Car Talk

This week on Car Talk, the untended 3:00 AM car alarm is one of the great nuisances of urban life. But, for Mike in DC, the problem is especially annoying. The offending car is parked at a nearby embassy, and the Police won't go near it. Does Mike need to get a vote from the UN Security Council to finally get a good night's sleep? Meanwhile, Twila in Missouri is hoping Tom and Ray can intervene, and break the news to her brother that his truck got smashed while under her watch--even though it wasn't her fault. Also, a fiery trip down a mountain teaches Jerry the importance of downshifting; a 15-year-old asks whether eccentricity is a matter of Nature or Nurture; and on Stump the Chumps we find out why Carla in Alaska's truck could only climb hills backwards.  All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Mike is about to leave Anchorage, and embark on a two-year sailing trip. But, he doesn't know if his lovingly restored Land Rover can survive two Alaskan Winters without him. Will Cosmoline or late-night TV save the day? Elsewhere, Eileen is having trouble starting her Celica, and thinks the problem is related to her "cute little foot," and Darryl's Isuzu only runs smoothly when the Check Engine light comes on. Also, Amanda's dad gifted her an Infiniti which is way too nice for her, her infant, and her dog, and she needs an exit strategy. And, will a strategically placed blanket and light bulb really reduce Judy's engine wear by 95%? All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, medical school student Christine is having a little trouble remembering things--happily, she's not leaving any forceps in patients, but she is repeatedly leaving her keys locked in her Camry. Does she need to gift all of her classmates with copies of her key? Elsewhere, Judy and her husband went car shopping and agreed on everything except the color. So who better to ask to adjudicate than two guys who are color blind? Also, Jose hopes his MIT degree has prepared him to tackle a leaky valve cover; Sarah faces one more Anchorage winter with a recalcitrant heater;  and on Stump the Chumps we welcome back Dickie, who couldn't figure out why water was shooting out of his girlfriend's steering column. All this, plus a new Puzzler from the Matchstick series, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, welcome to foliage season! Tourists are descending on New England, and locals like Kurt have plenty of time to sit in traffic, developing theories about the drivers clogging his roads. Hey, if wacko Auto-Sociological musings keep his blood pressure down, who are we to argue? Elsewhere, Angela's about to get some sour news about the sweet smell emanating from her dashboard; no good jump start goes unpunished for Bridget, after a friend accused her of doing $1,300 of damage by charging the battery backwards; and, is Ed really about to turn to electric shock therapy to keep his beloved cats from marking their territory on his cars? Also, on Stump the Chumps, we find out if Kate acted on her Matrix buyer's remorse. All this, plus a new Puzzler from the inky shadows of the World War II series, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Glen's summer vacation got a little more exciting when his rental car caught on fire, after he spilled oil on the manifold. He escaped unscathed, but did the car? And, more importantly, did he 'fess up to the rental company? Elsewhere, Joann's getting a foot bath from her Grand Caravan; Ed's Jetta needs a few seconds to convince itself it really wants to go into Reverse; and Sue's wondering why PAM cooking spray quieted her noisy fan belt. But our deepest question of the week comes from Vera in New Orleans: Is it legal to drive barefoot? All this, plus the truth about duct tape, a new Puzzler from the Baseball Algebraic series, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, listeners weigh in on the great Car Naming debate, including one very persuasive cautionary tale about why you shouldn't name your car after your wife. Then it's off to Wisconsin, where Martha's unnamed Chevy van has developed a nasty habit of acting like it's run out of gas; and to Ohio where Fatymah's beloved Civic, "Little Red," has a big transmission problem. Elsewhere, Kate's family trip turns into a terror-filled ride down Mount St. Helens, all because nobody bothered to read the owner's manual in their rental; Matt's brother talked him into a DIY timing belt replacement on Mother's Day… and it's still not finished. And, could Elizabeth's noisy Volvo get her expelled from college? All this, plus the return of the Puzzler, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, the best defense is--a boooogus scientific explanation? Hey, it's always worked for Tom and Ray! Katie's roommate cited the Bernoulli Effect to explain why he gunned the engine to dislodge her stuck car door. She told him where he could stick his Bernoulli. Will Tom and Ray back her up? Elsewhere, Ray has a perfect diagnosis for Heidi's noisy 4Runner--if he can convince her that a "shugga shugga" is actually a groan, and Frank may need a box of doughnuts to help him fix his Forester's creaky window himself. Also, on Stump the Chumps, we find out if Steve's cross-country bachelor party road trip in a '66 Econoline ended with him taking his vows on a tow truck; and, the most perplexing question of the week: Why on earth would anyone steal the seats out of a 1999 Miata? All this and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Robert is a "Car Namer." More specifically, he's always given his vehicles female monikers. So imagine his shock when he learned that his truck's previous owner had already named it... Mark! Can Robert change his truck's name (and gender!) without giving it an identity crisis? Then we dig into the Department of Odd Noises. Elisha's Honda is making a sound she describes as "a mouse wearing stilettos, doing a tap dance on a marble floor." And, Maureen's looking for a way to compensate her mechanic who suffered head injuries while working on her car. Can baked goods make him forget about a permanently damaged forehead? All that and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, remember Heather's Volvo that was dying at high altitudes? Tom and Ray get an update on Helmut the Cranky Mechanic, who may have caused the problem.  Did he finally 'fess up? Find out on Stump the Chumps. Elsewhere, Elizabeth thought a herd of cows was following her on her Summer roadtrip, until she realized the mooing was coming from her air conditioner; Bruce just learned why you shouldn't buy a used car from your brother; and Wendy's wondering if a vintage Beetle can handle a drive from Kansas to Washnigton DC in less than, say, 6 months. Also, did Tim's drive on washboard roads crush the engine mounts on his wife's Saturn? And, if so, how much laundry does he need to do as penance? All this and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Tom and Ray discuss the ever-so-important car accessories: butt coolers and heaters! Cupholders and fuzzy dice are so passé--keeping your derriere at the optimum temperature is now what it takes to be au courant. At least, if you're Ray Magliozzi. Then, we delve into other pressing automotive issues... like how often should you clean bird poop off your car? And when it comes to breaking in a new vehicle, do you have to drive like a blue-haired old lady? And, when you leave a gas station with the pump nozzle in your gas tank, can you sue for emotional damage? Tom and Ray consider these slightly automotive but highly pressing ethical questions, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Tom and Ray dip into the mailbag to answer some personal questions from listeners. To name a few: Which brother snorts? Was either one wedgied as a kid? And, has either brother ever been hauled off to jail? We're not sure why anyone wants to know this stuff, either, but fortunately there's also time for some car questions. There's Debra, who can't turn her key in the ignition until she pushes the car forward; Rane, who's worried that the engine might be about to fall out of her Isuzu; and Prashanth, whose wife is coming over from India, but may hop on the first plane back after she sees his banged up Corolla. Also, what's a husband to do when he turns his wife's car into Florida's newest swamp? All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Ann's car is emitting a mysterious gummy substance through the vents. Her mechanic doens't know what it is, or where it's coming from. But, that hasn't stopped him from telling Ann it'll cost her $1000 to fix it! Talk about psychic powers! Elsewhere, 13-year old Thomas was gifted a '94 Altima for helping a car dealer. Now, he needs Tom and ray's help convincing him Mom to let him drive it when he gets his license in three years. Also, Alita needs help keeping the Truck That Wouldn't Die from, uh, dying;  Amy's been convinced that her Civic's starting problem is a Honda safety feature that was so special they only used it on her car; and on Stump the Chumps we find out why Jean's Porsche almost rolled off a cliff while in Park. All this and lots more, this week on Car Talk 

This week on Car Talk, Andy borrowed his Dad's Buick for a romantic drive to the country. All was right with the world, until he ran out of gas. A Good Samaritan gave him a few gallons, but somehow Andy managed to drop a straw into the gas tank. Now, Dad's car is running lousy, and Andy needs to know if one straw could cause a few boat payments worth of damage. Elsewhere, Brian is trying to decide whether his Mercedes' new noise is the sound of it playing Taps; Mary wants to coax a few more miles from her Altima's slipping clutch; and Gail wants to retro-fit a vintage VW Beetle with air conditioning--maybe a nice window unit from Home Depot? Also, on Stump the Chumps, did Tom and Ray successfully diagnose Susanne's overheating Mazda? All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Sherry and her husband discovered they couldn't mount their bike rack on the roof their new Lincoln Town Car. How are they going to haul around their kids and bikes? His solution is a Minivan. Hers? A Town Car Stretch Limo. Can Tom and Ray bring a return to domestic tranquility? Elsewhere, Michele's husband thinks she has too many keys dangling from her ignition, and has made the most dire threat: either she divests of a few keys, or his Mom's moving in with them. Also, just a few weeks after a Freon refill, Michelle's Escort's back to blowing hot air; Brad's adding an alarming amount of fluid to his Camry's clutch; and Pradeep is being slowly driven crazy by the cell phone he dropped into his BMW's duct work. Will Tom and Ray have any suggestions for removing it that are more helpful than, say, turning the car upside down and shaking it? All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Karmen's husband is a "burper." At the gas pump, he shakes the car to get the air out, and more gas in. Karmen thinks this is wacko--which it is--but is her nozzle technique any less crazy?  Elsewhere in matters auto-relational, Jim just noticed that all of his romances have been with women who drive Volkswagens; and Derek needs to get his beloved Jeep off the front lawn, before his wife gets him out of the house. Also, a passenger-side farting sound is causing some major embarrassment for Alicia; Paul needs to figure out why his wife's Hyundai is moaning before she gives birth; and Ben is wondering if a potato can really fill in for a radio antenna. All that and lots more, this week, on Car Talk.