The Best of Car Talk

The composure and patience required to teach a teenager to drive is matched only by that teenager's ability to handle the occasional parental freakout without driving onto the sidewalk. Can Click and Clack help Christine help her Mom just. chill. out already?!?! Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Should Lee take the advice of a retired mechanic friend and 'rinse' the inside of his engine with kerosene between oil changes? A mechanical hygiene lesson on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The list of innovations that Car Talk has brought to the 'radio call-in' genre is long: unpreparedness, lack of focus and a unique inability to take anything seriously top the list. On this episode of the Best of Car Talk we discuss 'proper attire'. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Ray has theories. None of them are sound, but they all sound good. Find out all about Ray's 'Hungry Water' fallacy on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Julia is worried that her Dad's retirement project of replacing the engine in his heap of a GMC Suburban is going to strain her parents' relationship. Click and Clack disagree and think that Dad's hobby is going to be just what Mom wants, too. Huh? Find out why on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

James, great friend that he is, has offered to drive his buddy's Lexus for him for a few years until his friend returns from Amsterdam. What a guy! But is this the best thing for the Lexus? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Sandra the cheapskate, Ron the classmate, Holly Golightly and the Durango Kid(and more) all take turns trying to stump our chumps on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Which endeavor is more futile: Explaining to your 16 year old son that he doesn't need his own car, or attempting to convince Siri that vegetarianism is bad? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Chris and her family were a few hours into their car trip when her hubby noticed that the engine was starting to overheat. He insisted on turning the car's heat on and, whoa nelly- it got hot in there. What was hubby thinking? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Tim got a free used car from his mother but the ac doesn't work and Click and Clack told him to send Ma the repair bill. And boy is Tim's mom not happy about that. A particularly fraught 'Stump the Chumps' on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Ed is in Hawaii 'living it up like Wayne Newton!' but there's trouble in paradise in the form of some cats who like to spray his car -and not with sunscreen. Click and Clack strongly consider making a housecall on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Fortunately, when car trouble arises there are among us many who can avert automotive disaster by dint of their knowledge and decisive action. But what about those rare occasions when it isn't in your interest to fix something? Meet 'Mickey the Dunce' on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Are you a hopelessly romantic go-getter with a lot of cash to throw away on expensive car repairs? Then have we got a car for YOU on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Harvey from New Mexico was puzzled by a freeway sign he drove past that said something about a 'jake brake'. Who is this 'Jake' and why does he get a break? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

A koan is a paradoxical statement that tries to make sense of ambiguity. Sort of like, "The Best of Car Talk". Hear one of our favorite mechanics' koan all the way from Alabama on this episode. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

When you've been married as many times as Tommy has, spousal strife becomes a kind of 'lingua franca' in some helpful and some not so helpful ways. Evidence for the latter case on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Alexander's dad loved convertibles and dove them with style. Since dad was Leonard Bernstein does it really matter that he had it all wrong? Click and Clack take on a great American composer(and lose!) on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Linzee was watching in disbelief as the last hailstones bounced off her now-dimpled new car when a second plague of low-cost, mobile Dent Doctors swarmed into town promising a quick fix. Should she or shouldn't she? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Christy melted the engine in her Dad's car years ago when she was a new driver. It's been gnawing at her all these years that she never came clean about it. Click and Clack mediate on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

When Pam went to pick up her car at the dealership the guys at the service counter seemed to leap to her husband's defense when she suggested that he had wrecked her car. Is there a secret society of men and cars? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalk Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy