#1121: Pranks, Painting & Personal Problems

May 21, 2011
This week on Car Talk, we dive head first into the four P's of automotive advice. And where better to start than pranks! Faye in New York wants to know how her youthful looking daughter can ward off unnecessary car repairs. Tom and Ray have a few sneaky suggestions to thwart unethical knuckle-scrapers looking to make a buck. In Minnesota, Todd's looking for the cheapest way to paint his Honda and escape the ridicule of his neighbors. Apparently, Todd's a snob when it comes to the old contact paper solution. And rounding up the automotive P's.... personal problems! Ben's wife wants to break him of an addictive automotive habit. Can Tom and Ray rescue Ben before he commits vehicular suicide? All that, plus a new puzzler about Tommy's "newish" car this week on Car Talk.

Show Open Topic

Tom and Ray share a list of signs that your guy might not be all that handy, after all.

This Week's Puzzler

What's going on with Tommy's car odometer? Check out this week's puzzler, and see if you can figure out this mathematical-automotive conundrum.

Last Week's Puzzler

Can you come up with the missing four lines of this mathematical limerick?

As Read on Car Talk



6 Comments

Easy & cheap way to open a door

Getting the a car door open when both handles are broken and the linkages have been dis-engaged is usually not that difficult to do for an automotive Locksmith. Over the years I have opened several doors with these problems. You might want to consider a locksmith for lock & key problems. (even if they are on a car)
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tip

Instead of using a tree to free a stuck clutch, jack up one wheel, block the others, and run in gear at a slow speed. Bump the brakes while the car runs, without actually stopping the motor. Keep bumping until the clutch breaks loose
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Caller Number 3 Faye

Instead of a police uniform in the backseat, get a Seal Team Six sticker for her back window. I have a Seal Team One sticker from my nephew on my Suburban here in San Diego. I can leave the keys in it. Nobody will mess with it.
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Show Review - 1626

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good show

I always enjoy your show. I have one comment on todays. You laughed at the girl's father for keeping track of gas bought etc. although keeping track of cost and name of station is a little much, knowing what your mpg is important. I drive a 2003 Merc Grand Marquis and I need to know when my milage changes. My husband always kept track of the mpg in a little book. since his death I don't take time to do that but I usually figure my gpm each time I buy gas since I keep my milage on the trip gauge. Am I missing something? Isn't the milage you get important to the "health" of your car? Thanks again for an entertaining hour every Saturday. When I visit my sister, we don't go anywhere until your show airs. May GOD bless you both. Louise Mott
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any time I hear you laughing together. I have four grown sons (48-56) and when they laugh together it's heaven.
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Rebecca's Dad

Aye, but you didn't give the young lady good advice. Rebecca's dad did those things for his daughter out of love. Filling in the book is harmless. Little girls grow up and leave dad with little to do. It was a little thing she could do to show that all the wisdom he had passed on meant something. In turn, he cared for her car. Of course, he knew she would have to leave him one day, but the book was for her safety. When she is older and her dad is gone, she will think about that car book and wished she had filled it out. For her and for him.
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