America's Most Disappointing Cars, Repo Auctions, Family Car Shopping, iX vs EQS

After a brief hiatus for a new baby and some globe-trotting, the Auto Buyer's Guide crew is back with a deep listener Q&A session. Things kick off with a surprisingly entertaining look at repo car auctions — what actually ends up there, why the demographics of default make those lots rough, and the unexpected plot twist that the show's own old Blazer EV turned up at a Subaru dealer in Tacoma for $29K after originally stickering at $54K. From there the hosts run through their most and least favorite vehicles reviewed and owned, delivering genuinely candid takes on the Honda Prelude's pleasant surprise, the Fiat 500E's disappointment, Mercedes' infotainment frustrations, Honda's slow decline from packaging innovator to average, Hyundai's styling direction, and GM's baffling CarPlay-free EVs — a manufacturer-by-manufacturer tour that holds nothing back. The second half is both technical and personal. A listener's question about the Kia Telluride's dual 12-volt battery setup opens a thorough explanation of why every hybrid and EV still needs a 12-volt system, how DC-DC converters work, and a real-world comparison of vampire drain across a Rivian, Ford Lightning, and Kia EV6 left parked for two weeks. Then the show gets personal: Alex is car shopping for a growing family with very specific requirements — CarPlay, big rear seats for extended rear-facing, and plug-in or full EV power — leading to a four-way shootout between the Volvo EX60, Acura ZDX, Hyundai Ioniq 9, and the intriguing wild card of the Grand Wagoneer EREV, which could potentially replace both the family Durango and the beloved Grenadier in one shot. A full breakdown of Volvo's overseas delivery program rounds out a wide-ranging, genuinely useful episode. #RepoCars #UsedCarBuying #BMWiX #MercedesEQS #CadillacLyriq #AcuraZDX #GrandWagoneerEREV #VolvoEX60 #HyundaiIoniq9 #Polestar3 #KiaTelluride #12VoltBattery #EVVampireDrain #FordLightning #Rivian #VolvoOverseasDelivery #FamilyCar #CarShopping #AutoBuyersGuide #CarPodcast #AutoNews #EVCharging #HondaPrelude #RamREVE #ExtendedRearFacing 00:00:00 - Welcome Back: New Baby & Life Updates 00:00:38 - Q&A: Are Repo Car Auctions Worth It? 00:07:29 - Our Old Blazer EV Spotted at a Subaru Dealer! 00:10:21 - Best & Worst Cars We've Reviewed: Brand by Brand 00:33:21 - Q&A: BMW iX vs. Mercedes EQS SUV for a Family 00:40:24 - Kia Telluride's Dual Battery & Why EVs Still Need 12V 00:48:26 - Vampire Drain Test: Rivian vs. Lightning vs. EV6 00:50:27 - Alex's Family Car Search: EX60, ZDX, Ioniq 9 & More 00:56:07 - Grand Wagoneer EREV: The Wild Card That Replaces Two Cars 01:13:39 - Volvo Overseas Delivery: How the Process Actually Works