Episode 112 - Cyber Edesel - Throwin' Wrenches Automotive Podcast

Welcome to the automotive podcast that will not be cutting 5% of its workforce through a voluntary redundancy programs.

On this episode of Throwin’ Wrenches…

Buckle up… Eric did stuff! Racing and wheeling adventure stories coming!
Mail Call! The Grumman LLV mail truck prepares for retirement.
Our RACE DAILY KILL segment makes it’s triumphant return, this time with 100% more German cars!

All of that and more on this episode of Throwin’ Wrenches.

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As always, we’d like to give special thanks to Fort’s Toyota of Pekin for their ongoing support of this program.

In addition to the fine folks at Fort’s, our Patreon supporters help keeping the wrenches flying. Thank you!

Episode Highlights

Projects

Eric’s Adventures: Racing, wheeling, detailed maps, and roadside attraction photography from the remote U.S. in his newly-equipped Land Cruiser. The man’s got a full plate… and an empty tank of gas.

Daryl

Fury Motor Build: Acquired another motor just to snag a 4bbl intake. “I have a problem,” he admits.
’55 Plymouth Brakes: Yeah, those older cars require actual attention.
Volvo Mildew Cleanup: Nothing says “fun weekend” like fighting mildew in a classic Swedish sedan.

Race Daily Kill – 1990s German Compact Sedan Edition

Back when German cars were still making exciting, well-engineered compact sedans, we had some absolute legends.

Here Are Our Contenders

Mercedes-Benz 190E (W201) The OG compact luxury sedan. Multi-link rear suspension was years ahead of competition. The 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II? Still a benchmark for what engineering excellence looks like.
Volkswagen Jetta (MK2) Practical, well-built, front-wheel drive. Decent trunk space. Solid Wolfsburg engineering. No nonsense.
BMW 3 Series (E30) Four-door compact sedan perfection. Rear-wheel-drive dynamics that actually made driving fun. Four-cylinder or six—either way, it just worked.

Why We Miss Them

Doggone it, these cars had soul! They were engineered to last, easy to work on, and genuinely fun to drive. Compare that to today’s “connected” vehicles with sealed powertrains and software you can’t touch. We’d say the enpoopification is real.

Which would you choose to Race?
Which would you choose to Daily?
Which would you choose to Kill?

Let us know at info@throwinwrenches.com or on Facebook.

WORLD NEWS

BMW & Toyota Team Up on Renewable Gasoline

Two of the world’s biggest automakers are testing 100% renewable gasoline in Spain with partners Bosch and Repsol. Here’s the kicker: no engine modifications required. Your existing car, your existing fuel system, same fuel pump… just different fuel.

The renewable gas is made from cooking oil, animal fats, and biological waste. Since hundreds of millions of combustion vehicles will be on the road through the 2040s (especially in developing countries where charging infrastructure is sparse), this could be a realistic bridge to a cleaner future without replacing every car on Earth.

Source: Expedition Portal

BMW Announces 8,000 Job Cuts (5% of Global Workforce)

BMW confirmed it will cut roughly 8,000 jobs through a voluntary redundancy program running October 2026 through end of 2027. The deal targets admin, development, and corporate functions—production jobs are explicitly off the table. Estimated savings: ~€1 billion annually starting 2028.

More than half of BMW’s global staff (87,000 of ~154,500) are based in Germany, with major concentrations in Munich, Regensburg, Dingolfing, and Leipzig. The Munich research center alone, home to 25,000 engineers and developers, will be hit hardest.

Source: Automotive World

NATIONAL NEWS

The Cybertruck: Worse Than the Edsel?

Bloomberg dropped a report in July saying Tesla’s Cybertruck has become the auto industry’s biggest commercial flop—surpassing even Ford’s legendary Edsel disaster (1958).

The Numbers:

2024: 38,965 units
2025: 20,237 units (48% YoY decline)
Q4 2025: 4,140 units (68% decline from Q4 2024)
Q1 2026: Record low—3,519 deliveries

For context, the Edsel was supposed to sell 200,000 units in year one. It sold less than a third of that. The Cybertruck is following a similar trajectory but starting from the opposite direction: overhyped promise turning into the cold reality of consumer rejection.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Jiffy Lube Sold to Private Equity for $1.3B

Shell just divested Jiffy Lube to private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners. The deal closed July 1, 2026.

The Timeline:

1971: Jiffy Lube founded in Utah
1991: Pennzoil acquired it
Later: Pennzoil merged with Quaker State, then acquired by Shell in 2002
2026: Private equity takeover

Jiffy Lube now operates some 2,000 independent service centers across North America. Shell is offloading “non-core” businesses as part of a strategic pivot away from traditional lubricants and drilling operations.

If you’ve got a Jiffy Lube horror story (and honestly, who doesn’t?), expect the franchise model to tighten under private equity. Pennzoil Quaker State will keep supplying the chain for now.

Source: Yahoo Finance

The Grumman LLV Mail Truck: An Icon Retires

After nearly 40 years of faithful service, the USPS is finally retiring the Grumman Long Life Vehicle (LLV). You know the one: right-hand-drive, aluminum body, famously tiny, powered by a Pontiac “Iron Duke” four-cylinder and Chevrolet S10 pickup chassis.

The Stats:

Production: 1986–1994
Service life: 24+ years (way beyond expectations)
Why it lasted so long: The USPS basically said, “Well, we’ll just keep using these until they fall apart.” Parts scavenging and jury-rigging kept thousands on the road.

The Replacement? Oshkosh’s new Next-Gen Delivery Vehicle (NGDV). It’s actually a proper vehicle: airbags, air conditioning, modern safety features. Finally. The USPS allocated $9.6 billion for this overdue update.

The LLV is a slice of automotive history. It’s a humble, brilliantly simple machine that did one job and did it for longer than anyone expected. RIP to a legend.

Source: Hagerty

Cars of the Weak

Eric: 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder – $5,500
Facebook Marketplace (sold)

From the listing: 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder convertible. 102,000 miles. Full set of wheels and tires will go with the car. Aftermarket stereo. Custom black and silver leather seats. Aftermarket seat covers installed to protect them. $5,500 obo. No trades, no deliveries. Rebuilt title in hand.

Daryl: 1993 Chevrolet G20 Conversion Van – $6,000
Facebook Marketplace

From the listing: 1993 Chevy G 20 Conversion Van with 146000 miles on it. Has a 4.3 V6 with a automatic with overdrive. I have owned it for 26 years, has a very nice interior. It has some body damage on the passenger side, the

doors open and close and is drivable as it is. The Van was damaged when I bought it, and I drove it the way it was. Van has a clean and clear title. I have the 3 doors needed to repair and they are included with the sale. I have done alot of maintenance work on the van, about $3000 in parts, too much to list, This is a bargain!!

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Episode 112 – Cyber Edesel

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