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Sat, May 19
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#1220: The Black Hole of Auto Metaphysics
This week's Car Talk kicks off with one listener's brilliant (and only sorta wacko) theory: a non-essential repair on an old car creates a parallel universe in which everything else starts to break. Then it's off to New Mexico, where Nolina has two choices for dealing with a disintegrating head gasket: a $2500 engine re-build, or a $10 can of Bar's Leaks. Any bets on which side Tom and Ray come down on? Elsewhere, Michael in New Jersey needs to replace his beloved minivan with something that...
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Sat, May 12
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#1219: The LTD of Destruction
This week on Car Talk, good intentions go bad. For starters, Todd decided to buy his girlfriend a 1973 Ford LTD, on the premise it would be safe and easy to work on. Unfortunately, the car's loud backfire has led to one dead cat, several deceased goldfish, and one very strained relationship. Elsewhere, Kate's friends decided to surprise her by picking her up in her car. The only problem? They didn't know how to drive a stick, and burned out her clutch. And out in Montana, Dari's mechanics...
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Sat, May 5
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#1218: Tire Pressure Goblins
This week on Car Talk, strange things are happening in the night: Bruce's tires are going from full to flat while he sleeps; Cynthia is adding Maalox to her engine instead of motor oil; and Jinx's romantic moonlight drive is interrupted by smoke billowing from the dashboard after he turned off his headlights. Smoke is also an issue for Henry in California. Actually, it may be more of an issue for his neighbor, who happened to be standing behind Henry's car when it made its morning billow...
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Sat, Apr 28
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#1217: Cynthia and the Swimming Goats
This week on Car Talk, Cynthia's 1987 Vanagon is dying, so she needs a new ride for her three Nigerian swimming goats. After all, the goats have to get to their pool parties, right? Another family transport crisis is unfolding in San Diego, where Scott's wife wants to buy a motorcycle complete with a sidecar, to get around town with their two small kids. Meanwhile, Kat in Seattle is about to learn an expensive lesson about why you shouldn't speed over speed bumps; and, Lisa's efforts to save...
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Sat, Apr 21
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#1216: Buona Fortuna
This week on Car Talk, Heather is about to embark on a two-year relocation to Italy, and is considering taking her '91 Alfa with her. Will it be happier if it dies on its home soil? Elsewhere, Brooke's Lumina is giving a good strong Tarzan yell in Reverse; Kristie's engine sounds like a Gatling gun, and she just noticed oil is pouring out of it as well; and Drew tried to clean his fiancee's car, but left a huge scratch in the hood, and is looking for a way to make it up to her. Also, is...
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Sat, Apr 14
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#1215: Beth's Road Ugly Thesis
This week on Car Talk, a new entry to the Hall of Wacko Auto-Anthropological Research, courtesy of Beth in Oregon. Beth believes that women, and only women, become less attractive after driving for three hours. Can Tom and Ray offer an explanation, or is this one for Paul Murkey, of Car Talk's Murkey Research team? Elsewhere, Paula's Bronco seems to be whistling with perfect pitch; Jonathan's Saturn is laying out a smoke screen worthy of an Army tank; and former Bostonian Tim is finding the...
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Sat, Apr 7
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#1214: The Flower and Blue Cheese Belvedere
This week on Car Talk, Chris' 1959 Belvedere has turned into a greenhouse and Fromagerie, courtesy of some poorly placed birdseed, and a kid who though it would be fun to hide four bricks of blue cheese in the vents. Can he kill the plants and smell without also taking himself out? Elsewhere, Jonathan's wife is blaming his speed-bump strategy for his Civic's alignment problems. His reaction to Tom and Ray's analysis? "I'm a dead man." Also, Jeannie's looking for validation that the guys...
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Sat, Mar 31
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#1213: Ashes to Asphalt
This week's Car Talk kicks off with an Auto-Spiritual conundrum: Can Sajay have his cremated ashes poured into his car's gas tank, without doing damage? Then it's off to Somerville, MA, where Rebecca's got a squeaking clutch, and Tommy's having a TMI moment from his childhood. Also, Will's secret mid-life crisis Porsche purchase may be a little harder to keep quiet, now that it needs a new transmission; Whitney's got a husband determined not to fill up his gas tank until he's down to the...
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Sat, Mar 24
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#1212: Catzilla's Great Adventure
This week on Car Talk, after missing for two months, Jane's cat showed up at a house seven miles away, and across two major highways. Did Catzilla stow away during Jane's daily commute? Elsewhere, Sharon's Explorer is growling, and Gunther thinks a toilet is flushing under his Astrovan's dashboard. Also, Lori in Arizona threatens to make Male Answer Syndrome obsolete, with two words: "Google it!"; and, more than you ever wanted to know about Senior Prom planning in Yosemite National Park....
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Sat, Mar 17
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#1211: Ashley Wants the Wheel
This week on Car Talk, actress Ashley Judd learns one downside of marriage to a professional race-car driver--he insists on driving every time they're in the car together. You'd think the guy would want a day off, wouldn't you? Find out if Tom and Ray can keep this auto-marital dispute off the front page of the National Enquirer. Elsewhere, Andy's steering wheel is making a noise which he'd like to handle with WD-40, but might be better taken care of by singing a chorus of "Chattanooga Choo...
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Sat, Mar 10
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#1210: The Mothership Has Landed
This week on Car Talk, we revisit a caller's unexplained electrifying vehicular event. Was it an atmospheric abnormality? A UFO? Beam 'em up, Scotty! Then it's warp speed to Georgia where Caroline has another curious conundrum: has a car alarm mysteriously installed itself on her Saturn? Elsewhere, Libby is looking for the perfect car to run away in, and Bob is in dire need of marriage advice. Could the turn signal hold the answer to marital bliss? All that, plus a new tantalizing puzzler...
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Sat, Mar 3
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#1209: Who Moved My Alamo
This week on Car Talk, Ray reveals perhaps his best wacko consipracy theory of all time--the reolocation of the Alamo, and his own unsuccessful attempts to rectify the situation. This all takes place as Kelly from San Antonio waits to find out if her fiance's promiscuous use of a plug-in seat massager is responsible for her car's drop in gas mileage. Elsewhere, Marshall's Jeep is making a stnge clunking sound, akin to being hit from behind by a Nerfmobile; Debbie's clutch is whistling a tune...
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Sat, Feb 25
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#1208: The Elvis Idle
This week on Car Talk, The Elvis Idle meets the Mechanic's Shrug, as Tom and Ray try to diagnose a Nissan's intermittent stutter. Meanwhile, strange things are happening in Waccabuc, New York, where Sally heard a loud electrical charge and saw a flash of bright light while driving under a power line. Also, Brad's got a Hydrological and Meteorological crisis, with water appearing in his Civic's spare tire well; Jack's horn went from sounding like James Early Jones to Pee Wee Herman overnight;...
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Sat, Feb 18
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#1207: Washer Fluid Dynamics
This week on Car Talk, cleanliness is next to impossible for Andrew, due to his Subaru's weak rear windshield washer spray. Unfortunately for Andrew, the only thing less productive than the spray may be Tom and Ray's explanation of the cause. Elsewhere, Kate discovered a long gray hair sticking out of her Civic, and is worried she may have a UFO-- that's an Unidentified Furry Object-- living in her exhaust; Joyce is wondering why her mellow, meditation-teaching husband turns into a mix of...
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Sat, Feb 11
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#1206: Help Me Blow Up an LTD
This week on Car Talk, DIY filmmaker Seth is preparing to shoot a big scene: a car explosion in the front yard (of his neighbor's house, of course). Seth's hoping Tom and Ray can help minimize the risk of seeing his house go up in smithereens, and his eyebrows getting that old familiar "Acme Dynamite" look. Can our Chief Counsel Hugh Louis Dewey duct tape the guys' mouths before they wade in to litigious waters? Elsewhere, Michael's RAV 4 is whining in the cold weather even louder than Tommy...
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Sat, Feb 4
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#1205: Carla, Come Home
This week on Car Talk, after 18 years in Homer, Alaska, Carla is ready to return to civilization. Her truck? Not so much. It can only climb hills in Reverse. Find out if Tom and Ray can stop laughing long enough to help Carla and her truck move forward. Elsewhere, Elizabeth's truck hasn't started for such a long time, her neighbors decorated it with Christmas lights. And the last time her mate tried to start it, he lit it on fire, so the long-term prognosis here may not be good. Also,...
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Sat, Jan 28
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#1204: It's Snowing in My Car
This week on Car Talk, Steve's cross-country road trip got a little more exciting when high winds began blowing open the driver's door on his Pathfinder. He's wondering if this is just a design quirk to make the car feel more outdoors-y, or if there's an actual problem--and can said problem be fixed with anything other than duct tape or rope? Elsewhere, Patricia loves her Rambler-- except for the calling card of black soot it leaves in every parking space; Jamie's suffering an epidemic of...
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Sat, Jan 21
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#1203: Snakes in the Fusion
This week on Car Talk, Josh let a boa constrictor get loose in his wife's Fusion. In the ensuing snake hunt, he removed just about every bit of the car's interior. Now, after putting it all back together, he's got a few pieces left over. Will a few missing parts make such a big difference? Elsewhere, Larry's got a minor problem with a sticky throttle, but may be in more trouble over his choice of an engagement ring; and, Deb's so worried about her Camry's jingling sound that she's waited a...
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Sat, Jan 14
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#1202: Mud Chiggers in the Fuel Line
This week on Car Talk, life in the Big Easy is proving to be anything but that for Betsy and her truck. Since relocating to New Orleans, her Toyota has taken to spewing gas all over the place. Her mechanic's first guess? Mud chiggers in the fuel line! Entomology also comes into play later on, as Ray uses an ant colony to help explain why Nancy's Nissan won't start in cold weather unless she turns the heater on first. Also, Rob has to replace a Camry door that won't open; Susanne's DIY...
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Sat, Jan 7
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#1201: 20 Miles Per Woodchip
This week on Car Talk, Hans recalls fleeing from Germany during World War II in a car powered by woodchips, but he's never been able to figure out exactly how it worked. So who better than two car experts with MIT degrees to figure this out? Well, maybe anyone would be better in this case. Tom and Ray will likely do better helping David figure out how a three-pound bag of Hershey Kisses disappeared from his Civic overnight, and why his car now smells of melted chocolate. Elsewhere,...
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Sat, Dec 31 2011
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#1153: That Car Needs a Fin
This week on Car Talk, does a dorsal fin make a car less aerodynamic? That's Dan's question, after he decided his Tercel was lacking that important fishy feature. So, he sculpted one for the hood. Is such a problem even possible for a Tercel? Elsewhere, Mary's been driving her Mustang around with a trunk full of compost. Her husband says it's time to clean it out, but Mary thinks the ballast is worth a few mold spores. Also, Vanessa's Sunbird's making a classic rattle, Eddie's F-150 won't...
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Sat, Dec 24 2011
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#1152: Chinese Food Delivery
This week on Car Talk, Santa comes through big-time for Tom and Ray in their never ending quest to escape difficult callers. They're now the proud owners of the Get Off the Phone Excuse Machine, and it's likely to get an early test, thanks to Nancy and the Tupperware-like noise cooing from her Volvo. Elsewhere, desperate times call for wacko measures, as Jamie considers plugging a cracked head with oatmeal, Mark ponders giving his Suburban a full drive-train transplant into a new body, and...
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Sat, Dec 17 2011
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#1151: A New Pigmobile
This week on Car Talk, Susan leads a double life--Philosophy Professor by day, and animal rescuer by night. Unfortunately, she's come to realize her beloved Honda Civic can't handle the olfactory implications of her full range of clientele. Can Tom and Ray help her find the perfect Pig and Prof-mobile? Elsewhere, Jim's having dipstick removal issues; Dave's wife's friendliness is scaring the dickens out of him; and Samantha and her husband are having a raging debate over… how best to hang...
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Sat, Dec 10 2011
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#1150: Blinker Transgressions
This week on Car Talk, Molly's boyfriend gets irate when other drivers fail to use their turn signals. But when Molly caught him committing his own blinker transgression, said boyfriend had a ready explanation, that may send the bogosity meter way into the red. Elsewhere, Terry in New Mexico has a long history of breaking in new cars and wives, both of which are being tested by his new Rav 4; Peter in Brooklyn's good deed went bad, after several gallons of post-Thanksgiving turkey oil...
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Sat, Dec 3 2011
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#1149: Snotsicles, Oodjas, and Stupiphanies
This week, Car Talk kicks off with a few new words that may be coming to a dictionary near you. Then, they put one of those words right to work, with a series of brilliant stupiphanies: Jim in Florida learns why his next boat trip may leave him stranded in international waters; Liz in Missouri discovers that Porsche ownership comes with a monthly dose of sticker shock; and Jean finds out why her car may have violated just about every one of Newton's laws. Also, Rich needs help choosing the...
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Sat, Nov 26 2011
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#1148: I've Turned Into My Mother
This week on Car Talk, is back-seat driving genetic? Apparently so for Liz in Massachusetts, who's picked up the nagging habit from her Mom. Making matters worse, Liz's husband's poor navigation skills make him a prime target. Can Tom and Ray break this cycle of rolled eyes and loud sighs? Elsewhere, Jay did a little backyard maintenance on his Honda and saw his gas mileage drop by 30 percent; Ivan's suffering from an epidemic of flat tires, accompanied by odd circular abrasions; and...
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Sat, Nov 19 2011
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#1147: I Love You, So Please Shut Up
This week on Car Talk, Sonia's husband Barry may be taking his anti-distracted driving stance a little too far. He refuses to talk to Sonia while driving, even when they're in the car together. Other families in crisis: Anita needs a cure for sister-induced car sickness, and Monique's kids want to get her sister's old Miata running, after it's been sitting with a dead battery for the last 10 years. Also, Reverend Dave thinks unholy thoughts about his stuck key; Patrice can't get her VW Bus...
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Sun, Nov 13 2011
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#1146: The Model A Prius
This week on Car Talk, Patrick in Alaska loves his Prius' gas mileage, but thinks the car could look cooler--say, if its engine was in the body of a Model A Ford. Is it a worthwhile project, or one destined for the Hall of Fame of Bad Ideas? Meanwhile, Nicole is wondering why her Dad's balking at her plan to take a road trip in a 2009 Subaru--especially since the old man recently drove across the country in a '37 Chevy. Elsewhere, Diana's looking for a car with just a few requirements:...
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Sat, Nov 5 2011
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#1145: The Day The Isuzu Stood Still
This week on Car Talk, science fiction comes to Keller, Texas, as Isuzus cease functioning when they come close to a mysterious FAA "weather device." Is GORT up to his old tricks, or is the answer a bit more down to earth? Elsewhere, Kathleen and her husband escaped a scary rollover in their Subaru. But, what's truly frightening is that Kathleen's husband is still intent on driving it. Also, a Land Rover needs either a new transmission or two in the hat; a clutch job goes bad in New Jersey;...
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Sun, Oct 30 2011
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#1144: Road Trip from Hell
This week on Car Talk, could anything possibly go wrong when you take a cross-country road trip with your beloved fiance and dear old mom? Well, meet Charity-- and let's just say that car trouble was the least of her problems! Then, it's off to Oregon, where Jackie is wondering if her bra can withstand the car wash. (Shrinkage, anyone?!) Meanwhile, Tami's neighbors are wondering if her Buick has gas... and we're not talking 93 octane, if you catch our drift. And in Minnesota, Peter wants to...
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