesman kidnapped during a test drive, how he used his phone to escape, and commentary on dealership safety (11:17).
• Candid tales from inside finance offices—including high-pressure sales culture, “old school” habits, and even illegal antics (39:47).

“I’m in a big Chevy store...they whip out coke, line it up on the desk...Really? I thought that went out in the ‘80s.”
— John Clay Wolfe (39:47)

Sports & Super Bowl Playoff Talk

• Fun banter and predictions about NFL playoffs; skepticism about the Houston Texans’ and Chiefs’ chances, and speculation over who will reach the Super Bowl (20:00).
• Spirited takes on top teams (Carolina Panthers, Patriots, Denver, Steelers) and discussion of player performance—plus hot takes on PEDs and aging athletes (20:38, 21:01).

“If you’re over 35, you should be allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs...Just a concept I came up with.”
— John Clay Wolfe (20:52)

• College/NFL quarterback chat: AJ McCarron as underdog, critique of draft-day perceptions, comparison to Johnny Manziel, and thoughts on what makes a successful franchise QB (27:07, 29:27).

Lottery Frenzy

• The panel marvels at the $900 million Powerball jackpot, discussing how fast the pot grows and how everyone buys tickets "for the dream" (09:36).
• Jokes about priorities: “A margarita is ten...but a lottery ticket is two bucks for a dream” (10:42).

Volkswagen Emissions Scandal

• Breaking news: VW expected to buy back over 100,000 diesel cars in the U.S.
• Hosts joke about where all the recalled cars should go—like sending unsold Super Bowl champion shirts to Africa (37:26).
• Candid criticism of Volkswagen reliability: “They don’t sell and they break down. You can’t buy them cheap enough.” (38:25)

Outrageous Moments & Offbeat Humor

• Jokes about buying cars based on family size (e.g., third-row SUVs for Catholic families, 13:15)
• A discussion spirals from carjackings to bedroom handcuffs and sexual hijinks (13:00)
• Teasing about high-priced margaritas, fruity drink orders, and perceived masculinity (11:01)
• Quick hit on televangelists and private jets: why "pastors can’t fly with demons in coach” (39:31)
• Use of “politically incorrect” reasoning in car value discussions, leavened with self-aware humor (14:23)
• The show wraps with tongue-in-cheek references to Quentin Tarantino films and in-studio music breaks (“Message in a Bottle,” “Folsom Prison Blues”) (51:14, music segments not summarized in detail as per instruction)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On dealer business reality:
  “No one would believe what we make on these cars...you tell them, they say ‘you’re lying!’”
  — John Clay Wolfe (45:55)

• On auto financing offices:
  “They whip out cocaine, line it up on the desk...I thought that went out in the '80s.”
  — John Clay Wolfe (39:47)

• On trade-in negotiations:
  “If they’re at eight (grand), I’m at ten. They’ll call my buyer to verify...we buy cars, everyone knows it’s a small world behind the curtain.”
  — John Clay Wolfe (05:17)

• On football upsets:
  “I just have this weird feeling that the Steelers are going to come out of nowhere and surprise everybody.”
  — Panelist (20:15)

• On PEDs in sports:
  “If you’re over 35, you should be allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs.”
  — John Clay Wolfe (20:52)

• On over-valuing certain vehicles:
  “Why did you (not) take fifteen (thousand for that Tahoe)? You should’ve taken it...Was that on trade-in?”
  — John Clay Wolfe (32:48, 32:51)

Segment Timestamps (Approximate)

• [00:49] — Listener Recap and Show Highlights
• [02:22] — Real-Time Car Appraisals: Santa Fe, "In and Out" Deal Tactics
• [06:23] — Ford F-150 and Lincoln MKX Negotiation
• [09:36] — Lottery Jackpot Discussion
• [11:17] — Car Salesman Kidnapping Story
• [13:09] — Valuing Explorers & Tahoes; Family Car Dynamics
• [16:37] — Kia Optima Trade-In Math
• [17:42] — High-Mileage Tahoe Call; Past Deals
• [20:00] — NFL Playoff Predictions & PED Debate
• [27:07] — Bengals QB Discussion (AJ McCarron)
• [32:07] — Live Tahoe Appraisal, Negotiation Play-by-Play
• [37:01] — Volkswagen Lawsuit and Recall Commentary
• [39:31] — Televangelists, Private Jets, Demons on Commercial Flights
• [39:47] — Inside the F&I Office: Drugs and Dealership Culture
• [45:10] — Dealer Profit Margins Reality Check
• [47:49] — Chevy Truck Pricing Call
• [51:14] — Tarantino Movie Banter and Sign-Off

Tone and Style

• Irreverent, candid, and sometimes politically incorrect—never boring
• Mixes deep industry knowledge with sarcastic, edgy banter
• Keeps a fast pace, encouraging live engagement and honest listener interactions

Final Thought

For fans of car culture, sports, and off-the-wall radio, this episode is a wild ride: informative, funny, and unfiltered. Whether you want to sell your car, swap sports takes, or just hear how auto deals go down backstage, The John Clay Wolfe Show delivers—one irreverent phone call at a time.