Waymo Danger; Our Award; Spyder Milestone

Fri Nov 28 2025

Matt Farah hits a milestone in his Porsche Boxster Spyder; Zack Klapman hosts the first-ever Racer Creator awards (and we win one!); Waymos embrace danger in the interest of safety; and we answer Patreon questions including: Cars that impressed us in high school Consolidate or have a car for every occasion? MFK: Attending Dakar, 24H of Le Mans, and Pikes Peak Hill Climb Car stereotypes What restomod companies get wrong Should Chevy make a C8 Z06 E-Ray? Favorite M3 generation? How to winterize your car Why don't all comparisons happen on the same tires? Why is the Porsche 918 better than the Ferrari SF90? No love for the Ram SRT10? And more! Recorded Sunday, November 23, 2025 SHOW NOTES Aura Frames For a limited time, visit https://www.AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames - named #1 by Wirecutter - by using promo code TIRE at checkout. Rula Thousands of guys have already used Rula to finally get the care they needed. Don’t keep pu...

Transcript

A (0:00)

Hey, O. Happy Thanksgiving from the Smoking Tire. And it's the Smoking Tire podcast. Hopefully you're driving somewhere good this week. And if you are, you're gonna want to know about off the record because they are gonna be out in full force trying to get you doing something a little nasty in your car. And if you get pulled over and ticketed for any reason whatsoever, you don't plead guilty. You need off the record. They will assign a qualified attorney in the jurisdiction where you got that t and they will do everything they can to get those points off of your record. As you know, points on your license can affect your insurance, your employment, and any number of other things. You don't want them kids, trust me. Don't plead guilty. Get off the record. Go to offtherecord.com TST that's offtherecord.com Tst to get 10% off all legal services booked through off the record one more time offtherecord.comtst. to get 10% off all legal services for off the record. And drive safe this holiday. All right, guys, on this post Thanksgiving Day special, Zach and I are in the studio and I am bitching about waymos getting lost in parking lots. I hit a milestone in my spider. Zach hosts a made up but fun awards show and a whole lot more. It's the Smoking Tire podcast. Let's do it. Hi, everybody. Welcome to the show. I guess you're gonna be hearing this either Wednesday or Friday or Thursday. Thanksgiving maybe.

B (1:43)

Well, we know you're right. We might do it Friday.

A (1:45)

A big old surprise when you put this up. If you hear it after Thanksgiving, I hope you had a good one. If you're listening to us live, I hope you're going to have a good one. Zach's about to go to Palm Springs for a week in a Volvo. Cross country.

B (1:59)

Yeah, the Jews travel to the desert, but in comfort, right? V90 cross country.

A (2:04)

We said we'd never go back there. 40 years in the desert.

B (2:09)

Did the. Remember when we were on the hike in Angel's Landing and these, like, orthodox kids were walking up the stairs or the switchbacks, and one of them was like, I'm so tired. And my brain was just like, bro, you should be good at this.

A (2:19)

40 years. You should have. You should have known.

B (2:21)

Residual cardio.

A (2:22)

You guys study real hard for this. Yeah, already. You know what? You. You don't know how to make matzah. The fuck. They didn't have time for the bread to rise.

Summary

The Smoking Tire Podcast — “Waymo Danger; Our Award; Spyder Milestone”

Hosts: Matt Farah & Zack Klapman
Date: November 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lighthearted, post-Thanksgiving episode, Matt and Zack catch up in the studio, diving into family holiday logistics and travel hacks before moving into the show’s trademark blend of industry insights, car culture, and comedy. They dissect the awkward realities of autonomous Waymo taxis, celebrate an unexpected (and slightly dubious) podcast award, share personal milestones—including Matt’s 7,000-mile mark on his Porsche Spyder—and field listeners’ questions on everything from restomods to “big dick energy” vehicles. As always, the rapport between the hosts brings both humor and heartfelt moments, punctuated by memorable quotes and opinions on current happenings in the automotive world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Thanksgiving Holiday Stories

00:46 — Matt and Zack talk travel plans, including family dynamics, kids, and how they navigate multiple Thanksgivings with different sides.
Matt humorously details how his wife, Hannah, has a “non-negotiable” commitment to her family’s Thanksgiving, resulting in him planning a cross-state double holiday marathon:
- [09:13] Matt: "This is among the more hardcore things I have ever done."
- Discusses logistics, car rentals, and airport strategies with typical Farah flair, including flying into Westchester instead of JFK to avoid travel hell.

Winning the Racer Creator Award

19:03 — They recap hosting the Racer Creator Awards, an event by Racer magazine.
- The Smoking Tire wins Best Podcast, but the real story is how makeshift and noisy the event was.
- [21:02] Matt: “There was no way in which you were gonna crush [the comedy set]. I think you did amazing.”
- Zack describes the challenges: performing in a tent during an atmospheric river, only two walls, rain pounding, and crowd noise.
- Discussion on why all awards start off “made up,” and why L.A. is the perfect city for automotive creator celebrations.

Amelia Hartford’s Trophy Hustle

[23:08] — Amelia Hartford won three categories but only received one trophy, so she hilariously borrows others' for her Instagram posts:
- Matt: “Here’s why she’s Creator of the Year—her photo set makes the thing look like it was a bigger, much more legit, established thing than it really was.”

Waymo Robotaxi Mayhem

30:59 — Matt recounts a mildly disastrous Waymo taxi experience at a mall parking lot.
- Waymos are “cautious, fucking passive," excessively slow and easily flummoxed by human assertiveness.
- [32:33] Matt: “It doubled the time I was gonna take to get here.”
- Zack shares stories of Waymos blocking driveways, and the sheer communication breakdown when there’s no driver to interact with, describing it as an “AI version of ‘I’d like to speak to your manager.’”
- Both agree AVs (autonomous vehicles) are clever but not ready to mix smoothly with unpredictable human drivers in dense, messy environments like parking lots.
- Matt’s workaround: hitting the “pull over” button at the right moment to avoid being dropped off “by the raccoons” next to the building trash.

Peterson Museum Visit & Art Instalations

39:03 — Zack describes new exhibits at the Peterson, notably Mr. Brainwash’s art blending classic painting with car culture.
Matt gives film recs: “Exit Through the Gift Shop” for Mr. Brainwash context.
Segue to Revology Mustangs: both hosts praise updates and driving experience, commenting on how proper input devices (shift levers, analog keys) matter in car enjoyment.

Porsche Spyder Milestone

44:00 — Matt celebrates 7,000 miles on his Porsche Spyder.
- Matt: “That car’s been ace, you know … no regrets on that one. That thing is—I should do a road trip somewhere in that car.”
- Notes the heavy clutch as the only real drawback.

Listener Q&A Highlights

New Car High School Impressions

51:00 — Zack and Matt reminisce about high school “wow” cars; S4s, Supras, and VW’s influence on car culture.

Restomod Hits and Misses (61:13)

Too much horsepower in modern restomods (called out by Zack), with Gunther’s builds cited as “too much for most people.” Both hosts want more attention to touch points, not just performance stats.

Watching Racing — Marry, Fuck, Kill (55:19)

Pikes Peak: Marry (accessible, fun)
Dakar: F—once (great adventure, but hard to do more than once)
Le Mans: Kill (too exhausting, tough to follow in-person)
- Matt: “Watching racing in person stinks for most forms of racing.”

Automotive Stereotypes (58:17)

Car stereotypes have some basis but are usually overemphasized by confirmation bias.

Best Money Ever Spent (64:12)

Matt: His Vespa (“best consumer product I’ve ever purchased”) and hiring lawyers/accountants.
Zack: Professional movers, accountants, and a quality chef’s knife (“worth every penny”).

Watch & Kit Car Clones: Fake or Not? (81:10)

Matt’s strong stance: “Don’t buy fake shit. There are so many cool watches out there for the money … you just don’t need to do it.”

ADA (ADAS) Preferences (84:46)

Both turn off most driver aids (especially lane keep). Rivian’s driver assist earns rare praise.

Big Dick Energy Cars (89:45)

Vans (esp. custom or luxury ones), Manxes, and cars that “exude a relaxed, confident person” named as most “BD energy”—not overcompensating muscle cars.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

[07:00] Matt: “You hear about that with car people who buy Bugattis … The service is $25,000.”
[13:04] Matt: “I hate helicopters. But if they did a chopper—”
[21:17] Matt: “In typical Zach fashion, subtle jokes that were really, really funny … Hannah was like, ‘Oh my god, he’s killing.’”
[23:08] Matt: explaining Amelia Hartford’s Instagram strategy: “Here’s why she’s creator of the year … makes it look much more legit than it really was.”
[32:33] Matt: “It doubled the time I was gonna take to get here. AVs ain’t it for solving traffic.”
[36:57] Zack: “Otherwise [the Waymo] drops you where the raccoons live.”
[44:09] Matt: “I hit 7,000 miles in the Spyder … No regrets on that one.”
[58:38] Matt: “I don’t think that many [car stereotypes] are actually true.”
[61:13] Zack: “What a lot of [restomod companies] are getting wrong is too much horsepower … there’s plenty of fun at lower levels.”
[81:10] Matt: “Buying fake stuff is lame.”
[85:06] Zack: “I think my wife turns off the lane keep assist stuff.”

Fun Timestamps & Segment Map

00:46—13:00: Thanksgiving logistics, holiday travel hacks, family anecdotes.
19:03—26:40: Racer Awards recap, hosting struggles, Amelia Hartford’s trophy saga.
30:59—38:54: Waymo robotaxi fails, real-world AV awkwardness, pedestrian anecdotes.
39:03—44:42: Peterson Museum, automotive art, Revology Mustang praise.
44:00—45:17: Porsche Spyder hits 7,000 miles—Matt’s road trip aspirations.
47:41—100:39: Listener Q&A (restomods, events, car culture, watch clones, biggest “BD Energy” vehicles, and more), closing with Matt’s birthday dinner story and gratitude.

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode moves effortlessly between light ribbing and honest advice, with the duo’s chemistry pulling listeners through diverse topics without losing thread. Listeners get insight and laughter in equal measure, whether hosts are nerding out or poking fun at the quirks of family, car culture, and new tech.

This episode is a perfect encapsulation of The Smoking Tire’s unique blend: personal car journeys, strong opinions, industry context, relatable banter, and—above all—a passion for automotive adventures in all their forms.