The Carmudgeon Show

By Hagerty Media

Part of the Hagerty Podcast Network, the Carmudgeon Show is a comedic, information-filled conversation with Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott, two car enthusiasts who are curmudgeonly beyond their yea... more

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FAQs about The Carmudgeon Show:

How many episodes does The Carmudgeon Show have?

The podcast currently has 155 episodes available.

The Carmudgeon Show episodes:

August 25, 2025 The Alpine A110 isn't a French Lotus; it’s a Mini McLaren — Carmudgeon Show Cammisa & DTS — Ep. 202
A French forbidden fruit enters the studio on this week's episode - none other than the Alpine A110. But hang on...how did this non-25-year-old import end up on US soil? And WHY is it here?
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The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires:
https://www.vredestein.com/
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Manufactures keep telling us that lightweight sports cars for the masses aren't possible to produce anymore due to rising safety standards. And yet, here we have the Alpine A110 - an incredible mid-engined, sub-2500-pound sports car you can buy brand new that can do far more than just be cute and French. In Jason and Derek's rigorous testing, they find it's compact, athletic, fast, comfortable, and premium-feeling - disappointing, it certainly is not. Derived from the original A110 which dominated various stages of motorsport throughout the 1960s and 70s, it's no surprise that Renault-Alpine knew where to reference their framework when developing this car for the European market.
Jason and Derek discuss throughout the episode how the little Alpine compares to the likes of the Porsche 718 Cayman range, the Lotus Emira & Lotus Evora, the Alfa Romeo 4C, and even the McLaren 570S. It's a shame Stellantis still hasn't found a way to bring this wonderful machine on sale stateside after announcing an estimated 2027 arrival via the Nissan USA dealer network - but given current complications with tariffs, we're not all that surprised.
And before you ask - yes, it's the same one you saw buzzing around Monterey Car Week and featured on The Smoking Tire w/ Matt Farah and Zack Klapman. The man who brought it here is our hero for a variety of different reasons - more on that during this episode of The Carmudgeon Show.

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1h 9min
August 18, 2025 Car Week Kickoff At Motorlux — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 201
Jason and Derek escape the studio this week to record from Hagerty's Motorlux event, the kickoff to Monterey Car Week 2025. We join them at this year's highlighted Bruno Sacco display, featuring designs that defined Mercedes-Benz in the 80's, 90's, and 2000's. The legacy of Sacco certainly lives on - but maybe not quite in the ways you might have originally thought...
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The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires:
https://www.vredestein.com/
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Rumor has it, Sacco never designed a single car himself. But how is that possible?
In this episode, Jason and Derek discuss the ways in which Sacco's design philosophies defined Mercedes-Benz's image and technological growth over several key decades. We celebrate his achievements as a individual designer, but in reality, it took a village to build his legacy. Sacco was a "manager of minds" - one who is attributing for communicating and executing his vision across an entire team of designers, eventually building a department that had not previously existed but would eventually become a key in Mercedes-Benz's corporate function.
The display includes Jason's W201 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth and Derek's Bornite Metallic S124 E320 Wagon. Also featured is a 40th Anniversary R129 Mercedes-Benz SL500, a C124 300CE Convertible, and two C126 560SEC Coupes. But of course at Motorlux, that's just the tip of the iceberg, with a slew of other incredible cars and airplanes on display.

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38min
August 11, 2025 Go Rallying With Your Friends — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 200
In celebration of 200 episodes of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam Hyphen Scott debrief their recent weekend-long Pacific Coast Rally with friends.
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The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires:
https://www.vredestein.com/
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Indecisive between his BMW 850CSi and his two BMW E30 325is, Jason chooses Beatrice the Bronzit 325i sedan as his rally companion. Derek, leading the pack, brings along his newly acquired Porsche 911SC stuffed with a Euro high-compression 3.2L. They are joined by friends in a Mazda FD RX-7, Mercedes-Benz R129 300SL, Volkswagen MK5 GTI, BMW Z3 2.8, and a Mazda NC Miata - all of whom compete for the worst fuel economy achieved over the weekend. The final answer may or may not surprise you…
Jason and Derek also discuss expectations of Monterey Car Week 2025, which is happening this week! They cover parties such as Motorlux, upcoming auction hammer prices from Broad Arrow, RM Sothebys, and Bonhams, plus a comparison of what to expect vs. other international car events such as the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
Derek also gives us a collector car market update, including some rather frustrating changes to import duties and other new tax implications being laid down by the federal government.
All this and more, on this week’s episode of The Carmudgeon Show.

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56min
August 04, 2025 Ask Us Anything: Part 4 — The Carmudgeon Show with Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 199
We've finally run out of questions to answer! As we come to an end of our AMA series, Jason and Derek continue to tackle the remaining questions from the last Q&A
Some topics you asked about (and some you didn't), including but not limited to:
- Opel Manta(?)
- Nissan Altima Drivers / Big Altima Energy
- Most fun new car on sale
- Best "classic" BMW M chassis up to E39 M5
- Pros and cons of putting $7K into a MK1 Volkswagen Cabriolet
- MK7 e-Golf vs GTI
- NA vs ND2 Miata
- Electric turbos and aftermarket hybrid systems in classic cars (cc: Vonnen 911)
- Cars Jason and Derek regret selling
- $200K vs. $30K Porsches (992 vs 996 vs 997 911)
- Favorite trucks (Ford F100, F150 Raptor R, Ram Cummins Turbodiesel)
- Jason's favorite video series to produce for Hagerty
- MK1 VW Scirocco - still Jason's favorite car?
- Are Porsche GT products overrated, or the best on the market?
- Best driving shoes (cc: Piloti)
- BMW 335d as a daily driver
- G80 M3: xDrive auto or RWD manual? Or.....E90 M3?
- Jason's take on motorcycles
- Best NYC daily driver?
- The extinction of Porsche 964 911s (cc: Singer Vehicle Design)
- R53 Mini Cooper S - underrated?
- Worst cars Jason and Derek have owned
- Bentley Turbo R
- The future of Hagerty and Willow Springs Raceway
- Why the C8 Corvette gets so much hate
- Semi trailing arm - most smile-inducing rear suspension?
- Coolest understatement car
All this and more, on this week's episode of The Carmudgeon Show.

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52min
July 28, 2025 Return From Summer Break Shenanigans: The Update — The Carmudgeon Show Ep. 198
Jason and Derek return to the studio amidst a summer of cheap (and expensive) vehicular thrills.
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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.
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Uncle Jason completed a cross-country road trip with his niece in her newly acquired 2017 Volkswagen GTI Sport (MK7). From traversing the desert to experiencing the agony of old Subaru Outbacks climbing up mountain passes, the dynamic duo had a bonding experience of a lifetime.
In an arduous journey to revisit a past daily driver experience, Derek contemplates selling several cars in his fleet. In theory- this would include his 964 Porsche 911 and his 3.6L-powered S124 Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon, making room for the acquisition of a Porsche 911SC, a W140 Mercedes-Benz S500 Grand Edition, and (yet another) S124 Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon.
Jason reconciles with some fleet updates of his own, contemplating the sale of his 2019 Volkswagen e-Golf (Mk7) to be replaced by a 1996 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet (Mk3) in efforts to supplement the experience(s) of his Mk1 Golf Cabriolet and Scirocco. He also dives into more detail on the progression of his 1980 Rover SD1 restoration, and the recent acquisition of a 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle-turned art installation poised to wreak havoc on his neighbor’s property values.
All that and more on this week’s episode of The Carmudgeon Show.

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1h 2min
July 22, 2025 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.
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Visit http://JasonSentMe.com to get a Hagerty Guaranteed Value (TM) collector-car insurance quote!
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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

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1h 23min
June 09, 2025 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!)
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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.
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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?

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1h 23min
June 09, 2025 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?
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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.
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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

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1h 8min
May 19, 2025 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.
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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.
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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.

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55min
May 12, 2025 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.
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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.

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1h 3min

FAQs about The Carmudgeon Show:

How many episodes does The Carmudgeon Show have?

The podcast currently has 155 episodes available.

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