<span lang="EN-US">Distance-based schemes present one of the methods to avoid the broadcast problem in vehicular named data networks. However, such schemes overlook the most factor in performance evaluation which is the variation in received signal strength caused by the propagation model choice. Thus, they are evaluated under one propagation model while neglecting the effect of the others. This paper evaluates the impact of the propagation variation model over three distance-based schemes, namely rapid named data networking (RNDN), enhanced vehicle on named data networking (EVNDN) and opportunistic interest forwarding protocol (OIFP). Simulation experiments are performed over three propagation models. Simulation results show that Nakagami significantly degrades network performance. However, it has a noticeable positive effect over higher distance resulting in a higher interest satisfaction ratio as compared to the other models. The RNDN exhibits a higher number of retransmissions across the Nakagami. In contrast, a higher number of retransmissions is exhibited by EVNDN when compared to the other schemes over the Friis and random. The OIFP show a higher interest satisfaction ratio when compared to EVNDN and RNDN under all models. OIFP shows robustness towards the adverse fading effects resulting from the Nakagami and exhibits lower end to end delays.</span>