#1211: Ashley Wants the Wheel

Mar 17, 2012
This week on Car Talk, actress Ashley Judd learns one downside of marriage to a professional race-car driver--he insists on driving every time they're in the car together. You'd think the guy would want a day off, wouldn't you? Find out if Tom and Ray can keep this auto-marital dispute off the front page of the National Enquirer. Elsewhere, Andy's steering wheel is making a noise which he'd like to handle with WD-40, but might be better taken care of by singing a chorus of "Chattanooga Choo Choo," and Tom in New Jersey would really like to blame a tow truck driver for his Honda's computer failure. Finally, Mary Rawson's friend has offered to fix her brakes for free, and perhaps get a date at the same time. Can she turn him down and still have a car that will stop? All this and lots more, this week, on Car Talk.

Show Open Topic

"Write your answers on..." Tom and Ray share a few puzzler answer submissions received here at Car Talk Plaza.

This Week's Puzzler

How can Katie's father and grandfather have the same birthday... and be the same age, to boot?

Last Week's Puzzler

Why did pickpocketing rates increase after the warning signs went up?


5 Comments

Correction & namephreak/pun

The catalogue with window-air vents is autosportcatalogue.com, also in paper format. As 4 Judd, recall(U didn't and she didn't plug) her new ABC show "missing". When an Aussie says there was a car theft (japanese) he'd state" my Nissan is missin'" and it would rhyme.
Favorite Moment: 
astonishment at the real Ashley judd calling in, no Hollywood stuff.
Rating: 

Too many re-runs.

I am tired of callers with opening remarks like "I have a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutless with 22,000 miles and ..." Too many re-runs. I'm outta here.
Favorite Moment: 
there were none.
Rating: 

Repeated repeats

Come on, guys! As pointed out by others, the Ashley Judd segment was a repeat. So was the "Mary Rawson in Santa Barbara Volvo brakes segment". This is the THIRD time I have heard that exact call. I remember her name, it is quite unique. If you need more calls, you should tell us. Or, are you just taking time off? Please don't pass repeats off as originals.
Favorite Moment: 
Rating: 

window waves

Go to autocatalogue.com (?). I saw a print catalogue (that also carries Weathertec products)that has attachable window vents, not just rain covers, that clip on the glass and vent air inward. Note to Click & Clack: Laytonville is where Wavy Gravy has a kid's camp.
Favorite Moment: 
closing credits and puzzler
Rating: 

The jig is up!!

I distinctly remember hearing that exact same call from Ashley Judd on a previous show several years ago. I am unable to say exactly when since my mind is cluttered with so many subsequent lousy shows. But this raises the question: are listeners subjected to reruns without our knowledge? Do Tom and Ray skip out of the studio for coffee or to go play golf and leave the staff to play tapes of old shows? Do you even show up every week or just pop in a CD of an old show? Or is this incident a matter of insufficient call volume? I think we need an official Car Talk investigation!
Favorite Moment: 
Rating: 

Get the Car Talk Newsletter