A spring check-in that settles into tire sizes, older cars, and the usual shop talk.
The episode opens in the stretch after Easter, with the weather still not cooperating, and uses that patch of life to move into the shop talk this show does well.

Volkswagen garage talk with real scene memory.
The People's Car follows Ryan Bielman, Danny Mercado, and their rotating crew through the everyday texture of Volkswagen and Audi enthusiasm. It moves from tire sizes and Mark Four memories to snowy road trips, diner stops, shop visits, holiday episodes, and the odd problem that only makes sense to car people.
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The People's Car is a Volkswagen and Audi hangout with dirt under its fingernails. Recent episodes are built around Ryan Bielman, Danny Mercado, and a loose circle of people from the scene. The format is simple. They sit down, start where life left them, and let the car talk find its way in. That might mean spring refusing to feel like spring, a snowstorm rolling in, a holiday weekend, a sickness that wiped somebody out, or the constant problem of fitting garage time around family time. Then the details arrive fast. Tire sizes matter here. A 195/40/16 is not just a number, and a 15-inch tire coming back into availability can become real news. The show has a deep affection for older Volkswagen eras, especially the Mark One, Mark Two, and Mark Four conversations that keep resurfacing. Mark Four nostalgia gets treated with real weight, from wide-body work to TDI experiments, all-wheel-drive ideas, paint changes, wheels, and the feeling that a certain moment in the scene was unusually alive. The guest conversations add texture without making the show feel formal. Mike Houck appears through stories about ambitious builds and the uneasy moment when a clean car becomes a bodywork experiment. Matt from Eurocraft, Jim Burlough from Zorning Metalworks, and Danielle from Rabbit Parts bring the conversation into a snow-covered New Jersey shop setting. Pat Holden, Adam Strunk, Tony Grimmel, and John Vanek show how much of this world runs on friendships, basements, parts, local drives, and weird house tours. The show is also comfortable wandering. One stretch can move from TDI manual transmissions to hybrid repair costs, then land on whether a road trip is worth it if the car feels right. Another can start with Thanksgiving weather and end with a black wagon back on the road. Its humor is blunt but familiar. Its best moments sound like a garage conversation that forgot it was being recorded. The result is not a clean buyer’s-guide podcast or a prestige restoration show. It is scene memory, practical annoyance, parts obsession, and show-season hope, all held together by people who still want to see the cars out in the world.
Made for: Built for Volkswagen and Audi enthusiasts who already care about Mark cars, TDI quirks, wheel fitment, old forums, winter drives, and the social life around shows. It especially suits listeners who prefer loose shop talk over polished automotive commentary.
What sets it apart: The show’s strength is its lived-in scene knowledge: tire availability, bodywork anxiety, holiday road trips, basement builds, and guest stories all sit at the same table. It captures the culture around the cars, not just the cars themselves.
This Podcast is about cars, and more specifically about Volkswagen and Audi cars. Come take a listen.
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026
The People's Car turns Volkswagen enthusiasm into detailed garage talk about builds, parts, events, and the people sustaining the scene.
Ryan Bielman and Danny Mercado treat Volkswagen ownership as a continuing conversation between the garage, the parts hunt, and the next gathering.
A 195/40R16 tire becomes urgent business once your garage brain takes over.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A spring check-in that settles into tire sizes, older cars, and the usual shop talk.
The episode opens in the stretch after Easter, with the weather still not cooperating, and uses that patch of life to move into the shop talk this show does well.
A Mark 4 story told with garage-level detail and enough history to keep it grounded.
Mike Hauk's story works as a Mark 4 time capsule, moving through the widebody build, the many revisions, the turbo and all-wheel-drive detours, and the kind of garage problem-solving that gives the whole thing its shape.
Winter gripe gives way to blunt, specific talk about manuals, hybrids, and repair costs.
The episode moves from winter frustration into practical talk about a Kubota with a front snowblower, manual transmissions, and the sort of equipment that can make a rough stretch easier to handle.
A wheel-shop origin story with real garage detail and no gloss.
Retro Wheels reads as a garage-level story about how a Volkswagen obsession turns into a wheel business. Dimitri traces the path from an affordable first Mark I with 13-inch PLS wheels to rebuilding BBS RS and other multi-piece favorites, and the best moments are the hands-on…
A loose Q and A and Roots update that keeps its feet on the ground.
The episode starts with Bring a Trailer chatter, then drifts through listener questions, project updates, and the side notes that make the show feel lived in.


Real car testing, plain-spoken buyer advice.

Fast car talk with lived-in opinions.

Car reviews with the fine print left in.

Garage talk meets new-car judgment.

Car reviews with garage-floor honesty.
Ryan and Danny kick things off with a spring catch-up that still feels a bit trapped in winter.
Ryan Bielman and Danny Mercado sit down with Mike Hauk, known online as Foucast.
Ryan Bielman and Danny Mercado kick things off by griping about the snow and how winter keeps overstaying its welcome.
The hosts and guests discuss their location in New Jersey, car-related activities like riding a Mark 2 in snowy conditions, and introduce their backgrounds in Volkswagen-focused businesses.
The hosts and guests of the People's Car Podcast gather at the Grimmel's house, share a tour that includes a half-truck mounted on a wall, and discuss random topics like stiletto heels found online.
Two hosts chat about Volkswagen and Audi car culture, including VW Vortex memes and wheel trends.
The hosts introduce themselves and describe their location on Long Island, discussing the festive decorations and their recent diner meal.
Friends banter about Thanksgiving, weather, and a car that hit a deer, mixing car talk with casual humor.
The hosts return after a hiatus to discuss Volkswagen and Audi cars, catching up with listeners and reminiscing about past episodes.
The hosts and friends gather at the beach, initially planning to discuss cars but quickly devolve into a humorous conversation about cheese nights and their enthusiasm for cheese.
The hosts introduce themselves and discuss a guest's rise to fame on TikTok and YouTube in the car community.
Ryan Bielman and Danny Mercado sit down with Dimitri from Retro Wheels at the Starlux.
The hosts visit Seb at his beautiful Pennsylvania farmhouse property, discussing its acquisition and setting up a conversation about Volkswagens.
Hosts Ryan and Danny discuss their new recording setup and Danny's recent purchase of a Euro GTI from Mark One Engineering.
The hosts gather at a venue to discuss cars, upcoming car meets, and share casual banter over food.
Hosts catch up and discuss the upcoming Roots event, reflecting on how fast summer passes and the start of school.
The hosts introduce themselves in a South Philly garage turned mechanic shop, discussing the history of the building and their car projects.
Ryan Bealman and Ian Mercado open with a loose check-in, then move into listener questions and a quick look at a red B3 on Bring a Trail.
This episode features an interview with Fred White from 1320 Video, discussing his lifelong passion for cars, starting with his father's 1964 Corvette, and his experiences in the automotive scene.
The episode begins with a personal story about a staph infection before transitioning into a discussion about Volkswagen and Audi cars at a car show.
The hosts interview a Volkswagen enthusiast about his history with cars and the car scene.
Hosts Ryan and Danny discuss an upcoming car meet in Helen, Georgia, and encourage listeners to check social media for details.
The hosts chat casually about their backgrounds in death metal and introduce a sponsor for vehicle imports, setting up a relaxed car-focused discussion.
Hosts Ryan and Dan discuss their recent trip to the Eurotripper car show and preview an interview with Greg Hart, a car enthusiast.
Hosts Ryan and Dan introduce an episode featuring interviews with former VW Vortex creators, reminiscing about the car enthusiast community.
The hosts thank listeners worldwide for their support as they begin their fourth year of the podcast.
The hosts welcome guests and discuss a new calendar and coffee table book featuring cars, with a sponsor for vehicle import services.
A conversation with a PennDOT employee about winter road maintenance, including snow plowing, salt application, and the process of tar and chip paving.
The hosts welcome guests Chad and Alec to discuss Pennsylvania's notoriously bad roads and weather, blaming Chad jokingly for the state's infrastructure issues.
The hosts introduce the podcast, reminisce about a past recording, and discuss Thanksgiving travel trends while promoting a car import sponsor.