Unnamed Automotive Podcast · Unnamed Automotive Podcast

Episode 412: Benjamin Bought A New Car, 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Towing Test

·47 min·4 clips

Benjamin's sketchy Subaru failed to stop safely on the highway, forcing a car upgrade.

This episode features automotive journalists Sami Haj Asad and Benjamin Hunting discussing personal vehicle updates and a recent towing test. Hunting details his recent purchase of a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder to replace his aging 2004 Subaru Impreza RS as a "leave-behind" vehicle for press fleet access. He also recounts a recent trip towing a race car trailer with a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD from Quebec to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Hunting explains he bought the manual-transmission Pathfinder for its rarity, presumed theft deterrence, and better reliability than his high-mileage Subaru, which suffered from brake corrosion and oil leaks. The Pathfinder is a base SE model with a VQ35 V6 engine, four-wheel drive, a limited-slip differential, and approximately 280,000 kilometers. He paid $29 for a replacement tailgate stopper to fix a rattle and plans to address a driveline clunk and rear suspension bushings. For the towing test, Hunting used a Silverado 2500HD Trail Boss trim with a 6.6L Duramax diesel engine producing 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque, rated to tow up to 18,500 pounds. He towed a roughly 6,000-7,000 pound load carrying his father's 2005 Mustang on a steel trailer. Hunting finds the Pathfinder represents a "sweet spot" for SUVs from the late 90s to mid-2000s, feeling engaging yet comfortable, unlike modern, more insulated SUVs. He notes the Silverado's immense torque made highway merging feel as if no trailer was attached, and its tow-haul transmission mode effectively managed speeds on descents. A surprising insight is Quebec's simple process for registering small trailers under 900kg, where Huntig obtained a permanent plate for $80 by verbally estimating its weight and capacity. He was disappointed the $103,000 CAD Silverado LT trim lacked adaptive cruise control, a feature GM does not offer on that trim level despite its price. The hosts express that owning personal vehicles provides crucial "skin in the game" for journalists, translating to a more relatable ownership perspective for their audience. Hunting humorously feels like a "main character" in an early-2000s movie when driving his period-correct Pathfinder around his small town. The conversation is casual and digressive, filled with personal anecdotes and friendly banter about car shopping habits and daily life. Listeners who enjoy detailed, enthusiast-focused discussions about used car ownership, practical vehicle reviews, and the hosts' personal automotive journeys will appreciate this episode. Those seeking a tightly structured, news-focused podcast or deep technical analysis of the latest vehicles might find the conversational tangents less engaging.

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