Repair or Replace? EV Break-Even Math, The 2-Seat Insurance Myth, Ford Fathom & the Kia EV3

This week's Auto Buyer's Guide comes to you from Bogotá, Colombia, but the questions are as grounded and practical as ever. The episode is driven almost entirely by listener Q&A, covering everything from the perennial "when do you stop throwing money at a used car" debate — anchored by a real Ford Focus DCT horror story and a fleet-management philosophy that reframes how you think about repair economics — to whether buying an EV actually saves you money versus a comparable gas vehicle. The surprising answer: almost never, with one notable exception being the Subaru Trailseeker versus the Outback. Along the way, the hosts debunk the persistent myth that back seats drive up your insurance premiums, walk through the real factors that determine your rate, and weigh in on whether keeping a spare vehicle around is actually worth the carrying cost. The back half gets into listener SUV recommendations for a small family with a large dog — where the Chevy Traverse earns a strong nod for its Super Cruise availability and real-world practicality — plus a look at rust risk when buying a used car from a salt-belt state. From there it's on to the news: Ford's Fathom EV truck arriving for under $30,000 with Blue Cruise standard and Apple Maps baked into the hardware, the Kia EV3 coming to the US in 2027 to undercut the Leaf and Bolt, a heated Apple Maps vs. Google Maps vs. Waze debate, and a broader conversation about the slow, inevitable death of the manual transmission — and why fake EV gear shifts are mostly a parlor trick. 00:00:00 - Intro: Broadcasting from Bogotá, Colombia 00:00:38 - Q&A: When Should You Stop Repairing a Used Car? 00:06:38 - EV vs ICE: What's the Real Financial Break-Even? 00:11:02 - Insurance Myth-Bust: Do Back Seats Raise Your Rate? 00:14:46 - Is Keeping a Spare Vehicle Worth It? 00:20:54 - SUV Help: Best Pick for a Small Family & Large Dog 00:27:00 - Should You Buy a Used Car from a Salty State? 00:30:13 - Ford Fathom EV: Under $30K with Blue Cruise Standard 00:39:29 - Apple Maps vs Google Maps vs Waze: Which Wins? 00:52:54 - Manual Transmissions Are Dying & Fake Shifts Are Dumb #CarRepairAdvice #UsedCarBuying #EVvsGas #FordFathom #FordMaverick #KiaEV3 #SubaruTrailseeker #ManualTransmission #EVCharging #SilveradoEV #AppleMaps #GoogleMaps #Waze #CarInsurance #SaltyStateCar #ChevyTraverse #DodgeDurango #OutlanderPHEV #RAV4Prime #AutoBuyersGuide #CarPodcast #AutoNews #NewCars2027 #EVTruck #BlueCruise