Join hosts Mickey, Ben, Dave, and Tim as they chat with Autumn, Associate Curator at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Discover what makes the Peterson one of the world’s most respected car museums, from its legendary lowrider exhibits to the hidden treasures in its vault. Autumn shares behind-the-scenes insights on how exhibits are chosen, the intersection of cars and culture, and why even non-car enthusiasts will find something to love. Plus, don’t miss the trivia showdown: Which car was briefly sold at Sears?

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Peterson’s three-floor layout: history, industry, and artistry (including the famed lowrider exhibit).
• Behind the scenes: How exhibits are curated (spoiler: it’s not just about cars—it’s about storytelling).
• The Vault: A secret trove of 300+ cars, including presidential limos and race cars.
• Why cars are cultural artifacts: Autumn’s journey from anthropology to automotive curation.
• Funding the museum: Sponsorships, tire companies, and keeping corporate influence at bay.
• Trivia Time: Was it the Allstate, the Subaru 360, or the Nash Metropolitan sold at Sears? (Answer revealed in-episode!)

Fun Moments:

• Dave’s obsession with driving gloves (and Ben’s hack for buying them cheap).
• The museum’s unexpected bestsellers: Peterson-branded socks (yes, really).
• Mickey’s dream of a Thing About Cars road trip to LA—with a Home Alone twist.

We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

In this lively episode of The Thing About Cars, the gang reunites with Dawn, who unveils her brand-new 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy. She shares her excitement about its retro design, dual sunroofs, Bose speakers, UV phone sanitizer, and even a hidden compartment perfect for valuables (or a shotgun, as the crew jokes). The conversation takes a hilarious turn as they discuss the car’s powerful seat coolers, earning comparisons to Japanese toilets.

Meanwhile, Mickey dodges questions about his never-ending car-buying saga, while Misty threatens another rant about driver-assist features. The crew also tackles listener mail, including mysterious blue powder on cars and a frustrating AAA towing experience that left an elderly woman waiting nine hours in the heat.

Trivia takes center stage as Tim quizzes the group on Chrysler’s "Safe Hold" feature—spoiler: it’s not hill assist, but an automatic parking brake to prevent rollaways (dubbed the "Anton feature" after a tragic Hollywood incident).

Catch all the laughs, rants, and automotive insights in this episode, and stay tuned for upcoming guests and more madness!

Highlights:

• Dawn’s Hyundai Santa Fe deep dive (00:26)
• Misty’s near-rant about driver-assist tech (02:35)
• The mystery of the blue car powder (25:41)
• AAA vs. insurance towing debate (29:45)
• Trivia fail: What is "Safe Hold"? (39:15)

Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn for more chaos and listener Q&A! 🚗💨

We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

In this deeply insightful and inspiring episode of The Thing About Cars, we welcome Dr. Bob McMahan, President of Kettering University—a revolutionary institution turning higher education on its head with a one-of-a-kind co-op model that combines rigorous academics with real-world engineering experience.

Mickey, Misty, Ben, and Tim explore how Kettering’s approach creates professionals with not just degrees but patents, leadership roles, and two and a half years of experience before they even graduate.

From the school’s roots in Flint, Michigan’s auto industry explosion to its modern-day global partnerships and pioneering programs that uplift underserved youth and inspire young women in STEM, Dr. McMahan pulls back the curtain on a model of education that’s working—and thriving.

Also in this episode:

• The young woman who pivoted from French & sociology to suspension design wizardry
• A Cadillac with fins big enough to throw shade on your garage
• Flint’s surprising renaissance, from water scandal to whitewater parks
• Why humanities matter even in a hardcore engineering environment
• That time a physicist-art historian became a university president

Plus:

• Kettering’s car culture is alive and well (and obsessed with vintage Cadillacs)
• Formula SAE, motorcycles, and the TR-6 that stole Bob’s heart
• Trivia: What do tetraethyl lead, R-12 refrigerant, and a tragic mechanical bed have in common?

🎓 Whether you’re a parent, a gearhead, or just someone who believes school should mean more than lectures and letter grades, this episode proves that education doesn’t have to be broken—it can just be reengineered.

📍Learn more at kettering.edu

We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.