Car Photographer and The Car Chat host Sam Moores has an in depth conversation with Alex Kersten from the infamous Car Throttle Youtube Channel. This is the second time he has been on the podcast, and this time we dove in deep on what Car Throttle is, his upcoming projects and more!
Car Throttle
Alex is an automotive journalist, Car Throttle is his YouTube channel which features videos on cars, car reviews, and other automotive content. The Car Throttle Channel has amassed over 3 million subscribers since its launch in 2012. With that many people tuning in every day to watch the new videos uploaded by this automotive powerhouse, it's no surprise they've become one of the most popular channels on YouTube. Most youtubers that are in the car community are usually about the new cars, and supercars which are living the dream, but unattainable for most. Car Throttle converts old automobiles into portable bars and transports them across the UK. People love watching them strip down old cars, especially when they're cheap! They've done hundreds of different challenges in our time on YouTube, ranging from billy cart competitions to drag racing and STUNT-friendly road trips.
500-Pound Sports Car
The MGF is the finest 500-pound sports vehicle Alex bought. They paid 500 pounds for it, drove it around a bit. It wasn't the best handling automobile, but they couldn't complain at that price. If you crashed it, there was no penalty since you could get your money back by scrapping it. However, because there have been some really incredible cars they've gotten throughout the years, determining which one is best is difficult. Most recently they did a 5000 pound sports car challenge- the biggest budget-a 300 ZX for Jack and a Porsche Boxster-2.7L first generation - for Alex. Ethan (who isn’t a car guy) got a PT Cruiser, and they took those three cars and did a drifting competition.
Early Boxster VS MX-5 (Miata)
MX-5 (Miata)
Bigger Car, Cheaper Parts
Affordable Insurance
Lower Fuel Costs
Early Boxster
Classic Car Status established by Porsche
Spare Parts are more affordable
More Expensive upfront- Great Unbox
The biggest distinction between the two vehicles, if you buy an MX-5, is that you have the option to damage it. You can simply remove a component from the MX-5 and submit it to the marketplace for a replacement part.However, because Boxster parts are more difficult to come by, it's more important to get it right the first time.
Alex’s Rocketeer MX-5, Phil
Rocketeer is a company run by Bruce Southey (formerly on the show) that sells a conversion kit for vehicles including the MK1, MK2 Mazda, and MX-5/Miata.Every component of the system is bespoke, from the subframe down to the nuts and bolts. The subframe is lighter and smaller than its predecessor. He employs a Porsche V6-derived engine from Jaguar called the HA30 (V-6). The engine fits up to the subframe and, with an adapter plate, up to the current MX-5 gearbox. The MX-5 engine's power is transferred to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox that can handle the HA30's torque. On a Dyno, Alex clocked it at 252 horsepower. Alex has a Rocketeer MX-5 that he called Phil. It's not about authority; it's about torque, and noise. And it's all about being able to cruise around town in fourth or fifth gear at 30 miles per hour and pull away from everything behind you.
2 Key Benefits
Torque Band is amazing
Reliable
If your vehicle has a V-6 that isn't pushing much weight, it will be unstrained. What Bruce's intake manifold accomplishes is quite compelling.It's pricey, but if you have a car you won't be selling, hiring Bruce to do it all for you is fantastic. This is a really clever idea, putting a larger/heavier engine into a light and nimble vehicle like the MX-5. And when you do that (larger engine, smaller car), it's like riding in a completely different vehicle.
Car Throttle Loan Cars
There have been a few loan automobiles for Car Throttle. The M334 D is the finest Prescott Alex has ever driven, owing to its outstanding performance.It appears to be a police vehicle (more so than other cops), and everything gets out of the way. It's comfortable, smooth, quick, and efficient. It's an investment in terms of money. Approximately $62,000. But if asked what car Alex would want to drive for the rest of his life it would be this car.
Ethan is driving an Octavia VRS at the moment. It's 25,000 cheaper than the BMW they previously owned. If you compare the two cars and ask if 25,000 more for a vehicle is worth it, Alex says yes. For example, all of the features that were in the BMW were improved, accurate, and everything works properly. There's not much to gripe about and you feel fantastic in it.The only reason they got rid of it was because the loan was up and they needed a vehicle to tow around the vehicles he is repairing.
Alex currently drives a Mazda CX-5, which is an SUV with a 2.5L petrol engine and all-wheel drive. It isn't the most refined car, but it tows and performs exactly as expected. As far as automobiles go, Alex enjoys something a little more left-field and less expensive. Then the particularly cool stuff becomes even more so when you get into it.
Podcast & Working from Home
The transition from working in the office to only being able to go on outings and working at home was an adjustment but also a blessing in disguise. The team at Car throttle felt good that they spent less money on commutes, and gained more time at home with family and pets. Car Throttle started a podcast during the pandemic, but unfortunately stopped doing it now, because it took up a lot of time and wasn’t making enough money. But they did do 40 episodes, where they got their audience to write in with weird and wonderful things that happened to them, their family, and their friends. They had everything from crash stories, to police officer stories, and more. It was eye opening for them, as people would start to write in and say that they looked forward to the podcast. Which was a positive thing for the Car Throttle team, especially with mental health being at a low, and lots of people feeling lonely. It was very fulfilling to know that they could make people laugh and shift people’s mindsets. Someday they want to start up the podcast again, but when they have more time.
The Car Throttle Channel is a youtube channel that showcases all sorts of cars, from the newest models to classics. They have exciting new projects coming up and continue to make relatable content for people in the car community. They are one of the fastest growing channels with over 3 million subscribers! If you're an automotive enthusiast or just want something interesting to watch when relaxing at home, this channel will give you hours of entertainment. We hope you'll check it out for yourself!
If you liked this check out our full Podcast here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/car-chat/id1432553826
Check out Car Throttles Youtube:
5 Questions
What car would you choose to drive for the rest of your life?
Alex: If I had to choose any car I would choose an E46 330. One of my favorite cars I ever owned and I got it back in the day for 140 quid, and drove it for 2 years. 172,000 miles on the clock. Very reliable car.
Best Value Car/ First Value Car under 50k
Alex: I would go for a M340I, I have a M340D but I’ve been told that the M340I isn’t bad on petrol either. But a BMW is a good brand if you want a car that will accelerate at everything and still be fun.
Most undervalued car
Alex: A Hyundai i20 N. I was surprised when I heard it was 25 grand. Amazing value for money. the smiles that you get from driving that and like I said, the mechanical grip especially was just extreme. If you watch that video with Ethan and I smashing around the track, you'll see how scared he actually was. And yeah, the poor guy shit his pants. He was actually close to tears and he genuinely wanted to get out of the car. He couldn't deal with it any longer. So that for me is a big thumbs up.
Most Interesting car at the moment
Alex: I am in the process of buying a Porsche nine for fall. Well, I am in the process of buying a Porsche nine for fall. I have it actually on my driveway right now. Well, I haven't paid for it yet. But we bought one as a company for a trading up series that we did. With autotrader and that was the last car our kind of attainable dream car. My mom used to own one when I was 15. So it's got a lot of nostalgia. I just love it. Because of this delta and you know, 2.54 cylinder, really interesting characterful engine, decent space inside as well. Looks great. You can see that on my Instagram, there's loads of pictures on that.
If you had a 5 car garage?
Alex: I would say M 340D, or M340i. I’d fill my MX five. My Porsche 944. And I’d go for a van like a Peugeot Boxer or an Old Renault Trafic diesel. I would take the off road MR2. I've got everything covered. Anything you ask me to do I could do.
shitter do I want for a van? I would go for a shitty little van. Like is it a Peugeot boxer? Or or or an old Reno traffic submit something old and diesel? Yeah. And I'll take the off-road Mr. To Oh, yeah. I've got everything covered. Everything. Yeah. You name a task. I have a car to do it.
Show Notes:
00:00 - Intro
04:09 - The Best Budget Cars
10:49 - Car Throttle Videos of 2021
22:13 - Alex’s Rocketeer MX5, Phil
30:03 - Car Throttle Loan Cars
49:22 - Riding Motorbikes and Safety
1:04:01 - Working From Home & Starting a Podcast
1:16:43 - 5 Questions