Car Talk Podcast

Car Talk Podcast #1910 : Poise, Courage and Idiocy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ownership. Also, NASA researcher Anastas can't get a grant to find out if his Audi would perform in zero gravity, so he's turning to the next worst option, Tom and Ray. All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

Car Talk Podcast #1909 : He Can Fry the Fish and Watch the Cat ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 to help him win, however underhanded; Abbie needs help persuading a physics professor to help her rent a car after he damaged hers; and Dan bought a used Corolla that may have come with the previous owner's engagement ring hiding behind the dash. How did it get there? Find out this week on The...

Car Talk Podcast #1912: Witness Intimidation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 blacklight test to find her Volvo's oil leak; and should John clean his car before a first date, or let her see him for the slob he really is? All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

Car Talk Podcast #1911: The California Way ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 right car to help his uncle get his kicks on Route 66; and Kathy needs help navigating the mind of the modern mechanic, who happens to be her husband. And, on Stump the Chumps, did Ellen finally find a way to distract her husband from the JC Whitney catalogue? All this and more, this week on the...

Car Talk Podcast #1913: The Immortal Timing Belt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 is shaking after a clutch job, which may be a case of FOL (Fell Off Lift); Bear may need to change his 100,000-mile spark plugs' name to "lifetime" since they're frozen in place; and on Stump the Chumps, we find out if John cleaned his car, or let a first date see him for the...

Car Talk Podcast #1915: SUV Absolution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This week on The Best of Car Talk, Carl is about to receive his Master's degree in Coastal Management and is wracked with guilt about owning two gas guzzling SUVs. Will converting emissions systems help him feel better and keep the seas at bay? Elsewhere, Brian's drive to work is quicker and more scenic than his wife's, but on washboard roads, so is he going to spend all that saved time in his mechanic's lobby waiting for a new suspension? Also, Dr. Kenny is so concerned about his Civic's brakes that he's stepping out of surgery to seek help; Debbie's mechanic found a rag stuck in the remains of her Peugeot's oil filter; and Monica's husband insists on shifting his automatic transmission into neutral at stop lights to let the transmission rest. Does his brain need a nap...