The Best of Car Talk artwork

The Best of Car Talk

198 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12.1K ratings

America's funniest auto mechanics take calls from weary car owners all over the country, and crack wise while they diagnose Dodges and dismiss Diahatsus. You don't have to know anything about cars to love this one hour weekly laugh fest.

Automotive Leisure Comedy
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Episodes

#2045: The Bionic Bug

November 07, 2020 13:00 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Rita's VW won't start after being flooded during a hurricane. Does it have a future on the road or just as a saltwater aquarium? Elsewhere, Bob discovered an unusual feature in his BMW as a result of his father-in-law being locked in the car for a half-hour; Dan's Acura may have oil problems, if his neighbor's hearing is right; and Chuck thinks his wife's parking brake technique is too quiet. Also, college sudent Kim wants help with a take-home Physics exam....

#2044: You Sap

October 31, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Yousef's quickie oil change place recommended that he use special high mileage/high price oil in his Saturn. Yousef swears the car is performing better, but his fiancee is convinced that Yousef got suckered. Will Tom and Ray be any more sympathetic, or will they try to sell Yousef the Brooklyn Bridge? Elsewhere, Tim found something resembling mayonnaise on his Fury's dipstick. Should he be worried, or should he just make a tuna salad sandwich with it? Also, ...

#2043: Clickonomics

October 24, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50 MB

This week on Car Talk, how many thousands of dollars can one hour of lousy car advice pump into an ailing economy? Well, when that hour starts with a Saab owner who's going to be transmission shopping, we may be able to match the Gross Domestic Product of Guinea-Bissau. Or better. Things take a turn for the bearish, though, when Jacob scores a free do-over on his timing belt replacement-- and when Lee's Lincoln turns out to need a new "Whoop Tube." (How do you figure costs of replacing an ima...

#2042: Don't Start

October 17, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50.3 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Rich inherited a Buick that's been napping for four years. Can he start it right up without destroying it,or being enveloped in smoke? Elsewhere, Patrice's VW bus won't start, John Mark's backseat passengers are getting their feet soaked when he makes a turn, and Alana's gas tank is spitting fuel back out after she fills it. Also, is the threat of fire enough to convince Jim that replacing his tailpipe might count as a "necessary repair"? And, will a strateg...

#2041: Exorcist or Arsonist

October 10, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Robin and our hosts have different approaches for ger VW's devilish steering problem. Elsewhere, Sue's boyfriend is afraid to get in the car with her due to her long history of accidents, near misses, and traffic violations. Sue insists she's a safe driver, so a full-scale Car Talk intervention may be necessary. Also, Joe may need to choose between a bungee cord and a 2x4 if he doesn't want to spring for a new transmission; and can Randy just keep adding a q...

#2040: Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

October 03, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50.1 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Andy's car overheated in the desert. With no water on hand, his girlfriend convinced him to use the only liquid available. We're bordering on TMI here, so we'll just say that Andy is now worried about said liquid's acid causing corrosion. Elsewhere, Judy and her Volvo just moved from Los Angeles to Chicago. What does she need to do to winterize her car, and herself? Also, Christian's clutch problems are threatening his career in pizza delivery; Magica's husb...

#2039: Fell Off Truck

September 26, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 49.9 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Matt's bad day got a little worse when his Volvo fell off the tow truck that was hauling it from an accident. Will Tom and Ray's vast experience dropping cars help Matt figure out if his is still safe to drive? Elsewhere, should Jackie go braless when washing her car? We're talking about the car's bra here, not Jackie's. Also, Peter thinks he has a theremin player living in his car; Barb's smart-aleck son may actually be smarter than she thinks; and on Stump...

#2038: Bernsteining the Clutch

September 19, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Leonard Bernstein is immortalized in automotive lore for a shifting technique he handed down to his son. Elsewhere, Adla got a rude welcome to Boston when someone stole the battery from her Civic; Jennifer made an ill-advised bet on steering wheels with her know-it-all 18-year-old nephew; Esther's low coolant light and buzzer might be trying to send her a subtle signal about the state of her cooling system; and is John's Thunderbird suffering from Radio Freq...

#2037: Latent Junkman Syndrome

September 12, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 99.4 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Joe's brother-in-law collects heaps. Why is this Joe's problem? The cars wind up in his backyard. And to make things even more complicated, Joe's brother-in-law owns the house. Can Tom and Ray untangle this family mess? Elsewhere, Sherry thinks her temperature gauge is going through menopause; Roseanna borrowed her friend's Subaru for the summer and fears she may be responsible for its new noise; and Klaus may need to learn how to drive his car with the engi...

#2036: Magliozzi's Ignoramus Principle

September 05, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.4 MB

Move over, Heisenberg! This week on the Best of Car Talk, one listener's new theory on Tom and Ray's ability to alter reality. Elsewhere, Anthony thinks his cheapo tires are making noise. His solution? Swap them with his wife's tires. Will Tom and Ray have a suggestion that won't land Anthony in divorce court? Also, Crash's Mazda is making him live up to his nickname by wandering all over the road; Kimberly is tired of having to whack her Subaru's starter; Dora has become a reluctant member o...

#2035: Everybody Wins

August 29, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Julia's worried that her Dad's attempt to replace the engine in Mom's Suburban might stress their marriage. Tom and Ray think it may make their bond stronger than ever, even if the car is destroyed. Elsewhere, Tim's Dodge Dart rolled into a lake and went for a full dive. The car has been retrieved, but will it ever run again and not smell like fish? Also, Karen's physicist husband has a bogus explanation for why her car is shaking; Kelley wants to fix her Ci...

#2034: Con the Mechanic

August 22, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Nancy doesn't fully trust her mechanic so she's throwing around car jargon to bluff him into thinking she knows more than she does. But, her vocabulary has run dry. Will the official Click and Clack Thesaurus come to her rescue? Elsewhere, Greg's truck's wiring has become lunch for critters and the only way to save it may require giving up his beloved garage wood shop. Also, Kara's white-water rafting company may have to do the unthinkable and switch to auto...

#2033: A Big, Beautiful, Piece of Junk

August 15, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, should Jason dump his beloved Camaro? It needs a new engine and completed its mission to help him find a girlfriend. Elsewhere, Shelly has the happiest dog in the world as her Explorer is spewing dog food from the vents; Oscar needs to decide whether to fix his wife's brakes or buy more life insurance for her; and should Barbara attempt her 6-month road trip in a VW Camper Van if she expects it to last more than 6 days? Also, from the land of Wacko theories,...

#2032: The Hungry Water Theory

August 08, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, distilled water may be too hungry for John to use it in his radiator. Will Ray's explanation of the hungry water theory help clarify things, or as usual, only further obfuscate matters? Elsewhere, Diana's van could be a new form of germ warfare; Rhadd's wild idling leaves him, Tom, and Ray all wishing our hosts were smarter; and, on Stump the Chumps we find out if Liz found her gas leak, and the perfect jumpsuit. Also, Todd's noisy truck gives Tom a chance t...

#2031: Tickling the Electrons

August 01, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Dennis' friend told him the best way to charge a low car battery is by turning on all the accessories. Does this earn immediate entry into the Wacko Theory Hall of Fame? Elsewhere, Julieta's boyfriend is blaming her driveway for his Camry's starting problem, which can only be cured by the correct curse words; Molly would like a little less cowbell in her Altima; and Gail explodes the myth that women don't play practical jokes. Also, how did a rental car's ex...

#2030: Additive Placebo Syndrome

July 25, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.6 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Bob's friend swears his Passat is getting an extra mile per gallon since he disabled the daytime running lights. Is this possible, or is he working overtime to believe it's happening? Elsewhere, Harmony stands accused of smashing her sister's car by taking her foot off the brake, but swears her foot never left the pedal; Bruce's son's Town Car needs a paint job but it will cost more than the car is worth; and Gina's husband is taking the fun out of his mid-l...

#2029: A Clean Death

July 18, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Greg was surprised when his truck started running poorly, until he learned that his four-year-old son had washed the inside of the gas tank with soap. Should Greg stick his kid with the repair bill? Elsewhere, Judy can't decide if her son-in-law is brilliant or wacko for raising the hood of his Volvo after every drive; Gil's Camry may be leaving a trail of clutch fluid from Houston to Phoenix; Debra's knocking is nothing compared to the sound of two hosts ba...

#2028: Sorry, Dad

July 11, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, did Christy destroy her dad's car 15 years ago by putting black tape over a flashing temperature light— and then continuing to drive? And is Dad ready to forgive and forget? It's one of our all-time favorite auto-familial disputes. Elsewhere, Andy got talked into replacing his front brakes to help stop a noise coming from the rear; Nancy's husband says she's risking death by keeping her air conditioning on recirculate; and should Mickey be concerned that she...

#2027: The Dregs Theory

July 04, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Donna's husband warned her not to let her new Camry's gas tank fall below 1/4 full, because the dregs might damage a crucial part. Does the fact that this part no longer exists automatically throw this advice into the Land of the Booooooogus? Elsewhere, John can only keep his car from stalling by opening the hood and touching the engine. Does this fix have anything to do with the fact that John's a Catholic priest? Also, Tom is looking for a "girlfriend car,...

#2026: Sherlock Holmes, Eat Your Heart Out

June 27, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50.2 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Stephanie's Volvo began making noise after she moved from California to Oregon. Tommy uses brilliant deductive reasoning to come up with a completely bogus explanation. Elsewhere, Karlene's mechanic diagnosed her Explorer's annoying squeak as "an annoying squeak," with no suggestions for quieting it. Can Tom and Ray do perhaps just a wee bit better? Also, Ed may need to resort to healing crystals to start his son's Taurus; Larry has a chance to take part in ...

#2025: A Sympathetic Ear

June 20, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50.5 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Ryan took his car in for an oil change and got talked into an engine shampoo. Will Tom and Ray reassure him that he's not a complete idiot? At least he didn't get a cream rinse. Elsewhere, Bill parked his rental car on a beach, and discovered the next morning that the tide had rolled in—to the car. He's bailed the water, but hasn't told the rental company. Also, Ray channels Frank Costanza to try to diagnose Kevin's clicking noise; Jean is suffering a run of...

#2024: Faster Than the Speed of Light

June 13, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, physics research suggests that Tom may in fact be Superman. You've never seen them photographed together, have you? Elsewhere, Grant's marriage counselor suggested he and his wife turn to Tom and Ray to help settle their auto-marital dispute over keeping the radio on while the car is off. Will our hosts bring peace, or will Grant's next appearance be on Divorce Court? Also, Mark decided to replace his working transmission, and has now gone through six failed...

#2023: Proverbial Declarification

June 06, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, a quiz for the Master of Puzzler Obfuscation. Can Ray un-declarify some well-known proverbs? Elsewhere, Caroline's poor clutch technique may be destroying her relationships; Nancy boyfriend's MR2 is burning oil, which may say more about his personality than the car; and John's pickup sounds like Buddy Rich is playing drums under the hood. Also, is something really wrong with Dana's starter motor or have her parents taken action to get her to stop lounging o...

#2022: Ask the Ethicist

May 30, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Mary wants to sell her Accord, but it has a leaky water pump. Does she get the work done, knock the price down, or none of the above? Can Tom and Ray put their inner mechanic aside, and guide her to a clear conscience, or do they need an outside consult? Elsewhere, Tina just learned a scary and stinky lesson about why you shouldn't drive drive down a mountain in neutral; Jerry is looking for an alternative to the "stick and ballet pose" method he's using to ...

#2021: Odometer Dreans

May 23, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Bill's broken odometer fixed itself, right after Bill dreamed it was working. Will Tom and Ray have a mechanical explanation, a metaphysical explanation, or (most likely) a boooooogus explanation? Elsewhere, Toby wants her husband to get rid of her old BMW, but he's proving as immovable as the car; Sally is getting half her husband's mileage, and hopes it's not because she's buying cheap gas from Rotten Robbie; and Derek's dog would really appreciate it if D...

#2020: The Waccabuc Flash

May 18, 2020 18:07 - 54 minutes - 50.2 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, paging Agents Mulder and Scully! Sally drove under a wire, heard a loud noise and saw a flash of light in her console. Is Waccabuc, New York the new Area 51? Elsewhere, Wyatt holds Tom and Ray responsible for the worst eight months of his life, and not because they gave him bogus car advice! It's a tale of woe and intrigue that ends with an almost cross-country escape in a VW Microbus. Also, Cynthia's kids want her to dump her beloved Subaru. Should she go a...

#2019: Click & Clack & Mom

May 09, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MB

This week, Car Talk celebrates Mother's Day with a special appearance from Tom and Ray's long-suffering mom, Elizabeth. She'll spill the beans on what life was like in the Magliozzi household, and do her best to evade the question of which of her kids she liked best. She's also ready to give out advice to new moms ("You've got a long way to go, sweetheart!"); get to the real reason one caller really wants to teach his mom to drive ("Is she going to leave you a lot of money?"); and, offer a fi...

#2018: Your Wife or a Cigar

May 02, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50.6 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Tom and Ray demonstrate their unmatched ability to plant all four feet firmly in their mouths and endanger their marriages— all while diagnosing a simple vacuum leak. Later, however, they just might make amends by helping to save Beth's marriage, with a ruling on whether her Civic's clutch should be more afraid of Beth or her husband. Elsewhere, Susan is a philosophy professor by day, and a pig rescuer by night. Is there one vehicle that can handle both life...

#2017: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

April 25, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, a salute to Edwards Bulwer-Lytton, the writer who set the bar for bad opening sentences with, "It was a dark stormy night." Can any current authors hope to match him? Elsewhere, Liz wants to use her Maxima to remove some unwanted shrubs from her yard, but is worried her bumper will wind up as part of the landscape. Elsewhere, Nancy's 16-year old son wants a muscle car. Will she be abdicating all parental responsibility if she buys him one, and is there a go...

#2016: The Stick Fix

April 18, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.2 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Martin drove off a ledge and dislodged his muffler. He found a stick to keep it in place. Will this brilliant solution set New Hampshire and the entire Northeast on fire? Elsewhere, Tom and Ray administer the Leadfoot Personality Test to try to figure out whether Martha is responsible for her Passat's rough shifting, or if she can blame a failing transmission. Also, Dick's car is blowing so much smoke he's on Pennsylvania's Most Wanted Polluters list; and, E...

#2015: The Popsodent

April 11, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Sarah's about to graduate from college, and is ready to address the 5,000 dents her Taurus has suffered from years of being parked in campus lots. Will she find the solution on late-night TV? Elsewhere, really low-budget filmmaker Seth wants to blow up a car for his latest project. Is there enough cash in our legal defense fund for Tom and Ray to even consider giving Seth any advice? Also, a manure overload may have made Art's truck's steering &*%^! the bed;...

#2014: A Nice Juicy Pizza

April 04, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, unearthed letters from summer camp prove that the child really is the father to the man, at least when it comes to our Technical, Spiritual and Menu Advisor, John Bugsy Lawlor. Elsewhere, Lee liberated herself from her mechanic by changing her own oil, but also got liberated from her cash when she poured the oil into her transmission; Author Cameron needs a lesson in how to burn rubber; and, Jane and her husband want to buy a stretch limo to cruise around to...

#2013: The Sacrificial Battery

March 28, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, did the battery in Keith's electric winch give up its life to lift a tree trunk? If so, how can Keith honor its memory? Elsewhere, Anne's family is planning a cross-country road trip. Is their Mercury Villager up to the task, or likely to wind up being pushed off the top of Pikes Peak when the engine fails? Also, Arlene wants her recently retired husband to learn how to work on their six cars. He says cars are too complicated, but is he just blowing smoke? A...

#2012: Automotive Darwinism

March 21, 2020 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, after driving in Massachusetts for the first time, Addie is baffled by the concept of the rotary. Happily, Tom and Ray can explain its true purpose. Elsewhere, is "Backseat Driver Syndrome" incurable? Lani got used to yelling at her husband when he was a stinko driver, but now that he's doing better behind the wheel, she's still nagging from the passenger seat. Also, Christine is wondering if she needs to give up knitting in the passenger seat, lest a deploy...

#2011: Attack of the Black Widows

March 14, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50.2 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Heather recovered her stolen Civic, but found a family of black widow spiders had taken up residence. She killed the mother with a shovel, but how can she evict the rest of the clan? Elsewhere, Howard ran out of brake fluid during a long drive and is wondering if he could have used his bottle of tequila to fill in; Timothy is wondering if it's time to cut his losses on the Maserati that has him on a first-name basis with AAA; and could Tanya's loss of revers...

#1952: Blow it Out

December 28, 2019 13:00 - 56 minutes - 51.6 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Jill's pal keeps telling her she needs to do more highway driving to "blow the stuff" out of her car. Jill's not opposed to this on principle, but she would like to know what she's trying to blow out. Elsewhere, Eleanor is leaving on a 6-month around the world bicycle tour and she wants to know what to do with her truck while she's gone. Tom and Ray want to know how Eleanor plans to pedal across a few oceans?! Also, after Lauren's boyfriend drove down Mount ...

#1951: One Truck a-Dangling

December 21, 2019 13:00 - 56 minutes - 51.6 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Bill Bailey's truck made a horrible noise and lost reverse. But, the fun really began when it rolled into a lake after Bill got home. Now the only thing keeping it from sinking is one cable. Elsewhere, Victoria is looking for a quartet of $2,000 cars for her sons; Jenny's newlywed husband lost 15 pounds and his now-oversized wedding ring is missing in their Jeep's dashboard; Lindsay is wondering whether to charge her husband with sabotage after he drove her ...

#1950: The Great Cow Magnet Caper

December 14, 2019 13:00 - 55 minutes - 51.6 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, could cow stomach magnets have improved the gas mileage on Tim's Jaguar? Or is that udderly (sorry) ridiculous? Meanwhile, down in Antarctica, summer is coming, but Matt's vehicle is still having trouble when the thermometer dips below a balmy minus 40 degrees. And, Tom and Ray are in the holiday spirit with some creative gift suggestions for men, comforting advice for Adrian who wants to put a wreath on her car but is worried it will spontaneously combust, ...

#1949: Stop and Chat

December 07, 2019 13:00 - 55 minutes - 52 MB

Out in Gustavas, Alaska, Janet and her neighbors like to stop and talk to each other when they're driving. One of the topics: whether their cars are better off idling or being shut off during the conversation. This week on the Best of Car Talk, Tom and Ray weigh in, and one Magliozzi manages to book himself a night sleeping in the garage. Elsewhere, Heidi's Lincoln is under attack from a bird that's pecking at its own reflection. Can Heidi protect her car without landing on the Audubon Societ...

#1948: Honesty Will Always Get You in Trouble

November 30, 2019 13:00 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Prashanth's new wife is about to come to America for the first time. Should he greet her with his beat-up Corolla, spring for a new car, or try to fake it by renting something until it's too late for her to turn back to India? Elsewhere, Al stands accused of "careless parking"—his brother says Al pulls into the garage in a way that makes it impossible to back out. Is this even physically possible? Also, Father Bob needs a heavy duty flasher, so he can hear h...

#1947: Ray Caught Working

November 23, 2019 13:00 - 55 minutes - 50.2 MB

This week on the Best of Car Talk, we demonstrate just how much effort goes into. . . .embarrassing Tom and Ray. You didn't think we were talking about putting effort into the show, were you? Elsewhere, "Sweetie" has to decide whether to rebuild her Explorer's transmission or limp along without 5th gear, and Tom and Ray have to decide how many times they can call her Sweetie without getting into big trouble. Also, should Ruth follow her husband's or father's conflicting advice on tire pressur...

#1946: Mmm, Donuts

November 16, 2019 13:00 - 55 minutes - 50.4 MB

This week on the Best of Car Talk, Ben and his brother took their dad's Camry for a ride--in reverse, in the neighbor's yard, with the steering wheel cocked all the way to one side. They had a great time! The Camry's power steering, not so much. Elsewhere, Al and his friend disagree over whether to take speed bumps with two wheels or four; Kathy is miffed that her husband carries a picture of his beloved Studebaker in his wallet, but not one of her; Wendall, and his insurer, want to know why ...

#1945: Phantom Foot

November 09, 2019 13:00 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Amy's husband is no longer driving a stick shift but is still using both feet, keeping his left foot on the brake. Is this dangerous and can Tom and Ray help Amy find something else for him to do with that foot? Elsewhere, Esther is looking for a Get Out of Speeding Tickets Free card due to her car's stuck idle; Edabeth's Volvo sounds like an airplane readying for takeoff; and Nathan wants to take shade tree mechanic to a whole new level. He's camping out in...

#1944: I Stink, Therefore I Am

November 02, 2019 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50.4 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Fran and her boyfriend are both jocks, and as a result her Taurus smells like a locker room. Will a few dozen Odor Eaters hanging from the rear view mirror get rid of the stink? Elsewhere, Fritzie has two Peugeots, one of which has died. Should she keep it around, so its partner has company? Also, Margo's Dad gave her his Cadillac, but her noisy brakes have Tom and Ray convinced Dad may be trying to bump Margo off; Matt wants to cure his wife of her habitual...

#1943: Cream Rinse

October 26, 2019 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Tom and Ray stray ever further into terra incognita, as they try to help Sharon figure out why her hair looks lousy after a long drive. Procter and Gamble may have issues with Ray's diagnosis. Elsewhere, Sharon's car is making a "lurid groan" when she turns. The noise is making her a star at the retirement home, but should she be worried about it? Also, from the marital disputes department, Cathy thinks her husband erred by driving down Mt. Washington in 1st...

#1942: A Bevy of Bad Options

October 19, 2019 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, should Bill risk humiliation and passenger nausea by trying to learn how to drive a sitck shift in time for the high school dance? Given that his options are the family minivan or station wagon, he may need to go for it, and have a handy supply of barf bags on hand. Elsewhere, Jane's neighbor's dog is biting her Subaru's tires and chasing her car. Jane is thinking a healthy dose of pepper spray may help dissuade Fido, but Tom and Ray may have a more (or less...

#1941: Bryology This, Pal

October 12, 2019 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Jenny's fiance, a budding bryologist, thinks she's crazy because she swears her car is more difficult to start when its low on gas. Should he stick to moss and stay away from fuel dynamics, let alone female psychology? Elsewhere, Angela's smelling something sweet from her dashboard, but the cost to fix it will be mighty sour; Eric is wondering how a $4 part could require $358 in labor to replace; and David is trying to decide which of two heaps to dump, when...

#1940: Junkaraderie

October 05, 2019 12:00 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MB

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Michelle's husband paid $170 for her dream car, and she thinks he may have overpaid. It's just missing a few things, such as the rear windshield, the gas cap, chunks of the floor...and we haven't even gotten to all the problems under hood. Fortunately, Michelle is talking to a guy who can appreciate junk, and Tommy is as excited as her husband about this dream turned nightmare. Elsewhere, Mary discovered how big a rock it would take to kill her lawn mower; M...