The Avants Podcast

McCall is Magic

Dan’s in McCall, Nick’s stuck at home, and we’re recording via phone! So no, Nick isn’t fighting strep throat, he just has AirPods. Yeah, calling you out Apple. Anyway! McCall is amazing and you should come visit. We’ll catch you up to speed on this on road and off road paradise and why it should be on your driving and overlanding bucket list.

Country Roads, Take Me To Idaho

We recorded this episode from Dan’s Raptor! Dan is moving and headed to Idaho for a month, but don’t worry, we’re still making episodes for you! We talk all about Dan’s tractor purchasing, why you need to go to Idaho, and even touch on cars some.

Achtun(ing) Baby!

On episode 184 we talk with Zach Mauden, Director of Sales and Marketing at Achtuning, all about tuning, tunes and warranties, and… overland RV life? Tune in for another great episode with a guest who is more than just selling the mods you want for your car!

Sound Advice from Sound Wheel Works

On this episode we talk with Corey Youngren, owner of Sound Wheel Works. Corey has been in the wheel repair business for over 30 years and knows more about wheel repair than anyone we know. Almost all the local shops use his services and we have been customers ourselves since they opened, long before their Avants partnership. If you want to fix your wheels, change the color, or restore an older set, these are the ones to go to! Find out more about them at SoundWheelWorks.com
Also, sorry Branden Ben Powell, you probably drank yourself to death listening.

A Mini Glimpse Into Michele Graaff

We had a fun chat with Michele Graaff; a passionate Mini GP owner who takes to the track on weekends. Michele is one of many people we are fortunate to talk with who will inspire you to get in your car and take it to the track. Not only is she a talented driver and the VP of the Puget Sound MINI Motoring Club, but she also has a great sense of humor and one of those people you just want to be friends with as soon as you meet her.
More about Michele in her own words:”I am an academic advisor at University of Washington, writer and editor on the side, working on a few different freelance projects. Owning a MINI was a catalyst for learning performance driving because it’s such an accessible car for a lot of people Upgrading to the MINI JCW GP came from realizing my track skills would eventually require bigger brakes, and some other improvements. I love MINI so much that I was recently elected vice president of Puget Sound MINI Motoring Club. We are an all-female volunteer board of the largest non-profit MINI club in the region. Our mission is to encourage local owners enjoy the culture of MINI. My personal journey has put me onto the track, so most of my free time is spent nerding out over how to become a better driver. I’ve done this mostly alone, picking the brains of a handful of amazing coaches and friends, and lots of reading. This has evolved into me wanting more drivers (especially women!) to understand that getting out on the track isn’t just for people with the “right car” or giant bank account (though you’ll certainly go broke with this passion.) We are fortunate to have a lot of great resources for high performance driving in our area, from ProFormance to the local car clubs hosting HPDE days. Right now, I’m starting to learn pit crew support for a couple of IRDC/ICSCC racing friends. Maybe a race car will be in my future, but for now, I love my MINI GP and everything that goes with it.”
You can find more from Michele on her IG: https://www.instagram.com/mgsees/

This Episode Was Crafted In The Northwest

We welcome Scottie and Jordan Stratton of Northwest Crafted Interiors to tell us all about the dark art of doing interiors! We can tell you without a doubt that quality upholstery is one of the hardest jobs in the automotive industry that we have come across. The guys at Northwest Crafted are absolute masters and can do anything you can dream of to the interior of your car. Like a quality mattress, getting a proper seat is one of the best investments you can make in your car and these are definitely the guys to do it. Even better, they’re an Avants partner! 
Check them out at: https://www.nwcraftedinteriors.com/ 
And on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/nw_crafted/ 

Rachel Neuharth And The Bronco 2 Project

In this episode we talk about finding the perfect mount for recording from your vehicle with a phone (which is way harder than you think) and we talk to the latest Avants member to go full send at Avants Off-road event, Rachel Neuharth. After a late night birthday Craigslist browsing, Rachel decided she needed a project car and picked up a Bronco 2, then she took the next most important step, she showed up at an Avants event and went full send. We brought Rachel on the show because she’s a good case for what all of us know - just showing up and being nice will get you all the welcoming and support you need.
Follow Rachel’s Bronco project on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/sandy_bronco/

Hey Tesla, Open Your... What?

For episode 179 we cover a lot of automotive news ranging from Colorado’s weed friendly license plate lotto, the insane towing capacity of new trucks, the Rivians are coming, and Tesla’s latest interesting Easter Egg.