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#1027: What's a Soul Go for These Days?

Jul 03, 2010
This week on Car Talk, Tom and Ray try to help Mary in Minnesota sort through an ethical dilemma: Does she tell prospective buyers about her Accord's leaky water pump? Can Tom and Ray guide her to a clear conscience, or will their inner mechanics seize control? Meanwhile, Gerry in Colorado has developed a ballet worthy of George Balanchine to get his convertible's top up and down, but he'd like to retire the act; Tina in California took a hair-raising ride down a mountain in neutral, and then got some really scary advice about it from a friend; and, on Stump the Chumps, did Tom and Ray correctly identify the source of Dave in Utah's non mother-in-law-induced truck shimmy? All this, plus a few children's book titles that never made it past the editors, some puns we wish hadn't made it through, and lots more, on this week's encore edition of Car Talk.

Show Open Topic

Tom and Ray share a list of titles of unpublished kids' books-- and unpublished for a good reason!

This Week's Puzzler

How did the policeman know that the "Big Kahuna" had arrived just by looking at the car parked outside?

Last Week's Puzzler

What's was so unusual about the paragraph Ray read?

As Read on Car Talk

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7 Comments

Show Review - 1227

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Letter fro Dave Friday July 2, 2010

After reading the letter from Dave reference finding his grandmother's 1963 Rambler and asking your advice to buy the car, I found your answer to Dave belittling. As a owner (over 60) of a vintage "American Car" (Corvette) I do all my own mantance with a Sears 759 piece tool set. I beleive you guys could have done better then offering an insulting answer. I have been reading your weekly newspaper colume for years, and even though you guy write more a about forign vehicles, whitch I do not have much intrest in, I allway injoyed your sence of humor, until Reading the responce you offered Dave. I think You guy were way off base on this one. Please do better. John
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Always good for background noise!

In general, if I'm still home when Car Talk comes on a 11 am, it means I'm running late to get my chores done! But I did like the caller who didn't want to sell her soul. But on Stump the Chumps, why always the mother-in-law? Why never the father-in-law? I'd like you guys to do a scientific study of a random sampling of mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law. I'm give you 3:1 that the average weight of the fathers-in-law exceeds that of the mothers-in-law.
Favorite Moment: 
The opening: the music, the initial jokes...always gives us a smile!
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the accord

personally i think she should tell the truth, or go with the plan c like in the show. i believe honesty is the best policy.
Favorite Moment: 
all of it. hope you get to my call one day :/
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Sacramento's Not A Solo Act

Jeff, calling from Sacramento, confirms that he means Sacramento, California, asserting that it's the only one. Nope! There are Sacramentos in seven states. The other six states are Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. I thought it was supposed to be the mechanics that lie, and the car owners that were honest!
Favorite Moment: 
When the professor suggests a third strategy for selling the used car.
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Vermont Defence

Being a avid car talk fan i find it annoying that you make comment about Vermont being a low wage labor country. It is also strange that Vermont has been labeled as some strange backwater country on some TV and radio shows.
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Rejected Children's Book Titles

Dear Tom and Ray, I have loved your show up until Sat. My 7 year old adopted son, who loves cars and has started listening to your program with me, was listening to your program with me Sat. morning. At the opening of your program you listed Rejected Children's book titles: Many were in marginal in taste (which is part of the funniness of your show). However, two titles in particular made me wish I hadn't tuned in. One was something to the effect: 'Pop goes the hamster and other fun things to do with the Microwave'. Animal abusers really do kill animals by microwaving them alive. Please check with the ASPCA and they can verify this information. To make light of animal cruelty is amazingly insensitive. The second had to do with the fact that my son is adopted and heard your other book title to the effect of 'If you don't behave I'm going to put you up for adoption'. Again, incredibly mean and again making light of what is already a vulnerable, defenseless part of society. I think you owe a me, my son and the public an apology for these remarks. Angela Mathews
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