Best Car Talk

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Juliette's timing belt has lasted more than 230,000 miles. Should she replace it before she gets stranded on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, or see if it can make it all the way back from the moon? Elsewhere, Joanna is grateful her 16-year-old son doesn't want a Viper for his first car, but she is a little concerned that he has his eyes on a vintage ice cream truck. Also, Sarah keeps spilling water into her Saab's poorly located ignition; Deborah's Corolla...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Tom and Ray unveil a new strategy for stubborn callers. If they can't diagnose Laraine's noisy Acura, can they browbeat her into changing the symptoms? Elsewhere, Richard's Land Cruiser is shooting flames out the tailpipe, which could be a cause for concern or a chance to have some fun. Also, Julia is about to own her first car, and wants to know how to take care of it, aside from walking it twice a day; Dorothea's mechanic wants to run a psychedelic...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Penny bought her ex-husband's third wife's old Volvo. If that sounds complicated, wait until you hear everything Penny's done to try to figure out why the car is overheating. Elsewhere, Scott's Festiva died after driving through a deep puddle and Scott's friend is trying to convince him his tailpipe managed to suck water and blow out exhaust at the same time. Also, Chandler is pondering a life without hubcaps after hers were stolen; Mike is looking for the...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Ann discovered her tire was on fire while driving home from a snowboarding trip. Her response demonstrates three of Tom and Ray's most admired qualities. Now, can they convince her to use some common sense? Elsehwere, Dana is concerned her husband has become overly attached to JB Weld; Dennis is being punished for the good deed of washing his wife's car; and Chris and her husband are arguing over whether shoveling snow out of a parking space grants...

Hey, would you happen to have a PhD in mockingbird poop? If so, Beth could use your help. She has to park her Camry below the home of a mockingbird that enjoys eating berries, and, um, has an active digestive system. Will Tom and Ray have any useful suggestions to help Beth poop-proof her car? Elsewhere, Shlomit's husband drives with two feet. Does the fact that he's a dancer make this any less wacko? Also, Scott keeps losing parking lot traffic cone races to his wife and is looking for ways...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, every time Michelle's friend steps on the brake, his car radio changes the station. If this only happened during our show, Tom and Ray could just compliment the radio on its good taste and move on, but they'll have to conjure some plausible explanation. Elsewhere, Leslie thinks her Chrysler committed autocide by rolling away while parked at her in-laws. Also, Cindy loves the Olds she inherited from dad, but could live without the cigar smell that came with...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Ed is building an airplane in his garage. It's not a model plane; it's one Ed actually intends to fly in. If you need more evidence that Ed has questionable judgment, he's asking Tom and Ray for advice on choosing an engine. Elsewhere, Cindy suffered CO poisoning, accidentally drove 70 mph in 3rd gear, and killed her engine. Subaru replaced it under warranty, but Cindy is feeling guilty about not giving them full disclosure. Also, Diane needs help...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, is the phrase, "Yes, dear," the key to a happy marriage--even if it's delivered with a smirk? The saga of one of Ray's most annoying purchases helps illustrate. In matters automotive, retired math teacher Angelina can't find a formula to back up her husband's claim that bigger tires will improve their Civic's gas mileage. Also, Tom and Ray are guaranteed to diagnose why Leland's Toyota can't pull a hill, if they can figure out what "pull a hill" means; and...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, can Carl mount a snow plow on the front of his Plymouth Voyager? Sure, if he wants to destroy it. But Carl may have other options, that don't involve moving to Florida. Elsewhere, Elizabeth's truck hasn't started in months. In that time, it briefly caught on fire and was decorated with holiday lights by Elizabeth's neighbors. Can she restore its dingity by getting it running again? Also, Rick's girlfriend's VW spent a weekend at her mechanic's, and came...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, was Barry's truck an unwitting arsonist? He was driving home when the lights dimmed and flames began shooting out the back, setting the road on fire. Elsewhere, Danni bought a used Range Rover while in the midst of "Pregnancy Induced Insanity" (her words) and the car is already draining her wallet faster than her kid's college tuition will. Also, Amy's mechanics may have replaced the wrong half of her engine; Charlie has replaced his fuel pump three times...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Carol needs help refereeing a family argument over a car question in the game Brain Quest and charter "Densa" members Tom and Ray show her she came to the exact wrong place. Elsewhere, Dr. Ron is hoping to prove to his wife that he's not the one killing their clutches. Fortunately for him, there may be another suspect available. Also, Bob's Volvo seems to have more power after bending the exhaust during a game of Driveway Tag; a valet used Kenneth's Dodge...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, is Sarah responsible for her backyard mechanic's professional development? He may have messed up replacing her Accord's clutch. Should Sarah give him another shot, this time on the transmission? Elsewhere, Kathy needs help getting her husband to dump his beloved Corolla before the gas tank falls out and Mary can't decide whether her son should accept his girlfriend's mother's offer of a free Dart. Also, Larry's got a question involving ground straps,...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Brent accidentally set his girlfriend's Mazda on fire while trying to start it and now the car and the girlfriend are both exes. Can Tom and Ray help stop him from torching his next relationship? Elsewhere, Adrienne's ski instructor husband thinks it's okay to treat mountain roads like a downhill course and drive with the cruise control on. Meanwhile, Susan's husband, a theoretical physicist wants to use their car battery to power their house during the...

This week on the Best of Car Talk, Steve is spending a lot of time helping his ex-wife Tammy navigate a trinity of car problems. Is he perhaps too invested, given the "ex" status of their relationship? Elsewhere, high schooler Natalie's Dad was away, so she borrowed his van, and (of course) got it dented. Can she fix it before Dad gets home, or does she need to 'fess up, or blame it on Mom? Also, Toast's battery drains in the rain; Julie has half a key stuck in her driver's door; and...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, finally an award Tom and Ray could achieve GOAT status in—wasting time. They'll demonstrate their dominance by ignoring Dodie's perfectly good question about leaving her car in overdrive, and instead relentlessly pry/probe into why only two of Dodie's four sons chipped in to buy her the car. Elsewhere, Bob's Cavalier has no heat, even though he's replaced just about every piece of the system; Patricia's Subaru is having trouble starting, which is making...

When one host insists that cars are made to be junked while the other won't drive anything not equipped with an AARP card, it's time for an intervention. So this week on The Best of Car Talk, Tom and Ray explore new ways of politely calling each other "jerk." Meanwhile, John needs to weigh his love for the family heirloom Chevelle against the dental bills its sensitive power brakes are causing. Elsewhere, Anwen's mechanic was one fuel pump short of diagnosing her Volvo's noise; Andrew's...

Paging Chief Counsel Hugh Louis Dewey! Rachel got into a fender bender because she was distracted by laughing at Car Talk. Are Tom and Ray liable? Elsewhere, Tom got a Caprice Wagon in exchange for a set of teeth he made, but the car's knocking sound is making him wonder if he should have only provided molars. Also, Abbie got some dodgy, and perhaps life-threatening advice on how to check her car's alignment; Dee can't accept a life without heated seats; and Phil is wondering if his wife...

This week on the Best of Car Talk, Heidi's car is making a scary noise and having trouble steering--and worse, she can't find a mechanic who will take her seriously. Maybe because the car is an '87 Peugeot? Meanwhile, Allen's earning his spot on mechanics' and TV techs' Top 10 Wacko Customer list with a Volvo that's starting itself and a TV that's turning itself on. Also, can Sharon ignore her husband and put a wreath on her Tahoe without voiding the Excess Pine Needle Intake clause of her...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Doug's dashboard began billowing smoke the first time he ran his defroster. His wife diagnosed it as roasting bugs, and Doug forgot Tommy's first rule of marital happiness when he told her, "You're nuts." Could she have been right, and can Doug get out of the doghouse? Elsewhere, Alex may need help finding closure over his beloved pickup, while Christine can't decide whether to accept her parents' offer of their Buick station wagon; and Tracy wishes...

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Alan thinks his Mercedes was born with a 100,000 mile death gene. Ever since the odometer rolled over, the car's been nothing but trouble and now Alan is ready to dump it. Might he be acting a bit prematurely? Elsewhere, Dave's commute may get more complicated this winter, because his Audi's heater only works on right turns; Keri wants to soup up her scooter after it lost a race to a Vespa; and is Michael going to set off his airbag by drumming along with...