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#1138: Cleanliness Is Next to Boat Payment

Sep 17, 2011
This week on Car Talk, does a clean car get better treatment from mechanics? Leif in Pennsylvania has been conducting field research, and has some expensive evidence that supports his theory. Elsewhere, Lancelot just got home from Burning Man with a souvenir he didn't ask for - the alkali salt dust now in every pore of his Pathfinder. Also, Karilee's about to say "I do," but needs help convincing her fiance to say "I will buy you a Volvo"; Kurt's looking for a way to eke out a few more cool days from his dying air conditioner; and in honor of the Puzzler's return, we ponder the many definitions of bogosity. All this and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

Show Open Topic

At long last, Tom and Ray share the true meaning of "Bogosity."

This Week's Puzzler

Ray shares a sequence of numbers. Could they have something in common?

Last Week's Puzzler

What part of the motorcycle had to replaced?

As Read on Car Talk

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3 Comments

Air Conditioner advice

I have a 10 year old Toyota Tacoma. I have the same issue as the guy with the Camry with the oboe/cow whatever noise coming intermittently when the unit's running, which is pretty much all the time as I live in Mazatlan on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. If you had asked him to turn the temperature selector from cold to hot then back again, he would discover the noise goes away immediately, for a while. So my read on this issue is that it's the selector behind the dash that's causing the problem. Unfortunately the local shop here couldn't get a true Toyota replacement part, so they put in another similar unit. And the problem persists... The only problem is that when you keep turning the selector that way it eventually breaks and just spews hot air. Bummer when it's 90 degrees with 80% humidity.
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Dueling AC Controllers

Guys, In most modern cars, putting on the lowest temp setting is equivalent to the "Max" setting. At this setting, as you know, the AC recirculates the inside air and cools the car faster. Your advice that it does not make a difference is a tad off, I believe.
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Your Jewish caller of a year plus ago.
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Click and clack WRONG about Vanagon's value

on Sep 24th click and clack recommended giving away a 1984 Vanagon. If this vanagon is a westfalia it is worth far more than Click and Clack think. Do some research. I just sold one that needed work for $7500 and bought a nice one for $12000. I have seen them go higher than $30k for a nice example.
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